T. Hasegawa USA leverages tech to tackle tomato supply and cost crisis

18 Sep 2023 --- As tomato prices soar and supplies dwindle due to extreme weather conditions, T. Hasegawa has developed a natural solution to boost the taste and texture of tomato-based products. The technology allows the company to reduce tomato paste use by a quarter.

The natural flavor modifier – Tomato Boostract – reduces the need for the paste in sauces, ketchup, soups, salsa and more. The technology works by amplifying flavor intensity and enhancing taste characteristics.

The flavor formulators decided to develop the novel product as a response to limited crop supplies in the US due to record rains in California, which have shortened the planting season and diminished the supply of raw tomatoes.

California saw a diminished tomato crop production of 9.51 million metric tons last year, way below the peak of 13.06 million metric tons reached in 2015. The crop is expected to be better this year but still lower than the previous five-year average, according to the US Processing Tomato Advisory Board.

The company highlights that even before the rains, the material costs for tomatoes were up 80% since 2021 due to previous droughts and supply challenges.

“With supply shortages increasing the cost of tomato products, Tomato Boostract is a perfect solution to amplify the fresh, bold natural flavor and texture while decreasing reliance on tomato paste,” says Jim Yang, VP of R&D at T. Hasegawa.

“Our mission at T. Hasegawa is to not only improve the taste of foods and beverages, but also to solve production challenges through innovative technologies.”

Red hot prices
Tomato prices have soared across countries due to weather events such as droughts and floods that have damaged crops and reduced supply.

Material costs for tomatoes are up 80% since 2021, according to T. Hasegawa.This week, Shri Saket Dalmia, president of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India, told Food Ingredients First that “tomato prices experienced a meteoric 600% inflation” this year in India. Nonetheless, he noted that the worst might have already passed.

Earlier this year, there was a shortage of tomatoes in the UK, which pushed pizza makers to get creative and find alternative bases such as asparagus or courgettes. Also in Europe, Italian tomato production was decimated last year due to intense droughts.

An article published in Nature argues that, due to tomato production being concentrated in a few regions highly affected by climate change, production will decrease by 6% in 2050 compared to the baseline period of 1980-2009.

Natural flavor modifiers
The Boostract line includes different variations for various applications, such as dairy, butter, coffee, chocolate, vanilla, cheese and mushroom. These flavor modifiers can increase the flavor intensity and amplify the mouthfeel of the products, reportedly giving them a richer and more satisfying profile.

They can also ensure that the products deliver the same flavor sensations and characteristics as the original recipe while replacing taste characteristics lost during harvesting and production.

T. Hasegawa says that the Boostract technology is based on natural ingredients and complies with clean label standards. It is also not yeast-based and the company leaves the door open to pursuing an organic certification in the future.

The business highlights that the technology can help food and beverage manufacturers meet the increasing consumer demand for natural, authentic and high-quality products.Tomato production is expected to fall 6% by 2050 due to climate change, according to Nature.

“Since Boostract is a natural flavor modifier, it simply brings out more of the flavor that is already in tomato paste but allows food brands to use significantly less product in their formulations,” Yang explains.

A versatile ingredient
Tomato paste is a “key ingredient” that adds flavor and umami to many food products, from foodservice to grocery store shelves, according to the company.

Tomato paste is made by cooking tomatoes for a long time, concentrating their natural sweetness and savory taste. Because of its strong flavor, tomato paste is typically used in small amounts and is the foundation of many packaged or canned products.

T. Hasegawa uses three technologies to develop its product: extraction, enzyme and thermal reaction. Depending on the product application, these mechanisms are used alone or in various combinations.

The product is in both liquid and powder form and is available in dairy and non-dairy versions.

By Marc Cervera

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