2010 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo
The annual Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Meeting and Food Expo was held July 17-20, 2010, in Chicago. IFT reports it had some 21,500 registrants (including attendees and exhibitors), with 1,047 exhibitors in 2,146 booths. Additionally, approximately 115 sessions and 1,900 technical presentations were scheduled (of which nearly 1,500 were poster presenters). While many offered insights into basic research conducted by students, others provided information on consumer trends and even ways to improve workplace performance. Such was take-away information garnered from the keynote speech, “Drive--What the Science of Motivation Can Teach You About High Performance,” by Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind: Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age.
Pink offered that traditional ways of motivating employees, what basically amounts to a “carrot and stick” approach that one would take with a donkey (where the carrot is a financial reward and the stick is punishment), are not effective for employees responsible for complex organizational tasks requiring higher-end cognitive skills. Instead, studies show employees with such complex work objectives perform best when they have autonomy, mastery and purpose. For example, giving people autonomy means encouraging them to have ownership of their actions. It means allowing them the resource of time and letting them choose tasks, deciding when and how to do them. Pink added that working towards this approach, annual performance reviews would be replaced by reviews in which employees set their own shorter-term goals and then report to management on their progress.
Another presentation titled, “New Product Trends: Recessionary Impact,” by Lynn Dornblaser, Mintel, gave an overview of new product launches in the North American market. Dornblaser relayed there has been an increase of some 15% of new product launches in the first half of 2010, when compared to the last half of 2009. One third of new products have a “natural” type of claim, but as a percent of products, they are declining. So, too, are “minus” products, such as reduced-calorie, -fat and so on. There also has been a huge shift to private label, where “consumers can participate in the latest trends, but at a lower price point.” Also, there has been an increase in products making more than one type of claim, such as dietary fiber products noting their benefit for regularity and heart health.
On the following pages of Prepared Foods, as well as in the upcoming October 2010 issue, offerings of ingredient vendors, some of which were exhibitors at the 2010 IFT, provide information on tools now available to product developers to meet such new product objectives.
Ancient Wheat
Kamut is the trade name for the ancient wheat variety, khorasan. It is reported to have been brought to the U.S. from Egypt, where it is called Balady durum, by an American airman in 1949. Its supplier, Kamut International, says the grain is used in thousands of products, “including breads, pasta, cereals, snacks, pastries, crackers, beer, grain coffee, green foods and a delicious wheat drink.” The seed and growing standards are controlled by the supplier, and the product is available only in organic form. Kamut International, www.kamut.com
Say Cheese, Reduce Sodium
IFT attendees were treated to samples of Sargento’s reduced-sodium cheese. In a year-long process, Sargento has worked with consumer panels to develop a 25% reduced-sodium cheese that meets taste expectations. Along the way, when it was found developers could not use salt replacers and flavor maskers to reduce the sodium and still pass stringent sensory standards, the company developed a cheese-making process that lets the sodium be reduced, without adversely affecting flavor. Cheese types with a 25% salt reduction include Sargento’s Mild Cheddar, Colby Jack, Provolone and Whole Milk Mozzarella. Sargento Food Ingredients, www.sargentofoodingredients.com
Grains and Great Taste
Grain Processing Corporation (GPC) recently introduced a strategic alliance with ENRECO Inc. ENRECO’s Sterling Choice® brand of flax seed products were highlighted in GPC’s booth at the IFT Food Expo in a variety of foods able to bear the claim, “excellent source of ALA omega-3.” GPC featured INSTANT PURE-COTE® film-forming starch, INSCOSITY® instant starch and Sterling Choice ground flax seed in a “gluten-free” cinnamon roll to demonstrate their functional characteristics. TruBran® oat fiber is a logical choice for formulators designing foods that are a “good or excellent source of fiber;” it was showcased in high-fiber fruit smoothies, pizza and snack chips. Grain Processing Corporation, 563-264-4265, www.grainprocessing.com
Color Me Carmine
Safe, natural alternatives are often sought as replacements for cochineal extract and carmine as natural colorants. D.D. Williamson’s alternatives to cochineal and carmine include hues ranging from purple/red to orange to red/pink to red and have applications in yogurts, dairy, frostings, confectionery, acidic beverages and more. Derived from purple sweet potato (which is close in hue to cochineal, especially in acidic beverages), red beet or custom blends of paprika, the alternatives are kosher and vegan and are considered more non-allergenic than insect-derived cochineal, says the company. D.D. Williamson, 800-227-2635, www.naturalcolors.com
Thanks for the Gumball
Attendees at IFT were treated to the crunchy bite of gumballs coated with TicaPAN™ Quick Crunch, a confection coating system by TIC Gums. The latest addition to TIC Gum’s patent-pending line of confectionery coatings, TicaPAN Quick Crunch has comparable binding and viscosity properties to gum Arabic, yet dries up to 20% faster and ends reliance on gum supplies, the company claims. Sugar-free and non-cariogenic, it can be used to enrobe nuts, maltballs and other confections containing oils--and it can be used to create edible films and glitters. TIC Gums, 800-899-3953, www.ticgums.com/innovation-center
Staying Cool
At IFT, visitors were invited to taste David Michael’s Turkey Burger Sliders, made with DM’s salt replacers and boasting a 20% reduction in salt. The salt replacers allow up to a 20% reduction in salt, but are claimed to deliver the same amount of flavor impact, depending upon the application. The burgers could be washed down with DM’s cool Cocoa-Mate® Milkshake--by using Cocoa-Mate, a 30% reduction in cocoa was achieved, and the company says the product is functionally capable of replacing up to 40% of the cocoa powder used in a finished product. David Michael & Co., 215-632-3100, www.dmflavors.com
Cleaning Up
With a segment of the population increasingly turning to clean-label products, manufacturers are in need of natural concentrate colors. GNT offers a full range of these colors, including Exberry® coloring foodstuffs, which “are claimed to be foodstuffs in their own right.” Made from edible fruits, vegetables and plants, the colors are derived from physical processes, without selective pigment extraction and, therefore, retain the characteristics of the source material, with a recommended label of “concentrate (carrot, pumpkin)” or “carrot concentrate, pumpkin concentrate.” GNT, www.gnt-group.com
Tastes for Everyone
Symrise’s taste for life® concept has expanded to incorporate five pillars for positioning its product developments. Based on intensive consumer research, the five areas are: Stay Vital--taste solutions that create functional value for active, healthy lifestyles; Lighten Up--solutions for lighter food items with full flavor and reductions in salt, sugar, fat and flavor enhancers; Be Natural™--taste solutions made from natural ingredients; Just Enjoy--for authentic taste and enjoyment; and Get Excited--solutions for sensory pleasure and unusual taste experiences. IFT attendees were invited to taste foods and beverages developed specifically for each taste pillar. Symrise, 201-462-2389, www.symrise.com
Creative Collaboration
Univar, a global chemical distributor, in collaboration with many leading ingredient suppliers, has created a comprehensive and trend-based guide to new ingredient function and formulation for its customers--Delivering Discovery, an interactive formulation resource. This year, the tool builds on past success and will be available as a PDF-based resource; available on a USB drive, it delivers information on the latest supplier ingredient information that fits the trends. Univar’s customers can explore the latest trends, including culinary, natural, healthy enhancement, healthy reduction and convenience, to better understand the ingredients that can be used in these formulations. A number of tasty, fortified products were also available for sampling at Univar’s IFT booth. Univar USA Inc., 770-246-7700, www.univarusa.com
Sugar Syrup Solutions
Sethness Products offers three unique Caramelized Sugar Syrups to sweeten its line of Caramel Colors. Just like a touch of honey, the syrups provide both flavor and color in one blend. Offering a range of sweet to burnt notes, they can enhance a variety of applications--from beverages to flavorings and bakery to meat glazes--and, their high-alcohol solubility makes them an ideal choice for spirits and liqueurs, says Sethness. Acceptable for use in natural products and as a flavor enhancer, the Caramelized Sugar Syrups may be labeled as “sugar” for clean-label opportunities. The company manufactures a number of Caramel Colors and Caramelized Sugar Syrups that use sugar (sucrose) as the carbohydrate reactant. Sethness, 888-772-1880, www.sethness.com
Of Ale and Almonds
Almonds and ale are one of the top flavor pairings this year, according to the McCormick® Flavor Forecast™ 2010, which states: “the bittersweet character of both ingredients makes a congenial, cozy and hearty match.” Chocolate almonds paired with Guinness and ginger-citrus almonds paired with Sierra Nevada Summerfest beer are just two of the pairings sampled by attendees at IFT. The Almond Board of California also took part in the 2009 Innovation Competition from Tianjin University of Science and Technology--by sponsoring the Grand Prize-winning team at the IFT conference. The winning product was made from cooking and marinating blanched almond halves and slices with pickled chili--a great example of Western foods harmonizing with Chinese tastes. Almond Board of California, 209-549-8262, www.AlmondBoard.com
Color It Natural
A complete line of high-performing, natural, plant-derived pigments is now available. Through an exclusive distribution agreement between Food Ingredient Solutions and Colarome, VIVAPIGMENTS™ are available in the U.S. The VIVAPIGMENTS line contains a patented technological innovation, developed by Colarome, which makes it both odorless and flavorless, with high color strength. The new product line is produced from food-grade ingredients, is kosher-certified and available in a wide array of colors. It also contains no allergens and no aluminum salt found in artificial dyes. Colarome, www.colarome.com, Food Ingredient Solutions, www.foodcolor.com
Talking Texture
The various prototypes available at Tate & Lyle’s IFT booth demonstrated the versatility and benefits of several ingredients, including recent introductions, such as PROMITOR™ Soluble Corn Fiber 85 and X-PAND’R® SC instant starch. With PROMITOR Dietary Fibers, manufacturers can add fiber to a wide range of foods and beverages, from cereal coatings and snacks to dressings, confectionery, beverages and dairy products. The X-PAND’R snack food starches offer unique textures, including crispy, crackly and flaky, in better-for-you snack applications. Some samples tasted at IFT included: pizza crust and marinara sauce featuring PROMITOR Soluble Corn Fiber 85; daiquiri and margarita mixes using a sweetener-optimized mix to reduce sugar, calories and cost; blueberry and acerola-flavored juice; and coated nuts. Tate & Lyle, 217-423-4411, www.tateandlyle.com, www.promitorfiber.com
Bringing Home the Bacon Flavor
Developers can now get the full flavor of bacon, combined with the fatty richness of Butter Buds, in the latest offering from Butter Buds Food Ingredients: Butter Buds--Bacon™. Produced using the proprietary technology used to make Butter Buds, Butter Buds–Bacon imparts a natural bacon flavor, along with richness and mouthfeel, and it is suitable for kosher, parvé, halal and vegetarian food products, as it contains no animal fat. Butter Buds–Bacon is effective in a wide range of applications, including snack seasonings, processed cheese, salad dressing and dips, and has been used in a brine solution or meat marinade to add rich, savory notes to poultry and lunch meat. Butter Buds Food Ingredients, 262-598-9900, www.bbuds.com
Nature-created Aromas
Although there were no creeping cucumber vines or basil plants growing at Sensus’ booth at IFT, it sure smelled like there were. The company’s aroma center was designed to spotlight Sensus’ leading-edge technology in extracting the freshest, highest-quality aroma fractions of horticultural products. Like a fine perfume counter, the exhibit showcased 10 misters containing various aroma volatiles of tea, coffee, vegetables, culinary herbs and botanicals. Product developers were able to experience and effectively evaluate the compounds, each of which is begun with field-fresh raw materials, using state-of-the-art processing techniques for distilling and capturing key aroma volatiles. Sensus LLC, 513-892-7100, www.sensusflavors.com
Tailored Formulation
BENEO Inc., manufacturer of functional food ingredients, is moving to deliver formulations to manufacturers of products with multiple formulation, technological, health and nutritional benefits. BENEO’s IFT booth featured functional food ingredients from chicory root, sugar beet and rice, including a fiber-enriched granola cluster, made with Orafti® L90 oligo-fructose fiber syrup; gluten-free cookies, made with Remyflo whole-grain brown rice flour and Orafti L90; and a fruit-blend energy beverage fortified with 100% natural sources of energy, featuring Palatinose™ (isomaltulose), a carbohydrate found naturally in honey and sugar cane. BENEO’s Solutions Platforms are a direct response to the industry’s need for tailored information and support regarding formulation, nutrition and regulatory issues. BENEO Inc., www.BENEO.com
Innovative and Tasty
National Starch Food Innovation’s bakery kiosk was featured in three of the five Trend and Solution Tours presented at IFT this year. Focusing on functional food ingredients, cost reduction and weight management, the segments included: Ingredients for Functional Foods, starting with HOMECRAFT® Create GF 10 and GF 20 gluten-free flours that allow manufacturers to offer taste and texture in gluten-free baked goods. Gluten-free sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies were featured. Also presented was a reduced-cost, reduced-fat brownie prototype made with HOMECRAFT Create 765 specialty flour. Lastly, the weight management trend was highlighted in a Smokey Peppadew Cornbread prototype, made with Hi-maize® resistant starch and Hi-maize whole-grain corn flour, which are claimed to reduce caloric intake and have an impact on satiety. National Starch Food Innovation, 866-961-6285, www.foodinnovation.com
Gluten-free Goodness
A new sorghum flour for use in gluten-free and multi-grain applications was featured at Archer Daniels Midland Company’s (ADM) booth at IFT. Sorghum flour, states the company, is more economical than most specialty flours. ADM began offering sorghum flour and whole-grain sorghum flour for both gluten-free and multi-grain applications earlier this year. Visitors sampled the sorghum flour in a gluten-free brownie and learned about the flour’s other uses and benefits. The flour has a light color and neutral flavor, making it ideal for use in foods, such as cakes, cookies, breads and pancakes. ADM, 217-424-5413, www.adm.com
A Natural Glow
BetaGlow™ natural colorant from beta-carotene, from Cognis, helps meet consumers’ preferences for natural ingredients. This naturally sourced colorant, made from marine algae grown in Australia, is extracted without use of petro-chemical solvents. Labeling options include: “a natural source of vitamin A,” “added color from natural beta-carotene” or “made with no synthetic colorants,” says the company. Available in water-dispersible powders for beverages or as suspensions in vegetable oils for foods, BetaGlow allows formulators to replace their existing color systems with a natural colorant. Cognis Nutrition & Health, 800-673-3702, www.cognis.com
Naturally Sweet
Ocean Spray has expanded its fruit ingredient portfolio with the launch of a new fruit-sweetened dried cranberry (SDC) at IFT; it offers the same processing advantages as Ocean Spray’s flagship soft and moist SDC, while removing the need to call out sugar as an ingredient. Made from real fruit, the ingredient lends fruit appeal, while delivering the whole-body benefits associated with cranberries. Ocean Spray adds the new SDC to its list of other ingredients, including BerryFusions® Fruits, 100% cranberry puree, cranberry concentrate and cranberry powder. Ocean Spray Ingredient Technology, 617-283-1578, www.oceansprayitg.com
Meeting Demand for Omegas
ETERNA™ OMEGASOURCE™ omega-3 EPA/DHA and vitamin D combination ingredient for food and beverage applications, from Hormel Foods Specialty Products Division, is now available. Hormel Foods used proprietary technologies to create an ingredient that can be added to foods and beverages. The combination ingredient is allergen-free, GMO-free, GRAS-affirmed and kosher. It contains efficacious doses of omega-3 DHA/EPA and vitamin D, although Hormel Foods has the capability to customize its ingredients based on customer needs. Hormel Foods Corp., www.hormelingredients.com/eternal
A Greener Plant
Gelnex, a global gelatin supplier based in Brazil, has announced the start-up of its third production facility. The new plant, which produces bovine gelatin, was designed to maximize the use of clean and renewable energy sources, minimize the company’s greenhouse gas emissions and reduce use of petroleum-based electric power generation. Located in the city of Araguaína, the new plant is strategically sited nearby raw material sources. Also in place in its local supply chain are strict raw material inspection, acquisition, shipping and packaging standards that emphasize food safety and consistency. Gelnex, www.gelnex.com
Dairy Details
The U.S. Ingredients program of the U.S. Dairy Export Council® (USDEC) focused on helping food and beverage manufacturers discover new ways to use dairy ingredients in a wide range of product applications at IFT. 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. Prototypes, such as a honey-lavender “smoothie,” breakfast bites, cheesy dip for veggies and more were available for sampling. USDEC, www.innovatewithdairy.com
Rice Riches
Cheil Jedang Corp. (CJ), in conjunction with Beidahuang, is offering a rice bran protein and a rice bran fiber. RiPro®80 rice bran protein is derived from brown rice and extracted from rice bran and is described as a versatile, naturally vegan protein in powder form that can be used for a variety of food and beverage applications. It is hypoallergenic and gluten-free and contains no cholesterol or GMOs. It features all nine essential amino acids and is highly digestible, for use in natural and health foods. Riber® 50 dietary fiber is extracted from rice bran that is also non-GMO and hypoallergenic. Composed mostly of insoluble fibers, it is rich in the minerals magnesium and phosphorus, giving it multi-functionality. Cheil Jedang Corp., 619-234-0345, http://english.cj.net pf
