Meat+Poultry - November 2017 - 78

CULINOLOGY TRENDS

All types of peppers remain
popular, though regional
chilis enable marketers to
differentiate products.

"Consumer
preferences
are shifting
from burning
heat to
medium/mild
heat with
interesting
background
flavors."
- JEAN SHIEH

OPPOSITES ATTRACT
With the sweet-heat trend, it's not just sweet, as
in sugar. Rather, sauces are being formulated
to have flavorful sweetness.
"This trend has been around for quite some
time, but we're seeing it combine in a more
global way," Lane says. "We're now seeing
Mexican chilis combined with agave, Indian
chilis with maple syrup and Middle Eastern
flavors with honey."

MEAT+ POULTRY | 11.17 | www.meatpoultry.com

RETHINKING THE CLASSICS
Mature condiments with established recipes
are being revisited, according to Sprinkle
of Packaged Facts, with innovative sauce
manufacturers offering twists on the classics.
For instance, many mayonnaise brands
now offer wasabi, chipotle, pesto, garlic,
horseradish and ginger flavors, among others.
"Ketchup varieties include chipotle, ghost
pepper, sriracha and sun-dried tomato,"
Sprinkle says. "Mustard might feature garlic,
bleu cheese, oregano, or, of all things,
'everything bagel' flavors."
For instance, Fine Foods of America,
Kansas City, Missouri, offers a dozen

©Ruggiero Scardigno-stock.adobe.com

78

"Sophisticated chili pepper and fruit
combinations are quite popular," says Jean Shieh,
marketing manager, Sensient Natural Ingredients,
Turlock, California. "Consumer preferences are
shifting from burning heat to medium/mild heat
with interesting background flavors."
Roger Lane, marketing manager-savory
flavors, Sensient Flavors, Hoffman Estates,
Illinois, says increasingly those are floral.
"Floral notes are beginning to trend across
the sauces category," he says. "We've seen
their popularity grow in the beverage segment
with hibiscus, cherry blossom and lavender,
and all three of these flavors complement
sauces. Their subtle flavor notes are difficult to
identify, but create a premium experience."
Judson McLester, executive chef and
ingredient sales manager, McIlhenny Company,
Avery Island, Louisiana, agrees. "The subtle
trend is to merge overlying flavor trends
with the familiar, while also providing a
unique tasting experience," he says. "Product
familiarity and most of all, memorable flavor
delivery are paramount considerations."

Toasted coconut is what Geo Phelps,
owner, Chili Rocks, Cincinnati, uses in his
CoCo Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce. The sweetness
of the coconut helps lessen the heat of
habanero and ghost chilis.
All types of peppers remain popular in
sauces, though regional chilis, often those
that are hard to find in the mainstream
supermarket, enable marketers to differentiate
products beyond the hot sauce condiment.
"Aji panca from Peru, cascabel from
Mexico, urfa chili from Turkey, and even the
perennial Hatch green chili from New Mexico
- all of these have really gained momentum
this past year," Lane says. "Each of these
chilis has a unique flavor profile. Typically
adding a creamy or cheesy note works well to
temper their heat and allow their flavor to be
appreciated. Sometimes adding a sweet note
helps balance flavor, too."
"Many of these peppers impart actual flavor
rather than just heat," adds Scott Walnofer, senior
director of culinary, Kerry, Beloit, Wisconsin.
"Guajillo chili has dark berry notes while the aji
pepper has a sweet flavor profile somewhere
between a cooked mango and an apricot."
Jerry McDonald, vice president of culinary,
MiDAS Foods International, Oak Park, Michigan,
says, "People are demanding specific chilis by
name and also moving beyond the simple pairing
of sweet and heat. There is great demand for
depth of flavors, paired with the heat. 
"Fermented, pickled and cured flavors can
provide depth to the heat," he says. "Bright
flavors, too, pair well with heat. This includes
citrus, Earl Grey tea, sakura, cilantro, ginger
and coriander."
http://Scardigno-stock.adobe.com http://www.meatpoultry.com
Meat+Poultry - November 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Meat+Poultry - November 2017
