FRAN LaBELL, Senior Technical Editor

Sitting down to a bowl of steaming clam chowder is a welcome experience when the weather turns cold. Whether it’s Manhattan- or New England-style chowder, clam broth is key to this soup’s character. A powdered product offers a consistent, convenient and economical way to add clam broth to soups, dips, sauces, beverages and other foods. Clam Flavored Seasoning Powder 1230 from Nikken Foods Co. Ltd., St. Louis, is a highly concentrated source of natural clam flavor that mixes with water to produce clam broth.

The base for the product is baby clam with added natural clam flavor. Additional flavors and seasonings create a complete clam broth flavor. One pound of the seasoning powder produces 25 gallons of clam broth. Clam broth is the liquid that results when fresh clams are steamed. Seafood lovers enjoy sipping the fresh broth or using it as a starting point for other dishes.

Industrial users obtain their clam broth canned or frozen in single strength or concentrate form. Some companies purchase clams in liquid and use the liquid as their flavoring.

The seasoning powder takes away the bulk associated with working with liquids. It is also very consistent from batch to batch and season to season, whereas clams may vary according to the season, the weather and the source. The seasoning powder ensures that a food product will adhere to standards for flavor.

"The biggest use is in soups, clam chowder, seafood chowder and stews like bouillabaisse," says Herbert Bench, general manager, North America, Nikken Foods. Pasta sauces such as red or white clam sauce are another major category. It also flavors clam dips and beverages.

Clam broth is stable in products that are retorted, frozen, refrigerated, or packaged in glass, metal or plastic. The powder can also be used as an ingredient in dry mix packets for soups, sauces, dips, dressings and other foods. It can intensify seafood flavor when added to the breading of seafood products such as breaded clam strips.

The seasoning powder is packaged in 25-kilo poly-lined fiber drums. Shelf life for unopened drums is one year when stored in a dry area at room temperature.

Reprinted from PREPARED FOODS March, 2000

© 2000 by CAHNERS BUSINESS INFORMATION