• The festive period is the most popular time for couples to conceive according to the Office for National Statistics¹
• As the seasonal baby boom begins, nine out of ten women will have marginal or low levels of folate – a vital nutrient which protects the foetus²
• According to the NHS, expectant mothers can need up to 10 times more folate during pregnancy than the average adult to help their baby develop normally³
• Dietitian, Dr Frankie Phillips, shares three simple but effective dietary tips for expectant mothers to boost their folate levels

Research by the University of Southampton has highlighted a concerning trend: nine out of ten women will have marginal or low levels of folate and other vital nutrients around the time of conception.²

Folate, also known as vitamin B9, can be found in a range of food and drinks and is essential during pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects, like spina bifida. The average adult needs 200 micrograms of folate a day, but pregnant women need at least double this dose due to the demands of pregnancy. According to the NHS, some expectant mothers can even require up to 10 times the average adult recommendation.³

This common deficiency can extend into late pregnancy, potentially impacting the health of both mother and child. According to healthcare professionals, symptoms of a folate deficiency can include fatigue, pins and needles, mouth ulcers, and a sore red tongue.²

A developing baby needs folate to make healthy new cells, and to make genetic materials (DNA and RNA). Deficiency in the early stages of pregnancy can harm the neural tube which protects the spinal cord – affecting more than 1000 pregnancies a year in the UK. More generally, the health benefits of folate include encouraging the production of red blood cells in bone marrow, which is vital during periods of growth and development such as pregnancy, infancy and adolescence.

As the winter months herald the season of festive celebrations, they also mark the beginning of the most popular time of year for conception, evidenced by September’s leading birth rates.1 Dr Frankie Phillips, a registered dietitian with over 20 years’ experience, highlights the importance of optimal nutrition during family planning and pregnancy.

Dr Frankie Phillips comments: “Folate is needed for many important processes in the body, including helping form healthy red blood cell and contributing to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.A 150ml glass of 100 % orange juice is a recognised source of folate and a convenient, affordable way to help achieve daily nutrient requirements.”

For women who think they may be suffering with low folate levels, Dr Phillips recommends a few simple but effective ways to incorporate more folate into your diet.

Three steps to incorporate folate-rich food and drinks into your diet:

• Drink a daily glass of 100% Orange Juice: Whether you buy a bottle from the shop or crank up the juicer at home, pure orange juice is a great source of folate and provides essential minerals like potassium, magnesium, and iron, according to a new Spanish study.⁴ Just one glass of orange juice a day is a recognised source of folate.
• Include Leafy Greens: Incorporate folate-rich leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and broccoli into your diet to support foetal development and overall health. Try adding a handful of spinach to stews or curries and stir-frying broccoli stems with lean beef and soy sauce.
• Add Legumes to Meals: Include peas, lentils, chickpeas, and beans in your diet, as they are excellent sources of folate. For example, just one cup of cooked lentils contains 90 % of the daily recommendation. Legumes are also rich in protein, fibre and antioxidants.⁵

Researchers, Dr Montana Camara and Dr Laura Dominguez, who recently published a study on the vitamin and mineral content of orange juice, noted: ” Folate is an essential mineral supporting foetal development by helping to release energy from the mother’s diet, and promoting normal development of the nervous system, especially during conception and pregnancy.”

Their study found that packaged fruit juices were a good source of folate, potassium and vitamin C.

¹https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/bulletins/birthcharacteristicsinenglandandwales/2022
²https://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2023/12/pregnant-women-missing-vital-nutrients-needed-for-them-and-their-babies.page
³https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/folic-acid/common-questions-about-folic-acid/ ; https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/vitamins-supplements-and-nutrition/#:~:text=But%20when%20you’re%20pregnant,you’re%2012%20weeks%20pregnant
⁴Cámara, M., Domínguez, L., Medina, S.; Mena, P., García-Viguera,C. A Comparative Analysis of Folate and Mineral Contents in Freshly Squeezed and Commercial 100% Orange Juices Available in Europe.Nutrients 2024, 16, 3605. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu1621360
⁵https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-search?query=&type=Foundation

Almost 9 in 10 (89 %) parents across the UK are concerned that their children aren’t getting enough vitamins and minerals in their everyday diets, according to a new study.

The study, which surveyed parents across Great Britain, suggests the rising cost of living is partly to blame, with over 1 in 3 (38 %) saying food and drink rich in vitamins and minerals can be expensive to buy. The survey also revealed almost half (47 %) of British parents have no clear idea what foods or drinks their children are consuming at school – making it difficult to ensure they are maintaining a healthy, balanced diet.

However, the study also revealed a lack of awareness among parents about the levels of essential vitamins and minerals in everyday staples such as fruit juice – which are inexpensive and easy to consume as part of children’s daily routine.

Fruit juice is an easy, affordable way for children to get a head start on key nutrients*: for example, a standard 150 ml glass of orange juice provides more than 90 % of the recommended vitamin C intake. A recent study published in the journal, Nutrition Research Reviews, found that 100 % fruit juice currently provides over a quarter (26 %) of the vitamin C intake for children across the UK, with the average child consuming just two to three small glasses a week.

While most Brits recognise that orange and other fruit juices are a good source of vitamin C – essential for a healthy immune system, skin health, and helping to increase iron absorption – the research revealed that many parents are unaware of the added health benefits provided by fruit juice which contains vitamins, minerals and plant bioactives.

For example, 9 in ten parents are unaware that orange juice contains folate – proven to support normal immune health and helping to reduce tiredness and fatigue. The majority of UK parents (87 %) also don’t know that orange juice contains potassium, a mineral which supports normal muscle function – helping children to stay fit and active.

The study revealed the small amount of calories in a typical small glass of fruit juice – just 20-40 kcal per day or 1-2 % of a child’s average daily calorie intake. Almost half (46 %) of parents across the UK mistakenly think fruit juice contains added sugar, despite the fact that 100 % fruit juice never contains added sugars, colours or preservatives and cannot be diluted with water under UK and European law.

Leading nutritionist and dietitian, Dr Carrie Ruxton, said: “Children’s health remains a top priority for parents across the country. However, with continuing financial pressures and uncertainty around kids’ food consumption at school, parents are finding it hard to keep track of what their children are eating and encourage healthier food choices.

“Although promoting and maintaining the health of your kids may feel like stressful at times, there are easy, affordable ways to ensure your children are fighting fit, and armed with all the vitamins and minerals they need. A simple first step is ensuring your kids have a daily glass of orange juice, which not only provides up 90% of the vitamin C recommendation per day** but is packed with a wide range of nutrients and antioxidants to support immunity, energy levels and active lives.”

Carrie Ruxton’s top five easy, quick and affordable ways to keep children healthy are:

1. Drinking Daily Juice: Giving children a daily glass of 100 % orange juice with breakfast will naturally increase their intakes of vitamin C, folate and potassium to support normal immune health and muscle function. It doesn’t matter whether you buy a carton of fruit juice or squeeze it at home – both are rich in vitamin C.
2. Fibre-tastic: Fibre is an essential nutrient to encourage the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and promote healthy digestion. An affordable way to weave this into your kids’ diets is to swap sugary breakfast cereals for wheat biscuits or bran flakes, or add peas, beans or sweetcorn to evening meals.
3. Taste the rainbow: Aim to give your kids five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. Try adding blended or grated veg into pasta sauces, or bananas to sweeten desserts. Buying frozen veggies and fruit is an affordable way to preserve key ingredients for longer.
4. Delicious Dairy: Yogurt drinks and desserts are often a good source of calcium and vitamin D for children, which are important for growth and maintaining strong bones. They are also relatively affordable when brought in multi-packs.
5. Get fishy: Giving children a portion of oily fish each week will provide inflammatory omega-3 fats to improve brain function, alongside key bone strengthening nutrients such as zinc and selenium. Tinned fish such as tuna is affordable, has a long shelf life, and is an easy after school meal served with pasta, sweetcorn and mayonnaise.

*Walton J & Kehoe L (2024) Current perspectives and challenges in the estimation of fruit juice consumption across the lifecycle in Europe – PubMed (nih.gov).
** Salar FJ et al. (2024) Comparison of vitamin C and flavanones between freshly squeezed orange juices and commercial 100% orange juices from four European countries – PubMed (nih.gov)

Scientists in Germany have discovered a new ‘super’ apple juice which has the potential to improve heart health by boosting blood flow¹.

Researchers at Hochschule Geisenheim University, near Frankfurt, have found a way to maximise polyphenols in apple juice by using a novel squeezing method called a spiral filter press which actively takes out oxygen by vacuum-driven pressing. Moreover, they ensured that oxygen is excluded from all other processing steps, therefore reducing nutrient deterioration.

The new study, published in Food Research International, found that this new method boosted polyphenol content by four times as much as regular apple juice. Polyphenols are natural plant compounds found in fruit, red wine, and cocoa which are known to have a range of health benefits for the heart and brain.

A 280 ml serving of the new apple juice would be enough to provide 100 % of the ideal intake for a key group of polyphenols, called flavan-3-ols, which help promote a healthy blood flow. The ideal intake of 400 – 600 milligrams per day for cardiovascular health was proposed by an international consortium of scientists in 2022².

The British Heart Foundation estimates that there are 7.6m people living in the UK with heart or circulatory diseases³. Meanwhile, data from the 2021 census show that 32 % of adults suffered from high blood pressure (hypertension) and 3 in 10 of those (29 %) were undiagnosed; equating to approximately 4.2 million adults with undiagnosed hypertension⁴.

Lead author of the paper, Professor Ralf Schweiggert, commented: “Apple juice is already a source of polyphenol compounds, but you would need to drink several glasses to reach the levels recommended by scientists for heart health effects. The new juicing method that we’ve investigated takes the polyphenol content to a new level by minimising the nutrient losses we typically see during juicing.”

Co-Researcher of the study, Stefan Dussling, said: “Nutrient losses are commonly due to the presence of oxygen which quickly degrades some of the nutrients in apple juice like flavan-3-ols or vitamin C. This would happen when we juice apples at home or buy a ready-made product. We hope that the new juicing method will be used more widely in the future to help people get more of these beneficial natural compounds simply by drinking one glass of juice”.

¹Dussling S et al. (2024) Analytical characterization of flavan-3-ol-rich apple juices produced with the innovative spiral filter press technology. Food Research International 180 (2024): 114055.
²Crowe-White K et al. (2022) Flavan-3-ols and Cardiometabolic Health: First Ever Dietary Bioactive Guideline. Adv Nutr 13(6):2070-2083.
³https://www.bhf.org.uk/-/media/files/for-professionals/research/heart-statistics/bhf-cvd-statistics-uk-factsheet.pdf
⁴https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandwellbeing/

Millions of Brits could be more susceptible to winter cold and flu as they are not stocking their fridges and cupboards with the right food and drink due to not knowing the vitamins and minerals that can help improve their immunity, a new study has revealed.

A survey of UK adults by the Fruit Juice Science Centre and Savanta ComRes found that while most (84 %) correctly identified vitamin C as a key nutrient for optimal immunity, many weren’t able to identify the other vitamins and minerals which can help guard against winter illnesses.

When asked which nutrients can help natural immunity, fewer than four in 10 (38 %) correctly identified Iron, commonly found in foods such as red meat, lentils and spinach, while even fewer (32 %) chose vitamin E, which is contained in nuts and seeds, grapefruit juice and red peppers.

Selenium (9 %), found in eggs and poultry, and folate (8 %), found in many green vegetables and 100 % orange juice, were other immunity-boosting nutrients that few consumers know can help guard against flu. Copper (7 %), often found in shellfish and beans, was the least recognised of nutrients with government-backed immunity claims.

Despite three quarters (76 %) of Brits knowing that diet impacts natural immunity, this lack of understanding around vitamins and minerals means many are unsure which food groups they should be consuming. Only half (51 %) identified that 100 % fruit juice and smoothies can support immunity, with 46 % selecting fish and proteins such as beans and eggs. Just one in five (21 %) identified meat as a good source of the key immunity nutrients, iron and zinc.

The research also demonstrated the lasting impact that Covid-19 has had on our approach to winter illness. 55 % of Brits expect to catch a cold or flu this winter, which equates to more than 22 million people. Of these, 45 % will self-isolate if they develop a cold or flu, while 43 % will wear a mask.

Concerningly, more than a third of Brits (35 %) said they would still go into work despite being ill, raising the prospect of offices becoming hotbeds of sickness, while a quarter (26 %) said they wouldn’t wash their hands more frequently if they caught a winter illness.

Leading nutritionist, Dr Emma Derbyshire, commented: “Winter illnesses will hit many of us this year as we return to normal social situations yet it’s clear from this new survey that some are taking their eye off the ball on handwashing and staying at home to avoid infecting others. Whilst having a healthy diet can’t stop viruses, it can help us get over respiratory illnesses faster by supporting our natural immunity. An easy first step is drinking a daily glass of orange juice – just 28% of consumers understand it doesn’t contain any added sugar – which is a convenient and effective source of vitamin C and folate, both proven to support normal immune function”.

Emma Derbyshire’s five nutrition tips for winter immunity are:

• Drink a daily glass of 100 % orange juice to naturally boost your intake of vitamin C and folate.
• Aim for at least 5 daily servings of fruit and vegetables for their vitamin A content.
• Choose wholegrain breakfast cereals, bread and rice as the fibre will promote friendly species of gut bacteria – a first line of defence against winter illnesses.
• Have one serving of oily fish weekly which is rich in calming omega-3 fats and immune-supporting vitamin D.
• Take a handful of Brazil nuts as a snack as these are high in selenium.

SISTO Armaturen S.A., a member of the KSB Group, inaugurated a newly built technology centre in Echternach, Luxembourg, on 27 February 2023. The SISTO TechCenter includes testing facilities specifically tailored to the needs of the pharmaceutical industry and biotechnology. Furthermore, this building also features modern office space for the technical departments.

The testing facilities also include a custom-built test stand for sterile process valves. This allows practical testing of valves for sterile processes. Here, developers are able to simulate all the necessary cleaning (CIP) and sterilisation (SIP) processes under original conditions. All common cleaning products (CIP), ultra-pure steam (SIP), compressed air, and vacuum are used, as well as cold and hot water. The tests can be performed according to ASME BPE standards or according to individual specifications of the end user.

In addition to further function and endurance test stands for diaphragm valves and accessories, a variety of facilities for materials testing and testing of mechatronic assemblies are also available. A vacuum chamber with leak detector is available for leak tests using helium in accordance with ISO 15848-1 or German Technical Guidelines on Air Quality Control (TA Luft).

The building covers an area of 350 square metres and has two floors. As part of its sustainability policy, SISTO Armaturen S.A. has designed the building to be climate-neutral. On completion, the building will require neither heating nor cooling. The inauguration of the multi-million euro building took place on 27 February in the presence of Franz Fayot, the Luxembourg Minister of the Economy.

One of four regional support centres, the new facilities in Barcelona (Spain) will provide access to the latest product inspection systems, as well as free testing services for contaminant detection on food and pharma production lines

Mettler-Toledo has officially opened its new Barcelona Support Centre in Spain. The new centre showcases a wide range of its product inspection systems for food and pharmaceutical brand owners, manufacturers, processors, and contract packers. Technology on-site includes the latest checkweighing, metal detection and x-ray inspection solutions. Visitors can view ProdX™ data management software which offers real-time logging of x-ray, metal detection and checkweighing product inspection activities to help food manufacturers get ready for digital food traceability. Other technologies, such as vision inspection and track and trace solutions are also available from Mettler-Toledo but are not currently displayed at the Barcelona Support Centre.

The new facility is dedicated to product inspection demonstrations and free testing services, in addition to a LAB showroom, an eStudio, customer facing seminar rooms and internal office spaces.
At the forefront of inspection technology

The demonstration facility is equipped with the latest Mettler-Toledo systems, across different product inspection technologies for a wide range of applications. European food and pharma manufacturers will benefit from a hands-on experience, such as tailored product inspection demonstrations, including a free product test report service.

This free service invites manufacturers from across Europe to send their product samples to the centre for testing, before making a purchasing decision, or request an in-person appointment either face-to-face or virtually via their eStudio. Mettler-Toledo engineers then assess the requirements and provide a full test report within five days of the arrival of the product samples. This includes an individual evaluation of their own products with details of attainable inspection accuracy, performance, and contaminant detection sensitivity.

Customers visiting the centre and participating in the live demonstrations also benefit from shorter lead times for their test report results, as they have direct access to test engineers who can answer specific questions about their products and inspection requirements, helping them to choose the most suitable solution.

The Lab Division from Mettler-Toledo is represented in the new centre with its LAB Showroom, which showcases the latest technology for quality control for laboratories and food manufacturing, such as balances, scales, and analytical instruments – often used in recipe formulation, control, and management.

The new Barcelona centre also benefits from a state-of-the-art eStudio consisting of a room with in-built green screens and recording equipment. The purpose of the room is to record e-demonstrations, deliver virtual training, and create customer-facing video content.

Collaborative environment

The centre, covering over 75,971 sq. ft across three floors, is supported by over 280 Mettler-Toledo employees, from 15 different countries and across all roles – from apprentices to senior managers, dedicated test and service engineers, sales representatives, operations specialists, marketing, and many other functions.

Bringing all teams under one roof, with open plan offices, a new canteen, and common break-out areas, will help the company improve internal communication, knowledge sharing, career development and ultimately, customer service.

“The new facilities reflect the growth of Mettler-Toledo, financially and physically,” said Oscar Dijort, General Manager at Mettler-Toledo Spain. “The new global centre is already paving the path for further expansion over the next several years, as well as creating a collaborative hub to propel inspection technology and best practice forward at a European level.”

‘Hive’ will address major global food system challenges

Unilever has invested €85m in the new center, named ‘Hive’ for its location amidst leading academic research centres, start-ups and external partners. From Hive, Unilever will lead its global Foods innovation programs for brands like Knorr, Hellmann’s, The Vegetarian Butcher and Calvė. Areas of research will include: plant-based ingredients and meat alternatives, efficient crops, sustainable food packaging and nutritious foods.

Together with its partners, Unilever aims to transform the food industry into a healthy and sustainable system, driving innovations that are healthier for people and for the planet.

Alan Jope, Unilever CEO, said: “We need a fundamental transformation of the food system if we are to feed more than 9 billion people sustainably and nutritiously. Malnutrition, obesity, climate change and food waste are issues that can only be addressed if we work in partnership to accelerate technology and innovation. Having a global research and development centre in Wageningen will enable us to do exactly this.”

The Wageningen area in the Netherlands is often nicknamed “Food Valley” – a nod to Silicon Valley – in recognition of the breakthroughs in agri-food tech being generated by start-ups, science institutes, NGOs and companies located in the area.

Unilever’s Hive has the highest certification for sustainable buildings: ‘BREEAM-NL Outstanding’. Large parts of the fully circular interior are accessible to the public. Earlier this year, the building won two prestigious design awards: the Global Design Award for Commercial Projects and the Global Public Award.