Special Coverage: 2012 IFT Annual Meeting & Expo – Part II

Food in Canada was at IFT and offers this second roundup of some of the great innovations and products that were there

Food Manufacturing News
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Las Vegas, Nev. – The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) says its 2012 Annual Meeting & Food Expo was a huge success. The event, which took place in Las Vegas from June 26-28, attracted more than 18,000 attendees from nearly 80 countries.

The event featured 1,066 exhibitors, which was an eight per cent increase from last year, and offered 100 educational sessions and more than 1,000 poster sessions that provided information on the latest developments and trends in food science.

Innovation Awards
The 2012 IFT Food Expo Innovation Awards were also announced at the show. Only companies who were exhibiting were eligible and judging criteria included degree of innovation, technical advancement, benefits to food manufacturers and consumers, and scientific merit. The winners were:

• Advantix Systems
• Ampac
• Ecolab
• Glanbia Nutritionals

If you missed the show, there’s always next year’s IFT, which takes place in Chicago from July 12 to July 16.

Food in Canada attended this year’s show and offers this second roundup of some of the exciting and innovative products and companies we saw.

Add it here
TIC Gums introduced its Add-Here CSA for the snack and bakery industry. The new line of products allows for sugar-free binding and fixing of food ingredients. It’s specifically for sticking and maintaining inclusions like seeds to bagels or salt and spices to crackers, chips or other snack products.
The company says Add-Here is a proprietary blend of gums. It’s cold-water soluble, with viscosity low enough to be spray-able. With its binding and film-forming characteristics, it can hold more salt, spices, seeds or other inclusions without the addition of sugar, honey, egg wash or high fructose corn syrup. Add-Here CSA can also be used for affixing inclusions and spices onto foods like: pretzels, seasoned nuts, meat and croutons. It can also be used to seal burritos and other closed meat or fruit-filled pockets. It’s also allergen-free.
The company also unveiled Add-Here 3200, a hydrocolloid system that can effectively bind particulates commonly found in granola, cereal and energy bars while significantly reducing the amount of sugar, honey and/or high fructose corn syrup in the formula.

www.ticgums.com

Breakthrough

Dow AgroSciences produces Omega-9 Canola and Sunflower Oils, the next generation of healthier oils since they have no trans fat, the lowest saturated fats and high heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. The oils also don’t affect taste or functionality.
Under its Omega-9 Oils Ingredient Solutions, the company showcased its Omega-9 Shortening. Omega-9 Shortening offers users healthier baked goods. The shortening offers lower saturated fat content on the nutrition panel and improved ingredient labels. It maintains or extends shelf life due to its natural stability, provides a neutral product flavour and it prevents off-flavours.

www.omega9oils.com

The hood
Erlab is a manufacturer of non-ducted filtering laboratory fume hoods. The company’s new Green Fume Hood is the energy saving next generation fume hood technology. With the breakthrough Neutrodine 2G system, the Green Fume Hood is a turnkey solution providing a variety of installation, operational and environmental benefits. The product can help save energy, comply with green building standards and provide protection to laboratory technicians.
The company also highlighted its Captair, ductless filtering fume hoods and vented storage cabinets that are designed to protect laboratory personnel with working with chemicals.