Texture has traditionally been an under leveraged aspect of food product design. In sauces, for example, other than formulating to a target viscosity, the deliberate design of texture is nearly always absent. Product developers are handicapped by the lack of an agreed upon language to describe texture. Developers are further challenged by the fact that texture cannot be “added” to a product at the end of the design process. Instead, it must be integrated into the development of a new product from the very beginning. The manner various food ingredients can be used to manipulate texture attributes is not always clear. All of this makes the food industry ripe for a new language that describes and makes texture a quantifiable part of the food design process…a Texture Revolution!

This idea spawned the language of texture and provided a list of textural attributes needed to give expression to a big part of the eating and drinking experience. Introduced in June, 2011, the lexicon along with attribute maps for many, individual food products (sour cream among them) is a developmental tool for food scientists. These maps characterize, document, and help developers articulate the sensory experiences associated with food and beverages.

If you set out to deliberately design the texture of a new product, how would you do it? The best way to answer this question is through a discussion on methodology rather than on specific ingredients. Join Matt Patrick, VP of R&D, TIC Gums, for his presentation on texture design and become an evangelist for the Texture Revolution!

Matthew Patrick is the vice president of research & development with TIC Gums. In his role, he leads a team responsible for customer formulation support, new ingredient development, and manufacturing technical support. He has led innovation teams that have launched dozens of products and technologies into the finished food and food ingredient industries. Prior to joining TIC Gums, Matt developed a broad base of experience in the food industry and spent most of his career with Unilever through a variety of technical roles including  process development, engineering, manufacturing, applied research, and product development.  Matt started innovating in the area of texture with the Slim-Fast brand at Unilever, and extended this aspect of his career by participating in National Starch’s texture program prior to joining TIC. Matt earned his B.S. in chemical engineering and M.S. in biotechnology from Northwestern University.

This presentation describes and compares the primary methods of sterilizing / decontaminating entire food facilities, including gaseous systems, vapor systems, misting systems, steam, and fogging, as well as manual spray and wipe techniques. The goal is to give the listeners an understanding of what the benefits and drawbacks of each method are so that an educated decision can be made as to what methods are best suited for different required levels of decontamination. It describes the penetrating ability of gaseous methods, the simplicity of spray and wipe techniques, the cost effectiveness of fogging and formaldehyde gassing, and issues of “wet” vapors versus “dry” vapors.
The practical aspects of the different methods are also compared and contrasted. Room and facility size and configuration limitations are discussed. The practical aspects of empty rooms versus “cluttered” rooms are also considered.
This presentation is unique in that in compares all major methods, systems, and techniques in their effectiveness, ease of use, relative cost, and practical application. The significance of this is that by comparing the various methods, the proper method can be utilized for the desired level of decontamination that the user wants and requires for each particular application.