Fat reduction & NPD opportunities
When it comes to new product development and reformulation, the process can be as important as the ingredients and the recipe. Steam Infusion is an innovative cooking technology that allows you to create new and differentiated offerings that retailers and end consumers will love. Our £1 million Innovate UK funded research project identified a number of NPD and reformulation opportunities for food manufacturers cooking with Steam Infusion, delivering products that will stand out on the shelf.
Cut 20% fat & reduce salt & sugar
Consumers want new, indulgent food products at the best price. But at the same time, government bodies around the world are cracking down on salt, sugar and calories, which poses the challenge – how do manufacturers meet the targets without compromising on taste?
The University of Lincoln studied the effects on ingredients that passed through the Steam Infusion Vaction™ Pump, and found that under certain operating conditions, a fat mimetic is formed which simulates the fat properties in sauces. This means that by cooking high dairy fat content sauces such as béchamel, cheese and hollandaise sauce with Steam Infusion, food manufacturers can reduce fat by up to 20% (compared to the same sauce cooked conventionally) whilst maintaining an indulgent and luxurious mouthfeel that will appeal to consumers.
Thanks to the high-speed controllable mixing environment created with Steam Infusion, a homogenising effect is achieved during the cooking process. When processing starch, this delivers a creamier mouthfeel so you can reduce milk, cream or butter additions for a healthier formulation with a lower overall fat content, which can make a significant difference to a product's front of pack labelling and appeal to health-conscious consumers.
In addition, salt and sugar additions can be reduced as more flavour from the whole recipe is captured in the product. Consumers won’t be able to tell they’re eating healthier products, making it a great way to meet government targets without disappointing your loyal customers.
Fresh, homemade flavours
Steam Infusion's shortened cooking times and prevention of burn-on contamination can have a significant impact on the flavour profiles of a product.
During the University of Lincoln GCMS (Gas Chromatography-Gas Spectrometry) testing of a wide range of sauces, it was identified that there was a difference in the flavour profile, whilst the layperson taste panels recognised an improvement in flavour between a conventionally cooked and Steam Infusion sauce sample. Both tests highlighted Steam Infusion cooking preserves delicate ‘fresh flavours’ and prevents ‘over-processed’ notes. In fact, 4 out of 5 consumers identified Steam Infusion flavours as homemade [Innovate UK - Nutrition for Life - Advanced Mixing and Cooking Technology 2013].
Steam Infusion is able to retain the volatiles that are usually boiled off or destroyed in conventional sauce production, achieving the homemade flavours that consumers love. This also makes it easier for food manufacturers to accurately scale-up the recipes created at the development stage with the fresh flavours consumers look for in high-quality products.
Reduce costly ingredients
Steam Infusion also offers the opportunity for food manufacturers to reduce ingredient quantities in certain recipes. The fast processing times allow manufacturers to retain the intense top notes that are usually lost during the frying stage in traditional processing. Steam Infusion can achieve up to a 50% reduction in spices (recipe dependent) compared to traditional steam-jacketed cook as the process locks in flavour to deliver enhanced flavour profiles, helping manufacturers to save money.
In one example, using the University of Lincoln’s GCMS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) testing, we were able to identify a difference in the flavour profile of a curry sauce that had been cooked with Steam Infusion. We had heightened the flavours and spices and therefore had to reduce some quantities by over a half to get the same flavour profiles as a jacketed vessel sauce - meeting customers’ expectations and delighting the finance department!
Maintain particulate integrity
Particulate damage can be a challenge for food manufacturers cooking chunky soups, ready meals and desserts. Slow cooking times and agitator damage can break down particulates, creating unappealing textures. The Steam Infusion Vaction Pump has an unrestricted bore which allows particulates to pass through unhindered, and the steam vacuum acts as a pump to the liquid part of the product but allows the larger particles to pass through undamaged.
The degree of shear from the Pump can be altered to account for more delicate particulates such as fruit and vegetables and the time of addition adjusted with help from our Development Chef to create the perfect finished product. The mixing properties of Steam Infusion create extra agitation and may be controlled to result in far less damage to particulates than a conventional agitator. If particulates are required to be broken down for example in fruit pulps or purées, Steam Infusion’s operating parameters can be set to help accomplish the required textures and results.
Recipe and commissioning support
Our team of experts, made up of Development Chefs and Process Engineers, can help you to deliver the best results with Steam Infusion, whether you’re looking to reformulate an existing product and need to product match, or you’re creating a range review or even a brand new product. You can test out your ingredients and recipes at our test centre at the National Centre of Food Manufacturing or rent a Vaction Pump to test at your own facility. Whether it’s recipe support or process optimisation, we can help you get your process off to a flying start.