Food Processing - July 2008 - (Page 28) PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT simple packaging conveys snacktrition’s simple message of health … along with a complex process that bakes in additional fiber and calcium, which “nurtures digestive and bone health.” Imitating nature “Thanks to the magic of popping, Popchips offers a snack so tasty and crispy that you won’t even notice it’s healthier,” says Keith Belling, cofounder of Popchips (www.popchips.com), San Francisco. “Popchips chips aren’t fried or baked. We take the finest all-natural ingredients, like potatoes, apply heat and pressure [no oil, mind you], and pop! It’s a chip. All that’s added is a flavorful blend of natural seasonings.” The popping process also is used to create popped corn and rice chips. How about potato chips to lower cholesterol? Los Angeles-based Corazonas Foods Inc. (www.corazonas.com) adds CardioAid plant sterols from Archer Daniels Midland Co. Packages carry the FDAcertified health claim: “Foods containing at least 0.4g per serving of plant sterols, eaten twice a day … may reduce the risk of heart disease.” Genisoy (www.genisoy.com), Tulsa, Okla., uses soy crisps to pump up the protein of a traditionally low-protein snack. The taste is light and fluffy, much like puffed grains, but with the added protein power of soybeans. Other innovations in chips include the use of different vegetables. For example, Terra Chips (www.terrachips.com) from Hain Celestial Group, Boulder, Colo., are made with such diverse vegetables as taro, parsnips, sweet potato and yucca and include a variety of vegetable powders. And it’s not just small companies. Frito-Lay launched a whole new brand, Flat Earth, that uses not only numerous vegetables (rice flour, pumpkin, tomato, potato flakes) but also fruit (dried apples, peaches, mangoes, blueberries, strawberries, cranberries) to make chip-like crisps. Each flavor has a half serving of fruit or vegetables per ounce. 28 • Food Processing July 2008 Granolas are of relatively recent origin, partly inspired by nutritionists cajoling Americans to increase their intake of whole grains. But the use of whole grains does not guarantee a healthy product. Many granola-like preparations fail the ultimate test of healthy snacks: nutrient-dense ingredients simply prepared. “We believe food should be minimally processed and made with all-natural ingredients you can actually pronounce. That’s why we use real whole grains, generous portions of hearty nuts and tasty fruits sweetened with honey and other natural ingredients,” says Ryan Therriault, senior manager-brand marketing and innovation for Bear Naked Granola (www.bearnaked.com), Norwalk, Conn. The company was founded on the idea of granola for active lifestyles, and has especially endeared itself to athletes. Instead of athletes, “What kind of nutrients are moms looking for today?” asks Mike Mellace, president/CEO of Snacktrition (www. snacktrition.com), Carlsbad, Calif. “We held a focus group to answer just that. We looked into research done by the USDA, and what we found was the lack of fiber and calcium in the American diet. This was the basis for all of our product development, from the proprietary roasting process that adds fiber and calcium to the snacks to the packaging for convenient snacking. “We didn’t want to develop a ‘supplement’ for a meal, but what we did make was a healthy, convenient way to add calcium or fiber to your diet throughout your day and between sensible meals,” he concludes. Healthy civilizations around the world make use of a variety of grains, not only the ones with which we are familiar. FutureCeuticals Inc. (www.futureceuticals.com), Momence, Ill., recently introduced AncienTrim, a product that delivers ancient grain nutrition (amaranth, barley, buckwheat, durum, millet, chia, quinoa and spelt) in a formulation-friendly powdered blend. People throughout the world have been eating these grains for thousands of years. However, these grains have had limited applications in anything but cereals and baked goods due to texture and dispersibility concerns. “AncienTrim overcomes the formulation challenges of traditional grains due to a patented production process developed by the USDA in cooperation with FutureCeuticals,” says Kay Kapteyn, product manager. The AncienTrim process creates a dispersible, hydrophilic powder rich in ancient grain amino acids and heart-healthy fiber that incorporates easily into smoothies, soups, pasta, beverages, bars and baked goods. note to packagIng snack food manufacturers are some of the most innovative packagers. All food processors can learn from their eye-grabbing graphics, convenient on-the-go structures, some of which are resealable, and smaller packages, many of which are sized to 100 calorie packs. if you missed our June packaging story “lessons from the snack packers,” it still exists on the web at www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2008/154.html. FoodProcessing.com http://www.bearnaked.com http://www.snacktrition.com http://www.snacktrition.com http://www.popchips.com http://www.futureceuticals.com http://www.corazonas.com http://www.genisoy.com http://www.terrachips.com http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2008/154.html http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2008/154.html http://foodprocessing.com
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