Yongkeun Joh, founder and president of Advanced Food Systems Inc. (AFS), Somerset, NJ, describes his company’s approach to supplying critical component parts for product development initiatives.

NP: What products and services does AFS offer meat and poultry processors?

Joh: We have been custom-designing and manufacturing functional ingredient systems for the food processing and foodservice industries since 1982. We are problem solvers, focused on helping our clients improve or modify their products as quickly and efficiently as possible. We use synergistic blends of ingredients to solve complex yield, flavor, and texture problems, as well as to lower costs and improve process control.

NP: How involved does AFS get with its clients in their product development?

Joh: We work very closely with the customer’s R&D team and become an extension of their R&D effort. Our R&D team provides customers with creative culinary experience and the latest advances in food science and technology. Before work begins on a specific project, we consider the customer’s gold standard, raw material, processing conditions, distribution requirements, and marketing/sales needs. After we solve the problem or create a new product, we manufacture the ingredient system for the customer (texture or flavor system— or combined).

NP: What are the highlights of your new laboratory?

Joh: Our new 3,500-square-foot research and application laboratories include a test kitchen and tasting room, which allows our customers to work directly with us for rapid development and testing of new ingredient systems. Our R&D and technical service team is comprised of experienced food technologists and research chefs of different backgrounds.

NP: What are the highlights and features of AFS products that help red meat and/or poultry processors?

Joh: Here are several examples: Actobind® CB-2 and Actobind® FM99 are used in formed or structured chicken and red meat products, such as patties, nuggets, loaves, and roasts.

They produce firm and juicy texture with very high-cooked yield and improved freeze/thaw stability of cooked meat. Sealtite® RL-3 and Sealtite® Predust 908 are used in chicken wings for high-cooked yield, juicy texture inside, and crispy texture outside. TenderBite FS-2 is used in beef while Actobind® AMS-4 is used in chicken that is marinated with acidic marinades, such as fajita or lemon/lime flavors, for juicy textured meat with high-cooked yield.

NP: What is your company’s newest product that can be used by the red meat and/or poultry industry?

Joh: We have developed a line of marinades that do not contain allergens. The line includes Actobind® CTS-WA1 for chicken thighs that provide high-cooked yield and a firm juicy texture. The cooked meat is light in color, freeze/thaw stable, and does not exhibit warmed-over flavor when reconstituted. SeasonRite Marinade (SRM) Neutral Pork WA-9 improves the yield of various cuts of pork for the processor. The consumer gets a juicy, tender, well-flavored pork product without allergens or warmed-over flavor. In addition to the many existing SeasonRite Marinade flavors, we have just introduced seven new Asian-flavored marinade systems that provide bold, authentic flavor profiles with excellent texture and cooked yield. NP