U.S. Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (USF&F), Wauconda, IL, is changing its name to Synergy. The name change reflects the latest step in this company’s multi-million dollar business realignment that began with last year’s sale of its fragrance business. The company is now focused exclusively on expanding its flavor business.

USF&F became a member of the Irish-based Carbery Group, an international food company, when it was acquired in 2002. “With the additional resources of the Carbery Group, we’ve made substantial investments in our business infrastructure and personnel in the past year,” explains Roberick Sowders, president and chief executive officer.

“The name change also reflects a formal alignment with the rest of the flavor-related businesses of its parent, the Carbery Group,” he adds. “As part of this group, USF&F has expanded access to technical resources and products on an international scale.”

The new name will encompass U.S. Flavors & Fragrances (US), Synergy Flavours (UK), and Customblend ingredients (UK), as well as the Carbery line of savory flavors and enhancers.

U.S. Flavors & Fragrances is a member of the Irish-based Carbery Group, an international food ingredients and cheese company. For 20 years, USF&F has created innovative flavors for bakery, beverage, confectionery, dairy, and nutritional products in a full range of natural, natural WONF, natural and artificial, and artificial flavors for food manufacturers worldwide.

Carbery is based in Ballineen, Co. Cork, Ireland. Established in 1965, it remains one if Ireland’s leading producers of award-winning cheeses. Carbery has significantly extended its product range and has become a leading innovator in whey proteins and other dairy-derived ingredients. In the late 1990s, it embarked on an ambitious acquisition program into added-value ingredients and flavors, and now owns Synergy Flavours, Customblend Ingredients, and U.S. Flavors and Fragrances.

Balchem Corp., New Hampton, NY, has acquired the encapsulation and agglomeration business of IOI Group, Loders Croklaan USA LLC. Balchem will continue to operate the acquired business primarily out of Channahon, IL, with certain product manufacturing moving to other Balchem operations.

“The integration of Loders’ fluidized bed encapsulation and agglomeration technologies with our current technologies will provide superior product lines that will address many needs in the food industry,” says Dino A. Rossi, president and chief executive officer of Balchem Corp.

“We are thrilled to add the innovative products currently produced by Loders to our portfolio of encapsulated ingredients,” adds Eric Smith, Balchem’s vice president, sales and marketing, Human Food & Nutrition.

A&B Ingredients, Fairfield, NJ, a leading provider of rice-based ingredients, has hired Kiran Krishman as Midwestern Regional Sales Manager and Ricardo Rodriguez as the company's newest food scientist. These new hires positions A&B for nationwide sales and marketing representation and increased research and development and technical support. Chicago-based Krishman is responsible for all of A&B's sales and marketing functions in the Midwest. Rodriguez is responsible for customer technical support.

The American Dehrydrated Onion and Garlic Association (ADOGA) has released a new edition to the ADOGA "Official Standards and Methods." The new edition is the 14th edition of these industry standards.

ADOGA, an affiliate of the California League of Food Processors (CLFP), represents leading U.S. manufacturers of dehydrated onion and garlic. The newest edition incorporates guidelines for heavy metals, sulfites, and pesticide residues. The newest edition also reflects guidelines from well-known organizations such as Codex and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and includes advances made in detection methodology. The organization enhanced existing standards to address the increasing concern over such contaminants.

Companies can download a free copy of the ADOGA standards from the ADOGA section of the CLFP Web site, www.clfp.com