Flavor Development Seminars

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program, recently teamed with the U.S. Dairy Export Council to conduct "Taste of America" seminars featuring the concept of pairing U.S. beef with cheeses and other complementary foods under the "umami" umbrella of flavor development. The first two seminars were held in Barbados at the home of the U.S. ambassador to the region. A mini-trade show featuring U.S. products was held in conjunction with these seminars.

The final seminar was held in St. Lucia, just to the northwest of Barbados, in conjunction with Crown Foods and Barbay/St. Lucia Distillers. Attendance was outstanding at all of the seminars, as they attracted standing-room-only audiences of Caribbean chefs and other foodservice professionals. 

Umami is commonly referred to as "the fifth taste" in reference to the four traditional primary tastes of sweet, sour, salt and bitter. This flavor concept is a critical element in the creation of many delicious dishes featuring beef, which is considered an umami-rich protein.

The Caribbean has been an impressive growth market for U.S. beef in 2010. Through May, beef exports (including variety meat) totaled 10,581 metric tons (23.3 million pounds) valued at just under $42 million - a 30 percent increase over last year's pace.

Read more about your checkoff's foreign marketing efforts here.



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