Archer Daniel Midland’s (ADM) new culinary center had its grand opening in April. Located in the ADM facility in Decatur, Ill., the center’s purpose is to enable the company’s customers to more directly experience the connection between formulation and its actual taste in the kitchen.

Bringing together the skills and experience of research chefs, food application experts and sensory specialists, the culinary center focuses on developing the multi-disciplinary functions involved in the interaction of ingredient texture, flavor and function.

“At ADM’s new culinary center, our research chefs and R&D staff will provide customers with new product ideas, offer insight into incorporating the latest functional food ingredients and help customers get to market faster and more effectively,” says Graham Keen, vice president, corporate marketing.

To facilitate these tasks, ADM has at its disposal a library of nearly 1,000 ingredients, in addition to a fully stocked spice and flavor depository. The culinary center also offers ADM’s customers contains an advanced sensory testing lab, where a battery of tests, including triangle testing, consumer testing and shelf-life testing, can be undertaken in both classroom and booth style. In this ultra high-tech environment, the lab spent $300,000 ensuring that internal air passes in only one direction, to avoid the risk of “used” air returning to contaminate the testing environment.

The sensory lab is responsible for evaluating and interpreting reactions in terms of production, quality control, sales and marketing, research and customer expectations. 1-800-553-8411 www.admworld.com

The five Great Lakes are the world’s freshwater phenomenon. They cover more than 94,000 square miles and contain about six quadrillion gallons of water. Their watershed includes eight states and two Canadian provinces (see map). Despite the lakes’ staggering volume, political pressure for restrictions on water use in the region is intensifying, driven partly by charges that interests outside the region seek to “raid” Great Lakes water. This political trend has potential ramifications for food producers and processors.

Concerns about artificial losses in the Great Lakes have existed for a century, ever since engineering works reversed the Chicago River’s direction and enabled Lake Michigan water to flow into the Mississippi River watershed. Currently, the Great Lakes water volume lost there is roughly counterbalanced by gains from two diversions into the Great Lakes Basin north of Lake Superior.

The initial regulation of water diversions is the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 between the United States and Canada containing mechanisms to resolve disputes affecting lakes forming the international border. The treaty stipulated limits on Niagara River hydroelectric-plant diversions, permitting a maximum of 1.5 billion gallons per hour, to preserve levels in shallow Lake Erie, an essential navigation artery.

Fears were fanned in the early 1980s about potential diversions from the Great Lakes to the arid West. Despite the economic unfeasibility of major long-distance water transfers, the Great Lakes governors and premiers created the Great Lakes Charter of 1985 providing that any of the signatories can veto proposed diversions exceeding a given threshold that originate in any of the other jurisdictions. Congress endorsed that authority inside the U.S in the Water Resources Development Act of 1986, without specifying any threshold, as a measure to “protect the limited quantity of water available from the Great Lakes system.”

That “limited quantity” totals about 1.3 quadrillion gallons in Lake Michigan alone. Through fluctuations caused by long-term precipitation patterns, the lake’s volume can increase or decrease naturally by as much as 28 trillion gallons.

Currently, after several moisture-deficit years, Great Lakes levels are in a low cycle, adding impetus to political efforts to more tightly control water use even though losses through human-constructed diversions would be minuscule against the backdrop of natural volumes. An amendment to the Great Lakes Charter known as Annex 2001 would impose uniform standards of water use in all the respective jurisdictions under an interstate compact and international agreement. One rationale is that selective unequal treatment may violate various trade rules.

Proposed Annex 2001 regulatory details are expected this summer. Critics perceive potential economic detriments from implementation and believe an economic impact assessment should be required. The complex approval process for the proposals embraces state, federal and international levels.

The glaciers of the Ice Age left behind an amazing complex of Great Lakes holding six quadrillion gallons of water. The region’s replenishing climate maintains that abundance. But water is also a potent public issue in an era of regulatory expansion.

The Michigan potato industry is closely monitoring developments and adding its input where appropriate.

Edlong Dairy Flavors introduces a new concentrated processed American Cheese flavor to its extensive line of dairy flavors. Natural American-Type Flavor #2404 is a powder, water and oil soluble flavor that is certified Kosher dairy without MSG. Created with analogs, crackers, sauces and topical seasoning applications in mind, the buttery and milky “load” type-processed cheese flavor contains additional nutty notes and a slightly fruity background. 1-888-MY-TASTE www.edlong.com

Nexsoy products from Spectrum Foods are a simple and inexpensive way to reduce carbohydrates in foods. Nexsoy Low-Fat Soy Grits and Low-Fat Soy Flour naturally contain soy fiber, eliminating the need for blending high-protein ingredients with secondary fiber sources in applications such as salty snacks, breads, nutrition bars, cereals, tortillas and pastas. Nexsoy is free of the “soy” taste that some consumers find unpalatable, and the dry ingredients can also be incorporated in food manufacturing applications, providing a variety of other functional improvements like increasing soy protein content, reducing oil absorption and more. 1-217-391-0091 www.nexsoy.com IBIE Booth # 2469

Cargill Salt is the only manufacturer of the exclusive Alberger Brand Salt. Since 1886 the same technique has been used to produce pure, unaltered, natural flake salt crystals. With its irregular surface and low bulk density, Alberger Brand Salt provides maximum adherence to snacks like potato chips. Anti-caking and free-flowing agents help promote precise metering of salt to the chip surface, delivering a bold taste and unmatched burst of flavor you can count on every time. 1-800-377-1017 www.cargillsalt.com IBIE Booth # 1717

Danisco Sweeteners offers expertise in developing baked goods for low-carb dieters. Formulated with Litesse polydextrose and Lactitol, these low-glycemic ingredients are suitable for low-carb dieters and those who want to reduce their sugar intake. As functional ingredients, Litesse polydextrose and Lactitol can also reduce sugar, fat and calories, and increase fiber all while improving the flavor and texture of many bakery products. 1-800-255-6837 www.danisco.com/sweeteners IBIE Booth # 3351

As stores increase their low carb additions to their shelves, manufacturers need new, innovative ways to decrease the carbs in food while maintaining the quality. Soy flour provides a great solution. Made from finely ground, roasted soybeans, soy flour features fewer carbs than traditional wheat flour, which makes it a good substitute in many baked good formulations. Soy flour contains no gluten, so it produces a denser product and provides better moisture retention. www.talksoy.com.

Edlong Dairy Flavors introduces Natural Cheesecake Flavor #4563. This highly concentrated spray-dried powder flavor is water dispersible and is specifically designed for baking applications. The sweet, buttery cheesecake flavor is very creamy and slightly fruity. It is Kosher dairy certified and ideal applications include cheesecakes, cookies, pound cake, fillings and puddings. 1-888-MY-TASTE www.edlong.com

Salted snacks, dips and dipping sauces have more flavor, more spice and more heat. TABASCO brand Industrial Ingredients are zapping up snacks and dips like never before. From pork rinds and popcorn to meat snacks and salsas, the possibilities are endless with 10 varieties, including the original Red Pepper Sauce, Dry Red Flavoring, Processor’s Blend, Crushed Red Pepper, Jalapeño Green Sauce, Jalapeño Dry Flavoring and new Chipotle Sauce. Mix them in, sprinkle them on, whatever the application, it’s a flavor explosion. 1-407-814-2488 www.TABASCOingredients.com