IFT '98 gives glimpse of future foods.

From glow-in-the-dark food colors to genetically engineered oils, this year's food ingredient expo foreshadowed a new generation of value-added foods.

Food processing was out in full force at the Institute of Food Technologists show this year, looking for the latest and greatest in food

Let it glow

One of the truly - a literally - bright spots at this year's IFT expo was a presentation by two enterprising physicians who have concocted a glow-in-the-dark food colorant by cloning the genes of bioluminescent sea creatures. Dr. Bruce Bryan, a surgeon, and Dr. Gene Finley, an oncologist, have formed Pittsburgh-based Prolume Ltd. to bring this concept and others to market.

The original inspiration for the Prolume technology was a long-ago, late-night scuba dive in which the longtime friends swam through a colony of luminescent algae. One night more recently, Bryan fell to reflecting about the potential for a glow-in-the-dark beer. He and Finley assembled a team of researchers who set to work decoding the genetic structures of various forms of luminous sea life. The genes responsible for luminescence then were spliced into protein-making bacteria.

BioLume, which is Prolume's food division, has experimented with applications that include glowing yogurts, ice cream, frostings and beverages. Don't look for any glow-in-the dark food or drink on the shelves of your local supermarket anytime soon, however. FDA's rigorous approval process will prevent that. Prolume researchers are optimistic that the food colorant eventually will receive regulatory approval, however, because it is made from naturally occurring marine life sources.

Prolume Ltd., Pittsburgh

Opta to build on patented Optex technology

Researchers at Opta Food Ingredients report that they are working now to expand the company's patented Optex texture modifier technology into a number of new product areas.

Optex is a unique blend of amylose-lipid complex-based microparticles and maltodextrins. Optex interacts with other starch-based ingredients to reduce pastiness and enhance creaminess in starch- and milk protein-based foods.

The company's original Optex offering has particularly good functionality in the spreads, dressings and sauce categories. New variations on the technology now under development will lend themselves to uses in cheese product formulation, reports Guy Crosby, Opta's vice president of research and development.