Eats Meets West Global innovations in food and beverage A blog by Nagase America

Not all beers are created equal.  This is something Scott Helstad, technical services manager at Cargill, knows well.  A seasoned industry veteran, Scott has spent over 28 years working with some of the world’s largest beer companies and is also an avid beer aficionado himself.  Scott recently presented some interesting new research on flavor enhancement …

From Millennials to the aging population, U.S. consumers are increasingly looking for new types of beverages with functional benefits, beyond their traditional favorites. In fact, according to Mintel, two thirds of Americans (67%) sometimes or frequently purchase new/different beverages*. However, with an increasing number of beverage alternatives available, how do formulators develop “better-for-you” beverages that will stand out from …

TREHA® trehalose is a multi-functional ingredient with many benefits in food and beverage formulations.  From improving the flavor of functional beverages to protecting probiotics during stress conditions, TREHA® can help food formulators solve a variety of challenges in multiple applications.  Below is a teaser of the top three reasons, and to learn all of them download the full list! …

What will be hot in Japan in 2016?  With a large staff of food application specialists and scientists in Japan, we asked our colleagues to give us their insights on the top food and beverage trends in Japan in 2016.  Here are our top three picks: 1.  Unique Ice Cream and Frozen Treats From 2005 …

As the year comes to an end, we focus on important things, such as spending time with family and friends, keeping warm, and reflecting on the past year and the year to come.  Unfortunately, we also spend a lot of time loosening our belts after eating too much at holiday meals.  It is no surprise …

Tucked away in Tokyo, restaurant Yoroshiku Sushi serves up premium sushi to customers. Heading the restaurant is Chef Hidenobu Meguro, a veteran sushi expert and author of an encyclopedic book on sushi preparation (Sushi no Gijutsu Taizen).  Over many years of preparing sushi, Meguro has fine-tuned the art of sushi, delighting customers’ taste buds with …

The deserts of the Southwestern United States are some of the hottest and driest areas in the country.  In these harsh conditions, diverse flora and fauna flourish, many with unique adaptations to their surroundings.  One of these organisms is Selaginella lepidophylla, also known as the resurrection plant, which has evolved the ability to survive extreme …

The avocado trend is popping up in unique products worldwide.  This month, both McDonalds Japan and Burger King Japan launched avocado-containing sandwiches.  Positioned for breakfast, the avocado toast from McDonalds is avocado, ham, lettuce and a spicy sauce on an English muffin.  The avocado fish sandwich from Burger King Japan is a fried fish filet …

The Tropical Pineapple Bites we served at IFT15 this year were not just your average pineapple snacks. The bites were made from pineapple core, much to the surprise of the people who tasted them. These fruit bites not only had a juicy texture, with a sweet-tangy flavor, but also highlighted a trend popular with consumers: …

Watch our new video to discover how TREHA® trehalose can help formulators meet consumers’ desires for improved freshness, flavor and texture.  A unique ingredient found in nature, trehalose has multi-functional benefits for a wide range of applications … from beverages to bakery and more! Hungry for more information?  Follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter or subscribe to our …