Meat+Poultry - June 2018 - 57

based Red Arrow says, "By incorporating a
complex smoke or grill flavor to a seasoning
or marinade, you bring a more authentic,
consistent eating experience to the consumer."
The Code of Federal Regulations specifies
that when natural smoke flavor is added
directly to food, it must be declared as either
"natural smoke flavoring" or "smoke flavoring."
Artificial smoke flavoring must be labeled
as such. Neither can be grouped with other
flavors and declared as simply natural or
artificial flavors.

ON-TREND TASTES
Regardless of source and form, there's no
denying that smoky foods are trending.
"Smoky flavors are seeing increases across
the board in both foodservice and retail," says
Elizabeth Lindemer, corporate executive chef,
Fuchs North America, Hampstead, Maryland.
"This trend isn't limited to meats; vegetables,
snacks and even dairy have been taking on
smoky and fiery flavors.
"Smoke adds complexity to a flavor, which
is particularly appealing to millennials who
are seeking out new and interesting flavors,"
Lindemer says. "By adding a smoky element to
a familiar flavor, like barbecue, for example, a
product might generate new interest."
Smoking also is part of the meat's story.
At Rack House Kitchen & Tavern, the menu
emphasizes the length of the smoke and the
wood used when preparing the meat.
"Consumers are increasingly interested in
food that tells a story," Lindemer says. "They
like knowing the origins of their food and
how it was prepared. In general, flavors that
reference particular preparation methods,
such as roasting, smoking, charring, toasting
and grilling, are all on the rise, not just in

foodservice, but also in retail."
The need for convenience is driving
innovation in ready-to-eat, ready-to-cook
and heat-and-eat meat and poultry products
formulated with outdoor-cooking flavors.
Some of these products may actually be
smoked over wood to tenderize the meat and
add authentic flavor. But to ensure consistent
flavor in packaged products, seasonings and
flavors are added.
"Caramelized, ashy, savory, smoky, roasted,
charred, when fat drips from the meat and
hits the coals, new flavors are created," Weber
says. "It's important to understand these
complexities and capture all of the nuances."
Red Arrow uses an authentic process to
create smoke flavors.
"We simply create a plume of smoke from
heated sawdust of known tree species and
capture that essence in water," says Bob
Johnson, business development director, Red
Arrow. "It is as natural as it gets. By capturing
the smoke components in water, we can
pass this condensed smoke through filtration.
It also allows for the natural separation of the
tar components. Because the tar is heavier
and sinks to the bottom in a holding tank, we
can remove it from the non-tarry fraction. This
results in a clean smoke that has been filtered
of compounds deemed less healthy for
consumption. We have removed 98 to 99.5
percent of the carcinogen fraction tied to
traditional smoking."
Tree species, along with heating time
and temperature, influence the flavor,
aroma and color of the smoke

The smoky flavor does not
have to be reserved for
meats that are actually
cooked over an open flame.
Seasonings and flavors can
add the smoky taste that
many consumers crave.

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