From Kimchee pancakes to protein-packed snacks and colorful craft soda, food and beverage companies are showing off their best at the Institute of Food Technologists Food Expo in Chicago today and tomorrow. Check out what’s happening …  

At booth 961, Davisco, Business Unit of Agropur Inc., is highlighting new whey-protein ingredient that are ideal for protein fortification of snack foods and other nutritional products.

At booth 1043, the U.S. Dairy Export Council® (USDEC) will highlight innovative prototypes that showcase the versatility of U.S. cheeses and ingredients in applications ranging from snacks to mini-meals. The prototypes also cater to top food and beverage trends with a focus on protein (quality, quantity and timing), weight wellness and global inspiration.

At booth 2651, Naturex is showcasing its new stable coloring system for yellow and orange drinks in a craft soda. The Naturex R&D team has gone one step further in stabilizing natural yellow and orange colors for the beverage sector. The company has expanded its range of naturally sourced pigments to offer new carotenoid-based colors that are more resistant to light and oxidation.

The stability of beta-carotene has been significantly improved by using a specific rosemary extract to prevent pigment degradation from light exposure. “Our SPRINGlab application laboratory team has designed a craft soda colored with our new color solution. The application concept will appeal to both consumers looking for natural ingredients and formulators who want highly stable color over time," said Nathalie Pauleau, business manager at Naturex. The beverage also contains celery juice and botanical ingredients associated with energy boosting properties. To bring extra freshness to the carbonated drink, Naturex has added UPtaia™, a foam stabilizer extracted from quillaia that’s sustainably sourced and produced in Chile.

At booth 1254, Ardent Mills® will be showcasing their Mobile Innovation Center (MIC) and introducing two new product lines: Ardent Mills Organic Flours and Grains and Ardent Mills Sprouted Flours and Grains. The company will be sampling applications such as a Toasted Crawfish Roll featuring 55-percent sprouted white spring whole-wheat flour, and Wild Berry Mini Pies featuring 70-percent organic flour and 30-percent organic 9-grain flour.

Ardent Mills will also be featuring new developments to existing products, such as Ultragrain® Plus Protein, which provides whole-grain nutrition with the taste, texture and appearance of white flour that consumers love and now in a variety of formats to meet any need. Samplings will include a Roasted Pepper, Eggplant & Goat Cheese Pizza featuring 100-percent Ultragrain Plus Protein Flour and Korean BBQ Pork Tacos featuring 100-percent Ultragrain Plus Protein Flour.

At booth 1667, AAK, global producer of high value-adding specialty vegetable fats, is launching www.nonhydro.com, a website devoted to non-hydro solutions; and is presenting five delicious non-hydro bakery and confectionery prototypes.

All of AAK’s featured prototypes are non-hydro, trans fat-free and low in saturates. Bakery prototypes will include Flaky Pie Crust made with EsSence®, a high-performance brand of baking fats, and a Mini Blueberry Scone made with Cisao®, a multifunctional brand of baking fats, that each allow the flaky, flavorful texture and taste consumers love, without the PHOs. A home-style Biscuit will also take center stage, made with Cisao, featuring all the hallmarks of a great biscuit: crumbly texture, lift, and delicate air pockets. Confectionery prototypes will include an enrobed Chocolate Flavor Coated Pretzel Rod made with Cebes®, high-performance confectionery coating fats that provide delicious taste and appealing sheen. Finally, the Chocolate Flavor Praline made with Confao® and Illexao®, high-performance filling and coating fats provide a decadent truffle-like meltaway sensation enclosed in a delicious outer shell.

At booth 731, Kemin Food Technologies will highlight its complete shelf-life solutions for color, flavor, and microbial challenges, allowing meat and poultry products to stay fresh and safe longer. The Kemin team will share its thorough knowledge of complete shelf-life solutions, especially regarding the synergies created by ingredients, proteins and packaging. The team will showcase color protection, ingredient and food safety solutions that address color, flavor and microbial challenges. From simple ingredient formulas like rosemary and green tea extracts to more complex blends, the experts at Kemin know how to tailor the optimal, most cost-effective solutions to particular customer needs, whether they are related to food safety, product quality, or both.

At booth 1318, ULProspector.com will offer attendees access to more than 70,000 ingredients and more. Visitors who wish to use their mobile device on the showfloor—download email, access the Internet, add a colleague to LinkedIn or maybe sign up for ULProspector.com—will have unlimited free Wi-Fi service provided courtesy of ULProspector.com.

At booth 2302, Amelia Bay, provider of quality brewed tea, will showcase the benefits of brewed tea technology. It will be serving its custom beverages and they will also be offered to all visitors as they exit the show at shuttle buses and taxi lines, as the official refreshment drink sponsor for the show. The premium brewed tea options will highlight the clear appearance and pure taste that consumers prefer in their ready-to-drink beverages.

At booth 2617, Fibersol® will be showcasing its soluble fiber ingredients in a few breakfast and snack options. 

At booth 2621, Matsutani Americ, Inc., will introduce a new rare sugar: Astraea™ Allulose, the first plant-based, low-calorie sweetener with proven physiological benefits. Recommended applications include beverages, confections, dairy, bakery and sweet goods. Astraea Allulose can be used as a 100-percent table top granular sugar replacement, and as a replacement for hard candy and chewing gum at 50 percent.

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Parabel USA Inc., a provider of sustainable solutions for food ingredient production, is a recipient of the prestigious Innovation Award presented at the 2015 IFT. Parabel received the award for Lentein™, an innovative plant protein ingredient that is 100-percent sustainable.

The new ingredient is extracted from a water lentil, Lemnoideae, which, with its high levels of protein combined with other macro and micronutrients, has been described as the world's most sustainable and complete food source. The water lentil plant grows in a carbon neutral, lined aqua farm and the water use per liter of Lentein is substantially lower than that of other proteins. It is a non-GMO, fast-growing crop that doubles in size every 16 to 32 hours and is harvested every day, which contributes to a yield higher than any other crop per acre. The protein ingredient contains comparable levels of amino acids to whey, and higher levels of amino acids than other plant proteins such as soy and pea. It is also soy-, lactose- and gluten-free. The cold-pressed technology allows for additional versatility, and enables the extraction of various concentrations of the protein, allowing Parabel to bring different densities and functionalities to market.

At booths 2677 and 500, Kanbo International, a globally based sucralose manufacturer, will be discussing the company’s latest news: It will be marketing high-value, premium-quality sucralose to North and South American food ingredient distributors and food and beverage CPG companies. The company’s international headquarters opened this spring in Oak Brook Terrace, Illinois.

Picture courtesy of the U.S. Dairy Export Council®.