2005 Innovation Awards: Works of art

"The very exciting potential heart-health benefits of cocoa flavanols is not about simply adding more cocoa or consuming any dark chocolate," adds Schmitz. "In fact, the percentage of cocoa in a product is meaningless. Research from several universities clearly shows that it's about retaining the flavanols from the cocoa bean so you're confident of enjoying a flavanol-rich, cocoa-based product."

CocoaVia, which contains a patented blend of cocoa flavanols, also contains cholesterol-lowering plant sterols from soy, and is fortified with calcium and a mix of heart-healthy nutrients including folic acid, vitamins B-6, B-12, C and E. And there are only 150 calories per serving.

The product was available since early in the year on the web, but started hitting retail shelves just in the past month. –Diane Toops


Premium tuna in a pouch
StarKist, Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea bag it

For a generation of landlubbers, tuna was “chunk white” and it lived in a can. Without familiarity of the shore or the help of upscale restaurants, not much more was expected, and the end result was almost always tuna salad or a casserole.

The retortable pouch brought not only ease and convenience to an expected set of food products (rice, baby food, even ground beef) but also delectable and fresh-like seafood to the inland masses. In the words of the marketers at Bumble Bee, the pouch “helped to take the mystery, and even anxiety, out of fish preparation … These delicious tuna steaks share the healthful benefits of fresh fish, yet in a much more convenient form.”

Once feared by many, seafood now was ready to eat in 15-30 seconds, precooked and wonderfully marinated. And with potentially no cleanup.

Bumble Bee got the ball rolling in January with its Prime Fillet Albacore Steak entrées. They are available in Lemon & Pepper, Ginger & Soy and Mesquite Grilled varieties.

Del Monte followed suit this September with StarKist Tuna Fillets in Albacore Lemon & Cracked Pepper, Light Meat Teriyaki and Light Meat Lightly Seasoned.

While it appears to be abstaining from the fillet fight, Chicken of the Sea has a premium-quality albacore tuna in chunks in a pouch. The company’s pioneering act this year was wild-caught, wood-smoked Pacific salmon in a foil pouch. The bolder flavor and top-quality fish allows everyday cooks to make restaurant-quality meals and appetizers. And at the end of 2004, Chicken of the Sea claimed to be first with a line of pouched shellfish, including crab, shrimp, clams, smoked oysters and imitation crab. The shellfish pouches are single-serve items, at 3-3.53-oz. each. –Dave Fusaro


Kraft 100 Calorie Packs
When self-control alone won’t do

Inability to control portion size is one of the main reasons Americans are overweight. But it isn’t simply a matter of pushing oneself away from the table. Packaging labels are confusing, so much so that many consumers don’t bother to read them. And snacking, rather than regular meals, is a consequence of on-the-go lifestyles.

Kraft Foods’ Nabisco unit, East Hanover, N.J., made it simple and convenient to control both portion sizes and calories with 100 Calorie Packs of its best selling snacks. With only 100 calories, 0-3 g of total fat, no trans fat and no cholesterol, these preportioned snacks fall under both the relatively healthy and convenient categories. We chose this as one of our favorite products because it’s convenient, making life easier for time-impaired consumers – no weighing, no calculating, no guessing.

Varieties include: Oreo Thin Crisps, Chips Ahoy! Thin Crisps, Wheat Thins Minis, Kraft Cheese Nips Thin Crisps, Planter’s Peanut Butter Cookie Crisps, Honey Maid Cinnamon Thin Crisps and Ritz Snack Mix.

"Preportioned snacks like 100 Calorie Packs help you understand and track how many calories you are consuming in each snack occasion, while still enjoying the great-tasting favorites from brands you know and trust, " explains Joy Bauer, registered dietitian and author of The 90/10 Weight-Loss Plan. "Including the foods you love in a balanced eating plan can help you to stick with long-term healthy eating goals. The idea is to snack sensibly and in moderation by controlling how much and how often you eat. Preportioned, low-fat snacks can help make it a little easier." –Diane Toops


Haagen-Dazs Light, Dreyer's/Edy's Slow Churned
Technology churns out a healthier indulgence

Sometimes technology or at least process improvements are needed to bring about a decidedly improved product. Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream, Oakland, Calif., a year ago unveiled a proprietary manufacturing process similar to kneading dough that disperses fat and subsequently requires less.

Dreyer's/Edy's Slow Churned Grand Light ice creams, with 50 percent less fat and 30 percent fewer calories, made their grand debut in 2004. The launch was so successful, Dreyer’s came out with a similarly processed Haagen-Dazs Light this year.