USA – T. Hasegawa, a leading Japanese supplier of food ingredients, has unveiled a new product which it says can help reduce tomato paste use in ketchups, sauces, and soups by a quarter.
According to the company, the natural flavor modifier – Tomato Boostract – works by amplifying flavor intensity and enhancing taste characteristics.
The Boostract line includes different variations for various applications, such as dairy, butter, coffee, chocolate, vanilla, cheese, and mushrooms.
These flavor modifiers can increase the flavor intensity and amplify the mouthfeel of the products, reportedly giving them a richer and more satisfying profile.
They can also ensure that the products deliver the same flavor sensations and characteristics as the original recipe while replacing taste characteristics lost during harvesting and production.
Hasegawa says that the Boostract technology is based on natural ingredients and complies with clean-label standards.
The company decided to develop the novel product as a response to soaring tomato prices across countries due to weather events such as droughts and floods that have damaged crops and reduced supply.
In the US state of California, limited crop supplies US due to record rains have shortened the planting season and diminished the supply of raw tomatoes.
Earlier this year, there was a shortage of tomatoes in the UK, which pushed pizza makers to get creative and find alternative bases such as asparagus or courgettes.
Italian tomato production was also decimated last year due to intense droughts resulting in shortages and higher prices in the European market.
“With supply shortages increasing the cost of tomato products, Tomato Boostract is a perfect solution to amplify the fresh, bold natural flavor and texture while decreasing reliance on tomato paste,” says Jim Yang, VP of R&D at T. Hasegawa.
“Our mission at T. Hasegawa is to not only improve the taste of foods and beverages but also to solve production challenges through innovative technologies.”
Hasegawa says it uses three technologies to develop its product: extraction, enzyme, and thermal reaction. Depending on the product application, these mechanisms are used alone or in various combinations.
The product is in both liquid and powder form and is available in dairy and non-dairy versions.
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