New Flavors Simplify Organic Design

The demand for organic foods is growing rapidly, with sales increasing about 20% annually and expected to reach more than $32 billion by 2009. To facilitate the design of flavorful products that comply with USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP), Mastertaste offers a new line of organic-certified freeze-dried and liquid flavors.

USDA allows its organic seal on two categories of organic: “100% organic” and “organic” (95% or more of the ingredients are organic certified). Organic-certified flavors are made with 95% or more organic ingredients, plus the remaining 5% must be natural-flavor ingredients that comply with the National Organic List 205 published by the NOP. Natural non-GMO flavors are allowed, provided no artificial solvents, artificial color and artificial preservatives are used. Non-certified-organic natural flavors that conform to the National List are considered organic-compatible flavors.

“We offer two approaches to designing foods that can display the USDA’s organic seal,” says Primo Bader, vice president, strategic marketing for flavors. “One, our organic- certified flavors can be included as part of the 95% organic ingredients. Secondly, if there is room in the 5% non-certified, natural portion, we can supply organic-compatible natural flavors that are typically more economical than organic-certified products.” Available in freeze-dried and liquid forms, the organic-certified flavors are stable under various processing conditions, including HTST and baking. Suggested starting use rate is 0.5%.

Bader continues: “Our freeze-dried flavors are unique to the flavor industry. They are made with the same technology that we use for our Crystals® freeze-dried juice products, which yields water-soluble crystals that hydrate almost instantly without any clumping. Production involves co-freeze-drying organic juice concentrates with not more than 5% organic-compatible natural flavors. Unlike other flavor processes, such as spray drying, freeze-drying is a very mild procedure with temperatures that do not exceed 120°F. This improves flavor retention and results in products with a fresh taste and aroma.” The free-flowing flavor crystals contain a minimum 30% juice solids and contribute natural color from the juices. Shelf life is one-year minimum at ambient conditions.

The company’s organic-certified liquid flavors consist of a blend of organic juice concentrates and not more than 5% organic-compatible natural flavors. The company includes approximately 20% organic-certified alcohol to stabilize the products and prevent fermentation.

Available flavors range from a variety of fruits and berries to caramel, vanilla and cocoa. Applications include nutritional bars, meal replacements, prepared and dry-mix beverages, salad dressings, bakery mixes and fillings, dairy products, cereal, hard candy and chocolate.

Mastertaste
100 Hollister Road
Teterboro, NJ 07608
Telephone: 201/373-1111
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.mastertaste.com