1. Sunsweet Ingredients Dried Plum IngredientsFor Animal Protein Products NaturalMultifunctionalCost Effective

2. DRIED PLUM INGREDIENT HISTORY

Changes in food processor R&D strategy

• Consumer demand for food at home/away from home

• • More ingredient options: flavor, texture, uniqueness, etc.

• • Expanded product benefits, i.e., natural, healthy, fewer unacceptable ingredients (fat, trans fat, sodium, etc.)

• • Convenience

• • Lower prices

3. DRIED PLUM INGREDIENT HISTORY

Shift Dried Plum ingredient strategy from formulainclusionto formulaingredient

• Based upon dried plums

• • Nutrient composition

• • Functionality

• • Minimally processed/natural characteristics

• • Targeted applications and benefits, i.e., fat replacement, moisture retention, shelf life, phosphate replacement, etc.

• Low usage levels, less visibility in final formula

4.

Composition/Characteristics

• La Petite dAgen, aunique plum variety that fully ripens on the tree without fermenting prior to harvesting

• Naturally high in--

• • fiber (7.5%)

• • sorbitol (15%), powder 25%

• • malic acid (1-2%)

• • antioxidant activity

• Low glycemic index 29 (+/-4), glycemic load 10

• No sucrose

5. INTRODUCTION

Antioxidant activity (USDA)

• ORAC value 8577 per 100 grams

• Plum Juice Concentrate ORAC higher value: 13,040 per 100 grams

• Antioxidants mostly chlorogenic and neochlorogenic acids

• Contributes to maintaining shelf life

• Antimicrobial

6. INTRODUCTION

Dried plum ingredient forms recommended for animal protein applications

• Puree

• Powder

• Fiber

• Plum Juice Concentrate

7. About Sunsweet

Sunsweet Growers is the worlds largest handler of dried tree fruits.

A grower-owned cooperative representing more than a third of the dried plum market world-wide.

Founded in 1917

Processes more than 50,000 tons of dried plums annually.

8. INTRODUCTION

Sunsweet Dried PlumMeat Protein Benefits

• Natural ingredient

• Extend shelf life and shelf quality

• • Moisture retention

• • Tenderizer

• • Antimicrobial

• Flavor enhancer/potentiator

• Natural caramel color

• Natural sweetener

9. WHY CONSIDER ADDINGSUNSWEET DRIED PLUMS?

Consumers/foodservice operators demanding value-added proteins

• Convenience products

• Nutritional improvements

• Natural ingredients, real foods

• Sensory improvements, fresh like flavor, expanded flavor experiences

• Cost reduction: ingredient, labor, shelf life

• Cleaner labeling/short, simple menu descriptions

• Result: Competitive advantage

10. MEAT & POULTRY APPLICATIONS

Meat Protein Applications

• Red meats

• Poultry

• Whole muscle

• Coarse ground

• Emulsified

Incorporate into formulas

• Injection

• Needling/vacuum tumbling

• Grinding

11. MEAT & POULTRY APPLICATIONS

Increase the value of underutilized meat cuts

• Value-added options grew at supermarkets from 4% of total meat case packages in 2002 to 10% in 2007.

• • Value-added chicken only accounts for 7% of chicken, but new chicken options are appearing in the frozen food aisles as well as in delis.

• • Value-added pork options have doubled their package share in the past three years from 12% of packages in 2004 to 23% in 2007.

• • Turkey saw a 5% increase in the category with 19% of packages including an added flavor or ingredient compared with 14% in 2004.

12. MEAT & POULTRY APPLICATIONS

Moisture binding properties

• The result of dried plum fiber + sorbitol

• Fiber + sorbitol attract and then hold moisture during cooking

• Most evident in--

• • 93/7% lean/fat beef

• • Turkey, chicken, pork, lamb

• • Pre-cooked meats frozen or refrigerated

• • Pre-cooked meats and entrees held under heat until serving

• Low-fat proteins properly cooked are still moist and juicy

13. MEAT & POULTRY APPLICATIONS

Moisture binding properties

• Pre-cooked, frozen hamburgers research

• • 80/20% beef, isolated soy protein, 3% dried plum puree

• • Medallion Laboratories

• • 102C/4 hours

• • 17.8% more moisture than control

• • 15.8% less moisture loss than control

14. MEAT & POULTRY APPLICATIONS

Moisture binding properties

• All beef hot dogs (28% fat) research

• • 3.5% dried plum puree and 5% dried plum/apple puree

• • Medallion Laboratories

• • 102C/4 hours

• • 3.5%: 4.9% more moisture than control, 23.7% less moisture loss

• • 5%: 8.4% more moisture than control, 47.1% less moisture loss

15. MEAT & POULTRY APPLICATIONS

Kansas State Antimicrobial Research

• The addition of dried plums can control food borne pathogens in uncooked meat mixtures.

• All inoculated pathogens in ground beef decreased by 1-2 log CFU/g (90-99%) and decreased in total aerobic count.

• In cooked meats, any recontamination can be further controlled by the preservation effects of dried plumsInternational Review of Food Science & Technology 1/10

16. MEAT & POULTRY APPLICATIONS (Antimicrobial Research Results) 17. MEAT & POULTRY APPLICATIONS

Kansas State Shelf Life Research

• The addition of dried plums can control the growth of normal flora found in meat.

• Various dried plum products evaluated in 80/20 raw ground beef at 6%.

• After 13 days, the presence of normal flora was 99% less than the control.5/02

18. MEAT & POULTRY APPLICATIONS (Shelf Life Research Results) 19. MEAT & POULTRY APPLICATIONS

Texas A&M Lipid Oxidation Research

• Dried plums used at 3% or 6% levels was as effective as BHA/BHT for retarding lipid oxidation precooked (PR) or precooked frozen (PF) pork sausage.

• Dried plums used at 6% was even more effective than BHA/BHT for retarding oxidative rancidity in PF pork sausage patties.

• All treatments increased moisture and decreased fat content of raw pork sausages, while the addition of 6% dried plums reduced cook yields.

• • Journal of Food Science 6/08

20. MEAT & POULTRY APPLICATIONS

Texas A&M Lipid Oxidation Research

• Sensory evaluations indicated that pork sausage patties with 3% dried plum puree or dried plum/apple puree were liked as well as the control.

21. MEAT & POULTRY APPLICATIONS

Texas A&M Whole Muscle Research

• These results indicate that 2.5 per cent fresh plum juice concentrate or dried plum juice could be incorporated into precooked beef roasts to reduce lipid oxidation and potentially, warmed-over flavor

• • Journal Of Meat Science 12/08

22. MEAT & POULTRY APPLICATIONS

Texas A&M Alternative Antioxidant Research

• The addition of 3% dried plum powder alone and combined with 0.05% rosemary extract for use as an alternative natural antioxidant suppressed the effects of lipid oxidation in turkey breakfast sausage while maintaining acceptable sensory attributes over long term frozen storage when compared to rosemary extract and control sausage links.6/09

23. MEAT & POULTRY APPLICATIONS

University of Arkansas Phosphate Replacement Research

• Overall, all experimental marinades were found to improve or have similar sensory characteristics when compared to the phosphate control on boneless/skinless chicken breast fillets.

• The treatment that consisted of a 1:1 plum fiber and dried plum powder phosphate substitute, consistently was found to be comparable to the phosphate control for all measured attributes. Therefore, these ingredients can potentially be used as a substitute for alkaline phosphates in standard marinades.3/11

24. Arkansas Research 25. Arkansas Research 26. LABELING

Dried plum puree, dried plum powder, dried plum fiber and fresh plum juice concentrate are typically labeled as Plum Puree Plum Powder, Plum Fiber or Plum Concentrate.

Due to the composition of the product and the low percentage of usage, the flavor of fresh plum juice concentrate is non-characterizing, that is it does not impart a flavor of its own but rather enhances other added flavors as well as the natural protein flavors.

27. SENSORY

Final thought on sensory

• Non-characterizing flavor

• Combines with added flavor systems

• Dried plums enhance total flavors

• Rounds out savory flavors

• Retains moisture and natural flavors

• Maintains flavors after processing

• • Warmed-over flavor

• • Shelf quality

28.