According to a July 2008 report by Packaged Facts titled “Emerging Health and Wellness Culinary Trend Mapping Report,” from the Center for Culinary Development (CCD) and Packaged Facts, the next generation of functional foods will be focused on aging Boomers and younger generations anxious to maintain their youthful appearance and a healthy body. According to Kimberly Egan, CEO of CCD, “What better way to reach consumers than through something that tastes good, while speaking to our deepest need to take control of our own health and happiness?”

Wixon’s new line of flavor modifiers, Mag-nifique Flavor Technologies, are aimed at just that: helping to formulate healthier ingredients with less sugar, less salt, less fat, more fiber and more protein—without sacrificing flavor. 

Sugar and salt seem to be top on most healthy-trend food developers’ lists, and the star among the Mag-nifique line is Mag-nifique Sweet Lift. Mag-nifique Sweet Lift works synergistically with sugar to enhance the perception of sweetness, not only in desserts, but also in other foods and beverages. Mag-nifique Sweet Lift incorporates a low-glycemic index and allows the reduction of simple sugars, while increasing complex sugars--thus, it helps the functionality in healthy foods targeting weight reduction, blood sugar and healthy aging. According to Mariano Gascon, vice president of research & development for Wixon, “Sweet Lift lets you maintain quality in reduced-sugar products and is especially useful to food scientists, healthcare facilities, foodservice companies, food processors, snack food companies and institutional chefs. It does not break down or alter its flavor during cooking, freezing or when stored on the shelf.” Also useful in low-sugar foods, especially those using high-intensity sweeteners, Mag-nifique Sweet-Away for High-Intensity Sweeteners reduces the lingering aftertaste of sweeteners such as sucralose.

Among its flavor modifiers, Wixon also offers KCLean Salt, a proprietary reduced-salt ingredient, which adds to foods the flavor of salt with only half the sodium. KCLean Salt can be used in a variety of normally high-sodium products such as soups, sauces, meats, frozen entrees, cheese, salad dressings and baked goods. It also can be used topically on popcorn, French fries, potato chips and other snack foods.

Mag-nifique Green Away reduces green, grassy, grainy, hay-like notes that are typical of whole-grain and vegetable dishes, as well as herbs and botanicals.  Mag-nifique Miner reduces the metallic and chalky aftertastes from minerals that are used in fortification. Mag-nifique Vita-Minimizer also works in products with fortification, with a focus on reducing the off-notes of vitamins, such as in functional beverage formulations. Mag-nifique Bitterless is used in inherently bitter product applications such as tropical juices, caffeinated products, alcoholic products, fruit infusions and botanicals. Mag-nifique Pro-No masks off-notes from soy protein fortification for applications such as soymilks, cultured soy and other soy-based products. Mag-nifique Astringency Away can be used in acidic products with astringent tastes, such as dressings and dips, as well as soybean and soy milk products.

Kim Holman, director of marketing at Wixon, concludes, “Wixon created this unique line of flavor modifiers to apply to all product lines. This is an element of the food industry that’s consistently growing and becoming increasingly important. We’re making ’better-for-you’ foods that don’t sacrifice flavor. It doesn’t have to taste bad to be good for you. Flavor modification is a strategic priority at Wixon, in order to help our customers win the palates of more mainstream health-seekers.” 
--Kerry Hughes, Technical Field EditorFor more information:
Wixon • St. Francis, Wis.
Kim Holman • 414-769-3000, ext. 6117
Kim_Holman@Wixon.com•www.Wixon.com