Kancor celebrates gaining IFT Food Expo honours
Indian-based ingredients business Kancor has celebrated winning an Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Food Expo Innovation award in Chicago, America, for its refined anti-oxidant, OxiKan CL.
The company’s rosemary-based ingredient has been developed to extend the shelf life of products including confectionery, without imparting colour, flavor or aroma-even at dosages up to 400 ppm.
Kancor claimed its award for applying its latest ingredient to popcorn, though its application range is said to hold potential for a number of snack-based items.
As the company explained, rosemary extract has been regarded as a popular natural anti-oxidant among the consumers in North America and Europe due to its familiarity and acceptance as a common culinary ingredient.
Consequently, extracts of the herb, when used as an anti-oxidant, imparts flavour, aroma and colour to the end applications. This, explained the business, poses a challenge and was always considered a major limitation by food processors in using it in pre-packaged foods. Rosemary extracts are thus not preferred for sensitive food matrices which are sensitive to flavour and colour.
However, Kancor responded with its latest fully refined natural anti-oxidant solution, which the company felt had represented a significant research and development breakthrough.
The business has a long history in global spice extraction, with roots to the trade that extend to 1857, to Cochin, which is said to be the spice capital of the world.
Partnering with French flavour and fragrance firm V Mane Fils, Kancor continues to specialise in complete food ingredient solutions, right from sourcing of raw materials, extraction, research, formulation, testing and final delivery.