Nuts may cause allergy problems but the demand for nut novelties is increasing and provides many opportunities for food designers. As Eric Russell finds, consumers are looking for ever more sophisticated snacks.
Although sales of nuts may have been partially dented by scares of allergic reactions, they are an increasingly popular food, aided by the novelties that have been created by food scientists. In an environment where people are increasingly eating snack foods, the opportunities for food designers to develop new lines on nuts is limited only by their imagination.
Many nut processors offer unusual flavours and Anthoulla Kyprianou, managing director of Apollo Nuts, says her company is constantly developing new lines. Roasted Mexican-flavour peanuts and chilli cashews are particularly popular just now. She says consumers are looking for ever more sophisticated snacks and seaweed-coated peanuts have recently proved very popular. These come in a variety of colours and are a fun snack to be served in clear bowls to show the colours to maximum effect.
Ethnic flavours are also proving popular at the moment and Penang-based Thien Cheong offers such flavours as curry peanuts, curry breaded groundnuts and curry sesame groundnuts.
Nut processors are all at pains to point out the beneficial effects of eating their products. Heritage Cashew and Food Co, for example, says peanuts have higher protein content than most other nuts. Its steam peeling process retains both flavour and high protein content. It also says that cashew nuts contain unsaturated fats and are free from cholesterol. They lower cholesterol in blood and prevent the development of fatty livers.
To provide enhanced flavour, the company has recently launched roasted-salted cashew nuts. It says the natural taste of cashew nuts is greatly enhanced with its coating mixture of honey, sugar, salt and cocoa powder, plus a dusting of fragrant sesame seeds.
Snacking with pistachio can help fill in some of the nutritional gaps, it adds. Pistachio is rich in protein, fibre and minerals. It has a high concentration of poly and mono unsaturated fats which helps avoid cholesterol build up.
Indian options
India Food Exports says its dry roasted, flavoured cashew kernels are proving very popular and do not use oil, chemicals or preservatives in the processing. They offer a natural taste which is totally different from oil roasted varieties and are cholesterol free. Dry roasted flavoured cashews are presently available in salted, chilli, pepper, garlic and combined flavours: or coated with honey, cheese, sugar, chocolate or onion.
The company says its new, dry roasting technique, without any additives, provides a distinct and flavour which has been well received at many food fairs.
It points out that nut processors can serve markets other than food. Cashew nut shell liquid is a by-product of the cashew processing industry that can replace some petrochemicals in the manufacture of such products as friction lining materials, surface coatings, lacquer, insulating varnishes, cement and composite wood. Compared with polymers from petrochemical based phenols, CNSL based polymers have many advantages including resistance to high heat and termites.
Macadamia nuts provide the basis for many flavour variations but are not frequently found in Europe. Indigenous to Australia, the main market is still the Australasian region. The nuts contain no cholesterol and have a higher level of mono unsaturated fatty acids than any other commercial edible nuts. They are rich in fat and oil, but the healthy versions.
Plantation Lorna has developed a range of sauces, spreads, dips, oils and snacks based on macadamia nuts and the company says these are now attracting international interest. Its research shows there is a large potential in product development for macadamias and the company claims a first with its macadamia dip an' spread. It also says the flavour profile of its macadamia, lime and sweet chilli sauces and dip is another indicator of the direction of product development.
This is a zesty sauce without too much heat and contains 20per cent macadamia. It can be used as a marinade or straight from the bottle as an accompaniment. It is ideal for seafood, especially shellfish, vegetables, chicken, pork, ham and beef. The ingredients include sugar, macadamia, vinegar, capsicum, chilli, herbs, spices, lime juice, salt, modified corn starch, xanthan gum, soy sauce and citric acid.
The Australian Macadamia Society represents all facets of the macadamia industry in Australia. It says the macadamia trees were originally called Kindal Kindal and, in the 1850s, biologists made the distinction between Macadamia integrifolia, smooth shelled, and Macadamia tetraphylla, rough shelled. Integrifolia is the better for roasting although both are edible. The genus was named after a prominent scientist of that time, Dr John McAdam.
Production of macadamia nuts, the only Australian native plant crop that has been developed commercially as a food, is centred in Northern New South Wales and South eastern Queensland. These areas provide the rich soils and high annual rainfall needed to promote maximum growth.
Drying is critical
Careful drying is a critical step in macadamia processing to maximise shelf life and quality of the end product. At harvest the nuts have a moisture content of up to 30per cent. Drying can take up to three weeks and reduces the moisture content to around 1.5per cent.
The kernel shrinks away from the inside of the shell and allows the shells to be cracked without damaging the kernel.
It is estimated that the current value of farmgate sales of the Australian crop on the domestic and export markets is about A$85m, making it one of Australia's largest horticultural industries. As the total world production of macadamias accounts for less than 0.5per cent of the total world trade in tree nuts, there is considerable scope for future expansion.
The industry in Australia is evolving and expanding rapidly as production increases. Estimated production this year is 38 000 tonnes but there is increasing competition from developing countries in Central America and Southern Africa.
While nut consumption is rising, adverse reactions amongst consumers are also rising. As yet there is no treatment that will prevent allergic reactions although there are treatments that will alleviate the symptoms. These are only available on prescription from a doctor. So if a person suspects they may suffer an allergic reaction at some time, it is vital to consult a doctor first.
Food allergies are caused by the body's sensitivity to certain foods. They can cause either the traditional allergic responses of hives and breathing difficulty; or a range of other symptoms, including diarrhoea, upset stomach, heartburn, eczema, ear infections and lethargy. The latter category is more accurately defined as a food sensitivity rather than allergy. In either case, the best treatment is to avoid foods which cause problems.
The most common allergens include dairy, wheat, eggs, nuts, and seafood, especially shellfish. In children, food allergies often turn into simple intolerances as the children grow older. But breastfed infants appear to have fewer food allergies later in life than their formula-fed counterparts.
Help from enzymes
Enzyme therapy is the most effective way to combat food allergies naturally. Since some allergies are caused by the body's inability to process specific foods, the addition of the digestive enzymes needed for these foods may help ease symptoms. Protease and Lactase, for protein and lactose intolerances, respectively, are the most widely recommended of these. The use of probiotics has also recently been shown as an effective way to combat food allergies.
Professor Claudio Ortolani, an Italian researcher, says recent research into heat treatments and chemical peeling may help reduce allergic reactions amongst consumers.
He says allergens in foods are typically small proteins recognised by the body's immune system and can cause strong biological reactions.
In food allergy the body sees an otherwise harmless food as unsafe and activates the body's defence mechanism or immune system. It is this activation of the immune system that causes the symptoms of food allergy.
In food intolerance, the body reacts whenever a particular food or food ingredient is eaten, but the body's immune system is not involved.
Both genetic and environmental factors may be involved in the development of food allergies and food intolerance. It is not known exactly how many people react badly to certain ingredients because they are intolerant or allergic to them.
Overall, current estimates are that 10per cent of Europeans, 40million, have food allergies and the figure is rising.
Genetic engineering could, in time, eliminate allergenic proteins from foods although there are fears that current genetic engineering could introduce new allergens.
