POM Wonderful Introduces Pomegranate Inclusions

Taking a step beyond its retail pomegranate juices and arils, POM Wonderful (Los Angeles) is now supplying food manufacturers with pomegranate inclusions such as freeze-dried arils, quick-frozen arils, and juice-infused arils. The initiative is part of the company’s new “industrial” business, which services food and supplement manufacturers instead of direct consumers.

Pomegranate arils are the juice-filled sacs clustered within every pomegranate fruit. Each aril contains a white pomegranate seed, despite the popular misconception that the aril is the seed itself. Because arils house pomegranate juice, they are naturally rich in vitamins and polyphenols, such as punicalagins.

Freeze-dried arils are dried at cold temperature to remove moisture and preserve flavor. The resulting ingredient can impart crunch and flavor to a large number of products, including instant oatmeal, dry cereal, nutrition bars, and ice cream toppings.

Individually quick-frozen arils are just that. Unlike freeze-dried arils, quick-frozen arils will maintain moisture, and so their potential use is recommended for products already bearing moisture, including frozen fruit mixes, fruit bars, and ice creams.

Infused arils are dried pomegranate arils that are infused with pomegranate juice concentrate. The resulting ingredient has strong aroma and flavor, and a sticky texture that may complement trail mixes, nutrition bars, and baked goods such as bagels.

Because pomegranate inclusions can dramatically alter the aroma, flavor, and chemistry of food products, POM Wonderful is making available a team of food scientists to help manufacturers select the ideal inclusion and design a food product accordingly. In an interview with Nutritional Outlook, a POM Wonderful representative said the company is already seeing significant growth for pomegranate ingredients in less traditional categories, including beer, sauces, dressings, and confectionery and chocolate.

POM Wonderful harvests its pomegranates exclusively from California farms.