Vegetarian Meat Flavors 
Comax Flavors has a wide variety of uniquely hearty, authentic, meat-like meatless flavors that appeal to both strict vegetarians and those who simply prefer the advantages of meatless products. Creating vegetarian meatless meat flavors holds special challenges, such as the importance of strong flavors that will stand up to highly absorbent vegetable proteins. Through the art of reaction technology, Comax is able to provide ingredients that replace and enhance the flavors of meats, while still keeping the final product in line with vegetarian consumption. Vegetarian meat flavors include Roasted Chicken, Roast Beef, Bacon, Hot Dog, Turkey and more, and all are kosher-certified. Comax Flavors, www.comaxflavors.com

Innovative Functionality
Dow Wolff Cellulosics showcased its broad portfolio of product innovations and food formulations at IFT. These included METHOCEL™ Gluten Replacement, which allows development of gluten-free products without sacrificing taste or texture and is available for the first time in the U.S. METHOCEL Fat Replacement (a solution used to replace trans and saturated fats in meat and bakery products with healthier liquid oils) and Clear Stable™ (a product claimed to allow manufacturers to use less cellulose gum in formulations, while still achieving the stability needed) were the other solutions featured and brought to life by chef Lance Avery. Dow Wolff Cellulosics, www.dowwolffcellulosics.com

Soy Solutions
Solbar, Israel, launched an innovative and healthy product at this year’s IFT--calcium-fortified isolated soy protein--Solpro Q735. Claimed to be “an isolated soy protein with highly nutritious protein, containing an ideal balance of essential amino acids,” it is crème/off-white in color, with a bland flavor profile, maintaining low viscosity. It is dispersible even in cold water; requires minimal preparation time; and is an easy product to use. Designed for beverage applications where calcium fortification is required, it is a perfect match for dry beverage blends and other powdered drinks to be reconstituted with water and/or juice, prior to consumption. Solpro Q735 can be used in RTD beverages, as well as those that are UHT-processed. Major applications are for calcium-fortified soy milk and other soy beverages. Solbar, Israel, +97288632111, www.solbar.com

Next Generation of Grains
ConAgra Mills has solutions for product developers faced with the challenge of delivering nutritious products with market appeal. The company’s wide selection of ingredients, including whole grain, custom multigrain blends and the new Ultragrain® Pasta, were featured at this year’s IFT. ConAgra’s Ultragrain Pastas are claimed to have a mild flavor, smooth texture, lighter color and no brown specks--in addition to whole-grain nutrition and fiber. There are five varieties, including penne, macaroni, rotini and spaghetti, as well as a 51% whole-nine-grain orzo made with Ultragrain, Sustagrain®, amaranth, quinoa and teff. ConAgra Mills, 800-851-9618, www.ConAgraMills.com

Going Greek 
Fonterra USA demonstrated the functionality of DeluxeProtein™ brand milk proteins in a Greek-style yogurt at IFT. DeluxeProtein is functionalized milk protein that provides rich texture and great taste, without the need to invest in expensive separators. Traditional Greek yogurt is strained, where milk serum (whey) is removed by filtration, using cheese cloth. Industrial processes usually require specialized equipment to remove the whey. Fonterra creates  the rich texture of Greek yogurt by adding the functionalized milk proteins to the yogurt base. Using DeluxeProtein, a thick, creamy Greek yogurt with enhanced protein is easy to manufacture, claims the company. Fonterra USA, 847-928-1708, www.fonterra.com

Texture Development
Two products/innovations were showcased by J.R.Short at this year’s IFT. The first is a new, twist-shaped pellet made with whole ground corn. Nutritional content claims can include “good source” of protein (5g per 28g serving) or “good source” of fiber (2.5g per 28g serving), says the company. Also highlighted were the company’s advancements in extrusion technology, allowing the inclusion of sweet potatoes, which have seen steady growth as menu items and are popular entries into the chip category. Pellets based on sweet potato can help offer J.R. Short’s customers a great-tasting entry into the snack category. J.R.Short, 800-544-8734, www.shortmill.com

Sweet Rewards
GLG Life Tech Corporation launched BlendSure™ at this year’s IFT. GLG developed BlendSure by isolating components of the stevia plant and blending them in a proprietary ratio to deliver a consistent, balanced and sucrose-like taste profile that is both heat- and pH-stable and works well in a carbonated beverage formulation. BlendSure offers high-quality taste at a competitive price point, says the company. It combines specific glycosides, such as rebaudioside-A and pure stevioside, together to deliver sugar-like sweetness; it has met all of the requirements for self-affirmed GRAS and has received a letter of certification from GRAS Associates. GLG Life Tech Corp., www.glglifetech.com

Pairing the Way
Most people never think of pairing chocolate with oysters or asparagus, but now is a good time to start thinking about just that. Belcolade is introducing an innovative new food concept, the Chocolate Foodpairing line, to the U.S., and it features the Belcolade Exclusive Collection range of origin chocolates. The pairing analysis for each chocolate is presented in easy-to-follow graphs known as food pairing trees, which are available at www.chocolatepairing.com. Following principles established by Heston Blumenthal of the Fat Duck, the flavor profile of each origin chocolate has been analyzed at a molecular level. Each profile is compared to a database of several hundred foods and beverages then matched with those that share flavor components. The unique flavor profile of each origin chocolate makes it possible to pair these chocolates with a variety of different foods, even the seemingly “unpairable.” Belcolade (created by the Puratos Corp.), www.belcolade.com, www.puratos.com, 800-654-0036

Taste-full Greetings
Five years ago, David Michael & Co. aligned with First Flavor Inc., creators of Peel n’ Taste® flavor strips, a tool that utilizes the sense of taste to enhance marketing campaigns. This tasteful partnership recently took a rather unconventional turn with a new application--greeting cards. First Flavor and David Michael & Co. were tapped by American Greetings Corporation to assist in development of its new line of cards called Tasties™, which include edible Peel n’ Taste strips of chocolate, glazed donut, cupcake and even margarita. Since its launch earlier this summer, Tasties have garnered a great deal of media coverage and consumer attention. David Michael & Co., www.dmflavors.com; First Flavor Inc., www.FirstFlavor.com

Achieving Clarity
National Starch has developed a range of beverage concepts that demonstrate how Q Naturale can help formulators create clearer, sediment-free beverages, when using oil-soluble flavors and actives, or when producing alcoholic beverages. Q Naturale can also help beverage manufacturers reduce formulation costs by eliminating the need for weighting agents, one of the most costly ingredients in a beverage formula, says the company. Q Naturale, a natural emulsifier, offers formulators a cost advantage over gum Arabic, because it can be used at 3% vs. 16% gum Arabic, claims National Starch. National Starch Food Innovation, 866-961-6285, www.foodinnovation.com

Label-friendly Fiber
American Key Food Products (AKFP) offers pea fiber for use in bread, pasta, snacks, nutritional supplements, meal replacements and other products in which high fiber content is an advantage. A label-friendly ingredient, this pea fiber is made by Emsland Group from guaranteed, non-GMO, pure de-hulled pea flour by physical methods, with no chemicals added to the process. Pea fiber provides the advantage of very high fiber content (58%), as well as neutral color and taste, making it ideal for low-calorie, low-carbohydrate and fiber-enriched foods. American Key Food Products, 800-767-0137, www.americankeyfood.com

Vanilla Versatility
Virginia Dare has taken vanilla to a new level of versatility. Some of the flavors highlighted at IFT in July include: Vanilla Mousse (with classic “bourbon” from Madagascar, it pairs well with rich, decadent foods); Vanilla Relish (made from high-grade Indonesian vanilla, it has a clean, sweet profile perfect for harmonizing with multiple flavors); Vanilla Popcorn (with a smoky character resulting from a curing process, it helps push popcorn flavor through butter); and many more. Many different flavor profiles can be achieved from vanilla, depending upon origin, processes and species. Virginia Dare, 718-788-1776, www.virginiadare.com

Color Me Carmine
Kalsec®, a manufacturer of natural colors from fruits and vegetables, manufactures and markets colors ranging in hue from yellow to orange to pink to red. Natural colors, such as Kalsec’s black carrot and paprika extracts, may be ideal natural alternatives to achieving hues ranging in color from pink to red in select foods and beverages. Cochineal, or carminic acid, provides orange shades to beverages and fruit bases and can typically be replaced with water-soluble forms of paprika extract. Water-soluble, acid-proof carmine delivers pink to red shades in beverages. Black carrot is often an appropriate replacement, when a pink to red hue is desired. Kalsec, 800-323-9320, www.kalsec.com

Say Cheese
Nutrilac CH 7761 is a highly functional milk protein that ensures high-quality processed cheese. Arla Foods Ingredients specializes in developing cost-effective solutions that give food products optimum taste, texture and viscosity. The company’s application centers in Denmark and Argentina can simulate virtually all factory conditions, for accurate testing of new or improved formulations, providing the smoothest possible startup on a production line. Arla Foods Ingredients, +45 89 38 1500, www.arlafoodsingredients.com
Source: Arla Foods Ingredients