Anne-Marie Ramo

Anne-marie Ramo is a Seattle-based research chef and food writer with more than 25 years of experience in flavor development; sauces, seasoning blends, and marinades; home meal replacements; and formulation of meat products and further processed meat products. She was director of culinary development for Revolution Foods Inc., executive chef of Fork in the Road Foods LLC, and served as executive chef for Aidell’s Sausage Co. Ramo is a regular industry contributor and writer, and co-authored The Great Meat Cookbook (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, October 2012). You can read more of her work at www.preparedfoods.com or contact her at aramo@me.com.

Ingredients that Boost Desirable Flavors, and Cover Undesirable Ones

Ingredient techs aid formulators in tackling challenges such as cost, storage, and shelf-life requirements in addition to flavor management

Anne-Marie Ramo

June 8, 2022

The clean-label and better-for-you products are moving from a niche marketplace and into the mainstream at a rapid rate. The ingredients for these new formations often have special needs, including the need for clean label bitter blockers, flavor maskers, flavor potentiators, and flavor extenders.

Dairy Alternatives Provide Opportunities for Product Development Innovation

The rise in consumer demand for dairy-free products has challenged developers to analogs using starches, fibers, hydrocolloids, and proteins

Anne-Marie Ramo

February 9, 2022

In a recent report published by market research firm Packaged Facts, “Dairy & Egg Alternatives: Outlook for Plant-Based & Cell-Cultured Consumer Products,” it was forecast that sales of plant-based dairy and egg products will continue to rise at an average annual rate of 6.0%, reaching $5.2 billion by 2024.

Pasta’s Next Great Leap Includes New Global Horizons and Greater Nutrition

Product developers have turned to cuisine cultures ranging from Eastern Europe to Turkey to North Africa to bring greater variety, and nutrition, to the humble noodle dish

Anne-Marie Ramo

October 28, 2021

The next wave of pasta products boasts a world’s worth of influences and a host of new nutritional benefits, all introduced through ingredients novel to noodles and largely nonexistent in the pasta and prepared pasta meal spaces. Exploring beyond Italian and Asian, product developers have turned to cuisine cultures ranging from Eastern Europe to Turkey to North Africa to bring greater variety, and nutrition, to the humble noodle dish.

Boosting Beverages with Nutritional Ingredients

Beverage makers appeal to consumers with products that contain vitamins and minerals, protein (plant or dairy), botanicals, tea, tea extracts, probiotics, prebiotics, and fiber

Anne-Marie Ramo

September 9, 2021

Today’s consumers are rarely satisfied with just a thirst-quenching drink when they crave a beverage. They’re seeking healthful extras that target everything from immunity to mood issues, from energy to meal replacement. And of course, they want plenty of flavor with few calories.

Cheese: An Unqualified Favorite

As specialty cheeses become more popular, their manufacturing processes become more streamlined, mechanized, and efficient

Anne-Marie Ramo

June 14, 2021

Over the past decade, the cheese industry has exploded, with small-batch artisanal cheesemakers popping up in every state and the large cheesemakers increasing the sophistication of their offerings to compete. As specialty cheeses become more popular, their manufacturing processes become more streamlined, mechanized, and efficient.

Product Makers Pick Fruit to Add Flavor, Health to Formulations

Adding fruit to formulations has become not only easier, but more exciting with the continuously expanding variety of fruits to choose from and the near disappearance of seasonality

Anne-Marie Ramo

March 31, 2021

Adding fruit to formulations has become not only easier, but more exciting with the continuously expanding variety of fruits to choose from and the near disappearance of seasonality. When it comes to product formulation, developers can choose from a multitude of fruit-derived ingredients and types, including whole or prepped; fresh or frozen; freeze-dried, dehydrated, or puréed; and concentrates, juices, or powders.

Product Developers are Paying Closer Attention Than Ever to the Versatility of Vegetables

Value-added vegetable products are crowding onto grocery store shelves, supermarket fresh bars, and restaurant menus throughout the US

Anne-Marie Ramo

David Feder , RDN

July 17, 2020

As consumers continue to search for healthier food options, vegetables as star players in formulations are enjoying a renaissance.

Examining Meal Kit Consumers

Fit to Kit: An increasing number of consumers are avoiding cooking meals at home — by cooking meals at home

Anne-Marie Ramo

January 22, 2020

Whether assembling kits themselves at a local meal kit assembly shop, signing up for a subscription service online, or picking up a kit from their local supermarket, consumers show no signs of abandoning this time-saving meal option.

Developing High End Food Products for Quick Preparation

Quick & Easy: Consumers across all demographics and increasingly short on time are seeking enticing and adventurous flavors, made fast

Anne-Marie Ramo

February 7, 2019

From large food conglomerates to boutique artisanal companies, product developers are creating higher-end products designed specifically for quick preparation, such as cooking in a microwave.

Inclusions Bring On the Taste, Texture to Food Formulations

Product makers and foodservice companies are finding consumer interest is readily piqued by the addition of inclusions

Anne-Marie Ramo

November 21, 2018

Call them bits, pieces, inclusions, mix-ins, or add-ins, inclusions bring both flavor and textural elements to foods. Color, too, can make it to the show by way of inclusions.

ON DEMAND: Whether you're in R&D, formulation, or innovation, this session will provide enzyme-driven insights to improve your plant-based dairy portfolio.

ON DEMAND: Once targeted at athletes, active nutrition products with benefits like energy, focus, hydration, and protein are now winning over everyday consumers seeking support for their busy lifestyles.

Anne-Marie Ramo

ARTICLES

Ingredients that Boost Desirable Flavors, and Cover Undesirable Ones

Dairy Alternatives Provide Opportunities for Product Development Innovation

Pasta’s Next Great Leap Includes New Global Horizons and Greater Nutrition

Boosting Beverages with Nutritional Ingredients

Cheese: An Unqualified Favorite

Product Makers Pick Fruit to Add Flavor, Health to Formulations

Product Developers are Paying Closer Attention Than Ever to the Versatility of Vegetables

Examining Meal Kit Consumers

Developing High End Food Products for Quick Preparation

Inclusions Bring On the Taste, Texture to Food Formulations

Unlock the Future of Food and Beverage Innovation

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