Dairy Processing - May/June 2024 - 22

Despite the
fluctuation
of any given
moment,
Americans are
still investing in
their personal
health, and
with increasing
interest in the
environment,
organic is the
answer. "
Tom Chapman, Organic
Trade Association
mind, organic sugars provide permission
to consume at a time when some view
sugar negatively.
Approximately three out of four consumers
try to limit or avoid sugars to improve their
diet in general, according to the 2023 Food
and Health Survey from International Food
Information Council, Washington. Still, sugar
remains the preferred sweetener choice over
low- and no-calorie sweeteners. Enter organic.
Organic cane sugar, the most common, comes
in forms such as brown, confectioners, turbinado
and white. Brazil-based Natíve, one of the
largest global producers of organic cane sugar, is
adding value to its product portfolio with a new
regenerative organic certified cane sugar.
The certification was made possible because
of the company's Green Cane Project. It focuses
on soil health and biodiversity and integrates
sustainability at all levels of the operation,
according to the company. Green cane
harvesting is accomplished by using mechanical
harvesters to separate the sugar cane leaves and
tops from the sugar-bearing stalk. The process
replaces the destructive practice of burning
sugar cane fields.
While organic cane sugar is trending
in new product development, it's organic
coconut sugar that is garnering the attention
of food formulators. It is a natural sugar made
from coconut palm sap, which is the sugary
circulating fluid of the coconut plant. It is not
palm sugar, which is similar but made from a
different type of palm tree.
22 MAY-JUN 2024 | DAIRYPROCESSING.COM
Coconut sugar is made through a twostep
process that is simple and appeals to the
better-for-you consumer. A cut is made on the
flower of the coconut palm. The liquid sap is
then collected into containers and heated until
most of the water has evaporated. The end
product is brown and resembles granulated raw
cane sugar.
Coconut sugar's claim to fame is that it
retains some of the minerals and phytonutrients
found in the palm tree. And while it contains the
same four calories per gram as other sugars, it
has been shown to have a lower glycemic index.
When it comes to finished products being
developed with organic ingredients, baby and
toddler foods are big. Serenity Kids, Austin,
Texas, a marketer of shelf-stable baby and
toddler foods, is rolling out World Explorer
Pouches, which offer an international twist to
standard baby food, according to the company.
The meat-based line provides a culinary
adventure honoring dishes from around the
world, including Argentina, Japan, India, the
Mediterranean, Mexico and Thailand. The World
Explorers line is formulated with regeneratively
farmed meats and organic vegetables, herbs
and spices. Varieties include free-range chicken
coconut curry, grass-fed beef chimichurri and
wild-caught salmon teriyaki.
THE REGENERATIVE ANGLE
Across all organic ingredients and whole foods,
the topic of sustainability has entered the
conversation, as sourcing ingredients farmed
©Clara-stock.adobe.com
http://www.DAIRYPROCESSING.COM
Dairy Processing - May/June 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dairy Processing - May/June 2024
