Instore - July 2018 - 41

New uses
Payne says liquid products such as purees,
puree concentrate and juice concentrate are
being marketed in easy-to-use packs, including aseptic packs that are perfect for beverages, toppings, brewing and all sorts of applications.
Low-moisture products - freeze-dried and
microwave-dried powders, flakes and whole
berries, for example - are used to give flavor
and color to bakery items, especially extruded items like pasta, pizza dough and more.

"We believe that a 'blueberry
product' needs to have a
pronounced blueberry taste and
also blueberries must be visible."

the Wild Blueberry Beef Bar from Krave as
well as creative on-the-go cereal bars, like
Clif Fruit Smoothie Bars and Wild Blueberry
Acai Fruit-Filled Smoothie Bars.
And while blueberries are a staple in many
breakfasts, whether on their own or in pancakes and muffins, Collins notes a completely new way the fruit is being used in
the mornings - Al Fresco's Wild Blueberry
Chicken Breakfast Sausage.

Cost control
As with any other ingredient, commissaries
and bakeries must deal with the cost of using blueberries as inclusions and flavorings.
But skimping, Payne says, might not be
worth it.

ideal ration can be achieved with a minimum
of 30 percent of the total flour weight, all the
way up to 50 percent. More than that, he
says, and the formula can get too dense.

"A lot of the major food processing companies are declaring an end to artificial colors
and flavors," Payne says. "This is where the
natural solutions have been utilized. The convenience makes the extra cost worthwhile."

"We believe that a 'blueberry product' needs
to have a pronounced blueberry taste and
also blueberries must be visible," he says.
"Consumers are looking for real blueberries
that show up on the outside and inside and
also they want to taste the blueberry immediately."

"Even at 50 percent weight, it requires just a
handful of blueberries and this is just a minor part of the ingredient cost," Payne says.
"I have talked to bakers who have told me
they tried to alter the formulas to use less
and the resulting consumer complaints were
not worth the savings."

When it comes to innovative products, Collins points out fruit leathers and jerkies, like

Using the blueberry muffin as an example,
Payne says USHBC research shows that the

Collins touts the wild blueberry's intense
flavor and smaller size as a way to control
ingredient cost.

THOMAS PAYNE, U.S. HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRY COUNCIL

"Many foodservice professionals are learning that frozen wild blueberries deliver 25
percent more servings per pound than frozen
regular blueberries. So you not only get more
whole berries in every cup, you get more
cups in every 30-pound case and more berries
in every bite," he says. "Smaller wild blueberries better maintain their shape, deep blue
color and intense blueberry taste throughout
cooking and baking for better-looking and
better-tasting finished products."

Smaller wild blueberries can maintain shape, color and intense flavor, according to the
company that markets the fruit. Photo: Wild Blueberries

commissary INSIDER * JULY 2018 * 41

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