DairiConcepts Introduces Ascentra(TM) Sodium-Reducing Flavor Enhancer

Press Release

SPRINGFIELD, MO -- (Marketwire) -- DairiConcepts introduces Ascentra(TM) to meet the increasing need of food manufacturers to reduce the sodium content in the foods they produce yet offer flavors at full potential. Great taste and reduced sodium have been difficult to simultaneously achieve, but DairiConcepts has developed the solution.

Ascentra is a healthy, powdered ingredient that can lower sodium content by 25 to 50 percent in a broad range of food systems as it boosts salt perception, savory nuances and umami effects. Made from a proprietary, milk-based fermentation process, during a five-year period Ascentra has been developed to include kosher and EU-certified versions of the base products which are available on maltodextrin or nonfat dry milk carriers. Ascentra does not contain monosodium glutamate (MSG), hydrolysed vegetable protein (HVP) or yeast extract, so consumer foods made with the ingredients can be produced with a clean label and "reduced sodium" and/or "gluten-free" declarations. The product withstands most typical food manufacturing processes.

Sensory evaluation panellists have described Ascentra applications as tasting more wholesome and balanced than those made with yeast extracts and yielding a more rounded flavor than traditional all-salt formulations. Levels as low as 0.5 percent have been used to reduce salt and remove MSG from soups and snack foods, create mouth-watering crackers, and boost the meat, cheese and vegetable flavors of meal kits, sauces and dips. Although rich in potassium, Ascentra does not contain potassium chloride, eliminating the possibility of metallic flavor notes.

Americans are increasing their risk of cardiovascular disease by consuming nearly twice the recommended daily amount of salt. With 80 percent of salt intake coming from processed and restaurant foods, the National Salt Reduction Initiative was formed to help food manufacturers and restaurants voluntarily reduce salt in their products. The goal is to help Americans reduce their salt intake 20 percent by 2014.

Jeff Miyake, president of DairiConcepts, said the dairy origins of Ascentra address a key consumer concern. "Our sodium-reducing flavor enhancers are made from real dairy ingredients and contain no preservatives. This is an important factor for manufacturers targeting increasingly health-conscious and knowledgeable consumers who scrutinize food labels and are loyal to healthy food brands."

About DairiConcepts DairiConcepts develops and manufactures application-specific ingredients for global food brands, serving the industry with innovative, cost-effective solutions, as well as toll or turnkey contract manufacturing services. Its classic and on-trend product lines include cheese and dairy powders, dairy concentrates, seasonings, award-winning hard Italian cheeses, flavor enhancers and functional dairy replacers.

Founded in 2000, DairiConcepts is a strategic partnership of national and world-leading dairy cooperatives, Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. and Fonterra Co-operative Group, Ltd. DairiConcepts' ingredients are marketed internationally to icon-brand food companies, foodservice providers, restaurant chains, culinary chefs, and industrial ingredient and private label food manufacturers.

Additional information is available at www.dairiconcepts.com.

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For media inquiries, please contact: Delia Croessmann DairiConcepts, L.P. [email protected] Phone: 417.829.1708