Baker Perkins creates real fruit snacks

Bakery and snack manufacturer Baker Perkins has developed a range of fruit snacks for the healthy market using older confectionery technology, the company said last week.

The bite-size pieces are produced using the company's ServoGel process, first developed for depositing jelly and gum confectionery. This process forms a fruit paste into pieces, which are then deposited into moulds, the company said.

The snacks are made out of real fruit pieces with no added-sugar, and the ServoGel process allows for a variety of different shapes to be made, the company claims.

"For example, fun shapes or characters will appeal to children," the company said. "For adults, more exotic sources such as mango or passion fruit can be used along with simpler, more exotic shapes"

The product is set to be launched in the UK this month.

Frontier launches premium, exotic vanilla

US-based natural and organics company Frontier this week unveiled its new vanilla products for the consumer market sourced from Uganda, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.

Vanilla is a sweet spice traditionally used in bakery products such as cakes and biscuits. The company is aiming the new products at the premium end of the market, as it claims that each vanilla has a distinct taste profile, linked to the different soil and climate it was grown in.

The Ugandan vanilla is sweet and smooth, the vanilla from Papua New Guinea is 'extra sweet with floral notes', and the Indonesian product is designed to flavour rich and chocolate products, the company said.

"Our sourcing experts searched the globe for these extraordinary vanillas," said spokesman Brett Karminski. "They found three gourmet-quality vanillas with distinct taste nuances that allow cooks to explore different aspects of the world's most popular flavor."

The vanillas are available in both an extract and whole bean form, the company said.

Blue Organic spring rolls aimed at US market

Aiming to tap both the organic and ethnic trends in the US, the Blue Organic seafood company plans to roll a new line of spring rolls across the country later this year.

The products are made with organic vegetables and spices, and two varieties of the company's own antibiotic-free, farm-raised shrimp, said company spokesperson Jaap Langenberg.

The emphasis is also on targeting the burgeoning market for ethnic-style foods, as the spring rolls come in Chinese, Indian or Thai varieties, he added.

"Consumers want something delicious, organic and easy-to-prepare; the new branded spring rolls speak to that demand with compelling flavour profiles," the company said in a statement.

The company first introduced its latest product range at the Fancy Food Show in San Diego last month, and through initial distribution with United Natural Foods, the spring rolls will be available in Whole Foods Market stores across the US later this year.