Can you convert puree to powder without losing potency?

With a highly functional food ingredient, this start-up needed to create a format the food industry desired 

The Opportunity

Crush Dynamics was meeting the growing demand for clean label products. Their grape-derived ingredient was turning heads for its ability to improve taste, aroma, appearance and even shelf life. Some food formulators were able to reduce their sugar content by as much as 50%. The challenge was to provide the ingredient in a more versatile format so that more manufacturers could take advantage of its benefits. 

The Challenge

Crush Dynamics had been working with a fermentation-based process to create their highly functional puree. But many food formulators were looking for a powder to more easily incorporate into their recipes and their manufacturing equipment and processes. Crush needed to test their process for drying the puree, and ensure that the resulting powder held all its functionality and properties and would deliver all its benefits to the resulting food products. 

NPC’s Solution

NPC provided Crush with $250,000 through its Proof of Concept Program to conduct a series of trials and tests. This work was highly successful, proving efficient methods for drying the puree into a powder, and validating the resulting products could withstand customer manufacturing processes while maintaining the desired flavour-enhancing benefits. These results have helped Crush secure further interest from major food manufacturers.