This month, the nutraceutical community will once again head to Geneva for one of the most important trade shows in the calendar: Vitafoods. The Ocean Spray team will be exhibiting in the US Pavilion at booth US14 and we expect to see a great turn out as this year Vitafoods celebrates its 15th year of innovation. To further demonstrate Ocean Spray’s commitment to cranberry research, we will be revealing the latest study on the role the cranberry can potentially play in supporting whole body health. With a substantial bank of more than 50 years of scientific research on the subject, we anticipate that the new findings will help further our knowledge of the potential health benefits of the cranberry.The new research follows the recent publication of a study by Finnish researchers1, which shows that cranberry juice may reduce recurrences of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in children. The results found that, compared to placebo, regular drinking of cranberry juice limited the number of UTI recurrences in children by 43 percent and reduced the need for antibiotics to be taken by 34 percent - the equivalent of six days per patient a year. The cranberry is well-known for its role in maintaining urinary tract health in adult women, and these findings demonstrate that cranberry juice can also benefit younger patients who might otherwise face long-term antibiotic use. We look forward to sharing our latest advancements with the nutraceutical industry at this year’s show. Come and learn more about the North American cranberry and the years of research on its health benefits at the Vitafoods Conference, where Tom Jones is speaking about cranberry PACs and the latest health news. Keep reading our blog for the latest updates!   Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} [1] Salo et al. (2011) Clinical Infectious Diseases 54(3): 340-346

The beverages category remains strong; the European soft drinks market is seeing encouraging value growth as a result of the increasing demand for value-added 100% juices , while in the US, fruit drinks sales grew an impressive 22 per cent - from $6.3 billion in 2006 to $7.7 billion in 2011 .  Ocean Spray’s Ingredient Technology Group works together with drinks manufacturers to produce innovative, best-selling cranberry-based drinks. The cranberry’s unique sweet, tart taste and striking color make it a popular fruit ingredient in many new launches. From sparkling cranberry mixes to antioxidant rich healthful nectars, there is a cranberry ingredient to meet the specification.    In addition, cranberry combines extremely well with a number of other fruits, including apple, grape, and other berry juices such as raspberry thanks to its high acid profile. Recent cranberry blends have included clementine, rhubarb and acerola. Fruit blends such as these are a low risk way to diversify a beverage portfolio though the simple addition of cranberry.   Lifestyle developments have opened up opportunities within the beverage category itself. Subcategories such as smoothies have continued to grow, reflecting the time-pressured, health-conscious times we live in. Thanks to their portable format, smoothies have become a staple at the office as well as at school – an ideal way of ensuring kids get their daily consumption of fruit. Available all year round, cranberry concentrate and puree provide a perfect cranberry base for smoothies or nectars.    With summer approaching, thirsty consumers will be on the lookout for the next beverage. Ready-to-drink iced teas, sports drinks, flavored mineral waters and other soft drinks are becoming mainstream choices. The array of drinks available makes competition fierce, but also creates great opportunities for manufacturers to differentiate their product. Cranberry – with its desirable taste, vivid color and healthy image – presents a case in point.

The cranberry is well-known in Russia. The European variety (Vaccinium oxycoccos) is native to the country, but it is the North American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) that is behind a recent growth in the popularity of cranberry ingredients. In today’s post, we look at emerging applications and the latest trends amongst Russian consumers. The North American cranberry is a relatively recent introduction to the Russian market. Juicy and process tolerant, the fruit has encouraged manufacturers to use cranberry ingredients in new and interesting applications. More than 40 products containing cranberry have been launched in the past two years1 and the distinctive red color and sweet, tart flavor make cranberry ingredients a hit with consumers. Sales of sweetened dried cranberries are on the rise and Russia is one of the largest markets for frozen cranberries.   Snacking is a growing trend and trail mixes are extremely popular in Russia as a result. The cakes and pastries market is now worth in excess of RUB 70 billion2 and there is rising demand for premium baked goods as disposable incomes increase and consumers look for greater variety. Recent launches include snack, cereal and confectionary applications and we are continuing to work with our customers to develop new product ideas.  Watch this space as we share these success stories with you on this blog!   1 Mintel GNDP, February 2010 – February 2012 2 Mintel, Bread, Bakery and Cakes – March 2012

With the arrival of Spring, people in many parts of the world are looking ahead to Easter. As with many holidays, traditional foods play an important role in celebrations and this is particularly the case in Eastern Europe.  In Poland, Easter means mazurek and babka wielkanocna - traditional cakes that are often baked with dried fruit. In the Czech Republic there are similar local specialties, such as mazanec and babovka cake. Manufacturers are on the lookout for new ingredients to make their baked goods extra special. Although the North American cranberry was introduced to the Eastern European market only a few years ago, the fruit is already well established. Consumers perceive cranberry ingredients as fresh and exciting, and already associate cranberry with health and wellbeing. Dried cranberry is beginning to appear where raisins and currants might traditionally be used and is creating a modern twist on traditional favorites.  Aside from baked goods, cranberry ingredients feature elsewhere on the Polish Easter breakfast and dinner table. Sitting alongside boiled egg, ham, sausages or roasted duck, horseradish is an essential part of the Easter meal – much like the role of cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving in the US. Manufacturers in Poland are starting to offer new versions of traditional staples and cranberry varieties of both horseradish sauce and grated horseradish have proven popular introductions. Whether with diced dried fruit to add texture, or using frozen cranberries to create a smooth sauce, the sweet, tart taste of cranberry complements the bitterness of horseradish well. There may be a few weeks left, but we’d like to be the first to wish you Wesołych Świąt Wielkanocnych, Veselé Velikonoce, Vesela Velka Noc… Happy Easter!

On March 8 - 11 this year we will be exhibiting at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California. We will be showcasing our extensive range of cranberry ingredients and demonstrating how they are suited to a variety of applications.  We look forward to meeting new and existing customers on stand, to discuss how our fruit inclusions can enhance their products. Customers will have the opportunity to taste our SDCs and BerryFusions® Fruits, which offer great taste and numerous processing benefits for manufacturers. Look for us in Hall 8, booth 3838.

Recently, we announced the collaboration between Ocean Spray Cranberries and Complete Phytochemical Solutions, LLC to improve the accuracy of quantifying proanthocyanidins (PACs) in cranberries. Tom Jones, senior manager, business development, outlines the importance of precise and accurate methods for the analysis of PACs and explains how this initiative will hopefully help to bring an end to the long-standing dispute in the cranberry industry. Why does PAC measurement matter? Decades of research have highlighted the role that the North American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) plays in promoting whole body health and wellness, but the fruit remains most famous for its role in helping to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections. Studies have shown that this unique property could be explained by the unusual A-type PACs in cranberry and this may “help reduce the adhesion of certain E. coli bacteria to the urinary tract walls[1]”. To establish efficacy guidelines for consumers and regulators, manufacturers must be able to measure accurately the PAC content of cranberry products. Standardized test materials also play an essential role in furthering cranberry research and allowing the accurate comparison and communication of PAC levels. Is this a proprietary method? No. The standards being developed will be commercially available to the cranberry industry worldwide, through Complete Phytochemical Solutions. What is the debate about? There are several methods for measuring PACs including gravimetric, colorimetric and HPLC methods. The scientific community is divided over how PAC content should be measured. The two most prevalent methodologies (BL-DMAC[2] and EuraCran) utilized by the cranberry industry for PAC quantification are both colorimetric methods, but they deliver significantly different results. Of these, the BL-DMAC method has gained favour, with key scientists and regulators recognizing it as a valid measurement of PACs. The cranberry naturally contains diverse sizes of PACs and is particularly abundant in medium to longer chain PACs. However, the BL-DMAC method can underestimate the PAC content in some cranberry products, due to the use of the low molecular mass procyanidin A-2 standard to quantify PACs of different sizes and lengths. What are you hoping to achieve through the new collaboration? We have consigned Complete Phytochemical Solutions, LLC, to take the BL-DMAC methodology to the next level through the development of cranberry based standards and a more sensitive quantitative measurement for cranberry PACs. Once completed, our intent is to make the standards available industry-wide with the hope that this improved methodology will be validated, embraced by the industry and become the accepted testing protocol for measuring PACs. [1] Howell et al. (2005) Phytochemistry 66:2281-91 [2] 4-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (Prior et al, 2010)

Look no further than chocolate and cranberries for the perfect marriage. A fruity inclusion in a growing number of confections, cranberries have conquered the hearts of  consumers around the world.  Deliciously distinguished, the cranberry-chocolate combo satisfies the desire for luxury while delivering the sought-after health benefits of the cranberry.  Our selection of sweetened dried cranberries and BerryFusions® Fruits lend themselves particularly well to bonbons and other types of coated candies.  For striking bars of chocolate, manufacturers can pair these fruit inclusions with naturally bitter dark chocolate to cause a stir within the confectionery segment.    Read our whitepaper to learn how to spread the love this February and differentiate your confections with cranberry.  

In today’s blog post, we journey to Japan to review the latest food and beverage trends and changing consumer behaviour following the devastating earthquake of March 2011. Keeping cool In the aftermath of the disaster and the subsequent damage to the nuclear power plants, the whole nation committed to reducing electricity consumption in an effort to avoid major blackouts. All businesses and households were asked to curb their electricity usage by 15 percent and, during the summer months, to minimize air conditioner (AC) usage. Room temperatures both in the workplace and at home were 2-4Cº higher than normal and people turned to the cold drinks to try and keep cool in the hot and humid Japanese summer. Beverages that are perceived as “refreshing”, “thirst quenching” or “cooling” flew off the supermarket shelves. Traditionally, the top four sub-categories for bottled beverages in Japan were Japanese tea, mineral water, sports drinks, and English tea. But in 2011, the popularity of sparkling drinks surpassed English tea due to their “refreshing” and “cooling” qualities. Many beverage manufacturers launched new products in the carbonated drinks category, including fruit-flavored water, sports/energy drinks and even carbonated green tea. With fruit flavors gaining momentum in the Japanese marketplace, cranberry beverages attracted plenty of consumer attention. ‘Tis the season to eat cranberry Cranberry ingredients also continue to be popular in the winter months, due to their association with the Western cuisine and culture that goes hand in hand with the Japanese celebration of Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Japanese consumers see the vivid red color of cranberry inclusions as emblematic of these seasonal festivities – and sales soar. Savvy manufacturers are tapping into this trend, with heart-shaped sweet treats marketed as romantic gifts for loved ones on Valentine’s Day or cranberry-adorned Yule logs offering a fresh twist on a sweet Christmas staple.  For example, last year the leading US coffeehouse outlet added four new cranberry products to its festive winter menu in Japan – with cranberry mocha proving a big hit.

During 2011, Mexico bucked the downward trend seen by many other economies and achieved 4% growth1. For the food industry, this means that we’ve seen innovation and variety once again top of the menu. Our favorite recent launches have included walnut, caramel and cranberry ice cream and chili-coated dried cranberries, inspired by the locally-beloved chili-coated dried mango.A strong influence on the Mexican food industry is health.  With the highest incidence of Type 2 diabetes in the world2, the snacking industry is pushing to make healthy eating more enjoyable. In a bid to fight obesity and other health-related issues, the Mexican government recently passed a law banning junk food in schools3. Food ingredients now need to be approved before they can be sold in schools.The concept of trail mix is fairly new in Mexico, but its popularity has grown quickly both on shelf and inside the school gates. Monopacks of dried fruit are also popular, as we’ve seen with sales of sweetened dried cranberries rising rapidly in the past twelve months. Dried cranberry is frequently featured in salad toppings and fruit-based desserts.The Cranberry Marketing Committee interviewed women in Mexico to find out more about their opinions on cranberry. More than half of cranberry purchasers (53%) stated that they bought cranberry products for their healthful properties4. Sales figures in the cereal and snack bar category reflect this demand; the most popular on-pack claim in 2011 was low/no/reduced calorie (20%). Low/no/reduced transfat was not far behind at 13% and vitamin-fortified was found on 11% of packs.Taken together, this shows that many Mexican consumers are health-savvy and looking for new, interesting ways to enjoy a varied diet. Ocean Spray will be at Fi South America this year to meet with manufacturers and discuss this growing market as well as the success of the cranberry in other parts of the world.   Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE [1] Industria Alimenticia Mexico con la formula perfecta September 2011 [2] Mintel GNPD [3] The Guardian Mexico bans junk food in schools May 2010 [4] Grupo PM Cranberries awareness and purchase intention among upper class women in Mexico City 2009

The Ocean Spray ingredients team has started 2012 in full swing. With the New Year comes a host of fresh opportunities for us to exhibit and we are looking forward to another successful year of trade shows.We will start the year by exhibiting in March at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California, where we will showcase our extensive range of cranberry ingredients and demonstrate how they are suited to a variety of applications.  We will be exhibiting in Hall 8, booth 3838.Following a successful show last year, we will once again be attending Vitafoods Europe in Geneva in May. The show has a strong nutraceutical focus and will highlight recent innovation in the industry. Popular with nutraceutical and functional food companies alike, we will be discussing the latest developments as we look to grow our presence in these markets.For the first time, Ocean Spray will be exhibiting at Food Ingredients South America (FiSA) in São Paolo, Brazil in September. The sister show of Food Ingredients Europe is gaining in popularity with food manufacturers, in line with the rapidly expanding food industry in South America. The area is already the sixth biggest market for functional foods in the world, and has seen health and functional foods grow by a rate of 13%1.    1. http://fi-southamerica.ingredientsnetwork.com/