Imagine an oasis … not in the middle of the dessert, but rather on the IFT Expo floor. That is just one of the many exciting (or in this case relaxing) themes that can be experienced by attendees. Yesterday, we looked at several of these themes, and now here’s the second installment.
• “Flavor Oasis.” Attendees can sit by a waterfall while enjoying a refreshing, healthy, lightly flavored spa-type beverage. At Virginia Dare (booth 2521), trendy new flavors, varieties of vanilla, various masking flavors, and new teas and coffee concentrates are featured for all you “nomad” food professionals out there. Quench your thirst with a ready-to-drink iced tea made from tea concentrate and fruit flavors. The company recently developed new chocolate flavors coupled with natural black tea that impart a distinctive chocolate scent and taste. Several prototypes made with new coffee concentrates are being introduced, including several roasts and popular flavors. Or visitors can sample a refreshing healthy frozen dessert designed with masking flavors and made with natural fruit flavors. And then there’s vanilla’s delicate aromatics and complex, full-bodied flavor profile that can be experienced in a beverage formulation. As you enjoy, just remember one thing: Please leave your camel parked outside.
• “Developing Kid-Friendly Foods.” New ingredients and prototypes that illustrate kid-friendly food and beverage products are showcased by Cargill (booth 1721). These products do not compromise on taste, while containing less sodium, calories, and fats, and more whole grains, fiber, and protein. For example, Blueberry Breakfast Cookies with Yogurt-flavored Drizzle, feature white whole wheat flour, inulin, a stabilizer blend, and a yogurt-flavored compound. Mini burgers—Soy Sliders—are formulated with textured soy flour and served on a white whole-wheat bun. Chicken Quesadillas contain a new sodium reduction system (SodiumSelect™) that has less sodium than traditional chicken quesadillas, and the tortillas offer whole-grain nutrition benefits. Sugar-free Mint Patties are a sweet treat made with erythritol and maltitol syrup for a 50% calorie reduction compared to full-sugar mint patty candies. Other formulations include fiber-containing pretzels, a reduced-sugar raspberry juice beverage made with sucromalt, and beverages that feature omega-3 oils. Kristen Dammann, the company’s Regulatory Senior Scientist, is conducting live presentations at the booth on Tuesday, June 26, at 1:30 p.m. and Wednesday, June 27, at 11 a.m. to help product developers better understand how the regulatory environment is changing in regard to children’s nutrition.
• “The Color House.” Almost sounds like a new Las Vegas casino, but actually it is the theme of D.D. Williamson/colorMaker Inc. (booth 1551). Come visit The Color House to see the newest innovations in color, including certified organic annatto powder, oil-dispersible caramel color, low 4-Mel caramel color, and acid-proof Class One “Plain” caramel color. A variety of food and beverage prototypes made with naturally derived colorings are available for sampling, such as lemonade tea, non-alcoholic mango margarita, snack/cereal bar, processed cheese shaped for children, panned confections, potato chips, popcorn, breakfast cereal, and crackers.
• “Finger Food Fusion.” Finger foods that capture the eye and the palate are available for sampling at Gold Coast Ingredients (booth 1435). The prototype formulations demonstrate the use of both sweet and savory flavors from the company’s extensive portfolio.
• “Salt Inspiration Station.” Morton Salt (booth 2559), is displaying its specialty products at its Salt Inspiration Station. Visitors can learn more about how these products deliver on three important fronts for food manufacturers—shape, size, and stickiness or adhesion—and experience for themselves different salt particles and their functionality across a range of product categories. Specialty products include Morton California Pure Salts, Star Flake® dendritic salt, and Top Flake Coarse Salt. Newest addition to its line of sodium-reduction solutions is Fine KaliSel Potassium Chloride.
• “How to Build a Better Burger.” Bringing value to every layer of a hamburger is demonstrated through the use of a broad range of potato-based ingredients by KMC (booth 138). Let’s start by giving your buns a lift by adding potato flakes, potato granules, or FiberBind, which can help delay the staling effect in yeast-based dough and keep those buns fresh and appealing for longer. Representatives show how potato-based ingredients can improve the functionality of beef patties, cheese, and dressings.
What theme are you interested in? Most likely, you’ll find it at the IFT Food Expo.
