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Fo o d M a g i c D a i l y 7 Tu e s d a y, J u n e 2 4 , 2 0 1 4 PLT HEALTH SOLUTIONS PROVIDES WELLMUNE WGP TO U.S. FOOD, BEVERAGE, SUPPLEMENT MAKERS Consistent with its history of providing scientifically supported, natural solutions for manufacturers who want to develop products targeted at key consumer bene- fits, PLT Health Solutions is proud to offer Wellmune WGP. This ingredient for immune support has undergone a rigor- ous peer-reviewed, published clinical research program, unmatched in the functional food and nutraceuticals indus- try. Wellmune WGP is beta 1,3/1,6 glu- can derived from a proprietary strain of baker's yeast that is clinically proven to prime key immune cells that serve as a first line of defense to keep the body healthy. Nine clinical studies provide sci- entific support for health claims related to maintaining immune health even dur- ing times of physical or lifestyle stress. The body of research demonstrates reproducible physical health benefits along with correlating biomarkers. One area of exciting innovation around Wellmune WGP benefits is in sports nutrition. It is well known that high-intensity exercise can compro- mise the body's defenses. Staying healthy is critical for effective training for athletes, and studies consistently demonstrate that Wellmune WGP can help support the overall health of an athlete by providing immune benefits. Wellmune WGP offers a unique approach for athletes to maintain health and optimize training. This unique food, beverage and sup- plement ingredient has regulatory approval around the world, including GRAS status in the U.S. and novel foods approval in Europe and China. It is also patented, kosher, halal, non-allergenic and GMO-free. In addition to receiving an IFT Innovation Award, Wellmune has received a SupplySide West Scientific Excellence Award, a Frost & Sullivan Excellence in Research Award and the 2013 Nutraceutical Business & Technology Award. For more information, go to www.plthealth.com, email plt@plthealth .com, call 973-984-0900 or stop by booth 4941. PURE SUN DRIED TOMATOES: DELICIOUS FLAVOR, PURE AND SIMPLE By Deepak Singh, National Sales Manager, Culinary Farms Culinary Farms' new Pure Sun Dried™ Tomatoes deliver rich, dried tomato flavor and does it safely without preservatives. Prepared from fresh, sun-ripened Roma- type tomatoes, our Pure Sun Dried Tomatoes are washed with microbiologi- cally controlled water, dried under con- trolled conditions and naturally sun dried. Like all Culinary Farms tomatoes, they are sourced from farms in northern California. Conventional sun dried tomatoes are treated with salt or sulfur dioxide as a preservative prior to drying. Culinary Farms has been producing dried toma- toes for nearly two decades and we use sulfur dioxide to preserve our conven- tional sun dried tomatoes. Pure Sun Dried was developed to offer health-con- scious consumers an all-natural sun dried tomato that is free from preservatives. Our proprietary process eliminates the need for a preservative and retains the consumer-understood sun dried name. Pure Sun Dried Tomatoes have many healthy qualities, including no fat, no cholesterol and low in calories. They are a natural source of iron and vitamins C, A, B1 and K; potassium, niacin and fiber. They also have 12 times more lycopene, a potent antioxidant, than a raw tomato, and contain high levels of umami, which plays an important role in making food taste delicious. Pure Sun Dried offers food proces- sors and foodservice operators a high- quality dried tomato and distinct label- ing advantages. Pure Sun Dried can be labeled as sun dried, natural, no salt and sulfite free. It simplifies product sourc- ing and inventory for food processors, allowing them to use one product for both conventional and natural, healthier food applications instead of two types of dried tomatoes. Pure Sun Dried comes in the full range of cuts – from powder to halves. It is also available as frozen paste that is all natural and preservative free. The paste format is excellent for use in bases, soups and sauces to deliver the distinct sun dried tomato flavor, but without salt or the tangy/sour taste from typical acid type preservatives. Culinary Farms new Pure Sun Dried Tomatoes are a perfect fit for healthy foods. See and taste new Pure Sun Dried Tomatoes at booth 1535. For complete information on Culinary Farms products and capabilities, visit www.culinary- farms.com, call 916-375-3000 or email dsingh@culinaryfarms.com. UP-AND-COMING GLOBAL CUISINES LOOKING TO CAPTURE AMERICAN PALATES By Lucas Witman Until the 1930s, few Americans had ever tasted a taco or burrito, but since then, Mexican cuisine has become a ubiquitous staple in this country. Likewise, before the 1980s, most American diners would have found it appalling to sit down to a plate of raw fish and rice, but today it seems that there is a sushi bar on every urban street corner. And living in a country with 43,000 Chinese restaurants, it can be easy to forget that there was once a time when the cuisine of China was about as foreign to American eaters as the cuisine of Mars. Throughout American history, palates (and, subsequently, the foods American cooks place on their dinner tables) have constantly evolved. There are a variety of reasons for this, including the effects of immigration, American travel abroad, the careful marketing of global cuisines in this country and the simple transformation of tastes. It is understood that the dishes most popular with one generation are almost certain to be differ- ent from those most beloved by the next. With American palates shifting so rapidly, and with the potential rewards for staying on top of the trends so great, many are motivated to shape and predict what will be the next big thing in global cuisine. Polish Cuisine Attracting Adventurous Gourmands According to the American Community Survey, there are currently almost 10 mil- lion Polish Americans living in the United States, making up 3.3 percent of the total population. In Wisconsin and Michigan, over 9 percent of the popula- tion is of Polish descent. As the Polish population in this country is burgeoning, so is the importation of goods from Poland. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, between 2010 and 2013, the value of goods imported into this country from Poland increased 65.5 percent. International travel to Poland is also up (over 12 percent since 2009), and Americans make up the second largest group of visitors to the country after the French. The cuisine of Poland has become one of the draws bringing American tourists to the country. In part due to the success of high end gourmet Polish eateries, such as Warsaw's Atelier Amaro, the first restaurant in Poland to receive the Michelin rising star award, hungry food tourists are flocking to Eastern Europe to taste indigenous Polish ingredients prepared with 21st century techniques. According to Tomasz Piszczek, founder of Polish specialty food compa- ny Polska Foods, Inc., the increasing popularity of Poland as a destination for food tourists and of Polish food more generally in this country is the result of Polish chefs going back to the country's pre-communist roots and re-inventing the national cuisine with an eye toward freshness and flavor. "During the com- munists, the Polish kitchen used a lot of salt, fat and black pepper to increase the flavor. You didn't have too many spices. It was difficult to get access to tradition- al ingredients such as cloves, anise, figs, cinnamon, saffron, walnuts, almonds, and nutmeg," said Piszczek. Piszczek explained that contempo- rary chefs specializing in Polish cuisine approach the country's food traditions in a different way. "The new generation in Poland right now is bringing back their culinary heritage of the past centuries— food with exquisite flavor that was influ- enced by Italian Queen Bona in the 16th century in Poland, who brought culinary lavishness to the Polish court," he said. "As the new generation returns to old tra- ditions, and as more people travel to Poland, many are rediscovering Polish cuisine that artfully blends many European flavors into one celebrated dish, setting the record straight for future generations." According to Piszczek, this modern Polish cuisine features a wide variety of spices, vegetables, seeds and nuts, and this is the Polish cuisine he sees growing in popularity among U.S. eaters. Malaysian Tastemakers Looking to Capitalize on American Love of Fusion The American love affair with fusion cui- sine goes back at least to the 1970s, when increased U.S. trade with Asian countries led to an explosion of American eateries specializing in Japanese or Chinese deli- cacies, but with a distinctly Western twist. Asian fusion continues to be popu- lar throughout the United States, along with a plethora of other fusion cuisines from Tex-Mex to Louisiana Creole to California cuisine. As Americans contin- ue to go crazy for fusion, another exotic fusion cuisine could be on deck to cap- ture consumer interest in this country: Malaysian cuisine. For Americans who are often so enamored with the combination of dis- parate global flavors, ingredients and techniques, the fusion cuisine of Malaysia seems tailor-made for the coun- try's food-obsessed populace. Malaysian cuisine represents the unique coalescence of Indian, Chinese, Thai, Portuguese, Continued on Page 10