ProductInnovationXchange

There isn't enough time to do all the things one needs to do to create a successful business environment. There is now a way to assist the efficient transfer of information between vendors and manufactures.

ProductInnovationXchange is an event that gathers key food-company decision makers with a select number of innovative ingredient companies to foster highly customized, confidential, strategic discussions.

The meetings are held after employing an extensive matching program that pairs a company's new product-development initiatives with supplier ingredient and technology portfolios. Much groundwork is done before the meetings, from the creation of white papers detailing the food executive's information interests to the posting of selected information on PIX's secure Xtranet website. The purpose is to ensure the eventual meetings are strategic, insightful and substantive sales exchanges.

The event, to be held at the Carefree Conference Resort in Carefree, Ariz. from April 25-28, 2004, is sponsored by Prepared Foods and its partner, Vertical Xchange. For more information, contact Layne Skoyen at 952-736-9373 or LSkoyen@PT-Xchange.com.

New Line of Soy Protein Isolates

A new soy protein isolate for infant formulas, nutritional foods and beverages, and emulsified meat and poultry products has been launched by Solbar Industries in Israel. Solpro 900 is high in protein (90% min., dry weight basis), highly soluble, low in fiber and cholesterol-free. It also is available vitamin fortified, complying with USDA-FNS requirements for school and other nutritional programs. The line of soy isolates is manufactured in a special process designed to emphasize the naturally occurring gelling and emulsifying properties of soy proteins.

The company also manufactures functional soy protein concentrates (SOLCON S), textured soy concentrates (CONTEX), textured soy flours (SOYTEX), a unique steam-textured soy protein for instant soups and convenience meals (BONTEX), and soy isoflavones (SOLGEN and NUTRAGEN) with high levels of genistin and genistein, all available from non-GMO, identity-preserved soybeans. Solbar Industries Ltd., Gary Brenner, +972 (8) 8632111, solbar@solbar.com, www.solbar.com

FDA Has No Questions on GRAS Status

Two extracts used in fruit juices and fruit-flavored beverages, MegaNatural® Gold Grape Seed Extract and MegaNatural GSKE Grape Pomace Extract, have achieved Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) status. Polyphenolics, a division of the Canandaigua Wine Company Inc., is their manufacturer.

MegaNatural Gold Grape Seed Extract and MegaNatural GSKE Grape Pomace Extract (formerly called grape skin extract) are GRAS for use in fruit juices, fruit-flavored beverages and beverage mixes, and carbonated fruit-flavored beverages at a concentration of up to 210 PPM (alone or in combination). These products are used in dietary supplements for their antioxidant properties, and a study by Dr. Joe Vinson, University of Scranton, shows their antioxidant capacity doubles when coupled with vitamin C or E. Polyphenolics Inc., 574-243-9825, www.polyphenolics.com

Edible Soy-based Waxes

Food products such as chocolates often get their sheen from paraffin wax. Now, soy-based waxes, an edible alternative, are available from Calwax. The company's capabilities allow it to custom manufacture food-grade, soy-based wax products for the food and food engineering industries. Natural Soy Wax is available in food grades, custom shapes, colors, and fragrances in aggregate lots as small as 500 lbs. The company welcomes the opportunity to work with food developers on their novel applications of natural soy waxes. Calwax, 626-969-4334, www.calwax.com

Large Variety of Fruit and Vegetable Powders

Four drying methods allow these fruit and vegetable powders to retain many original natural components. McCormick Ingredients now represents Obipektin fruit and vegetable powders in the U.S. The Swiss-based manufacturer offers more than 300 products including traditional, exotic and citrus fruits, and a full line of vegetable varieties. Applications include instant drinks, dessert products, baby and toddler foods, chocolates, snacks, sauces, fruit toppings, and more. McCormick & Company Inc., Pete Tridone, 410-771-5093, Pete_Tridone@mccormick.com

Genghis Khan's Food Safety Rule Contested

How many of us have dropped something edible, quickly picked it up and tried to determine if it still is safe enough to eat? Typically, the “urban legend” rule is that if it has been on the floor five seconds or less, it is still edible.

A high school student, Jillian Clarke, ran experiments at Hans Blaschek's University of Illinois lab this summer. Among her findings were that women are more likely than men to eat food that has fallen on the floor, cookies and candy are more likely to be picked up than cauliflower or broccoli and, unfortunately, food can be contaminated in less than five seconds.

As part of the experiment, Clarke and her team swabbed different parts of floors at the university for microbes, and then inoculated certain floor tiles with E.coli. She found that the pathogen contaminated the foods she placed on them, gummy candy and cookies, within the five seconds—every time. Furthermore, the smoother the floor, the more easily E. coli was transferred.

Genghis Khan is credited with coming up with the rule on how long a food could safely stay on the floor. However, his 12-hour rule was more generous!

Automatic Density Determination

The fully automatic Grabner Minidens uses air-displacement technology for the density and API gravity determination of solids, powders and liquids. The temperature range between 59Þ-95ÞF eliminates the need to extrapolate results from a chart. The 4-ml volume promotes rapid cooling and reduces waste. Cleaning takes less than 60 seconds. Contact the company for a free brochure. Petrolab Co., Angel Schell, 518-783-5133, info@petrolab.com

Cholesterol-Lowering Beverage Patent

A technology that was developed and filed by employees of SunPure, before its acquisition by Mastertaste, has been awarded a U.S. patent that allows the company to offer a unique cholesterol-lowering beverage flavor system. The product is timely, with nationwide concerns about heart disease and obesity prompting consumers to ask for healthier food products. Mastertaste, Primo Bader, 863-619-2222, primo.bader@mastertaste.com

Grape Seed Extract Accepted as GRAS

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the GRAS status of Activin grape seed extract manufactured by San Joaquin Valley Concentrates. It is approved as an antioxidant and/or emulsifier for use in a variety of food categories including carbonated beverages, fruit juices, breakfast cereals, health bars, fats and oils, milk, ice cream, and frozen yogurt.

The polyphenol antioxidants found in grape seed extract have long been known to contribute to cardiovascular health. As reported in two segments of CBS's 60 Minutes, the French paradox, or why the French have a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease despite a diet rich in fats, has been attributed in part to the polyphenols found in red wine. Grape seed extract represents a concentrated form of these potent antioxidants.

The company manufactures grape-derived products such as white and red grape concentrate; all-natural red and purple grape colors; grape skin extract; and grape seed extract. San Joaquin Valley Concentrates, 800-557-0220

Enhancing Flavors Naturally

Looking to keep labels clean and enhance flavor without MSG or HVP? Kikkoman NFE-S can be your natural flavor solution. NFE-S is high in glutamic acid, which provides a clean, balanced, brothy umami flavor to a variety of applications, including meat, poultry, seafood, soup and seasoning blends. For additional application ideas, check out A Natural Start to a Natural Label, a 10-page NFE-S brochure available from Kikkoman, a leader in natural flavor enhancement. The free brochure can be ordered by contacting: Kikkoman International Inc., Industrial Dept., P.O. Box 429784, San Francisco, CA 94142-0784, 415-956-7750, www.kikkoman-usa.com

Caramel Color Enhances Soups

Giving soups the right color adds to their homemade appeal. D.D. Williamson helps formulators meet visual appearance specifications for ready-to-serve soups and dry soup mixes, beef and chicken bullions and brown and dark sauces. The company offers Liquid #203 and Powder #640 to add caramel color to increase consumer “eye appeal,” translating into robust sales. The company produces more than 50 liquid and 15 powdered types of caramel color for leading global brand names in beverages, baked goods, soups, sauces and dry mixes. D.D. Williamson, Campbell Barnum, 800-CARAMEL, campbell.barnum@ddwmson.com

Glitters Help Create Layers of Flavor

Decorating foods will be more exciting using edible glitter that can add color and flavor. Watson Foods Co. Inc. offers flavored glitter flakes, made with gum arabic, that melt quickly on the tongue for an “instant flavor impact.” This quick-release flavor can be coupled with slow-releasing flavors to give a “flavor change” effect. For example, in a banana-flavored gumdrop with strawberry glitter on it, the first flavor impact would be the strawberry, followed by strawberry/banana and, finally, just banana. The line of items features Raspberry Glitter, Jalapeno Glitter, Cheddar Glitter, Garlic Glitter, Butter Glitter and several others. Flavors can be custom made, with a standard particle size of 8 mesh (mesh sizes also can be custom tailored). Typical applications include baked goods, ice creams, yogurts, gelatins and pudding products. Watson Foods Co. Inc., Moira Watson, 800-388-3481, ext. 3214, moira.watson@watsonfoods.com

Butter Bean Powder Mimics Fat

One of the things consumers miss most in “healthier” and vegetarian foods is the satisfying taste of fat, the result of the reduction or elimination of animal or vegetable fats. An option in formulating foods that need a fat replacer is butter bean powder, made from large lima beans that are known as butter beans.

The butter beans are cooked, dried and screened into various degrees of fineness to yield an opaque colored, free-flowing powder with a slight buttery flavor. Butter bean powder can then be processed into dozens of soups and soup mixes, sauces and sauce mixes and table spreads and dips. Blending butter bean powder with various dehydrated vegetables, cheese powders, herbs and spices can easily produce dry mixes. A little olive oil enhances the final texture even further. California Dried Bean Advisory Board, Jim Degen, 805-434-2400, degenco@worldnet.att.net

Japanese Products Spur Ideas

Product developers get many ideas from new items introduced abroad. To this effect, The Mitsubishi International Corporation featured five Japanese manufacturers at the July IFT show held in Chicago. Their products focused on probiotics, natural seafood extracts, natural plant extracts, natural diet and exercise ingredients, and natural seasonings. The Japanese items were on hand for attendees to see and examine, and also were featured in nutritious beverages for visitors to taste. Mitsubishi International Corp., micusa.com

A Variety of Foods and Ingredients

This company has a wide range of products for manufacturers developing foods for the foodservice area or sourcing seasoning and flavoring systems, sauces, food bases, margarines and spreads. UBF Foodsolutions is tapped into the latest trends with Pan-Asian items such as miso, sweet and sour soup and plum sauce, and noodles such as soba, udon, wonton and cellophane. Other ingredients, such as coconut milk, ginger, lemongrass, panko and seaweed, also are essential when making Asian-flavored foods. UBF Foodsolutions, 630-955-5447, www.unilever.com/brands/food/ubf_foodsolutions.asp

New Fall Flavor Catalog

An on-line flavor and fragrance catalog especially designed for small- to medium-sized customers recently was launched by International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. In addition to other items, Xpress offers beverage, sweet, savory, and dairy flavors. Xpress also offers marketing information, including trends, catalog collections, and product features.

The company states Xpress offers a level of customer service that smaller firms do not. Customers who have registered on iffxpress.com have their own customer service representative as well as an account manager to handle their everyday needs. International Flavors & Fragrances Inc., Jeanine Davis, 732-329-5505, jeanine.davis@iff.com, www.iff.com.

Assuring Mineral Potency

The proper mineral content in the body is crucial to vital biological processes such healthy bones and blood cells. While many minerals are known for their beneficial properties, only nine are included as “mandatory or optional components of the nutrition label for food products by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration,” according to a recent Covance Inc. newsletter.

Some well-known elements include calcium, iron, iodine, potassium, sodium and zinc, while minerals such as manganese, chromium and selenium are relatively new to the consumer consciousness.

As the list of beneficial minerals widens, scientists will need to test more of them to gain information on their toxicity and potency. Minerals can be analyzed using several methods, including atomic absorption, liquid and ion chromatography, wet chemistry and ICP multi-element.

Testing by a reliable lab, such as Covance Inc., helps ensure consumers will receive the proper dosage and benefits of the minerals they are purchasing. Covance Inc., 888-268-2623, www.covance.com/analytical

Vanilla Makes Perfect Pound Cakes

Pound cake is a traditional dessert that is a perennial favorite of both pastry chefs and diners. Vanillas from Nielsen-Massey help bakers personalize pound cakes to make a signature product. The company has been creating vanillas for almost 100 years, using a cold-extraction process, and its products help add character to many items such as fancy pound cakes. Nielsen-Massey Vanillas International, Matt Nielsen, 800-525-7873, www.nielsenmassey.com

Recipes Feature Latin Potato Dishes

Looking for something to spice up your fall menu? You'll find it in Potato Latino, the United States Potato Board's 16-page recipe collection featuring Peruvian, Mexican and Cuban recipes from leading chefs across the U.S.

Long heralded as America's favorite vegetable, the potato is at the root of authentic Latin cuisine. Recipes in the booklet include Papas Rellenas, a stuffed potato patty with beef picadillo, and Short Rib and Potato Taquitos.

To order a copy of the Potato Latino recipe booklet, please visit the organization's website, or write to: United States Potato Board, 1050 Battery Street, San Francisco, CA 94111, www.potatohelp.com/latin/

Complete Line of Food Additives

Erythorbic acid was added recently to the line of preservatives pertaining to PMP Fermentation Products. The acid mainly is used as an antioxidant to stabilize beverage flavors and colors, to help retain color in pickles and peppers, to prevent discoloration in frozen bananas and to protect flavoring compounds. The company's Eribate® Sodium Erythorbate helps maintain the freshness of bagged fresh green salads, as well as deli and seafood salads. The company also offers other additivies such as GDL, calcium gluconate and water-soluble eribate. PMP Fermentation Products Inc., Bob Jungk, 877-731-1031, ext. 7, info@pmp.com

Apple Snacks Act as Ingredients

A new apple ingredient that adds a concentrated burst of flavor to any food system, Fruit Sensations are dried Washington state apples that are infused with fruit juice concentrates, sugars, natural colors and flavors and acidulants. These Tree Top ingredients are ready-to-eat snacks that are 60% real fruit. They are available within an 8% to 16% moisture range and have a water activity level of .4 to .6. The fruits are ideal for applications such as RTE cereals, energy snack mixes, breads, cakes, muffin mixes and cookies. Additionally, they can be used in ice cream and yogurt products. For samples and more information, please contact Tree Top. Tree Top Ingredients Division, 800-367-6571, www.treetop.com