“Fruit-full” Flavors

Customers looking to provide consumers with improved, natural fruit tastes need look no further. “Frutarom USA Inc. now provides pear and strawberry flavors that offer more satisfying perceptions of fresh fruit,” says Bill Graham, vice president, sales, at Frutarom. Both flavors are updated and improved versions of previous Frutarom pear and strawberry offerings. The newly developed Natural Pear Flavor is sweet and aromatic, with pulpy notes. The flavor is entirely suited to beverages, gelato and fruit fillings. The improved Natural Organic Strawberry Flavor is described as aromatic with “jammy” notes. It is ideal for beverages, sorbets, yogurts and fruit fillings. Frutarom USA Inc., 201-861-9500, www.frutarom.com

Colors Go Wild

In anticipation of the growing demand for natural products, one company has created a line of natural colors. WILD Flavors Inc.’s Colors From Nature® provide the benefits of being natural, heat- and light-stable, as well as having appealing color hues. They can be used in an array of applications, such as food/beverage, functional and crossover products. As a member of the International Association of Color Manufacturers, WILD ensures the quality and reliability of all Colors From Nature products. With unsurpassed access to botanical source materials, continuous R&D, and knowledge and experience, WILD Flavors can create a true, natural color to meet consumers’ needs. Wild Flavors Inc., 859-342-3600, www.wildflavors.com

Collaborative Future

A new, strategic collaboration brings flavor and nutritional ingredients together for food and beverage industries. Nutritional provider FutureCeuticals Inc. and flavor expert Comax Flavors are offering turnkey solutions that combine strong science with great taste. Food manufacturers can leverage prototypes based on consumer insight, nutritional trends and supporting science for product differentiation and speed to market. Both companies are currently supplying value-added products to the nutrition and functional food markets--areas of significant future growth. The focus of the partnership will be on popular segments (such as beverages and confections) that are strong delivery vehicles for functional ingredients. FutureCeuticals Inc. (a division of Van Drunen Farms), 815-472-6853, ext. 29, www.futureceuticals.com , Comax Flavors, 631-249-0505, www.comaxflavors.com  

Flax and Lower GI

The Prepared Foods’ Webinar titled, “Flax, Fiber and the Glycemic Index” attracted a record 950 registrants. It is well-known that low-GI foods, by virtue of their being slowly digested and absorbed, produce gradual rises in blood sugar and have proven health benefits. Consumers have learned that glucose levels are important, because they affect their risk of developing diabetes or cardiovascular disease, as well as weight gain, mood and concentration. There is also some evidence suggesting low-GI foods increase satiety, thereby reducing subsequent food intake. Studies have shown that flax-based products can lower the body’s GI. Following the analysis of white bread compared to flax bread, the GI values of the flax bread were in the low-to-medium ranges. This offers a significant market opportunity for flax-based foods and is an area where the flax industry can contribute to global health issues. For the complete Webinar on the subject, go to www.PreparedFoods.com and click “Webinars.”

Building Deep, Savory Flavors

A new line of authentic cooking flavors is now available. Using its extensive knowledge of cooking methods as a base, Red Arrow created the Flavors from the Kitchen™ product line. These flavors capture the essence of authentic cooking methods created in the kitchen. The line includes home-style roast flavors, savory meat flavors and authentic caramelized, fried and sautéed flavors. Red Arrow Products Company LLC, 920-769-1100, www.redarrowusa.com

Chicken Flavors for the Soul

A leading creator of flavors and fragrances has announced a new range of highly authentic, natural chicken flavors. The flavors, from International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF), are based on gold-standard culinary benchmarks created by a global team of research chefs. The company’s research, conducted in major markets across the globe, found that chicken is a nearly universal comfort food, and consumers want authentic, familiar chicken tastes and aromas created by known techniques. The new products provide a “toolkit” of key chicken profiles, including boiled white meat, boiled dark meat, skin, roasted and grilled--all which can be combined and augmented to create a virtually unlimited number of custom results for applications including soups, sauces, gravies, marinades, quick service foods, frozen foods and more. IFF, 212-708-7121, www.iff.com  

Beer is Near

According to a new Gallup poll, beer’s lead over wine and spirits has returned to double-digits for the first time since 2002, particularly among adults between the ages of 30-49 who tried wine for a few years, then shifted back to beer. The annual Consumption Habits poll shows that, in combined data from Gallup’s 2004 and 2005 Consumption surveys, drinkers in this age bracket were about as likely to prefer wine as beer. Now, these drinkers have shifted back to beer, with an average of 47% in the combined 2007-2008 data saying they most often drink beer. Drinking preferences among adults 21-29 have remained stable in recent years, with the majority showing a wide preference for beer.

Beer continues to represent the largest segment in the alcohol beverage category in volume and dollar sales, accounting for 56% of all alcohol beverage servings. The Anheuser-Busch-led “Here’s To Beer” campaign was launched to help consumers develop a deeper appreciation for beer, while providing tools for retailers and distributors to grow their beer business. Anheuser-Busch, 314-577-7530, www.anheuser-busch.com
--This item first appeared in Prepared Foods’ e-flash newsletter (July 2008)