What's new? List includes aerosol cream cheese

What next?

How about aerosol cream cheese or peanut butter packaged in single-serving cups for eating with celery, apples, crackers or pretzels?

Or pomegranate-flavored ice cream, smoothies and beverages?

The Food Marketing Institute's annual supermarket convention earlier this month at McCormick Place previewed an appetite-teasing array of new food products that companies either recently unveiled or hope to get into supermarkets by year's end.

Following is a sampling of the more intriguing of those new products:

● Wish-Bone Salad Spritzers, available in Balsamic Breeze, Italian and Red Wine Mist flavors. These vinaigrettes come in easy-to-use spray bottles. Just shake and spray a mist of flavor over mixed greens or vegetables.

The spray nozzle gives the diner more control over dressing a salad. Each 7-ounce bottle dresses 26 salads, according to manufacturer Unilever. Suggested retail price is $2.89.

● Eggology 100 Percent Pure Egg Whites On-The-Go. Each 4-ounce container holds four fresh liquid egg whites that are both organic and kosher-certified. Just pop the container in the microwave for 95 seconds and the container lid pops up as the eggs scramble upward in the shape of a cupcake.

It's an all-protein, no-fat, cholesterol-free and trans-fat-free meal or snack for the car, college dorm room or walk to school.

"They're so fresh, they're like tomatoes used to be," said Eggology owner Brad Halpern. "They're good for 90 days. They taste sweet without anything added, but you can dress them up with salt or salsa. We're working now on other flavor combinations."

While this product has been in some natural-foods stores for months, chances are you've never noticed it in the refrigerated section because it isn't widely advertised or promoted, Halpern said. Suggested retail price is $4.99 for a two-pack, or $7.99 for a four-pack.

Eggology created its "pure and fresh" egg white line in 1993 for baby boomers concerned about cholesterol.

● Old Fashioned Foods within the past month rolled out aerosol cans of Ready Fresh cream cheese spread in regular and strawberry flavors and a combination of honey and chives.

The 5-ounce cans offer convenience for spreading cream cheese on bagels. And the cream cheese has an unlimited shelf life until it's opened. Suggested retail price is $2 to $2.49.

● Jif to Go is perfect for lunch boxes. The 2.25-ounce container of peanut butter is for those who love to dip celery, apples, crackers and pretzels. Six-packs have a suggested retail price of $2.99.

● Look for pomegranate to be among this year's trendy flavors.

Displayed at the show were a pomegranate low-fat Kefir smoothie from Lifeway; Frutzzo refrigerated organic pomegranate juice; and Sheer Bliss California Pomegranate all-natural gourmet ice cream in a pint-sized tin can.

● For kids of all ages, there are Big Shott's Edible Shooters. Each 1-ounce wafer party cup is lined in chocolate, perfect for holding small servings of ice cream at kids' parties or a special liqueur for adults.

● For those who love Asian cuisine, Thai Kitchen/Simply Asia is rolling out easy-to-prepare, restaurant-style Thai entrees.

Each package of Simply Asia Stir-Fry Noodles & Asian Vegetables, available in the refrigerated section later this year, will offer tender noodles, authentic Asian vegetables packed in water, and signature stir-fry sauce. Just add your own meat and fresh green vegetables, and dinner is served in 15 minutes.

Flavors include Honey Teriyaki, Mandarin Orange and Spicy Kung Pau. Suggested retail price for a three- to four-serving package is $4.