APFI April/May 2015

VISIT US AT THAIFEX–WORLD OF FOOD ASIA & FI VIETNAM ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY

APRIL/MAY 2015

APFI KNOWLEDGE SERIES: MCI (P) 027/11/2014 • PPS 1566/05/2013 (022945) • ISSN 0218-2734

AEC Conference 2015 Pan Pacific Singapore Hotel 24 April 2015

APRIL/MAY 2015 VOL. 27 NO. 3

SPECIAL BEVERAGE FEATURE Achieve Business Success With Flexible Filling Solutions!

MAKING THE MARK

Selecting proper ink for the best packaging application. p28

TURNING TO BIOFORTIFIED CROPS

Are biofortified staple crops the solution to malnutrition? p68

THE SINGAPORE FOOD MANUFACTURING STORY

Find out how the industry established itself over the years. p72

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3854 Enquiry Number

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Traditional or fish-free omega-3?

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CONTENTS

APRIL/MAY 2015 ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY

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www.apfoodonline.com

volume 27 no.3

Micronutrients To Mothers, For Children

46

HEALTH & NUTRITION 40

34

46

INGREDIENTS & ADDITIVES

24

32

Delivering The Right Mix Recent advances in mixer and blender designs have contributed to the growing success of food companies, meeting their requirement for consistency and developing new products while lowering production costs. By Charles Ross & Son Company

28

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Food and drink manufacturers are under increasing pressure to enhance the accuracy of shelf life determination.

Traditional practices such as ‘short dating’ products to provide robust food safety assurance and maximise product quality are being scrutinised due to their association with unnecessary waste, paving the way for fresh approaches for manufacturers. By Isabel Campelos, Leatherhead Food Research

Making The Mark In the dynamic global market where competition is ever more intense, it is vital for packaging professionals to select suitable inks for different printing applications in order to achieve the best results.

Getting quality print may not be as simple as it seems.

By Lin Zhu, Videojet Technologies

Determining Shelf-Life

34

Ensuring Shelf-Life Through Oxidative Stability

Micronutrients To Mothers, For Children Maternal undernutrition has been described as one of the most neglected aspects of nutrition in public health globally. Rectifying this issue will ensure better health and development for both mothers and their offspring.

By Ian Darnton-Hill, University of Sydney, and Uzonna C Mkparu, Columbia University Medical Center

Ensuring Shelf-Life Through Oxidative Stability PACKAGING & PROCESSING

Health Has Become Easier!

Cereal can prolong life? Wine has more benefits? Minding your diet can delay ageing? Find out the secrets of these and more. By Michelle Cheong

BEVERAGES 52

Analysing The Torque Capping is important in ensuring product quality, stability and freshness. However, not many are aware of the crucial role that torque testing plays and factors which affect the overall accuracy.

By Gabro Szakacs, Mesa Laboratories

Manufacturers have to ensure that their products maintain the desired attributes and quality throughout the entire shelf-life.

In this regard, monitoring the oxidative stability of the products is of paramount importance. By Dr Robert Griffiths, RSSL

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CC-0727_ConveyDump_Layout 1 6/13/14 1:55 PM Page 1

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FLEXI-DISC™ Tubular Cable Conveyors gently slide fragile foods and non-foods through smooth stainless steel tubing routed horizontally, vertically or at any angle, over short or long distances, dust-free.

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FILL SWING-DOWN®, REAR-POST and TWIN-CENTREPOST™ Bulk Bag Fillers can fill one bulk bag per week or 20 per hour at the lowest cost per bag. Numerous performance options.

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CONVEY PNEUMATI-CON Pneumatic Conveying Systems move a broad range of bulk materials over short or long distances, between single or multiple inlet and discharge points in low to high capacities.

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Dust-tight (shown) or open chute models improve efficiency and safety of an age-old task. ®

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Allows untying, discharging, retying and collapsing of bulk bags—all dustfree. Available with weigh batching controls.

CONVEY FLEXICON® Flexible Screw Conveyors transport free- and non-free-flowing bulk solid materials from large pellets to sub-micron powders, including products that pack, cake or smear, with no separation of blends, dust-free at low cost. No bearings contact material. Easy to clean quickly, thoroughly.

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CONTENTS

APRIL/MAY 2015 ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY

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volume 27 no.3

08

Refer to Advertising Index on Pg

for Advertisers’ Enquiry Numbers

DEPARTMENTS

68

Turning To Biofortified Crops

FEATURES 56

06 08 10 20 77 80A 80B 68

Food Packaging Solutions For Developing Countries

As a major supplier to the global food system and consequently, contributor to the search for global food loss solutions, developing countries can play a big role by adopting better packaging options.

By Nerlita M Manalili, Moises A Dorado and Robert van Otterdijk for FAO

60

Diversity Through Flexibility Production Lines As one of the major soft drink businesses in Australia, Schweppes Australia requires machines that can cater to flexibility in filling volume as well as beverage type.

By Kurt Hofmann, KHS Pacific, and Frank Hollmann, KHS

64

72

Turning To Biofortified Crops

Great progress has been made over the past decade with respect to the application of biotechnology to generate nutritionally improved food crops. Biofortified staple crops harbouring essential micronutrients to benefit the world’s poor are under development as well as new varieties of crops which have the ability to combat chronic disease.

By Kathleen L Hefferon, University of Toronto

Food Manufacturing Through The Years: A Singapore Story Singapore’s food and beverage manufacturing industry has made great strides since the country’s independence 50 years ago. From the initial trials and struggles it faced, to establishing itself in the Southeast Asian region and the world, the industry has benefited and continues to contribute to Singapore’s economic success today. By Michelle Cheong

Saving Cacaolat With the Catalan government‘s urgent call to help save the Cacaolat, two companies have stepped up to revive the brand and much more through technological transformation. By Martin Popp, Krones

Editor’s Note Advertiser’s List Business News Product Highlights Calendar Of Events Reader’s Enquiry Form Subscription Information

ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY is published 8 times a year

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Reprints of articles appearing in previous issues of the magazine can be had on request, subject to a minimum quantity.

The views expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the publisher and while every attempt will be made to ensure the accuracy and authenticity of information appearing in the magazine, the publisher accepts no liability for damages caused by misinterpretation of information, expressed or implied, within the pages of the magazine. All correspondence regarding editorial, editorial contributions or editorial contents should be directed to the Editor.

The magazine is available at an annual subscription of S$176.00. Please refer to the subscription form or contact the subscription department for further details at FAX NO: (65) 6379 2806 Address changes should be notified, in writing, to our circulation executive: EASTERN TRADE MEDIA PTE LTD 1100 Lower Delta Road EPL Building #02-02 Singapore 169206

EXHIBITION PREVIEW 76 78

Saving Cacaolat

64

THAIFEX-World of Food Asia ProPak Asia

THE CIRCULATION OF THIS PUBLICATION IS AUDITED BY BPA INTERNATIONAL THE ADVERTISERS’ ASSOCIATIONS RECOMMEND THAT ADVERTISERS SHOULD PLACE THEIR ADVERTISEMENTS ONLY IN AUDITED PUBLICATIONS

MCI (P) 027/11/2014 • PPS 1566/5/2013 (022945) ISSN 0218-2734 • Co Reg No: 199908196C

Cover Picture Courtesy of Scotch Whisky Association

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EDITOR’S NOTE 6

19 23 -2

The Mark

01 5

editor Wong Tsz Hin

Of A Man

wongtszhin@epl.com.sg

writer Michelle Cheong

michellecheong@epl.com.sg

editorial assistant Audrey Ang

audreyang@epl.com.sg

MARCH 23, 2015, marked the passing of a great man, a leader and visionary who have guided a small nation against the odds to achieve the prosperity and success that is unparalleled in the region.

He has left behind countless tales and stories that will no doubt be passed down through the generations as moments of perils and achievements are recounted and relived to serve as lessons and inspirations for future contributors to the society.

His departure makes people ponder about the what-ifs in an attempt to measure his greatness by considering the impact of his actions and how things would have turned out otherwise. However, to me, his legacy is perfectly summed by the modern youths' lack of understanding of about the significance of the work the man has put in.

Like my late grandmother who often complained that we do not know how to truly appreciate peace and the fact that we do not having to worry about fighting for the basic necessities in life simply because we have never experienced war, the mere fact that the people of Singapore has long regarded security and stability as a right and not a privilege speaks volume about the country’s development over the last five decades.

The lack of comprehension of his foresight and passion in steering the nation towards certain goals should in no way be mistaken as the lack of appreciation for the man. The entire nation, young and old, recognises him as the founding father and the unease about the future of the country only amplifies the reliance that the people have grown accustomed to.

Singapore would not have been the same without him and will never be, but he can rest assure that the solid foundation that he has laid may be shaken in the future, but would remain strong like he was against the test of time.

Wong Tsz Hin

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graphic designer Peh Loon Chin

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publication manager Peh Sue Ann sueann@epl.com.sg

circulation executive Chiang Hui

chianghui@epl.com.sg

contributors Charles Ross & Son Gabro Szakacs Frank Hollmann Ian Darnton-Hill Isabel Campelos Kahleen L Hefferon Kurt Hofmann Lin Zhu Martin Popp Moises A Dorado Nerlita M Manalili Robert Griffiths Robert van Otterdijk Uzonna C Mkparu board of industry consultants Dr Aaron Brody Managing Director Packaging/Brody, Inc Dr Alastair Hicks Adjunct Professor of Agroindustry Mae Fah Luang University, Thailand Professor Alex Büchanan Professional Fellow Victoria University Dr Nik Ismail Nik Daud Head, Food Quality Research Unit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia/ President Malaysian Institute of Food Technology Kathy Brownlie Global Program Manager Food & Beverage Ingredients Practice Frost & Sullivan Sam S Daniels Consultant World Packaging Organisation

chairman Kenneth Tan executive director Lum Kum Kuen

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Head Office & Mailing Address Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd 1100 Lower Delta Road, EPL Building #02-05, Singapore 169206 Tel: (65) 6379 2888 Fax: (65) 6379 2805 Email: apfood@epl.com.sg

10/4/15 3:46 pm

APFI KNOWLEDGE SERIES:

All You Need To Know About AEC 2015

Pan Pacific Singapore Hotel, 24 April 2015 Think you’re ready for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)?

Mr Desmond Lee is the Minister of State for National Development and an elected Member of Parliament for the Jurong Group Representation Constituency.

In his role, he leads major portfolios in statutory boards under the Ministry of National Development, including Housing and Development Board (HDB), Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), National Parks Board (NParks) and the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority Singapore (AVA).

Don’t get left behind, join us now.

Speakers’ Profile

PROGRAMME 08.15 - 09.00

Registration/Light Breakfast

09.00 - 09.10

Arrival of Guest-of-Honour, Mr Desmond Lee, Minister of State

09.10 - 09.25

Welcome Address

09.25 - 10.05

Keynote Address by Mr Douglas Foo, ASEAN Business Advisory Council

10.05 - 10.45

Risks & Opportunities of AEC by Mr Pushpanathan Sundram, Managing Director, EAS Strategic Advice Pte Ltd

10.45 - 11.05

Coffee Break

11.05 - 11.45

Realising AEC: Role and Impact of an Industry Association by Mr Sunny Koh, Chairman for Singapore, ASEAN Food & Beverage Alliance (AFBA)

11.45 - 12.25

Removal of Trade Barriers: What is the future of self-certification and how will businesses benefit from it? by Mr Tan Juan Fook, Trade Policy - FTA Lead, Ernst & Young Solution LLP

12.25 - 12.50

The Unique Roles of Singapore in AEC — A Food Manufacturer’s Viewpoint

by Mr Wong Mong Hong, Immediate Past President, Singapore Food Manufacturers’ Association (SFMA)

12.50 - 13.30

AEC & the Singapore Connection by Mr Alban Kang, Managing Partner, ATMD Bird & Bird

13.30 - 15.00

Lunch/Networking

Mr Douglas Foo is a member of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council. As founder and Executive Chairman of Sakae Holdings Ltd., Mr Foo has led the growth and development of the group, which has since established over 200 outlets across the world.

Mr Pushpanathan Sundram is the Managing Director (Asia) of EAS Strategic Advice, a global leader advising governments, trade associations and businesses on regulatory harmonisation and impact of new regulations in the food and nutritional products areas.

Mr Sunny Koh is the Chairman for Singapore of the ASEAN Food and Beverage Alliance (AFBA), and Managing Director of Chinatown Food Corporation Pte Ltd with more than 20 years of experience in the food and beverage industry.

Mr Tan Juan Fook is the Trade Policy, FTA Lead in the Indirect Tax – Global Trade, Ernst & Young Solutions LLP, Singapore.

He advises companies to take advantage of FTAs in cross border trade of goods.

Mr Alban Kang is the Managing Partner of ATMD Bird and Bird LLP. He is also a member of the Intellectual Property & Information Technology practice group in Singapore, which handles all aspects of intellectual property and other laws.

TICKETING INFORMATION PRICE

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Bundle (4 tickets) Association Special *requires code

$1,368 (10% discount)

Mr Wong Mong Hong is the Immediate Past President of Singapore Food Manufacturers’ Association. He has worked in the food industry for 47 years and sits as a member in the Governing Board of Singapore Packaging Agreement.

$285 (25% discount)

For payment by cheques: Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd Send it to: Cynthia Chew, 1100 Lower Delta Road, #02-05, EPL Building, Singapore 169206 Organised by:

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Prepare yourself ahead of its impending formation by getting first-hand information from key industry players. The APFI Knowledge Series: AEC 2015 is a high level conference designed to prepare Singaporean food and beverage companies for the AEC.

CATEGORY

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ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY ADVERTISING INDEX ENQ NO

ADVERTISERS

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BERICAP ASIA PTE LTD

3860 3863 3856 3724 3849 3838

ENQ NO

ADVERTISERS

PAGE

23

3852

KH ROBERTS PTE LTD

17

CHINA INTERNATIONAL HALAL FOOD & TECHNOLOGY EXPO

55

3768

KRONES AG

15

CP KELCO SINGAPORE PTE LTD

51

3862

PROPAK ASIA 2015

71

DSM NUTRITIONAL PRODUCTS ASIA PACIFIC

1

3846

PROPAK CHINA 2015

80

FLEXICON SINGAPORE PTE LTD

3

3855

SYSTEM LOGISTICS SPA

19

FOOD INGREDIENTS KOREA 2015

59

6053

TCP PIONEER INCORPORATED

75

FOOD INGREDIENTS VIETNAM 2015

63

3859

TECSIA LUBRICANTS PTE LTD

5

3848

GERICKE PTE LTD

13

3850

THAILAND CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION BUREAU

IBC

3647

GUANGZHOU SUNSHINE FOOD & PACKAGING MACHINERY CO LTD 69

3857

tna asia

11

3851

HEAT AND CONTROL PTY LTD

3847

HKTDC FOOD EXPO 2015

3708 3854

9

3864

VITAFOODS ASIA 2015

37

3858

XYLEM GLOBAL

INGERSOLL-RAND SOUTH EAST ASIA (PTE) LTD

39

3853

YAMATO SCALE CO LTD

KALSEC INC

IFC

67 OBC 31

This index is provided as an additional service. The publisher does not assume any liability for errors or omissions.

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6/4/15 11:02 am

BUSINESS QuickBites

Asia Pacific’s Top News at a glance

Fuji Oil Opens Asia R&D Centre Based in Singapore, the centre is dedicated to the creation of safe and healthy food products for the Asian markets.

Frigel Completes New Thailand Facility The new US$7 million plant is primarily focused on serving customers in the burgeoning Asia Pacific market.

Sustainable Cocoa Program In Indonesia Implemented from April 1, 2015, the program will strengthen skills and knowledge of 2,000 farmer groups.

Mitsubishi Sets Up Myanmar Joint Venture The aim of the new company is to expand aggressively in the region and be one of Myanmar’s first home grown regional companies.

WHO Urges SEA To Prioritise Food Safety WHO says food safety policies need to be multisectoral, since food passes through multiple hands to reach plates.

GNT Study Shows Consumer Insights Asked about the role of food, 66 percent of respondents say they attach great importance to healthy and natural choices.

India Food Additives Market To Grow According to TechSci Research, the market for food additives in India is anticipated to witness double digit growth.

DSM Opens Nutrition Innovation Centre The company has opened the centre in Singapore as part of its new S$8.8 million premises.

Fuji Oil Opens Asia R&D Centre In Singapore SINGAPORE: Fuji Oil has opened an Asia research and development centre in Singapore. As the first research and development facility set up by the company outside of Japan, the centre is dedicated to the creation of safe and healthy food products for the Asian markets.

Located next to the company’s existing application centre, the 1,900 sq m facility will house 20 employees as a start, including 14 researchers. By integrating product development, application development and marketing under one roof, the company aims to stay ahead of the evolving requirements of Asian food manufacturers and shorten the time-to-market of products and technologies.

The centre will also become a platform for mutual technological exchange with the company’s global research and development teams, with a focus on nurturing local employees and better positioning them to develop products combining global knowledge and local expertise Together with the new research and development facility located at the company’s head office at Izumisano-shi, the centre in Singapore will be a key building block of the company’s plan to achieve its 2030 vision through the promotion and acceleration of global technological management. _________________________________________ Enquiry No: 0300

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All You Need To Know About AEC 2015

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10/4/15 4:46 pm

BUSINESS NEWS

ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY APRIL/MAY 2015

11

Frigel Completes New Thailand Facility FLORENCE, ITALY: Frigel has announced that it is nearing completion of its new 9,000 sq m manufacturing facility in Bangkok, Thailand, as the company continues to meet growing demand for its process cooling technology.

The new US$7 million plant is primarily focused on serving customers in the burgeoning Asia Pacific market.

The total investment for the plant includes costs for land, construction and production machinery.

The new facility, which began construction in 2013, is expected to be fully operational in September 2015. The company will transition

to the new facility from its existing 1,000 sq m Bangkok plant beginning this summer.

According to CEO Duccio Dorin, the sizeable increase in the company’s Thailand manufacturing operation signifies the company’s commitment to the Asia Pacific market. He added that it also signals clear optimism for overall company growth as manufacturers worldwide increasingly adopt advanced process cooling technologies.

“The whole market is moving toward more advanced process cooling technology as companies seek to more effectively satisfy their

process cooling needs, and it’s a trend that continues to accelerate given today’s productivity, operational costs and environmental challenges,” he said.

In addition to the plant in Thailand, the company has two manufacturing facilities in Italy, including its corporate headquarters in Florence, as well as Brazil, where it also provides sales, engineering, parts and product support. Additional operations that provide sales, engineering, parts and service include the US, Germany and Australia. _____________________ Enquiry No: 0301

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NEWS4.indd 11

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19/03/2015 14:17

10/4/15 4:47 pm

BUSINESS NEWS

APRIL/MAY 2015 ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY

12

David Blackwell

Sustainable Cocoa Production Program Announced In Indonesia

JAKARTA, INDONESIA: Swisscontact Consortium and Millennium Challenge Account–Indonesia (MCA-I) have announced a partnership called Green Prosperity–Sustainable Cocoa Production Program (GP-SCPP) with the overall goal to reduce poverty and greenhouse gas emissions in the Indonesian cocoa sector.

Signed on 31 March 2015 in Mamuju, West Sulawesi, the partnership combines equal investment from both parties and will bring US$15 million to the cocoa sector in Indonesia.

The consortium includes Veco Indonesia, Bank Rakyat Indonesia, PT Bank Pembangunan Daerah NTT, Rabobank, World Cocoa Foundation (WCF), seven private sector companies’ member of the foundation namely Barry Callebaut, BT Cocoa, Cargill, Guittard, Mars, Mondelez International and Nestlé.

Implemented from April 1, 2015, to March 30, 2018, the program will strengthen skills and knowledge of 2,000 farmer groups—consisting of 58,000 cocoa farmers benefitting also women and vulnerable groups—in environmentally friendly cocoa farming, improved nutrition practices, and application of prudent financial practices.

Moreover, the program also works with national and local governments, the Cocoa Sustainability Partnership (CSP), and regional cocoa forums to ensure strategic alignment and promoting knowledge management in the sector.

Aligned with government programs, GP-SCPP is implemented in the heart of cocoa production in Indonesia and spreads across 14 districts in South Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, West Sulawesi, and East Nusa Tenggara Provinces.

The program promotes inclusive business models embracing all stakeholders along the cocoa value chain. The ultimate purpose is to establish a self-sustaining model where participating farmers will increase their cocoa revenues and companies that integrate services into their business model. _______________________________________________ Enquiry No: 0302

NEWS4.indd 12

Did you know?

“Majority of researches have found no connection between sugar consumption and hyperactivity in children.”

Mitsubishi Sets Up Joint Venture In Myanmar YANGON, MYANAMAR: Capital Diamond Star Group (CDSG) and Mitsubishi have announced the formation of a joint venture, Lluvia to engage in food manufacturing and distribution throughout Myanmar and regionally.

Lluvia is the current operating company for CDSG’s food sector businesses, including wheat flour and beverages. The latter has accepted an equity investment from Mitsubishi into Lluvia and plans to invest over US$200 million over the next three years in existing and new businesses throughout the food value chain in Myanmar.

The investments Lluvia intends to make across the food value chain in Myanmar will significantly benefit the country’s food and agriculture industries. In upstream activities, the company intends to work closely with farmers to facilitate better access to capital and enhance their farming techniques through knowledge transfer.

The company will also play a role in connecting the farmers to regional and international markets.

In downstream activities, it will also contribute to better food safety through technology transfer and help reduce Myanmar’s reliance on imports through local production of materials.

The company aims to expand aggressively in the region, and aims to be one of Myanmar’s first home grown regional companies. ___________________________________ Enquiry No: 0303

10/4/15 4:47 pm

BUSINESS NEWS

ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY APRIL/MAY 2015

13

WHO Urges Southeast Asia To Prioritise Food Safety as climate change and its impact on food production, emerging biological and environmental contamination, new technologies, new foodborne infections and diseases, and antimicrobial resistance through the food chain, all posed challenges to the safety of food, she said.

WHO says food safety policies need to be multisectoral, since food passes through multiple hands to reach plates. Food safety is one of the key focus areas under the International Health Regulations, IHR 2005, which includes all public health emergencies of international concern that involve contaminated food and

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WHO and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization ( FA O ) h a v e e s t a b l i s h e d t h e International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) to rapidly share information during food safety emergencies.

WHO supports countries to prevent, detect and respond to foodborne disease outbreaks using the Codex Alimentarius, a collection of international food standards, guidelines and codes of practice.

Enquiry Number

JAKARTA, INDONESIA: The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Southeast Asia Regional office is calling upon countries, policy makers, farmers, food handlers, families and individuals to make food safety a priority as an estimated 700,000 children die of diarrhoea every year in the region, as reported by The Jakarta Post.

WHO Southeast Asia regional director Poonam Khetrapal Singh said bacteria, viruses, parasites, chemicals and other contaminants in food could cause over 200 diseases ranging from diarrhoea to cancer.

New and emerging threats, such

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BUSINESS NEWS

APRIL/MAY 2015 ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY

14

Malaysia Government Urged To Implement Traffic Light Labelling

GNT Study Shows Consumer Insights MIERLO, THE NETHERLANDS: A healthy diet is a major concern for consumers worldwide. Asked about the role of food in their life, 66 percent of Europeans, Asians, Americans and Brazilians state that they attach great importance to a healthy and natural choice of food products.

This is one of the key results of a worldwide consumer survey conducted by the market research institute TNS on behalf of the GNT Group, a global provider of colouring foods.

Some 5,000 consumers across ten countries have been surveyed on their attitudes towards packaged and processed food, which is an inherent part of modern life. The results give insights not only into general eating and shopping habits but also into consumers’ attitude towards specific product characteristics as well as their relevance for the purchasing decision and price acceptance.

Based on the ongoing discussion of the clean label trend, the study explored in detail what consumers understand by natural food products, how they perceive specific ingredients—especially those with colouring properties—and how they evaluate labels and food claims.

As part of the study, four product categories have received special attention: soft drinks, sweets, yoghurt and ice cream.

A first impression of these needs can be gained by examining consumers’ general eating habits. According to the study, a key demand of consumers in all surveyed countries is one for healthy and natural food products. Nevertheless, the wish for naturalness is not equally pronounced among all respondents and has to be reconciled with different lifestyles and expectations.

In Asia and South America, there is a striking awareness for healthy nutrition. More than 70 percent of all consumers in the surveyed countries in those regions are concerned with natural food and ingredients. But a well-balanced diet is often compromised due to a lack of time or information to investigate food and its ingredients thoroughly.

In Europe and the US, there is also a clear demand for natural food, which, however, shows a slightly different face than in Asia and South America. Many consumers are not just principally concerned with a healthy diet but also able and willing to invest a considerable amount of time and money into their nutrition. ______________________________________________________ Enquiry No: 0305

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PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA: The Malaysian government has been urged to implement a ‘traffic light labelling’ concept to ease consumers in identifying and differentiating healthy food products that are available in the market, as reported by Bernama The Head of International Consumers Office for Asia Pacific and the Middle East, Datuk Indrani Thuraisingham, said the traffic light rating system on food was important as consumers frequently purchased food without knowing the nutrition content of a product.

“The traffic light rating concept is a nutritional classification label placed on the food packaging, it will show how much fat, saturated fats, sugar, and salt are in the food.”

“For example, red label indicates high content of salt and monosodium glutamate (MSG), yellow for high content of fat and green is for food with high content of calcium, protein and iron,” she said.

She added that the concept would bring more positive impact on consumer behaviour when they purchased food items as it would make it easier for consumers to find out about the nutrition content without reading the nutrition facts on the food packaging.

“There are some consumers who do not like to read nutrition information before buying any food items, or they are just ignorant to understand the terms used such as what MSG is all about,” she said.

She said information on food nutrition needed to be placed on the front of the food packaging as a reminder to educate the consumers in choosing food products.

________________________ Enquiry No: 0306

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BUSINESS NEWS

ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY APRIL/MAY 2015

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India Food Additives Market To Continue Growth BURNABY, CANADA: Being one of the most populous countries in the world, India has been witnessing significant rise in food consumption level, prevalence of processed and packaged food, convenience food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, bakery items, ready-to-eat food products and cereals.

These trends are expected to drive remarkable growth in the demand for food additives in the country over the coming years.

According to TechSci Research, the market for food additives in India is anticipated to witness double digit growth at a CAGR over 12 percent from 2015-2020. Growth in per capita disposable income and rising urban middle class population are among the key market contributors.

Due to cultural and regional diversities, food consumption pattern is very not uniform in various parts of the country. As a result, western region generates the highest demand for food additives in the country.

The region is expected to continue spearheading the market due to the presence of a large number of food and beverage manufacturing companies in the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Indian food additives market is dominated by the flavours segment due to their substantial use in beverages, savoury items and cereals.

With rising incidences of health problems like diabetes, consumers are also shifting towards all-natural, low calorie sweeteners such as stevia.

As a result, sweeteners are most likely to witness faster growth over the next five years and emerge as the leading segment in India food additives market through 2020.

Did you know?

“Strawberries and raspberries are not berries, but banana is.”

FlexiFruit, Asia Pacific Food Industry, 124 x 200 mm, CC-en24-AZ025_03_12

krones FlexiFruit – doses fruit

chunks as if they’re hand-picked. www.krones.com

____________________ Enquiry No: 0307

NEWS4.indd 15

CC-en24-AZ025_03_12.indd 1

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BUSINESS NEWS

APRIL/MAY 2015 ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY

16

Did you know?

CIFOR

“Reheated pasta can reduce the eater’s post-meal rise in blood glucose by 50 percent.”

Malaysia’s Smallholder Farmers Achieve RSPO Certification

Convenience Driving Global Instant Noodle Market CALIFORNIA, US: The global instant noodles market is witnessing healthy growth driven by expanding Asian communities, and the growing popularity of Asian gourmet food among non-Asians, according to market research firm GIA. With noodles being customised for regional buyers all over the globe, the ubiquitous, and cheap rectangular cubes of flash dried and dehydrated noodles is today a global food product.

Key factors instrumental in instant ramen’s evolution into the world’s staple food include its low cost, quality nutrition, wide variety of taste and flavour profiles, and minimal cooking time.

Today, instant noodles are available everywhere, from the fast food cafeterias of US to the roadside hawkers in India, and Saudi Arabia. Disposable income and purchasing power parity of consumers in various regions across the globe represent major economic factors that influence the demand, and consumption for instant noodles.

Typically, consumers with higher disposable income consume higher amounts of instant noodles.

Future growth in the market will come from countries presently not ranked among the top consuming countries worldwide. Further, manufacturers are encouraging frequency of purchase of instant ramen by enhancing the food’s nutritional value through fortification.

Noodles fortified with vitamins, calcium, minerals, and ß-carotene in its natural form are growing in demand. In addition to functional product innovation, manufacturers are also focusing on aesthetic innovation in product packaging to drive sales.

Buoyed by some of the largest noodle consuming nations in the world, including China, Indonesia, and Vietnam, Asia Pacific is poised to retain its dominance in the coming years. _________________________________________ Enquiry No: 0308

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KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: In a unique partnership between Cargill, Wild Asia and Solidaridad, a group of 34 independent smallholders in Perak, Malaysia, have achieved sustainable palm oil certification.

Through the partnership, this group of smallholder farmers is now connected to a global certified sustainable supply chain, and they are leading the way for more smallholder farmers to join this program by the end of this year.

The ultimate aim of the project is to develop a replicable, self-sustaining process that includes independent smallholders, dealers and mills, to achieve certified sustainable palm oil production.

The goal of the program is to help an additional 100 independent smallholders in Malaysia meet RSPO sustainable palm oil production standards by the end of 2015.

The certification sets the stage for the long term production of RSPO certified palm oil in Malaysia. The program began in 2013 and involves a comprehensive network of independent players in the supply chain.

The smallholders, the oil palm fruit dealers, the mill and the refiner have come together with a common goal to improve productivity and smallholders’ incomes in a sustainable way.

In Malaysia, there are close to 205,000 independent oil palm smallholders with a total planted area of 807,000 hectares (15 percent of Malaysia’s total oil palm planted area in 2014). These smallholders play a significant role in the rural development and economic progress of the country. _______________________________________ Enquiry No: 0309

10/4/15 4:47 pm

ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY APRIL/MAY 2015

VANILLA

CLASSICS that Inspire!

__________________________________________ Enquiry No: 0310

NEWS4.indd 17

4 UNIQUE VANILLA PROFILES

SUPERB APPLICATION PERFORMANCE

Singapore and Int’l: (65) 6265 0410 China: (86) 21 6426 4778 Indonesia: (62) 21 8790 0778 Thailand: (66) 2 862 3055-58 Malaysia: (60) 3 7722 4613

Website: www.kh-roberts.com Email: info@kh-roberts.com KH Roberts is a FSSC 22000 and ISO 9001:2008 certified group of companies. ©2015 KH Roberts Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved.

3852

SINGAPORE: DSM Nutritional Products has opened a nutrition innovation centre for Asia Pacific as part of the company’s new S$8.8 million (US$6.49 million) premises at Mapletree Business City, further strengthening Singapore’s thriving nutrition science and technology ecosystem.

The grand opening event, ‘The Future of Nutrition: Cocreation, Innovation, Sustainability’ took place on March 25-26, 2015, featuring Paul Gilding, the former global CEO of Greenpeace, as the keynote speaker.

The opening ceremony was held in the presence of Dr Stefan Doboczky, member of the managing board of the company, HE Jacques Werner, ambassador of the Netherlands in Singapore, and Dr Beh Swan Gin, chairman of Singapore’s Economic Development Board.

Fully integrated into a cross-functional 40,000 sq ft complex, the purpose-built facility brings together the company’s full range of marketing and technical capabilities under one roof to provide end-to-end value chain support for the region’s customers. It provides an environment designed to foster creativity in the development of innovative and appealing food, beverage and dietary supplement products.

The nutrition innovation centre is an integral part of the company’s expanded Singapore office, alongside similar facilities located in China, Brazil, Switzerland and the US. A key component of the innovation centre is a customer brand-centric ‘Co-Creation Hub’, which will aid innovation and acceleration of new products and brands to market. In partnership with the Healthy Marketing Team, international experts in consumer marketing, the hub will deliver added value to the company’s regional customers in nutrition marketing and branding.

TASTE ENHANCEMENT FUNCTIONS

Enquiry Number

DSM Opens Nutrition Innovation Centre In Singapore

Vanilla Legends™ expertly captures the distinct notes of various vanilla profiles, making it the perfect functional solution to enhance different characteristics and overcome off-notes. Experience the taste that inspires today!

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BUSINESS NEWS

APRIL/MAY 2015 ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY

Ben Reeves, Pattaya, Thailand

18

Did you know?

“Onions, apples and potatoes all taste the same, their difference in flavours come from their smell.”

Aryzta Invests In Picard ZURICH, SWITZERLAND: Aryzta has announced that it has entered into exclusive negotiations for a strategic investment with Lion Capital in Picard, a specialty French food business.

The former values the latter at €2.25 billion (US$2.4 billion). Under the terms of the investment, the former would acquire a 49 percent shareholding in the latter for a consideration of €446.6m, largely funded with the net proceeds from the Origin placement (€400m net of fees and taxes).

Picard would be treated as an Associate and expected to make a net contribution of three percent to EPS on an annualised basis, offsetting 50 percent of the negative six percent impact of the Origin placement.

ARYZTA would have the right to exercise a call option in three to five years to acquire 100 percent of Picard. The investment would be conditional on limited conditions, including anti-trust clearance. ______________________ Enquiry No: 0311

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GMP Launched For Thai Food Industry BANGKOK, THAILAND: Thaivista has reported that the Office of Industrial Economics, Industry Ministry, has launched an awareness campaign, dubbed ‘Eat Safe, Eat Smart’, to ensure good manufacturing practice for Thai food.

Food producers and caterers should adopt GMP, recognised as the international standard on food production, in order to boost the consumer’s confidence in food safety, OIC director general Udom Wongwiwatchai said.

He said the Thai food industry should strive for GMP certification for the entire process of food production from raw materials, preparations, cooking and processing, distribution and serving food to consumers.

At present, revenues of the Thai food industry account for 23 percent of GDP. The annual growth rate is 10 percent. The projection for food export earnings would increase from 300 billion baht to 1.2 trillion baht by 2018.

This year’s food exports will amount to one trillion baht.

The Thai food industry generates about 800,000 job positions and yields direct benefits to 20 million farmers.

Some 79 Thai food manufacturers have been certified for GMP. Japan is the biggest export market for Thai food products. Last year Thailand earned 129 billion baht from exporting food to Japan.

The Food Institute of the Industry Ministry is planning to introduce small- and medium-enterprises for Thai food to the Japanese markets. __________________________________________________________ Enquiry No: 0312

www.apfoodonline.com FOR EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT FOOD TECHNOLOGY

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BUSINESS NEWS

ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY APRIL/MAY 2015

19

Did you know?

“Honey can last forever due to the presence of hydrogen peroxide and lack of water.”

Heinz & Kraft Announce Merger

Tomra Launches Japanese Website

_________________________________________________________________ Enquiry No: 0314

we have the formula for EFFICIENT WAREHOUSING

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______________________ Enquiry No: 0313

System Logistics ADV Warehousing APFI 111x122 EN.indd 1

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3855

ILLINOIS, US: HJ Heinz Company and Kraft Foods Group have announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement to create The Kraft Heinz Company, forming the third largest food and beverage company in North America.

Under the terms of the agreement, which has been unanimously approved by both companies' boards of directors, Kraft shareholders will own a 49 percent stake in the combined company, and current Heinz shareholders will own 51 percent on a fully diluted basis.

Together, the new company will have eight US$1+ billion brands and five brands between US$500 million and US$1 billion. The complementary nature of the two brand portfolios presents substantial opportunity for synergies, which will result in increased investments in marketing and innovation.

The company will be coheadquartered in Pittsburgh and the Chicago area.

The transaction is expected to be EPS accretive by 2017.

systemlogistics.com

Enquiry Number

Mike Mozart, US

LEUVEN, BELGIUM: Tomra Sorting Food, a global provider of sensor-based food sorting and peeling solutions, has launched a Japanese website, underlining the importance of Japan to the company’s global business strategy.

Customised for its Japanese customers, the new website provides a dynamic online resource where users can conduct searches and find product information in their preferred language.

The Japanese site follows the launch of a Chinese version which went live in February and is part of the company’s commitment to servicing customers across the world and expanding their range of international resources.

The company will keep investing in translations. In 2015, it plans to add to the language offering on its website.

17/03/15 11:45

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PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS

APRIL/MAY 2015 ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY

20

Urschel: Dicer The largest machine in Urschel’s DiversaCut line, the 2010A Dicer produces dices, strips, slices, granulations, and shreds of fruits, vegetables, meats, and baked goods.

With a maximum infeed of 10” (254 mm) in any dimension, the machine offers cost-savings by eliminating the need to precut products. This dicer promotes more precise cut tolerances with slice adjustment and lockdown features.

The machine also features fine-tuning through adjustable collars on both cutting spindles for ultimate precision. A slicing knife, circular knife spindle, and crosscut knife spindle are used for dicing.

Changing of dice size is done by using the required cutting spindles and adjusting the slice thickness. Flat and crinkle strip cuts in a variety of widths can be made by removing either the crosscut knife spindle or circular knife spindle assembly.

Gebo Cermex: Diagnostic Audits

Scratches, abrasions, deformations and breakages of containers on packaging lines affect line efficiency and brand image. However, due to the lack of an appropriate diagnostics solution, it is often hard to characterise the real causes.

Gebo has now bridged that gap by adding two options to its range of audits. These options, the ‘shocks’ audit and the ‘pressure’ audit, will be incorporated into its overall efficiency improvement tool (EITTM) solution.

The ‘shocks’ audit measures the shocks and impacts, while the ‘pressure’ audit detects the abnormal pressure zones and line regulation problems, with current market trends being to limit pressures to as low as possible (trending towards 0 pressure) and to reduce the accumulation zones.

_______________________________________ Enquiry No: P321

_______________________________________ Enquiry No: P322

GEA Heat Exchangers: Cooler

Witt: Oxygen Analysis

The requirements placed of chilled goods are complex and an effective cooling process involves considerably more than merely the temperature of the goods being refrigerated.

The GEA Küba SG commercial classic is effective under complex sets of conditions: for example, with frequent staff traffic in and out of the cold rooms—which means regular air exchange with the surrounding air.

One feature of the machine is that its parallel tubing system permits less dehumidification of the air than a conventional air cooler with staggered tubing. The application range, depending on configuration, extends from medium temperature cooling to freezing as low as -25 deg C room temperature.

Oxyspot from Witt is equipped with an optical sensor which measures the concentration of oxygen in rigid or flexible packaging. The machine offers an accuracy of +/- 1 percent in the measurement range 0 to 5 percent oxygen or +/- 2 percent in the measurement range 5 to 25 percent.

The measurement is effected using the principle of optical fluorescence, and basically comprises three components: an LED, a dye carrier (dot) and a photodiode.

The dot is stimulated by the LED. The colour layer absorbs the light energy and emits this again with a time lag.

The photodiode determines the oxygen concentration from the emitted light energy.

Three versions are available and cover a broad application field: From non-destructive analysis for long-term observation, random sample analysis of small-volume packaging through to continuous in-line monitoring of packing processes.

_______________________________________ Enquiry No: P323

_______________________________________ Enquiry No: P324

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ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY APRIL/MAY 2015

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS 21

Bosch Sapal: Cheese Conditioner

To meet the growing demands of the cheese industry, Sapal SA, a company of Bosch Packaging Technology, has launched its redesigned DCS 1000 processed cheese conditioner.

The machine has been redesigned to ensure uninterrupted production of individually wrapped slices with an output of 1,000 slices per minute.

A fully redesigned forming group, with integrated cooling system, provides full control of the product at any given speed. This results in an excellent distribution of the cheese mass and a perfect and precise slice shape even at the lowest slice weight of 13g.

The machine is also equipped with a motorised three stack descent device. This ensures that each slice lands in the same position, forming an accurate, vertically stacked profile.

OCME: Shrink Wrapper

The Vega Alpha from OCME is available in four standard configurations that allow the usage of thin films and is equipped with an oven that allows for retraction of the packaged product.

The machine can operate at 40 to 65 cycles per minute and offers optional features, such as an energy-saving kit for those who want to ensure sustainability.

In addition, the company has also introduced the Pegasus Alpha palletising robot that can pack 10-30 cases per minute, up to 20 cases per minute for palletising islands with a single infeed and up to 40 cases per minute with a double infeed.

_______________________________________ Enquiry No: P325

___________________________________ Enquiry No: P326

Netstal: PET Line

Sick: Photoelectric Sensor

Netstal has introduced the PET-LINE 5000, featuring moulds with 96 to 144 cavities, that is designed specifically for markets with high output.

In addition, the machine also offers several changes in the areas of energy consumption, control technology and machine control, such as an energy-efficient adaptive drive unit. It does not operate with constant pump pressure, but rather adapts flexibly to the individual application and cycle requirements.

All of the machine’s electrical drive motors are interconnected via an intermediate circuit to allow the braking energy being generated during operation to be used elsewhere. All in all, the system reduces the power requirement by around 10 percent compared to the preceding model, with this figure increasing to up to 20 percent.

Sick’s W100-2 miniature photoelectric sensors are compatible with all standard detection principles (through-beam photoelectric sensors, photoelectric retro-reflective sensors, photoelectric retro-reflective sensors for detecting transparent objects, energetic sensors, and sensors with background blanking), making them an ideal sensor family for detection applications.

The housing design includes M3 threaded mounting holes, spaced one inch apart, that allows for straightforward, standardised, and inexpensive mounting.

The photoelectric retro-reflective sensor with background blanking features reliable detection while simultaneously blanking backgrounds.

_____________________________________ Enquiry No: P327

____________________________________ Enquiry No: P328

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PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS

APRIL/MAY 2015 ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY

22

Loma Systems: X-Ray Machine

Ilapak: Flow Wrapper

Loma Systems has developed a cost efficient and functional X-ray machine, X5c, that is specifically aimed at food manufacturers, processors and packers running multi-product, retail ready lines.

Made from brushed stainless steel, it comes with a quick release belt that can be removed completely without tools.

The machine’s slopping surface prevents food particles and washdown droplets from getting collected in crevices.

The machine is equipped to detect glass, calcified bone, rubber, stone and ferrous, non-ferrous and stainless steel metal in packaging. Operating at line speeds up to 50 metres per minute and measuring one metre in length, the machine can handle products measuring 100mm (height) x and 300mm (width), weighing less than 3kg.

The re-design and re-launch of Ilapak’s Delta 3000 provides packers and processors of cheese with a mid-level flow wrapper that offers the hygienic features of the company’s higher level machines at a lower cost.

The machine offers complete IP65 protection, enabling full wash down capability, even of the sealing elements. This has been achieved through full stainless steel execution, isolating the electrical cabinet from the main machine frame and smooth, sloping surfaces without recesses. A digital electronic platform gives precise control over the sealing cycle and parameters.

The machine’s competitive pricing has been achieved through modular construction, which allows users to start with a basic machine and add on modules at a later date.

______________________________________ Enquiry No: P329

______________________________________ Enquiry No: P330

HBM: Digital Load Cell

FOODesign: Fryer

HBM, a manufacturer of data acquisition systems, analysis and calibration software, strain gauges, transducers and sensors, has introduced the FIT7A digital load cell.

The load cell not only provides nearly the same speed and accuracy of electromagnetic force restoration (EFR) sensors normally found in modern packaging machines, but it does so at 60 percent less cost.

The load cell can be used in combination with sorting weighers and checkweighers. With the cells, machines can make up to 180 weighings per minute, more than any competing weight sensor.

As it is a digital sensor, it is easily configurable and offers many signal conditioning functions. In addition, it enables signal analysis and adjustment of the digital filters to effectively suppress all kinds of interference. ______________________________________ Enquiry No: P331

3pp Products3.indd 22

Food processing equipment manufacturer FOODesign, a tna company, has launched the immerso-cook 16 directfired fryer range. Ideal for chips, snacks, prepared foods, meat, poultry and seafood, and battered and breaded products, the continuous frying system optimises production, lowers operating costs and improves environmental performance.

The fryer features a belt feed system that can be customised for a wide range of foods to minimise the risk of product damage while optimising throughput speeds. To ensure product quality is not compromised by the waste typically associated with battered and breaded applications, the system’s base-mounted mesh belt conveyor continuously discharges debris to remove all waste from the fryer.

Through its continuous oil filtration process, the machine maintains the clean oil critical in delivering a high quality end product through particulate removal and fresh oil infeed. ______________________________________ Enquiry No: P332

10/4/15 4:50 pm

BERICAP

Technology

light weight closures for still water

HexaLite® 26/10

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Unique range of light weight screw and sports closures for light weight PET neck standards for water • Closures for all common neck sizes 26/22, 28 mm (PCO 1810, PCO 1881), 29/25, 30/25 • Light weight Hexalite range allowing light weight neck • Still water closures suitable for N2 dosing Bericap Asia Pte Ltd 14 Ang Mo Kio Street 63 (Block B) Singapore 569116 Tel: 6222 7666 Fax: 6222 0708 Website: www.bericap.com Email: Andrew.tan@bericap.com

3861 Bericap.indd 1

TapSeal®

• Sports closures fulfill BSDA requirements • Boreseal systems for excellent tightness • Consumer friendly opening forces www.bericap.com

Enquiry Number

3861

10/4/15 4:49 pm

PACKAGING & PROCESSING

APRIL/MAY 2015 ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY

24

DELIVERING THE RIGHT MIX

AT the heart of transforming raw ingredients into food for human consumption is the mixing operation.

One of its main tasks, which other food processing steps also share, is to establish consistency.

Whether a food product requires small-scale mixing by hand or high volume blending of multiple ingredients, at-home cooks and process engineers alike know the importance of proper mixing.

Even with the right amount of ingredients and flavours, a great recipe will not transform into good food unless the components are well-mixed.

Taste, texture, colour, appearance —these are all crucial parameters intimately influenced by the mixing process. Consumers expect that the food products they patronise will be exactly the same as the one they had last.

It is easy to understand that within the food industry a high level of consistency is required not just batch-to-batch but facility-to-facility.

In this market, consistency is the backbone of consumer loyalty.

Various types and styles of mixing equipment are utilised within the food industry. Their use and application are determined by the phases being mixed (liquid-liquid, solid-liquid, or solid-solid) as well as physical characteristics of the end product like viscosity and density.

In reality, many mixing technologies overlap in use and function such that certain applications can actually be successfully produced by two or more types of mixing systems. In these situations, economics rule out the more costly initial investments, but differences in efficiencies must also be taken into account.

Proper mixer selection is vital to process optimisation.

Thomas Cizauskas, US1

RECENT ADVANCES IN MIXER AND BLENDER DESIGNS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE GROWING SUCCESS OF FOOD COMPANIES, MEETING THEIR REQUIREMENT FOR CONSISTENCY AND DEVELOPING NEW PRODUCTS WHILE LOWERING PRODUCTION COSTS.

BY CHARLES ROSS & SON COMPANY

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DRY BLENDING The ribbon blender is a well-proven equipment popularly used in the food and beverage industries.

A ribbon blender consists of a

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PACKAGING & PROCESSING

ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY APRIL/MAY 2015

U-shaped horizontal trough and an agitator made up of inner and outer helical ribbons that are pitched to move material axially in opposite directions, as well as radially.

The ribbons rotate up to tip speeds of approximately 300 ft/ min. This blender design is very efficient and cost-effective for mixing dry applications such as cake and muffin mixes, flour, bread improvers, cereals, trail mixes, snack bars, spices and herbs, tea (leaves or iced tea powders) , coffee (whole or ground beans), and other beverage blends including whey protein shakes, chocolate drinks, powdered juices and energy drinks.

When dry blending food products, relatively small amounts of liquid may be added to the solids in order to coat or absorb colouring, flavouring, oils or other additive solutions.

Liquid ingredients can be added through a charge port on the cover.

But for critical applications, liquid addition is best accomplished through the use of spray nozzles installed in a spray bar located just above the ribbon agitator.

Liquid flowrate, as well as blender speed, are fine-tuned during liquid addition to avoid flooding or formation of wet clumps of powder.

Although dry blending is its more popular function, the ribbon blender is also used in the preparation of flowable slurries or pastes, say in food extrusion operations.

Food extrusion is a processing technology employed for a wide variety of end products, from pasta to ready-to-eat cereals, from snack chips to pet food.

The function of the ribbon blender in the extrusion process is to homogeneously mix two or more grains, flours, oil, sugar, emulsifiers, extrusion aides and other powders.

Once the constituents are blended, water is usually added to the batch in order to raise the existing moisture content to the proper level for extrusion.

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Dave, Newcastle, UK

25

A ribbon blender design is very efficient and cost-effective for mixing dry applications such as cake and muffin mixes, flour, bread improvers, cereals, trail mixes, snack bars, spices and herbs, and tea.

F o r b l e n d s t h a t re q u i re a gentler mixing action, the paddle blender, vertical blender or tumble blender are considered by food manufacturers.

A horizontal paddle blender also utilises a U-shaped trough. The agitator consists of several paddles and has less surface area at the periphery than a ribbon, therefore providing lower shear and less heat development.

In comparison, the blending action of a vertical blender’s slow turning auger is far gentler than that of any horizontal blender. The auger screw orbits a conical vessel wall while it turns and gently lifts material upward.

As materials reach the upper most level of the batch, they cascade slowly back down in regions opposite the moving auger screw. The tumble blender is a rotating device that commonly comes in double-cone or V-shaped configurations.

Asymmetric vessels designed to reduce blend times and improve uniformity are also available.

Generally, tumble blenders operate at a speed of 5 to 25 revolutions

per minute. Materials cascade and intermix as the vessel rotates. Mixing is very low-impact.

HIGH SHEAR MIXING & EMULSIFICATION High Shear Mixers (HSMs) utilise a rotor/stator assembly which generates intense shear necessary to puree solid ingredients in the preparation of dressings, sauces and pastes.

This type of device is also used in the food industry for the production of syrup solutions, beverage emulsions and dispersions.

Available in batch (vertical) or inline (horizontal) configurations, high shear mixers are comprised of a rotor that turns at high speed within a stationary stator.

As the rotating blades pass each opening in the stator, they mechanically shear particles and droplets, and expel material at high velocity into the surrounding mix, creating hydraulic shear. As fast as material is expelled, more is drawn into the rotor/stator generator, which promotes continuous flow and fast mixing.

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PACKAGING & PROCESSING

APRIL/MAY 2015 ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY

A major development in HSM design is the solids/liquid injection manifold (SLIM) technology, a high speed powder induction system. The modified rotor/stator assembly is specially designed to create negative pressure (vacuum) behind the rotor, which can be used as the motive force to suck powdered (or liquid) ingredients directly into the high shear zone.

The SLIM is particularly useful in inducting hard-to-disperse thickening agents such as CMC, xanthan gum, gum Arabic, guar, carrageenan and alginates into a liquid phase. These powders are notorious for driving up processing costs.

Even with a strong vortex in an open vessel, they resist wetting out and often float on the surface for hours. Using the SLIM, solids are combined with the liquid stream and instantly subjected to intense shear.

In other words, solids and liquid meet at precisely the point where turbulent mixing takes place. When solids and liquids are combined and mixed simultaneously, agglomerates are prevented from forming because dispersion is virtually instantaneous.

The inline configuration of the SLIM is an improvement in design compared to earlier venturi or eductor systems. In these systems, the process liquid is pumped at high velocity into a venturi chamber and passes into the inline mixer.

The combination of the pump, venturi and the pumping action of the mixer creates a vacuum in the venturi chamber. Powder fed through an overhead hopper is drawn by this vacuum into the eductor where it joins the liquid flow. A rotor/stator then mixes the powder and liquid, and propels the flow downstream.

While this set-up eliminates the dusting and floating issues of batch systems, it also presents serious limitations. With three separate devices in series, maintenance—in terms of labour, required expertise and spare parts—is intensive.

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Thomas Cizauskas, US

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EVOLUTIONARY IMPROVEMENTS IN MIXING TECHNOLOGIES PRESENT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOOD COMPANIES TO PERIODICALLY UPDATE PROCESSES AND UPGRADE EFFICIENCIES. Balancing the performance of the pump, eductor and mixer is often difficult, and in many applications, downtime is quite high. But the most serious limitation relates to the inherent operating limitations of the venturi or eductor.

Clogging is routine. The system is temperamental and requires a lot of operator experience and attention to operate successfully. Since the feed rate of the eductor relies on the vacuum created by a fast-moving stream, it is also extremely viscositydependent.

As the viscosity of the stream rises, velocity falls and the efficiency of the eductor drops off s steadily until it finally stops. The SLIM design is a breakthrough based on one simple idea—eliminate the eductor.

In the older powder induction designs, solids are combined with the moving liquid stream in the eductor, and then mixed farther down the line. That distance between the eductor and the mixer is critical.

Material that had been combined but not yet mixed intimately could clog the pathway before reaching t h e ro t o r / s t a t o r m i x e r w h e re agglomerates could be disintegrated and small particles are forced into a dispersion that could flow quickly without problems.

In addition, clumps produced in the venturi chamber could solvate to form a tough outer layer which prevents complete wetting of the interior particles. While product can be recirculated several times to improve initial dispersion, the high shear conditions usually needed to break up tough agglomerates can also overshear already hydrated particles resulting in a permanent viscosity loss.

Food companies are not only faced with the challenge of dispersing gums, thickeners and other ‘difficult’ ingredients into a liquid stream.

Another common and critical requirement is the need to reach a high level of solids loading in the final batch. Because the SLIM system combines and mixes solids and liquids simultaneously, it is able to operate at extremely high feed rates without choking.

Evolutionar y improvements in mixing technologies present an opportunity for food companies to periodically update processes, upgrade efficiencies, improve product consistency and strengthen research and development efforts.

It is recommended to plan a thorough testing program with a reliable and experienced equipment manufacturer before committing to a specific type of mixer system.

Confirm your mixing strategy by tr ying a variety of potential candidates utilising your own raw materials and simulating operating conditions as close to your actual process as possible. The rewards will be sweet and fulfilling.

For more information, ENTER No: 0340

10/4/15 4:59 pm

www.asiadrinkconference.com

AsiaDrink

Conference 2015 19TH JUNE 2015 BITEC, BANGKOK,THAILAND

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME Registration/Networking Coffee Welcome Address Keynote Address “Beverage Trends in Thailand / AEC and the Beverage Business”

By Jorge Chazarreta, President, Thainamthip Co., Ltd

Beverage Trends in Asia

By Philippe Chan, Asia Account Director, Canadean

Q&A

THE CONFERENCE The Asia Drink Conference is a premium event created for senior managers in the beverage manufacturing industry. Now in its successful third edition, it is expected to welcome more than 100 participants from across Asia. The conference features a combined morning programme and two parallel afternoon tracks hosting industry topics including technology, ingredients, business and marketing — presenting excellent knowledge transfer, networking and promotional opportunities for sponsors.

Join us this year as we continue to fuel business exchanges and offer executive insights from a line-up of accomplished speakers.

THE ORGANISERS Asia Pacific Food Industry is a leading trade magazine published by Eastern Trade Media.

Offering editorial coverage across all areas of food and drink manufacturing and processing, it is the publication of choice for over 33,000 professionals in the Asia Pacific region.

ProPak Asia is Asia’s number one processing and packaging trade event. Now in its 23rd edition, the region’s trusted event is organised

by Bangkok Exhibition Services, an Allworld Exhibitions Member.

Lunch TECHNOLOGY TRACK

BUSINESS & MARKETING TRACK

Krones Latest Preform Decontamination Technologies – Contipure And CAB

Beverage Growth In Thailand

By Suphasan Hongladarom, Purchasing Manager, Sermsuk PLC

By Mr. Paul Schoenheit, Project Engineer Aseptic Technology, Krones AG

Filling Technology – Sensitive Beverages

Leveraging On AEC 2015

By Mr Dominique Leroy, Global Aseptic Product Key Acct Mgr, KHS

Creating access to new markets and removing trade barriers are but some of the benefits that regional integration will bring. What are the other opportunities that ASEAN businesses can tap on?

Q&A Coffee Break Hot Fill Application And The Challenges Of Different Neck Sizes – Trends & Standardisation

Enhancing Value With Intelligent Systems

By Mr. Samit Chowdhury, Regional Marketing Director and Ms. Ratanasiri Tilokskulchai, Marketing Director From Tetra Pak (Thailand) Limited.

By Volker Spiesmacher, Sales & Marketing Director, Bericap

GEA Procomac ABF for milk & milk based drinks

Catering To The Modern Consumer

By Diageo

By Marco Bruno, Senior Product Manager, GEA

Maximising Returns With Water Efficiency

Engaging Consumers Through Packaging

By Kai Richter, Regional Market Manager for Food & Beverage in South East Asia, Veolia

From attractive visuals to mass customisation and smart designs, how can packaging help you form a greater connection to the consumer?

Q&A Closing Address

FOR ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT:

etm

Eastern

TradeanMedia Pte Ltd Eastern Holdings Ltd company

Gold Sponsors:

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Kanyasa Mitrakasem (Pan) Bangkok Exhibition Services (BES) Ltd Direct: (66) (0) 2615 1255 Ext 105 Fax: (66) (0) 2615 2992 Email: kanyasa@besallworld.com

Peh Sue Ann Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd Direct (65) 6379 2870 Tel (65) 6379 2888 Fax (65) 6379 2805 Email: sueann@epl.com.sg Lunch Sponsor:

Supported By:

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PACKAGING & PROCESSING

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MAKING THE MARK IN THE DYNAMIC GLOBAL MARKET WHERE COMPETITION IS EVER MORE INTENSE, IT IS VITAL FOR PACKAGING PROFESSIONALS TO SELECT SUITABLE INKS FOR DIFFERENT PRINTING APPLICATIONS IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE BEST RESULTS. GETTING QUALITY PRINT MAY NOT BE AS SIMPLE AS IT SEEMS. BY LIN ZHU, DIRECTOR OF INK DEVELOPMENT, VIDEOJET TECHNOLOGIES

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Eggs are one example of foods requiring printing of company brands to differentiate them from competition.

Creative Tools, Halmdstad, Sweden

food-contact products such as flavoured sachets contained within a food package.

Fast dry inks have been designed to be used on fast moving production lines such as food packages using films and stretch/shrink wrap.

Retort and thermochronic inks are used to produce a change in colour which indicates that the food has passed through a critical retort process.

For example, when a product is cooked in its can, the colour of the code will change to another colour, helping indicate that the product has been cooked. This is ideal for soups, vegetables, sauces, meat in aluminium and tin-free steel cans, pouches, and retortable plastic containers.

Condensation resistant inks when applied directly after the coldfilling process adhere to beverage cans and bottles. These types of inks are durable during pasteurization and refrigeration/re-cooling.

IDENTIFY WHAT YOU NEED Printing equipment suppliers focus heavily on new product design to provide the packaging industry with innovative, class leading coding solutions that support stringent production needs. However, research and development investment should not stop at the coding equipment.

The demand for new specialty inks, suited to an increasing variety of innovative packaging, is both a sign of real customer challenges and an indicator of where hardware

Leonardo Aguiar, SĂŁo Paulo, Brazil

A trusted partner can be the difference for ever-evolving industries in these rapidly progressing times. Forged on a foundation of communication, such relationships can yield mutually beneficial results for both business firm and client.

Take packaging professionals: aligning with the right coding and marking supplier can help navigate the crucial ink-selection process.

With so many inks to choose from and so many factors to consider when using ink jet coding equipment, finding the right ink is of the utmost importance and could well save your company a lot of money.

The best ink suppliers study the evolution of packaging materials, understand the range of manufacturing environments, and proactively apply rigorous ink development processes to help ensure code performance and integrity. Those experts can create an ink that will meet your requirements, whatever they are.

Let’s take a quick look at some of the specialty inks on offer and their specific applications: Food grade inks may be required on a package that comes in contact with food. Typically such inks are used for marking and coding on the inside of a package.

They are ideal for eggs, candy & confectionery, and certain incidental

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suppliers should direct investment and expertise.

The material being coded influences ink performance. New high-performance plastics and can coatings are constantly being developed, and can present complex challenges to ink code adhesion.

The production environment also plays a significant role in how inks adhere. Factors like moisture, temperature, and humidity can all impact initial ink code adhesion and durability. Drying and curing times afforded by product processes and manufacturing environments must be accommodated.

Understanding these fixed ‘constraints’ is crucial to selecting an ink that can survive the manufacturing process environment.

In preparation for discussing ink selection with printing equipment experts, you should ask yourself the following questions: • What material am I coding onto?

• Are there any surface coatings o r c o n t a m i n a n t s f ro m t h e manufacturing process present on the product either before or after coding?

• What product surface colour variation exists, and what is my or my customer’s requirement for visual or machine readable code contrast?

• What is the printer operating environment and what temperature extremes will the product itself experience and the code need to endure?

• When and what components come into contact with the ink code after printing that may impact ink dry time and durability?

their processing facilities. The cold temperatures are necessary to help maintain optimum shelf life of fresh meat or frozen products, but it also creates havoc with the quality of coding.

Because of food safety regulations it is essential that the marking and coding of those products are clear, legible, and don’t become smudged.

Using a specialty ink will help you achieve the best adhesion and durability in such environments.

Branding or coding may sometimes need to be applied directly onto a food product: for

THE PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT ALSO PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN HOW INKS ADHERE. FACTORS LIKE MOISTURE, TEMPERATURE, AND HUMIDITY CAN ALL IMPACT INITIAL INK CODE ADHESION AND DURABILITY.

example, Sichuan Sundaily Village, one of China’s top five poultr y and egg enterprises, which counts Walmart, Carrefour, and Kentucky Fried Chicken as its customers, approached a global coding and marking specialist to help them identify the right ink for their coding solution.

In China’s many street markets, eggs are sold by weight and packaged in clear plastic bags. This presents a challenge for companies which must rely on printing on the egg shells to brand and differentiate themselves from the competition.

The ink must be of the highest quality, crisp, clear and stand out from the rest. Coding on eggs is not without challenges, as the temperature and the humidity can make it difficult for the ink to adhere to the surface of the egg and because the porosity of the egg shell itself can vary depending on the hens and their diet, altering ink adherence and code quality.

A fast drying food grade ink was developed specifically to produce the most crisp and highly legible ink jet codes on egg shells which maintained its quality despite eggegg shell surface variation.

Let’s take the food manufacturing industr y as an example. Meat and poultry producers face many printing challenges because of the low temperatures and the high humidity which are present in

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The ink required for labelling varies, depending on the type of labelling required and the material to be printed on.

AN INK THAT WORKED YESTERDAY MIGHT NOT WORK TODAY DUE TO A SUBTLE CHANGE IN A MANUFACTURING PROCESS OR AN UNDISCLOSED CHANGE TO THE SUBSTRATE BY THE INK SUPPLIER. The time between printing the code and its first contact with a material handling component, like a belt or mechanical guide, or another product may influence the code’s adhesion and legibility. These manufacturing process conditions can result in problems such as ink transfer or code smudging, and therefore should also be considered when selecting the required ink.

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ACCESS EXPERTS Manufacturers should take full advantage of the ink expertise offered by their marking and coding ink and equipment partner. There are multiple options and considerations to take into account when choosing ink, but by engaging hardware application specialists and ink chemists together, you can achieve a better fit to your exact needs.

An ink that worked yesterday might not work today due to a subtle change in a manufacturing process or an undisclosed change to the substrate by your supplier. An ink specialist and its unique set of tools can help diagnose these problems and recommend solutions that get code performance back to an optimal state.

KEEPING UP WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY Just as manufacturers are always improving their processes, ink specialists are constantly researching new formulations to meet new coding application challenges. Manufacturers need to take this into consideration

as they upgrade or expand their systems. However, they should resist the temptation to cut corners.

Some packaging teams may move to save money by purchasing fluids from a third-party ink supplier. Since these fluids are engineered without taking into consideration the printer specifications, these fluids can degrade a printer’s performance and code appearance over time.

As a result, off-brand supplies can end up costing much more in the long run due to costs associated with excessive maintenance, premature part failures, and unpredictable downtime.

Packaging professionals will be well-served by partnering with a thorough coding and marking supplier in order to choose the proper ink for their applications.

This relationship can be the critical difference in any business climate.

For more information, ENTER No: 0341

10/4/15 4:59 pm

3853 Enquiry Number

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6/4/15 11:07 am

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DETERMINING SHELF-LIFE FOOD AND DRINK MANUFACTURERS ARE UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE TO ENHANCE THE ACCURACY OF SHELF LIFE DETERMINATION. TRADITIONAL PRACTICES SUCH AS ‘SHORT DATING’ PRODUCTS TO PROVIDE ROBUST FOOD SAFETY ASSURANCE AND MAXIMISE PRODUCT QUALITY ARE BEING SCRUTINISED DUE TO THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH UNNECESSARY WASTE, PAVING THE WAY FOR FRESH APPROACHES FOR MANUFACTURERS. BY ISABEL CAMPELOS, SENIOR TECHNICAL ADVISOR (FOOD SAFETY), LEATHERHEAD FOOD RESEARCH

A delicate balance needs to be achieved when formulating or reformulating food and drink products.

Naturally taste and texture are paramount.

With their direct link to consumer satisfaction, these factors should remain as constant as possible for the duration of shelf-life. Then there is the important issue of food safety.

How do manufacturers walk the line between maximising shelf-life and minimising the risk of people consuming food that is unsafe or of inferior quality?

Over the past 10 years, there have been significant advancements in methods for extending and validating shelf-life. Rather than hypothesising the likely shelf-life based on similar products, then ‘short dating’ to provide a margin for error, manufacturers can conduct more robust scientific trials.

Indeed, shelf-life determination now performs a critical function at the front end of the product development cycle. Used strategically, it can facilitate more informed decisionmaking surrounding formulation, processing techniques and packaging.

Objectives and timescales for shelf-life testing can vary hugely.

The focus may be food safety crite-

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ria, micro-structural assessment of changes during storage (separation, graining or alterations in texture, colour and rheology) or a combination of the two. Many interconnected factors can impact shelf-life, making it a complex area.

SELECTING THE BEST METHOD There are two core shelf-life testing techniques: real-time and accelerated.

In addition, challenge testing is recommended as an essential step for most foods which have a significant risk of containing pathogens or spoilage microorganisms.

I. REAL-TIME MICROBIOLOGY SHELF-LIFE TESTING

For products where microbial stability is the limiting factor, real-time testing is the only option. This covers perishable products with high water activity such as salads, ready-to-eat meals and refrigerated products.

During assessment, changes in the smell, taste and appearance of the product are monitored as spoilage microorganisms develop.

Real-time testing plays a critical role in determining the shelf-life of goods produced using the just-in-time systems adopted by many chilled food manufacturers in the UK.

II. ACCELERATED SHELF-LIFE TESTING

Food and drink specimens are subjected to stability tests under a range of controlled temperature/ humidity and light conditions.

Exposure to extreme conditions accelerates the changes that the product would undergo in normal circumstances.

This predictive method assesses microbiologically stable products for deterioration in sensory characteristics caused by chemical and physical changes.

For ambient stable products and those with low water activity, sensor y and physicochemical changes can determine the shelf life. Criteria might include staling, rancidity development, breakdown of texture, loss of flavour, colour changes or loss of functionality.

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Microbe World

maximise safety through mechanisms such as microbial inactivation. For instance, if a product has a higher microbial load than expected, heat processing may not be sufficient to reduce the contamination to an acceptable level.

Nevertheless, it is important to minimise variations in the raw materials as far as possible. An ingredient that has been overexposed to air and oxidation processes, for example, may be more susceptible to chemical reactions such as rancification.

By spotlighting weak points in the manufacturing process or the supply chain, from ingredient quality to hygiene issues, it is possible to minimise factors that could compromise shelf-life.

Findings are used as a benchmark from which to calculate actual shelf life. For long life products which remain safe to consume for weeks, months or even years, ascertaining a value for shelf-life through accelerated testing is hugely advantageous.

III. CHALLENGE TESTING

Foods at high risk of containing pathogens or spoilage microorganisms usually need to undergo challenge testing as well as shelf-life testing.

This takes microbiological evaluation a stage further, simulating what might happen during production, processing, distribution or subsequent handling by consumers, should the product be contaminated.

The process involves monitoring the growth of inoculated bacteria to establish critical factors that may enable the elimination of pathogens

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or slow the growth of spoilage bacteria.

Challenge testing can be applied to many different food products using validated methods and it is important to have a broad selection of natural purified cultures of microorganisms to ensure that a wide range of eventualities are considered.

If challenge testing reveals that a product does not have the required level of stability, findings can be used to aid reformulation and obtain a better shelf-life.

UNDERSTANDING RELEVANT FACTORS Tight control of ingredient quality and process integrity is vital to ensure shelf-life remains constant across multiple production runs.

Many food manufacturing processes are carefully designed to

KEEP UP WITH INNOVATION Shelf-life extension techniques are continually progressing, and scientific methods to ascertain ‘use by’ or ‘best before’ dates have also evolved significantly.

One area that has changed the face of supermarket shelves in recent years is the interplay of packaging with shelf-life.

Vacuum-packed meats that are good for six months, fresh year-round produce regardless of the season, chilled juice and milk products with weeks or months of shelf-life—all of these are relatively new developments that seemed inconceivable a decade ago.

In order to realise the potential commercial benefits of this trend, manufacturers need to complement in-house knowledge and facilities with specialist third party expertise and services.

External assistance can be invaluable when it comes to optimising a concept or collaborating over complex areas such as product reformulation for shelf-life extension.

For more information, ENTER No: 0350

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ENSURING SHELF-LIFE THROUGH

OXIDATIVE STABILITY

MANUFACTURERS HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THEIR PRODUCTS MAINTAIN THE DESIRED ATTRIBUTES AND QUALITY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SHELF-LIFE. IN THIS REGARD, MONITORING THE OXIDATIVE STABILITY OF THE PRODUCTS IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE.

BY DR ROBERT GRIFFITHS, TECHNICAL SPECIALIST, RSSL ONE of the most important considerations when developing a new product of reformulating an existing one is to ensure that the desired attributes and quality are maintained throughout its entire shelf-life.

Ingredients, foods and supplements can undergo deteriorative changes during their shelf-life that can impact on their chemical, sensory and nutritional properties (texture, appearance, flavour, nutritional value, beneficial health effects).

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The factors that can cause these changes are varied and include moisture loss/gain, fat degradation or migration, alterations in colour and reactions such as hydrolysis and oxidation that impact flavour compounds.

Often products are considered unacceptable and rejected by consumers due to changes in flavour, with one of the most pronounced effects being the generation of rancid off-flavours/notes caused by the oxidation of oils and fats (and other food components).

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INGREDIENTS & ADDITIVES

This chemical decomposition can result in the product being unpalatable. It must also be remembered however, that some of these flavours caused by degradation of fats can be desirable in products such as aged cheese.

Oxidation of fats or oils is a complex process initiated by free radical reactions at the double bonds of unsaturated fatty acids. Therefore, the greater the number of double bonds or degree of unsaturation of the fatty acids, the greater the susceptibility to oxidation.

The process of oxidation is affected by many factors including atmospheric oxygen, heat, heavy metals, exposure to light, and other chemical components that promote initiation of the oxidation process.

These factors can promote the formation of free radicals which lead to the formation of peroxide radicals and hydroperoxides, and subsequent chain reactions, leading to the formation of secondary oxidation products including aldehydes and ketones.

It is these secondary oxidation products that often produce the distinctive and generally undesirable rancid off flavours/notes and the accumulation of these components over time increases the likelihood of the product being rejected.

As mentioned earlier, some oils and fats are more prone to oxidation than others such as those high in unsaturated fatty acids, especially polyunsaturated ones which includes omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.

Some of these oils and fats will have natural levels of antioxidants that can counteract the process of oxidation to a certain degree; however the protective effective will eventually be exhausted. This often coincides with an increase in oxidation of the unsaturated fatty acids and generation of rancidity.

REFORMULATION & PROCESSING OPTIONS There is of course the option for product developers to use more stable fats with less unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

However, with the trend in recent times to reduce the level of saturated fat, which is generally more stable, and increase the level of unsaturated/polyunsaturated fatty acids and/or fortify with omega 3 fatty acids for health benefits, there is the challenge to produce formulations that can last the desired/required shelf-life.

Product developers might reformulate the fat used in a product to reduce the level of saturated fatty acid by blending with more unsaturated liquid oil. While this would reduce the level of saturated fatty acids, it would also affect the stability of the product. Therefore, it requires assessments to be made to optimise the blends to ensure that product integrity could be maintained throughout shelf-life.

Changes in formulation of product might also require changes in processing conditions and these can have an

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litlnemo, Seattle, US

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Oxidation of fats or oils is a complex process initiated by free radical reactions at the double bonds of unsaturated fatty acids.

impact on the long term oxidative stability of the product.

Optimising process conditions can also lead to extension of shelf-life of the product which may result in less wastage, greater flexibility and improved profitability of a product.

Manufacturing processes can be very complex with multiple stages and many possible opportunities to improve oxidative stability of the finished product, for example, by reducing temperatures, residence time, aeration and type of aeration gas. It can often be beneficial to assess the impact of these different conditions and optimise to improve stability.

One tool that can be used to improve the stability of reformulated products that have more unsaturated fatty acids or have higher levels of (added) polyunsaturated fatty acids such as omega 3, is the addition of antioxidants.

As previously mentioned, these can delay the onset of oxidation and generation of rancidity. The selection of antioxidant and optimisation of levels requires assessment of the effectiveness in preventing/ delaying oxidation. This potentially involves assessing many different permutations of antioxidant and levels to be added.

OXIDATIVE STABILITY/ SHELF-LIFE ASSESSMENT It is important to ensure that a product is stable and resistant to oxidation under the conditions it will be exposed to over the period of its shelf-life. This can be a very time-consuming process particularly if products have long shelf-lives and can impact the time of product to market.

Accelerated studies can be conducted to speed up this process in which the product is exposed to harsher conditions such as higher temperature, aeration and exposure to UV light or trace metals. Typically, however, elevated temperature and aeration are used.

It is imperative to ensure that this accelerated testing can the n be extrapolated to ‘real time’ conditions.

Both real time and accelerated studies involve storing

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SENSORY EVALUATION The use of sensory evaluation in assessing stability of products should not be underestimated. Sensory assessment can be completed by a consumer panel of untrained assessors who will assess based purely on ‘like’ or ‘dislike’.

This provides no information on sensory defects resulting from deterioration but reflects consumer acceptance of the products. On the other hand, trained assessors who are familiar with the product and have possible perceptions resulting from sound or defective products can be beneficial. Using standardised vocabulary gives reproducibility and precision.

The combination of scientific analysis and sensory assessment is a valuable tool particularly when looking at the development of new products or reformulation of existing ones. The combination of scientific analysis and sensory assessment is a valuable tool particularly when looking at the development of new products of reformulation of existing ones.

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SHELF-LIFE EXTENSION A common desire of food manufacturers is to extend the shelf-life of products. One product development challenge involved the use of antioxidants to improve the oxidative stability but also maintain a ‘natural’ ingredients label.

In this case, the product developers were interested in evaluating the effects of natural antioxidants based on

Product developers are interested in evaluating the effects of natural antioxidants based on plant extracts such as green tea and rosemary.

Gabriela, Torino, Italy

OXIDATION MEASUREMENT Once product formulations or processing changes have been screened and narrowed down to a small number of candidates, these products can then be placed into carefully controlled storage conditions reflecting the conditions the product will be exposed to during its shelf-life or harsher conditions to accelerate the oxidation process .

At set time points, samples can be taken and analysed to determine the impact on the sensory quality and level of oxidation. This can be carried out over time to build up a picture of the evolution of oxidised components and link this to acceptability of product through sensory evaluation to guide the shelf-life that can be assigned to a product.

PEROXIDE VALUE (PV) DETERMINATION The peroxide value is probably one of the most commonly used methods to measure the initial stages of oxidation of oils and fats. The peroxide value is often conducted using a titration based method to determine the level of iodine liberated from potassium iodide by the oxidised species in the sample but there are also colorimetric methods.

Samples of oils and fats can be analysed directly using the peroxide value. However, foods and finished products need to be extracted to recover the fat for the peroxide value determination.

This extraction needs to be conducted very carefully to avoid further oxidation and also ensure that the fat is sufficiently recovered from the finished product.

The peroxide value measures hydroperoxides that are produced in the early stages of the oxidation process.

Care needs to be taken in interpreting the peroxide value results since the hydroperoxides readily degrade, so samples with a low peroxide value can still have undergone significant oxidation.

The peroxide value increases as the oil/fat oxidises, but will decrease when the peroxides are degraded to secondary oxidation products such as aldehydes and ketones. Therefore, it is important to combine peroxide value analysis that measures the initial products of oxidation with methods that measure the secondary products of oxidation such as the anisidine value.

The combination of the peroxide value and anisidine value is referred to as the TOTOX value (2 x the peroxide value + anisidine value) and is a useful measure of the initial and secondary oxidation products.

Sarah R, Ontario, Canada

samples for periods of time under carefully controlled conditions and then performing specific analyses at different time points to monitor the development of oxidation and rancidity.

This can be very time-consuming and costly, but is sometimes necessary to fully evaluate the shelf stability of the product. This can be a barrier particularly with new product development or reformulation, or changes in processing where a number of variants need evaluating and it is often impractical to carry out these long term evaluations at this stage of the product development.

Under these circumstances, it is useful to have rapid screening techniques that can give a quick indication of the relative performance of changes in formulation or processing and allows developers to narrow down the likely end formulation or process change before commencing a full shelf-life study.

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Enquiry Number

FAT REFORMULATION There has been much publicity in the media about the negative impact of saturated fat on health, although this has been questioned more recently. Many manufacturers however are still targeting a reduction in the amount of saturated fat in their products to fulfil health and wellness commitments.

One manner of achieving this is to substitute a portion of the saturated fat, in this case from palm oil, in the recipe with rapeseed oil. There were, however, concerns about the stability of the final fat blend since rapeseed contains a significant amount of unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids that are particularly prone to oxidation.

A similar approach to that previously described was used to assess the stability of different blends of the oils and fats using the rancimat instrument which resulted in the incorporation of antioxidants to meet the required shelf-life.

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plant extracts such as green tea and rosemary extract.

They then wanted to compare the efficiency of these relative to the more common and effective synthetic antioxidants BHT and BHA. Since the number of possible combinations of antioxidants and concentrations was quite large, a screening exercise was conducted by adding different levels of the antioxidants to the base oil used in the recipe and evaluating these compared to BHT using the rancimat instrument.

After several trials of differing antioxidants, concentrations and combinations, the more promising candidate oil/antioxidant blend was incorporated into finished product on a laboratory/pilot scale. This prototype finished product formulation was evaluated directly using a rapid accelerated evaluation of the oxidative stability and compared to the existing formulation.

After a slight adjustment of the concentrations used, a long-term study was initiated by storing the sample in controlled conditions that mimicked real storage conditions and conducting sensory analysis, peroxide value and thiobarbituric acid analysis determination at different time points during the shelf-life.

The development of any off flavours/notes or oxidised components was monitored over time. The products were also stored at elevated temperatures and evaluated at more frequent time points to gain a quicker insight into the products performance and provide guidance on whether the product was likely to meet the goal of increased shelf-life.

This approach enabled the developer to screen many formulation options in a much shorter time frame at relatively lower cost compared to assessing the product in the real-life conditions. It also gave some confidence on performance before stability trial.

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CAFNR

Bill Gracey

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THE USE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF ANTIOXIDANTS HAS ALSO BEEN MONITORED IN ADDITION TO THE IMPACT OF INCORPORATING THE INGREDIENT AS AN EMULSION OR AS ENCAPSULATED OIL.

The resulting formulation in the finished product was compared to the original formulation with a known shelflife to give confidence that the new formulation would perform at least as well as the original formulation.

MONITOR SUSCEPTIBLE INGREDIENTS Many food manufacturers have sought to incorporate food ingredients into their products with the aim to use a positive nutritional or health claim.

The omega 3 fatty acids have been used in the development of many new products which has been driven by the positive EFSA approved health claims associated with this ingredient. The use of omega 3 fatty acids does however generate a number of challenges, not least the oxidative stability of the ingredient.

To increase the stability of finished products, developers have incorporated these ingredients into their products as emulsions with added antioxidants and also as encapsulated oils.

The encapsulation reduces the exposure of the ingredient to air and reduces the level of oxidation.

Development of products incorporating these ingredients has involved the assessment of the quality and stability of the initial raw material ingredients which could be

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from different sources such as fish oils, algal oils or from vegetable oils.

The use and effectiveness of antioxidants has also been monitored in addition to the impact of incorporating the ingredient as an emulsion or as encapsulated oil.

These developments have also been assessed using the rapid accelerated techniques described above to evaluate the oxidative stability before the finished products have been placed into real time shelf-life studies to monitor the level of oxidation.

Oxidation of oils and fats has a critical influence on the shelf-life of ingredients and finished products. However, there are several strategies available to improve the oxidative stability and therefore shelf-life of products.

To aid product development and reformulation, there are many tools that can be used to monitor oxidation and oxidative stability in oils, fats and finished products.

These can be extremely useful to ensure that a product maintains the level of quality expected by the consumer over the shelf-life of the product.

There are many drivers for reformulation of products or changes to the production process and some of the tools can provide rapid guidance to the likely impact on the products stability.

It is often the case that one method is not sufficient to assess the stability alone, but it is the use of some of these complementary techniques at different stages of product development that can speed up the development process and offer a quicker route to market with the confidence that the new product will meet the consumer expectation throughout its shelf-life.

For more information, ENTER No: 0351

10/4/15 4:57 pm

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HEALTH HAS BECOME EASIER! CEREAL CAN PROLONG LIFE? WINE HAS MORE BENEFITS? MINDING YOUR DIET CAN DELAY AGEING? THE SECRETS OF THESE AND MORE ARE SHARED IN THIS SECTION.

BY MICHELLE CHEONG

Eat ‘Cereal Fibres’ To Live A Longer Life Mike McCune

A study conducted by a group of researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School, and NutraSource suggests that the ‘cereal fibre’ component in whole grains may play an important role in reducing disease risk and premature death.

» Read more on Pg 42

Elite Heat-Tolerant Beans Can Survive Global Warming Marcelo Träsel

With fears of global warming affecting bean agriculture and diminishing a vital source of protein, especially in bean-dependent Latin America and Africa, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) have discovered 30 new types of ‘heat-beater’ beans that could keep production from crashing.

» Read more on Pg 43

Artificial Sweetener Saccharin Could Inhibit Cancer

Previously thought to be a cancer-causing chemical, saccharin shows promise in inhibiting cancer growth, as health researchers of the University of Florida have found. The artificial sweetener, projected to be used in conjunction with existing cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation, could possibly increase the effectiveness of the overall treatment.

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Matka Wariatka, Białystok, Poland

‘MIND’ Your Diet To Protect Against Alzheimer’s Disease Researchers from the Rush University Medical Centre have developed the MIND diet which may lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease even with moderate adherence. Considerably easier to follow than the DASH and Mediterranean diets it stems from, and with added disease-protection benefits, the MIND diet could possibly help us maintain health and live longer lives.

» Read more on Pg 44

Chili Peppers To Possibly Prevent Obesity?

Mason Masteka

Researchers from the University of Wyoming have found that capsaicin, a chief ingredient in chili peppers, shows promise as a diet-based supplement as suggested by their micebased experiment. With a third of our world estimated to be overweight or obese by the World Health Organization, global obesity rates could soon be on a downward trend.

Wine Could Be Even Healthier With ‘Jailbreaking’ Yeast Scientists from the University of Illinois have engineered a ‘jailbreaking’ yeast that could amp up the health benefits of wine while reducing the toxic by-products that cause morning-after headaches.

This also opens up the possibility of increasing health benefits in any other food that uses yeast fermentation in its production.

Didriks

Sheila Sund

Read more on Pg 45

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Milk Consumption Possibly Correlated To Brain Health

Researchers at the University of Kansas Medical Center have found milk consumption positively correlates to levels of a naturally-occurring antioxidant, glutathione, in the brain of older, healthy adults. As glutathione is suggested to help fend off oxidative stress that is associated with a number of brain-related diseases and conditions, the study proposes elderly can maintain their health by consuming milk.

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diabetes as those who consumed low whole grain diets.

High consumption of whole grains also reduced death risks of dying from respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease and cancer during the study period by 11, 17 and 15 percent respectively.

When researchers took into account people’s consumption of cereal fibre however, they found that these benefits of whole grains were either reduced or negligible. In other words, the benefits of whole grains seemed to be due, at least in part, to the cereal fibre within them.

Grains are seeds that people cultivate to eat, and whole grains contain the entire grain, comprising the bran (the tough outer layer), the germ (the part of the seed that would grow into a plant) and the endosperm (which nourishes the seed).

Cereal fibres are found in the bran component of whole grains, so all whole-grain products contain cereal fibres, said study researcher Dr Lu Qi, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. But as products with added fibre do not necessarily contain whole grains, he recommended eating products high in whole grains or cereal fibre.

EATING PRODUCTS WITH WHOLE GRAIN OR HIGH IN CEREAL FIBRE MAY REDUCE RISK OF ALL-CAUSE MORTALITY AND DEATH FROM CHRONIC DISEASES. The new findings agree with previous research linking consumption of whole grains to a reduced risk of premature death and chronic diseases. However, it cannot proven that eating whole grains or cereal fibres is directly associated with a reduced risk of early death or chronic diseases.

Miguel Ángel Arroyo Ortega

Whole grains are known to be good for the body, but it may specifically be the ‘cereal fibre’ in them that is particularly important for reducing the risk of disease and early death, a new study suggests.

Conducted by a group of researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School, and NutraSource, the study involved more than 367,000 US adults ages 50 to 71.

Participants were asked how frequently they ate certain foods, including whole-grain bread, cereals and pasta. They were then divided into five groups based on how much whole grains they consumed, as well as how much fibre they consumed from grains, known as ‘cereal fibre’.

The study found statistics suggesting that intake of whole grains and cereal fibre may reduce the risk of all-cause mortality and death from chronic diseases, the researchers said. Additionally, the findings suggest that cereal fibre partly accounts for the protective effects of whole grains.

Looking at death risks from specific diseases during the study period, results showed those who consumed high whole grain diets were about half as likely to die from

Selena N. B. H

EAT ‘CEREAL FIBRES’ TO LIVE A LONGER LIFE

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Bean breeders with the CGIAR global agriculture research partnership recently announced the discovery of 30 new types of ‘heat-beater’ beans that can grow in warmer temperatures.

“This discovery could be a big boon for bean production because we are facing a dire situation where, by 2050, global warming could reduce areas suitable for growing beans by 50 percent,” said Steve Beebe, a senior bean researcher of the research group.

“Incredibly, the heat-tolerant beans we tested may be able to handle a worst-case scenario rise in global temperature by an average of four deg C,” he said. He added that even with a three degree rise, losses of bean production areas to climate change would still be limited by about five percent.

Farmers could then use these beans to expand their production of the crop in countries like Nicaragua a n d M a l a w i , w h e re b e a n s a re essential to survival.

The researchers had previously warned that rising temperatures were likely to disrupt bean production in Nicaragua, Haiti, Brazil, and Honduras, while in Africa, Malawi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo were deemed most vulnerable, followed by Tanzania,

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Nick Saltmarsh

BEAN-DEPENDENT COUNTRIES SUCH AS LATIN AMERICA AND AFRICA NEED NOT FEAR LOSS OF THEIR VITAL PROTEIN SOURCE COME GLOBAL WARMING, RESEARCHERS SAY.

Cleide Isabel

ELITE HEAT-TOLERANT BEANS CAN SURVIVE GLOBAL WARMING

Uganda, and Kenya.

“With this breakthrough, beans need not be the casualty of global warming they seemed destined to be, but rather can offer a climatefriendly option for farmers struggling to cope with rising temperatures,” said Andy Jarvis, a climate change expert of the group.

Many of the new heat-tolerant beans developed by the CGIAR scientists are ‘crosses’ between the ‘common bean’ such as pinto, white, black, and kidney beans, and the tepary bean, a hardy survivor cultivated since pre-Columbian

times in an area that is now part of northern Mexico and the American Southwest.

Often called the ‘meat of the poor’ for the affordable protein it provides, the crop is a vital foundation of food security for more than 400 million people in the developing world.

Beans are a highly nutritious food, offering protein, fibre, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, and other micronutrients. In addition to heat tolerance, the group’s experts are simultaneously breeding for higher iron content to enhance the beans’ nutritional value.

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A new diet, the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet could significantly lower a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD), even if the diet is not meticulously followed, researchers of Rush University Medical Centre have found.

Developed by nutritional epidemiologist Dr Martha Clare Morris and her colleagues based on past research regarding which foods have what effects on brain functioning over time, the diet lowered the risk of AD by about 53 percent in rigorous diet-followers, and by about 35 percent in moderate diet followers.

The study was the first to relate the MIND diet to Alzheimer’s disease and involved 923 participants.

The diet features 15 dietar y components, encouraging eating more of 10 core healthy brain foods and less of five unhealthy brain foods, namely red meats, butter and stick margarine, cheese, pastries and sweets, and fried food.

Recommendations include at least three servings of whole grains, a salad and one other vegetable every day, nuts and beans every two days, poultry and berries at least twice a week, and fish at least once a week.

Dieters should also limit eating the designated unhealthy foods, especially butter, cheese, and fried or fast food to have a real shot at avoiding the devastating effects of AD, according to the study.

B e r r i e s a re t h e o n l y f r u i t specifically to make the MIND diet.

“Blueberries are one of the more

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Oliver Hallmann, Minden, Germany

‘MIND’ YOUR DIET TO PROTECT AGAINST ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

potent foods in terms of protecting the brain,” Dr Morris said, and strawberries have also performed well in past studies of the effect of food on cognitive function.

In the 10-year-long study h o w e v e r, t h e d i e t w a s n o t a n intervention. Researchers instead looked at people’s diets through specific questionnaires and the occurrence of AD to determine risk of developing the disease. Participants were awarded points if they ate brain-healthy foods frequently and avoided unhealthy foods.

The one exception was that participants got one point if they said olive oil was the primary oil used in their homes.

AD, which takes a devastating toll on cognitive function, is not unlike heart disease in that there appear to be many factors that play

into who gets the disease, including behavioural, environmental and genetic components, Dr Morris said.

“With late-onset AD, genetic risk factors are a small piece of the picture,” she added. Past studies have yielded evidence that suggests that what we eat may play a significant role in determining who gets AD and who does not, she said.

When the researchers excluded analyses of participants who changed their diets midway—say, on a doctor’s orders after a stroke— they found that the association became stronger between the diet and favourable outcomes in terms of AD. “That probably means that the longer a person follows the diet over the years, the better their protection , and the lower their risk of developing AD,” she says.

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University of Illinois (UI) scientists have engineered a ‘jailbreaking’ yeast that could greatly increase the health benefits of wine while reducing the toxic by-products that cause your morning-after headache.

Fermented foods such as beer, wine, and bread are made with polyploid strains of yeast, which means they contain multiple copies of genes in the genome.

Until now, genetic engineering in polyploid strains has been difficult because if you altered a gene in one copy of the genome, an unaltered copy would correct the one that had been changed, said Yong-Su Jin, an associate professor of microbial genomics and principal investigator in the Energy Biosciences Institute.

With the recently developed ‘genome knife’ that cuts across multiple copies of a target gene in the genome very precisely until all copies are cut, the study used the enzyme, RNA-guided C a s 9 nuclease, in a similar way to engineer polyploid saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, which have been widely used in the wine, beer, and fermentation industries.

The possibilities for improved nutritive value in foods are staggering, he said. “Wine, for instance, contains

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WITH RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN GENETIC ENGINEERING, WINE AND OTHER PRODUCTS THAT USE YEAST FERMENTATION IN THEIR PRODUCTION COULD SOON HAVE ADDED HEALTH BENEFITS. the healthful component resveratrol.

With engineered yeast, we could increase the amount of resveratrol in a variety of wine by 10 times or more.”

Metabolic pathways to introduce bioactive compounds from other foods, such as ginseng, into the wine yeast could also be added, he suggested. “Or we could put resveratrol-producing pathways into yeast strains of any food that uses yeast fermentation in its production, like beer, kefir, cheese, kimchee, or pickles,” he adds.

Another benefit is that winemakers can clone the enzyme to enhance malolactic fermentation, a secondary fermentation process that makes wine smooth. Improper malolactic fermentation generates the toxic by-products that may cause hangover symptoms, he said.

He stressed the genome knife’s importance as a tool that allows genetic engineers to make these extremely precise mutations.

Tim Huff

Rico Gallegos

WINE COULD BE EVEN HEALTHIER WITH ‘JAILBREAKING’ YEAST

“ S c i e n t i s t s n e e d t o c re a t e designed mutations to determine the function of specific genes,” he explains. “Say we have a yeast that produces a wine with great flavour and we want to know why. We delete one gene, then another, until the distinctive flavour is gone, and we know we’ve isolated the gene responsible for that characteristic.”

The new technology also makes genetically modified organisms less objectionable, he said. People would object previously as scientists were required to use antibiotic markers to indicate the spot of genetic alteration in an organism, which increased dangers of developing antibiotic resistance.

“With the genome knife, we can cut the genome very precisely and efficiently so we don’t have to use antibiotic markers to confirm a genetic event.”

For more information, ENTER No: 0360

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MICRONUTRIENTS

TO MOTHERS, FOR CHILDREN

United Nations Photo1

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MATERNAL UNDERNUTRITION HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS ONE OF THE MOST NEGLECTED ASPECTS OF NUTRITION IN PUBLIC HEALTH GLOBALLY. RECTIFYING THIS ISSUE WILL ENSURE BETTER HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT FOR BOTH MOTHERS AND THEIR OFFSPRING.

BY IAN DARNTON-HILL, UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY, AND UZONNA C MKPARU, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER

OPTIMAL outcomes of pregnancy and their importance to the mother, the future child, families and societies, is contingent on appropriate care, adequate antenatal preparation and sufficient nutrition. The consequences of antenatal nutritional deficiencies can be devastating to the mother, child and affect future generations.

As such, it is critical that expectant mothers enter pregnancy with the best possible macronutrient and micronutrient status and then receive adequate antenatal nutrition for their health, and for the well-being of their offspring.

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Maternal nutrition has profound effects on foetal growth, development, and subsequent infant birthweight, and the health and well-being of the woman herself.

Maternal undernutrition, maternal mortality rates, infant mortality and morbidity rates have declined since the 1990s as a result of increasing attention to improving the quality of the antenatal period and improving obstetric care and social change.

However, there is still a great need for further improvements. The nutritional status and size of the pregnant woman is the result of past health and nutrition,

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including her own birth size and subsequent health and societal influences.

Poor dietar y patterns, and options, in the periconceptional period are known to lead to preterm delivery, shorter birth-length, earlier gestation and poor potential neurodevelopmental outcomes for the foetus.

Given the impact of poor maternal diet, both public health and clinical measures need to be in place, especially in low socio-economic environments. These need to address all stages of a woman’s life-cycle, and especially during the pregnancy.

Nutritional, dietary and health interventions need to be complemented by improved obstetric care and support, and exposure to ‘nutrition-sensitive’ interventions such as access to education, improvement in women’s status and improved agricultural and environmental determinants.

While the global burden of diseases caused by deficiencies of micronutrients during pregnancy is relatively modest globally, the cumulative individual impact can be considerable. This is especially so for adolescent pregnancies and women of lower economic or minority status in low and middle-income economic settings.

MICRONUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES Globally, approximately two billion people, the majority of them being women and young children, are affected by micronutrient deficiencies, with even higher rates during pregnancy.

Concurrent deficiencies of more than one or two micronutrients are well documented among young pregnant women (and young children), especially in low and middle-income countries (LMIC).

Deficiencies in maternal micronutrient status are a result of: poor quality diets; high fertility rates; repeated pregnancies; short inter-pregnancy intervals; and, increased physiological needs.

These factors are aggravated by often inadequate health systems with poor capacity, poverty and inequities, and socio-cultural factors such as early marriage and adolescent pregnancies, and some traditional dietary practices.

Pregnancy during adolescence is a relatively common event in much of the world and the young women are usually incomplete in their own growth and often deficient in micronutrients. Pregnancies at this time will make reproductive outcomes more likely to be negative as well as adversely affecting the health, nutrition and well-being of the adolescent.

In countries including the UK, studies of micronutrient status in adolescents, including those pregnant, have found poor micronutrient intakes and status, and increased risk of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) and low birthweight (LBW) infants at birth.

Besides negatively affecting the young mother’s own growth and nutritional status, adolescent pregnancy is also associated with a 50 percent increased risk of stillbirths and neonatal deaths, and increased risks of preterm birth, low birthweight, and asphyxia.

A review assessing the association between inter-

Gates Foundation

GIVEN THE IMPACT OF POOR MATERNAL DIET, BOTH PUBLIC HEALTH AND CLINICAL MEASURES NEED TO BE IN PLACE, ESPECIALLY IN LOW SOCIOECONOMIC ENVIRONMENTS.

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THE EFFECTS OF MICRONUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES ON THEIR OFFSRPING ALSO NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AS PART OF THE MOTHER-CHILD DYAD. pregnancy intervals with maternal, newborn, and child health outcomes found that short inter-pregnancy intervals (<6 months) were also associated with a higher probability of maternal anaemia (32 percent) and stillbirths (40 percent) whereas longer intervals (>60 months) were associated with an increased risk of pre-eclampsia.

DUTCH FAMINE OF 1944 The effects of micronutrient deficiencies on their offspring also need to be addressed as part of the mother-child dyad. Perhaps the most noteworthy natural experiment demonstrating this necessity came about as a result of the Dutch famine of 1944 which provided a unique opportunity to study the long term consequences of maternal nutritional status and health outcomes in offspring.

Before the famine ended in 1945, rations were as low as 500 Kcal per person. Expectant mothers who were subjected to the famine became severely macro- and micronutrient deficient.

The famine was directly observed to affect fertility, infant birth weight, maternal weight gain, and the development of the neonate’s central nervous system.

Assessing the impact of antenatal micronutrient status of pregnant women (especially when improved by supplementation) on the outcomes for their offspring is a challenge due to the need to follow the women through pregnancy and then the offspring as the grow, and often in less than ideal settings for such research.

In an important study from Nepal, intellectual functioning, including working memory, inhibitory control, and fine motor functioning among offspring at seven to nine years of age were positively associated with prenatal iron/folic acid supplementation in an area of high iron deficiency.

Related and similar findings of positive impact on the child of maternal antenatal supplementation have been found in Bangladesh, China and Tanzania. A study from rural Vietnam found that low maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in late pregnancy were associated with reduced language developmental outcomes at six months of age.

Maternal antenatal zinc supplementation may have beneficial long-term consequences for neural development associated with autonomic regulation of cardiovascular function in children at 54 months

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Jelle Druyts, Mortsel, Belgium

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whose zinc-deficient pregnant mothers had received supplementation.

Even in areas of mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency, subtle reductions in the intelligent quotient of children in those areas may be reduced on average by 8–13.5 IQ points but can be corrected in populations by salt iodisation.

On the other hand, there is increasing evidence of a positive impact of multiple micronutrient supplementation to deficient mothers on the growth and development of their offspring, although mechanisms are still unclear and findings inconsistent. This is probably because of different formulations and dosages of the supplements, rather than lack of effect.

FOOD SUPPLEMENTATION Food supplementation, especially in emergency and resource-poor settings, is increasingly evidence-based.

Emergency rations and supplies in particular have invested considerable resources in ensuring that the micronutrient content of such supplements are adequate while recognising that in undernourished pregnant mothers it is the low energy (caloric) content of the available diets that is the main risk.

The MINIMat randomised trial in Bangladesh found that among these pregnant women from poor communities, supplementation with multiple micronutrients, as well as just iron and folic acid, combined with food supplementation, resulted in decreased childhood mortality.

A recent review concluded that a dietary pattern containing several protein-rich food sources, fruit, and some whole grains is associated with a reduced risk of preterm delivery.

A platform used with limited experience (in pregnant women) has been the use of multimicronutrient powders (added to food) during the antenatal period, or more recently lipid-based supplements that supply both dietary energy, protein and micronutrients.

Studies show that use of micronutrient fortified supplementary foods, especially those containing milk and/or essential fatty acids during pregnancy, increase mean birthweight by around 60–73 g.

Fortified food supplements containing milk and essential fatty acids, along with micronutrients, offer

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benefits for improving maternal status and pregnancy outcome.

Fortified beverages containing only multiple micronutrients have been shown to reduce micronutrient deficiencies such as anaemia and iron deficiency.

Food supplementation, while clearly effective in undernourished mothers will not be discussed further here, as it is mainly an intervention to increase dietary energy and the micronutrients needed to accompany it are largely known.

Other interventions that impact on the micronutrient status during pregnancy include dietary measures and other public health and social interventions such as deworming, education and horticultural activities.

While the risk of low birthweight is significantly greater with moderate preconception anaemia, it has also been noted that in many unsafe settings, mothers purposefully â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;eat-downâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; aiming to have a smaller neonate.

A failure of nutrition education has also been implicated in poor diets as well as some dietary taboos and soiltransmitted helminthes.

Nevertheless, where access and availability to foods is possible, diets can be improved by including items such as eggs and animal-source foods to provide protein, energy and micronutrients. However, these are often not available to the very poor, or places with cultural constraints, which is why food supplements to these pregnant women is now a recommendation.

International guidelines recommend routine safe and protective prevention and treatments, during pregnancy, to reduce hookworm, malaria and other infections such as schistosomiasis.

Despite the effectiveness of such programs, and because women with high levels of hookworm or malaria infections are at high risk of anaemia, there continues

to be a need for more general scaling-up of coverage in affected populations.

A recent randomised trial (that included pregnant women with anaemia and iron deficiency at baseline) in a malaria endemic area found major gains in birthweight, without apparent effect on plasmodium infection. The study urged that universal coverage of iron supplementation (60 mg per day) should be scaledup, preferably with cover by intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) of malaria.

Attention to adolescent girls as an important preventive strategy is increasingly recognised, despite some strong cultural and social constraints.

It has been observed that, even in affluent settings, adolescents are more likely than adults to consume energy-dense, micronutrient-poor diets and to have adverse pregnancy outcomes such as increased risk of SGA. The risk is likely to be even greater in food-insecure populations such as in Central Africa.

Other non-direct micronutrient inter ventions that could be expected to have a positive impact on nutrition and health of pregnant women (at least where most births are within a marital relationship), include interventions to increase the age at marriage and first pregnancy, which are important as they can reduce repeat adolescent pregnancies by 37 percent.

FORTIFICATION Fortification can be considered a dietary intervention and has been in practice for over sixty years in many affluent countries. It has been previously concluded that fortification has the greatest potential to improve the nutritional status of a population when implemented within a comprehensive nutrition strategy. This also applies to pregnant women and has the advantage of

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AJ Gazmen, New Caledonia

United Nations Photo

Fortification has the greatest potential to improve the nutritional status of a population when implemented within a comprehensive nutrition strategy.

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reaching women before pregnancy.

Iodised salt programs are now implemented in many countries worldwide, and have shown considerable progress in the past two decades. Globally, 76 percent of households are now adequately consuming iodised salt.

However, nearly 30 percent of school-aged children are estimated to have insufficient iodine intakes and global progress appears to be slowing. The need for continual global scaling-up and consolidation of existing programmes has already been commented upon. There have also been efficacy, and limited effectiveness studies of doubly fortified salt with iodine and encapsulated iron.

T h e p ro v i s i o n o f b a l a n c e d e n e rg y p ro t e i n supplementary foods to underweight pregnant women was also considered to have enough evidence of reduction in SGA and stillbirths and improved birthweights for widespread implementation, whereas maternal vitamin D and zinc supplementation, while promising, were considered to have insufficient evidence.

Fortification of cereal flours with iron and often other micronutrients such as some B group vitamins, and more recently zinc and even selenium, has been in existence for over 60 years, and now 80 countries globally have legislation to mandate fortification of at least one industrially milled cereal grain (79 countries have legislation to fortify wheat flour; 12 countries to fortify maize products; and five countries to fortify rice).

Currently, the 79 countries that mandate required fortification of wheat flour produced in industrial mills require at least iron and folic acid, except Australia, which does not include iron, and Congo, the Philippines, Venezuela, and the UK, which do not include folic acid.

Additionally, seven countries fortify at least half their industrially milled wheat flour through voluntary efforts and it has been estimated that about a third (31 percent) of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s industrially milled wheat flour is now fortified with at least iron or folic acid through these mandatory and voluntary efforts.

Other success stories include the fortification of sugar with vitamin A in Central America. A continuing challenge is that populations most at risk of deficiency either cannot afford fortified foods or, especially in lower-income countries, they are not available to them. Nevertheless, fortification is likely to be an increasingly major part of the reduction of micronutrient deficiencies, including during pregnancy.

MOST NEGLECTED ASPECT Maternal undernutrition has been described as one of the most neglected aspects of nutrition in public health globally. Consequently, low-cost public health interventions that might help to ameliorate the impact of poor nutrition and diets, high disease burdens and the socio-cultural factors contributing to the high levels

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of these micronutrient deficiency problems before and during pregnancy, continue to need scaling-up in scope and coverage.

Important factors besides inadequate diet and diseases that are indirectly related to maternal, foetal, and neonatal nutritional status and pregnancy outcomes include young age at first pregnancy and repeated pregnancies.

Young girls who are not physically mature often enter pregnancy with depleted nutrition reserves, anaemia and other micronutrient deficiencies. While micronutrient deficiencies can undoubtedly have profound influences on the health of the mother and her child, there remain considerable areas of uncertainty and controversy that has made the development of robust public health recommendations a challenge.

Along with the noted challenges to get compliance, especially periconceptionally and in settings with limited health care capacity, are questions of how optimal micronutrient formulations and dosages are established.

However, the methodological issues in doing this would be considerable, especially in establishing causality. Consequently, factors that are known to be important, such as entering a pregnancy adequately nourished, being aged beyond adolescence, having good health and obstetric care, and nutrition education and support, should be scaled-up actively in the meantime.

If proven to be effective and safe in national health care systems, supplementation with multimicronutrients, at least in pregnancy, could complement preventive supplementation with weekly iron and folic acid in vulnerable populations.

This could help break the intergenerational reality of low birthweight infants growing up disadvantaged and stunted and so at high-risk of repeating the same cycle.

While there has been a lot, if insufficient, attention paid to iron deficiency anaemia in pregnant women, for most of the other involved micronutrients, they are still not as well-characterised.

Micronutrients likely to be important for maternal, infant and child outcomes include iron, iodine, folate, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, and selenium, probably zinc and maybe others, along with appropriate dietary energy intakes.

In addition to programs to reduce micronutrient deficiencies such as micronutrient supplementation and food fortification, complementary interventions should improve overall maternal nutrition, address household food insecurity, reduce the burden of maternal infections such as HIV and malaria, improve sanitation, and actively address gender and social disadvantage.

For more information, ENTER No: 0361

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Enquiry Number

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3863

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ANALYSING THE TORQUE

amoose136

CAPPING IS IMPORTANT IN ENSURING PRODUCT QUALITY, STABILITY AND FRESHNESS. HOWEVER, NOT MANY ARE AWARE OF THE CRUCIAL ROLE THAT TORQUE TESTING PLAYS AND FACTORS WHICH AFFECT THE OVERALL ACCURACY. BY GABRO SZAKACS, PRODUCT MANAGER, MESA LABORATORIES

TODAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S manufacturing operations are very concerned with loose or stripped caps which will clearly affect product freshness, product stability, shelf-life and possibly leakage.

Stability is of particular concern, since moisture sensitive or pressurised products require that the integrity of the container closure and seal be maintained.

Loose/stripped caps can lead to both package and product issues as the loss of nitrogen in non-carbonated drinks or carbon dioxide in sodas or addition of moisture to a dry product can cause contamination, discoloration, or significant changes in potency/taste. This can affect the quality of the product.

To maintain/improve process control, it is very

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important to monitor the closure integrity continuously.

For this purpose, there are various torque testing devices available on the market. However it is rarely mentioned that closure integrity test results are influenced by a number of variables.

In the past, cap torque testing was as simple as grabbing a container from the production line and manually checking how tight the cap felt. Due to the subjective feeling of cap tightness, over time, the industry shifted toward using more objective measurement devices: springbased benchtops and handheld torque testers.

It did not take long before quality assurance personnel realised the limitations of the spring-based devices.

Additionally, entering the 1990s, there were so much more

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JB, Illinois, US

to consider: changes in materials, marketing themes, package aesthetics, transportation methods, packaging processes such as induction sealing and hot filling.

Product liability, versatility, compatibility and ergonomic issues made capping and torque testing much more than just placing a cap on a bottle and turning it by hand. As a result, automated torque testers emerged.

While most of these automated testers provide a great way to reduce operator variation, it is still crucial to understand all of the process variables that may influence the torque test results.

Mike Hoff, Royersford, US

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Capping and torque testing are much more than just placing a cap on a bottle and turning it by hand.

VARIABLES IN TORQUE TESTING 1. CLOSURE GRIPPING PRESSURE

2. BOTTLE GRIPPING PRESSURE

Different cap finishes can be secured in a torque tester using different gripping methods. Especially with newer, lightweight closure designs, manual gripping can distort the cap and introduce an operator-dependent torque error between the container and closure threads.

In order to overcome the variation introduced by manual gripping, custom moulded, 3D printed or machined ‘serrated’ chucks can be used for securing the caps during the torque test.

While these types of chucks are great for eliminating the torque error introduced by gripping pressure variation, there are also some disadvantages of using them.

Due to the large variety of serration types and cap diameters, a quality department is challenged with the high cost of change parts and the management of the various serrated chucks.

Other disadvantages include the difficulty of aligning the chuck with the clamped bottle/cap and the inability to work with smooth closures, pump dispenser caps and other unique closure designs.

Alternatively, mechanically actuated chucks are available on the market and with careful package analysis and pressure configuration they can address all of short– comings of the serrated chuck design.

For example, one air actuated chuck size works well for multiple serration types for the same cap diameter and by optimising the gripping pressure, the removal torque results are comparable to those measured with serrated chucks.

While many packages are not sensitive to chuck pressure variation because of the harder material (phenolic) or more robust structural design of the cap (child resistant caps), others can be extremely sensitive to the gripping pressure (‘light weight’ caps and closures made of flexible materials).

In most cases the visible deformation can reduce the measurement sensitivity or results in higher release torque values. Decreased measurement sensitivity can cause torque testers to fail in detecting the drop in the torque after the thread break.

It is not as common to see the torque readout influenced by the bottle clamping pressure. Nevertheless it can also ‘de–sensitise’ the automated release torque measurement and contribute to variations in the result.

The torque error introduced by the excessive clamping can be easily evaluated by rotating a loose cap on the bottle threads. A clamping pressure sensitive bottle will produce noticeably higher torque compared to the torque on a bottle that is clamped with optimised pressure.

When there is noticeable ‘drag’ between the bottle and cap threads, the operator should reduce the clamping pressure to the optimal level; the point at which the bottle is not slipping, but the cap rotates with minimal torque.

The clamping pressure must be verified at the low and the high process limits to ensure the bottle clamping configuration will work for the normal measurement range.

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3. TOP LOAD

Similar to the cap and bottle gripping sensitivity, the top load sensitivity of the release torque measurement largely depends on the specific package design (cap/ bottle/liner materials, dimensions).

The optimal top load should be evaluated and optimised for each product individually. Certain applications require minimised top load during the rotation of the cap, for example, when testing the thread break, seal break and bridge break torque of a closure with a tamper evident band.

Minimised top load is also beneficial when measuring the snap torque of the tamper evident band during a cap tightening cycle or when measuring torque on a loose cap.

While some child–resistant (CR) closures only require an initial top load to engage the outer shell with the inner cap, it is best to optimise and maintain the vertical force during the measurement, and this is especially true for CR closures featuring a tamper evident band.

One of the bigger challenges in automated torque testing is also related to top load sensitivity. In many applications, there is a requirement to detect a loose child–resistant cap, however, when appropriate top

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Because the cap and the bottle are typically made of different plastics, the timing and the rates of expansion/ shrinking are different.

Alan Levine, Baltimore, US

Bunches and Bits {Karina}

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load is applied on the CR closure, due to the top load introduced torque between the cap and bottle threads or between the opening of the bottle and the liner, the loose caps will produce torque values that meet or exceed the acceptable low process limit.

While it is preferable to carefully specify the cap, liner and bottle materials and designs to avoid these kind of quality assurance problems during production, alternative process limits may be re-established and/or customised release torque validation methods can be developed to differentiate between top load sensitive loose and tight CR closures.

4. PROCESS VARIABLES

Torque variations are often introduced by variations in the packaging process.

INDUCTION SEALING

As a result of the induction heating of the metal foil inside the cap, the bottle and cap may deform, expand then shrink. Because the cap and the bottle are typically made of different plastics, the timing and the rates of expansion/shrinking are different, as a result the torque between the threads can change considerably before and after the induction sealing process.

In order to ensure proper sealing and product integrity, it is important to apply enough torque on the cap so the foil is compressed firmly on to the opening of the bottle. One mistake often made is the overtorquing of the cap.

By overtorquing, it is possible to achieve good removal torque values after the induction sealing process, but high application torque increases the chance of the threads stripping during the tightening cycle and the

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excessive torque may break the cap or create wrinkles on the metal foil.

As a result, the wrinkled foil is not sealed properly and the product’s shelf-life is reduced significantly. A good approach to packaging induction-sealed products is to tighten the closures to a torque range that is optimal for seating the seal on the bottle so after the induction sealing, the cap can be secured on the bottle threads by utilising a shrink wrapper and/or re–torquer.

HOT–FILLING

Another good example of torque variation introduced by a packaging process variable is presented by hot fill bottling and steam cap applications.

During the hot–fill process, the 80–90 deg C product transfers heat directly to the bottle/cap. Fill temperature variation, the different thermal expansion contraction rates of different cap, liner and bottle materials, varying dwell times between cap tightening and release torque measurements can all result in different release torque values.

When the torque is applied right after hot–filling, the cap is soft and as the cap is cooling and shrinking the removal torque increases. Typically, products are sampled for fill volume/weight and cap removal torque values shortly after the hot–fill process.

In order to ensure correct opening performance after the cool–down period, it is important to understand the effect of dwell time and thermal contraction on the removal torque value of the closure.

SPILLS

Certain products and materials are more sensitive to spills than others. During filling, it is possible that the product spills on the threads or the liner/seal.

While the spilled product can act as a lubricant during the capping process, after storage/drying it can leave a residue with thread–locking properties.

DWELL TIME

The dwell is defined as the time interval between the cap tightening and the release torque measurements.

In various experiments, it has been established that release torque levels are highest immediately after application and then gradually decrease to a stable level over a period of time (hours to days). The rate of the release torque decay is greatest in the first couple of hours then it gradually decreases before reaching its stable level.

Transportation (vibration), thermal stress (varying storage temperatures) and production processes such as induction sealing, hot filling or the use of heat activated/ sterilised package designs can amplify or offset the torque decaying effect of the dwell time.

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5. APPLICATION TORQUE

Variations are often introduced by inline and chuck capping equipment as well. Changes in magnetic/ electrical or pneumatic settings on chuck capper heads and the speed/pressure applied by the inline spindle/ belt type capping stations can influence the application and removal torque.

In a production environment the application torque is typically unknown but the capper chucks or spindle system is adjusted according to the release torque results.

Generally, the higher the application torque, the higher the thread break torque. This is true up to the strip torque when the threads break/ deform irreversibly during the cap tightening cycle.

If the manufacturer of the cap/ bottle does not provide recommended torque specifications, it is best to start with an application torque setting that equals the cap diameter in mm divided by two (in lbfin).

The release torque/applied torque quotient depends on the specific cap/bottle/liner design and the control of the previously listed variables. It is usually in the range of 0.6â&#x20AC;&#x201C;0.9, higher for glass and lower for plastic bottles.

It is not uncommon to see values out of this range, but extremely high quotients typically indicate the presence of torque errors introduced in the torque measurement.

As demand is continuously placed on all products to have extended shelf life, improved ergonomics, lower cost and improved appearance, application issues continue to emerge. In order to achieve maximum shelf life, the closure must create the best possible seal and the only way to ensure this is through continuous release torque monitoring at the production line.

A number of different variables c a n c re a t e a p a r a s i t i c t o rq u e between the threads, changing the torque results or desensitising the automated release torque measurement of threaded closures.

To overcome these issues it is

essential to understand all the variables affecting the torque between threaded closures, optimise change parts and the configuration of the torque testing equipment accordingly.

For more information, ENTER No: 0370

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CMY

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Enquiry Number

3860

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FOOD PACKAGING SOLUTIONS FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Jason, Berkeley, US

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AS A MAJOR SUPPLIER TO THE GLOBAL FOOD SYSTEM AND CONSEQUENTLY, CONTRIBUTOR TO THE SEARCH FOR GLOBAL FOOD LOSS SOLUTIONS, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES CAN PLAY A BIG ROLE BY ADOPTING BETTER PACKAGING OPTIONS. BY NERLITA M MANALILI, MOISES A DORADO AND ROBERT VAN OTTERDIJK FOR FAO ABOUT one billion people were living in hunger across the globe in 2009, which was about 100 million people more than the 2008 level.

While addressing global hunger through further investment in food production is a welcome move,

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it should be complemented with a food loss reduction strategy, as reducing losses is among the most sustainable alternatives to increasing food production and is a way to advance food security as well as to feed the hungry.

The large losses from farm to plate are attributed to poor handling, distribution, storage, and purchase/ consumption behaviour. Huge resources that could otherwise be spent on more productive activities go into producing and transporting

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goods that only go to waste.

Losses at almost every stage of the food chain may be reduced by using appropriate packaging.

Packaging is an essential part of a long-term incremental development process to reduce losses, that will have to employ a blend of technologies and processes.

The global food packaging industry has a lot to contribute not only in addressing food losses but also in ensuring food safety as well as enhancing global food trade, which is a key to economic development of varying economies.

Important as it is, packaging has a high cost for users from the farm, processing and distribution sectors.

A comprehensive analysis of the true value of packaging and the options available (usually a factor of the demand for commodities requiring packaging, resource availability and innovation capacities, among others), can place the cost of packaging in the right perspective.

In fact, views are emerging that in the long run more, but better, packaging rather than less could help address the problem of losses.

An increased understanding on the protective and marketing functions of packaging and a better appreciation of the economics of its use can help promote the use of food packaging to reduce food losses.

Advances in packaging will not only lead to improved food quality and safety, they will also address an equally impor tant concern in developing countries: that of livelihood enhancement of small producers through enhanced market access and integration into sustainable value chains.

GLOBAL PACKAGING INDUSTRY If there is an industry sector that is equally, if not more dynamic than the food sector, it is none other than the packaging industry. It is undergoing transformation almost every day with new technologies,

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better than before, taking the place of old ones.

Consumer behaviour, product demand and the current level of global warming are all going to have a direct impact on the future of packaging.

The packaging industr y is composed of two major components, n a m e l y, t h e s u p p l y s i d e o r providers of packaging products and the demand side or end users.

Each componentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s categor y is characterized by varying investment status and potentials, contingent upon growth stimuli in each sector.

As for the type of end product, packaging manufacturing has globally the greatest share of the total industry (81 percent), followed by the packaging service (14 percent), then by packaging machinery (five percent).

Food accounts for 50 percent of the global consumer packaging industry valued at US$380 billion as of 2009. If the beverage sector is to be added, that will even increase to 69 percent.

That the food and beverage market accounts for more than half of the packaging market is a worldwide phenomenon. In developing countries the growing demand from the food and beverage market has been instrumental in stimulating the overall growth in the packaging industry.

The packaging industr y of developing countries is a market with a value of US$15.4 billion. This represents around 27 percent of the packaging materials that have been exported worldwide in the past five years.

Offering instant, ready-to-eat packages for cereals, processing roots and tubers into snack foods are trends that not only expand market opportunities for these commodities, but also for their accompanying packaging as well.

The trend towards local processing of traditional export

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Consumer behaviour, product demand and the current level of global warming are all going to have a direct impact on the future of packaging.

commodities and the introduction of new consumer-packed products from developing countries on the world market will mean that exporters have to pay increased attention to customer requirements in industrialised countries.

Modern retailers such as supermarkets are increasingly becoming an important feature in urban areas, reďŹ&#x201A;ecting an increasing concentration at the retail level.

As not all smallholder producers are capable of supplying to the modern retail sectors, their emerging concern is how best to sur vive in traditional markets that are experiencing the spillover effect of modern retailers. They likewise have to keep up with the increasing l e v e l o f p ro d u c t q u a l i t y a n d packaging needed by the traditional markets, if they are to remain the more sustainable chain option for smallholders.

DRIVERS & TRENDS The trend to consume more (a reďŹ&#x201A;ection of rising incomes) creates a demand that drives producers to offer products in ready-to-go and prolonged shelf-life packages to induce volume purchase.

Meal preparation takes time and with the advent of double income households, where women are also

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Connie, Miami, US

cb_agulto, the Philippines

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preoccupied with activities outside of the home or men are expected to share in food preparation chores, food that comes in easy-to-open and resealable packages is extremely popular.

As a demand derived from the products that use it, the state of packaging and its status in developing countries are best deduced from the state of food and food processing industries. A number of factors are contributing to the growth of the packaging industry and they vary by region.

In the case of Asia, for instance, the foremost contributors are the fast-growing economies of China and India, which fuel an increasing demand for food supplies and consequently demand for packaging in the region.

In the same manner, the subre g i o n o f S o u t h e a s t A s i a h a s been experiencing a boost in the processed food industry owing to the modern lifestyle and food needs of its inhabitants. In Africa, proximity and access to the lucrative US and European markets is triggering the growth of the packaging industry.

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IN THE CASE OF ASIA, FOR INSTANCE, THE FOREMOST CONTRIBUTORS ARE THE FAST-GROWING ECONOMIES OF CHINA AND INDIA, WHICH FUEL AN INCREASING DEMAND FOR FOOD SUPPLIES AND CONSEQUENTLY DEMAND FOR PACKAGING IN THE REGION.

Developing market economies (DgMEs) contribute substantially in the production of agricultural foods like cereals, roots and tubers, oilseeds and pulses (including nuts), fruits and vegetables (including bananas), animal products (milk, eggs, meat), as well as fish, contributing 60â&#x20AC;&#x201C;80 percent to the world total production.

The large volume of production in the agricultural food sector in DgMEs, therefore, offers a potentially huge market for investment for the international packaging industry, packaging being a critical component in the complete value chain of agricultural food products.

Aside from the large volume of production, another factor that can further attract investment in packaging is the steady growth in these commodities.

Furthermore, in a report, FAO has predicted that DgMEs have high growth opportunities in agriculture up to year 2018, which has in fact already attracted high income countries to invest in DgMEs as supply regions to secure their own long-term food security.

PACKAGING SOLUTIONS Knowing which product group spoils easiest, at which point along the chain they spoil the most, what brings about the food loss and last but not the least, if losses can be avoided or not, are specific concerns along the value chain, with high implications on packaging.

Knowing when and where the losses occur in the commodity chain helps to pinpoint, not only the food loss hot spots, but also their probable causes, which in turn is crucial in determining the extent to which they can be avoided or not, and the packaging solutions to best address them.

Within an organisation and in a value chain context, there are certain barriers to waste reduction classified either as external (not within control) or internal (within control). External barriers, on the one hand, include concerns such as infrastructure, regulations, competitive pressures, consumer behaviour, stakeholder relationships and technology.

Included in the internal barriers, on the other hand, are again concerns about expertise, infrastructure and technology with the addition of management support, business models and financial resource concerns. Of these barriers, there are those that have a direct or indirect bearing on packaging, either as problems to which packaging.

Within the external barriers, the area on an optimal packaging process under infrastructure is a direct potential for packaging action, while those with indirect potentials fall under consumer behaviour and stakeholder relationships.

TRADE POLICIES & LEGISLATION While trade without borders is putting pressure on the packaging industries, which in turn respond in terms of fast-changing packaging technologies and practices, national regulatory bodies are not keeping

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upgraded technology, may be unable to maintain product authenticity, flavour and even form. In the same manner, a small enterprise that may seem to be a simple business at the start when operated at a medium sized level (for economies of scale) with technology upgrading may offer greater than expected challenges, oftentimes incompatible with traditions and difficult to handle by small business entrepreneurs.

If not appropriately addressed at the onset, this may put a toll on the economic viability of the enterprise a n d th e p ackagi n g enter p r i s e deriving its business from it will be likewise affected.

It is felt that a world-wide inventory of appropriate types of packaging machines and reliable suppliers should be prepared to

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serve as a guide for purchasers in developing countries.

As the situation is today, many such investment discussions are made on inadequate grounds, sometimes resulting from the visit of a passing machine salesman, or at the whim of a company president visiting a machinery show abroad.

In addition, guidelines for purchasing and specifying machinery should be widely distributed to industries in developing countries.

They should be accompanied with specific advice on how to include provisions for operator training, installation and running-in, maintenance and spare parts supply.

For more information, ENTER No: 0380

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The comprehensive food market for your business!

The only B2B Exhibition & Conference in Korea

FI 05 01 KOREA 201 Food Ingredients Food Technology

September 2nd(Wed) – 4th(Fri), 2015 aT Center, Seoul, Korea

Exhibition / Conference / Exhibitor Seminar / Biz-matching Natural & Healthy Food Ingredients Food Ingredients & Additives Food Safety & Technology Bio-Food Tech / Inner Beauty Functional Food & Drink Organized by : Globalcomms, Korea Food Industry Association

The 6th International Conference on Food Factors

EXHIBITION November 23 (Mon.) ~ 24 (Tue.), 2015 Hall E(3F), COEX, Seoul, Korea

Why ICoFF 2015 Exhibition? ∙ The largest Professional Exhibition of Function Food connected with Authoritative International Conference in Function Food ∙ Ideal Place to Learning and Networking for Food Function ∙ Academic Interchange with Experts from Academia, Laboratories and Governments in Food Industry ∙ 7,500 Participants from 40 Countries

ICoFF started in 1995 and has been held every four years. This Conference represents a gathering of world experts in food factors which reduce the risk of lifestyle related diseases.

The main theme of ICoFF 2015 is ‘Bioconvergence for Food Function’. This includes food factors for health promotion and disease prevention, sources of food factors and processing aspects of food factors.

Traditional Korean wood mortar to pulverize grain Contact T. +82-70-7596-3758~9 | F. +82-2-3010-0164 | E. info@fikorea.org

. Organized by : Korean Society of Food Science and Technology (KoSFoST), Globalcomms

ICoFF 2015 Exhibition Secretariat Tel +82-70-7596-3758, 3555 | Fax +82-2-3010-0164 | E-mail show@globalcomms.co.kr

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up in pace, thereby limiting trade access specifically of developing countries.

Variations as well as constant policy changes, together with the problem of compliance, lead to product damage and even rejection of products already shipped, with the lack of information in terms of policies including packaging requirements being great contributors.

These regulations often have packaging component clauses.

Policies and regulations (or the lack of them) impact as well on the introduction and acceptability, more so on the commercialisation, of a packing and packaging technology.

In developing countries, a number of factors tend to limit the actual adoption of upgraded technologies, which are otherwise readily available.

Lack of incentives to upgrade is a major deterrent, as well as inadequate support facilities to sustain usage of upgraded technology.

The perceived lack of purchasing power of potential consumers is a good reason for entrepreneurs not to upgrade technology or even produce at all. The same is true for problems related to poor distribution, lack of sales promotion of these technologies or the inability to repair and maintain facilities necessary for their continued adoption.

Numerous examples also exist in technically and economically sound upgraded technologies, which were rejected by the target group because they clashed with socio cultural customs and tradition.

Packaging technology upgrading is usually suggested when confronted with problems on product and its marketability enhancements.

H o w e v e r, c a u t i o n i s n e e d e d considering that social, economic and cultural sensitivities, including gender concerns, come into play when upgrading traditional food and food packaging technologies.

Manually-produced food, for instance, when mass produced using

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AS ONE OF THE MAJOR SOFT DRINK BUSINESSES IN AUSTRALIA, SCHWEPPES AUSTRALIA REQUIRES MACHINES THAT CAN CATER TO FLEXIBILITY IN FILLING VOLUME AS WELL AS BEVERAGE TYPE. BY KURT HOFMANN, MD, KHS PACIFIC, AND FRANK HOLLMANN, EXECUTIVE VP MARKET ZONE ASIA PACIFIC, KHS

DIVERSITY THROUGH FLEXIBILITY PRODUCTION LINES SCHWEPPES Australia’s portfolio is extremely varied, with more than 40 product groups in the range from carbonated soft drinks and fruit juices to mineral water and spring water. Besides its own brands, the company also manufactures a number of licensed products, including the Pepsi brand range for Australia.

According to Wayne Angus, GM manufacturing of the company, “The water market is growing particularly fast in Australia at the moment. The still, carbonated and flavoured water segments are all seeing a clear upswing.

As a very consumer-oriented company, we are of course

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showing a strong presence here.”

The company’s product range includes a host of brand names, such as the Schweppes range, SOLO, Spring Valley, the Real Iced Tea Co, Cool Ridge, Frantelle and Cottee’s Cordial.

The company also manufactures Pepsi, Gatorade and Sunkist under license and distributes Monster Energy in Australia. The company’s beverages can be found in supermarkets, hotels, restaurants, cafés, milk bars and gas stations—just about everywhere, in fact. They are very much a feature of everyday life in Australia.

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Adrien Séné, Paris, France

SALES REALISED IN CANS In order to best serve its presence nationwide, the company has production sites strategically placed across the country.

The three largest plants are in Tullamarine, Huntingwood and Welshpool, for which a total of four can fillers have been ordered over the last few years.

With 124 filling stations and a filling capacity of up to 1,500 cans per minute, the company’s first investment in Huntingwood is the can filler with the highest performance.

The two filling systems for Tullamarine and the system in Welshpool each have 108 filling valves and process up to 1,200 cans per minute.

Various products are filled in a number of can sizes.

The 0.375L variant is especially popular in Australia and the majority of the company’s cans are also filled in this size. The company sells about 40 percent of its beverages in cans, with a further 45 percent marketed in PET bottles and 15 percent in one-way glass bottle.

As far as the processing of different can formats is concerned, the can filler is flexible and can be quickly adjusted to meet new requirements. The filler is prepared for lightweight cans, for example, as the pressing pressure can be perfectly configured for the scheduled can at the press of a button.

The filler could also, for example, easily process sleek or slim cans, which are much more slender than the classic can, to mention just two different possibilities.

To this end, the company would need to invest in special format parts and guides which could be changed over in a short space of time.

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The can filler is also flexible when it comes to the type of beverage to be filled. It can master the filling of both carbonated and non-carbonated soft drinks and as well as alcohol products, beer through wine, sparkling wine and spirits to mixed alcoholic beverages.

VOLUMETRIC FILLING Australian packaging regulations are based on the minimum principle. Here, the can must contain at least the declared amount (such as 500 ml).

The filling accuracy of a system therefore inevitably results in the average value being greater than the declared amount—the container is overfilled.

The can filler operates according to the principle of volumetric filling using electromagnetic induction flow metering. This filling system has a standard deviation of s = 1 ml. On mechanical filling systems, standard deviations of 2 ml are common. This means that the average overfill is only half that of a mechanical filling system.

This is a definite advantage over classic fill level filling, where overfilling of cans is necessary in order to ensure the declared filling quantity. This overfilling is necessary because cans supplied by different manufacturers can vary slightly in volume.

Variations in size are no longer of significance for the volumetric filling process using magnetic inductive flow metering. If 0.375L is programmed, the can contains this amount after the filling process.

If a new can size is scheduled for filling, an entry on the operator terminal is all that is needed to make the necessary change to the filling quantity. To this end, the machine operator simply calls up the relevant preprogrammed settings.

When the filler cans carbonated beverages under pressure, the air contained in the can is purged with carbon dioxide after the can has been sealed. In the next step in the process, the return gas path is closed while the gas supply remains open; the can is pressurised to a filling pressure which is adapted to suit the specific carbon dioxide content of the product.

When the filler cans carbonated beverages under pressure, the air contained in the can is purged with carbon dioxide after the can has been sealed.

As far as the processing of different can formats is concerned, the can filler is flexible and can be quickly adjusted to meet new requirements.

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A four-sided enclosed pusher system ensures a gentle depalletising process by centring each individual layer during depalletising.

Once the required pressure has been reached, the liquid valve opens. The product then gently flows down the walls of the can at a constant rate and into the receptacle. The filling valve closes automatically and low-foam snifting takes place when the electromagnetic inductive flow meter registers the target fill level.

Still beverages are filled at normal pressure. If sensitive beverages are being processed, the machine can purge the can with carbon dioxide or nitrogen prior to filling.

All passages are smooth-surfaced throughout the filler from the ring bowl to the filling valves. Aseptic membrane and sealing technology is used in all filling valves and in all other channels and routes exposed to the product.

EMPHASIS ON SUSTAINABILITY Each filler is blocked with a can seamer. Upstream of each of the systems is a can rinser, with a heater inserted after each filler which operates during the summer months as required to prevent condensation forming on the cans before packaging.

“As we fill our soft drinks at a temperature of 18 to 20 deg C, we very rarely need the heater,” Mr Angus says.

“This means we save energy—in full keeping with our concept of sustainability.”

The company also ordered blending technology to go with its four can fillers. “It was clear to us from the beginning that the filling and process equipment had to come from a single source,” Mr Angus elaborates. “This means that we avoid any interfacing problems in such a sensitive spot right from the start.”

The three-component dosing and blending system continuously produces both still and carbonated

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beverages. The single, compact unit deaerates mixes and carbonates.

The first step involves deaerating water using the two-stage vacuum spraying principle. The sophisticated process takes place in a horizontal deaeration tank and yields a residual oxygen content in the water of less than 0.3 mg per litre.

The deaerated water is passed to the mixing pump where it is mixed with syrup. Precision flow metering of both the product’s mass and Brix value takes place in the syrup pipe train upstream of the mixing pump.

This means that diluted primary syrup feeds are also detected and do not have to be discarded. It also enables extremely fast product changeovers and ensures that the mixing ratio of water and syrup always complies exactly with specifications.

After blending the syrup and water, the machine carbonates the product. The special carbonation nozzle ensures that the carbon dioxide is optimally distributed and bonded in the product.

The investments in 2010 and 2011 for Huntingwood and Tullamarine concerned the aforementioned components only, which were integrated into existing lines.

In Tullamarine in 2012, however, a depalletiser also had to be replaced. The company decided to procure a depalletiser which lifts pallets loaded with empty cans in a three-sided enclosed pit to the pushoff position.

A four-sided enclosed pusher system ensures a gentle depalletising process by centring each individual layer during depalletising. All the surfaces of the depalletiser that come into contact with the cans are covered with plastic sheeting to prevent damage to the cans.

An automatic pallet liner remover picks up the cover frames and pallet liners with vacuum grippers and places them in separate dispensers provided for this purpose.

Mr Angus explains, “Gentle depalletising is very important for our very light cans which is why we also opted for this system for our recent investment in Welshpool.”

Here, cartons of packed cans pass an inline robot grouping before being palletised. Two four-axis robots precisely position the containers, gripping, turning and moving them with mm accuracy.

The gripper elements on both packers are coated with plastic for gentle container handling. All necessary pushing motions are perfectly adjusted to match the speed of the conveyors. The positioned packs are driven against a stop for the formations to be centred.

A column robot with a roller carpet head picks up each individual layer and places it onto the pallet with precision.

For more information, ENTER No: 0381

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SAVING CACAOLAT WITH THE CATALAN GOVERNMENT‘S URGENT CALL TO HELP SAVE THE CACAOLAT, TWO COMPANIES HAVE STEPPED UP TO REVIVE THE BRAND AND MUCH MORE THROUGH TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION.

BY MARTIN POPP, KRONES

IT all began back in 1931 when the co-founder of the Letona dairy, Marc Viander Bas, with his son Joan went to visit a trade fair in Budapest and there on the occasion of a wedding was served a cold milk-based mixed cocoa drink.

Both father and son were immediately taken by its taste, so much so that they developed a similar recipe for their dairy back home in Barcelona, which they premiered in 1933. It proved to be a resounding success, with an innovative product and the production capacities available at the Letona dairy combining felicitously.

Cacaolat became the world’s first industrially produced smoothie. And one of the development’s

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welcomed side-effects was that the Letona dairy had found a use for its superfluous whey.

Cacaolat’s makers were very smart in their new favourite product’s advertising: ‘Chilled Cacaolat in summer’ and ‘Hot Cacaolat in winter’. They turned this nourishing milk-based mixed cocoa drink into a beverage that could be enjoyed the whole year round, one that was equally popular with both young and old.

As its trademark, they had ‘Pepi’ created, an athletic boy seen with his satchel in his hand and an overdimensioned bottle of Cacaolat on his shoulder walking to school.

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To this very day, you will still encounter Pepi, but in a substantially reduced, rather stylised form, in Cacaolat’s advertising, and also as an embossed figure on the neck of the striking, torpedo-shaped glass bottle.

From 1936 till 1950, production had to be interrupted, firstly due to the civil war, and then because there weren’t any high-quality raw materials to be had. In the 1970s, the Clesa dairy group took over the Letona milk brand, and with it Cacaolat as well.

This was followed by Clesa being incorporated into the Italian conglomerate Parmalat in 1998, which due to the latter’s subsequent financial problems was not exactly conducive to Cacaolat’s progress.

Nor was the sale to the Spanish financial conglomerate Nueva Rumasa in 2007 destined for a happy end: in 2011, the company had to admit to a high level of indebtedness, with the tradition-steeped Cacaolat brand threatened with extinction.

It was in this situation that the Catalan government took a hand, with its call for help “Salvem el Cacaolat (Let’s save Cacaolat)!” In November 2011, the Damm brewing group and soft-drink producer Cobega purchased rights to the brand and production facility for €130 million (US$142.5 million) with each partner paying half. In February 2012, a new company Grupo Cacaolat SL was created, completing the rescue operation.

CACAOLAT’S MAKERS WERE VERY SMART IN THEIR NEW FAVOURITE PRODUCT’S ADVERTISING: ‘CHILLED CACAOLAT IN SUMMER’ AND ‘HOT CACAOLAT IN WINTER’.

FRESH TECHNOLOGY START-UP The existing dairy plant in Barcelona’s Poblenou suburb then had a completely obsolete production operation, in which more than 500 staff had made the products largely by hand.

Therefore, the new company took possession of a former Damm brewery in the Santa Coloma De Gramenet district that was closed down in 2009 for a fresh start in terms of technology.

The buildings were refurbished and an entirely new process-engineering and filling kit was installed. The facility currently processes 50 million litres of raw milk each year, about 70 per cent of this as fresh milk under the brand name of Letona, and 30 per cent as Cacaolat.

Other products, like almond milk Horchata, for example, were discontinued.

In the old factory, only the one-litre size was handled for filling milk in an ultra-clean line, nor was there any PET filling equipment for Cacaolat in this plant at Poblenou. That job was at the time being carried out by contract bottlers.

Now, everything has changed: the company produces both sterilised fresh milk with a shelf-life of 24 days, and UHT milk treated at 142 deg C with a shelf-life of six months, supplemented by the UHT milk-based cocoa mixed drink Cacaolat, which thanks to additional stabilisation has a shelf-life of at least eight months.

THREE BOTTLING LINES The general idea behind the refurbishment and the new kit was primarily a significant streamlining of the production operation, not least thanks to the introduction of SAP, tighter-focused sales planning.

To make Cacaolat, a white syrup and a dark syrup are produced, with the white syrup consisting of whey and milk powders, while the dark syrup is obtained from two different types of cocoa, which are then missed with sugar and some other constituents.

These, in turn, are blended with semi-skimmed milk to produce the finished article before being homogenised and sterilised at temperatures of above 140 deg C and held in readiness for filling in a 40 cubic metre sterile tank.

Besides the process-engineering kit for milk likewise newly installed for this purpose, Cacaolat utilises a single large hall for filling its products on three lines: one line for returnable and non-returnable glass rated at 10,000 bottles an hour with reference to the 1.0-litre bottle, a PET line with an hourly output of 12,000 1.5-litre and 20,000 0.2-litre bottles respectively, and the third but not least, a line filling small drinking cartons (fitted with straws), which will start up operation later.

NEWLY BOTTLE DESIGN To coincide with the relocation to the new plant, the

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After the bottles have been aseptically filled, the fill levels and closure position are verified by means of gamma-rays.

design of Cacaolat’s 200ml glass bottle was also revamped.

While previously, it had been cylindrical, it is now slightly conical in shape.

At the retailers, especially outside Catalonia, Cacaolat is sold exclusively in the non-returnable bottle; there is a returnable bottle for hotels, restaurants and catering (horeca) segment, which is delivered in plastic crates.

Returnable bottles are closed with a yellow crown, while non-returnables are given a brown one. The outer dimensions of both types are identical. Since the non-returnables feature thinner glass, though, their volume is bigger, which is why the fill level in nonreturnables is lower.

The glass line therefore had to be equipped for handling both types of bottle. The differences include depalletising of the crates of returnables by means of robot technology and an unpacker on the one hand, and a bulk-glass sweep-off depalletiser on the other.

The bulk glass bottles are then passed on roofedover conveyors through the empty-bottle inspector, and directly to the rinser-filler-closer-monobloc, where they are cleaned and filled.

The filler’s product tank is fitted with an agitator so as to prevent the cocoa content from settling at the bottom.

DECONTAMINATION On the other hand, the returnable glass bottles—once unpacked—are upstream of the empty-bottle inspector passed through a double-end bottle washer, which means they can bypass the rinser in the filler monobloc.

After they have been filled, a machine inspects the containers for correct fill level by means of gamma-rays, and for the presence of a closure. The filled bottles are now sterilised. For this purpose, Cacaolat installed a special hydrolock autoclave.

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The containers are thereupon passed over a relatively large buffer table and then to the labeller, which dresses them in body and back labels on two cold-glue stations.

After that, the bottles are inspected for label presence.

When it comes to packaging, there is again a difference in handling returnables and non-returnables. Returnable glass bottles are packed in plastic crates, while the nonreturnable glass bottles are packed on half-board shrink wrapped trays. Both types of pack are palletised by means of robots, with the pallets’ load stabilised for transport by wrapping them in film.

DRY ASEPTIC TECHNOLOGY The PET line has been installed directly adjacent to the glass line and its heart is the aseptic monobloc. In the machine with ten blow-moulding stations, the preforms’ interior is cleaned to start with, after which the preforms are inspected, and then blow-moulded.

After that, the bottles are swiftly and dependably decontaminated inside and out with gaseous hydrogen peroxide in the container steriliser.

The monobloc-synchronised aseptic filler determines the fill quantity using an inductive flow meter. Since it fills the bottles in non-contact mode, it offers a high level of microbiological safety. The product is passed into the machine from above, which reduces product losses at the end of filling to a minimum.

After the bottles have been aseptically filled, the fill levels and closure position are verified by means of gamma-rays. Letona fresh milk and UHT milk are then dressed in a wrap-around label.

For Cacaolat, the company also uses a labeller for applying sleeves, linked up to a shrink tunnel. Between them is another checker, which inspects the positioning of both wrap-around and sleeve labels.

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For end-of-the-line packaging, the company has installed three packers side by side. An all-round packer forms full-size cartons holding six bottles of milk in the 1L and 1.5L sizes, plus open 21-bottle trays without film for 1L bottles of cocoa.

The second machine is a packer, which creates shrink-wrapped sixpacks without a pad for all 1.5L UHT milk bottles, plus packages of six 1L bottles of cocoa on a tray. The packer also puts together four sixpacks of the small 200ml bottles of cocoa to form a tray-based shrink-pack.

These sixpacks with 200ml cocoa bottles come from a third packer. Finally handles are applied before the packs are passed to a layer preparation unit, after which they are palletised by a robot.

The two lines were acceptance-tested at efficiencies of 98 percent (glass line) and 92 percent (aseptic monobloc) respectively.

AMENABLE TO EXPANSION The company’s products are selling well on the market.

The figure estimated for Letona UHT milk in 2014 will

be exceeding the original expectations by around 30 percent.

Cacaolat has likewise upped its figures as compared to 2013 even though it is relatively high-priced: ex-works selling prices are over 60 cents for the 200ml PET bottle, and more than 90 cents for its glass counterpart.

In Catalonia, the company achieves an area coverage of almost 100 percent. It also serves markets on the Balearic Islands and in the Basque Country. The aim is to expand sales to all of Spain, and to step up exports, which are at present restricted to North Africa, Ireland, Israel, Russia and Italy.

The group is confident of scoring highly again with its new product Cacaolat 0%. This cocoa-based mixed drink, with zero percent fat, is made from full-slimmed milk.

What’s more, the company is using stevia sweetener here instead of sugar. This means that the calorie count is significantly less than that of normal Cacaolat.

For more information, ENTER No: 0382

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TURNING TO BIOFORTIFIED CROPS GREAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE OVER THE PAST DECADE WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICATION OF BIOTECHNOLOGY TO GENERATE NUTRITIONALLY IMPROVED FOOD CROPS. BIOFORTIFIED STAPLE CROPS HARBOURING ESSENTIAL MICRONUTRIENTS TO BENEFIT THE WORLD’S POOR ARE UNDER DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS NEW VARIETIES OF CROPS WHICH HAVE THE ABILITY TO COMBAT CHRONIC DISEASE. BY KATHLEEN L HEFFERON, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO P L A N T S g ro w n a s f o o d c ro p s possess a wide diversity of biologically active compounds which contribute to overall human health.

The accessibility of food crops that are high in nutritional content is granted for those who live in the industrialised world.

However, this is not always the case for the rural poor who reside in developing countries. For such populations, a diet that is balanced in adequate levels of vitamins and minerals can be difficult to achieve and maintain.

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All too often, a monotonous diet in which a single crop such as rice predominates is all that is on hand and affordable. Fortunately, due to recent developments in agricultural biotechnology, it is now possible to generate food crops which are nutritionally enhanced to improve the content and bioavailability of essential nutrients, such as iron and vitamin A. To d a y, a p p ro x i m a t e l y 8 4 2 million people around the globe are undernourished, meaning that they do not get enough food to

eat. Moreover, close to two billion of the world’s population suffers from ‘hidden hunger’, malnutrition caused not by too few calories, but by an inadequate intake of essential micronutrients in their daily diet.

People who suffer from malnutrition often consume meals which centre around a staple crop and as a result lack access to the wide variety of fruits and vegetables that are required for a healthy diet.

As a consequence, close to onethird of childhood deaths under the age of five worldwide stem from

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TRANSGENIC CROP TECHNOLOGY As an alternative, the generation of micronutrient-dense biofortified crops through the use of biotechnology is at once more cost-effective, sustainable and realistic.

With transgenic crop technology, the genes of interest are inserted directly into the plant genome and the resulting recombinant proteins which are expressed may not be feasible under conventional plant breeding programs. Conventional breeding that can acquire and retain specific traits while not

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BIOFORTIFIED CROPS The development of plants which are nutritionally enhanced and resistant to abiotic stresses present a viable solution to these future challenges.

Traditionally, vitamins and minerals have been added to food crops through supplementation or biofortification practices. The provision of micronutrients in the form of supplements to malnourished populations has proven to be successful.

However, the extent of this success is unclear and such strategies are prone to fail in areas of scattered small populations or regions that become politically unstable. The use of supplementation programs may still fall short of the goals set in place by international health organisations.

Besides the expense, there is often too high a level of noncompliance among the population group that the supplementation program endeavors to help.

Biofortification of crops can take place either by adding the appropriate mineral or inorganic compound to fertiliser, by conventional plant breeding, or through the use of biotechnology.

Although the application of fer tilisers biofor tified with micronutrients is the most simple of these methods, this practice can be confounded by the differences in mineral mobility and accumulation among plant species and different

soil compositions in the specific geographical location of each crop, making success of this method highly variable. It is also necessary to apply the micronutrient regularly to the soil, therefore increasing both cost and labour.

The particular species of micronutrient ingested is also important. The organic species of a particular micronutrient can be more easily incorporated into tissue proteins such as red blood cells and skeletal muscle.

Organic species of micronutrients can also be stored more effectively by the body and micronutrient status retains for longer periods of time than inorganic micronutrients.

Another drawback is that it is not always possible to target the micronutrient into edible plant tissues and so this technique is only successful using certain plant species and mineral combinations.

Biofortification of food crops with minerals such as selenium, iodine and zinc have been achieved using this strategy. The design of conventional plant breeding programs to improve micronutrient content has also proven to be successful.

However, there are limitations with respect to the amount of variability in the plant gene pool and the time needed to generate cultivars with the desired traits.

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undernutrition, and one child in four is stunted due to inadequate nutrition.

Over the next few decades, as the world population approaches ten billion, and with the advent of climate change, achieving food security will pose an even greater challenge. The vast majority of global population increase will most likely take place in the developing world, and global warming is expected to result in drought, flooding, and severe temperatures.

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compromising others can be complex and comes with its own challenges.

In many occasions, it would be impossible to breed for a specific trait using conventional means, and the timescale and effort involved may be quite unrealistic.

While a certain amount of time and effort is initially involved in generating transgenic plants, the germplasm can be maintained at a low cost, in a timely manner, and without the need for nutrition-based organisational programs. Expected benefits of consumer traits have been estimated for some genetically modified (GM) crops as compared to their conventional counterparts.

Recently, a new line of biotechnology based on the principle of genome editing has come to the forefront. Genome editing focuses on nuclease-based forms of engineering such as the transcription activator like effector nucleases (TALENS) or the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas) systems, and concerns the creation of precise incisions, mutations and substitutions in plant and other eukaryotic cells.

This technology will revolutionise the way we think about enhancing fo o d cro ps to im p ro v e g lo b a l nutritional status. It is less likely that new varieties of crops which harbour the small nucleotide modifications that are created by genome editing will be subjected to the same strict set of regulations as are currently held for transgenic crops.

As a result, genome editing may very well help plant biotechnologists avoid the same public controversy surrounding GMOs. Genome editing has been performed on crops such as barley, rice, tobacco, maize and arabidopsis, and is currently in a preliminary stage of development.

The generation of biotech food crops with improved attributes, such as increases in iron storage protein or greater levels of folate can provide

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IT IS JUST AS IMPORTANT THAT THE BIOFORTIFIED CROP BE ACCEPTED

BY THE COMMUNITY IT IS GENERATED FOR AND THAT IT IS READILY ADAPTED

BY FARMERS IN SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH NUMBERS. sufficient levels of these and other much needed micronutrients that are frequently lacking in the diets of developing world.

Not only must these micronutrients be generated at high levels in plants, they must also be readily bioavailable, or absorbed and utilised by the body so that a consumer’s micronutrient status is improved even upon cooking or processing the food in the manner that a particular culture practices.

CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE It is just as important that the biofortified crop be accepted by the community it is generated for and that it is readily adapted by farmers in significant enough numbers to improve a given community’s general nutritional health.

This can at times be problematic as some given populations remain war y of the use of genetically modified foods. The following section provides examples of biofortified

food crops using biotechnology that are under development.

In spite of opposition groups, GM crops now account for more than 300 million acres worldwide and are grown by over 17 million farmers in more than 25 countries. The vast majority of the increase in farming of GM crops is in developing countries.

In 2012, the World Health Assembly (WHA) agreed on a set of global targets to hold the world accountable for reducing malnutrition. It is unlikely that these targets will be met within the timeframe set and new sustainable development goals are now being set up with the target date of 2030.

To achieve the goal of providing c ro p s w i t h a d d i t i o n a l h e a l t h benefits on a global scale, much work is required and will involve interactions between many disciplines including plant breeders, molecular biologists, nutritionists and even social scientists.

It is not worthwhile to spend the effort generating a biofortified crop for a given population if they are knowledgeable, prepared and not already willing to accept the technology or any changes in appearance of the biofortified crop.

New crop varieties with enhanced nutritional qualities must be evaluated by clinical trials, and select populations who can benefit most from them must be educated so that they understand how these advantages can make a difference in their community’s overall health.

Research and development of nutritionally enhanced ‘orphan crops’ sorghum, millet, and pigeon pea, which are important to the world’s poor but overlooked by industrialized countries, must also be implemented. Cooperative efforts between governments, industry and non-profit organisations will truly eliminate hunger from the world’s rural poor.

For more information, ENTER No: 0383

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FOOD MANUFACTURING THROUGH THE YEARS:

A SINGAPORE STORY

SINGAPORE’S FOOD AND BEVERAGE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY HAS MADE GREAT STRIDES SINCE THE COUNTRY’S INDEPENDENCE 50 YEARS AGO. FROM THE INITIAL TRIALS AND STRUGGLES IT FACED, TO ESTABLISHING ITSELF IN THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN REGION AND THE WORLD, THE INDUSTRY HAS BENEFITED AND CONTINUES TO CONTRIBUTE TO SINGAPORE’S ECONOMIC SUCCESS TODAY. BY MICHELLE CHEONG

IN the 1950s, majority of the Southeast Asian countries adopted an import substitution policy that utilised their larger domestic markets to produce simple and lower-priced consumer goods from which they could attain foreign direct investments (FDI) from. Singapore, aspiring to like her neighbours, hoped to create a large market entity by merging with Malaya in 1963 to achieve economic viability.

However, the merger failed and following independence in 1965, Singapore, a small nation with barely any resources, was left with her own version of import substitution that was characterised by a mild protection of

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policy instruments such as export and exchange controls, tax incentives and a tariff policy.

But with close to two million mouths to feed and a plaguing massive unemployment problem, the newly formed government led by the recently passed Lee Kuan Yew, made the decision of moving into export-oriented industrialisation in 1967, as it relied heavily on FDI particularly in the labour-extensive industries.

The manufacturing industries that flourished thereafter not only helped to alleviate unemployment in the country, but also built the foundation of Singapore’s manufacturing sector today.

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With industrialisation, businesses started to thrive as the added manpower enabled factories to roll out their products at faster rates and produced more on higher scales

It marked the beginning of a new chapter for Singaporeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food and beverage manufacturing industry and laid the fertile ground for the industry to continue to prosper over the next few decades.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS Back in the 1960s, food manufacturers were predominantly domestic-oriented and comprised a majority of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as well as family-run businesses.

With industrialisation, these businesses started to thrive as the added manpower enabled factories to roll out their products at faster rates and produced more on higher scales.

As industrialisation progressed through the 1970s, however, these businesses found it harder and harder to keep up with their foreign competitors. They could no longer compete using existing equipment and traditional ways of processing and packaging, and set to look for new technological strategies to produce higher quality and more innovative products, or reduce costs to stay ahead of their rivals.

By the 1980s, some local companies such as the Super Group or Thong Siek Food Industry had already ventured into the global market. This, however, was not the option for many in the food and beverage manufacturing industry back then.

Majority of these companies were limited by various problems, one of which being the issue of money.

Local companies lacked the capital required for overseas expansion as they had previously only focused in the domestic market, were restrained by high start-up costs, or were already struggling with the high operating costs in land, labour and utilities.

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With only local consumers and finance-limited economies of scale, they were unable to reach out to a larger group of consumers even if they had wanted to, without any external help.

A second problem was the lack of skilled labour and professionals. Unlike other industrial sectors, like electronics or chemical that were thriving in the 1980s, the food and beverage manufacturing industry lacked skilled manpower and expertise like food scientists or technologists.

Further, fewer and fewer of the younger generation aspired to or joined the industry as it was viewed as a sunset industry that had â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;no futureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The lack of skilled workers put local companies in a weaker strategic position compared to their competitors, deterring them from wanting or having the capability to expand locally or regionally.

A third and most important problem was that a large portion of these business managers had traditional mind sets that were not open to expanding their businesses overseas or changing their business concepts.

Since they were predominantly family-run or SMEs, they were unable to reap economies of scale and made little effort to strategise and identify new markets or expand their current ones.

GOVERNMENTAL & ASSOCIATION ASSISTANCE To counter these problems and further develop the food and beverage manufacturing industry, a few associations and government-led initiatives and strategies came into play to encourage more local businesses to expand locally and within the region.

The Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), formed in 1961, helped to build up the food manufacturing industry. It aided in the establishment of industrial estates, and also contributed in getting overseas investors for companies who needed capital for expansion.

A second party that made overseas expansion of food businesses possible was International Enterprise (IE) Singapore. Formed in 1983 as the Trade Development Board before changing their name to IE Singapore in 2002, the government agency sought to regulate trade and supported overseas establishments of Singaporean businesses financially.

Together, EDB and IE Singapore both offered a wide range of incentives such as tax holidays and worker benefits to encourage locally owned and partially locally owned business to expand their establishments overseas.

They also helped food and beverage manufacturers grow their overseas presence and promoted Singapore products and services through participation in global trade shows to capture the attention of overseas consumers.

Meanwhile, a third agency, the Singapore Food Manufacturing Association (SFMA) which was founded

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With many policies regarding food safety especially to raise standards of hygiene, Singaporean businesses earned a good image and reputation.

in 1967, helped food manufacturing businesses in their cause to develop and promote locally.

Not only did they connect local businesses with foreign contacts for investment opportunities, they also united local food manufacturers for mutual benefits and growth, and enhanced cooperation between them and supporting industries to reap larger economies of scale.

UPGRADING SKILLS & CAPABILITIES To overcome limits for business expansion caused by insufficient skills, multiple options were available to help companies build capabilities through improvement of the skills of current workers and leaders of the industry.

These included training, workshops and programmes organised by organisations such as SPRING Singapore that taught for instance, the types of foods to be catered for different age groups, how to manage food hygiene practices, or the types of packaging or material to be used for certain foods to ensure food safety.

The Singapore Institute of Food Science and Technology (SIFST), founded in 1977, was another place to learn more about the industry. Food manufacturers were given more opportunities to learn about food science and technology through interaction and collaboration with professionals in Singapore and around the world, to keep up with the latest technology and trends.

Attending these helped local businesses gain knowledge and a better understanding of their target consumers and how to maintain their company reputations.

Completing certain workshops or programmes could also get workers certified with the National Skills Recognition System, or later the Workforce Skill Qualifications. These not only upgraded the skills of the workers, but also the image of the companies they represented as well as the industry as a whole.

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INCENTIVES FOR YOUNGER GENERATION The Food Science and Technology (FST) programme of the National University of Singapore (NUS) attempted to attract more people of the younger generations to the food and beverage manufacturing sector.

Previously, only the polytechnics had a food science programme, and these diploma holders had to go overseas or pay expensive tuition fees at private universities to further their studies. In the process, it deterred individuals with proper qualifications and foundation from pursuing work in the industry.

With the skills and knowledge expertise as well as research and development that the locally trained FST graduates have to offer, food and beverage manufacturers could improve food quality and better ensure food safety.

Scholarships were also provided by several institutes such as NUS or the various polytechnics offering food science and technology courses as incentives, in hopes of attracting more younger-aged individuals into the line of food manufacturing.

IMPROVING NATIONAL REPUTATION To further improve the image of Singaporean businesses and guarantee food safety and product quality, the AgriFood and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) was established in 2000.

With its many policies regarding food safety especially to raise standards of hygiene, it aided Singaporean businesses to earn a good image and reputation for producing products of quality in the eyes of foreign investors.

FORGING AHEAD Today, Singaporeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food and beverage manufacturing industry has prospered, with a total output of about S$8.5 million (US$6.3 million), a strong value-added growth of about S$2.3 million (US$1.7 million), and a compound annual growth rate of about 8.7 percent over 10 years as of 2012.

However, challenges remain such as in productivity and manpower, rising raw material prices, and strong competitions in the global export market. To differentiate themselves from regional competitors, local businesses in Singapore have shifted their focus to branding, innovation, and high quality production processes.

Over the years, several Singaporean companies have grown their footprints across the region, such as the Super Group and Bee Cheng Hiang.

As a success of their branding strategies, both have expanded in countries including Malaysia and China, with the former having a total of 15 overseas facilities and the latter with 262 overseas outlets.

Others have created innovative products that are healthier, more convenient, ethical or catered to specific groups of consumers like Halal or vegan to draw more customers locally as well as overseas.

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For more information, ENTER No: 0384

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GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES The Singaporean government has and is still playing an active role in supporting the industry to keep it ahead of competitors. Current methods of support include grants, setting up of programs, creating facilities, aiding in branding and giving incentives to local manufacturers.

In 2012, the government pledged S$45 million (US$33.1 million) to boost productivity over five years. The money has since been used for improvements in automation, adoption of productivity improvement tools, product innovation and workforce investment.

In 2013, SFMA launched the Local Enterprise and Association Development (LEAD) program, a multi-agency effort aimed to enhance industry and enterprise competitiveness.

The program has helped create multiple partnerships among industry associations, and driven initiatives to improve the overall capabilities of SMEs in their industries. To provide and facilitate the program, SFMA also set up Export Club, SME club, the aforementioned FIRC, and Capability Building Committee.

A food hub is currently being constructed at Senoko

by JTC, and is slated to be completed by 2017. The hub will be able to house different sizes of SMEs as modular units can be combined where necessary, and will also feature shared integrated cold room-warehouse facilities that allow tenants to operate at lower costs and reap better economies of scale.

These will enable the hub to suit companies engaging in food manufacturing activities or companies with central kitchen operations.

Branding for Singaporean food manufacturers in the export market has also been promoted through the Tasty Singapore Brand initiative developed by IE Singapore.

This initiative encourages unity among Singaporean food manufacturers to promote a coherent image of the country in the export market by exhibiting products that demonstrate the attributes of the Tasty Singapore Brand.

To further encourage local food manufacturers to extend their reach overseas and build on the success of the Tasty Singapore Brand, the SFMA has introduced the Great Singapore Food Gift Award that recognises food exemplifying the ‘Product of Singapore’ brand.

With this award, it is hoped that the local businesses are able to sell the distinctiveness of Singapore food, promoting a stronger value proposition.

The Singaporean food and beverage manufacturing industry has since come a long way in the 50 years following the nation’s independence in 1965. With the help of the government’s decisions, policies, and driving agencies such as the SFMA, IE Singapore and EDB, it has become the economic success it is today. However, there is and will always be a need to strive for innovation and technological advancement to stay ahead of competitors. With this much improvement already in the past 50 years, where will they be in another 50 years’ time?

Enquiry Number

Chye Choon is one company that has successfully entered the US market with its brown rice bee hoon (rice vermicelli), which was developed for healthy living.

More businesses have sought to reduce operation costs through process improvement, such as by redesigning their food-making or packaging processes, or automating them. Especially with automation, this has helped them better deploy their limited manpower resources to create higher value-added jobs, and aided in dealing with space constraints in the factories.

To stay relevant and keep up with the latest technology, process or food trends, many businesses have also expanded to include research and development teams in their enterprises.

Not only that, but the Food Innovation and Resource Centre, launched in 2007 by Singapore Polytechnic and SPRING Singapore, as well as the recently established Clinical Nutritional Research Centre also help to further support and develop Singapore’s food and beverage manufacturing industry.

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PREVIEW:

THAIFEX The Thai Frozen Foods Association has projected frozen food exports to hit 130 billion baht (US$3.94 billion) in 2015, up from an estimated 100 billion baht in 2014. Shrimp production is expected to recover to 300,000 metric tonnes in 2015 with 80 billion generated from exports.

THAIFEX—WORLD OF FOOD ASIA Where IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center Country Bangkok, Thailand Date May 20-24, 2015

THAIFEX—World of Food Asia 2015 will be held at the IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center in Bangkok, Thailand, from May 20-24, 2015. This year, the show has expanded its exhibition area by 15 percent, covering 70,000 sq m over four halls. International and local participation is expected to grow by more than 10 percent to reach 35,000 visitors.

Around 1,500 exhibitors representing 35 countries will be present to showcase their products.

For this edition, the organiser of the show has secured a third partner country in Turkey.

Under the umbrella of the show, approximately 300 exhibitors will also be present for World of Coffee & Tea, World of FoodService and World of Seafood.

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THAIFEX 2015 IS EXPECTED TO REACH OUT TO 35,000 VISITORS WITH ABOUT 1,500 EXHIBITORS REPRESENTING 35 COUNTRIES TO SHOWCASE THEIR PRODUCTS. Germany, represented by the Ministry of Agriculture, will be bringing agricultural produce that is unique to the German culture, while Mexico, led by the country’s Commission of the Ministry of Agriculture, will be focusing on processed food. Turkey will showcase both fine food and seafood products.

In addition, there will be a series of supporting programmes to provide a focused approach amidst the diverse segments of the food and beverage industry.

Among these is the Asian Food Franchising Forum which will bring franchisors, franchisees, licensees and entrepreneurs together for an intensive session on the latest development and opportunities in the food franchise industry.

The Global Chefs Challenge also makes a return as chefs from around the world compete for the top prize in three different categories.

The winning chefs will have the opportunity to represent their countries at the Worldchefs Congress 2016 in Athens, Greece.

In 2014, the show welcomed 1,463 exhibitors and 30,479 trade visitors. _________________ Enquiry No: 390

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Virag Virag, Budapest, Hungary

CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2015

APRIL 21-23: FOOD & HOTEL VIETNAM Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Singapore Exhibition Services E-mail: fhv@sesallworld.com Web: foodnhotelvietnam.com/en/home/ ❑ To Exhibit ❑ To Visit ❑ General Enquiry

24: APFI KNOWLEDGE SERIES: AEC 2015 Pan Pacific Singapore Hotel Singapore Eastern Trade Media E-mail: cynthiachew@epl.com.sg Web: www.apfoodonline.com/ knowledgeseries ❑ To Exhibit ❑ To Visit ❑ General Enquiry

MAY 5-7: VITAFOODS EUROPE Palexpo Geneva, Switzerland Informa Exhibitions E-mail: maria.sidiropoulou@informa.com Web: www.vitafoods.eu.com ❑ To Exhibit ❑ To Visit ❑ General Enquiry

19-23: IPACK-IMA Fieramilano Milan, Italy Ipack-Ima SpA E-mail: ipackima@ipackima.it Web: www.ipackima.it

11-13: MIFB Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Sphere Exhibits Malaysia E-mail: mifb@sphereexhibits.com.my Web: www.mifb.com.my

❑ To Exhibit ❑ To Visit ❑ General Enquiry

❑ To Exhibit ❑ To Visit ❑ General Enquiry

20-22: FI VIETNAM Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam UBM E-mail: rose.c@ubm.com Web: www.figlobal.com/vietnam/home

17-20: PROPAK ASIA BITEC Bangkok, Thailand BES E-mail: piyaporn@besallworld.com Web: www.propakasia.com

❑ To Exhibit ❑ To Visit ❑ General Enquiry

❑ To Exhibit ❑ To Visit ❑ General Enquiry

20-24: THAIFEX—WORLD OF FOOD ASIA IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center Bangkok, Thailand Koelnmesse E-mail: l.how@koelnmesse.com.sg Web: www.worldoffoodasia.com

19: ASIA DRINK CONFERENCE BITEC Bangkok, Thailand BES & Eastern Trade Media Web: www.asiadrinkconference.com

❑ To Exhibit ❑ To Visit ❑ General Enquiry

29 MAY-2 JUN: SINGAPORE FOOD EXPO Singapore Expo Singapore SFMA E-mail: enquiries@sfma.org.sg Web: www.singaporefoodexpo.org.sg ❑ To Exhibit ❑ To Visit ❑ General Enquiry

JUNE 3-5: FOOD & HOTEL MYANMAR Myanmar Event Park Yangon, Myanmar BES E-mail: supaporn.a@besallworld.com Web: www.foodhotelmyanmar.com

24-26: FI ASIA-CHINA Shanghai New International Expo Center Shanghai, China UBM E-mail: Jessica.lin@ubmsinoexpo.com Web: www.figlobal.com/asia-china ❑ To Exhibit ❑ To Visit ❑ General Enquiry

AUGUST 5-8: WOFEX World Trade Center & SMX Convention Center Manila, the Philippines PEP Group Events E-mail: info@PEPGroup.com Web: www.wofex.com ❑ To Exhibit ❑ To Visit ❑ General Enquiry

❑ To Exhibit ❑ To Visit ❑ General Enquiry

6-8: SIAL CHINA Shanghai New International Expo Centre Shanghai, China Compexposium Web: www.sialchina.com

4-6: IFE CHINA China Import & Export Fair Complex Guangzhou, China Guangzhou Yifan Exhibition Service E-mail: gzyfzl@163.com Web: www.ifechina.com

❑ To Exhibit ❑ To Visit ❑ General Enquiry

❑ To Exhibit ❑ To Visit ❑ General Enquiry

12-15: SEOUL FOOD KINTEX Seoul, South Korea Kotra E-mail: info@seoulfood.or.kr Web: seoulfood.or.kr/eng/main.asp

10-12: FMA CHINA Shanghai New International Expo Centre Shanghai, China Shanghai Golden Commercial Exhibition E-mail: info@goldenexpo.com.cn Web: www.fmachina.cn

❑ To Exhibit ❑ To Visit ❑ General Enquiry

❑ To Exhibit ❑ To Visit ❑ General Enquiry

*All details are subject to change without notice. Please check with organisers for updates.

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❑ To Exhibit ❑ To Visit ❑ General Enquiry

NOTE

LOOK OUT FOR THESE SHOWS

To be considered for a listing in the Calendar of Events, send details of event including: name of event, date, venue and organiser’s contact details to the address given below.

Editorial Dept Asia Pacific Food Industry Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd 1100 Lower Delta Road #02-05 EPL Building Singapore 169206 Tel: 65 6379 2888 Fax: 65 6379 2805 E-mail: apfood@epl.com.sg

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PREVIEW:

PROPAK ASIA According to Research and Markets, the food packaging market in the Asia Pacific region is set to grow at a CAGR of 4.19 percent over the period 2014-2019. One of the key trends emerging in the market is increased demand for convenience packaging, which is forcing vendors to develop innovative packaging solutions.

PROPAK ASIA Where BITEC Country Bangkok, Thailand Date June 17-20, 2015

PROPAK Asia 2015 will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, from June 17-20, 2015, at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (BITEC).

The 23rd edition of the show will showcase the latest technologies and trends for products and solutions in processing, filling and packaging technology, as well as machine tools.

The four-day event will occupy a total exhibiting area of over 45,000 sq m, covering the entire Hall 101-106 of the venue. Over 1,600 participants from 45 different countries are expected to take part at the show, with 15 national pavilions displaying packing solutions from across the world. In 2014, the show

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THE WORLD CONSUMER FLEXIBLE PACKAGING MARKET HAS PICKED UP SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC DOWNTURN OF 2008-2009. attracted a total of 36,310 visitors from 65 countries and featured 1,475 exhibitors from 43 countries.

Similar to last year, the show will feature six industry zones, including DrinkTechAsia, FoodTechAsia, Lab&TestAsia, PackagingMaterialsAsia, PharmaTechAsia and PrintTechAsia.

The Asia Drink Conference, organised by Eastern Trade Media and Bangkok Exhibition Services, will be returning for its third edition.

Other highlights of the show include the Thai Star and Asia Star Packaging Award 2014 and Press Conference 2015 organised by the Department of Industrial Promotion (DIP), Food Innovation Asia Conference 2015

organised by Food Science and Technology Association of Thailand (FoSTAT), and TISTR Conference 2015 organised by Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR) and Thai Packaging Centre.

The world consumer flexible packaging market has picked up significantly since the global economic downturn of 2008-2009.

The market tonnage in this segment is estimated at 24.3 million tonnes in 2013 and is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 4.1 percent to reach a total of 29.8 million tonnes by 2018.

Data from Smithers Pira shows that the Asia Pacific region in particular has registered both volume and

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Once again, the show will feature six industry zones, including DrinkTechAsia, FoodTechAsia, Lab&TestAsia, PackagingMaterialsAsia, PharmaTechAsia and PrintTechAsia.

value growth for flexible packaging.

The region has the largest regional flexible packaging market size with 38 percent of global market volume and is predicted to be the fastest growing market for consumer flexible packaging over the forecast period.

Reasons for this high forecasted growth rate include technical developments, cost per package, sustainability initiatives and the continued increase of the consumer class in the Asia Pacific, America and Eastern Europe. The replacement of traditional pack types with flexible

2pp Propak Asia1.indd 79

packaging has also acted as a major driver for this expansion In addition, the industry has benefited from a range of new products being developed by brand owners in an increasingly competitive consumer marketplace. Barrier flexible packaging will continue to grow in importance as consumer packaged goods companies and major retail chains demand greater product protection and longer shelf life.

The flexible packaging sector has traditionally had an extremely diverse

and fragmented structure, consisting of a few large global operations and many small to medium-sized national and regional companies.

Technical advances have allowed flexible packaging to become the format choice for a wide variety of consumer products.

Flexible packaging has, as a result, become substantially more sophisticated with high-end graphics, high oxygen and moisture barriers, and new functionality. _________________ Enquiry No: 391

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