What's happening in the blueberry FoodTech World

Monday, July 21, 2014

Good Grief -- Artificial Blueberries!

Each month, i get messages from consumers asking about "artificial blueberries."  As you can imagine, they are not happy that the product they just purchased with big-beautiful blueberry photos on the package -- do not contain blueberries in the product.
This is an old problem, and thankfully it becomes less and less of a problem each year.
In the beginning, there were fresh blueberries, then frozen -- and most blueberries went in these two directions.    With the development of processed foods,more and more products were developed as "Shelf stable" and with "intermediate moisture."  Ingredients for these products must match specific moisture and water activity requirements.    Quite simply, if the available blueberry ingredients did not match, some manufacturers would choose blueberry "analogs."    These included blue dyed dehydrated apples, blue colored grain bits and formed gum and fat bits.    These products must be labeled properly and will be described in the legal manner in  line with US Food and Drug Administration rules.
USHBC takes a positive  approach to the artificial blueberries.   First, we work to "gently" inform the manufacturers of the overwhelming consumer preference for real blueberries.   Also, we learned that consumers react very badly when they learn that a blueberry-identified product does not contain real blueberries.    Second, we explain the technical reasons why real blueberries do work in specific food product categories.  For example manufacturers can source blueberries in different moisture content.   Blueberries are sized and cut to specifications.    They work just about everywhere.   One big reason that companies have claimed to use artificial blueberries in the past is price.   In the past the further processed blueberries were on the pricey side, but with the dawn of the current supply and win-win sales proposition in the blueberry business -- most of the products are in the same price range as the artificial.    We think the real product is an advantage in itself!




Blueberry Fiber - A new Ingredient with Potential

With all of the buzz about fiber in foods, a new product has entered the food ingredient market:  Blueberry Fiber.    When blueberry puree is made, the skins are normally removed in the process.   These skins are air dried down to a moisture content of around 15%.   From there the product can be milled down to various sizes.   How is it used:   Blueberry fiber has a neutral flavor and not a lot of sweetness and has been used in extruded snacks and pet foods.    It is also used in breakfast cereals and breads.    The star performance category has been the pet food category which has been covered regularly in this blog.    "Add blueberry fiber in the formula and post big beautiful blueberry photos on the package that appeal to the per owner.   What is in the blueberry fiber:
Here it is!

Blueberries to Brazil

USHBC has been studying the Brazil market for several years, and it is beginning to look promising!
First of all, Brazilians love fruit and all sorts of exotic local and imports.    Second, Brazilians are extremely health conscious and have a "food as medicine" philosophy. USHBC initial efforts have been to support the fresh market.  Local production is centered in the south part of the country and the season is the exact opposite of the USA.     What really got me interested in Brazil was seeing the Brazilians visiting Miami and Orlando on holiday stocking up on fresh blueberries for the return home!   Brazil imports fresh blueberries from neighboring South American countries such as Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.    Currently fresh blueberries from the USA are air freighted to Sao Paulo, Brazil during the North American Summer.   Most are sold at very high-end grocery stores. Our first efforts in Brazil have been exhibitions such as the SIAL Brazil show.    Year one: we instructed visitors on "what is a blueberry."   Year  two: we met enthusiastic blueberry converts.  Year three: our booth was mobbed by visitors in search of blueberries.
This year,Brazil will continue imports of fresh blueberries.   Now, food processors are also looking for frozen and further processed blueberries.  The future looks bright.   Obrigado!
Below: blueberry promotion at grocery store in Sao Paulo, Brazil.




Korean Visitors Tour Mississippi Blueberry Country

It is a long ways from Seoul Korea to Hattiesburg, Mississippi -- but 14 Korean food industry professionals made the trek! Led by Mrs. Young Sook Oh of the USDA-Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) the group headed north from New Orleans to Hattiesburg, Mississippi which is the center of the local blueberry production region.   Ethan Goggans, a Mississippi State University student and blueberry farmer, led the tour which included stops at Sandy Run Farm where the Korean visitors picked fresh blueberries and even got a chance to ride a harvester.    Afterwards, the crew tasted Southern cuisine including catfish and crayfish and of course local hot sauces which were a hit or the Koreans!



Institute of Food Technologists Meeting - New Orelans

Each year, USHBC exhibits at the annual meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).    The meetings are rotated from areas of food processing, such as Chicago and Minneapolis to destinations such as Las Vegas, Orlando.  This year the meeting was held in New Orleans, Lousiana.
Did you know that blueberries are grown in the South, not far from the Crescent City.    Drive north towards Poplarville, Mississippi and you will drive right through the growing region.   Most of the blueberries produced in the area are from a Southern native species called Vaccinium Ashei.  This member of the highbush blueberry family is native to the south and is found in East Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Louisiana and Alabama.   The blueberry is commonly called the "rabbiteye"  because the unique look of the calyx.   For the IFT meeting, we had the pleasure of working with the local growers and Mr. Ethan Goggans of Sandy Run Farm in Purvis, Mississippi helped out with the booth and did an excellent job.   He brought several blueberry plants from the farm which were on display and this was a big hit -- especially with foreign visitors.  http://www.sandyrunfarms.com/    Note: the Mississippi State University cowbell on display at the booth.







Friday, July 18, 2014

Fresh Blueberries for Foodservice in Japan!

Japan is the largest offshore marketfor highbush blueberries fromm the USA.   Fresh blueberries are available year round and are found in supermarkets, convenience stores and hypermarkets.    Now, here is a new development.   Family restaurant chain: Johnathans features fresh blueberries on the daily menu!    The item uses fresh Hokkaido creme and fresh blueberries!    Will be featured all over Japan this summer and hopefully beyond!


Beauty from Within in Vietnam

Vietnam is a country of vast natural beauty!   Now, it looks like blueberries are becomming the ingredient of choice for foods which are "good for the skin."   All over Asia, manufacturers are producing products which contain ingredients which are associated with skin care.   They call the topical applications "Skin Food" and consumed foods: "Beauty from Within."   Here are just a few new products with blueberries introduced in Vietnam which contain Blueberries!'

Beauty Yogurt!


 Drink for beautiful skin with blueberry and collagen!


Beauty Yogurt

Return to Whitesbog

Whitesbog, New Jersey is the place where the highbush blueberry business began a century ago.   Elizabeth White, a cranberry farmer walked down a narrow road from her home to the cranberry bogs each day and dreamed about someday cultivating the "wild" highbush blueberries which grow abundently in the Jersey Pinelands.    Her dream came true and today you can still see the original experimental plantations at the Whitesbog Village.    The beautiful farm is located about one hr to the north of Hammonton, New Jersey which is touted to be the Blueberry Capital of the World!   Check out the website at:
http://www.whitesbog.org
Set your GPS to: 120 W Whites Bogs Rd #34, Browns Mills, NJ 08015
The journey is well worth the drive!