Members of the trade media, industry stakeholders and Fruit d’Or customers converged on the Quebec headquarters this month to literally get their feet wet during this year’s cranberry harvest. This year’s participants in the Fruit d’Or Cranberry Harvest Symposium got the full farm-to-factory experience, and will be on hand when Fruit d’Or formally unveils its new relationship with Taiyo.

The event began October 23 and runs until October 26.

Business-boosting workshops

The symposium includes workshops designed to showcase the opportunities of marketing cranberry beyond urinary tract infections. New Hope’s Kim Mersells set the stage with her state-of-the-cranberry industry remarks.

The workshop included a presentation by researcher Christian G. Krueger of Complete Phytochemical Solutions, LLC, who has introduced the butonal method for measuring cranberry’s insoluble PACs and has also developed the C-PAC reference standard for accurately measuring total proanthocyanidins. Krueger discussed new reference standards and analytical testing methods. Highlights included new analytical equipment used for measuring polyphenols, such as fingerprint analysis for identification via MALDI-TOF.

There was also discussion on how to identify and prevent cranberry adulteration by Stefan Gafner of the American Botanical Council, and a full explanation of the Cranberry Quality Assurance (CQA) supplier program that sets new higher quality standards and new barriers of entry for cranberry suppliers. CQA assures the cranberry powder being sold has been tested for identity, safety, purity and efficacy.

Introducing SunCran

[caption id="attachment_14302" align="alignright" width="187"] VRM's Editor-in-Chief Janet Poveromo visits Fruit d'Or's cranberry bog during the symposium.[/caption]

During this month’s symposium, Fruit d’Or formally unveiled its new relationship with Taiyo. A new branded ingredient, SunCran, combines Fruit d’Or’s Organic Cranberry Juice Powder with Taiyo’s Sunfiber soluble guar fiber. It is available as both organic and conventional formulations.

An unsweetened bulk powder, SunCran is the first ever cranberry juice powder with 70 percent juice concentrate. Sunfiber is a truly regulating, prebiotic dietary fiber that provides satiety and aids in the transit of food through the intestines, according to Fruit d'Or. Sunfiber is a food with an approved Health Canada claim for 20 percent reduction in post-prandial glucose levels.

Taiyo Vice President Scott Smith stated, “We selected Fruit d’Or as an ingredient partner not just for their leadership in delivering premium quality cranberry ingredients, but also because their core values parallel ours in that we are in business to produce and supply science-based, quality ingredients with the highest concern for consumer health and safety.”