LETTERS
GF was first in encapsulation
Concerning the article “Food Encapsulation: Capturing One Substance by Another” by J. Peter Clark (November, p. 63), let us get the record and history straight. If the process of coacervation was the first microencapsulation, then work at the Atlantic Gelatin Div. of General Foods Corp. anteceded this NCR work by at least two years.
In response to a request from the old American Chicle Co. to extend flavor life in chewing gum, Frank Kramer began to research a method. I had the luck to microencapsulate mint flavors in a low-bloom gelatin matrix for gum and a new product, Certs. Our work was most successful, and we produced what turned out to be “time-release pills” using aspirin and various pharmaceuticals from Eli Lilly and other firms.
We even duplicated NCR’s carbonless paper and went on to better understand what we had accomplished. Our futuristic work was halted by top brass, that GF was not to enter any medical fields or any non-food use. To the best of my memory, GF transferred the technology to certain customers. The only use of this technique in the company was to produce an exquisite French mint chocolate pudding, which an ad agency judged too expensive to market under the Jell-O label.
—Daniel Casper, Consulting Food Technologist, Export Management, World Food Tech. Services, Malden, Mass.
Wrong company given credit
Pierce Hollingsworth’s summation of the rapidly growing population of breath strips (“Don’t Hold Your Breath,” November, p. 20) was informative but failed to credit the origination of the strips to Vitech America Corp./MYNTZ! Brands. While credit was given to Pfizer’s for initiating the marketing of the popular mint item Listerine PocketPaks last October, they were in fact a Johnny-come-lately, albeit a well-funded one.
In fact, Vitech first marketed the film strips under the trade names of MYNTZ! Peppermynt Strips and MYNTZ! Cinnamon Strips in January 2001. Since that time, Vitech has distributed the MYNTZ! strips nationally to major retailers such as Target, Safeway, Albertsons, and 7/11, to name but a few. Vitech has played and continues to play a role in the origination, development, and distribution of this popular mint confection.
—Christopher W. Phillips, Chief Financial Officer, Vitech America, Kent, Wash.
Kiwi more than just a flavor
Donald Pszczola’s article, “31 Ingredient Developments for Frozen Desserts” (October, p. 46) discusses kiwi as a viable flavor. We couldn’t agree more. Vita-Pakt is the only food ingredient processor in the U.S. making fresh-pack whole kiwi fruit purees for food manufacturers. We believe that our fruit purees have excellent application to frozen desserts and yogurts and bring the flavor and health benefits of the kiwi fruit vs only flavor.
We make these purees as pasteurized and non-pasteurized products and with or without seeds. They are produced in a state-of-the-art all-stainless facility in California, packed into 33-lb plastic pails, and held frozen. We also have IQF kiwi sliced and diced, as well as clarified kiwi juice concentrate.
—Jeffrey G. Trickett, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Vita-Pakt, Covina, Calif.
Correction
In the Education News section of the October issue, the item on p. 85 entitled “Maurer and Weil join Purdue’s Whistler Center” misspelled the first name. The correct spelling is Mauer.