Sophisticated Solutions for Simplified Products
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- Clean Label Conference Sponsors & Exhibitors Directory
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- All Global Food Forums Clean Label Events
The 2nd annual Clean Label Conference, held in 2015, drew 218 registrants, a 14% increase over the previous event in 2013. As with all Global Food Forums’ events, general session speakers are not affiliated with ingredient vendors to help assure impartial, non-commercial presentations.
However, the conference offers 18 Technology Snapshots. These 15 minute, concise presentations, chosen by a jury panel, provide information on the properties and characteristics of new commercially available ingredients.
GENERAL SESSION SPEAKERS:
- The Global Clean Label Phenomena: Trends, Insights & Implications
Speaker: Lu Ann Williams, MBA, Director of Innovation, Innova Market Insights
A multitude of consumer and food manufacturing trends come together under the umbrella of “clean label.” Drawing on sources such as the Innova Database, this presentation looks at what food companies around the world are doing in order to convey simplicity, purity, trust and naturalness. Obtain insights into consumer demands and how the food industry is responding through product examples, packaging, patents, ingredient sources and communications to consumers including ingredient choices, claims and explanations on packaging labels.
- From Natural to Non-GMO: What Regulators and Consumers Want You to Know
Speaker: Catherine Adams Hutt, Ph.D., RD, Principal, RdR Solutions Consulting; LLC/Chief Science and Regulatory Officer, Sloan Trends
While there may not be a regulatory definition for the term “natural,” various factions have expectations. Consumers, both retail and foodservice, also have expectations as they decide which foods they will buy. “Natural” and “clean label” are perceived to be key benefits. The use of the term “natural” in marketing will be examined, and appropriate and inappropriate uses will be presented. Directions for appealing to consumers, while staying within the lines for regulatory compliance, will be provided. An exploration of the Non-GMO Project Verified Seal will also be provided.
- Meaningful Clean Up: A Comprehensive View of a Developer’s Techniques & Options
Speaker: Chef John Csukor, CEO, KOR Food Innovation
Label clean-up has begun and great progress has been made, but why all the effort? Why are we cleaning up labels and what are consumers seeking in a “Cleaned up Label”? It is not enough to select a new clean ingredient, rather the expectation by consumers and product developers is much more demanding in what that ingredient must deliver to perform. This presentation will explore the various ingredient options and techniques that can be meaningful “replacers with purpose” and “mimickers of flavor, color and texture,” all of which come packing performance as well. This application-oriented session is based on the principle that deliciousness and quality-comes-first is the R&D goal.
- Natural Color in the USA: The Process to Natural Color Approval — What Product Developers Need to Know
Speaker: Ray Matulka, Ph.D., Director of Toxicology, Burdock Group
Synthetic coloring agents used in foods have recently come under fire for having potentially negative effects on adults and, especially, children. However, although consumers in the U.S. still want the vibrant, bold color effects that synthetic coloring agents provide in order to mimic the idealized appearance of freshly harvested produce, consumers also stipulate that colors should have the vague quality of being “minimally processed.” Industry has renewed its search to find suitable natural colors; using more modern techniques; re-examining old sources; and looking new sources of color. But finding new colors is only half the battle. Before an ingredient can be used to color a food, rigorous and sometime not-well-understood requirements must be met, among them the demonstration of safety. Attendees will learn the regulatory definitions of different colors approved for use in the US; the regulatory process to obtain approval to use naturally-sourced coloring agents in the U.S. market; and examples of some recently-approved food colors. These processes critically impact available ingredient options for food use and product labeling requirements that, in turn, influence a product’s marketplace success.
- Fruit & Vegetable Ingredient Toolbox: Opportunities for Clean Label Formulation
Speaker: Martha (Marty) Porter, Scientist, Merlin Development
Product developers need a tool-chest of ingredients that can be used to formulate products with the desired taste, texture, shelf life and other required characteristics. This presentation looks at properties of, and applications for, fruit- and vegetable-based ingredients. These foods can deliver functional additives, such as acidifiers, organic acids, polyols, antioxidants, flavors, colors, fibers, sweeteners, and other useful and /or unexpected components. Learn about ingredients that can provide functionality while improving your label and delivering a good-for-you image.
- Antioxidant Potential of Plant-based Food Ingredients and Whole Plant Foods
Speaker: Jin Ji, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer & Executive Vice President, Brunswick Laboratories, Inc.
The 2010 USDA database of food ORAC values was one of the first public references on the antioxidant value of foods. While it provided guidance as to what spices, seeds, berries and other whole food ingredients may be useful as natural antioxidants, analytical limitations and food industry misuse resulted in its withdrawal. However, the need for a point of reference on the antioxidant potential of food components remains. This presentation will give an overview of antioxidant assays presently in use, and of high-antioxidant whole foods and food ingredients. Practical factors influencing the antioxidant potency of foods and food ingredients during food growing, processing and storage will be considered. In addition, important factors influencing the selection, extraction and incorporation of plant-based food ingredients in functional foods will be addressed. Furthermore, as oxidative stress plays an important role in the development of many pathological conditions the presentation will also touch on a battery of in vitro assays that have been developed to evaluate the antioxidant activity of whole foods and food ingredients, with the ORAC assay proving to be the most useful due to its diagnostic relevance.
- Clean Label Antimicrobial Ingredients: How to find them?
Speaker: Frank Schuren, Ph.D., Senior Scientist Microbiology, TNO Microbiology & Systems Biology
With the strong and ongoing consumer trend towards more ‘natural’ products, replacing chemical preservatives and sodium by natural antimicrobials is a highly preferable way of cleaning up labels. Preferably, such natural anti-microbials should be derived from natural compounds already in use in food production. This presentation shows an emerging method to screen natural components for synergistic effects on growth inhibiting effects against microorganisms using state-of-the art molecular detection methods. This method is independent of growth on selective or enriched media so they provide faster and much more detailed information than conventional, culture-based microbiology. The insights gained via this approach will provide more information than growth based screening tests which are currently used. Results of a demonstrator study on herbs and spices using this screening method is shared during the presentation.
- Answering the Challenge: Label-friendly Emulsifiers and Surfactants for Food Systems
Speaker: Professor Peter J. Wilde, Ph.D., Institute of Food Research
Many foods are formed of complex, multiphase structures such as dispersions, emulsions and foams. Emulsions and foams often provide structure and texture, impart taste and flavor or deliver bioactive compounds. To create and stabilize emulsions and foams, amphiphilic molecules in the form of surfactants, emulsifiers and polymers are used. A wide range of synthetic or extracted surfactants and emulsifiers have been developed over the years that are highly effective at creating stable foams and emulsions. However, the move towards cleaner labels has driven alternative approaches using proteins and other naturally occurring emulsifiers. Although proteins are not always as effective at creating foams and emulsions, they have other advantages. The use of enzymes to alter the natural lipid composition of foods and to improve their functional properties is an innovative, emerging tactic. A range of approaches currently being developed to replace surfactants and emulsifiers in foods, their advantages and disadvantages and their potential for use in clean label foods will be reviewed.
- Back to the Future in Baking: Giving Baked Goods Today’s Desired Properties with the Basic Ingredients
Speaker: David Busken, R&D Manager, Oak State Products
Baked goods are complex food systems. Certain sensory and physical properties such as texture, volume, shelflife and taste are expected by consumers. When met, they signal a quality product. Formulating new products is challenging, as is, but these projects become even more difficult when ingredient choices are limited to “natural” sounding options. This presentation provides insights into alternative functional ingredients as it reviews ingredient choices and the product changes they often produce. Attendees will gain a better understanding of the tactics to develop better baked goods.
- Panel: Processing Technology and its Central Role in Clean Label Products
Speaker #1: Extended Shelf life Aseptic Processing
Jeffrey Andrews, Senior Director, Contract Manufacturing, HP Hood
It may seem counter intuitive for technology to play a role in clean label products but, in fact, it plays a central role. Producing consistent, good tasting products with the necessary shelf life, manufacturability and cost to succeed in the market is a major challenge. This challenge is magnified by the requirement to do it with all natural ingredients. Technology advancements in chemical free processing, formulation and in advanced packaging are core to meeting this challenge.
Speaker #2: High Pressure Processing: Fundamentals, Challenges and Opportunities
Kathiravan Krishnamurthy Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Food Science and Nutrition, Illinois Institute of Technology
High pressure processing can effectively be used for decontaminating pathogens in foods without adversely affecting the sensory and nutritional characteristics. Furthermore, high pressure processing had been successfully used for inactivation of spores, thawing, removal of meat from seafood, and modification of texture. This presentation will provide an overview of the technology, selected applications, challenges and opportunities.
2015 TECHNOLOGY SNAPSHOTS
(Final Jury Results from the Advisory Panel)
GNT USA, Inc.—Gold Standard in Clean Label Color
The Gold Standard in clean-label color. Minimally processed colors, made from fruits, vegetable and plants, without chemical solvents, are the most clean-label alternative to replace FD&C dyes. GNT will presented technical insights and regulatory developments during the 2015 Clean Label Conference.
DDW, The Color House–“Simple Label” Brown Technologies DDW
Caramelized vegetables and fruits; other natural flavors with consistent color; oil-dispersible colorings that broaden the scope of natural options in fat systems; and certified-organic color blends.
Co-presenters Solazyme and Univar–AlgaVia™ Microalgae Food Ingredient
AgaVia™ Lipid Powder can replace or reduce select oils and dairy fats in recipes, to make formulations healthier and more indulgent. AlgaVia™ Protein makes vegan protein fortification simpler, is free from known allergens, gluten free, and adds additional fiber and micronutrients to finished products.
Tate & Lyle—CLARIA® Functional Clean-Label Starches
Thanks to Tate & Lyle’s unique technology, CLARIA® Functional Clean-Label Starches provide manufacturers the new label-friendly solution that overcomes existing challenges, offering process tolerance and sensory attributes similar to modified starches, while enabling a simple “corn starch” label.
Sensient Flavors & Fragrances—Natural Ingredients –Chili+ higher stability capsicum/paprika colorings
In response to growing consumer demand for cleaner labels, Sensient has developed all natural processes and excipients to create a line of color-stable and free-flowing capsicums.
Nexira— Efistab™ AA & SuperStab™ AA –Acacia gum emulsifiers for preservative free and challenging emulsions
All-natural, acacia gum emulsifiers: Efistab™ AA — stabilizes clean label, liquid flavor emulsions where preservatives are replaced with up to 18% alcohol. SuperStab™ AA — low-dose emulsifier for difficult to stabilize, liquid flavor emulsions.
Ingredion—NOVATION® Functional Native Starches
NOVATION® functional native starches provide the fully functionality of modified starch – processing tolerance and freeze-thaw, shelf-life stability — but with a clean “starch” label declaration. The portfolio includes 20 starches verified by the Non-GMO Project.
Naturex —Concentrated, Carrier-free Acerola Cherry Extract
Naturex has developed the most concentrated, carrier-free acerola cherry extract on the market containing 36-38% ascorbic acid. It is used as an antioxidant, curing enhancer, dough conditioner and for nutritional claims based on vitamin C.
CP Kelco—GENU BETA PectinGENU BETA pectin provides formulators with a clean label pectin that is approved for use in organic products. It can be used to replace traditional emulsifiers in a variety of applications, like sauces and dressings.
PLT Health Solutions—Earthlight™ Whole Food Vitamin D
Earthlight™ Whole Food Vitamin D is a vegan, whole food, non-GMO mushroom powder. Simple light exposure enhances the natural vitamin D in mushrooms, enabling low-level additions for “good” or “excellent” source claims.
Palsgaard—AcidMilk 316 vegetable fibres
When the target is clean label, it is important to stabilizers that provide a firm structure and uphold a smooth and creamy consistency of the stirred yogurt. Fibers and native starch prove to be the perfect solution.
BENEO Inc.—Two Clean Label Rice Starches
BENEO-Remy showcases two clean label rice starches for usage in confectionery coatings and meat- injection/tumbling. Rice starch is characterized by small granule size; neutral color and taste; and smooth and delicate textures.
Sensus America, Inc.—Frutalose SF75
Frutalose SF75 from Sensus is a natural, low-calorie sweetener that can be used to reduce sugar in a variety of applications. It is 65% the sweetness of sugar and has a clean label as “chicory root fiber.”
Kemin—BactoCEASE NV-K Liquid
BactoCEASE NV-K Liquid is a no-sodium, natural vinegar product that provides effective pathogen control in ready-to-eat meat and poultry products. Presentation will include a review of the data, labeling and advantages to this no sodium ingredient.
CF Global Holdings—Coffee Flour
Coffee Flour is created from an innovation re-purposing discarded coffee cherry pulp and skins, allowing food manufacturers to offer gluten-free, natural, nutritious ingredients. It is high-fiber and a good source of potassium and has potential as a natural, effective shelflife extender.
Corbion—Verdad Family of Fermented/Cultured Sugar
The Verdad(R) family of fermented/cultured sugar ingredients brings a truly unique blend of label-friendliness, safety and extended shelflife in meat products for maximum consumer appeal.
Ribus–Nu-FLOW alternative to Si02Nature created the rice husk; Ribus created Nu-FLOW (natural, organic alternative to Si02). Applications include spices, beverages, flavor carriers, sauces and dietary supplements. See how a simple plant fraction can meet formulators and consumers’ needs.
The Scoular Company–Sacha Inchi Oil High in Omega-3
Sacha Inchi oil, from Scoular, contains one of the highest omega-3 contents from plant sources. Expeller-pressed from the sacha inchi seed, this allergen-friendly, non-GMO or organic product is the perfect omega-rich ingredient for food or supplements.