Turning Recipes into Formulas

  This process is not unlike creating a new recipe and transforming it into a formula. It all begins with a clear vision of the desired finished product (custom food solutions) and a table laden with raw materials (learned skills, professional experience and artistic traditions). Enhance all this with some science and technology, emulsify with the high shear of passion and voila!

  The right mindset is vital to our recipe-into-formula approach, and critical to our success. As chefs, we are practitioners and preservers of a unique art - the culinary art. Within this frame of reference, we find a special starting point that also offers a continued source of guidance, energy and authority.

  The practical application of this mindset begins with a foodservice chef's frequently transforming roles. Each new adjective preceding the title of chef - executive, banquet, sous - identifies a new accountability. Varying the role, however, never alters the goal of creating and producing unique, craveable eating experiences. Moving from foodservice chef to research chef, for example, creates a different role, but an unchanged goal.

  When clients come to our company and meet with the chefs, they come to realize that we actually cook food rather than just process it. The R&D chefs speak the client's language, which results in a clearer understanding of the customer's needs. We also visit their facility to better understand their equipment and product-handling techniques. This helps build trust and guide the client through the sometimes overwhelming process of manufacturing.

  Now begins the process we affectionately refer to as "reconnoiter and duplicate." If success in real estate equals location, location, location, then success in development hinges on details, details, details. The quality of the questions asked and the answers received in the detail-gathering process determine the speed and accuracy of the development phase.

  The two main goals are agreeing on a target finished-product specification - the gold standard - and identifying and agreeing on finished-product ranges. The ideal way to establish the target product is a face-to-face meeting with the individuals who have an intimate knowledge of the product. Such a meeting should revolve around a gold-standard tasting and a gold-standard recipe discussion.

  The majority of clients just want their existing recipes, especially those that are tried and true, formulated for manufacturing. Other customers might look for product improvements. A major improvement theme is consistency - texture and bite, along with flavor intensity and shelf and steam-table life can sometimes be improved through manufacturing. A consistent raw-material base, specific processes and packaging can greatly improve the original recipe. Other times, we formulate a product from scratch with no proven recipe, just an idea or wish. We then establish the gold standard within the client's specifications.

  For an established recipe, the customer should bring a standard-sized batch of product, but not less than 10 lbs., that has been prepared, chilled within USDA guidelines and refrigerated for no longer than two days. Upon arrival, a third of this product can be bagged and frozen, a third bagged and refrigerated, and the remaining heated per customer handling and holding procedures.

  After heating, an organoleptic evaluation should be conducted and documented to determine the target. At this point, a vocabulary of terms that describe the product's taste, smell and visual attributes should be developed. For instance, if a product contains undercooked celery and onion pieces, the terms "rooty" or "earthy" might be attached to that profile. This streamlines future development efforts, not to mention phone conversations about these efforts. In addition, analytical measurements such as Brix, pH, salt content, viscosity, color, fat content and drain weights should be recorded.

  Next, the recipe should be discussed in detail. Application knowledge is essential to providing the optimum match. Shelf life and culinary quality are often at opposite ends of the spectrum. Throughout the whole process, be on the alert for the intangibles that give a product its uniqueness.

  Consider whether the customer is looking for an emphasis on culinary qualities or on microbiological qualities. This can affect which starches, gums or emulsifiers may be needed. Hot vs. cold fill temperatures, and single vs. two-part fill methods can be employed. Chilling and freezing rates may also need to be evaluated. Raw material should match the description given to the public.

  Identify the finished-product application. Can this particular product be duplicated as a frozen product or only as a fresh, never frozen, product? How is it rethermalized? Are there any marketing materials; i.e., pictures or verbal descriptions? What is the weekly volume of product used? How often does the distributor deliver? How many portions are served nightly?

  Keep in mind that distribution of fresh products is usually limited and/or regional. This forces one to ask questions about the restaurant's preparation and cooking equipment, refrigeration storage, and frequency of deliveries. Packaging also becomes an issue. Smaller bags allow greater turnover, quicker heating and better rotation of product, but larger bags provide a quicker throughput, thus lowering costs, thanks to less packaging material and less time.

  Don't forget the recipe's cost parameters - sticker shock for first-time clients can be slightly alarming. It's our job to show the cost savings that are gained with product consistency and labor-saving measures.

  The above questions are merely a sampling of those to ask. Discussions should also cover the method of preparation, yields, units of measure, raw material brands and sources, etc.

  After exhausting all lines of questioning, conclude by reviewing the product after a holding period, and determine a procedure for retrieving future gold standards and raw materials - you're going to need plenty! It's a good idea to obtain names and phone numbers of at least two individuals intimate with the recipe.

  The next stage of information hunting is identifying the finished product's specification range. The best way to approach this is by visiting two different production units. Purchase product as a customer, and experience the food. Investigate the kitchen, understand the equipment package, and talk to the staff. Before leaving, purchase some cold, fresh product from each store. Back at the lab, set up a blind cutting with the retained gold standard. Record organoleptic as well as analytical data. If there's a range in values, it will become evident at this point. This demonstration must then be repeated with the customer. It may seem redundant, but is in fact time well spent. This exercise affects decisions regarding everything from raw material selection and cook time to length of the development process.

  Next comes a thorough analysis of the recipe. Most use ingredients from a retail source, creating variances in the raw material that sometimes are unnoticeable to clients. They are sometimes unaware that they themselves have no real controls or standards. Their product may be changing on a weekly or daily basis, so a true baseline needs to be established.

  Determine the exact ingredients being used, including specific cut sizes. Exact measurement is crucial. Translate all teaspoon, tablespoon and cup measurements into actual weight measurements, then transfer these weights into percentages.

  Next, make the recipe using the client's ingredients as a control. Identifying ingredients or procedures that will not withstand the rigors of manufacturing means hours of benchwork to find acceptable substitutes that can withstand extreme temperature swings and packaging conditions. This might involve substituting IQF vegetables for fresh ones, or using dried herbs instead of fresh to provide more consistent flavor. Here, culinary skills become essential. You must understand the mouthfeel and taste of certain fats, proteins and other ingredients to be able to match them with a comparable powdered or liquid ingredient.

  A strong understanding of proper cooking techniques and flavor development is required. Knowing how to develop flavors without immediately reaching for a bottle is the first step. Flavors can be developed through various cooking techniques - sautéing, sweating, searing, braising, roasting, grilling and smoking. (For more information on this topic, see "Cooking Techniques: Flavorful Possibilities" in the March 2000 issue of Food Product Design.) Sautéing onions in the beginning of a process, for example, then adding a small amount of liquid, allows the onions to develop a much sweeter taste used as a building block for flavor later in the process.

  Not all these techniques can be used; it would be impractical to think a manufacturer is equipped to handle all of them. Time constraints, costs, and the sheer quantity of product define the practical options. We often have to rely on recent advances in flavoring and dehydration technology, and chefs at flavor houses to provide us with the flavors traditionally obtained through classical techniques.

  Maintaining the flavor profile throughout freezing and subsequent thawing is critical. Often, flavor levels must be increased to adjust for any free water that might be excreted, as this weakens the original flavor. Reactionary flavors can provide a flavor boost for a specific component that would normally lose some of its impact through a freeze cycle. For example, cilantro when fresh has an immediate and strong impact, but freezing severely decreases its flavor, so a reactionary cilantro flavor is needed to energize or boost the original product.

  Determine if an ingredient is long-cook or short-cook to help maintain original appearance and integrity. Certain vegetables should be added toward the end of the manufacturing process, and are deemed short-cook due to their inability to withstand longer cooking times. Examples include fresh herbs, peas and peppers.

  Understanding how a vegetable or fruit may react is crucial, because if it is easily broken down, this ultimately affects the appearance and taste of the final product. At our company, we go so far as to do a two-part fill of products that need a specific bite. This allows us to keep vegetable integrity by separating the vegetables from the cooking process. This in turn allows the client to have a fresh-looking product on a steam table, rather than a product that appears overcooked and old from the beginning.

  Typically, a recipe comes to us with flour or roux on its ingredient deck. While this is very easy to accomplish in a restaurant kitchen, it's another hurdle for the R&D chef. We must determine which modified starch will give the same attributes after the freeze/thaw cycle as the original control. Technological advances in modified starches allow the R&D chef to match the viscosity, mouthfeel and opacity of a control. A starch-gum matrix may be needed to help suspend any free water from late-added vegetables. This allows the control's viscosity to be matched both before and after the freeze/thaw cycle.

  Prior to a large-scale plant run, attempt to replicate the manufacturing process in the lab. Simulate the cooking process, holding times and temperatures, agitation, cooling time, pumping, packaging and freezing of the product. Typically a 5 to 10-lb. batch size is used. We generally prefer 10 lbs., because this makes it easy to derive percentages.

  Use consistently sized batches from project to project. Typical usage levels of frequently used ingredients will begin to become evident. Bring all trials back to 100% - this gives more realistic viscosities and flavor profiles because evaporation rates at the kettle will be less than in the lab.

  To avoid problems that might occur during manufacturing, overload and underload the heat-exchange surface of the lab vessel and observe the effects. For mixing, use spoons or paddles instead of whips, which create unrealistic mixing actions. At this point, any potential ingredient encapsulation problems will also become evident.

  Plan for customer abuse. If the abuse is shelf life and poor rotation, opt for an adequate thermal process. If the abuse is poorly drained pasta, opt for a higher sauce viscosity.

  During the entire process, record data, record data, record data. Viscosity measurements, pH, soluble-sugar solids, and net drain weights should be documented. After freeze/thaw evaluation, this data makes addressing any discrepancies or problem areas before scale-up or production much easier.

  After obtaining a control match, schedule a meeting with the client. Once the client accepts and signs off on this lab sample, all future batches must meet the strict guidelines agreed upon. If all systems check, set a production date and begin a series of meetings with QA personnel, plant managers, shift supervisors and the R&D team. Discuss critical processing control points, unusual ingredients, variations in normal production procedures, and review USDA and HACCP regulations.

  Even with extensive research and planning, production day can bring new and unforeseen challenges. That's why we've found that a hands-on approach is invaluable to the actual plant production. Whenever a question arises, we're there to provide direction. (Don't forget to wear your chef uniform in the facility if you are qualified to do so.)

  Make a fresh lab sample on production day - this provides a fresh comparison right at the kettle. R&D personnel can taste the sample side-by-side with the production batch prior to product release. Any flavor or mouthfeel adjustments can be made at this time. For example, if formulating vegetable beef soup, the kettle product might have a slightly weaker flavor and mouthfeel than the lab sample due to a large amount of IQF vegetables. R&D can compensate by adjusting seasoning and crushed tomatoes for a more accurate reproduction.

  To ensure the final product matches the lab sample, have multiple data points available from the first pilot run. Use data to triangulate. Brix, pH and viscosity can often be cross-referenced with organoleptic qualities as well as with each other. For instance, high Brix and high viscosity can reflect a water shortage from evaporation.

  Once the product is pumped, packaged and frozen, send retainer samples to the R&D center for post-freeze evaluation. The R&D chef can now make any further minor corrections in the formula or production process to assure a certain degree of consistency. Follow up with written feedback to the team.

  The R&D chef should continually monitor the product as retained samples are regularly pulled from production runs and reviewed. Remember, an R&D chef's work is never really done.

  David J. Alves, a graduate of Johnson and Wales University, is currently vice president of Park 100 Foods, where he guides the research and development, total quality and processing teams for the company, which specializes in custom kettle-processed foods. A member of the Research Chefs Association, he has held various foodservice and food processing positions, including executive chef and chef instructor. He specializes in gourmet cake production and sous-vide processing.

3400 Dundee Rd. Suite #100
Northbrook, IL 60062
Phone: 847-559-0385
Fax: 847-559-0389
E-mail: info@foodproductdesign.com
Website: www.foodproductdesign.com