IFT17 took place June 26–28 at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas. The event had the theme of “Go with Purpose” and drew over 19,000 attendees from over 90 countries visiting with over 1,200 exhibitors. IFT is supported by the Institute of Food Technologists.
The annual IFT event is known for its extensive education program. Two highlighted tracks were:
- “Labeling, ‘Healthy’ Choices, and Public Perception’s Role on Food,” featuring nine sessions related to conversations on fat, protein, clean label, active packaging, gastrointestinal health, managing allergens, GMO labeling law specifics, and making “healthy” label claims
- “Sustainability and the Global Food Supply Chain,” featuring seven sessions on increasing transparency, maximizing sustainability across the supply chain, FSMA updates, challenges of using a global supply chain, incorporating food safety into sustainable global food security, and advancements in sustainable approaches to processing and packaging
Other notable sessions at IFT17 included:
- Premiere of the film “Food Evolution,” exploring the GMO debate
- “Processed Food: The Good, the Bad and the Science,” a panel discussion on the pros and cons of processed food
- “Design Thinking for Food: A Groundbreaking Pilot Course to Develop the Next Generation of Food Innovators,” which guided participants from problem statement to prototype in less than an hour
- “Consumer Trends in 2017,” led by the International Food Information Council
- “Food Technologists Without Borders—A Compelling Concept,” on the collaboration the IFT Feeding Tomorrow Foundation and several nonprofit organizations to set up volunteer programs that leverage the technical knowledge of the IFT community to provide scalable, sustainable, safe and nutritious food technology solutions for people and regions in need
The IFT17 expo floor offered a look into today’s top food trends through product concepts and prototypes featuring the latest ingredients available today. Prevailing trends related to the snack and bakery industry include:
- Cleaning up and simplifying ingredient statements without a loss of flavor, shelf life, eating quality and functionality
- Removing allergens from foods to broaden their appeal and fit into the increasingly important “free from” market
- Adding protein—and particularly plant-based protein—to snack foods and baked goods
- Building more better-for-you qualities into products through added nutrition, as well as reduced added sugars and sodium
- Using diverse grains like sorghum, spelt and other “ancient” options, as well as non-GMO, organic, single-origin and otherwise specialized familiar grains to build nutritional, flavor and label appeal
- Improving flavor impact in better-for-you snacks and baked goods, masking bitterness or other off notes often contributed by protein and other nutritional ingredients
The editorial staff of Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery visited with the following companies to learn more about how they fit into the emerging and established trends defining the snack and bakery industry today—and tomorrow.
AAK
AAK featured “Development in AAKtion” at the conference, with live demos throughout the day. Prototypes included Butter Flake Biscuits and Cinnamon Flake Biscuits, comprised of Cisao 8253-12-05 (a shortening flake with cinnamon) and Cisao 8253-31-02 (a shortening flake with natural butter flavor); Classic Brioche, a traditional buttery egg bread featuring Cisao 82-85 margarine; Spiced Mango Cupcake with Vanilla Bean Frosting, featuring Cisao 8116-93-01, an all-in-one emulsified cake and icing shortening; and Pain au Chocolat, which included Cisao 81-20, a votated shortening, and Cisao 82-85 margarine.
ADM
During IFT, ADM discussed the evolution of ADM and its acquisitions in recent years, focusing on the extensive synergies now at play across ADM today. Thanks to its extensive network of product development capabilities, ADM is now poised to quickly assimilate knowledge and insight to streamline product development. At its booth, ADM included a Smoky Sesame and Sunflower Seed cracker as one of its product concepts available for sampling. Featured ADM ingredients in the cracker included: black bean grits, citric acid, natural flavor, natural flavor enhancer, sesame seeds, smoky honey seasoning, sorghum flour, sunflower seeds, Sweet’N Neat honey powder, wheat flour, WhetPro 80 gluten, white wheat flour, and oleic sunflower oil.
ADM/Matsutani
ADM/Matsutani LLC showcased Fibersol at IFT this year, a line of soluble dietary fiber ingredients. Within the last year, ADM/Matsutani has added several new products to the Fibersol suite of ingredients, said Hisae Honzawa, business manager, to ensure that they can partner with formulators to develop customized solutions that meet the unique needs of their consumers. Fibersol is a corn-based soluble fiber that offers multiple label choices, allowing formulators to choose the best option for desired product positioning.
Ajinomoto
Ajinomoto’s Advantame was recently approved by the FDA, Health Canada and Cofepris (Mexico). It can be used in a variety of applications, such as caramel popcorn, to replace sugar or other sweeteners. Advantame also has good heat stability in bakery applications, with a clean taste and high potency.
Almond Board of California
The Almond Board of California highlighted research indicating that for the 10th year in a row, almonds are the No. 1 nut used in new products worldwide, as well as the No. 1 nut in bakery product introductions. Samples offered at the Almond Board booth included the Garden Goddess Almond Bar, made with smoked almonds (whole, chopped and slivered), pepitas, dried blueberries, Medjool dates, spirulina, jalapeños and coconut flakes. Two snack nut products were also on hand: Korean BBQ Almonds, combining smoked almonds with chicharrones and gochujang, and Togarashi Nori Almonds, which brought together almonds, shichi-mi togarashi, ponzu, puffed rice and nori.
American Egg Board
During IFT17, the American Egg Board released its recent, extensive research into demonstrating the superior functionality of egg products compared to egg replacers in a wide range of applications, including angel food cake, frozen waffles and pie filling, adding to a body of work that already included functionality analysis of egg products in yellow batter cake, crème cake, blueberry muffins, cookies, brownies, sweet dough and sponge cake.
Ardent Mills
At IFT17, Ardent Mills showcased a range of new grain offerings, including North American–sourced quinoa, colored barleys, organic Ultragrain and organic spelt. Ardent Mills is now part of the largest quinoa-growing network in North America, offering Great Plains Quinoa to the industry. Also, its new Nature’s Color barley line includes Pure-Purple, Blackjack and True Blue barley.
Arla Foods Ingredients
Arla Foods Ingredients’ Nutrilac PB-8420 can be used in high-protein bars, and is a protein solution derived from the milk of grass-fed cows. PB-8420 is a rich source of easily-absorbed amino acids that support satiety and muscle healthy, and it keeps protein bars soft for at least 12 months in ambient storage. At IFT, Arla had an apple and coconut protein bar to showcase the benefits of PB-8420, which contained 28 percent protein and only seven ingredients.
Barry Callebaut
Better-for-you plant protein was a focus at the Barry Callebaut booth at IFT. The chocolate supplier discussed its pea protein–coated chocolate ingredients for coatings, enrobing and inclusions. This move was coordinated due to the uptick in industry interest related to plant protein in snacks and baked goods. Offering plant-protein chocolate ingredients also removes an allergen (whey/dairy) for those developing free-from or dairy-free protein-enriched products.
BENEO
Last year, BENEO launched its Remypure line of native rice starches. Native rice starches can now achieve performance levels comparable to chemically modified food starches, without using any chemicals. Remypure is ideal for sauces and dairy desserts, among other applications, and it is clean label and has a high product stability (shelf-life, freeze-thaw) as well as a high tolerance towards low pH, high temperatures and high shear.
BI Nutraceuticals
BI showcased its new Sweet Potato Powder in a sample of Sweet Potato Corn Muffins. This ingredient, using byproduct sweet potatoes used for juicing, contains up to 35 percent dietary fiber, and brings calcium, iron, vitamin A and protein to snacks and baked goods. It provides a mildly sweet aroma and flavor with notes of raisin, fruit and honey.
Blue Diamond Almonds
During IFT17, Blue Diamond Almonds Global Ingredients Division showcased the company’s versatile product offering, its creative and collaborative R&D solutions, and leadership in food safety and quality. Blue Diamond experts were on-site to discuss the nutritional benefits of almonds and tips for formulating almonds in applications from cereals and confectionary treats to savory snacks and coatings. In addition, visitors to Blue Diamond’s booth had the opportunity to sample products made with Blue Diamond almonds and almond flour.
Camlin
Camlin recently entered into a Share Purchase Agreement to acquire a 51 percent stake in Ningbo Wanglong Flavors and Fragrances Company Limited. Wanglong is a leading vanillin manufacturer thar produces vanillin through a patented process in Yuyao, Zhejiang, China. This agreement will boost Camlin’s access into the Asia market and the rest of the world.
Cargill
Cargill will be opening a new potassium chloride facility in Watkin’s Glen, NY, in late 2017, to meet its food customers’ demands. Its current potassium chloride product offerings include Porassium Pro Potassium Chloride, FlakeSelect Potassium Chloride (potassium chloride and salt), and FlakeSelect Potassium Chloride/Sea Salt. Cargill will also be commercializing its EverSweet zero-calorie Stevia sweetener in 2018, which can provide up to 100 percent sugar replacement.
Carolina Innovative Food Ingredients
CIFI had IFT visitors sample products made with its sweet potato syrup, which is a clean label sweetener. 50 percent of all sweet potatoes are grown in North Carolina, where CIFI is headquartered. CIFI also offers a sweet potato dehydrate/flour, which can extend shelf life by 25 percent, and both the powder and syrup can be used in tandem. A purple sweet potato concentrate, to make a natural purple color, is also among CIFI’s offerings.
Cold Jet
Cold Jet demonstrated its dry ice cleaning solutions with its MC w Cart at its booth during IFT. Cold Jet recently acquired competitor IceTech, which brought the Elite 20 stainless steel machine into the company’s range of machines. Cold Jet offers a range of machines for sanitation tasks that help reduce maintenance costs, enhance product quality and improve productivity.
Corbion
At IFT, Corbion demonstrated how to keep creating innovative offerings for an ever-changing consumer market. Corbion highlighted SweetPro, a newly launched emulsifier delivering outstanding aeration, emulsion stability and moisture retention in sweet bakery applications for greater product consistency, better performance and easy handling. SweetPro helps bakers remove PHOs without increasing saturated fats, potentially reducing the total fat level of the product.
Dow AgroSciences
Dow AgroSciences recently updated its website to include a “Seed to Oil” section highlighting details of each step in producing Omega-9 Oils, including Seed, Farm, Processing and Oil. Dow also pointed toward a recent study that shows the significant healthcare savings associated with replacing dietary saturated fats with monounsaturated fats, like those in Omega-9 Oils (see “Economic Impact of Heart-Healthy Fats”).
FlavorHealth
At IFT, FlavorHealth demonstrated a range of prototypes with reduced sugar, sodium and bitterness, side-by-side with standard counterparts, to showcase how the company’s solutions can provide full sweetness and saltiness, balancing bitterness, without compromising on overall taste. Prototypes included pretzels (salt reduction), sugar cookies (sugar reduction) and a nutrition bar enriched with pea protein (bitterness reduction). This FlavorHealth solution is listed as “natural flavor” in the ingredient statement.
Ganeden
The GanedenBC30 ingredient continues to be used in various applications, such as powders and in snack and bakery foods. At IFT, Ganeden had various samples of foods that include BC30, such as gummy snacks and chocolate. The company recently received FDA GRAS on its probiotic-derived health ingredient, Staimune, which utilizes the cells of BC30 to support immune health. Staimune will be available for formulation starting this summer.
GELITA
GELITA’s instant gelatin is ideal for bakery application, as it doesn’t require heat. Mousses, cheesecakes, icings all apply, and GELITA serves businesses ranging from “mom and pop” bakeries to industrial settings. GELITA is also the only gelatin producer that provides Kosher gelatine products, with its Geliko brand, and they are certified Kosher pareve by the Orthodox Union.
Glanbia Nutritionals
https://www.glanbianutritionals.com/en
Glanbia Nutritionals showcased various innovative ingredients at IFT17, including a new Freeze Dried Cheese, a convenient, shelf stable and nutrient-packed dairy food that delivers real cheddar or mozzarella cheese once rehydrated. This 100% natural ingredient offers significant versatility for various products and is high in protein, rich in calcium, lightweight, and portable. Glanbia also previewed its new Pea Protein Crisps, offering bar and healthy snack brands crunch texture, flavor and overall performance to help differentiate their products in an increasingly crowded market. The crisps deliver a better eating experience while also delivering plant-based protein fortification.
Grain Processing Corp.
News from GPC centered on the launch of the new Maltrin tapioca-based product line. The Maltrin tapioca maltodextrins and tapioca syrup solids (Maltrin T-Series) are the newest additions to the line. Sourced from 100 percent tapioca, the functional carbohydrates are non-GMP by origin and are available in a wide range of dextrose equivalents.
ICL Food Specialties
A new binder that helps reduce “added sugars” in various types of snacks and baked goods was a focus at the ICL Food Specialties booth. Bekabake EF W works well in low-sugar systems to provide desirable texture, shown during IFT in an Everything Bar that had just 1 gram of added sugars. Other ICL ingredient systems used in the bar included Bekaplus BP 900 and Bekaplus BP 800 (protein), Cal-Sistent (calcium without flavor or texture impact) and Mag-nificent (magnesium without flavor or texture impact), as well as almonds, peanuts, cranberries and rice crisps. Another ingredient system profiled during IFT was the Bekaplus DP 302, a protein-stabilizing system for a smooth, creamy texture in sauces, bakery fillings and more.
IDBS
IDBS, an R&D and scientific software solutions provider, was a first-time attendee at IFT17. The company provided an overview of its award-winning cloud-based data-capture and organization platform that helps streamline the R&D process for food companies. The platform, which permits easy collaboration and permission sharing, helps product developers capture all trial-and-error data as they develop new concepts.
Ingredion
Ingredion focused on three top food trends during IFT: Clean & Simple, Health & Nutrition and Sensory Experience. For Clean & Simple, the company discussed the recently launched HOMECRAFT line, made from fava beans, chickpeas, yellow lentils or yellow peas. Additional focus centered on cleaning up labels and ingredient decks, and making snacking simple and offering customizable textures, as seen in a baked maza chip featuring a new PRECISA Crisp texturizers. Health & Nutrition presented solutions that provide consumer-desired benefits, along with desirable texture and taste, with innovations in clean-taste pulse proteins and flours and dietary fibers, which received an IFT17 Food Expo Innovation Award. The pulse proteins and flours were shown in a wheat bread prototype that also contained Hi-Maize resistant starch, which now has an FDA-authorized health claim related to managing blood sugar. Finally, Sensory Experience focused on how Culinology-driven innovation can create one-of-a-kind texture experiences.
International Flavors & Fragrances
International Flavors & Fragrances used IFT to launch Tastepoint by IFF, a new company designed to service the dynamic middle-market customer in North America. Tastepoint by IFF represents the merger of David Michael & Co. and Ottens Flavors, two esteemed companies with long histories in the industry and reputations for outstanding service and products. Tastepoint by IFF is designed to leverage the extensive expertise of those two companies while capitalizing on the R&D, technologies and consumer insights that IFF can provide.
IOI Loders Croklaan
http://northamerica.ioiloders.com
IOI Loders Croklaan discussed the launch of SansTrans Roll-Rite Puff, a new, next-generation lamination shortening specifically designed for puff pastry applications. A non-hydrogenated, PHO-free product, SansTrans Roll-Rite Puff provides customers an elegant, melt-in-your-mouth texture, as well as a clean ingredient statement. The company also offered virtual reality tours of its Creative Studios, which offer targeted areas for collaboration with customers.
Kalsec
During IFT, Kalsec discussed its recent consumer research related to hot and spicy trends. Findings show interest in hot and spicy foods continues to rise, with the HeatSync Heat Index, developed with Innova Market Insights, increasing 6 percent over the previous year, showing global new product introductions with hot and spicy ingredients have increased for nine straight years. Other findings: one in four people are eating spicy foods more often than they did one year ago, and two in four agree that foods taste better with some level of heat. Also, more women are developing an interest in hot and spicy foods. Kalsec also discussed its recent additions of garlic and onion to its IsoFresh line.
Kemin
www.kemin.com/en/north-america
At IFT, Kemin announced that it now offers organic rosemary extract. The new organic product joins Kemin’s shelf-life extension portfolio, which already includes organic buffered vinegar. The latest addition to the line illustrates Kemin’s commitment to plant science, with plant-based solutions that can maintain and improve the quality of life.
Kerry
The focus for Kerry at IFT17 centered on clean label, building on its recent research into the subject. The company’s research found that “all-natural,” “non-GMO” and “no additives or preservatives” are the most-common product attributes consumers associate with clean label. Its findings show that clean label will continue, and now is the time to streamline ingredient decks in order to capitalize on the movement. The company emphasized that formulators need to clean up the label, but without impacting flavor. Combining clean label with better-for-you product attributes often proves a winning strategy. As part of its booth samples, Kerry offered a cucumber mint mojito snack bar featuring Wellmune, natural beta-glucan, to boost immune health.
Kikkoman
Kikkoman’s granulated gluten-free Tamari soy sauce adds rich umami to any application, and its granulated format and concentrated flavor is ideal for dry rubs, dry mixes and tropical seasonings. It can also enhance flavors in the snack category, including veggie and potato chips, flavored nuts, rice crackers and other non-wheat snacks. At the booth, Kikkoman served attendees a yakiniku-flavored (“grilled meat”) potato chip sample, as well as teriyaki pineapple jerky, made with its gluten-free less sodium teriyaki marinade and sauce and its gluten-free Tamari soy sauce.
Kraft Heinz Ingredients
The newly rebranded Kraft Heinz Ingredients showcased the capabilities of the company’s portfolio of well-known ingredients. One sample included Kraft cream cheese in a biscuit, replacing buttermilk and oil in the formula.
Matsutani
Matsutani showcased its Astraea allulose ingredient, a plant-based, zero-calorie sweetener with proven physiological benefits. Astraea allulose is a monosaccharide characterized as a “rare sugar,” as it’s not commonly found in nature, and it was the first allulose to be commercialized in the world. During IFT, Matsutani offered expert insights into potential uses of Astraea allulose in snacks, baked goods and other products from Dr. Masaaki Tokuda, MD, vice president, Kagawa University and professor of medicine in the university’s Department of Cell Physiology.
MGP Ingredients
During IFT, MGP Ingredients announced the addition of Arise 8100 and Arise 8200 to the company’s line of wheat protein isolates. These clean-label ingredients are also Non-GMO Project Verified. Protein isolates in the Arise 8000 series deliver multiple functional benefits across a wide variety of bakery products and other food applications, including their ability to provide enhanced dough strength and elasticity, and effectively supplement weak flour characteristics for added volume. Pizza and flatbread crusts, tortillas, pan breads, rolls, bakery mixes, pasta and more are among the many applications for this series.
McIlhenny Co.
The McIlhenny Co. discussed its new TABASCO brand Chipotle Spray Dry Flavoring—a full-bodied flavor enhancer that delivers the popular, smoky taste of TABASCO brand Chipotle Pepper Sauce in a convenient dry format, adding balanced flavor to a wide variety of applications without contributing moisture.
Milk Specialties Global
Three of Milk Specialties Global’s products are now Non-GMO Project Verified, including its Organic Non-Fat Dried Milk (ONFDM), its Organic MPC 85, and its non-organic MPC 85. MPC 85 is the company’s milk protein concentrate, which can be used in high-protein bars. The company also introduced BARsoft 5000, a highly-functional protein designed to maintain a soft texture and extend the shelf-life in bars.
National Honey Board
During IFT17, the National Honey Board emphasized the benefits of using different honey varietals as part of snack and bakery product development. Honey not only offers natural sweetness, it offers a variety of flavor nuances through use of select honey varietals. NHB also stressed the important functional qualities honey brings to snacks and baked goods, including increased shelf life through honey’s humectancy benefits. The NHB website was recently redesigned for an improved user experience, with specific sections for food processors and the foodservice market.
Palsgaard
Sustainable emulsifier manufacturer Palsgaard demonstrated how the latest Emulpals whipping-active emulsifiers can influence bakery product quality. Activated emulsifiers particularly suited to cake mixes can ensure extremely fast reactions. For example, low density can be achieved in as little as two to four minutes, creating lighter, softer and aerated cakes. Such emulsifiers are also tolerant of other ingredients, enabling good results where there is little control over consumers' ingredient choices. Palsgaard is a leading global bakery supplier offering RSPO SG sustainable emulsifiers. More information on removing PHOs from baked goods is available on the company's website (see “An active solution to removing PHOs in baked goods”).
Qualisoy
Qualisoy presented IFT attendees with samples of cupcakes with icing made using its high oleic soybean oil. Its interesterified oils can also be used for doughnut frying and other bakery applications. Qualisoy also had a virtual reality video for attendees, taking them on a VR tour of the farm where its soybeans are grown.
Rembrandt
Rembrant has introduced the REMPRO 8090 products, which are egg white protein isolates providing over 92% egg white protein on a dry basis. These products are mostly used in sports nutirition products, including bars, and they mix well with any flavor due to de-flavored properties. REMPRO 8090 also provides all nine essential amino acids (EAA) as well as all nine non-essential amino acids.
Salba
Salba Chia recently introduced dark chocolate-covered chia seeds, which include 62 percent cocoa. The seeds are gluten-free, Non-GMO Project Verified, and a good source of fiber, iron and magnesium. The seeds can be used in baking mixes, cookies, muffins, cakes, pies, bars, and in other snack/bakery applications.
Spraying Systems Co.
Spraying Systems discussed its Klarion system, which uses simple electro-chemical activation technology to produce a cleaner and sanitizer—using just high-purity salt, water and electricity—for cleaning bakery and other types of equipment. The on-demand system replaces the caustic cleaning chemicals typically used in facilities and has twice the effectiveness of bleach. The system helps improve worker safety and reduces time spent on cleaning procedures.
Tate & Lyle
Tate & Lyle recently partnered with Sweet Green Fields, a privately held, fully integrated global stevia ingredient company. The partnership combines Tate & Lyle’s sweetener expertise and global sales and distribution network with Sweet Green Fields’ portfolio of stevia-based ingredients and supply chain. Tate & Lyle have also recently introduced 17 new non-GMO starches. The X-PAND’R NG instant starch is ideal for baking and snack manufacturers in regards to dough machinability and crispy, crunchy textures.
U.S. Dairy Export Council
The U.S. Dairy Export Council had various samples for those attending IFT, including a frozen matcha dairy bar, a snack that was wedged between crispy oat wafers and which featured a Greek yogurt and milk protein isolate filling. Its dairy protein will help with clean label, as it replaces starches and hydrocolloids. The prototypes samples at the booth this year showcased the slogan for USDEC’s new consumer engagement campaign, “Undeniably Dairy.”
Welch’s Global Ingredients Group
Welch’s is cooking up new applications for its Concord grapes. At IFT, they showcased pancakes with grape-based syrups, a fruit bark dessert made with grape-juice powder and fruit pieces, and FruitWorx real fruit pieces. Since millennials are looking for products that taste good but have health benefits too, Welch’s is aiming to cater to this group; Welch’s also offers its FruitWorx in powder form.
