Ethnic beverage development: a case study: a variety of hurdles must be overcome in the formulation and scale-up of products matching traditional foods from other countries

Dairy Foods, Oct, 2003 by Arlis Burney

For example, a genuine tamarind beverage has a texture that contains pulp and particulates; this was found to be unacceptable by many informal sensory participants. However, these characteristics were very acceptable for the Hispanic target audience. The texture assures consumers that the product is natural and made with authentic ingredients, not just colored or flavored water.

Sweeteners, Flavor, and Aroma

Different ethnic populations desire different levels and combinations of sweetness, flavor and aroma. To obtain the optimal sweetness level, sugar was utilized rather than high fructose corn syrup or other sweetener alternatives. It was imperative to get the right level of sugar while at the same time--getting the hibiscus flavor and aroma to come through.

A strong aroma and flavor combination was desired in Goldsmit's beverages. However, many ingredients contributed either aroma or flavor and merely combining individual ingredients did not always result in the desired profile. The ingredients tended to interact in a non-linear manner. Buffering agents and/or acidifiers that could help balance a flavor profile were not used because these ingredients are not found in the traditional home-style Mexican beverages.

Sensory Analysis

Rather than relying on individual taste preferences, it is crucial to select the appropriate ethnic panel when conducting consumer and sensory testing. This is true especially when a product primarily is made at home and the individual family recipes vary.

Manufacturing and Processing

During the development process, it became apparent that the processing parameters were significantly different than those lot typical beverages. As a result, the selection of co-packers required a more in-depth search. The tamarind's extra pulp and texture led to concerns about equipment clogging, reaching required temperatures and the availability of continuous agitation. Foaming also became an issue because anti-foaming agents did not yield results normally achieved with other products.

With the Center's assistance, Goldsmit, president of Eat Inc. (Chapel Hill, N.C.), overcame the challenges of developing his Hispanic beverages and now has two beverages in the marketplace, Agua de Jamaica and Agua Tamarindo, both sold under the Canita[TM] brand.

The UNL Food Processing Center continues to assist Goldsmit with marketing and technical assistance and sampled Agua de Jamaica at the July 2003 IFT Food Expo in Chicago.

A version of this article appeared in Prepared Foods magazine.