Costs are soaring and customers are less willing to pay the increased price for maintaining superior quality. Supplier loyalty is suffering due to concerns about “Who’s got the best price?” Into this economic cauldron, Blue Mountain Flavors introduces a new line of cost-conscious process flavors.
“Based on reaction technology, these new flavors are used to maximize savory enhancement of meats, meatlike and meat-containing foods,” says Bill Baugher, president. “Used in smaller-than-usual quantities, these new flavors provide a smooth, yet intense, boost to many food products.” Further, increased yields typically allow the company to produce at lower costs, enabling them to pass the savings on to customers.
One Blue Mountain factory produces all vegetarian, kosher parve and halal flavors. There, sunflower and other vegetable oils are turned into fried- and roasted-chicken flavors, as well as beef and pork flavors. The line of vegetarian flavors is free from trans fatty acids, preservatives, salt, artificial flavors, hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, monosodium glutamate and autolyzed yeast extracts. They are suitable for all vegetarian products, and work well in foods like ramen noodles, soups, gravies, prepared meats and heat-and-eat meals. They perform equally well in frozen, retorted or dry applications. These savory flavors are generally used at a level of 0.10% to 0.25% in finished food products.
Another factory focuses on beef, pork and chicken fats to produce a full line of products. All are shelf stable, do not require refrigeration, and are made without chemical preservatives. “These flavors work well in gravies, stews or marinades, and can be added to meats destined to be microwaved or retorted,” Baugher says. “In these applications we can add a fried chicken or roast beef note to products that are neither fried nor roasted to deliver a flavor unattainable by traditional methods.”
All of Blue Mountain’s process flavors are shelf stable, without chemical antioxidants or preservatives, and need no refrigeration. “This is accomplished by the nature of Amadori reactions,” Baugher notes. “The process is thought to scavenge free radicals and lend a natural stabilizing effect to the flavor. In fact, some flavors are stable for many years.” The company’s flavors are available in powders, pastes, liquids and oil-soluble formulations.
“The oil-soluble flavors contain no salt, no carbohydrate and no protein, and, therefore, no allergens,” Baugher says. “These flavors are actually top-note or species-specific flavors. Customers can purchase only the portion of the flavor profile they actually need, and add their own hydrolyzed vegetable protein, autolyzed yeast or maltodextrin.”