Ethnic Flavor Concentrates

Ethnic cuisines are becoming mainstream. With their intense flavors and exotic profiles, ethnic cuisines satisfy a range of consumers, from aging boomers looking for flavor excitement to Gen Ys looking for gourmet adventure. But ethnic cuisine isnt just about heat; its about new types of indigenous foods, artisanal ingredients and creative combinations of umami sources.

Right now, timing is everything, says John Randazzi, chief technical officer, Eatem Foods Company. You have the consumer clamoring for new ways to spruce up tomato soup with rice or plain, baked chicken. The easiest way to differentiate a food is to cook it in a unique sauce, top it with a special salsa or marinate it. We have the correct ingredients to zest up a condiment, a salsa, a cooking sauce, a marinade or season the whole frozen entréein just about any ethnic cuisine you can imagine.

Eatem has rounded out its offering of Ethnic Flavor Concentrates with additions to the Asian, Latin American and Mexican Southwest lines. New varieties are: Indian Madras Curry, Mojo Chicken, Korean Style Red Pepper, Thai, Asian Chicken, Asian Seafood and a Classic Mexican Flavor Concentrate.

According to Bill Cawley, manager, culinary services, and corporate executive chef: Our directive was to produce the gold-standard prototypes based on a search of traditional native ingredients and cooking methods. We try to incorporate many of the same ingredients of the original flavor profile, such as lemongrass, fresh cilantro, chiles and roasted spices.

After the flavor target is set, prototypes are developed and the flavor is evaluated for typical usage levels, which currently range from 0.5% to 3.0%. The flavors are then tested in starter formulas, such as stir-fry, seasoned rice and pasta dishes, soups, marinated chicken or pork, or condiment salsas and sauces. Finally, products using these flavor concentrates are tested in typical manufacturing processes, such as retort, aseptic or frozen.

Our mission is to make life easier for product developers and chefs, to shorten the number of processing steps, to save time, labor and inventory, says Cawley.

Eatem Ethnic Flavor Concentrates can be used as foundation base flavors or as subtle top notes. As more products are made with less fat, sodium, sugar, caloriesand with that, less flavorthe need is greater for concentrates to compensate and heighten the natural flavor of food combinations.

Eatem Ethnic Flavor Concentrates are made with all-natural ingredients, and no artificial flavors, preservatives or color additives. Applications for this line typically are ethnic frozen, prepared entrées, soups, sauces, condiments, salad dressings and gravies. They are available in paste form, and can be stored refrigerated or frozen for up to six months.

Eatem Foods Company
Vineland Industrial Park
1829 Gallagher Drive
Vineland, NJ 08360
Phone: 800/683-2836
Website: eatemfoods.com