IFT 2011 Wrap-Up: A Taste of Tomorrow's Functional Foods

Beignets weren't the only delectable treats Nutritional Outlook staffers got to sample at this year's Institute of Food Technologists' trade show in New Orleans. Ingredient suppliers demonstrated all of the ways good-for-you nutrients can be incorporated in palate-pleasing food and beverages.

New Products & Ingredients:

Probiotic Hummus
Ganeden Biotech showcased all-natural hummus and wraps infused with the company's GanedenBC30 Bacillus coagulans probiotic strain. The hummus offers 500 million CFUs. Thanks to the probiotics' survivability of a wide range of processing conditions, Ganeden Biotech says GanedenBC30 was well suited to these new probiotic applications. Ganeden Biotech

Hurricanes, Cookies, and More
In the spirit of New Orleans, Cognis, now part of BASF Corp., served up Healthy Hurricane, a good-for-you version of the New Orleans favorite. Among other ingredients, the beverage contained Xangold lutein esters, LycoVit lycopene, vitamin E, and beta-carotene to lend both nutritional value and natural color. Also on display was a breakfast cookie touting Tonalin, a weight-management ingredient extracted from natural safflower oil, and other ingredients such as vitamins A and D. Finally, an Omega Chai Tea boasted Dry n-3, with each serving of tea providing 100 mg of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids. Cognis/BASF

Dairy All Day
As part of its mission to demonstrate the importance and ease of incorporating dairy's benefits in the diet throughout the day, the U.S. Dairy Export Council fed us a sin-free meal packed with the benefits of protein. To demonstrate that consuming higher levels of protein at breakfast can help curb appetite during the day, the council served up a Strawberry Sunrise Waffle incorporating 60% of the Daily Value of protein per half waffle. One of our editors' favorites was a Sweet and Savory Butternut Squash Soup with 32% less sodium than similar soups, thanks to the addition of whey permeate, which provides salty characteristics. In the soup or on their own, Cheesy Crunchers snacks with whey permeate also contained 55% less sodium than a similar cheese snack, as well as 10% of the Daily Value of protein per serving. A Cucumber Lemon Yogurt Drink was an excellent source of calcium, with 50% of the Daily Value per serving, and contained whey permeate in place of salt. A pasta salad made with whey protein concentrate and featuring low-fat cottage cheese included 17 g of protein per serving. For dessert, a sweet potato bread pudding offered 60% the Daily Value of calcium and 8 g of dairy protein per serving. U.S. Dairy Export Council

Soy Protein in Beverages
Archer Daniels Midland unveiled Clarisoy 100, which the company calls “the world's first vegetable-based protein that offers clarity and complete protein nutrition.” Showcased in an orange mango protein cooler and a lime sports-recovery beverage, the ingredient is designed to be 100% soluble in beverages with pH levels below 4.0. The company says that the protein drinks exemplify how at the acidic pH range, Clarisoy 100 stays stable, without the need for additional stabilizers. In addition, the company showcased Fibersol-2 LQ corn syrup, the latest version of the soluble corn fiber that provides 75% fiber on a dry basis. The company says that it provides corn syrup's functionality, along with fiber's benefits, at about half of the usual calories of corn syrup. Archer Daniels Midland

Immune-Health Soup, Chocolate
Biothera's Wellmune beta-glucan immune-health ingredient was featured in a line of ready-to-serve soups from the Canton brand. The soups, which include vegetable, chicken noodle, and chicken with rice varieties, are sold in eco-friendly Tetra Pak containers. The company also showcased CocoXan's CocoWell dark chocolate truffles featuring Wellmune. Biothera

Premixes In Play
Premix specialist Fortitech offered several products based on the company's premix and custom-formulating platform. A functional gum touting energy benefits was perfect for an editor on the go. A protein beverage and an antioxidant-packed salsa were also sampled. The company notes that it is growing its finished-product services, including those for market-ready powdered beverages, as well as offering roll compaction, bead milling, small-scale blending, spray drying, and agglomeration. Fortitech

Healthy Prototypes
National Starch Food Innovation and Corn Products International demonstrated several prototype product concepts. Among the products was a thick-textured Greek yogurt that required no costly straining to produce and was still clean-label thanks to Novation Indulge texturizer. It was paired with a fruit topping made with clean-label Novation 5600. A chocolate milk was 50% sugar-reduced thanks to Enliten Reb A stevia. A fat-free yogurt featured the Precisa Cream 10 texture system and NutraFlora prebiotic fiber. The company also offered lemon-lime confectionery chews featuring Nu-Mega omega-3 DHA, fruit-flavored gummy candies with gelatin replaced by Perfectagel potato starch and fortified with Purimune high-purity GOS, and a sugar-free spearmint-flavored mint featuring Erysta erythritol sweetener to compress tablets with a smooth texture. A Vitality Shot beverage featured Aquamin calcified mineral, Nutriose soluble fiber, Enliten Reb A stevia, and the Q-Naturale emulsion system. National Starch Food Innovation, Corn Products International

High-Protein Ingredient for Frozen Greek Yogurt
Glanbia Nutritionals showed off OptiSol 1030, a high-dairy whey protein concentrate designed especially for frozen Greek yogurt and offering weight-management and satiety benefits. Highlighted in a frozen Greek yogurt prototype, OptiSol 1030 solves a common problem involved with manufacturing Greek yogurt products: separation. The company says that OptiSol 1030 stops separation wastage, without the need for gums and emulsifiers, while still offering a creamy, dense texture when frozen. It also offers double the protein normally found in frozen yogurt. Glanbia Nutritionals

Zero-Calorie Lemon-Lime Soda
Cargill challenged booth visitors to its TasteWise challenge. Consumers did a blind tasting of two lemon-lime beverages, one of which was a zero-calorie drink incorporating the company's TasteWise sugar-reduction platform. Through sensory and consumer research, the company's aim has been to explore how to optimally reduce the sugar content of beverages while still maintaining desired mouthfeel and taste. Read more about this technology in the beverages article in Nutritional Outlook's upcoming September issue. Cargill

Milk Protein Hydrolysate for Stress Reduction
Lactium is a milk protein hydrolysate intended to help reduce stress levels. In the case of the company's new product concept, Zen & Free, Lactium is now marketed as a chewing gum for tobacco withdrawal symptoms. Zen & Free chewing gum is the result of a partnership between International Dairy Ingredients Inc. and Gumlink A/S (Vejle, Denmark). The product formally launched in Europe at Vitafoods Europe 2011 and has now launched in the United States. In a 2003 clinical study, patients supplementing with 150 mg of Lactium reported significant improvements in mood, sleep, physical well-being, and other stress-related health factors. The gum product provides 75 mg of Lactium. International Dairy Ingredients Inc.

Probiotic-Enhanced Ice Cream
Ice cream can now be fortified with Lactobacillus coryniformis, a probiotic bacteria derived from goat's milk. The company says the probiotic has been clinically proven to “enhance intestinal function of healthy adults” and “boost the immune system of healthy humans” when applied to a yogurt with Lactobacillus gasseri. At a one-year shelf life, the probiotic ice cream is customized in a nutrition premix to also provide prebiotic fiber, minerals, and excellent sources of vitamins A, C, E, D, and B3.

Also, thanks to its Supercoat microencapsulation system, The Wright Group has launched a concept protein bar complete with a number of nutritional ingredients, some of which might otherwise have off-taste in a bar. The concept bar is a chocolate peanut butter protein bar with 260 cal and 20 g of protein. Most notably, the bar comes fortified with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and free-form amino acids, ingredients that the company says are traditionally challenging to place in bars. Prebiotic fibers, omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and vitamins and minerals are also fortified into the bar. The Wright Group