Research and Innovation Formula Optimization & Scaling Up FRUIT BUTTERS Centre for Hospitality & Culinary Arts

Research and Innovation Team Members  Industry Partner, Mill Pond Cannery –Donna Carmichael & David Smythe  CHCA Research Staff –Winnie Chiu & Moira Cockburn  Primary Student Researcher –Irene Ngo, Culinary Management Nutrition  Student Research Assistants –Toby Grater, Culinary Management –Melissa Godfrey, Baking and Pastry Arts

Research and Innovation Objectives  Mill Pond Cannery and Preserves Company is a small- scale food manufacturer based in Prince Edward County  High quality ingredients grown and produced in Ontario, to support local farmers and growers, and reduce carbon footprint  Launch five introductory fruit butters using local Apples, Peaches, Plums, Pears, Cherries and all natural ingredients  Fruit butters with an “edge”

Research and Innovation Methodology – lab scale  Standardise ingredients  Develop recipes on stovetop –pH level (pH meter) –Brix (refractometer) –Viscosity (bostwick viscometer)  Establish “benchmark measurements”

Research and Innovation Methodology – lab scale  Pilot scale up from stovetop to jacketed kettle –2 kg batch to 12 kg batch  Benefits of Jacketed Kettle –Increases temperature faster –Less temperature fluctuation –Larger batch mimics closely to manufacturing environment

Research and Innovation Methodology – factory scale  Plant production!  Scale up from jacketed kettle to scraped surface kettle –12 kg batch to 600 kg batch  Same process, larger equipment  Frequent monitoring in Quality lab

Research and Innovation 2000 kilograms of fruit Cooked for 40 hours 1000 kilograms of finished product

Research and Innovation Methodology – factory scale

Research and Innovation Results  Launch of FOUR initial products  Presence at TWO high-end retailers (McEwan Fine Foods and Fiesta Farms)  HUNDREDS of satisfied samplers!

Research and Innovation Future Research / Lessons Learned  Challenges Faced: –Volatility of fruits required different tactics for each batch –Cherry product needs more re-testing Experiment with different varietals Natural flavour extracts Acidulents

Research and Innovation Funding Organizations  Ontario Centres of Excellence Connections  Colleges Ontario Network for Industry Innovation

Research and Innovation Thank You!