Casserole Comeback

Cooks and diners alike have long appreciated one-dish meals. Whether preparing sophisticated French cassoulets or rustic beef stews, the concept is similar. Toss the ingredients into the pot and bake it in the oven or simmer it on the stove. During the Depression, the casserole, often made with a meat, vegetables and a white sauce, rose in popularity as an inexpensive meal stretcher. In World War II, women in the work force found it a speedy way to get dinner on the table. Then, in the baby-boom years of the '50s, time-pressed moms enjoyed a host of new casserole recipes churned out by Campbell Soup Company.

Perhaps it was this over-reliance on casseroles during the mid-century that caused a backlash in the '70s and '80s. Cooks who had grown up with countless tuna casseroles wanted more texture and variety in their own dishes. They relied less on bland, canned sauces.

Yet that's not to say that the casserole ever completely waned. Campbell's green-bean casserole, first developed in 1955, has remained a fixture on holiday tables. The fact is, no matter how sophisticated our tastes, we find casseroles comforting and nostalgic. The more hectic our lives become, the more we yearn for soothing, home-cooked foods.

This is evidenced by consumers returning to the kitchen in droves. In 2002, nearly 80% of all meals were prepared at home, according to the NPD Group, Port Washington, NY. At the same time, cooks spent less time preparing meals, with only a third of entrées made from scratch. Use of the microwave and home freezers increased.

This has led consumers to stock their pantries, refrigerators and freezers with precooked and prepared refrigerated, frozen, canned and dehydrated meals and meal kits. At the heart of these center-of-the-meal dishes are casseroles. But our expectations are higher than our mothers'. We want healthier fare, and we want it faster. We can't afford the 20 to 40 minutes it took to prepare a dish from scratch to stick in the oven - it needs to go right from refrigerator or freezer to oven or microwave. The challenge for food processors is that we also want it to taste, look and smell homemade.

Casserole formulation has no single blueprint, but typically these dishes contain carbohydrates, protein, vegetables and a sauce. Ingredients and processing methods vary greatly, as does packaging. The finished product can be frozen, refrigerated, retorted or dehydrated, but overwhelmingly, convenience is driving food choices. Home cooks make many dinner decisions just before mealtime, often on impulse at the grocery store. Ease of preparation should be one of food developers' first considerations.

A casserole is not a jumble of ingredients, but a marriage of individual components, each carefully chosen for its contribution. Though the flavors of the ingredients will meld in cooking, they must maintain individual identity. Vegetables and meats should be tender but retain integrity. The sauce should envelop all of the ingredients, not drown them. Variations in color, texture, size and shape maximize palatability.

One-dish meals can vary from hip bowl meals to traditional potpies, from lasagna to beef and noodles. Virtually anything that can be served from a single pot is fair game, but traditional American fare is still the most popular, reports RoperASW, New York. On the ethnic end, Italian- and Chinese-style casseroles are nearly tied, followed by Mexican.

Meat consumption is at an all-time high. In fact, consumption of red meat, poultry and fish is higher than in the '50s, fueled in part by the popularity of low-carbohydrate diets and the availability of lean cuts. While Americans are conscious of the need for fruits and vegetables, they are preparing fewer side dishes, so incorporating appealing vegetables into entrées becomes imperative.

Most casseroles contain potatoes, pasta or rice. For consumers who grew up on beef stews and pot-roast dinners, potatoes are synonymous with comfort. Mashed, diced, roasted or baked, preparations are endless. For home cooks, freezing potatoes was never an option because the resulting texture was so poor. There are no such limitations in industrial applications.

According to Nick Ross, quality assurance and technical services director, Oregon/Washington Potato Company, Warden, WA, many processors of frozen casseroles prefer sliced, blanched and frozen potatoes because they save the rehydration step required for dehydrated ingredients. After the manufacturer assembles and freezes the dish, the consumer completes the cooking process in the oven or microwave.

Partially dehydrated, frozen slices offer another option. Some developers have changed from slices to shreds or strips to give a different appearance. Diced potatoes most often show up in soups. While some processors still use fresh potatoes, more are purchasing partially cooked potatoes for use in casseroles.

Russet Burbank is the potato of choice for frozen products, although Alturis and Gem Russet are also used. In retail applications, where container size influences the number of potato slices incorporated in the product, processors prefer smaller tubers because they render slices more uniform in size.

In the world of home-style-food development, uniformity is less than desirable. Ingredients sliced, diced or chopped at home rarely end up the same size, so randomness is key to mimicking Mom's cooking. Some processed-food manufacturers buy two or three different cuts to mix themselves; others have the supplier premix several cuts.

Product designers are less concerned about engineering in size variability in shelf-stable casserole mixes, which utilize dehydrated slices. The slices are subject to breakage, and some processors aren't opposed to including broken slices in their products. Consumers are also more likely to break the potatoes in meal preparation because of the additional mixing steps required. However, these products are still consumer-friendly, since presoaking isn't necessary. Rehydration occurs during the cooking process, so it's important that the developer determine the optimum moisture levels the consumer should incorporate. Since cooking styles and ovens vary, determining a level that maintains a consistent end product can pose a challenge.

Pasta, with its variety of shapes, offers comfort and visual interest. Typically, the frozen-food manufacturer cooks and incorporates the pasta into the dish. The pasta should not be allowed to dry out when drained; the addition of a small amount of vegetable oil can offer some protection. Mark Vermylen, vice president, A. Zerega's Sons, Inc., Fair Lawn, NJ, recommends undercooking pasta for a frozen dish. The product will pick up more water when it reheats.

"Almost any shape can be used in casseroles," Vermylen says, "but we would typically recommend a hardier shape. Within a particular shape, for example, a rotini, we would recommend to our customer a sturdier version. We have six to eight different rotini, some that are stronger than others."

Microwave applications are more forgiving and can utilize a thinner product. Retort applications, on the other hand, are the extreme. Processed at high temperatures, they stress the pasta. "It's always necessary to use a very strong shape. It's usually necessary to add extra ingredients," he notes. The addition of egg white and gluten increases integrity, but the downside is it also increases cost.

Frequently, pastas need to be customized for a particular use. Fettuccini prepared at home might be 10 in. in length, but cooking and using fettuccini that long in a food processor's plant can cause packaging or handling problems. Vermylen notes that it's quite easy to produce a 2- to 3-in.-long fettuccini to meet the processor's needs and the restrictions of the processing environment. "A lot of customization can be done to make sure the product works all the way through the chain," he says.

Although considerably more expensive, some applications are better served by individually quick-frozen (IQF) pasta. The pasta pieces are belt-frozen so that they don't clump together and then can be packed off with vegetables or a sauce-delivery system.

With the growing popularity of Asian and Hispanic foods, rice adds a touch of authenticity and comfort to one-dish meals. In fact, meal ethnicity requirements are one of the first considerations in choosing a particular variety. While rice strains can have subtle flavor and aroma differences, their grain size and amylose content vary widely.

U.S. short-grain rice has less amylose (13% to 16%), which makes it stickier and causes it to clump together after cooking. This characteristic makes it popular with cultures that eat with chopsticks. Long-grain rice, with 20% to 26% amylose, tends to remain separate. Depending on the other casserole ingredients, grain separation may or may not be an issue.

Basmati rice, with its slightly nutty aroma, has a unique grain that elongates upon cooking. Brown rice, which retains intact bran layers, may have use in casseroles, depending on the plant's cooking capacity and finished-product requirements.

Dean Oliver, pilot plant coordinator, Riceland Foods, Inc., Stuttgart, AR, stresses that the process requirements also dictate the choice of rice type. "How abuse-tolerant does the rice need to be in the processing plant? Is it going to go through a lot of blending equipment? Is it going to be pumped? If it's somewhat of an abusive process, parboiled rice would be better suited to that application because it can handle the abuse more than a conventional rice," he explains.

In the parboiling process, the soluble and insoluble starches inherent in rice weld together to provide improved integrity. Usually long-grain rice is parboiled, but occasionally medium-grain is used. Canned or other retort products will typically use parboiled rice. Flavor is less an issue when the rice is mixed with other ingredients, but alone, parboiled rice has a stronger flavor than regular long-grain rice.

Dehydrated applications may use instant or quick-cooking rice, depending on the cooking requirements of the product. Regular milled rice cooks in 15 minutes. Because parboiled rice is less porous, it requires 20 minutes of cook time.

In retort applications, the rice may not be precooked, but in most frozen and refrigerated applications, processors cook the rice separately, and then combine it with other ingredients. They may cook it in batch systems, such as steam-jacketed kettles, or in continuous blanchers and cookers. In either case, cooking the rice in excess water provides better control of finished-product quality by reducing the rubbing together of rice grains and subsequent sloughing off of starch. The periodic discharge of cook water prevents starch buildup and stickiness. Such products do not usually use enriched rice; those that do require special consideration to prevent loss of the enrichment during processing, since most enrichment is applied in a low-level powder coating.

In preparing frozen foods, Oliver recommends quick-freezing to prevent syneresis, the seepage of water out of the cooked rice kernels. He suggests freezing the individual trays of finished product, as opposed to bulk freezing methods. Attempts to freeze bulk materials result in wide variations in the freezing rate that lead to fluctuation in product quality. This same phenomenon can happen with other ingredients as well.

Meat is still the mainstay of the American dinner table and beef is the forerunner. Consumption of red meat surpasses chicken on a boneless-weight basis, according to USDA statistics. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), Centennial, CO, sees an upward trend in casserole consumption. In the 2003 National Beef Cook-Off®, a biennial contest sponsored by America's Beef Producers, more than 60% of the recipe entrées were for one-dish meals. Likewise, NCBA notes a significant increase in consumer requests for this type of recipe. This translates into opportunity for the food processor.

Bucky Gwartney, Ph.D., director of research and knowledge management, NCBA, sees tremendous opportunities for frozen-food applications because of the improvements in technology. "Some of the frozen beef meals of the past have not been the quality that we thought they should be. They've improved dramatically, especially in some of the new lines coming out. Part of the reason is we have better processing technology and we have better, more-usable raw materials available. Too often in the past, they've used the lowest-cost mechanism, and that mindset's really changed to try to get the better-quality beef materials in those products," he explains.

The key to choosing the best raw materials is to consider the cooking process as well as the end product. Sara Reddington, director of NCBA's Beef & Veal Culinary Center, Chicago, notes that different cuts of beef not only cook differently but also produce different results, ranging from a steak-like texture to a super-tender, slow-cooked stew beef. Focusing on the desired end product will determine which cut will work best. Going back to basic consumer cooking methods is a good place to start learning about cuts.

The importance of cut selection can't be overstated. A round cut, which is lean, does well with marination but develops a mealy texture if overcooked. Some chop cuts require long, slow, moist cooking to achieve tenderness. Forcing this cut into strips and stir-fries will result in a leathery, tough product. Chuck steaks are a bit of a misnomer because they require braising rather than typical steak cooking. Developers creating lower-fat meals can choose from 19 cuts of beef that meet the government labeling guidelines for lean.

When formulating with beef, consider the flavor that the meat adds to a product. Unlike chicken and pork, which are mild and can easily carry other flavors, beef has a unique flavor of its own. Choose complementing flavors rather than those that can overwhelm. Reddington notes that naturally occurring glutamates produce the fifth taste, umami, described as meaty and savory. It is present in beef and other food products, like chicken, cheese and carrots. Combining foods that contain umami compounds can substantially increase flavor. This is one of the reasons why the pairings of mushrooms and steak or beef and wine work so well.

Beef still surpasses skinless chicken breasts in fat content; however, skinless chicken thigh actually has more fat. Based on a 3-oz. cooked serving, the leanest beef cut, eye of round, has 1.4 grams of saturated fat and 4.0 grams of total fat, compared to skinless chicken breast with 0.9 grams of saturated fat and 3.0 grams of total fat, and skinless chicken thigh with 2.6 grams of saturated fat and 9.2 grams of total fat.

White meat reigns in the poultry category, according to Dick Lobb, director of communications, National Chicken Council, Washington, D.C. "Consumer preference runs about 2:1 white meat over dark meat," he says. "It's a little awkward for us because 48% of the chicken is dark meat. We're seeing a trend toward making the product and advertising that it is made with all white meat. We continue to look for better ways to use dark meat, but the fact of the matter is that, for convenience products, the trend is towards chopped or cubed breast meat."

Even so, some people prefer dark meat, and which performs very well in certain applications, such as potpies, for example, or products where appearance is less a concern. In fact, if mimicking a home-cooked meal, it might be wise to use both white and dark meat. Mom frequently cooked a whole chicken, rather than just the breast.

Flavor-wise, chicken has few, if any, limitations. Sweet, savory, spicy or dairy, nothing is out of bounds in combination. However, Lobb notes that while chicken carries spices very well, the conventional wisdom is that most of the consuming public prefers relatively bland food.

For many people, seafood is the ultimate protein source, long considered a delicacy for special-occasion meals. Now that shrimp is produced all over the world, prices have fallen considerably, making it a more-mainstream, but still prized, ingredient. John Filose, vice president of sales and marketing, Ocean Garden Products, San Diego, says that, in the past few years, shrimp has overtaken tuna as the No. 1 per capita seafood consumption item. Shrimp, tuna and salmon dominate the market. Consumption of all other fish products is relatively small.

Linda Candler, vice president, communications, National Fisheries Institute, Arlington, VA, agrees that seafood consumption is on the rise. Consumers are getting the message that seafood contains heart-healthy omega-3 oils, making it a healthful food choice. Interestingly, she notes that while the United States is shrimp-oriented, Europe has a much wider focus. Prepared, one-dish meals have long been on the market there; many include a variety of seafood, from squid to fin fish. "I think we'll see seafood culinary adventures expand here. Within the last couple of years, tilapia has made it to the top 10. It's still a mild white fish. But Americans are a little more cosmopolitan in their tastes than they used to be," she says.

In formulating with protein sources, think about ways to reduce oxidation. Heat processing and the addition of sodium chloride disrupt the natural antioxidant balance of muscle tissue, leaving the fats more vulnerable to rancidity. Often this can come across as a disagreeable off-flavor known as "warmed-over" flavor. Adding antioxidants to the casserole can offer some protection. "Which product is used will depend on the ingredients, processing, storage conditions and consumer handling of the casserole," says Bob Coyne, manager, sales & marketing/culinary, Danisco USA, New Century, KS. Often, antioxidants, such as BHA and BHT, propyl gallate and mixed tocopherols are combined to increase functionality. Propyl gallate, for example, offers strong initial protection, and BHA is long-lasting. Together, they offer stronger and longer-lasting antioxidant properties.

Although the typical grocery store carries more than 300 produce items, the majority of consumers are wary of exotic foods. The adventurous home cook may add beet greens or jicama to the menu, but to appeal to mass-market tastes, it's best to stick to the top sellers. Of the FDA listing of the 30 most-popular vegetables, these are suited to casseroles: asparagus, bell pepper, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, corn, green bean, green onion, mushroom, onion, potato, summer squash, sweet potato and tomato.

Robert See, president, Pacific International Consultants, San Leandro, CA, recommends the use of dehydrated vegetables in frozen casseroles. In addition to their high quality, they offer storage and freight benefits. They can store indefinitely in the average warehouse, and because they weigh less than their frozen counterparts, shipping is less expensive. "Freeze-dried lend themselves better to things like instant foods, instant cups of soups and things like that. Air-dried would be the best choice for casseroles," he says.

Because the vegetables dry quickly at low temperatures, they lose little nutrition. See recommends incorporating them dry and letting them absorb the moisture added to the dish in the form of water or other ingredients.

Some processors prefer using frozen vegetables for their frozen-casserole applications. Dehydrofrozen vegetables, in which free moisture is removed prior to freezing, is an option when syneresis is a concern - for example, in microwaveable applications where weeping may degrade the sauce.

Vegetables can add more than color, texture and nutrition - they can add character and pronounced flavor. Product designers can look for ingredients that provide more upscale notes. For example, Jon-Lin Inc., Colton, CA, specializes in premium IQF vegetables. Instead of plain squash slices, product designers could add sliced and marinated or sautéed zucchini, or perhaps fire-roasted Roma tomatoes. Think about smokehouse-roasted portobello mushrooms with a rich, smoky flavor and moist interior, or the sweet caramelization of grilled Vidalia onions. Then imagine the visual impact of roasted vegetables bearing char marks. Granted, such further-processed vegetables are markedly upscale, but in an increasingly competitive marketplace, these types of ingredients can enhance the illusion of a home-cooked product.

As R&D labs face challenges with smaller staffs and shorter development times, more technologists rely on their suppliers to aid in product development. This synergy works particularly well with the development of sauces - if there is ever a place to pass the development buck and ask for assistance, this is it. The sauce is the crème de la crème of the casserole, providing the velvety richness that marries all of the other elements. Flavor, texture and functionality are critical, and largely subject to the whims of the other ingredients.

Developing a sauce is completely dependent on the application. "The choice of pasta, rice or potatoes will change the delivery of the other products. Rice is relatively bland and absorbs flavor, while potatoes can mask cheesy notes," says Khaled Zitoun, commercial technology director, Kerry Specialty Ingredients, Beloit, WI.

Frozen products require freeze/thaw stability, and retort applications can be extremely stressful. Zitoun stresses that the technologist must back-engineer the sauce from the desired finished product to determine the key functionality and flavor needed.

This is particularly important when developing cheese sauces. Whether the product will be microwaved, baked or retorted determines which cheese to use. For example, baking a cheese in an open pan will cause many of the volatiles of the flavor components to be lost. A cheese retorted at high temperatures will melt and lose its identity.

"The choice of cheese depends on whether the goal is simply to capture a cheesy flavor or to retain cheese pieces," says Jane Zeien, R&D manager, Kerry Specialty Ingredients.

The realm of cheese is highly varied. Natural cheese, processed cheese food and pasteurized processed cheese all have different standards of identity. Natural cheese has a specific functionality. What distinguishes the cheeses are their chemical compositions: Cheddar has more fat and less protein. Parmesan has more protein, less fat. Although flavor develops with age and can never be developed past a certain point, however, more-intense flavors and variety can be built into a processed cheese, as can specific functionality traits. Processed cheese often contains 90% cheese customized with other ingredients to alter the melting point or increase freeze/thaw stability, for example.

Pamela Schoenster, associate principal scientist, Kraft Food Ingredients Corp., Memphis, TN, explains the advantages of functionalities in processed cheese. "In a casserole, sometimes you like a real creamy, cheesy appearance. In my mind, that would be a cheese spread, typical of a Velveeta(tm). That melts very nicely. It flows and it just has a wonderful mouthfeel. That's one type of functionality." Retaining the shredded-cheese appearance in a baked Italian dish is another functionality. "Focusing on the pasteurized processed offerings gives you the opportunity to customize the cheese for whatever the end use is going to be," she says.

There's a hunger among consumers for more flavor intensity. Everything has to be cheesier. Schoenster believes that this is tied to the perception of hearty, homestyle, comfort foods.

"There's a lot more interest in complex flavors and combinations of flavors," Bonnie Domingo, R&D manager, Kerry Specialty Ingredients, observes. Companies are giving consumers more flavor variety, instead of just Cheddar or one particular cheese. The ubiquitous four-cheese blend that's common in Mexican dishes is one example. Ethnic cheeses, such as pepper Jack, mozzarella, Romano and Parmesan, are very popular.

Tom Rieman, product manager, cheese powders, Kraft Food Ingredients, notes the addition of cheese is typically an improvement to or a line extension of an existing product. Additionally, he sees a trend toward incorporating baked- and cooked-cheese flavors, especially in culinary-style casseroles. These higher-end products even translate to off-the-shelf products utilizing cheese powders.

"The convenience meal generally turned to powders because it fits the idea of a long shelf life. The consumer can put it in their pantry, and then use it at a moment's notice with little preparation," Rieman says. Cheese powders are simply flavors without functionality. Just as cheese provides color and flavor to a white sauce, cheese powders join with other functional dry ingredients that provide viscosity. These products are usually used in dry applications. More often, in his experience, customers buy the cheese powder and add their own ingredients, including additional flavors, to put their own signature on it.

While flavor characterizes a sauce, the physical attributes of appearance, functionality and texture add definition. Mouthfeel is critical. It shouldn't be grainy, lumpy or runny. The sauce must be able to withstand not only the stresses of processing, but also storage and consumer handling. The inclusion of gums and starches will help maintain uniformity. Xanthan gum is frequently used as a stabilizer in high-heat or frozen applications. Adding a little guar gum can improve pumpability and reduce splashing during production.

Developers should consider many aspects when choosing a starch for a casserole-style product. Michael Bunch, technical services, Tate & Lyle North America (A.E. Staley Manufacturing Co.), Decatur, IL, recommends that, along with application considerations, the formulator should take into account pH, processing temperatures and/or equipment and product-transfer scenarios, packaging and shipping, and final customer requirements. "Non-starch hydrocolloids and other dry ingredients, such as cheese powder, whey solids and maltodextrins, can compete for the available water, so they must be considered," he says. "Quite often, potential complications can be avoided through a minor change in the order of addition."

Choosing the most appropriate starch requires a basic knowledge of native starch properties and the function of chemical and/or physical modifications. Waxy maize (corn) is the only commonly used starch that does not contain amylose. Common (dent) corn, wheat, tapioca and potato all contain about 17% to 27% amylose, which can provide a much shorter texture than the all-amylopectin waxy-maize starch.

"Common corn starch will provide firm gelling, which may be useful in a macaroni-and-cheese preparation," Bunch advises. "Waxy maize can help provide a desired long texture in a cheese sauce. Potato starches generally provide a heavier texture or body that may be useful in cheese and pasta dishes, whereas tapioca provides a clean flavor for cream-based casseroles."

Chemical modification of native starches, especially substitution, typically alters these native characteristics. In the case of waxy, cooked starch pastes will become smoother and creamier rather than long and stringy, and amylose-containing ones will become short or gelled. Substitution of -OH groups with larger ones, such as acetyl or hydroxypropyl, also helps with refrigeration and freeze-thaw stability due to higher water-binding ability.

Cross-linking of starches provides heat, acid and shear stability, which can be valuable in a low-pH (typically less than 4.5) product and/or with a process that has potential for starch-granule damage. Examples of this are retorting, HTST (aseptic), direct steam injection, scraped surface and other heat exchangers, high-shear mixers, long hold times or pipe runs, and hot filling and packaging.

"Combining these modifications gives developers the benefit of 'dialing-in' the proper starch for their application, while providing flexibility for processing," Bunch explains. "This can allow for the most cost-effective use of stabilizers, while providing the reproducible long-term quality required for successful products. If a standard cook-up starch is not suitable, both low-temperature and instant starches are often used to provide essentially foolproof formulating. Pregelatinized corn, tapioca, potato and wheat starches, and granular instant starches from waxy or dent corn are used widely to resolve issues related to freezer or steam-table stability, mouthfeel and texture, shelf life, ease of use, and water separation. Dry mixes can benefit from the agglomerated starches, known for their dispersion, creamy texture and excellent performance characteristics. Certain starches can even help when casserole formulations call for low, no or reduced fat, since they help provide the missing mouthfeel without high viscosity."

While sauces are available in wet and dry versions, wet sauces are most commonly used in frozen, refrigerated or retort products. Profiles range from dairy to savory, from Asian teriyaki to Southwestern. A sauce can incorporate virtually any flavor combination imaginable; however, working closely with suppliers to customize the product for a particular application and to maximize cost effectiveness yields the best results.

Product designers can find several ways to add flavor to the mix. Using a stock or roux as a base can add a richness to the sauce that will impart a from-scratch character by including caramelization and roasted notes. Seasonings can add spices. The addition of autolyzed yeast and hydrolyzed vegetable proteins can boost the umami flavor, as can a small amount of soy sauce, which is also available dehydrated.

"Manufacturers use flavor enhancers extensively in prepared foods to hit the right flavor notes and bring out the other less-dominant flavors to round out the total taste profile," says Debbie Carpenter, foodservice and industrial marketing manager, Kikkoman International, San Francisco. "And soy sauce is used beyond Asian applications - it has definitely become a mainstream flavor enhancer in today's American menu."

Processing can take its toll on flavor components. Mariano Gascon, flavor lab director, Wixon Fontarome, St. Francis, WI, stresses that flavor has to be resistant to the process. Freezing, baking and retorting can all be detrimental to delicate flavor components. "There are cases when you would have to use some sort of encapsulation to protect the flavor. You sometimes require a lot of flavor to cover what is going to be lost in the processing," he notes. For this reason, artificial flavors are generally more cost-effective.

One of the greatest challenges the developer faces is to mimic the flavor profile of a product that's been simmered for many hours. Traditional, home-cooked comfort meals are often slow-cooked, which melds the flavors. Often, these foods even taste better the next day because the flavors have continued to mingle. This blending of flavors is more difficult to achieve in a quick-cook process, but product designers can accomplish it with careful balancing, which is best achieved by working closely with the flavor chemist.

For instance, with a chicken potpie, Gascon says that formulators have to consider the flavor of each constituent. The crust, chicken, vegetables and gravy all have their own flavors. Adding flavor to each component can increase the "just out of the oven" appeal. Flavoring the crust will give it more of the fresh-baked-bread character. Because the chicken pieces have already gone through the cooking process and will have been frozen, they may be extraordinarily bland unless more flavor is added. The same holds true of the gravy. The secret to achieving the home-cooked character is achieving the appropriate balance of all of these flavors so that they fully complement each other. Baking will allow room for some flavor development, but this isn't an option with microwaveable products. When cooking time is very short, flavors have to be fully developed coming out of the freezer.

Processing can damage flavor, not only by promoting flavor loss but also by creating off flavors. While it's important to work with the flavor chemist to achieve balance, it's also critical to achieve the aroma of flavor. "The challenge," Gascon says, "is to compensate for all the flavors that are not there. People expect to open a box and once they put it in the microwave, they expect that intense, right-out-of-the-oven pie smell."

Perhaps the greatest challenge in creating a casserole-type meal is coordinating different technologists working on the same product. One team or company may develop the crust. Another may formulate the filling. Gascon stresses that it's important that the flavor chemist work with the different components to achieve the desired balance. Linda Parkinson, senior scientist, R&D, Newly Weds Foods, Horn Lake, MS, agrees. "If everyone is on the same page and the end profile is a given target, then we can help each other," she says.

For example, in a Southwestern-grill casserole, Parkinson notes that the visuals should say "grill" as well as the flavor. If the meat processor incorporates grill marks, it helps create the illusion that this is something that took some time to prepare. Random sizes leave the end user thinking this was prepared in the kitchen.

In a frozen/refrigerated product, everything has to be considered when looking for the ingredients. "They need to be heat-stable as well as freeze-thaw-stable," Parkinson explains. "Pasta, vegetables and proteins need to be considered for their ability to withstand the extreme temperature changes while maintaining their identities.

"If you have the flavor, the appearance and the aroma with a preparation that requires the opening of a package and a quick trip to the oven, I think you have a successful product," Parkinson says. "Now the next trick is keeping with a certain cost range. That's where the magic wand is needed!"

Cindy Hazen, a 20-year veteran of the food industry, is a freelance writer based in Memphis, TN. She can be reached at [email protected].

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