Prepared Foods - August 2008 - (Page 93)

ingredient challenges A Tasteful Formulation Balance Ingredients such as acidifiers, buffering agents, sweeteners and nutritional components must be carefully balanced to deliver the nutrition, function and flavor consumers love. Mary Higgins, MRH Consulting A s the beverage market evolves, demand for functional beverages with health and wellness benefits is increasing. However, formulating these new beverages to deliver the health benefits with a sensory experience that consumers require is a constant challenge. New trends for flavors, sweeteners, ingredients and processing variables add to the complexity of creating a beverage system. As formulators develop new health and wellness beverages, key considerations must be kept in mind when using ingredients to help deliver those benefits. Acid Tongues: Acidifiers and Sensory Considerations Acids can play several roles in beverage systems, including minimizing the amount of heat needed for processing, increasing microbial stability, inhibiting oxidation and heightening the effectiveness of preservatives. Yet, acids also can introduce sourness that overwhelms a formulation’s flavor or negatively impacts other sensory characteristics, such as astringency, aftertaste or mouthfeel. Consequently, beverage formulators must critically consider all aspects of a new product, such as nutritional targets, flavor profiles and the processing and packaging aspects when formulating with acids. For example, citric and tartaric acids provide a sourness that disappears quickly, whereas the sourness of malic, fumaric and acetic are more persistent. In addition, each acid carries unique natural sweeteners, and the Coca-Cola flavor characteristics: ■ Acetic acid— Company is partnering with a notable can be reminiscent supplier to develop and introduce what of vinegar and quite they term is the “industry’s first natural, pungent. ■ Malic acid— zero-calorie sweetener”—rebiana comes known for imparting from the leaf of the stevia plant and a fruity or “green will be found in Coca-Cola’s family of apple” sourness. ■ Fumaric acid— beverages and as a food ingredient. has a clean, dry taste. ■ Lactic acid—often has a slight dairy aroma. ■ Phosphoric acid—used in many colas and low-pH beverage systems; creates more of a burning taste due to its strength. ■ Citric acid—used widely, because it delivers a bright, clean and refreshing taste. The industry has been focusing on Buffers and Sweetening Systems Buffers are generally made of a weak acid and its conjugate base, such as citric acid and sodium citrate. In beverages, buffers keep pH in the range where the ingredients are most effective and also can help eliminate changes in fla- www.PreparedFoods.com ● August 2008 93 http://www.PreparedFoods.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Prepared Foods - August 2008

Prepared Foods - August 2008 Table of Contents Hitting the Shelves Promoting Craveable Foods and Beverages It’s a Small World MarketWatch Regulations: Safety Dance A Taste of Southeast Asia Flavor Secrets: Asian Five-spice Flavor Secrets: The Well-seasoned Potato On the National Menu To Serve and Protect: Flavor and Nutrition Protection Fat Applications in Transition: Creation of Good vs. Bad Fats A Tasteful Formulation Balance Nutrient Density and Dairy Foods R and D Applications Seminar: Formulation Information R and D Applications: Some Flavors Like it Hot R and D Applications: Prebiotics from a Conifer? R and D Applications: Seeing Red (Foods) R and D Applications: A Probiotic with Survival Skills Abstracts

Prepared Foods - August 2008

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