LAS VEGAS — Ingredion, Inc. and AGT Foods were awarded the IFT17 Food Expo Innovation Award for their clean-taste pulse ingredients at the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Awards Celebration in Las Vegas.
Eight jurors from different areas of expertise selected four winners from the 41 entries. Judges made their decisions based on degree of innovation, problem-solving relevance to the food industry, consumer and manufacturer benefit and scientific merit.
“This ingredient aimed to take away the bad flavors associated with pulse ingredients and make it easier to use,” said Igor Playner, vice-president of innovation and strategy, North America, Ingredion. “It doesn’t take the flavor away completely, but makes a more neutral flavor in a pea protein. Because of that, it can be used in new applications or used in larger quantities in applications where it already is being used because the flavor is no longer inhibiting.”
Ingredion and AGT Foods’ clean-taste pulses will be on display at the Ingredion booth (no. 2056) during the IFT Annual Meeting and Food Expo from June 26-28 at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas. Mr. Playner and his team hope to capitalize on consumer enthusiasm for pulse ingredients.
“There is consumer pull toward pulse ingredients that food manufacturers are trying to meet,” he said. “With one in three consumers stating that they prefer a vegetable-sourced protein to an animal-sourced protein, Ingredion’s clean-taste pulses help make it possible for manufacturers to meet these consumer needs and bring added nutritional balance into new applications.”
