DIVERSE INGREDIENTS MELD AT EXPO

LYNN KUNTZ

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- It's a small world after all. While a group of animated urchins at Disneyland sang these words, the sentiment was echoed in a more practical vein at the nearby convention center. The event was the annual convention and food expo of the Institute of Food Technologists, based in Chicago. More than 750 exhibitors from 18 countries last month highlighted the latest advances in food technology from around the globe. The exhibits and technical sessions reflected the show's theme, "Technologies for World Markets."

Four days of technical sessions illustrated the diversity of interests. Subjects ranged from functional properties of ingredients to new processing technologies, such as ohmic heating, to concerns about pathogenic organisms, to advice on marketing and management issues in the food industry. The show floor reflected a continuing emphasis on food and its relationship to health. Recurring themes included fat-replacement systems, healthy fat products, calorie reduction, fortified foods and natural ingredients.

"The show has ideas you can't see anywhere else," said Merrill Rose, executive vice president at Porter/Novelli, Chicago, a communications firm with a national food and nutrition practice. "Walking the floor provides the opportunity to look into the future, get some insight into competitive activity and identify novel ideas that are worth further development."

Fat-replacement and reduction technologies again attracted strong interest. These included flavor systems designed to mimic fat's mouth-feel and taste, reduced calorie lipids such as Pfizer's Salatrim, and reduced-fat ingredients such as cocoa, whey protein concentrate and cheese. Fat-reduction systems were based on diverse ingredients, including pectin (Slendid from Hercules Inc.), cellulose gel (Novagel and Indulge from FMC Corp.) and potato starch (Paselli Excel from Avebe America). Most of these were not new but improved, and new applications were presented that addressed the need to tailor products for specific uses.

"The market for fat replacers is definitely growing, but the systems approach is becoming increasingly more important," said Sharann Simmons, commercial development manager at FMC. "Today, you must deliver fat reduction, texture and flavor and provide all these benefits at a competitive price. Consumers are more aware today of fat content, but there is also a growing awareness of the total calorie content. The next generation of reduced-fat and fat-free products will also need to be calorie-reduced to gain market interest and share."

Reflecting a growing marketplace interest, a number of companies exhibited natural and vegetarian products. Wholesome & Hearty Foods, Portland, Ore., presented all-natural, meatless hot dogs. Feinkost Ingredient Co., Lodi, Ohio, showcased pea fiber and protein in "veggie" burgers . Natural mixed tocopherols and spice blends replaced BHA and BHT as antioxidants. Fruit-based products replaced fat and sugar. Many suppliers exhibited natural alternatives for colors, flavors and monosodium glutamate.

Fortified foods and beverages included everything from vitamins to fiber and other food components. Nutritional products with added functionality were emphasized; for example, fiber products designed to provide specific textures such as Benefiber, a hydrolyzed guar gum from Sandoz Nutrition, Minneapolis, or beta carotene used as a colorant. Antioxidant vitamins received a great deal of exposure and several companies promoted the benefits of omega-3 fish oils.