Tax-free brandy cooking gel? Garlic juice spray? Retailers looking for something different for their shelves need look no further than the winners of the Fresh Ideas Award at this week's IFE show.

A judging panel of food experts presented the prizes for innovation and originality to 10 winners from an original shortlist of 300 grocery products .

Fine food specialist RH Amar triumphed with its Cooks & Co French Brandy Cooking Gel. Converting the brandy to gel means it can be sold with no duty or VAT, a cost-cutting solution that the judges said made sense in the economic slump.

Full marks for originality were also awarded to a liquid garlic spray from Garlic Valley Farms. Juice of 150 fresh garlic cloves is squeezed into every bottle to create 'liquid garlic', which offers the health and flavour benefits of garlic but in a more convenient format. Judges expected the spray to be a hit among consumers wanting to pep up salads or add flavouring to pasta.

Airspuma Culinary Foam, a range of aerosol food foams, was also praised. The sprays come in five sweet and savoury variants: black truffle, porcini mushroom, mango & passion fruit, raspberry, and vanilla with seed .

Fruitfilm, a small piece of fruit-flavoured film designed for adding to hot or cold drinks, also caught the panel's attention.

The products aimed at children were just as innovative. RDA Organic showcased a range of pure organic chilled children's drinks, which judges praised for their squeezable, mess-free packaging. Meanwhile, Natural Balance Foods targeted the school lunchbox market with its sugar-free Nakd Pineapple Infused Raisins.

"The standard of entries for Fresh Ideas was incredibly high and I believe the 10 products chosen were a true reflection of the high level of innovation in the industry at the moment," said Paul MacDonald, IFE09 exhibition director.

"The aim of IFE09 was to introduce buyers to the most innovative products on the market and Fresh Ideas was a centre point of the most outstanding exhibitors at the show."