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GOURMET NEWS MARCH 2015 www.gourmetnews.com GENERAL NEWS 8 Diplomatic Continued from PAGE 1 USACC has doubled since December, with the organization continuing to add new members on a daily basis. In 2014, the 10 largest U.S.-produced agricultural exports to Cuba included chicken, soybeans and soybean oil, corn, animal feed, herbicides, pork, turkey, soups and broths, and bakery products. Experts predict that as trade opens up between the two countries, there will be particular growth in exports of corn, soy, wheat, rice, dairy, beef and chicken to the island as well as significant growth in exports of processed foods. "Economic development is freedom. As Cuba is allowed to trade with the United States, they are going to be able to benefit from that," said Johnson. "Individual busi- ness owners in Cuba are going to benefit as we are allowed to send more capital to Cuba. They will be able to sell more of their goods with increased trade." Expatriates and aficionados of Cuban food and culture in this country are already salivating over the possibility of getting ac- cess to products that have long been ex- cluded from the U.S. market as a consequence of the trade embargo. Al- ready, the United States has slowly begun easing the ban on Cuban cigars. U.S. visi- tors to the island are now permitted to re- turn home with $100 in cigars per person. U.S. food retailers also have a lot to look forward to from the Caribbean island, as many of the country's most popular exports are of the edible variety. The country is known for its outstanding rum, coffee, seafood, fruit and baked goods, as well as for its raw sugar and honey. "We are talking about two-way trade. That is currently not allowed in the U.S.," said Johnson. "We want to import what Cuba is doing really well – organic fruits and vegeta- bles, herbal medicines, tobacco, rum, citrus, coffee. Those are products we are going to be able to import from Cuba. This is going to be helping out individual Cubans as well." Cuban-American writer Ana Sofia Peláez, author of The Cuban Table: A Cel- ebration of Food, Flavors, and History, however, is not convinced that the change in U.S.-Cuban relations will ultimately yield much of an impact for the American food scene. For her, Cuban food and ingre- dients have been popular in this country for decades, and she does not anticipate an immediate influx of new Cuban-produced edibles into this country that are not al- ready available here. "In South Florida, there's very little that you can't get ... There really isn't any one thing that you will now be able to import that hasn't been here already," said Peláez. "Cuban food has been such a big part of [the American food scene], something that people know of and people want to try. As far as food goes -- I don't think it's going to be as before-and-after as other things to do with this change in policy." For Peláez, she has not had trouble accessing these Cuban commodities, at least in South Florida, where she grew up, or in New York City, where she currently resides. Peláez points out that, in Cuba, all food is essentially owned and distributed by the state. This means that there are no big Cuban specialty food brands that are avail- able on the island but not currently being distributed in the United States. "The pro- ducer ... is the Cuban state. There aren't private food companies that put out a good product that have pulled away from the pack. Nobody has reallly distinguished themselves. There's no branding yet," she said. As such, it is commodities like Cuban coffee and tropical fruit that expatriates to this country crave, not specific brands they miss from their homeland. GN Probiotic Food Continued from PAGE 1 bacteria from growing in the intestines. While there are many types of probiotics, some strains have proven particularly ben- eficial when isolated from the gut. And pro- biotics given orally as a solution have been shown to help certain kinds of diarrhea, constipation and inflammatory bowel dis- ease. In terms of general immunity, oral probiotics have been demonstrated to de- crease the number of sick days taken from work. Probiotics are particularly sturdy and thrive in acidic environments, allowing the organisms to withstand the digestive acid of the stomach, and colonize the colon, as demonstrated in studies of orally ingested supplements. The fermentation process that yields some probiotics, for example, curing cab- bage into sauerkraut, works by creating a lactic acid environment that kills harmful organisms while leaving probiotic strains intact. Fermentation originated thousands of years ago as a means of preserving food. During fermentation, probiotic organisms also partially digest the food being cured. This makes for easier digestion when the food is eaten. While a significant amount of research has demonstrated the health benefits of orally ingested probiotic solutions, the sci- ence of food-based probiotics, including both fermented foods and probiotics-for- tified foods, is less clear. One encouraging example, however, is sauerkraut, which has been shown to have an effect in pre- venting and healing breast cancer. This is according to a study by the American Cen- ter for Cancer Research. In separate re- search, an anti-cancer agent has been isolated from the fermented cabbage. In general, however, food manufacturers that produce probiotic foods typically use pro- biotic strains that have proven to have health-enhancing benefits in non-food probiotics studies. As the field of probiotic food is an emerging area of research, many ques- tions remain to be answered. If food- based probiotics are indeed shown to promote health, is there a difference be- tween fermented foods like sauerkraut and yogurt and probiotics-fortified foods like chocolate and granola bars, for exam- ple? While fortified foods typically con- tain one to three strains of probiotics, sauerkraut contains many strains, which occur naturally and could possibly pro- vide synergistic health benefits. Sauer- kraut also contains naturally high levels of vitamins C and K and other nutrients. It is possible these nutrients enhance the effect of the probiotics. While the science of probiotic foods is evolving, research has indicated that there are some clear benefits. While these bene- fits are more well-established when it comes to fermented foods, with additional research needed when it comes to the health benefits of the newer types of probi- otics-fortified foods, the field does look promising. And even with the lack of sci- entific evidence supporting their health claims, consumers are still gobbling up these products. Overall, the probiotic foods category has grown by about 50 percent in each of the last two years, putting it in the top five fastest-growing natural foods cate- gories. While new fortified foods continue to emerge as top sellers, the more traditional, fermented probiotic foods like sauerkraut and kefir continue to show strong sales year after year as well. Perennially popular foods among consumers hungry for probi- otics include kimchi, tempeh, miso soup, kombucha tea and yogurt. Kathryn Lukas, founder and CEO of Cal- ifornia sauerkraut manufacturer Farm- house Culture, reports that her business has doubled its sales in each of the last five years. Available in six flavors and sold na- tionwide in Whole Foods, Sprouts and smaller chain and independent natural and gourmet markets, the company has capital- ized on the probiotic trend, but also con- tributed to its growth by offering unique flavors that appeal to more than just the longtime sauerkraut lover. "Our Garlic Dill Pickle Kraut, that's our 'gateway' kraut," Lukas said. "Most people like dill pickles. People who think they don't like sauerkraut will try that one, and they love it." Other flavors from Farm- house Culture include smoked jalapeño, ginger beet, horseradish leek, kimchi and caraway. With consumers demanding unique fla- vors in all food categories, makers of tradi- tional probiotic foods are stepping up their game as well to provide fresh tastes. "What's really exciting is to help people get healthy foods in their diets, because the food tastes good," said Lukas. "I want to create culinary profiles that appeal to a re- ally broad base of people." Producers of traditional fermented foods support newcomers to the probiotic foods market, saying that the unique new forti- fied products on store shelves are actually helping to bolster sales of their yogurt, sauerkraut and others products. "I think it helps build awareness," said Ron Marks, President of AtlantaFresh Artisan Cream- ery. "There's this dynamic of the rising tide lifting all the boats." Marks' company offers both the old and the new, with 10 flavors of Greek style yogurt; probiotics-rich cream cheese, salad dressing and heavy whipping cream; as well as six flavors of the company's unique probi- otic-containing Wheymonade juicy drink. Although food labels typi- cally do not make specific health claims for probiotics, many consumers, including those suffering from certain ailments like inflammatory bowel disease, attest that pro- biotics can have a positive overall effect. "When you start eating it, what happens is you feel better. You don't know why exactly, but it has sort of an addictive quality," said Lukas. On the probiotics-fortified side, one product category in particular that consumers are clamoring for is probiotics-rich beverages. Boulder, Colorado-based GoodBelly has drawn in a devoted customer base with its cultured coconut water and probiotic juice drinks. Cassie Gallagher, Digital Marketing Man- ager for GoodBelly's parent company, NextFoods, said, "The key is for people to find what works best for them, and we're here to help them do that. The juice drinks have generated such positive feedback. People talk about how great they're feeling and having more energy, among other things." Udi's, known for its line of gluten-free products, approaches the probiotic market from a different angle, introducing gut health-promoting probiotics into gluten- free foods. The company's Ancient Grain Granola Bars with Probiotics, now in their second year on the market, are experienc- ing strong sales. The granola bar is one of three gluten-free, nutritionally fortified bars offered by Udi's. "Our customers have told us they're looking for products that are a little bit healthier, that have added nutritional ben- efits," said Denise Sirovatka, Udi's Vice President and General Manager. "Different benefits can kind of ebb and flow in the market, but with everything that's going on with gut health, I think we'll see that [the probiotic trend] continues to be something that companies really try to leverage with new products." Auburn Dairy Products in Washington State is another company benefitting from the synergistic introduction of pro- biotics into products designed for those with a specific dietary restriction. The company has been making probiotic- containing, lactose-free yogurt since 2009. Since debuting its low-fat, organic and decadent milk-cream varieties of lac- tose-free Yami Yogurt, sales have been strong. "People are understanding the importance of probiotic cultures," said General Manager Jerry Dinsmore. "They're better educated now about the good probiotics do for you." GN

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