LAS VEGAS, NEV. — Five exhibitors at the Institute of Food Technologists’ annual meeting and exposition were honored with I.F.T. Innovation Awards for the development of technologies that demonstrate technical advancement and benefits for food manufacturers and consumers during the group’s conference held June 25-28. The five companies honored include AGT Food and Ingredients Inc., CEM Corporation, Glanbia Nutritionals, Ingredion Inc. and Salt of the Earth.
AGT Food and Ingredients, Regina, Sask., in conjunction with Ingredion Inc., Westchester, Ill., was honored for the development of Clean-Taste Pulse Ingredients. Ingredion is the exclusive distributor of pulse ingredients manufactured by AGT Food and Ingredients.
“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.”
CEM Corporation, Matthews, N.C., was tapped as a winner for its Oracle Fat Analyzer. What differentiates the system from others in the market, according to the company, is it requires no method development and can analyze fat in any unknown food sample with reference chemistry accuracy.
“For the first time, a new disruptive technology exists that allows for the direct measurement of fat in any food product in 30 seconds,” said Michael J. Collins, president and chief executive officer of CEM Corporation. “This has never been possible before and requires no prior knowledge of the sample composition. It’s going to change the landscape in terms of food testing and will have an impact that will be felt across the whole industry on a global basis.”
Glanbia Nutritionals, Fitchburg, Wis., won for its BevEdge Pea Protein, a clean label pea protein that uses a patent-pending technology to provide instant dispersibility. The ingredient dissolves instantly in water in plant-based powdered drink mixes.
"We are delighted that BevEdge Pea Protein has been named a winner in the IFT17 Food Expo Innovation Awards," said Brent Petersen, director of ingredients R.&D. for Glanbia Nutritionals. "At Glanbia Nutritionals we are dedicated to providing innovative, technologically advanced solutions for our customers, and we are honored to be recognized for BevEdge Pea Protein, the first of many BevEdge ingredients to come."
Salt of the Earth Ltd., Atlit, Israel, won for its sodium-reduction ingredient Mediterranean Umami. The ingredient is natural and clean label, the company said, and allows product developers to formulate across a range of lower-sodium applications, from meats, soups and sauces to bakery and ready meals. It is a blend of consumer-friendly ingredients that include natural vegetable extracts and sea-salt.
"I.F.T. is the premier organization for the food industry, and this recognition highlights the awareness of the need for significant sodium reduction and the importance of effective natural and clean-label solutions for the industry," said Dovik Tal, chief executive officer.
The five winning companies were selected from 41 entries. A panel of eight judges determined the winners by evaluating all entries based on degree of innovation, technical advancement, benefits to food manufacturers and consumers, and scientific merit.
In 2016, winners of the annual honor included Bavaria Corp. for the development of its Bafos Veg ingredients system; CSIRO, which is an acronym for the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Canberra, Australia, for its Megasonics Technology For Enhanced Oil Recovery system; and Weber Scientific for its PCR Foodproof Yeast and Mold Quantification LyoKit.
