Meat + Poultry - June 2017 - 65

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texture of meat products, a little dehydrated
soy sauce goes a long way. It's the clean-label
way to boost flavor without monosodium
glutamate or hydrolyzed vegetable protein with
all the benefits of liquid soy sauce, plus more
stable and intense aromatic properties."
Rubs and sauces are an easy way to explore
fusion cuisine. Think Asian fajita beef strips or
Korean barbecue chicken quesadillas.
"It may sound counterintuitive to add an
Asian sauce to Latin food, but the results are
delicious," Hiraiwa says. "Techniques such as
fermenting, grilling or caramelizing enhance
the flavors of both cuisines. These cultures
even share some of the same spices, such as
chiles, garlic, black pepper and cumin."
Combining the unfamiliar with the familiar
invites curious, yet somewhat reserved
consumers to try new flavors and formats of
common foods. Ethnic ingredients may add
value without being overwhelming.
"Ethnic fusion is an exciting area with new
flavors that are bold and yet approachable
when bridged with terminology the American
consumer understands," Schaefer says. "If
you take the deep soy, sweet and ginger flavor
profile of Bulgogi, but call it Korean barbecue,
you have a new international flavor superstar."
Fusion flavors in hot peppers are showing
up, according to Ralph Krawczyk, food
technologist at Wixon. "Combine a habanero
pepper with its fruity, pineapple flavor and
heat, with a smoked Serrano pepper, and you

get a complex fusion flavor that is hot, fruity
and smoky, and brings out the best in both
peppers," he says.
Jean Shieh, marketing manager, Sensient
Natural Ingredients, Turlock, California, says,
"Premium ingredients from a specific growing
region add authenticity and an interesting
flavor twist. For example, Mexican mole
seasoning or Jamaican jerk rub are getting
popular with today's consumers. A great
story can be told around ingredients such as
Oaxacan ancho and Jamaican pimento."
When adding rubs and sauces to raw
meat, processors need to be careful about
potential interactions. This includes off-color
development as well as excessive tenderizing.
"Be aware of herbs and spices applied
direct to raw meat," Kaegi says. "When they
come in contact with the meat, they may
leach out color and the visual appeal may be
affected. If darker or brown spices are used,
the raw meat may diminish and take on the
look of older meat. Also, the use of quality
spices and flavors are critical to help keep
micro counts in check in order to prevent
spoilage of the meat."
There are many opportunities to wow
consumers with sauces and rubs. Don't forget
to provide a story for their flavor adventure;
use a callout on product packaging; share
the history of a recipe; identify the source
of herbs and spices; and discuss the role of
characterizing ingredients.

Sauces and glazes are
used to add layers of flavor
to commercial barbecue
offerings, taking a page
from successful pitmasters
on the competition circuit.

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