Category: Inclusion Learning Centre

Baked and dough style inclusions are the result of some of the first “cross-over” products in the market, combining the flavours of homemade treats with other product categories such as chocolate and ice cream. Ever popular in North America, cookies & cream and cookie dough flavours are some of the first thoughts of consumers when they think about creative ice cream flavours.  Suitability of inclusions in this offering includes accounting for high moisture and freeze-thaw environments that impact the texture and stability of the inclusion.

FoodFlo can provide frozen dough inclusions that meet a variety of requirements in larger volumes, and our team is versed to assist you in the process of selecting the best option for your project needs.

Not sure where to start? Our team are here to help.

Further reading:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cookie_dough  – Cookie dough (Wikipedia)

https://www.nzicecream.org.nz/history-nz-brands.htm  – History of Ice Cream in New Zealand

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cookies_and_cream  – Cookies and cream (Wikipedia)

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9781845697709500015 – Manley’s Technology of Biscuits, Crackers and Cookies (Fourth Edition)

https://books.google.co.nz/books?hl=en&lr=&id=tK2jAgAAQBAJ – Biscuit, Cracker and Cookie Recipes for the Food Industry, Duncan Manley

 https://www.sdstate.edu/news/2019/04/dairy-and-food-science-celebrates-40-years-cookies-n-cream-ice-cream – Dairy and food science department celebrates 40 years of Cookies ‘n Cream ice cream

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate_brownie – Chocolate brownie (Wikipedia)

A biscuit-style texture is a popular choice of inclusion, and cookies and cream flavoured ice creams have histories dating back to the 1980s, with some earlier claims to the invention dating back to 1977 (Wikipedia).

Soft Crunch is perfect for a variety of applications and provides a firm but forgiving crunch on the tooth compared to a traditional sugar boiled kibble while maintaining crunch properties in moist environments longer than a traditional biscuit thanks to its low hygroscopic nature.

Plus, since the formulation has the capability to manufacture soft crunch products to gluten-free and vegan specifications, you can provide a crunch style inclusion in products beyond your customer’s expectations.

No matter what your desired application, there is sure to be an ideal solution available. Our team are here to help you discover them.

Further reading:

http://www.thermopedia.com/content/869/ – Hygroscopicity – Richardson, J.F.

https://textureanalysisprofessionals.blogspot.com/2014/04/measuring-crunchiness-as-sound-bites.html – Measuring Crunchiness as ‘Sound Bites’

Related Inclusions

Many people’s first experience with homemade Honeycomb/Hokey Pokey was part science experiment and part art as you cooked, mixed and cooled simple ingredients for a delicious light and caramel flavoured snack. Our technical team and years of experience with the sweet foam textured confection means that the FoodFlo team can provide formulations with control and precision around bubble size (fluffiness or firmness of the product) flavour (caramel, mint, lemon, or raspberry perhaps?) as well as even developing a version that is sugar-free.

Honeycomb and Hokey Pokey are the same thing but called different names based on the region or country you are in. Kiwi’s (people from New Zealand) call is Hokey Pokey, while Australian’s, South African’s and some other countries refer to it as Honeycomb. In the UK it is often called Cinder Toffee, and in North America, it is often Sponge Candy or Sponge Toffee.

As an inclusion, Honeycomb/Hokey Pokey gives you the opportunity to include a sweet crunch with just the right amount of flavour across a variety of texture options. Outside of the traditional kibbles (broken pieces, find “dust” or chunks), there is the randomly formed nature of Pieces, not quite a kibble, but with the smoother surface area of a ball to provide a hybrid option of kibbles and balls with popular characteristics of both categories of the hybrid inspiration. Honeycomb Balls uniform edge structure gives the most resistance to softening over other shapes in high moisture environments and is commonly used in ice creams or panned products.

No matter what your desired application, there is sure to be a honeycomb solution available, we even have sugar-free versions of the famous treat. Our team are here to help you discover them.

Further reading:

https://foodflo.co.nz/honeycomb-inclusion-varieties-shapes/ – Honeycomb Inclusion Varieties/Shapes

https://foodflo.co.nz/variety-range-of-honeycomb-balls/ – Variety & Range of Honeycomb Balls

https://foodflo.co.nz/what-is-the-difference-between-honeycomb-and-hokey-pokey/ – What is the difference between Honeycomb and Hokey Pokey?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leavening_agent – Leavening agent – Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeycomb_toffee – Honeycomb Toffee – Wikipedia

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19271219.2.166.2 – Hokey  Pokey Recipe – The Truant Star, Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 147, 19 December 1927 – Papers Past, NZ National Library

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/vanishing-baking-soda/ – Vanishing Baking Soda – Scientific American

https://www.stem.org.uk/system/files/elibrary-resources/legacy_files_migrated/31929-catalyst_24_3_579.pdf – The thermal decomposition of sodium hydrogen carbonate (or: Making honeycomb)

Related Inclusions

Fudge was popularised as an accessible confection that could be made at home without specialised equipment during the late 19th century, and has developed into a popular and indulgent treat ever since.

Perfect fudge is all about the texture, which is thanks to the various techniques used to create the sugar structure (or grain) of the finished product. Each application, and market, will have varying requirements across this range. One example of special note in this offering is the difference between fudge used for bakery applications vs ones that best perform to create the desired end texture in ice cream.

Our team have a variety of recipes, textures and offerings across our range that help create the desired end result.

Related Inclusions

Further reading:

What is Fudge: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fudge

The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets:https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=jbi6BwAAQBAJ&pg=PA287&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false

History of the name for Fudge: http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/ar-fud1.htm

How stuff works – Fudge: https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/fudge.htm

History of Fudge: http://www.thenibble.com/REVIEWS/MAIN/candy/old/history-of-fudge.asp

Sugar Boiled Kibble is reminiscent of broken pieces of favourite hard-boiled sweets, peppermints, candy canes, hard lollies etc, and inspiration for many food inclusions started as either seconds or broken fragments of larger products.

Top-quality ingredients in the format and formula that is perfect for your intended application in the volumes you need, with consistent and dependable results.

Sugar boiled confectionery, originating from the history of candied fruits and penny candy have a long history with interesting stories and recipes along the way.

Sugar boiled kibbles are an excellent way to introduce a pop of colour and flavour to food.

No matter your requirements, our team are here to help.

Related Inclusions

Further reading:

Hard Candy (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_candy

Food Timeline: Food Candy:http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodcandy.html

Sweets through the ages timeline: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/sweets-through-ages-timeline-shows-6882741

Sugar: User’s Guide to Sucrose: https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=EiD7ZPwIIEcC&pg=PA21&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=3#v=onepage&q&f=false

Every project has a target price point. If your development is in the premium end of the market, you may want to use a premium dark chocolate as a coating for your inclusion.

If your product is targeting the everyday end of the market, you may want to use a compound milk coating to suit the market.

Ingredient choice, processing complexity and order volumes all impact price points of finished inclusions.

Targeting the right solution means including the price point considerations too.

Not matter what your requirements are, our team are here to help.

Further reading:

Creating a Food Product Design Brief: https://nzifst.org.nz/resources/creatingnewfoods/product_concepts6.htm

When working on a project you may have developmental limits.
These will impact how your product is processed or what ingredients you might include.

• Gluten free
• Halal
• Kosher
• Dairy free
• Sugar free
• No artificial colours and flavours
• Vegan-friendly

No matter what your restrictions and requirements, our team are here to help.

Further reading:

Product development for developers in the food industry –https://nzifst.org.nz/resources/creatingnewfoods/index.htm

Important problems in food processing: https://nzifst.org.nz/resources/foodreactiontechnology/documents/FTR-Chapter1.pdf

Developing New Food Products Preview: https://www.destechpub.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Methods-for-Developing-New-Food-Products-preview.pdf

Colour has a strong history of connection to the perception of taste and flavour. It also emphasises or de-emphasises features within a product.

Are you looking for something that blends in/matches the product being developed?

Would a bright and vibrant/contrasting colour that stands out add excitement for the customer?

What market is this product to be sold in? Colour has various meanings and excitement levels depending on the location and market you are targeting the product to. There is even research that says various demographics amongst those regions may have colour preferences and their own colour associations.

Perhaps you are looking to match a product already in the market for a new “mash-up/crossover” or are wanting something that matches a specific mood.

Our team have years of practical knowledge and experience with colours, colouring foods and their performance within food inclusions. If you are not sure the best way to implement colour in your project or are interested in discussing very specific colour needs, one of our team would be happy to help.

Further reading:

On the psychological impact of food colour – https://flavourjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13411-015-0031-3

Individual Differences in the Perception of Colour Solutions – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6163954/

How Colour Affects Your Perception of Food – https://spoonuniversity.com/how-to/food-perception-color

Food colours: Why do they matter? – https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2013/02/14/Food-colours-Why-do-they-matter

Handbook on Natural Pigments in Food and Beverages – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780081003718000014

Food Coloring – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_coloring

Eating with Your Eyes: The Chemistry of Food Colorings – https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/past-issues/2015-2016/october-2015/food-colorings.html

The texture is the feel, appearance or consistency of something. This can be both a visual and “in-mouth” experience as part of food product development and something that needs to be considered as part of your product to ensure the desired end effect with inclusions.

When considering texture is it a crunch, chew, or perhaps a biscuity texture you desire.

How does the texture of the inclusion sit against the rest of the product?

What level of texture contrast are you looking to achieve?

How does the experience of various textures and flavours relate to the experiences and expectations of the target market for your product?

No matter what your texture requirements, our team are here to help.

Further reading:

What is texture – https://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~georgy/research/texture/thesis-html/node5.html

Modifying Food Texture for the Older Adult – https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fs156

Food Texture: how important is it? – https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/jul/02/food-texture-how-important

What message are you looking to send with the size of the inclusions in/on your products?

Are you wanting small pieces evenly distributed through the product, giving a feeling of abundance – or a larger piece with less quantity and a sense of gourmet decadence in the finished product?

Are there any processing requirements within your own production processes that limit or impact the size of your inclusions?

No matter your size requirements, our team are here to help.

Inclusion Inspiration