Fruitful pursuits

VERSATILE fruit ingredients remain widely in demand. Technological advances have paved the way for high quality ingredients that maintain the flavor, color and aroma ?so valued in fresh fruits ?through the rigors of processing. These organoleptic qualities are associated with the perception of fruits as a natural source of vitamins, minerals and in some cases, powerful antioxidants in the socalled superfruits. At the same time, these highly functional fruits feature benefits to manufacturers, such as stability, adaptability to formulations, and shelf-life extension. In many applications, whether beverage, snacks or confectionery, there is a growing preference for natural fruit ingredients and the reduction of preservatives and artificial flavors and colors. In some cases, fruit ingredients can also be used to reduce sugar content while at the same time increasing the dietary fiber profile of the product. At the same time that there is a growing consciousness of clean label products, lifestyle changes mean consumers are looking for even more value for their money. These are just some of the challenges product developers need to keep in mind when meeting the needs of today抯 increasingly health-conscious but discriminating consumers. Enticing and new citrus flavors Citrus remains the leading fruit flavor worldwide, and research has shown that consumers are excited by new variations of traditional citrus blends that do not stray too far from their core preferences. This drives Givaudan抯 search for unique citrus varietals that it says will inspire and influence the next generation of authentic citrus experiences in beverages and foods for its customers. In the first half of 2009, the flavor & fragrance company抯 TasteEssentials Citrus program, to which TasteTrek Citrus is linked, has generated a 25% increase in its pipeline of customer briefs for the creation of new citrus flavors and product reformulations. This latest TasteTrek Citrus has created ten new and unique lemon and lime flavors through its recent discovery and evaluation of fruit varietals at the citrus grove of University of California, Riverside (UCR) with which it enjoys a strategic partnership. The new collection reflects the sheer diversity and breadth of lemon and lime flavors as well as the knowledge now available to food and beverage manufacturers through this exploration and research. "Indialime", "LoPor to" and "Femminello" are just three examples from the collection of these 10 new lemon and lime flavors. India lime with its sweetness and notes of blood orange, lemon and lime candy with hints of light kiwi, has a mild grapefruit finish. It shares some of these qualities with Lo Porto, an exotic lemon that also has a green-fruity, floral profile with hints of jasmine and candy-banana elements. Femminello is a light, fruity, astringent lemon with a hint of sweetness and kaffir lime qualities. "For the beverage and food industry, this new expanded ingredient palette, combined with our technology, offers our customers unique, authentic and brand differentiating flavors to help increase their market success with new citrus product launches," explains Dawn Streich, global product manager, citrus. "Consumers are acutely aware of ingredients, label declarations, health issues, quality and cost. They are looking for new beverage experiences which are authentic, fresh, vibrant, sophisticated and natural and have extremely high expectations for their product choices. But, above all, they want great-tasting products relevant to their lifestyle and need for refFashion & Celebrity News