INDUSTRY NEWS

Study looks at “tween” preferences
Ice cream is a favorite snack for “tweens,” according to a study released by Haarmann & Reimer’s Flavor Division.

The study looked at the flavor preferences of kids in the 6 to 12-year-old market, a key target for many food and beverage companies. The study involved 160 tweens who were questioned about their sweet preferences. In addition to food likes, the children were also asked about other favorites, including commercials, characters, books, and colors.

Ice cream was named favorite snack, with chocolate as the top flavor. Vanilla came in second with strawberry and cookie dough sharing third place. In the cookie category, chocolate came in first again. Tweens also said they liked sour, cherry, and chocolate candy flavors. Strawberry, mint, and cherry were the top gum flavors.

For food and beverage products overall, the top flavors, in descending order, were chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and cherry. The results also showed that tweens think that blue is the coolest color.

 Haarmann & Reimer is based in Holzminden, Germany. The company’s Flavor Division provides food and beverage customers with proprietary flavors for new product development.

Ozone benchmarked as surface sanitizer
Air Liquide America Corp. has released results from a study benchmarking ozone against Environmental Protection Agency standards for surface sanitation.

The study substantiates the efficacy of ozonated water as a sanitizing rinse for previously cleaned, nonporous food-contact surfaces. The company conducted the study in response to the food industry’s need for an effective, environmentally friendly alternative for disinfecting surfaces in food processing plants.

Air Liquide contracted with the Toxicology Group, LLC, a division of NSF International, to validate ozone’s efficacy as a sanitizer. The Toxicology Group conducted witness testing on the performance of ozone as measured by the Association of Analytical Communities’ Official Method 960.09, Germicidal and Detergent Sanitizing Action of Disinfectants.

“Based on the findings of this study, ozone meets all acceptance criteria for a 99.999% reduction in viable organisms within 30 seconds,” Toxicology Group Manager Chris Steele said.

Air Liquide, based in Houston, Tex., provides industrial and medical gases and related services worldwide. The Toxicology Group, based in Ann Arbor, Mich., provides risk management solutions through comprehensive in-house chemical, microbiological, and physical testing, along with data interpretation and human health risk assessment services. NSF, also based in Ann Arbor, develops voluntary consensus standards, product testing procedures, and certification services in the areas of public health, safety, and the environment.

Flow International gives new identity for high-pressure business
Flow International Corp. announced in March a new corporate identity for its high-pressure food technology subsidiary—Avure Technologies Inc.

The wholly owned subsidiary produces high-pressure processing technology for food safety and fresh product applications under the Fresher Under Pressure® brand. “The new name . . . suggests the freshness and purity of foods produced with high pressure,” Avure President and CEO Pat Adams said. “Avure is the image our customers desire as they introduce high-pressure products—the image of pure, wholesome, natural foods that retain their fresh taste and nutritional value while being safer and longer-lasting.”

The Fresher Under Pressure systems are used on a variety of food products to ensure food safety and extend refrigerated shelf life. Flow International, based in Kent, Wash., also develops and manufactures ultra-high-pressure waterjet technology for cutting, cleaning, and food safety applications, as well as isostatic and flexform presses.

Petite Sirah and Zinfandel to become Durif and Primitivo
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms is proposing two amendments to its list of prime grape variety names used to designate American wines. The first amendment recognizes the name “Durif” as a synonym for the Petite Sirah grape, and the second recognizes the name “Primitivo” as a synonym for the Zinfandel grape.

The Bureau’s proposal is based on recent DNA research into the identity of these grapes.

ADM develops controlled-release supplement
Archer Daniels Midland Co. and Nutraceutix, Inc. announced an exclusive licensing agreement in April for ADM to use Nutraceutix’s patented controlled-delivery technology to develop and market dietary supplements.

The first product to be marketed is Novasoy® Daily Dose™. The supplement provides consistent, steady delivery of natural-based soy isoflavones throughout the day. The new product is designed to provide all the benefits of isoflavones in a single daily dose.

ADM is based in Decatur, Ill. Nutraceutix is based in Redmond, Wash.

ARS and Frito-Lay research fumonisins
The U.S. Dept. of Agricultural Agriculture Research Service (ARS) is collaborating with Frito-Lay, Inc. to determine what happens to fumonisins during the manufacture of corn tortilla chips.

The Food and Drug Administration has issued guidelines for fumonisin concentrations in corn used for human food products. Permissible levels range from 2 to 4 ppm, depending on the product.

ARS Pharmacologist Kenneth Voss and Chemist Stephen Poling, collaborating with Frito-Lay scientists, have done studies that measured fumonisin B1 in raw corn, the intermediate products, fried chips, and waste by-products. During processing, most of the fumonisins in the raw corn are diverted into waste byproducts, lowering the concentration of fumonisins in the tortilla chips by as much as 80%.

Frito-Lay is based in Plano, Tex.

SOCIETIES & ASSOCIATIONS
Taylor named FAAN Founder Award winner
The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network named Steve Taylor, Senior Director of Food Science & Nutrition, University of Nebraska, the winner of this year’s Founder Award.

The award recognizes those who share their vision for improving food allergy education, awareness, and research and have had a broad impact on the food-allergy community. Taylor received the award for the guidance and strategic direction he has given the association since its inception. He was instrumental in helping the organization establish a relationship with the food industry as and ally, not an adversary.

FAAN, based in Fairfax, Va., is dedicated to increasing public awareness of, providing education about, and advancing scientific research on food allergies and anaphylaxis.

IAFP offers journal online
The International Association for Food Protection is now offering the Journal of Food Protection online at www.foodprotection.org.

The trial phase of JFP Online will provide free, full content access to IAFP members until August 31, 2002. Institutional print subscribers will be offered site licenses to the online service for a fee. All visitors can take advantage of the pay-per-view feature, which allows purchase and delivery of articles directly to desktops.

IAFP, based in Des Moines, Iowa, is an educational association of food safety professionals.

ELECTIONS & APPOINTMENTS
Dunlap appointed to California Travel and Tourism Commission
California Governor Gray Davis appointed California Restaurant Association President and CEO John D. Dunlap III to the state’s Travel and Tourism Commission.

The commission is charged with developing national advertising programs to attract visitors to the state and is composed of travel industry leaders. Dunlap has partnered with the commission on its recent “Dine California” campaign aimed at increasing dining out and tourism by offering discounts and promoting culinary and destination travel in the state.

The California Restaurant Association is based in Sacramento.

by SARA LANGEN
Assistant Editor