Euromed, a leading producer of standardised herbal extracts, has appointed Xavier Ragàs as new Head of Quality Control. Xavier has a PhD in Chemistry, covering organic and analytical chemistry, photochemistry and microbiology.
After finishing his degree in 2010, Xavier began working as a lab technician at Bunge, an international agribusiness and food company. Having been promoted to the position of Quality and Food Safety Manager, he was responsible for implementing new analytical techniques, supervising internal laboratories and monitoring and adapting plant processes, in line with ISO standards and feed safety certifications.
In 2015, Xavier joined Morchem, an adhesive producer mainly focused on flexible packaging. As Quality Manager, he led the quality control department in its transition from an old ERP to a brand new SAP system.
In his new role as Head of Quality Control at Euromed, Xavier is responsible for quality and process control from the raw materials to the finished products. Euromed products begin with botanicals that are verified, grown and harvested properly to preserve plant integrity and bioactive profiles. Each production batch – from the herb to the final extract – undergoes several laboratory tests for identity, potency and potential impurities to guarantee the highest standards. From botanical macro- and micro-identification and control of active principles and potential impurities to chromatographic analyses, the company tests botanical raw materials exhaustively, in accordance with international regulations.
Compared to the rest of Europe, Germans attach particular importance to naturalness when buying food. Only taste and consumer friendliness are more important to German citizens. Consumers in France and the UK also pay particular attention to these two factors, followed by value for money and naturalness. In the future, the demand for natural foods could increase, especially in China. These are the results of six studies carried out by Symrise over the past two years. The Group surveyed around 15,000 consumers ages 16 to 70 from 12 countries in Europe, Asia, North America and Latin America.
The importance of naturalness differs greatly from country to country. At the same time, the researchers also identified overarching common aspects. They found that the explicit use of the word “natural” has a great influence on the perception and acceptance of a product or its ingredients. In addition, consumers around the world reject ingredients with scientific-sounding names because they do not perceive them as natural. In order for the consumer to understand and trust the content of the label, it needs concrete and transparent information. Another finding was that consumers prefer familiar methods of food preparation. Artificial sweeteners are also considered unhealthy and too sweet.
“Many consumers today want to buy the most natural food possible,” says Stefanie Hartwig, Global Marketing Engagement Manager at Symrise. “At Symrise, we respond to this preference with our code of nature® platform. This means that we value natural ingredients, gentle processing and authentic taste in our products.”
Germans want understandable ingredients
Especially in Europe, consumers are very interested in the ingredients of food. They thoroughly read even long lists of ingredients as long as they can understand them. In general, respondents attach importance to ingredients they know. On the other hand, they mostly reject unfamiliar ingredients. This also applies to very general disclosures such as the ones on vegetables. Concrete content information significantly improves acceptance. The disclosure of food additives in the form of E numbers, as practiced in the European Union, is also poorly received by consumers, especially in Germany.
In Asia, the proportion of consumers interested in natural foods varies relatively widely. While in Japan almost half of consumers prefer natural raw materials, in Thailand the proportion is about a third and in China about a quarter. China holds the greatest future potential. There are particularly good prospects in the yogurt drink and flavored water categories, if manufacturers simultaneously consider the need for health and safety.
“Natural foods offer an enormous growth market with great opportunities for manufacturers,” says Mathias vom Weg, SVP Global Purchasing Flavor at Symrise. “The challenge is to ensure naturalness throughout the value chain. We focus on transparency and traceability. With clear guidelines, we ensure that our suppliers meet our requirements for naturalness.”
Similar perception of naturalness in North America and Latin America
In the USA, consumers particularly expect naturalness in the yogurt (68 percent), soup (55 percent) and flavored water (50 percent) product categories. Respondents there primarily associate naturalness with the terms “fresh,” “natural,” “local ingredients” and “free of additives and preservatives.” This also applies to Latin America. Consumers there understand naturalness as describing a product that is real and pure without additives. Especially in beverages, Latin American consumers value natural taste, natural sweeteners and a healthy product.
The global Probiotics Market value is projected to surpass USD $3.5 billion by 2026, according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc. Changing consumer perception towards easily digestible food and beverages and the rising awareness of the potential benefits of probiotic-enhanced supplements may boost market share.
Increasing probiotics industry demand for high-quality food additives, owing to the changing perception towards overall wellness and rising disposable income, may boost market share. Probiotics-strain-enhanced additives are widely used to improve the nutritional profile of non-dairy, meat, and baked preparations, owing to their rich concentration of antioxidants and vital amino acids, which are likely to encourage market demand. Consumers are shifting towards alternate versions of their favorite snacks, which are fortified by probiotic strains, as they aid in healthy digestion, which may augment market share.
A rising prevalence of poor diets, an increasing elderly population with reduced nutritional uptake capability, and growing health awareness may promote the growth of the probiotics market for food supplement applications. Food supplements offer various advantages, such as offering multiple bacterial strains in a potent dose, correcting bacterial concentrations in the digestive tract, and alleviating abdominal discomfort which should boost market demand. Moreover, they boost the immune system and prevent bacterial and fungal infections by resisting against airborne pathogens, which is likely to boost market share.
Some major findings of the probiotics market report include:
The demand for probiotics is increasing due to their benefits, such as their immune system strengthening nature and for the regulation of insulin and bile
Rising market demand for high-quality dietary additives in Europe due to a rising geriatric population and increasing awareness towards the potential benefits of probiotics strain-induced diets.
Changing perceptions towards animal rights and increasing demand for high-quality animal derivative products, such as eggs, meat, and milk in Asia-Pacific is expected to open new avenues for probiotics industry expansion.
Some of the major players operating in the probiotics market include Arla Foods, BioGaia AB, DuPont Danisco, Danone, I- Health, Nestle, and Nebraska Cultures
Companies are investing in R&D to develop hybrid varieties of strains to counter side effects and diversify product portfolio, which is likely to foster industry growth
Supportive government regulations in Europe and North America towards the use of probiotic strains in the food and beverage market and in animal feed may boost market share. Manufacturers are expanding product portfolios and diversifying segments by introducing probiotics enhanced alternatives, which may boost industry growth.
Browse key industry insights spread across 310 pages with 363 market data tables and 51 figures and charts from the report, “Probiotics Market Share By Ingredients (Lactobacilli, Bifidobacterium, Streptococcus, Bacillus), By End-Use (Human, Animal), By Application (Food and Beverages {Dairy Products, Non-Dairy Products, Cereals, Baked Food, Fermented Meat Products, Dry Food}, Dietary Supplements {Food, Nutritional, Specialty Nutrients, Infant Formula}, Animal Feed), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook, Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2019 -2026,” in detail along, with the table of contents: www.gminsights.com
As experts in what consumers want and why Mintel is best suited to accurately predict the future of consumer behaviour and what that means for companies and brands. Announced early in November, Mintel is taking a bold approach with its predictions about the future of global consumer markets by incorporating seven key factors that drive consumer spending decisions:
Wellbeing: Seeking physical and mental wellness.
Surroundings: Feeling connected to the external environment.
Technology: Finding solutions through technology in the physical and digital worlds.
Rights: Feeling respected, protected, and supported.
Identity: Understanding and expressing oneself and one’s place in society.
Value: Finding tangible, measurable benefits from investments.
Experiences: Seeking and discovering stimulation.
Here, Matthew Crabbe, Director of Mintel Trends, APAC, explores the seven drivers and how they will impact markets, brands and consumers over the next decade.
Wellbeing
“Wellbeing is no longer about simply wanting to look after oneself in broad terms, nor is it about the extremes of a total lifestyle change. Instead, a holistic approach is becoming a key motivator of consumer behaviour, underpinned by convenience, transparency, and value. Over the coming 10 years, there will be opportunities for brands to become wellbeing partners with customers. While the mass-market and ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach will still have value, we will see further adoption of bespoke solutions. Clean air and water will become selling points, while conscious movement and mindful exercise will become as important as physical fitness.”
Surroundings
“The increased global population and climate crisis are forcing people to reduce their consumption, waste, and energy use. They are learning to share limited space more efficiently and to work more collaboratively. Better and more affordable telecommunication technology allows for flexible work conditions, as consumers increasingly become digital nomads. Over the next 10 years, social tensions will increase as competition for resources rises. This could result in greater stratification of society and failure to tackle the need for more efficient use of resources and better urban planning. There will be greater pressure on cities to continue to expand, encroaching into remaining wildernesses and rural farming areas, exacerbating the cost of producing food – making even basic products more expensive for most people.”
Technology
“Mobile technology continues to blur the lines between time, travel, and location for work, learning, and leisure. Elements of virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) will revolutionise industries like tourism and entertainment, while virtual esports will rival physical sports in popularity. Over the coming decade, consumers will push back against cashless payments and fully unmanned stores, demanding more privacy and seeking more ‘human’ interaction. We’ll also see technologies developed to mitigate the effects of climate migration and displacement, amidst the broader challenges of economic inequality and an ageing society.”
Rights
“‘Cancel culture’ is growing as consumers feel increasingly empowered to call out companies, brands, and people they disagree with, greatly shifting influence into the hands of the collective consumer. Youth activism will take the lead in drawing public awareness of causes and will push legislative leaders to develop and enact ideas to make real change. Meanwhile, a more human-centric approach to data is emerging, empowering people to control how their personal data is collected and shared. Consumers are beginning to realise the true value of this data and they are demanding more for it. Looking ahead, blockchain technology will change data ownership, empowering consumers to put the control back in their hands by determining who has access to their information online.”
Identity
“Consumers are moving away from the rigid definitions of race, gender, and sexuality, and a movement is emerging toward more fluid, self-selected identities. But as the movement grows, rising feelings of loneliness and isolation are making people feel like they are, in fact, losing their identity. While people are more connected today than ever before, feelings of loneliness and isolation are on the rise and will reach epidemic proportions by 2030. Expect to see companies, brands, social organisations, and governments create technology-based solutions to help combat this. And as identities change, so too will socialising. In the future, people will increasingly be living with members of their ‘tribe’ – dictated by their mindsets and hobbies – rather than their family.”
Value
“The current era is one of excessive and unsustainable consumption. Social media’s ‘swipe up’ culture has perpetuated the chase for buying more and buying better. However, with climate change as one of the defining issues of modern society, consumers are taking a closer look at their own consumption habits. While consumers are in search of a more mindful approach to their spending, they also desire something that is authentic and unique to them. Expect to see a move towards slower, minimal consumerism that emphasises durability and functionality. Rapid urbanisation will shrink available space in the home, office, and shared environments, demanding consumers buy less ‘stuff’.”
Experiences
“While the demand for stimulation is not new, the role it plays in consumer decision-making is evolving. No longer should ‘the experiential’ be diminished as a mere marketing tool or a fad; instead, consumers are experiencing powerful emotional connections to brands that are creating a point of differentiation. Technology is driving experiences, but the constant connectivity is also causing demand for offline interactions to become more extreme and boundary-pushing. Looking ahead, collective experiences will gain more and more popularity. People will start to redefine what experiences they want as individuals. This will include the experience of doing nothing as people make more mindful decisions about what to do with their time.”
Current trends, the latest innovations and visionary concepts for the food of the future were under focus more than ever at Anuga from 5 to 9 October 2019. The world’s largest trade fair for food and beverages demonstrated once again that it is the industry’s no. 1 global event. With over 170,000 trade visitors (plus 3 percent compared to 2017) from 201 countries and around 7,500 exhibitors (7,405 in 2017) from 106 countries, the trade fair set new records. The share of foreign exhibitors was almost 90 percent and the share of foreign visitors was 75 percent. Exhibitors from all over the world presented the entire spectrum of global products in ten trade shows under one roof. “The continual growth in the number of trade visitors and exhibitors confirms the excellent international standing of Anuga as the industry’s most important business platform. This record result means we are continuing to write the success story of Anuga in its 100th anniversary year. No other event brings supply and demand together so effectively at such a high level of quality as here in Cologne. However, Anuga 2019 fulfilled the function as a window to the future more pronouncedly than ever as well. Strategic decisions for the entire food industry were discussed here, new solutions and concepts for the big challenges of the global food industry were presented too,” stated Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse GmbH.
Paraguay’s Minister for Trade and Industry, Liz Cramer, held the opening speech for the partner country. She was particularly delighted about the friendly reception at the trade fair and the keen interest of the trade visitors in her own country: “We are convinced in Paraguay that a free and fair world trade is a source of further development and that it can lead to a more efficient usage of the globally available resources. Our exhibitors from the food industry, who have taken part in Anuga, are reporting about a high number of meetings with potential partners and are thus expecting to experience a growing demand for food from Paraguay. Furthermore, we have learned a great deal about the expectations of today’s consumers at the trade fair. I am convinced that in the face of the excellent outcome of our participation this year, Anuga will remain to be an overriding event for the development of the Paraguayan food sector in the coming years, with a significant presence of companies and representatives from the public sector of our country.”
Friedhelm Dornseifer, President of the German Association of the Retail Grocery Trade (BVLH) was also very satisfied: “Anuga has once again succeeded in presenting the diversity of the food industry in an impressive way. Whereby the trade fair has also succeeded in linking up the future themes of the industry with the current political debate about which influence the production, processing and marketing of food has on the environment and climate change. In its 100th anniversary year, Anuga is thus presenting itself as extremely topical and well-equipped for future challenges. In spite of the high importance of social responsibility and sustainability that goes hand in hand with the manufacturing and sales of food, with its wide variety of new products Anuga 2019 demonstrated impressively that the appreciation of food is above all a matter of taste. Offering products that comply with the ethical needs of the consumers that also provide them with the highest possible degree of enjoyment is a big challenge for food manufacturers and distributors. There is tough competition in this sector. They bear the entrepreneurial risk and thus deserve more political support to reconcile sustainability, profitability and the customers’ requirements.”
Christoph Minhoff, Chief Executive Director of the Federation of German Food and Drinks Industries (BVE), also drew a positive balance. “As the world’s largest and most important trade fair for food and beverages, Anuga is not only a platform for the export business of the German food industry, but also the leading global trade fair for innovations and trends within the food market. We are more innovative than any other branch of industry: Every year over 40,000 new products are introduced onto the market in Germany alone. The German food manufacturers were once again this year able to impressively demonstrate that they can already provide answers today as to how the future is going to taste. Here trends like “healthy and sustainable food” are not only further establishing themselves, sustainability is actually taking on a new dimension among foodstuffs. If the politicians want to support the industry with this development, they have to solve the existing, conflicting goals between the reduction of packing, fighting food waste and food safety instead of dictating agreements.”
Guido Zöllick, President of the DEHOGA German Association, continued: “In times that are exciting and challenging for the food service business, Anuga 2019 convinced with a unique mixture of exhibitors, valuable first-hand information, exciting trend analyses from all over the globe and an extensive, industry-relevant event programme on topical themes. True added value for the entrepreneurial success of today and tomorrow for a strong industry with an annual net turnover of almost Euro 90 billion. The DEHOGA Food Service Marketplace was once again the central meeting point for brand-name restaurant owners and medium-sized hospitality companies from Germany and Europe. Industry highlights additionally included the premiere of the dehogadigitalday, the 29th Professional Food Service Forum as well as the starting signal for the competition “Distinguished! The best German children’s menus” together with the Federal Minister of Food, Julia Klöckner. The successful outcome of the trade fair is further evidence of the high significance and great appeal of Anuga for the hospitality industry.”
Top buyers on board
The exhibitors were particularly impressed by the quality of the visitors. Countless buyers with high decision-making competence from the trade and food service attend the trade fair in Cologne. All of the important players of the TOP 10 food dealers in the world and the TOP 12 from Germany were represented. These included among others Walmart, Costco Wholesale, The Kroger Co., Metro AG, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., Edeka, Rewe Group, Penny, Lidl and Kaufland (Schwarz Group). Important online dealers like Amazon, LSG Group, E.Leclerc, Mercadona, Migros and SPC Groups were also present. In terms of the number of trade visitors, increases for Europe were particularly recorded from Great Britain, the Netherlands, Poland and the Ukraine. Significant increases from non-European countries were predominantly registered from Brazil, Japan, the USA and Russia.
More than just business
Anuga is not only the gate to the worldwide food and beverage world. With a diversified event and congress programme or special events like the Anuga Horizon 2050, this year the trade fair additionally set new impulses for the food industry of tomorrow more than ever before. The congress trio NEWTRITION X, E-Grocery Congress @Anuga and the Innovation Food Conference (iFood) featuring top international speakers offered an extensive pool of new information on trends, market opportunities, new technologies and the digitalisation of the industry. Furthermore, as a provider of knowledge and know-how, Anuga presented new and ongoing trends. These included for instance plant-based meat substitute products, alternative protein products based on peas, fava beans or insects and newly-interpreted product variants made of hemp. Beyond this, themes such as free-from, convenience, vegan, bio, halal and kosher also played an important role.
The next Anuga will take place from October 9 to 13, 2021.
“The Trade show Duo”- ANUTEC – International FoodTec India & PackEx India once again underscores its position as the leading event for the suppliers of the food & drink and packaging industry in the SAARC region. The exhibition ended on a high note for all 470 exhibitors witnessing over 10,000 one-time registered trade visitors during its three-day trade fair. The exhibitors were satisfied with the quality and quantity of the visitors who attended the trade fair. Key visitors from different industry sectors were present during all three days. The exhibition once again confirmed its position as the best business platform that provides customized solutions for the Indian and neighbouring markets. The exhibition was actively supported and promoted by IPMMI (Institute of Packaging Machinery Manufacturers of India) and IFCA (Indian Flexible Packaging & Folding Carton Manufacturers Association) both being the leading industry association leaders for Packaging Industry.
Both ANUTEC – International FoodTec India & PackEx India acted as a great platform for the buyers and sellers of technology in food, drinks, dairy, confectionery, bakery, snacks and pharmaceuticals along with others to facilitate more business for the future. “We have achieved a new level with this result. Our success will be measured by the opportunities; the business and the value addition that we as an exhibition organiser are able to give to our exhibitors. All the exhibitors are really happy with us and this in turn makes us happy. Our exhibitor’s success is rightly our success”, said Ashwani Pande, Managing Director, Koelnmesse YA Tradefair India Pvt. Ltd.
The exhibition inauguration was held in the gracious presence of Mr. Hemant Malik, Chief Executive Officer- Food Division, ITC Limited, Mr. Ganesh K. Sundararaman, SBU Chief Executive, ITC Limited, Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, Director, Kanchan Metals, Mr. Manoj Paul, Country Head, Heat & Control (South Asia) Pvt. Ltd., Mr. Samir Limaye, President, IPMMI, Mr. Ashwani Pande, Managing Director, Koelnmesse YA Tradefair Pvt. Ltd. along with other dignitaries. In their inaugural speech, Mr. Hemant Malik congratulated Team Koelnmesse for creating a one-stop location for the Indian food and beverage industry in the form of ANUTEC – International FoodTec India & PackEx India. Mr. Ganesh K. Sundararaman, stressed the fact that India is a large consumption country where food processing is one of the most important sectors. To cater to the demand of this sector, ANUTEC – International FoodTec India & PackEx India is the only ideal place in India that showcases the latest for the food & drink technology thereby building partnerships and business. Key visitors from ITC, Haldiram’s, HUL, Cremica, Dabur, Pepsico, Nestle, Prataap Snacks, Balaji wafers, Vadilal, Hatsun Agro, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Abbott, Cipla and many others were present during all three business days. The feedback received from the key visitors from different sectors benchmarking ANUTEC – International FoodTec India & PackEx India as a truly international exhibition organised world over. The visitors have also expressed their satisfaction over the wide spectrum of technological solutions being showcased at the exhibition for their needs. The exhibitors underlined the increased quality of the trade visitors to the exhibition over other trade shows and showed keen interest to book stands for the next edition with bigger area.
Koelnmesse YA Tradefair Pvt Ltd will be hosting the 15th edition of the largest technology event catering to the food, drink and packaging industries: ANUTEC – International FoodTec India – International supplier fair for the food & drink industry and PackEx India – International exhibition on Packaging material and Technology along with ANUTEC Ingredients India and Food Logistics India from 23.09. to 25.09.2020 at Hall No. 1, 2, 3 & 4, Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai.
Bold idea becomes reality with mobile filling solution for communities
The SIG WAY BEYOND GOOD FOUNDATION has launched its flagship Cartons for Good project in Bangladesh. Cartons for Good applies SIG’s technology to empower communities to reduce food loss, support farmers’ livelihoods and promote children’s nutrition and education. The project will provide healthy school meals for underprivileged children in partnership with leading development NGO, BRAC.
Established in 2018, the SIG WAY BEYOND GOOD FOUNDATION envisions a future in which good nutrition and clean water will be available to everyone and natural habitats will be preserved for future generations. Cartons for Good is the foundation’s flagship project.
Turning food loss into nutritious school meals
Almost 20 % of the population in Bangladesh suffers from malnutrition and almost half the children are underweight. At the same time, food is going to waste because each harvest produces more than farmers can sell locally and they have no way of preserving surplus crops.
SIG set out to use its expertise as a leading systems and solutions provider for aseptic packaging to create an innovative mobile filling solution that communities can use to turn this food loss into nutritious meals that are preserved in SIG cartons for later use.
Rolf Stangl, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the SIG WAY BEYOND GOOD FOUNDATION and CEO of SIG said: “Our Cartons for Good project is a perfect example of turning a big dream into reality. This is a true innovation outside our traditional core business, but perfectly in line with SIG’s purpose of bringing nutritious food products to consumers around the world in a safe, sustainable and affordable way.”
The packaged food is distributed to BRAC’s schools to provide nutritious meals for underprivileged children. Named the world’s #1 NGO four years in a row, the SIG WAY BEYOND GOOD FOUNDATION’s project partner BRAC brings valuable expertise and insights into local development challenges, helping to enhance the impact of Cartons for Good.
Mohammad Anisur Rahman, Director Dairy and Food at BRAC, said: “We run schools for underprivileged children across the country. Often, they cannot afford to pay for their education or even for food. Most of them drop out of school because they need to go out and work to buy food for themselves and for their families. Giving them meals at school means that not only will they learn, they will also have something to eat. BRAC is happy to be partnering with the SIG WAY BEYOND GOOD FOUNDATION and we will work together to make this project successful on the ground.”
Housed in a shipping container on a trailer, the mobile filling unit is designed to travel from one community to the next to preserve surpluses at harvest time. The initial pilot is in the region of Balia. (Photo: SIG)
From concept to reality
In just two years, the SIG WAY BEYOND GOOD FOUNDATION has turned a bold idea into a practical solution to help communities prevent food loss and malnutrition.
SIG’s expert engineers adapted the company’s proven filling technology to create a mobile unit where meals can be cooked using local recipes and preserved in long-life cartons. Housed in a shipping container on a trailer, the unit is designed to travel from one community to the next to preserve surpluses at harvest time. The initial pilot is in the region of Balia.
Farmers are paid for their produce, providing them with much-needed income, and the packs of food are used by local schools to provide a healthy, hot meal for children every day.
The first meals created in this unique mobile filling unit are already being distributed to BRAC schools in impoverished communities in Dhaka, where many children drop out of school because they need to work to feed themselves and their families. After use, the empty cartons will be recycled at a local facility.
Cartons for Good is part of SIG’s commitment to go Way Beyond Good by contributing more to society and the environment than it takes out. Developing this flagship project is a key focus of the SIG WAY BEYOND GOOD FOUNDATION.
Tate & Lyle, a leading global provider of food and beverage ingredients and solutions, announces that effective October 1, 2019 or as contracts allow, the Food & Beverage Solutions business in North America will implement price increases of up to 12 % on specialty food starches, fibres, specialty and high intensity sweeteners, and stabilization and functional systems.
These adjustments are required following increase in costs to produce the affected products.
This National Science Week, Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has revealed how a secret recipe to get Black Soldier Flies in the mood could help tackle local food waste crisis.
Working with Canberra-based start-up Goterra, CSIRO’s farming experts have been testing lighting, temperature, moisture, surface texture and diet in a bid to find the perfect combination of conditions that will encourage flies to mate.
By boosting egg-laying, Goterra will be able to breed more insects to eat through food waste and turn it into compost – reducing landfill, emissions from transporting food to landfill, and enriching soil with nutrient-rich fertiliser.
This is just one of a number of CSIRO projects designed to kick-start the growth of a new Australian industry that will use insects to tackle challenges like food waste and create a more sustainable source of protein for human consumption.
Farming insects sustainably requires less land and water, while still maintaining a high protein production.
Working alongside the University of Adelaide, CSIRO is now expanding its partnership with Goterra to investigate which native Australian insects are the best nutritional choices for human consumption.
CSIRO’s Australian National Insect Collection will help identify native species of insects that are potential candidates for the edible insect industry in Australia, and work with local Aboriginal communities to understand traditions around witjuti grubs, bogong moths and green tree ants, which are known for their zesty citrus-tasting abdomens.
Later this month, CSIRO will host an international symposium on edible insects, and begin work on an industry roadmap to identify unique Australian opportunities to grow a local insect industry.
CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall said solving our national challenges of food security and environmental sustainability called for precisely the kind of innovative science and technology we celebrate during National Science Week.
“CSIRO has been at the forefront of agricultural and food innovation in Australia for over a century, so it’s fitting that today we’re using that expertise to grow a new local industry using native Australian resources like insects,” he said.
“Growing a new industry is a complex, multidisciplinary challenge, but with CSIRO’s expertise spanning farming, insects, nutrition, economic and environmental forecasting, and collaboration with industry, government and universities, we have a strong track record for turning excellent science into real-world solutions.”
While working with CSIRO, Goterra CEO Olympia Yarger had the Australian soldier fly Hermetia olympiae named after her, and said working with an organisation as diverse as CSIRO meant her business could develop in multiple directions.
“We were inspired to start the business out of passion for insects and a belief in harnessing them to work for us, whether that’s as a source of food with edible insects, or to process food waste using larvae,” Ms Yarger said.
“Our solution is focused on technology to create opportunities to use insects as a biological service. We’re building the technology to breed the insects and transport them to wherever there is a need, creating a mobile and versatile alternative to everything from sources of protein to landfill.”
Goterra accessed CSIRO expertise with funding from the CSIRO Kick-Start Program, which matches start-ups and small/medium businesses with research and development activities. CSIRO’s partnership with the University of Adelaide is part of CSIRO’s Industry PhD program, which offers science PhD students experience working on real industry challenges.
SIG set for growth with new state-of-the-art production plant in China
As the Asia-Pacific region continues to be one of the major growth engines for aseptic carton packaging, SIG has announced investment in the region with the construction of a second production plant in Suzhou, China.
To meet current and future customer demand, the new 120,000 square meter plant is expected to be operational in early 2021 and will be situated at the Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP), close to the company’s existing production facility and Tech Centre. With a total investment of EUR 180 million, the new plant will ensure exceptional delivery on outstanding opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region, where most countries continue to grow significantly. The plant is expected to achieve world-class environmental, safety and operational performance right from the start.
The new production facility is testament to SIG’s strong partnership with SIP and the local government, as well as its unparalleled commitment to deliver world-class packaging, service and the most modern solutions to the rapidly growing Asian markets and to China in particular. SIG’s recently opened cutting-edge Tech Centre in Suzhou supports customer collaboration in the development and implementation of innovative product concepts and market-ready packaging solutions.
Across Asia, millions of people are only now starting to consume packaged food and beverages. The rise of new consumers, driven by increasing income, changing lifestyles and new consumption habits, represents a huge opportunity for aseptic carton packaging with its long shelf life without the need of a cooling chain.
At the same time, young and growing populations are adopting modern lifestyles in urban areas, with more on-the-go consumption, an increasing awareness of health and wellness, and a growing demand for high-quality nutritional food and beverage products.
At this year’s Food ingredients Europe & Ni, trade show organiser Fi Global will highlight the most exciting new F&B startups in the Startup Innovation Challenge. Entrants to the competition are invited to apply now, with the winners receiving business advice and coaching from top industry experts.
Innovation is the secret of success in the F&B industry, and nowhere is that more evident than at Fi Europe & Ni. Yet not all startups, no matter how good their offering, have the resources to make a significant impact on the market.
That’s why the Fi Global Startup Innovation Challenge aims to provide budding entrepreneurs with a springboard to success by showcasing their innovations, bringing them to the attention of ingredient professionals and potential investors.
Fi Europe & Ni 2019 will welcome more than 30,000 visitors and over 1,700 exhibitors, making it a must-attend trade event for sourcing food ingredients.
All shortlisted young enterprises will have access to a Startup Lounge, situated in the heart of the exhibition. This will give them the chance to network and demonstrate their offering. They will also be invited to pitch their innovation live on 2 December to the expert jury and on 3 December to Fi Europe visitors at Fi Europe’s Industry Insights Theatre.
Top prizes include a fully equipped stand at Fi Europe 2020, a marketing campaign within “Ingredients Network” or access to the “Conciergerie” innovation platform from Startup Challenge Partner Presans.
Startups wishing to enter the competition should be less than 5 years old, have a solid business plan and innovations targeting the food and drink sector, with a focus on ingredients or additives that improve taste, texture, appearance and/or nutritional value, or technologies and/or services that support the sector.
This year’s categories (competitors can enter more than one) are:
Most Innovative Food or Beverage Ingredient
Most Innovative Plant- or Cereal-based Food or Beverage Ingredient
Most Innovative Alternative Food or Beverage Ingredient
Most Innovative Process, Technology or Service Supporting F&B
The judging panel will be comprised of industry experts, investors and company representatives from the food ingredients industry.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture has awarded $1.8 million to two Cornell food science research projects.
One project improves the commercial viability of a new food packaging material that actively reduces the need for preservatives, while decreasing food waste; the other project improves juice and beverage production to keep the fresh taste in concentrates.
Ever-increasing food waste represents an emerging threat to the economic and environmental sustainability of the U.S. food system, said Julie M. Goddard, associate professor of food science. Preservatives are added to foods to retain quality with a longer shelf life, but consumers are demanding a reduction in additives.
However, this consumer movement leads to unintended results: food that spoils more quickly, which could cause a surge in food waste.
“We’ve shown that you can introduce preservative functionality into packaging materials, so that we can reduce the additives in foods and beverages without losing product quality,” Goddard said. These “active packaging” materials are a promising new technology, but technological hurdles and consumer-mindsets have so far prevented their successful commercial translation, she added.
Removing the preservatives in food products – such as sauces, mayonnaise or salad dressing – would severely diminish shelf life, even with refrigeration. But by adding chelating agents – compounds that can sequester metal ions – to the jar or bottle itself, the food can last much longer without the additives seeping into the food.
“There is a lot of benefit in having fewer additives but gaining the preservative quality built-in to the package so they don’t migrate to the food,” she said.
During the research phase, the researchers will work directly with consumers and producers to ensure that the packaging material meets food-production, supply chain needs and that consumers are more likely to accept this new technology.
Joining Goddard on this project will be co-principal investigators Randy Worobo, professor of food science, and Motoko Mukai, assistant professor of food science; David Just, professor of applied economics at the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management; and Chris Ober, professor of materials science and engineering.
For the other project, Carmen Moraru and Olga Padilla-Zakour, both professors of food science, will lead research on using reverse and forward osmosis filtration and other cold processes to create nutritious, high-quality and tasty juices and beverages in an energy-efficient way. Collaborators include Miguel Gomez, associate professor of applied economics at Dyson, and Robin Dando, associate professor of food science.
Currently, juice processors use heat to create juice concentrate, but heat changes the product’s nutritional and sensory profiles.
“Our combination nonthermal process maintains product quality and makes the juice concentrate taste like it is fresh,” Moraru said.
Also, juice concentration consumes energy. “With this cold process technology, we can save energy and conduct the concentration at a fraction of the thermal evaporation cost,” she said.
The researchers will examine different filtration conditions for specific juices and other beverages. In addition to New York state fruit juices like apple and grape juice, the researchers will also examine concentration of cold-brew coffee and tea.
Juice and beverage concentrates make sense from a financial perspective, Moraru said.
“For commercial purposes,” she said, “it is more economical to transport concentrate rather than move the added weight of water. Concentrate is economical and stable, while water makes juices more prone to degradation.”
The developed processes will be transferred to industry stakeholders. Said Moraru: “Ultimately, this work will benefit consumers and will help boost the competitiveness and sustainability of the U.S. food sector by reducing the energy in food processing.”
These new projects add to the department’s growing research output in improving environmental sustainability in the U.S. and global food production by reducing food waste while improving energy efficiency.
Free From Functional & Health Ingredients (FFF&HI) broke records when it welcomed more than 7,800 key buyers and decision makers from the free from food, drink and sustainable packaging industries through its doors in Barcelona from 28 – 29 May. Now in its seventh year, this staggering 52 % increase on visitor numbers reflects the dynamic growth and development of the global free from market and cements the show as Europe’s leading platform for the free from industries.
Visitors took advantage of the unique platform the show provides, informing and inspiring decision makers from the world of retail, ingredients, wholesale, distribution and foodservice with a packed schedule of conference sessions, pioneering brands and products plus multiple networking opportunities.
Leading the field
Five core areas of the free from market; free from, vegan, natural and organic, functional and health ingredients were represented across four conference stages with insights from key speakers.
Highlights from the packed conference schedule revealed the latest data covering key areas including the 11.5 % increase in sales of free from foods across Europe in the past year1 and the 133 % growth of the UK free from market since FFF&HI began in 2013.2
Show partners, ProVeg International hosted a dedicated vegan area and a series of seminars at the vegan conference stage. Verena Wiederkehr, International Head of Food Industry and Retail at ProVeg International revealed the most prominent trends driving the sector including sensory experiences, clean-label products and raw materials, explaining the opportunities for businesses who tap into this buoyant sector.
Pioneering exhibitors
FFF&HI was the platform for new brands and product launches from those shaping the organic, vegan, functional foods and ingredients markets.
On the first day, FFF&HI unveiled the winner of its Product of the Year Awards – a celebration of the most cutting-edge free from food and drink products launched in the past year. Manufacturers and producers put their best innovations for contention to be crowned winner and runner up across three categories, Product of the Year, Best New Brand, Free From Plastics.
Product of the Year Award
Winner: Qwrkee Foods – Pea M’LK
Runner-up: Ambrosiae
Runner-up: Pizza Mi – gluten free pizza bases
Best New Brand
Winner: I am Bart’s – Vegan Nutrition Bites
Runner-up: Juustoportti – Organic and Gluten free Oat Drinks made from Finnish Premium Oats
Free From Plastics Packaging
Winner: EncajaBio – Packaging system and cellulose film which sustainably reduces the carbon footprint
The lifetime achievement award was given to Molino Nicoli, European leaders in gluten free cereal-based production, who have exhibited at FFF&HI since the first show in 2013.
I Am Bart’s launched a range organic snack bars made with vegetables, fruit and seeds without preservatives and added sugars. Commenting on winning Best New Brand, Founder, Bart Veldkamp said: “We are delighted to have won an award, especially as it’s our first time exhibiting at a trade show. We’ve been impressed with this dynamic show and the high quality of the visitors. The team has worked very hard and we are very proud of this win. It’s great to be recognised as we’re in the company of such interesting brands showcasing fantastic products – I’m very proud to be surrounded by such great innovators!”
FFF&HI Exhibition Director, Ronald Holman commented: “It was fantastic to return to Barcelona and we are absolutely delighted with the number of visitors that came to discover what’s happening at the forefront of the free from industry. It’s great to see returning exhibitors and new ones coming to showcase such a diverse range of products and the industry leading experts who drive the market forward.
We’ve received a fantastic response from show visitors and exhibitors alike. We’re looking forward to hearing about the outcomes for our exhibitors this year and seeing what the show will bring in 2020.”
FFF&HI will return for its eighth edition in Amsterdam from 23-24 June, 2020.
Diana Food has opened a new R&D laboratory to drive its innovation in Consumer Health products.
Located in Québec City, Québec, the center will support a nearby facility where Diana produces nutritional ingredients for use in a range of health solutions. Rob Evans, Director of Research & Development at Diana Food, said, “The decision to create this new lab emphasizes Diana’s commitment to the market, the North American scientific community, and the company’s long-term growth in the consumer health category.”
The Research & Development facility’s location is a strategic one. Its proximity to Diana’s Consumer Health plant not only allows for the easy transfer of knowledge and technology, but also helps transfer laboratory innovation into scalable manufacturing. Additionally, the center is close to Quebec’s little fruits producing region, providing quick access to fresh, natural resources.
The creation of new products and processes will be a key focus at the new facility. The team working here, which includes scientists from Diana’s labs in France, will extract polyphenols from locally sourced materials like cranberries and blueberries and explore their application in health offerings like dietary supplements. As Mr. Evans noted, “These scientists are experts in the consumer health market and those coming from France bring with them prior expertise that will help expedite local development and testing.”
This Research & Development laboratory also echoes Diana’s work with the Institute of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods (INAF) at Laval University. Launched in November 2018, this Chair of Research is dedicated to researching the effects of fruit and vegetable-derived polyphenols on regulating microbiota in the human gut.
Diana Food’s ingredients are sourced from carefully selected raw materials and their solutions are supported by robust, clinically proven science. The company’s specializations in this category include sports nutrition products, functional food and drink to boost women’s health, and supplements to encourage healthy aging and add energy and vitality.
The production of food processing and packaging machinery rose by 8 percent in 2018. This was not only a record figure, but also the highest growth rate in the current decade.
The past year was very successful for the manufacturers of food processing and packaging machinery: production rose by 8 percent to just under 15.2 billion euros.
“Many manufacturers started 2018 with a very high order backlog, which was gradually converted into sales in the first half of the year. This, too, explains the very high growth rate of 8 percent for the year as a whole,” says Richard Clemens, Managing Director of the VDMA Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association.
The Packaging Machinery Industry grew by a total of 8 percent to 7.1 billion euros. The “Other Packaging Machinery” segment increased by almost 12 percent to 4.9 billion euros, while the Beverage Packaging Machinery segment increased by 1 percent and reached 2.2 billion euros, only slightly above the previous year’s level.
Where Food Processing Machinery is concerned, the degrees of the growth rates in the individual sub-areas do vary somewhat – but all are positive: The production of meat processing machinery grew by 7.6 percent to 1.2 billion euros. The production of bakery machinery increased by 9 percent to 667 million Euro. The confectionery machinery manufacturers recorded growth of 16 percent reaching 360 million euros and the production of beverage production machines grew by 7 percent to 552 million euros.
Exports and investment climate remain strong in Germany
In 2018, exports of Food Processing and Packaging Machinery rose by 6.1 percent to over 9 billion euros. Deliveries to the industry’s most important sales region, the EU-28, rose by 9 percent. Demand from the USA – the most important foreign market – remained high. Exports to China and Russia showed double-digit growth rates. Clear impulses came from many other markets, including Brazil, Japan, the Republic of Korea and India.
Domestic business, too, continued to be an important pillar of the positive business development in 2018. In some food sectors, substantial investments were made in order to expand capacity and to expedite modernisation projects. Also, the shortage of personnel in the processing plants led to further investments in machinery and equipment.
The outlook for 2019 is subject to uncertainties
Generally, the prospects for the Food Processing Machinery and Packaging Machinery sector seem good, as the industry continues to benefit from the rising global demand for processed and packaged food and beverages as well as pharmaceutical products. However, against the background of the exceptionally strong growth last year, only moderate growth of at most 2 percent is likely to happen in 2019.
“Although sales in the first four months of 2019 were higher than in the same period of the previous year, the sales growth is expected to be only moderate at 2 percent. However, incoming orders in the first four months clearly fell short of the previous year’s level. Uncertainties due to ongoing trade disputes, but also many regional political crises, are causing investors to hold back with new orders,” Clemens comments on the business outlook for 2019.
Two out of three US consumers “love to discover new flavors’, while the same proportion say that ‘going out for dinner inspires their home cooking” (Innova Market Insights consumer survey 2018). Adventurous, daring and re-imagined flavors are emerging to entice trend-conscious consumers, who enjoy an element of the unexpected on their palates.
Flavor remains the number one factor of importance when buying food and beverages. An increasingly adventurous consumer creates opportunities for bolder, unconventional flavors and novel varieties that bring an element of surprise and the potential to create a social media buzz. Millennials and Gen Z in particular drive the trend of novel, creative, impactful foods with funky colors, shapes and flavors that are exciting to share through social media.
Globalization has sparked the curiosity of consumers to discover new food and beverage, with Innova Market Insights research indicating that three in ten US consumers ‘love to discover flavors of other cultures’.
Food and flavor trends are traveling faster than ever in today’s connected world. Consumers love to explore new flavors from different countries with and increasing range of ethnic flavors appearing across the board to satisfy culinary adventurers. Ethnic flavors proliferate, with sixty five percent growth in food and beverage launches with an ethnic flavor (Global, 2018 vs. 2014). Mediterranean and Far Eastern flavors are seeing the biggest growth in launch activity, with meat, fish and eggs and sauces and seasonings the leading categories.
People now travel the world and are connected online more than ever, getting increasingly familiar with other food cultures, flavors and experiences. To drive deeper connections with the adventurous consumer, brands satisfy their curiosity not only through exotic world flavors, but also new food experiences and telling the story behind the product. Consumers are increasingly engaged by interactive devices such as voting for favorite flavors, submitting their own flavor ideas and sharing flavor experiences with friends and/or online.
Brands also engage with consumers by telling the unique stories behind them, including greater transparency about the source and nature of their ingredients, recipes and processing. There is also rising use of limited editions to create a temporary buzz around brands, via novel and exciting flavors, shapes and concepts.
Novozymes: Full-year earnings outlook maintained after early-April upgrade. Narrowed sales growth guidance following weakness in US bioethanol.
Novozymes announced its results for the first three months of 2019. All businesses developed roughly as expected except for a weaker US bioethanol industry. Organic sales growth of -4 %: Household Care -3 %, Food & Beverages -2 %, Bioenergy -8 %, Agriculture & Feed -6 %, Technical & Pharma +5 %. EBIT margin 25.7 %. Net profit 14 % lower year on-year (y/y). Free cash flow before acquisitions DKK 0.4 billion.
Peder Holk Nielsen, President & CEO: “The first – quarter decline in sales was no surprise – we communicated this back in January. We also expected US bioethanol to be down, but the decline was larger than we ha d foreseen. The flood s in the Midwest have made it tougher for our customers. With the problems continuing in to April, it will be difficult to reach the top end of the guided organic sales growth range , and we adjust our outlook to 3 – 5 %. We’ re confident sales growth will increase during the year as innovations, the freshness platform, BioAg seasonality and Bioenergy all step up, and the Middle East comparison gets easier.”
Highlights Q1 2019:
All businesses roughly as expected except for Bioenergy. A declining US bioethanol market has been further impacted by the Midwest flooding since mid-March
As expected, negative impact from the Middle East, feed enzymes and the planned price reductions in US baking enzymes
Developed markets flat; 10 % organic sales decline in emerging markets, with the Middle East as the main drag
EBIT margin soft but as expected at 25.7 %, mainly due to lower gross margin from lower sales and a planned increase in sales and distribution costs
Net profit down 14 % y/y due to lower EBIT and hedging losses
Free cash flow before acquisitions DKK 0.4 billion; net investments DKK 0.1 billion
2019 outlook: Organic sales growth 3 – 5 %; an expected 1 %-point added to growth in DKK. US bioethanol production in Q1 was more negative than expected, especially in the wake of flooding in the Midwest in March, continuing into April. The 3 – 5 % range reflects both strong new product performance and geopolitical uncertainty. Stronger growth in 2H vs. 1H y/y for multiple reasons. EBIT margin at 29 – 30 % supported by solid productivity gains and release of full deferred income as communicated on April 4 following the new BioAg setup. Net profit growth of 5 – 10 %. CAPEX at DKK 1.0-1.3 billion. FCF bef. acq. at DKK 2.0-2.4 billion. ROIC expected at ~24 % (~25 % excl. IFRS 16 Leases). Stock buyback program of up to DKK 2bn to be initiated April 25, 2019.
The entire earnings report can be downloaded at novozymes.com.
Production of crystalline betaine under a joint venture between AGRANA and The Amalgamated Sugar Company (USA)
The fruit, starch and sugar group AGRANA is constructing a betaine crystallisation plant at its sugar refinery in Tulln (AUT) under a joint venture with US-based Amalgamated Sugar. The official ground-breaking ceremony for this project took place on April 9th. The new plant, entailing the investment of around € 40 million, will take a year to construct.
AGRANA has been processing the sugar beet molasses obtained during the production of sugar at its Tulln site to make liquid betaine since 2015. The new plant, with a production capacity of around 8,500 metric tons of crystalline betaine per year, will make Tulln only the third manufacturing site worldwide where premium-quality, natural crystalline betaine is produced.
“We are looking forward to a successful partnership to produce premium-quality crystalline betaine. Diversification by means of betaine in our Sugar segment is essential to ideally exploit the full potential of sugar beets. This investment in a greater depth of sugar refining is therefore a top priority in the interests of safeguarding competitiveness,” as the CEOs of AGRANA and Amalgamated, Johann Marihart and John McCreedy, both agree.
About betaine The natural substance betaine, found in sugar beet molasses, is characterised by numerous positive properties and can be used in many applications. Betaine is a methyl donor and has osmoregulatory properties, aids the liver to process fats, and biologically degrades the amino acid homocysteine, which can damage blood vessels when in high concentrations.
Betaine is used not only in food supplements and sport drinks to promote muscle development, but also in livestock rearing as a component in animal feeds. Due to its osmoregulatory properties at a cellular level, betaine is also used in cosmetic products. In tensides and detergent substances (e.g. shampoos and conditioners), betaine acts to stabilise the formation of foam and also conditions and strengthens the hair.
How much food do we waste on the farm, in manufacturing, supermarkets, restaurants and canteens and in households? In order to help Member States quantify food waste at each stage of the food supply chain, the Commission has established an EU measurement methodology that is published for open public consultation. Citizens and stakeholders have the opportunity to express their views on the proposed methodology, which will be open for feedback for 4 weeks. In drafting a common methodology to measure food waste levels in the EU, the Commission worked closely with Member States’ experts and also benefitted from the input and insights of actors in the food value chain participating in the EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste. Thanks to the revised waste legislation, adopted in May 2018, specific measures on food waste prevention have been introduced which will provide the EU with new and consistent data on food waste levels. These data are needed by Member States to implement effective food waste prevention programmes and help guide the EU’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goal Target 12.3 of halving food waste by 2030.
Out of a record 777 food and drink transactions covered by the bevblog.net mergers and acquisitions database for 2018, 28 involved sums over USD 1,000 million. This was below the 33 recorded in 2017, but higher than the numbers for 2015 and 2016.
The USD 104 billion combined value of the top 10 was 36 % higher than the USD 77 billion for the top 10 of 2017, but 39 % lower than the USD 171 billion for the top 10 of 2016 and little more than a quarter of the USD 365 billion for the top 10 of 2015.
The 28 over USD 1 billion totalled USD 141 billion, compared with USD 115 billion for the 33 over USD 1 billion in 2017, USD 190 billion for the 22 over USD 1 billion in 2016 and USD 403 billion for the 27 over USD 1 billion in 2015.
Researchers in South Australia have discovered a new complex carbohydrate in barley, the first polysaccharide of its kind found in more than 30 years.
The cereal polysaccharide has the potential to be used for many applications in food, medicine and cosmetics.
The research by the University of Adelaide’s School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, has been published in the American Chemistry Society journal ACS Central Science.
The discovery was made by Senior Research Scientist Dr Alan Little, and the team at the University of Adelaide’s Waite campus.
“Plant cell walls contain components that are of major interest for many industries such as renewable sources for energy production, composite materials or food products,” said Dr Little.
“Knowledge of this new polysaccharide will open up further research to determine its role in the plant.
“We know that it can be found in the roots of barley suggesting it may play a role in plant growth or resistance to external stresses such as salinity or disease.”
Polysaccharides are a carbohydrate whose molecules consist of a number of sugar molecules bonded together.
The new polysaccharide is a mix of glucose, commonly found in cellulose, and xylose, which is found in dietary fibre. Based on the relative proportions of each sugar, the hybrid polysaccharide has the potential to behave as a structural component of the wall providing strength or conversely as a viscous gel.
Existing polysaccharides have a wide range of uses. They improve the quality of dietary fibre in porridge and are also used extensively in biomedical and cosmetic applications.
Further research is required to understand the new polysaccharide’s potential uses.
Dr Little said the properties of the new polysaccharide could be manipulated to suit the desired function, increasing the range of potential uses.
He said the genes involved in the biosynthesis of the new polysaccharide were also discovered as part of the research.
“The same genes can be found in all major cereal crops – not just barley,” Dr Little said.
“We can now use this knowledge to find ways of increasing these polysaccharides in crops, providing the possibility of generating plant material with a range of potentially different physical properties for industrial applications.
“By observing natural variation of the polysaccharide in different cereal crops we will aim to identify links to important agricultural traits.”
The Wageningen University & Research Professor Robert David Hall received the Nils Foss Excellence Prize for his pioneering research in plant metabolomics – defining the chemical fingerprint of plant materials. The award consists of 100.000 euro and an art work.
FOSS, supplier of analytical solutions for the food and agricultural industry, introduced the Nils Foss Excellence Prize back in 2016. The purpose is to honour world-class innovative research leading to remarkable improvements in sustainability, quality and safety in the food supply chain. FOSS sponsors the prize, while the nominees are selected by an independent jury of experts from both academia and industry, including chairman of the Technical University of Denmark, rector of the University of Copenhagen, and leaders from the private food sector.
This is the third year in a row the Nils Foss Excellence Prize is awarded, and this year in particular it carries special meaning, as Nils Foss passed away at the age of 90 in May of 2018.
Cell fingerprints to secure global food quality
This year’s winner of the main prize, Robert David Hall Professor of Plant Metabolomics and Deputy Business Unit Manager Bioscience at Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands, is a pioneer within the field of plant metabolomics, which draws on disciplines ranging from analytical chemistry to computer science. Plant metabolomics is a method of analysis studying the metabolic profiles of plant cells – the fingerprint of the plant – with the aim of understanding the biochemical composition of plant and food materials. Ultimately, the goal is to map how genes and the environment influence plants, and thereby understand how the environment affects food quality.
Professor Hall stresses the importance of the research in metabolomics: “I feel very honoured and humbled to receive the Nils Foss Excellence Prize for the advances my team has made in the field of plant and food metabolomics. What is so special about metabolomics is that you can use this method of analysis to test a sample without needing to decide in advance, what you are looking for. This makes it a powerful discovery tool and facilitates broad and exciting analytical perspectives, which will benefit many scientific disciplines and industries in the future Our particular goal is to support breeders and food producers to deliver plants, and food, of a much higher quality,” says Professor Robert David Hall.
About the winner
Professor Robert David Hall, is a pioneer in developing and establishing metabolomics technologies as a viable approach to study the metabolic profiles of plants, with a particular emphasis on crop species. The aim of his research is to provide us with a better understanding of the biochemical composition of plant and food materials; how this is influenced by genetic and environmental perturbation and especially, how these changes are related to aspects of food quality. For more than 20 years, Robert David Hall and his team has worked on developing and applying analytical technologies, which can help design new strategies for the development of improved food products.
Students and alumni of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) have designed and produced a biodegradable plastic packaging that reveals the quality of the food. The product, called Plasticor, changes its color when the content is not suitable for consumption. Developed about a year ago, in the Xerém campus labs, the student-developed bioplastic is a sustainable option to avoid food waste.
Every year, of all food produced on the planet, 30 % (or 1.3 billion tons) goes to trash, according to the United Nations. The color change would be a way of better managing food consumption, by giving preference to those whose expiration is closer, plus ensuring the reliability of expired foods that can still be consumed safely.
“The environmental impact is also reduced since the use of plastic materials has been abundant in the food industry in the last decades. Our packaging is ecofriendly because it doesn’t use chemical additives and doesn’t take years to degrade”, explains João Vítor Balbino, a Biophysics student and one of the seven members of the startup. Whilecommon plastics can take up to five centuries to degrade, students estimate that Plasticor degrades in six months.
The team is multidisciplinary and involves undergraduate students from Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, Biophysics and Marketing courses, a doctoral student of Polymer Science and Technology, and a designer, all from UFRJ. The project is funded by its own creators, who are seeking possible investors. Those interested in helping can participate in the collective financing created by the team, contributing with any amount above R$ 10.
Judges selected the most promising start-ups – Winners will be announced on 27 November at Hi Europe & Ni
For the third time, trade show organiser UBM is providing a platform for forward-looking industry startups. During Hi Europe & Ni, the Startup Innovation Challenge enables newcomers to present their solutions to a professional audience. If they win, they will receive comprehensive expert coaching and marketing support. This year’s 13 shortlisted companies have now been announced.
The companies will pitch live between 15.45 and 17.30 on Tuesday 27 November 2018, the first day of the show, at the Industry Insights Theatre. The winners of the three categories will receive their awards following the live pitches.
Shortlisted for the category “Most Innovative Healthy Food or Beverage Ingredient”:
FunGeneX/The Netherlands has developed a technology to produce egg white proteins based on sugar from sugar beet. These products fulfill the need for binding proteins that are neutral in colour, taste and smell for vegan applications, while contributing to reduced global warming and animal suffering.
GNUBiotics/Switzerland is a biotech startup active in R&D to reproduce the diversity and complexity of unique structures found in mothers’ milk. It is developing a novel platform for selective microbiota modulation via next generation Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) using up to 130 Microbiota Accessible Carbohydrates (MACs) structures.
Magellan Life Sciences/UK is a synthetic biology company creating novel platforms to produce plant-inspired molecules, such as a natural non-caloric protein sweetener called Brazzein that is inspired by the West African fruit Oubli.
Renewal Mill/USA is upcycling by-products from food manufacturing into high-quality ingredients and finished products. The pilot project is using okara, the soybean pulp generated during soymilk production to create an organic, non-GMO, low-carb flour.
Planetarians/USA makes high protein ingredients from upcycled by-products using patent-pending technology. They add value to overlooked ingredients such as defatted seeds by converting them into a high-protein, high-fibre ingredient, allowing manufacturers to fortify foods. The company’s first product is sunflower chips with more protein and fibre, and less fat than typical potato chips.
Shortlisted for “Most Innovative Plant-Based Finished Product”:
Green Banana Food/The Netherlandsproduces foodstuffs and ingredients from the native cooking green banana, such as a flour that can be used to create high nutrient, low carb, gluten free & high dietary fibre food solutions such as Gabanna pasta.
Jet-Eat Printed Food/Israel is currently developing an animal-free meat with the same appearance, texture, flavour and cooking properties of animal meat, from natural, sustainable and healthy ingredients. Based on 3D printing technology, the company creates meat products with 95 % less environmental impact compared to beef, with zero cholesterol and a lower cost.
Shileo/Germany is an online food start-up that sells konjac rice and pasta meals. These low-cal and low-carb alternatives to normal pasta and rice are suitable for vegans, high in soluble fibre and can help with weight loss.
Shortlisted for “Most Innovative Technology or Service Supporting F&B”:
Ambrosus/Switzerland is a blockchain-powered Internet of Things network for food and pharmaceutical enterprises, enabling secure and frictionless dialogue between sensors, ledgers and databases to optimise supply-chain visibility and quality assurance.
Aryballe/France develops and manufactures bio-inspired odour sensors which detect and identify odours in less than 15 seconds, allowing the food industry to quickly assess the olfactive qualities of materials.
Better Juice/Israel has created a solution for reducing natural sugars in fruit juices. The patent-pending technology harnesses the activity of non-GMO microorganisms to bio-convert sugars to dietary fibres and non-digestible natural molecules.
Embion/Switzerland produces new prebiotic solutions for human, animal and soil microbiome nutrition from agricultural and food processing side-streams. A novel processing technology targets and extracts natural prebiotic ingredients from biomass with lower production costs, higher yield and processing speed than usual.
Nucaps/Spain developed a new nanoencapsulation technology for nutraceutical, cosmetic and pharmaceutical uses. This encapsulation process, designed for oral delivery and controlled release of bioactives and microorganisms, is based on the use of food proteins such as casein, zein or soya.
Rahul Shinde, Director of Global Open Innovation at Naturex Ingenium, sponsor of the competition, is on the advisory board at the Startup Innovation Challenge. He says: “Through our partnerships we are hoping to provide additional support, guidance, access and resources that can enable these start-ups to succeed. But, ultimately, it’s their product and their vision that will prevail. We really value their time, commitment and desire to bring innovative solutions to the marketplace, and especially innovations focused on plant-based solutions.“
The three winners will get individual advice from one of the judges. In addition, the successful nominees can choose from various special prizes – from a fully equipped stand at Hi Europe or Fi Europe; a marketing campaign within the Ingredients Network; access to the “Conciergerie” innovation platform from Presans; or intensive consultation with Wageningen University & Research. In addition, one startup will be selected by Naturex Ingenium as their special prize winner. This startup will win €10,000 plus a three month business mentorship with the Naturex Ingenium Open Innovation team.
The success of the most important event for India’s beverage industry remains unchecked: The trade fair alliance consisting of drink technology India (dti), organized by Messe Muenchen, and indiapack pacprocess and food pex India, organized by Messe Duesseldorf, recorded higher numbers of exhibitors and occupied more exhibition space. The number of visitors remained at a very high level as well. The fair’s further growth reflects the dynamic development of the Indian beverage and liquid food market, in which high growth rates are again forecast to climb.
“The figures speak for themselves: 201 exhibitors from 17 countries presented their products and solutions at dti. They occupied around 23 percent more net exhibition area than at the last event in Mumbai,” Georg Moller, head of the business division at Messe Muenchen, said in describing the fair’s success. Bhupinder Singh, the CEO of Messe Muenchen India, was also pleased by the continued growth: “It underscores the huge meaning of dti for the Indian market.”
Together with indiapack pacprocess and food pex India, 343 exhibitors presented themselves on an area of around 16,500 square meters from October 24 through 26. Moller pointed in particular to the very professional cooperation with the partner Messe Duesseldorf: “Joint staging of the fairs is not only a big gain for us. As a result, visitors obtain a comprehensive overview of all areas of the beverage and packaging industry.” This offer was widely used by visitors, as for example Partho Ghosh, Executive Vice President bei KHS Filling & Packaging Worldwide says: “We had many talks with visitors and have received new leads this year. The Indian beverage industry is looking for innovations which will bring the development of the industry a big step forward.”
Together with indiapack pacprocess and food pex India, 343 exhibitors presented themselves on an area of around 16,500 square meters from October 24 through 26. Moller pointed in particular to the very professional cooperation with the partner Messe Du?sseldorf: “Joint staging of the fairs is not only a big gain for us. As a result, visitors obtain a comprehensive overview of all areas of the beverage and packaging industry.” This offer was widely used by visitors, as for example Partho Ghosh, Executive Vice President bei KHS Filling & Packaging Worldwide says: “We had many talks with visitors and have received new leads this year. The Indian beverage industry is looking for innovations which will bring the development of the industry a big step forward.”
Richard Clemens, Managing Director of the VDMA Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association, also described dti as an important driving force for the industry: “For companies that produce machines to make, process and package beverages and liquid-food products, India is one of the major sales markets in Asia.” The outlook for the market is consistently positive. In the process, the important role played by dti will continue to grow.
Further training and networking: Supporting program of unprecedented breadth
dti’s supporting program was highly popular among visitors and very well attended on all three days. Day two of the Round Table Talks revolved around beer, wine and spirits. According to the VDMA, India ranks ninth among the top ten sales countries for alcoholic drinks. Beer is the top-selling alcoholic beverage in India. The experts generally agree that demand for high-quality beers and for wine and spirits will grow as the population’s income rises.
Visitors were able to try Indian beer variations at the new place2beer. The focus at the platform was not only on beer tastings, but above all on networking and sharing knowledge among representatives from microbreweries, medium-sized and industrial breweries, and brewing suppliers. In the Craft Beer Seminars, experts from the scene demonstrated what impact microbreweries are having on beer brewing and what trends are influencing the craft beer sector. Bruno Bonacchelli, brew master at Castle Malting Belgium and one of the speakers at the seminar, was enthusiastic: “I’m impressed by the high technical standards in the Indian craft beer market and about how quickly the latest methods and technologies are adapted.” Further talks were given by representatives from Brewbot Mumbai, Gateway Brewing Mumbai and White Owl.
The focus of the buyer-seller meetings was networking and initiation of new business relationships. About 430 discussions between exhibitors and potential customers were held, a clear indication of the concept’s popularity. The customers who made a special point of attending the trade fair to create new business relationships with exhibitors included Bohemian Beer, Good Drop Wine Cellars, Hindustan Coca Cola, Jyanti Beverages and Parle Agro.
Two new additions to the supporting program of dti in Mumbai were the seminar of the Oil Technologists’ Association of India (OTAI) and the seminar of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The OTAI Seminar addressed the growing importance of oils and fats in the Indian market and in particular challenges in packaging edible oils. The FSSAI Seminar provided insights into the regulations on and regulatory framework for beverages in India.
All items on the supporting program went down very well with visitors. The seats at the forum were always full. With the supporting program, dti once again proves that it gives key boosts and stimuli to the beverage and liquid food industry in India.
dti, indiapack pacprocess and food pex India
drink technology India is staged in conjunction with indiapack pacprocess and food pex India of Messe Du?sseldorf. This combination of four trade fairs covers the topics of drink technology, dairy and liquid food together with those of the related packaging industry (drink technology India), packaging and related processes (pacprocess India), packaging materials and aids as well as machines and technology for the production of packaging materials and aids (indiapack) and also food and confectionery processing and packaging (food pex India) all under one roof and is unrivaled in the region.
The next dti in Mumbai will be held from December 9 to 11, 2020. In 2019, dti will be held in Bengaluru for the first time. It is scheduled for February 28 to March 2. As part of the trade fair alliance, the event will also be held next year once again – from December 5 to 7 in New Delhi.
Stern-Wywiol Gruppe from Hamburg is adding to its production and sales network in south-east Asia by establishing a new production facility for its subsidiary, SternMaid Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd, in the Iskandar economic zone, Malaysia. After the plants in Suzhou (China) and Mumbai, this is the third food industry facility that the family enterprise has opened in Asia and its sixth outside Germany. Clients in the ASEAN region will in future benefit from more rapid deliveries, secure supply chains and applications advice from a consultant nearby.
The state-of-the-art facility is dedicated to the development and production of food ingredient systems to improve the functional qualities of food. The facility has three completely separate production lines; initially work will focus on enzyme-based ingredients systems for bakers and millers plus micronutrient mixes to fortify a wide variety of foods and beverages.
The leading international supplier trade fair of the food and beverage industry is continuing to write its success story. After already registering a growth in exhibition space and a two-digit increase in the number of exhibitors (+13 percent) in the run-up to the event, Anuga FoodTec 2018 was also able to achieve a significant rise in the number of visitors: More than 50,000 experts from the food industry informed themselves about the innovations and further developments of the supplier industry from 20 to 23 March. Hence, the number of visitors increased by just under 11 percent in comparison to the previous event. Anuga FoodTec also further increased its level of internationality too. Visitors from 152 countries (+15 countries in comparison to the previous event) impressively underpin its position as the leading international supplier fair for the food and beverage industry.The specialised programme organised by the DLG (German Agricultural Society) which included numerous conferences, guided tours and lectures, perfectly enhanced Anuga FoodTec 2018. The organiser of Anuga FoodTec is Koelnmesse. The professional and industry sponsor of Anuga FoodTec is the DLG.
Strong concept: Food technology at the highest level
ONE FOR ALL. ALL IN ONE. Once again this year the visitors of Anuga FoodTec experienced the entire production cycle and in the course of which were able to experience live both individual solutions as well as holistic, cross-process concepts across all production stages and food industries. In all five exhibition segments – Food Packaging, Safety & Analytics, Food Processing, Food Ingredients as well as Services & Solutions – the companies presented a cross-industry and cross-production range of exhibition offers. The key topic resource efficiency was one of the omnipresent top themes. From Lotus effect packing that reduces the loss of foodstuffs, to saving raw materials such as water or energy in the production process for example, through to production lines with modular parts for individual products: Anuga FoodTec was once again the innovation hub of the supplier industry. The large variety of offers and impressive exhibitor presences attracted the top decision-makers to Cologne. The exhibitors were impressed by the high quality and professionalism as well as by the internationality of the trade visitors and reported about very good discussions with top-ranking decision-makers. All of the leading food producers worldwide came to Anuga FoodTec.
Well-informed: The event and congress programme
The product show at Anuga FoodTec was perfectly enhanced by a comprehensive event and congress programme, which was organised by the DLG. All of the guided tours were fully booked. The Speakers Corner and the forums also met with high interest among the visitors. Furthermore, the opening conference on the first day of the trade fair, which focused on the leading theme resource efficiency – the opportunities and risks for the food and beverage industry – celebrated a successful premiere.
The next Anuga FoodTec will take place from 23 to 26 March 2021 in Cologne.
Literature study TOP and Wageningen UR represents start of large practical research
TOP bv and Wageningen UR together performed a comprehensive literature study into food and life style in relation to Alzheimer’s. The literature study represents the starting point of a large practical research that will begin during 2018.
On behalf of Wageningen UR professor Harry Wichers is involved in the literature study and the research. Over the past months hundreds of scientific articles have been reviewed and assessed on micro nutrients, food products and food patterns. The findings from the study will not yet be made public, but form the basis of the additional practical research.
Dementia is now the number 1 cause of death in The Netherlands. Alzheimer’s decease is the most common form of dementia. Since the fifties the number of people with Alzheimer’s has doubled. And it is expected to double again in the next 25 years (up to half a million patients).
Despite decades of pharmaceutical research, no cure has yet been found. Some larger pharmaceutical companies even abandon their research. Also doubt has risen about the mechanism causing Alzheimer’s. The practical research will focus on the question whether there is a possible link between food patterns and lifestyle on the one hand, and the development of symptoms of dementia on the other. An additional important goal is to improve the quality of life of the patients.
The practical research will start during 2018 and is expected to take up to one year.
Frutarom, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Heineken, Orkla and Unilever were the most acquisitive companies of 2017, according to the bevblog.net food and drink transactions database, with each responsible for 6 or more takeovers. Lactalis, Nestlé and US Foods all made 5 purchases.
Coca-Cola was only company to agree 5 or more sales, followed by Treasury Wine Estates on 4, then Asahi, Coke Consolidated, Kraft Heinz, Murray Goulburn, Nestlé and Unilever on 3 each. Coca-Cola undertook 14 separate divestments as it concluded its franchise restructuring.
A total of 1,161 companies were involved across 64 countries, with the United States and United Kingdom most prominent overall.
France was the biggest net buyer (+19), followed by Belgium (+16), Switzerland (+15) and Israel (+11).
The United Sates was the main net seller (-42), followed by the United Kingdom (-22), Australia (-10) and Brazil (-10).
You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Turnstile. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.
