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Sensegen, the pioneering biotechnology-based solution provider in taste, smell, and beauty, has launched its highly anticipated Exotic Flavours collection.

Sensegen has created a range of captivating flavours for food and beverages. The collection features six unique exotic true-to-fruit flavours: lychee, guava, papaya, yuzu, dragon fruit, and violet.

“We are thrilled to introduce the Exotic Flavours collection to the market, representing a significant milestone in our mission to redefine taste and consumer experiences,” said Natasha D’Souza, VP of Flavours and Consumer Experience at Sensegen.

“Our research has revealed that exotic flavours transcend vacation settings and have become a top preference for various occasions and drink preferences. By leveraging our bio-based solutions, we invite food and beverage companies to explore the immense potential of these flavours across different categories and create truly personalised experiences for their consumers,” said D’Souza.

According to Sensegen’s Sensory and Consumer Insights Center, 48 % of consumers identified exotics as a top flavour. Consumers are open to more adventurous flavours in social settings or when they feel exploratory. In alcoholic beverages, consumers consider unique, exotic, and natural flavours as the top three desired characteristics.

Sensegen will unveil the Exotic Flavours collection at IFT First in Chicago, July 17-19, 2023, at its creative partner Blue California’s booth S1670. In anticipation of the collection, IFT attendees will be the first to taste food and beverage prototypes made with the flavours and complimentary ingredients from Sensegen’s sugar reduction solutions partner Sweegen.

With the recent appointment of Frédérique Ries MEP as rapporteur for the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation revision, ACE sets clear industry asks for their sustainable packaging

The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment, ACE, welcomes the appointment of Frédérique Ries MEP (Renew Europe, Belgium) as rapporteur for the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). While the beverage carton industry supports the European Commission’s vision that by 2030 all packaging should be recyclable and/or reusable – as demonstrated by the sector’s Roadmap to 2030 and Beyond – we consider the following additions to the draft legislation as essential to meet the goals of an ambitious PPWR revision and look forward to an open dialogue with our stakeholders in the EU institutions:

1. The need for a 90 % mandatory collection target
The first step to recycling is collection. The industry needs enabling conditions to ensure beverage cartons are recycled at scale by 2035. A mandatory collection target for packaging formats would provide predictable packaging waste flows that would incentivise investments in recycling infrastructure and technologies.

2. Exemption from reuse targets for microbiological sensitive products
Microbiological sensitive products that cannot maintain their qualities through the addition of preservatives (i.e. 2011 juice directive) need to be packed in aseptic packaging to maintain the hygiene and nutritional value of the product. This is especially important for products with a long shelf life. ACE believes mandatory reuse targets should exempt sensitive beverages with these specific needs.

3. Feasibility assessment of the recycled content targets for contact sensitive packaging The European Commission’s proposal defines recycled content targets for contact sensitive packaging of respectively 10 % and 50 % by 2030 and 2040. ACE members are keen to include recycled plastic in their cartons provided it is available on the market at an economically viable price and authorised for use in food contact applications. These two conditions are currently not met at scale. ACE expects that ambitious recycled content targets included in the PPWR will make market availability even more challenging, therefore, we encourage the European Commission to re-assess the availability of such recycled content prior to the enforcement of these targets.

To help mitigate the challenge of the availability of recycled content on the market, an equivalent should be established between biobased/renewable plastic content and recycled plastic content as sustainably sourced renewable materials are a low-carbon, circular and food safe solution.

4. Design for Recycling (DfR) Guidelines – need for sound, technical input by industry
DfR Guidelines are technical documents that need to be evidence-based, robust and take account of industry innovation. The beverage carton industry’s latest DfR Guidelines1 provide expert recommendations to optimise their recyclability. To ensure DfR Guidelines duly reflect in-depth technical knowledge and latest innovation, it is important to include experts from the industry and technical institutes in the development of the DfR Guidelines.

We call for The European Commission to mandate CEN (The European Committee for Standardisation) to develop the DfR Guidelines. As an alternative, the creation of a stakeholder/industry advisory body to help with the development of the delegated acts would be necessary.

Beverage cartons are a sustainable and essential packaging solution allowing the safe transport, storage and use of sensitive products such as milk, plant-based products and juice (beverage cartons pack ca. 75% of milk and 59% of juice in the EU2). Their composition and lightness allow easy transport and long shelf life. Beverage cartons have the lowest carbon footprint in their category of milk and juice as demonstrated by several LCA studies, including by NGOs.3

1 Beverage carton industry guidelines, 2022
2 Roland Berger: Impact assessment study of an EU-wide collection for recycling target of beverage cartons (2022); 2018 Liquid Fruit Market Report
3 Supporting evidence – Environmental performance of beverage cartons, Circular Analytics, https://www.beveragecarton.eu/news-and-resource-centre/publications/); ZeroWaste Europe https://zerowasteeurope.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/zwe_reloop_report_reusable-vs-single-use-packaging-a- review-of-environmental-impact_en.pdf.pdf_v2.pdf?utm_source=POLITICO.EU&utm_campaign=edf8c1d17b- EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_10_24_02_44&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_10959edeb5-edf8c1d17b-190996081

You can learn more about the benefits of beverage cartons on ACE’s website.

In Egypt, SIG is launching ‘Recycle for Good’, an innovative recycling initiative to enable direct household and food service industry collection of used aseptic carton packs through tech-based solutions. This initiative involving SIG and Tagaddod is the first of its kind in the Egyptian market.

Consumers can use a mobile app to arrange for their used cartons to be collected from their homes or workplace in exchange for rewards. The project aims to incentivise recycling of used beverage cartons, ensuring high-value resources remain in circulation while benefitting local communities.

SIG is working with Tagaddod on this project. They are leading the collection of the cartons. Tagaddod is the first company in Egypt to enable direct household and food service industry waste collection through tech-based solutions. Its app allows consumers and businesses in the food service industry to arrange collection of their used beverage cartons in exchange for rewards. The initiative uses Tagaddod’s existing logistics network, and household brand Green Pan to collect the cartons.

Recycling SIG carton packs keeps high-quality renewable materials in circulation for longer. All the materials used to make aseptic carton packs – paperboard, aluminium and polyethylene – can be recycled as valuable resources that can be used to create new products.

Only around 60% of the waste Egypt generates annually is collected currently, and less than 20% of this is properly disposed of or recycled. With no segregation of waste at household level, there is a huge need for collection initiatives such as this one.

SIG is committed to partnering with others to increase the collection and recycling of used beverage cartons, supporting the shift towards a circular economy. Recycling of packaging is an industrywide issue, and SIG partners on this with many different stakeholders, including industry peers, customers, consumers, and national and local governments. As recycling rates, regulations and infrastructure vary widely in different countries and municipalities, SIG take a tailored approach through local roadmaps in priority countries.

Nano Shot is launching their collection of CBD-infused beverages made with real fruit juice, no artificial flavours, zero calories/sugars and no THC. The product line, with its proprietary Nano emulsification technology, allows adult consumers to experience a near instant calm and relaxing sensation unlike most of the other options in the marketplace.

With stress, anxiety, and mental health issues on the rise in the post pandemic era, Nano Shot is launching their collection of CBD-infused beverages made with real fruit juice, no artificial flavours, zero calories/sugars and no THC. The product line, with its proprietary Nano emulsification technology, allows adult consumers to experience a near instant calm and relaxing sensation unlike most of the other options in the marketplace. Nano Shot is the contemporary solution for today’s health and wellness conscious consumer seeking real functionality and is currently available on-line (https://nano-shot.com) and in select markets throughout the US.

The collection is available in ready-to-drink 2oz. bottles and includes four flavours: Blueberry-Pomegranate, Pineapple-Coconut, Mango-Hot Chili, and Citrus.

Larry Harmon, Creator and Founder of Nano Shot developed the brand from a very personal space: “My mother was suffering from Parkinson’s disease and I knew that a 100 % natural CBD formulation, if created with a strict focus on the most scientifically advanced nano-emulsification process, could provide a product that assists with enhancing the quality of her daily life. I am very proud of our science and our team and can’t wait to spread the Nano Shot benefit to consumers across the country and the world.”

Citrus-based flavours are a top consumer taste preference and will be a driving force of market-leading innovation in the years ahead. The Flavorchem team developed an exclusive collection of six true-to-fruit citrus flavours inspired by their associated health halo, global appeal, and consumer demand for authenticity.

Fresh calamansi lime

The fruit itself is very sour, while the peel is sweet. Our calamansi lime type flavour has a familiar juicy lime profile with elements of tangerine and orange.

Fruity kumquat

Kumquat has a sweet, tangy taste that is reminiscent of a cross between an orange and grapefruit. Our kumquat type flavour has notes of orange and grapefruit with fruity and floral undertones.

Juicy blood orange

Blood orange has a complex flavour that’s reminiscent of navel oranges, but is more floral and tart. Our extract is sweet and juicy, fresh and pulpy, and has a fruity aroma similar to tangerine.

Sweet tangerine

Characterized by its coarse peel and tangy flesh, tangerines are typically sweeter and less tart than oranges. Our tangerine extract has a sweet and fresh aroma with a zesty and refreshing taste.

Yuzu citrus

Yuzu’s sophisticated flavour profile is often considered an exotic hybrid of the citrus family. Our yuzu type flavour has notes of grapefruit, lemon, and mandarin.

Zesty key lime

Valued for its characteristic flavour, Key limes are smaller, seedier, and have a stronger aroma than the Persian limes. Our key lime extract, reminiscent of fresh limes, features a sweet, juicy, tangy, and aldehydic top note.

Flavorchem’s citrus varietals can be optimised for any food or beverage application.

AIJN joined forces with NMWE, UNESDA, the Changing Markets Foundation and Zero Waste Europe to call on EU decision-makers to create the right enabling policy framework and help our industries accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

AIJN, together with Europe’s non-alcoholic beverage industry represented by Natural Mineral Waters Europe (NMWE) and UNESDA Soft Drinks Europe, and leading NGOs, including Changing Markets Foundation and Zero Waste Europe, call on EU decision-makers to create the right enabling policy framework to help accelerate the transition to a circular economy in Europe. Our organisations underline the need to ensure resource-efficient waste management systems to enable close-loop recycling. We also call for a “priority access”, or a similar mechanism that guarantees a “right of first refusal” to beverage producers to facilitate their fair access to the food-grade recycled materials coming from the products they placed on the market and which were successfully collected.

The EU Circular Economy Action Plan has the ambition of accelerating the transition to a circular economy. This will require significant changes in the way we collect, reuse, recycle and incorporate recycled materials. Achieving fully closed and resource-efficient waste management systems for all materials should be the primary objective. The more closed-loop a system is, the more resource efficient it will be by delivering quality recycled materials which can be re-used multiple times for the same application. Therefore, for each sector, the ultimate goal should be to achieve «closed-loop recycling». With the right enabling policy framework this can be achieved.

Read the recommendations here and see the position paper attached below as well.