Organic Processing Vo1.5 #5

pomegranate, açaí, goji, guarana and noni. With many of these fruits product developers can use the real deal or the same taste can often be achieved by creating an organic flavor profile to match the specific variety.

Prickly pear cactus offers functional-ity in both savory and sweet applications. The pads of the cactus have a flavor similar to green beans and work well with many other vegetables. The fruit of the cactus can vary in flavor but is mildly sweet. The flavor is compared to honeydew or sometimes described as a watermelon-fig profile.

From syrup to soups to jelly, the versatile prickly pear cactus not only provides a new flavor experience, but is also a functional food. Both the fruit and the pad of the prickly pear cactus contain high amounts of slowly digested insoluble fiber. Research is Food As Art being conducted on the cactus and its Artisanal products are handcrafted in small batches with high at-use in controlling diabetes. The pad tention to quality and detail. They involve the use of a trade skill that has a slimy, okra-like texture and can (continued on page 61)

For organic food manufacturers in the Pacific Northwest, there is no stronger ingredient partner.

Agave, Honey, & other Liquid Sweeteners • Oils • Spices Herbs • Nuts • Seeds • Dried Fruits• Grains Dry & Liquid Ingredient Blending

AIB, OU Kosher, QAI Organic Certified

be used to thicken soups and sauces.

Spices. Adding spice to a food plays into the trend of offering more satisfaction per calorie. Spices add flavor, and more flavor means more satisfaction. The popularity of ethnic cuisine has popularized spice blends such as garam masala, harissa and herbes de provence. Spices are crossing traditional culinary boundaries with chili heating up sweet flavors and nutmeg warming up more savory dishes. Spices also have high antioxidant content and thus are great natural preservatives. Cinnamon has a total-ORAC value of 267,536, compared to pomegranate juice with a total-ORAC value of 2341.

Varietal spices known for their high quality can offer premium status to products. Tellicherry black peppercorn from South India is considered the highest grade of black peppercorn. Frontier Natural Products Co-op offers an organic Tellicherry black peppercorn, as well as long pepper (Indonesia) and Sichuan pepper (China).

Flavors can also be layered to create more upscale flavor profiles. Exotic flavors are being paired with traditional flavors to introduce them to the consumer. Pomegranate is often combined with raspberry or blueberry. Innovative examples of flavor combinations include honey saffron, strawberry balsamic and raspberry rose hip.