Dairy Demonstrates
Helping food and beverage manufacturers discover new ways to use dairy ingredients in a wide range of product applications was the focus of the U.S. Ingredients program at this year’s IFT Annual Meeting. The dairy ingredients program for the U.S. market has formally transitioned from Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) to the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), to support a global ingredients marketing platform. Recent research was available to demonstrate how U.S. dairy ingredients can contribute to improved taste, functionality and nutritional benefits that meet consumer demands. Included were the latest findings from the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, which highlights new consumer research and marketing potential for dairy in the emerging snack category. Information on innovation resources and skilled researchers was available on ways dairy ingredients can help solve many of today’s formulation challenges. Additionally, prototypes that incorporate value-added dairy ingredients were sampled, including a soothing smoothie, breakfast bites and cheesy pizza veggie dip. U.S. Dairy Export Council, www.innovatewithdairy.com

Flavor Sensations
Wixon’s theme for IFT 2010 was “Wixon--Apps for Every Flavor Situation,” and it showcased the company’s talent for translating the latest trends into food, delivering fare for every meal of the day and across all categories. Tastes included a Turducken Po Boy Sandwich, which contained chicken, turkey and duck made in Wixon’s new Meat and Poultry Pilot Plant (low in fat and calories). Also available was Meatloaf on a Stick, featuring traditional meatloaf flavor and enrobed in mashed potatoes--termed “comfort food with a twist.” Other features were gourmet specialties at the Chef Center and the Snack Station, where Wixon showcased some of the tastiest snack sensations that are low in sodium and sugar, with the incorporation of KCLean™ Salt and Mag-nifique™ Sweet Lift technologies. Wixon Inc., 414-769-3000, www.wixon.com

Sweet Approval
European food and beverage manufacturers now have the benefit of using a unique syrup, Cargill’s Xtend® sucramalt, to satisfy the public’s growing demand for sweetness solutions. Cargill has received official Novel Foods approval, paving the way for this sweetener to be used in a variety of foods and beverages produced and sold in Europe. The approval, based on the sweetener’s demonstrated safety as an ingredient, complements the official notification Cargill received in 2009 from the FDA of its GRAS status. Xtend sucromalt is derived from sucrose and maltose and has a clean, sweet taste. It provides the full energy of both glucose and fructose, but it is a slowly digestible carbohydrate with a low glycemic response, says the company. Cargill, 952-742-6080, www.cargill.com

Pull Out a Dried Plum
Dried plums offer natural solutions to improving food nutrition without sacrificing food quality. The California Dried Plum Board says these improvements result from dried plums’ unique composition of naturally occurring fiber, sorbitol and malic acid to replace fat calories with carbohydrate calories, thus lowering overall food caloric levels. Leaner meat cuts that substitute for higher fat alternatives are equally improved in moisture and flavor, when treated with dried plum ingredients. In addition, food eating quality is equal to, and in some instances better than, higher fat alternatives, claims the Board. California Dried Plum Board, 800-729-5992, www.californiadriedplums.org

Ocean’s Bounty
Ocean’s Flavor Sea Salt has a complete product line made from 100% natural, solar-evaporated sea salts. The company claims they dissolve quickly and yield clear solutions with minimal insolubles. Their OF-99SSN is traditional sea salt, with sodium and potassium levels the same as table salt. The line also includes: OF-45LSN, all-natural sea salt with 45% less sodium and 44% less chloride than table salt, but which contains some 1.9% magnesium and 8.6% potassium; OF-57LSN, a more typical, reduced-sodium product that contains 57% less sodium than table salt; and OF-70LSB, which has 70% less sodium and 34% less chloride--to name just a few. Ocean’s Flavor Sea Salts, 828-277-7564, www.oceansflavor.com

Purely Potato
Briess Malt & Ingredients Co. introduced a new way to naturally add flavor and color to foods at the IFT Food Expo--Briess® Roasted Potato Flour. A pure potato flour that has been gently roasted to develop savory flavor and warm color, this all-natural, value-added ingredient can be used to partially replace standard potato flour in existing formulations or as a new ingredient in existing and new formulations. In extruded snacks, Briess Roasted Potato Flour increases expansion, while improving flavor and color. It can also thicken and enhance the flavor of soups, gravies, sauces and prepared foods and can be used in seasoning mixes, dry blends, meat mixes and baked goods. Briess Malt & Ingredients Co., 920-849-7711, www.Briess.com/food

Worry-free Cocoa Flavor
With insecure cocoa sources, major worries about shortages and price pressures plague manufacturers whose products rely on cocoa as a key ingredient. Comax Flavors has developed a range of cocoa extenders and replacers, with several natural and artificial options to consider. These highly specialized flavors can replace anywhere from 10-75 parts Dutched cocoa in the finished product, with one part Comax flavor, claims the company. The results can range from a rich, chocolate taste with deep, complex notes to a light, caramelic-type cocoa flavor. Comax Flavors, www.comaxflavors.com

Amazing Omegas
Omega-9 Oils, developed by Dow AgroSciences, represent the “next generation” of cooking oils that allow foodservice and food manufacturing to deliver healthier foods, without compromising taste or performance, says the company. Dow AgroSciences’ NEXERA™, made from canola and sunflower seeds, has a unique combination of high-oleic (omega-9) (>70%) and low-linoleic (>3%) fatty acids. This profile gives the oil its outstanding flavor and performance attributes. The company claims Omega-9 Oils are healthier, because they not only have zero trans fat, they also have the lowest amount of saturated fat among cooking oils. Other benefits include both zero and lower saturated fat menu or label claims; and restaurants can reduce total “bad fats” by up to 80%. Omega-9 Oils, 800-678-2388, www.Omega-9Oils.com

Art of Reduction
Mizkan has perfected the art of wine reduction to an industrial scale, delivering consistency that is all-natural, salt-free, alcohol-free and economically smart, says the company. Formulations can benefit from flavorful wine reductions or denatured spirits in sauces, entrees, dressings, marinades, condiments, food bases, desserts or dairy products. Mizkan’s reductions are time- and temperature-controlled, to ensure product consistency, and, unlike traditional cooking wines, the products have no salt or added sugar. Wine reductions contain natural antioxidants (flavonoids) that have been proven to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and boost HDL (good) cholesterol. Mizkan, 847-590-0059, www.mizkan.com

Striking Gold
Improved soybean oil has achieved a milestone that will advance development of foods with reduced saturated fat and no trans fats, says the Monsanto Company. The FDA issued a response letter to Monsanto’s Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) notification. The FDA’s letter supports the use of oil from Vistive® Gold soybeans under the intended conditions of use. The GRAS status enables food companies to develop and test foods containing this nutritionally improved soybean oil, which is an important step toward offering consumers the benefit from this oil in a variety of food products, such as French fries or crackers. “Vistive Gold provides a glimpse into the next generation of soybean products that can bring direct health benefits to consumers,” says the company. Monsanto Company, www.monsanto.com

Hot Pepper News
Global, independent flavor ingredient specialist Treatt USA has launched Habanero Pepper Treattarome™ 9815. This latest addition to Treatt’s expanding range of 100% natural, Treattarome ingredients is wholly distilled from fresh, top-grade habanero peppers, the hottest chili pepper variety in the world. Beyond its piquancy, Habanero Pepper Treattarome 9815 offers flavorists an unusual and complex flavor profile suitable for a variety of applications. Using specialist, proprietary technology, Treatt ensures maximum flavor extraction, capturing the habanero flavor, without the heat usually associated with capsicum. Therefore, developers can incorporate an authentic, well-rounded, pepper flavor, while controlling spice levels to suit their requirements. Treatt PLC, www.treatt.com

They Say Tomato
Sensient Flavors LLC has introduced an extensive line of natural tomato flavors which they say will allow manufacturers to create products with myriad tomato profiles, suitable for a variety of applications, such as soups, sauces, entrees, side dishes and snacks. Sensient’s natural tomato flavor portfolio was created utilizing Sensient’s global expertise in savory flavor processes and flavor enhancement and in keeping with consumer trends. The portfolio provides manufacturers with the opportunity to incorporate natural tomato flavors that deliver authentic, culinary-inspired tastes, ranging from vine-ripe to wood-fire-roasted. Flavor options include Natural Tomato Flavors, in Fresh Type, Beef Steak Type, Vine-Ripe Type, Stewed Type, Sun-Dried Tomato Type and many more. Sensient Flavors LLC, 800-445-0073, www.sensientflavors.com

All the World’s a Stage   
The 13th Annual Culinary Institute of America’s World of Flavors Conference will present, for the first time in the U.S., a comprehensive, global standard of excellence in traditional Japanese cuisine, as practiced by Japan’s most revered master chefs and food experts. This annual, three-day forum is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential professional forums on world cuisines and trends. Each November, the Worlds of Flavor conference showcases the gold standards of world cuisines that are reshaping American palates and the U.S. foodservice industry. “Japan: Flavors of Culture” will include more than 60 leading chefs and other experts, who will share the culinary traditions of Japan, from casual dining to high cuisine, and from traditional to modern. American chefs and operators will discuss how they are adopting and translating Japanese flavors for a range of U.S. foodservice concepts. Culinary Institute of America, 707-537-7742, www.ciachef.org pf