Date: July 28-August 1 2007

BRING ON THE BERRYFUSIONS™ FRUITS

Ocean Spray ITG, IFT Chicago, July 28 – August 1, booth 3713

World-leading cranberry cooperative, Ocean Spray ITG, is showcasing its innovative range of BerryFusions™ Fruits at this year’s IFT exhibition in Chicago. Allowing manufacturers to include process-tolerant fruit pieces in a variety of natural flavors, BerryFusions™ Fruits can be used in a wide variety of applications such as baked goods, cereal and trail mixes.

Also on display is Ocean Spray ITG’s range of sweetened dried cranberries (SDCs), including the less sugar, high fiber SDC, suitable for low calorie and lite applications, and the cost-effective diced and double diced SDCs, which allow manufacturers to choose the format they require to optimize cranberry piece count in items such as baked goods and granola bars.

While the ultimate attractions of cranberry ingredients for manufacturers are supreme versatility and process tolerance, the health benefits of the cranberry are a major pull for consumers.

Recent research continues to support cranberry’s health story.   Cranberry PACs anti-adhesion activity is primarily due to their unique A-type structure. While some other foods only contain the more-common B-type PACs, it is cranberry’s A-type PACs that are responsible for this anti-adhesion mechanism of action. Since cranberry PACs also function as antioxidants, they provide a dual anti-adhesion and antioxidant health benefit. With more PACs and antioxidants per gram than most fruit, cranberries ward off certain bacteria and bolster the body’s defenses against free radical damage that can contribute to many chronic diseases including heart disease.
 
Ocean Spray ITG’s health milestones brochure, designed to explain the vast number of studies providing support of cranberry’s health benefits, presents this recent study as well as a wealth of other research findings in a concise, at-a-glance guide. Copies are available either at the booth, or by emailing oceansprayteam@bdb.co.uk.

Arun Hiranandani, senior manager, worldwide marketing at Ocean Spray ITG comments: “IFT is a great opportunity for us to show manufacturers how they can add value to their products easily and cost-effectively, and equally to talk to them about their new product development needs. At Ocean Spray ITG, we constantly strive to develop new products that enable manufacturers to meet consumer demands and respond to market trends. The introduction of the less sugar, high fiber sweetened dried cranberry enables manufacturers to meet demand for healthier products, and we are constantly developing new BerryFusions flavors to reflect evolving taste preferences.”

Representatives from Ocean Spray ITG are available at booth number 3713 to offer expert advice on the wide range of cranberry applications in food, beverage and nutraceutical products.