How can you use new food ingredients?

1 What are new food ingredients?

New food ingredients are any substances that are added to food to enhance its flavor, texture, appearance, nutrition, or shelf life. They can be derived from natural sources, such as plants, animals, fungi, or algae, or from synthetic processes, such as fermentation, extraction, or modification. Some examples of new food ingredients are plant-based proteins, alternative sweeteners, probiotics, edible insects, and molecular gastronomy ingredients.

2 Why use new food ingredients?

Using new food ingredients can have various advantages for both consumers and producers. For consumers, new food ingredients can offer more variety, convenience, health benefits, or ethical choices. For example, plant-based proteins can provide more options for vegetarians and vegans, alternative sweeteners can reduce sugar intake and calories, probiotics can improve gut health and immunity, and edible insects can provide a sustainable and nutritious source of protein. For producers, new food ingredients can help them create new products, improve quality and safety, reduce costs and waste, or meet consumer demand and preferences.

3 How to use new food ingredients?

Using new food ingredients can also pose some challenges and require some adjustments. For instance, new food ingredients may have different properties, interactions, or effects than traditional ones, which can affect the taste, texture, color, aroma, or stability of the final product. Therefore, it is important to understand the food chemistry fundamentals behind the new food ingredients and how they work with other ingredients and processing methods. Additionally, new food ingredients may have different regulations, labeling, or safety requirements, depending on the country or region where they are used. Therefore, it is advisable to check the legal and ethical aspects of the new food ingredients before using them.

4 How to find new food ingredients?

One way to find new food ingredients is to look for them in specialized stores, online platforms, or catalogs that offer a wide range of products from different sources and categories. Another way is to follow the latest research, publications, or news in the field of food science and technology, which can provide insights into the development, innovation, and application of new food ingredients. A third way is to network with other food professionals, such as chefs, food scientists, nutritionists, or food bloggers, who can share their experiences, recommendations, or recipes using new food ingredients.

5 How to experiment with new food ingredients?

One of the most fun and creative aspects of using new food ingredients is to experiment with them in your own kitchen. You can start by trying some simple recipes that use new food ingredients as substitutes, additions, or enhancements to familiar dishes. For example, you can make a burger with a plant-based patty, a cake with a sugar-free frosting, a yogurt with a probiotic culture, or a salad with some crispy crickets. You can also try some more advanced techniques that use new food ingredients to create novel textures, shapes, or sensations, such as spherification, foams, gels, or emulsions. For example, you can make a caviar-like pearls with fruit juice, a whipped cream with soy lecithin, a gelatinous cube with agar-agar, or a creamy sauce with xanthan gum.

6 How to evaluate new food ingredients?

Finally, after experimenting with new food ingredients, you may want to evaluate their performance, quality, and acceptability. You can do this by using some objective methods, such as measuring the physical, chemical, or nutritional properties of the new food ingredients and the products made with them. For example, you can measure the pH, viscosity, moisture, protein, or sugar content of the new food ingredients and compare them with the standard ones. You can also use some subjective methods, such as conducting sensory tests, surveys, or feedback sessions with yourself or other people who taste the products made with the new food ingredients. For example, you can rate the appearance, flavor, texture, or overall liking of the products and collect some comments or suggestions for improvement.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?