If you haven’t heard it elsewhere, let me be the first to tell you. Tree Top added pumpkin to its fruit ingredient offerings. It’s true. We now have our very own Drum Dried Pumpkin Flake Powder. It’s super nutritious, delicious, and naturally enhances flavor and color in any number of applications both savory and sweet. You may also want to know – this year’s pumpkin crop is in the ground, shown here, located in the fertile soil of Washington state, and will be harvested in early fall. Then just a short distance from where it’s grown, it will be cleaned, pureed, and dried.
In preparation for the launch of our pumpkin powder, I’ve been busy learning all I can about this unassuming gourd. Once you look beyond its traditional uses as a Halloween decoration and pie filling, you might be surprised at what you find out about pumpkin. If you think pumpkin only has a place as a seasonal ingredient, read on. I’d like to change your perspective. Here goes.
Pumpkin Powder Power
First, it’s nutrient dense. Some of its phytonutrients are linked to immune, digestive, cardiac and skin health. A rich source of antioxidants, pumpkin contains alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin. These feisty substances can combat free radicals and prevent cell damage. Studies show that the antioxidants in pumpkin powder may also help lower the likelihood of certain cancers. The carotenoids, responsible for pumpkin’s bright yellow-orange color, may also support eye health. And to top it off, pumpkin powder is rich in dietary fiber, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and potassium.
Pumpkin meets the desires of today’s consumers, who are making their well-being more of a priority when selecting food for themselves and their families. This means seeking out nutrient-dense foods, and it’s given more importance to clean label ingredients. A report from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation and the American Heart Association revealed 95% of American consumers sometimes or always seek healthy food choices. Furthermore, another IFIC study found 63% of consumers said they were paying more attention to ingredient lists, and nearly two-thirds try to choose food made with clean ingredients.
Pumpkin Flake Powder, Low Moisture – no additives (Per 100 grams)
| Nutrient | Per 100g |
|---|---|
| Calories (kcal) | 385.00 |
| Fat (g) | 3.10 |
| Saturated Fat (g) | 0.64 |
| Trans Fatty Acid (g) | 0.02 |
| Cholesterol (mg) | 0 |
| Carbohydrates (g) | 76.88 |
| Dietary Fiber (2016) (g) | 20.30 |
| Total Sugars (g) | 28.66 |
| Added Sugar (g) | 0 |
| Protein (g) | 12.38 |
| Water (g) | 2.10 |
| Ash (g) | 5.54 |
| Vitamins | |
| Vitamin D -mcg (mcg) | 0 |
| Vitamin A -RAE (mcg) | 510.00 |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 29.00 |
| Minerals | |
| Sodium (mg) | 11.00 |
| Potassium (mg) | 1966.00 |
| Calcium (mg) | 254.00 |
| Iron (mg) | 6.30 |
Moving’ On Up
Another interesting thing about pumpkin is its widespread use in food and beverage products. (And let’s be clear, pumpkin spice flavored products are not included here. That’s an entirely different phenomenon for which I have no explanation.) The size of the U.S. processed pumpkin market is expected to reach $2.22 billion by 2028, and its CAGR is projected to be 6.5% over the same period, according to Reportlinker.com. Market demand is being driven by use of processed pumpkin – powder, puree, and chunks – across several food industry segments, including bakery, beverage, dairy, confectionary, baby food, and frozen products.
Interestingly, within the processed pumpkin segment, dried pumpkin had the largest volume share in 2020, with more than 50%. The volume share for dried pumpkin is credited to its common use in foodservice in bakery items, soups, smoothies, and other items. In the next few years, the dessert segment is forecast to experience the fastest CAGR in the U.S. due to the increasing demand for vegan options.
Formulator friendly
As a superfruit, pumpkin enhances labels – front and back – as well as menu descriptions, with its nutritional profile. Not only is our dried pumpkin flake powder easy to store and use, but it can also be used as a substitute for wet pumpkin puree. This gives formulators flexibility to control viscosity in applications as needed. Here is a dozen more reasons to consider using
Tree Top Dried Pumpkin Flake Powder in your new product development.
- Versatile – useful in multiple applications
- Naturally enhances flavor and color
- Low calorie, low fat, nutrient dense
- Replacement for wet pumpkin puree
- May be used as healthy alternative to flour and sugar
- GMO free, gluten free, plant based, kosher
- Easy to reconstitute, just add water; allows viscosity to be controlled
- Easily blended into dough matrix or filling
- Shelf-stable, long lasting in ambient temperatures
- Finished products can be labeled “made with real fruit”
- May be labeled as pumpkin powder or dried pumpkin on ingredient statement
- Low-cost transportation and storage
I hope I piqued your interest in pumpkin as an ideal year-round ingredient. We’re just getting started with our internal application development, and we’re anxious to do more. So, give us a call. Or if you’re not ready to collaborate yet, but would like a sample and some ingredient specs, follow this link Tree Top Dried Pumpkin Flake Powder.
