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Functional ingredients Bottling & filling High pulsed electric field technology Safety: Whole room disinfection Show: Fi Europe Review

SPECIAL FOCUS Energy & the Environment

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December 2009

DECEMBER 2009 CONTENTS

Features

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3 Editorial

12 Targeted

Horror stories about food safety continue to fill news headlines despite the numerous industry developments in this area

6 Events

innovation

Ensuring a product is right for its target audience is vital if it is to succeed in a crowded marketplace. Alice Pegg of Leatherhead Food Research explores the options

9 Industry news

A record of conferences exhibitions and other events of interest to industry professionals

Sustainability remains top of manufacturers’ agendas

8 CIAA report The food and beverage industry continues its efforts to help consumers better manage their diets, with labelling initiatives and by reducing the fat, sugar and salt content of products, according to the latest CIAA survey in five major European markets

Cover image: © Yuri Arcurs | Dreamstime.com

10 Innovations The latest cakes and pastry products to have been seen on supermarket shelves around the world

18 Bottling & filling technology Beverage manufacturers are seeking to produce an ever greater variety of products in different packs and sizes, and at a faster rate, but without sacrificing the quality, cost or environmental credentials of the finished goods

Technology updates

20 Functional ingredients

28 Ingredients

As demand continues for health promoting foods and beverages, so the industry responds with innovative functional ingredients and healthy solutions

Ice cream, frozen foods and dairy products require some sophisticated ingredient solutions to optimise their quality, their health credentials and keep those all-important costs down

34 Processing Developments in automated end-of-line technology, handling and warehousing systems are helping companies to boost their productivity and profitability of operation

24 Fi Europe 38 High pulsed

electric field technology

In order to meet growing consumer demand for food products with fresh characteristics and high quality companies are turning to technologies such as high pulsed electric fields (PEF)

One of the busiest Food Ingredients Europe exhibitions attracted over 20,000 visitors to Frankfurt in November for three days of stimulating business and rewarding food and beverage industry activity

41 SPECIAL ENERGY

& THE ENVIRONMENT FOCUS Sustainability: Addressing the Life Cycle of Food Products

Your practical guide to food safety, hygiene and analysis

With the food industry responsible for about 20% of total greenhouse gas emissions and with more than a third of child deaths worldwide attributed to malnutrition, there remains a significant challenge ahead in the quest for a sustainable food supply chain

46 Whole room disinfection

Food safety and analysis

Whole room disinfection techniques may hold great potential for optimising cleaning processes, yet little microbiological or practical assessment is currently available. A new review by Campden BRI highlights the advantages and disadvantages of different whole room disinfection options

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ABB: Why there has never been a better time to invest in energy-efficient technology As profits are squeezed and companies look at ways to reduce operational costs, Timo Holttinen of ABB outlines the merits of one of the most energy efficient technologies available: the variable speed AC drive

© Food & Beverage International 2009. Reproduced with the kind permission of FoodBev Media, UK - www.foodbev.com For details about syndication and licensing please contact the marketing team on 01225 327890.

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EDITORIAL

Reporting good news for a change Click here to subscribe

espite Food & Beverage International’s years’ of reporting on the hundreds of excellent initiatives taking place throughout the supply chain to ensure the optimum in hygiene systems, quality control and ingredient safety & integrity, it is the everpresent food scare that continues to punctuate the wider food industry ‘News’ landscape. Whether it be Salmonella, Acrylamide, Melamine, BSE or bisphenol A, the food industry is always in the news for the latest ‘horror story’ related to ‘food safety’. The increasing globalisation of the supply chain clearly has a lot to answer for in this regard. China’s hand in adulterating milk with Melamine has resonated throughout the world and just this month, the Food Standards Agency pointed the finger at a Spanish egg producer for the alarming rise in the number of cases of Salmonella poisoning in the UK, which have tripled during the past year. Clearly, the testing, retesting and double checking of ingredient quality and provenance has never before been more important to good manufacturing practice. In the US, where food safety is increasingly a political issue, a proposal has been made that would see food manufacturers be held responsible for any product that is not pathogen free when sold. Given the frequent mistreatment of food subsequent

as The Consumer Goods Forum following its merger with The Global CEO Forum and The Global Commerce Initiative in June) will be held in Washington. It marks the 10th year of operation of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), which has pioneered the harmonisation of food safety schemes globally. To date, eight major international retailers have reached consensus on four GFSI benchmarked food safety schemes - an achievement that was considered impossible just 10 years ago.

the food industry is always in the news for the latest ‘horror story’ related to ‘food safety’.

to its production and distribution in the supply, this is a worrying suggestion and builds on the growing trend to hold food manufacturers accountable for every issue involving food. Obesity, heart disease, malnutrition and sustainability spring to mind for their part in today’s widening scope of food industry ‘food safety’ responsibility.

In this issue of Food & Beverage International, Campden BRI (p46) points out the developments being made in clean room disinfection and researchers at the University of Lleida give details of the latest research into high pulsed electric field technology for the treatment of juices & milk (p38); in the October issue, we reported on detection methods to avoid contamination (p62); and in September we wrote about the latest developments in hygienic design and cleaning systems (p58). The industry has never been more active in the field of food safety and it is high time we celebrated the actions being taken.

Yet so much is being done behind the scenes. In February 2010, the International Food Safety Conference organised by The CIES

Claire Rowan, Managing editor

- The Food Business Forum (now known

claire.rowan@foodbev.com

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Dr Yasmine Motarjemi

Huub L.M. Lelieveld

Dr Philip Richardson

Assistant vice president,

President, Global Harmonisation Initiative

Head of Food Manufacturing Technologies, Campden BRI

Food Safety manager, Nestec Ltd Karin Östergren Dr Michael Knowles

PhD, Project Leader & Scientifically responsible

Dr Harmen Hofstra

Vice president, Global Scientific &

within the Sustainable Food Production section,

Secretary general, The EU Association for

Regulatory Affairs, The Coca-Cola Company

Swedish Institute for Food Research, SIK

Food Safety; and Head of New Business

Dr J André de Barros Teixeira

Dr Sebastiano Poretta

Vice president, International R&D,

President, Italian Association of Food Technology

Development, Food Safety, TNO Nutrition & Food Research Catherine François

The Campbell Soup Company Dr Paul Berryman

Director, Food Safety Programmes,

Mrs Helen Sisson

Chief executive,

(CIES - The Food Business Forum)

Group technical director, Greencore Group

Leatherhead Food Research

The Consumer Goods Forum

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December 2009 www.foodbev.com

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EDITORIAL

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December 2009. Volume 8, Issue 6 Food & Beverage International is published six times a year by FoodBev Media Ltd, 7 Kingsmead Square, Bath BA1 2AB, UK. It is circulated to food and beverage manufacturers in Europe. For companies/organisations that are not manufacturers of food or beverage products, or located outside Europe, the subscription charge is €109 (US$179) for one year, or €218 (US$358) for two years. Cheques should be made payable to FoodBev Media Ltd, and sent to FoodBev Media Ltd, 7 Kingsmead Square, Bath BA1 2AB, UK. No items may be reproduced, copied or stored in any form,

including electronic format, without the prior consent of the Publisher. NB: While every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in Food & Beverage International is correct, the Publisher can accept no liability for any inaccuracies in any editorial, photographs or advertising, nor any loss or damage resulting from any material contained in the magazine.

All articles appearing in the magazine Food & Beverage International, or on the website www.foodbev.com are strictly covered by copyright.

December 2009 www.foodbev.com

EVENTS

2010 January

January 31 - February 3 Prosweets, the international confectionery suppliers exhibition taking place alongside ISM, the 40th such event for the international confectionery industry, Cologne, Germany. Details from product manager ProSweets or product manager ISM, Koelnmesse GmbH, Messeplatz 1, 50679 Cologne, Germany. Tel: +49 221 821 0. www.koelnmesse.de

February February 3-4 Healthy & Nutritional Bars conference, Cologne, Germany. Details from Ms Irene Kraak, Bridge2Food, Jan Van Eijcklaan 2, 3723 BC Bilthoven, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 30 225 2060; Fax: +31 84 832 7225. www.bridge2food.com February 3-5 The Global Food Safety Conference celebrates 10 Years of the Global Food Safety Initiative, Washington, USA. Details from Ms Catherine Francois, director of Food Safety Programmes, CIES - The Food Business Forum, 7 rue de Madrid, 75008 Paris, France. Tel: +33 1 44 69 84 84; Fax: +33 1 44 69 99 39. www.globalfoodsafetyinitiative.com February 21 Gulfood, finished foods & ingredients exhibition and conference, including Beverage Opportunity Workshops - a series of management briefings on beverage trends, innovation and opportunities in the Gulf region, Dubai. Details from www.gulfood.com and for the Beverage Opportunity Workshops from Event Department, Zenith International Ltd, 7 Kingsmead Square, Bath BA1 2AB, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1225 327 900; Fax: +44 (0)1225 327 901. www.zenithinternational.com

Food & Beverage International December 2009

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March March 9-10 European Fish & Seafood, conference organised by Nofima, the Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries & Aquaculture Research in collaboration with Campden BRI, Stavanger, Norway. Details from Daphne Llewellyn Davies, Campden BRI, Station Road, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire GL55 6LD, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1386 842 040; Fax: +44 (0) 1386 842 100. www.campden.co.uk March 15-17 Beneficial Microbes, international conference on the health impact and future potential of beneficial microbes, Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands. Details from Secretariat TNO Beneficial Microbes conference, Basitaanse Communication, PO Box 179, NL 3720 AD Bilthoven, The Netherlands. Tel: +33 30 229 42 47; Fax: +31 30 225 29 10. www.bastiaanse-communication.com March 21-24 Food & Drink Expo, exhibition for food retail, foodservice, wholesale and manufacturing, held alongside Foodex - the exhibition for food and beverage processing & packaging; the Baking Industry Exhibition; Convenience Retailing Show and International Forecourt Show, Birmingham, UK. Details from William Reed Exhibitions, Broadfield Park, Crawley RH11 9RT, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1293 610 352. www.foodanddrinkexpo.co.uk March 25 Food Additive legislation seminar, Chipping Campden, UK. Details from Daphne Llewellyn Davies, Campden BRI, Station Road, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire GL55 6LD, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1386 842 040; Fax: +44 (0) 1386 842 100. www.campden.co.uk March 25-26 Spanish Food Market Opportunities conference, Barcelona, Spain. Details from Ms Irene Kraak, Bridge2Food, Jan Van Eijcklaan 2, 3723 BC Bilthoven,

The Netherlands. Tel: +31 30 225 2060; Fax: +31 84 832 7225. www.bridge2food.com

May May 8-13 IFFA - International trade fair for processing, packaging & trade for the meat industry, Frankfurt, Germany. Details from Messe Frankfurt GmbH, Ludwig-Erhard-Anlage 1, 60327 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Tel: +49 69 75 75 0; Fax: +49 69 75 75 64 33. May 11-13 Global Pouch Forum & Technology Expo, Florida, USA. Details from Packaging Strategies, 600 Willowbrook Lane, Suite 610, West Chester, PA 19382-4550, USA. Tel: +1 610 935 2183; Fax: + 1 248 502 2072. www.globapouchforum.com May 18-20 Vitafoods, international nutraceutical exhibition, Geneva, Switzerland. Details from Laura Plumbly, Exhibitions Administrator, IIR Exhibitions, 5th Floor, 29 Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5EW, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7017 7019; Fax: +44 (0)20 7017 7818. May 25-27 Total Processing & Packaging exhibition, integrated processing & packaging exhibition, showcasing production line solutions from beginning to end, Birmingham, UK. Details from Mr Graham Earl, Reed Exhibitions, Gateway House, 28 The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1DN, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 8910 7890. www.totalexhibition.com May 25-27 Snackex Asia, international snack production exhibition, Beijing, China. Details from the European Snacks Association, 6 Catherine Street, London WC2B 5JJ, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7420 7220; Fax: +44 (0) 20 7420 7221. www.snackex.com May 26 Antimicrobials for Food Applications seminar, Chipping

Campden, UK. Details from Daphne Llewellyn Davies, Campden BRI, Station Road, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire GL55 6LD, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1386 842 040; Fax: +44 (0) 1386 842 100. www.campden.co.uk May 31-June 3 Iftech Pakistan, international food and technology exhibition, Karachi, Pakistan. Details from Ms Haleema Desai, Pegasus Consultancy, 2nd Floor Business Centre, Mumtz Hassan Road, Karachi, Pakistan. Tel: +92 21 111 734 266; Fax: +92 21 241 0723. www.foodtech.com.pk

June June 8-11 Packology, the Italian manufacturers’ packaging trade show organised by the Italian Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Association (UCIMA) and Rimini Fiera Spa, Rimini, Italy. Details from Packology, Communications, Nuova Comunicazione, Via Clodia, 19 - 47900 Rimini, Italy. Tel: +39 (0) 347 460 3321; Fax: +39 (0) 541 555 90. www.ucima.it June 10-11 International Fresenius Food Allergens conference, Frankfurt, Germany. Details from Ms Mummenbrauer, conference manager, Die Akademie Fresenius, Alter Hellweg 46, 44379 Dortmund, Germany. Tel: +49 231 758 96 81; Fax: +49 231 758 96 53. www.akademie-fresenius.com June 15-17 Probiotics & Prebiotics, international probiotic conference, Kosice, Slovakia. Details from the organising secretariat, PAMIDA International spol. Sro, Komenského 2656, 02401 Kysucké Nové Mesto, Slovak Republic. Tel: +421 918 707 371; Fax: +421 41 4000 123. www.probiotic-conference.net

Your event:

If you have a diary event you wish to publicise, send details to the editor at: claire.rowan@foodbev.com

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CIAA REPORT Click here to subscribe

Industry active in obesity fight, CIAA survey shows

espite the financial crisis, industry is continuing efforts to help consumers better manage their diets, an independent survey of over 1,500 food and drinks companies commissioned by the CIAA in five major European markets has found. Companies are continuing to reformulate their products, offer a wider range of package sizes and improve consumer information as part of a CIAAled commitment made to the European Commission in 2005 under the EU Platform. That year, the Commission’s Health and Consumers Directorate-General, seeking to reverse the increase in obesity and lifestylerelated diseases, set up an EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health. The Platform is designed to help industry, NGOs and other stakeholders collaborate to reverse these adverse trends, and encourages them to make specific commitments. CIAA, one of the largest members of the Platform, is responsible for about 40% of all such commitments. The survey, which measures behaviours in 2008, is the second one to look at industry’s performance. CIAA commissioned the first one last year to assess work done between 2004 and 2007. Both surveys were carried out in the same five major EU markets: France, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain and the UK. Food and beverage companies of all food sectors and sizes, from familyowned bakeries to large multinationals, were surveyed. Europe’s food and drink industry is notoriously fragmented; so 94% of the companies participating in the latest survey were micro, small or medium-sized. Encouragingly, the survey found that despite the crisis, the food and drink industry continues to reduce nutrients such as saturated fat, sodium and sugars in many products. In the space of a single year, 21% of the companies surveyed had taken steps to do so, compared to 43% who did so in the four years covered by the first survey. Larger companies, with bigger product ranges, are much more likely to act, with CIAA members playing a leading

Food & Beverage International December 2009

role: 82% of them had reformulated or innovated in 2008 (see Figure 1). Figure 1. Reformulation and Innovation Continue in 2008

2009 Question - 2nd Survey: What about the past year, from January 2008 until December 31, 2008 - did your company reduce the amount of saturated fat, salt or sugars in any of your current products or introduce new products with less saturated fat, salt or sugars in the past year? 2008 Question - 1st Survey: Since January 2004, has your company reduced the amount of saturated fat, salt or sugars in any of your current products or introduced new products with less saturated fat, salt or sugars?

The reasons given for not reformulating are illuminating, too: (a) for about half, reformulation was not relevant because their products are fresh and not packaged, (b) contain little salt/sodium, sugars or saturated fat to begin with, or (c) are made according to a traditional recipe, or in line with EU rules. The surveys thus suggest that most companies for whom reformulation is a practical option have done so, or are considering doing so in the near future.

In addition to products that are designed to minimise the amount of salt, fat or sugar, consumers need clear information to make educated choices about their diets. Here too, the survey showed, industry is making clear progress. Today, the vast majority of products in Europe which can carry nutrition labelling (that is, those that are packaged) already do, or will do so soon. Among the different nutritional information systems, the CIAA-backed GDA scheme is making the biggest gains. Most large companies are already using it, with a growing number of smaller firms following suit (see Figure 2). Overall, the trend revealed by this second independent survey is an encouraging one. Companies big and small are engaging in behaviours that demonstrate their commitment to the objectives pursued by the EU Platform. As a result, retailers are proposing an ever-greater choice of reformulated products bearing more and clearer information. We can realistically expect the rate of change to speed up in coming years, as the effects of the financial crisis wear off, legal uncertainty is lifted and peer pressure operates its magic. Consumers, already enjoying an increasing range of options to manage their and their family’s diets, will continue to benefit. www.ciaa.eu

Figure 2. Large, Medium and CIAA and National Federation Companies More Likely to Introduce GDA Nutrition Labelling

2nd Survey: Has your company introduced or is it planning to introduce nutritional labelling on your products that gives guideline daily amount information for things like energy (calories), fat, carbohydrates and protein or other nutrients?

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INDUSTRY UPDATE Click here to subscribe

Sustainability is top of manufacturers’ agenda Sustainability remains a top priority for manufacturers, 85% of whom have increased their investment in this area or kept it the same during the recession despite the fact that 42% believe it is not yet high enough on the shopper agenda, according to the latest findings from the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) in the UK. Three quarters of the manufacturers questioned

Food Valley research investment Almost €19 million is to be invested in advanced research facilities in the Food Valley in Gelderland, The Netherlands. For use by both business and research institutes, the new Centre for Advanced Agrofood Technology (CAT-AgroFood) will be set up and managed by Wageningen University & Research Centre. It will provide the infrastructure for research into healthy food and new food products and processes. Initial investment will include the purchase of an MRI scanner for determining the types and composition of fats in the human body and an Auger scanning probe microscope that provides information about the shape and composition of nano structures. “The centre will offer the equipment at operating costs to both Wageningen researchers and knowledge intensive companies in the agro food sector,” said Dr Frans Kampers, founder of CATAgroFood. “The income will be pumped into a revolving fund to acquire more new equipment in the future.” www.wur.nl

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think that sustainability will play a greater role in their trading relationships with retailers in the near future, and just over 40% view increased global competition for resource and more complex legislation as two of the biggest threats to wider sustainability in 2010 and beyond. “Our recent consumer research has shown that shoppers are already concerned about the environmental impact of products

and continue to seek value for their values,” said Joanne DenneyFinch, chief executive, IGD. “Manufacturers are looking further to the future, increasing investment in sustainable solutions and anticipating that shopper interest in green products is still in its formative stages. It is set to be a major feature in the marketplace in the coming new decade.” www.igd.com

GM food raises questions Genetically modified (GM) food products, including those that include GM ingredients used as processing aids or in animal feed, should be clearly labelled and further information about GM should be available, were some of the findings of a study commissioned in the UK by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The Report found different levels of understanding about GM food and consumers questioned expressed an interest in knowing the extent to which GM food is available; the potential long-term societal and personal impacts; and the potential consequences for animal welfare. Clear and accessible information was wanted from a range of different places, including in supermarkets.

The findings will be considered by an independent steering group, ready for a future GM Dialogue that the FSA has been asked to lead by the UK Government. At a European level, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a draft Report updating its assessment of the allergenicity of GM plants and microorganisms and derived food and feed. It provides new recommendations for assessing the allergenic potential of the proteins contained in GM plants. All interested parties are invited to give their comments, which EFSA will take into consideration before finalising its Report. www.food.gov.uk; www.efsa.europa.eu

Meat contributes to global warming Eating 30% less meat could help cut greenhouse gas emissions by a significant amount and save an estimated 18,000 lives a year from heart disease, said a recent study published in the medical journal, The Lancet. Livestock production provides around 80% of agricultural emissions and meat production is estimated to be to blame for around 18% of the overall emissions thought to cause global warning. Statistics

suggest that by 2030 the rising demand for meat will increase livestock production by 85% compared with 2000. Researchers from Britain and Australia found that although increasing carbon capture and reducing fossil fuel dependence in farming would not be enough to meet emission targets a combination of the two, plus a 30% reduction in livestock production and meat-eating would make a significant impact. www.thelancet.com

In Brief Kraft Foods has eliminated more than 50 million truck miles (80 million km) from its operations since 2005 as part of its focus on transportation and sustainability. Initiatives have included collaboration with customers and suppliers; reducing inventory stocks; eliminating idling trucks and using ‘high tech’ innovations for its trucks & warehouses. In Europe it is establishing a single transport hub in Bratislava in order to achieve a 20% reduction in the trips made between its European plants and distribution centres. www.kraftfoods company.com Highland Spring is to boost its leading position in the UK bottled water market with the agreement to acquire in full the Greencore Water Company from Greencore Group. The company will have five production sites in the UK once the deal is finalised early in the new year. www.highland-spring.com Hartwall in Finland is to close its Tornio brewery as of September 2010 from which point all of the company’s brewery production will be concentrated at its Lahti site. The current market environment, increased price competition, rising alcohol taxation, declining beverage markets and a suggested tax increase on carbonated soft drinks have caused the move. In order to meet the consumer demand for cans, however, Hartwall will invest in a new canning line at the Lahti site. Its spring water bottling plant in Karijoki remains. www.hartwall.fi

December 2009 www.foodbev.com

INNOVATIONS Click here to subscribe

Sugar reduced cakes Dutch bakery Peijnenburg has a long-established line of children’s cakes under the brand name Kapitein Koek, and has recently turned its attention to sugar reduction as well as more natural formulations. The cake bars in raisin, milk chocolate and vanilla varieties now contain

30% less sugar and are free from artificial sweeteners. They are also enriched with calcium, iron and vitamins, although it is the reduced sugar claim that is flagged prominently on-pack. A 22.5g serving of product delivers 5.8g sugars. A 180g pack of eight individually wrapped cake bars retails at around €1.40.

Cakes with DHA Sweet cakes may not seem the most obvious carrier for functional health ingredients, but Kinh Do in Vietnam has launched Scotti brand ‘butter milk cream buns’ featuring DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) as well as added calcium. The DHA is said to aid the brain and cardiovascular system, while calcium strengthens the bones and teeth. The filled buns are made with 6% butter, full cream milk powder, and milk and butter flavours, and are sold in a 60g bag priced at the equivalent of around $0.18.

In the USA, Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products has brought heart health to the waffles market. The company’s Krusteaz Multi-Grain Waffles are formulated with CoroWise, a brand of cholesterol-lowering plant sterols, which are said to promote a healthy heart. The Corowise name and a heart logo appear prominently on the front of pack, along with the statement ‘For a healthy start

to your day’. The waffles are also low in fat and reduced in sodium, are claimed to provide a good source of fibre, and are described as being made from naturally sourced ingredients, with no trans fat, palm oil, artificial flavours, colours, high fructose corn syrup, or preservatives. A 12.3oz (350g) carton containing 10 waffles retails at $3.49.

Home cooked pie

Healthy indulgence German baker Aerzener Brot und Kuchen has introduced a new line under the Vital & Aktiv brand name that is designed to bring health values to an indulgence product. The confectioner-style cakes have less than 3% fat content (a fact clearly communicated

Waffles for heart health

front of pack), and feature both yoghurt and fruit as key ingredients. They are aimed at health-conscious women. Varieties available include pineapple-yoghurt slice and apple-yoghurt slice. Both are sold frozen in 400g packs of four cakes.

The economic recession is also acting as a driver for growth in some categories where home-cooking, or home-baking, can be presented as an economical alternative to ready-made products. In Australia, Green’s has extended its range of convenience baking kits with the Entertain line, which includes Lemon Meringue Pie mix. It contains no artificial colours or flavours, and comes in a carton containing the separate components: shortcrust pastry base mix, lemon flavoured filling mix, and meringue mix. It is said to create a zesty lemon flavoured filling on a crisp shortcrust pastry base topped with meltin-the-mouth meringue. The

255g pack is marked with a ‘skill rating’, on a scale of easy to advanced, with this variant being advanced. The pack retails at AUS$ 3.65, approximately €2.15.

Mintel International Group Ltd, gnpd (Global New Products Database) is a web-based database capturing information on new packaged consumer goods products, including ingredients, nutritional information, pricing and packaging. The fully searchable database also includes colour photos of products, and editorial features on product trends and innovations. For further details on how the service can help you gain the competitive edge, call Mintel on Tel: +44 (0)20 7606 4533. www.gnpd.com

Food & Beverage International December 2009

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INNOVATIONS Click here to subscribe

Raw chocolate brownies A twist on the traditional The raw food trend has impacted the cake market now following the launch of Gourmet Raw’s line of brownie cakes in the UK. These are Soil Association certified organic, and are described as handmade. The Celestial Cacao Scrumptuous Chocolate Brownie Cake is made with a blend of

agave nectar, raw handcracked cashews, oats (stabilised above 40.5°C), dates, 5% cacao powder, pecans, raw almond butter, vanilla powder, cinnamon and Himalayan salt. The Cocobanana variety combines chocolate, coconut and banana as its key ingredients. Both are free from dairy, wheat, artificial colours and flavours, and retail in 90g packs.

Sweet treats for adults Pepperidge Farm in the USA has introduced a new pastry product positioned as a sweet treat for adults. Petite Twists are described as puff pastry treats made from layers of delicate, crisp pastry swirled with sweet cinnamon and raspberry or chocolate flavours. The product is said to deliver less than 90 calories in two pastries, and retails in a 3oz (85g) metal can holding nine pieces, priced at around $3.29.

Cup cakes for kids and adults Nippon Flour Mills in Japan has launched a cupcake mix featuring a Hello Kitty branding. Oh My Hello Kitty Mug Cup Cake Mix comes in chocolate and milk flavoured varieties, and is designed to be

stirred with eggs and microwaved for two minutes - according to the manufacturer, it is easy enough for children to prepare themselves. The mix is also calcium-fortified, making it nutritionally appropriate for its dual target audience: young children, as well as their mothers who grew up when Hello Kitty was at the height of its popularity. To increase adult appeal, the pack carries a code readable via a mobile telephone from which consumers can download recipes that use the mix. The mixes retail at about 145 Yen per 40g pack, or approximately €1, making it a highly affordable and interactive treat.

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Traditional foods often perform well in times of recession, as consumers turn to the reassuringly familiar, and if these traditional foods can be given a twist such as a flavour development, this can help. Manor Bakeries in the UK has taken its very traditional Mr Kipling Bakewells product and added flavour inspiration from a seasonal food favourite, the toffee apple (a candy-coated apple sold on a stick). Toffee Apple Bakewells are individual tarts with layers of toffee sauce, apple flavoured sponge and toffee flavoured icing. The pack of six tarts, flagged ‘New Inspirations’, retails at around £1 (€1.10). The Bakewells are free from artificial colours, flavours and hydrogenated fat.

Trans fats free Cinnamon crisps Cinnabon brand cinnamon rolls, described by the maker as world famous and certainly extremely well known in North America, are now available in a new format. Cinnabon Crisps are slices of cinnamon rolls ‘toasted to perfection’ and sprinkled with Makara cinnamon. They are certified kosher and free from trans fats, and are sold in a 6oz (170g) film pouch said to be ideal for use on-the-go as a baked gourmet snack.

Mini confectionery bites Finsbury Food Group has worked with Nestlé to develop cake versions of the confectionery company’s established Toffee Crisp and Munchies brand, to create a mini bite product. Nestlé Toffee Crisp and Munchies mini bites have been introduced into the UK retailers Tesco and Morrisons. With a recommended retail price of £1.99 (€2.19) per tub of 15 mini bites, the new products will benefit from the Nestlé brand association. Toffee Crisp Mini Bites are crispy cereal products, blended with toffee caramel and coated in milk chocolate. The Munchies Mini Bite combines a biscuit and chocolate base, layered with caramel and enrobed in milk chocolate. Both products contain no added colours or flavours.

December 2009 www.foodbev.com

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TARGETED INNOVATION

Innovation:

hitting your target Ensuring a product is right for its target audience is vital if it is to succeed in a crowded marketplace. Leatherhead Food Research’s recent reports on products for children and anti-ageing shed light on what is required *By Alice Pegg, head of food innovation, Leatherhead Food Research

o be successful at targeted innovation you obviously need to know your target! The target market may be quite broad, for example ‘value’ products for anyone who is looking for the best value, and often the cheapest price. Or they can be for specific age groups

Food & Beverage International December 2009

(ie children, teenagers, adults), or even more specifically for a market with special nutritional needs (e.g. pregnant women, athletes). It is essential that the needs and desires of the target consumer group are understood, and then, to develop a successful product, the marketing,

technical and regulatory challenges need to be understood and overcome.

Children Children aged 5-14 represent 9-12% of total populations in western Europe, while all children (aged 0-19) account for 19-25% of the total population (Children’s Food and Drinks in Europe Report, August 2009, Leatherhead Food Research). In terms of value, for the five largest countries in Western Europe (Germany, the UK, France, Italy and Spain), total sales of the 13 categories covered in the report were estimated to be worth €13.8 billion in

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because they have ‘chemically’-sounding names. Understanding consumer expectations and preference is a very important part of successful product development. Sensory evaluation is used to provide the food product developer with an objective assessment of the sensory characteristics of the food product, and using a tool such as preference mapping, this can be combined with consumer assessment, to determine the specific characteristics of products that drive consumer preferences.

A trained adult sensory panel can provide a better analytical view of the sensory characteristics of a product than children, who tend to be more subjective

2008, representing 11% of total sales in these categories. So, despite the projections that child populations as a percentage of the total population will continue to decline over the next few years, children remain a significant and important target market for the food and drink manufacturing industry. However, marketing has to satisfy two populations, the children and their parents! Children are attracted to foods with colourful packaging, cartoon imagery, child-friendly flavours and textures, unusual shapes and colours, and interactive or play elements. Adults are more concerned with the health aspects of the product. With the well-publicised concerns over childhood obesity, fat, sugar and calorie reduction are important, but also the removal of artificial additives, and even the addition of healthy ingredients such as fibre and vitamins. These drivers can be in conflict, as parents may want to reduce the sugar in their child’s diet, but don’t want to feed them artificial additives. And despite the obesity issue, an increased awareness of body image and size by children is leading to a growing number of young children with eating disorders. With more households where both parents work, and the hectic lifestyles of adults and children (most parents will recognise their role as their children’s taxi driver!), older children will increasingly be making food choices for themselves, and convenience is an increasing factor influencing parental approval and child preference. This

Food & Beverage International December 2009

suggests that microwaveable and quickcook items as well as on-the-go products will continue to increase. The challenge is to make these products healthier, whilst retaining their appeal for children. And, in 2009 in the UK, the Food Standards Agency provided new recommendations for reductions in salt, saturated fat and sugar levels in a range of general food products, which would include some targeted at children. To develop a successful product directed at children, for most countries natural colours are a must. Ideally, all ingredients and additives should be natural, or at least have a ‘clean label’ perception by consumers. This is a trend that started in the UK and is now spreading across Europe, and beyond, and is not just restricted to children’s products. In 2008 the number of clean label product launches grew by 48% and this area has remained popular in 2009 (Mintel). Many clients of Leatherhead Food Research are asking for new products to be developed as ‘clean label’, however, this poses a challenge as there are no specific definitions regulating this term. There is no official list of clean label ingredients, although the retailers driving this trend have rankings of ingredients that should be eliminated. It is not practical to make all foods additive-free or even with ‘no artificial additives’, and still maintain product quality and shelf life. In practice, any additives that have had bad publicity are on the hit list, but others are picked just

Usually the food industry uses a trained panel comprised of adult assessors to profile food, including food being developed for children. But are trained adults able to identify the same sensory attributes of a food product that influence preference in children? This formed the basis of a study carried out at Leatherhead (Adult versus Children: Differences in Perception of Sensory Attributes, September 2007, Leatherhead Food Research). An interesting difference was that the children generated descriptors

Yoghurts for women In Spain, Mintel’s Global New Product Database has picked up the launch of Danone’s new Natural Yoghurt targeted at women over 40. Densia contains a double dose of calcium, compared to other traditional natural yoghurts, and vitamin D, to help the absorption of calcium in the body. Containing 400mg of calcium and 5mg of vitamin D (25% of the recommended daily intake), the new low fat yoghurt is available in three flavours: Natural, Strawberry and Natural with Sugar. It retails at €1.49 for a 4 x 125g pack. www.gnpd.com

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patients, it is possible to develop drinkable nutritional products using hydrocolloids, manipulating different mixtures to give specific viscosities and textures.

Fig 1: Research into the ability of the elderly to chew assessed the blending of two-colour chewing gum after a set number of chews based on the more noticeable aspects of the product, such as colour, whereas the trained adults based their descriptors on the inherent properties of the product such as flavour and mouthfeel. Continued exposure to a product made the adults better judges of it, whilst children tended to get worse, probably because they got bored. In addition, children tend to be

volatiles) contributes considerably to the enjoyment of food. This research showed that older consumers have difficulty eating their food. This included difficulty in oral manipulation, chewing and swallowing (dysphagia). One of the tests developed for assessing chewing ability used two colours of chewing gum. After a set number of chews, the gum was spat

more neophobic (averse to trying new foods) than adults, and this has more effect on their food preference. The results of the study suggested that, if a more analytical view of the product is required, a trained adult panel would be better describing the sensory characteristics, if a more subjective view is required, the children may give a better insight into the ‘kids view’.

out and assessed for degree of colour mixing (not one of the most popular jobs!) (see Fig 1 above).

It is also known that consumers reduce their ability to smell and taste food with increasing age, so flavour levels may need reformulating for products targeted at older consumers. Decreased strength and dexterity, and failing eyesight, mean that the packaging should be easy to open with large print for more readable labels. A lot of research is being carried out in this area, particularly in Scandinavia. Scandinavian members of the European Sensory Network have developed sensory methods to test the ease of opening packaging, and applied these to a range of packaging formats. This can be valuable for future packaging

So texture is an important attribute when designing products for older consumers. This doesn’t mean that all food should have a bland, mushy texture. For dysphagic

Over 50s Another big market, and one that is destined to grow significantly over the next few decades, is the elderly, owing to increasing life expectancy and declining birth rates. The over fifties already account for over 50% of total grocery spend in the UK (IGD), and this will increase as the ageing population increases. There are challenges and opportunities here, and these include marketing, technical and regulatory challenges. Technical challenges relate to changes in the consumer’s perception of food. This has been known for a number of years, but has not transferred into many successful products for this market yet. A few years ago, a big EU-funded project ‘Healthy Ageing: How Changes in Sensory Physiology, Sensory Psychology and Socio-Cognitive Factors Influence Food Choice’ was carried out, and Leatherhead was part of the research team. The ability to differentiate various food textures and to chew effectively (thereby releasing important flavour

Food & Beverage International December 2009

Cereal for Athletic Men

The 34 mm diameter SimplyTwist screw cap on Tetra Brik Edge requires a low opening force, designed to be easy to open, pour and reseal for everyone. The angled top makes it easier to grip the cap, there is more space for the hand and fingers and, when pouring, the carton doesn’t need to be lifted high

Targeting athletic men in particular, the new Wheaties Fuel Cereal from General Mills is said to be the new breakfast of Champions - and the first cereal designed specifically to help ‘fuel wins’. Developed with the help of triathletes, decathletes and sports nutritionists, Wheaties contains lightly sweetened, crunchy whole wheat flakes with granola and crispy rice and a touch of cinnamon & honey. The cereal is said to feature the long-lasting energy derived from whole grains and 100% of the daily value of five B-vitamins to help the body release energy from food. Mintel’s Global New Product Database has identified that the product is currently available for sale on line at www.wheaties.com/evolution in 15.5oz collectors edition boxes and is scheduled for retail launch in 2010. www.gnpd.com

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TARGETED INNOVATION © Food & Beverage International 2009. Reproduced with the kind permission of FoodBev Media, UK - www.foodbev.com For details about syndication and licensing please contact the marketing team on 01225 327890.

development. Tetra Pak took specialist advice during the development of its latest packaging solution for chilled liquid dairy products - Tetra Brik Edge (FBI.Oct.p61) and worked with the Swedish Rheumatic Association, using their methodology to be sure that the package is suitable for those with limited hand function. Sociological factors such as single person households often mean that older people lack the enthusiasm or the skills to cook, which, in turn, drives them to look for convenience foods and singleportion packs. But these smaller portions do need to be nutritionally balanced, and a niche, but growing sector takes this further by adding in specific ingredients - anti-ageing foods. These are food and drinks that aim to prevent or reduce age-related diseases, especially cognitive function, eye health, joint function and skin health (The Market for Anti-Ageing Foods, October 2009, Leatherhead Food Research). However, these products are only as successful as the claims they can make, and the new Health Claims Regulations in Europe may mean that in future the scope for making claims is severely limited. There isn’t space in this article to go into detail about the regulations, but anyone interested in the health area will be aware of the number of claims currently being rejected by EFSA, and it is likely that innovation in this area will be stalled, at least in the short term, as industry better understands the level of evidence required for a claim (see FBI.Oct09.p18). Also, if the active ingredients sold for anti-ageing benefits are new to the EU market, they may come under Novel Foods Regulations. Many of the anti-ageing products are not specifically defined as such, but tend to focus more on health maintenance, protection and body defence, most often with an ‘extending the years’ positioning. This is not just because of the regulatory challenges relating to claims, but also because of consumer aversion to products marketed directly at the elderly, a grouping that nobody likes to think of themselves as being in. And maybe this is the biggest marketing challenge of all - the ageing population do not consider themselves as old, so why would they buy products obviously targeting the elderly? www.leatherheadfood.com

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Special Reader Offer Order the Children’s Food & Drink in Europe 2009 report (usual price £595 for Leatherhead members, £695 for non-members) or The Market for Anti-Ageing foods, 2nd Edition report (usual price £450 members, £585 nonmembers) from Leatherhead Food Research and receive a 15% discount on the purchase price for each report. Order via email to publications@leatherheadfood.com quoting ‘FB15’ and the title of the report, or contact the editor at tel:+44 (0) 1473 311 531

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BEVERAGE FILLING Click here to subscribe

Bottling & filling technology

each featuring the same simple control concept. For classic carbonated beverages, the Innofill DRV-VF filling valve uses only two pneumatically-controlled membrane cylinders to control the entire filling process including the lifting operation and sealing of the bottle mouth against the filling valve.

Sidel introduced the first of its new generation of fillers at Drinktec, the SF 330 FM electro-pneumatic volumetric filler and rinser for carbonated beverages

Beverage manufacturers are looking for greater flexibility to produce an ever greater variety of products in different packs and sizes and at a faster rate, but without sacrificing the quality, cost or environmental credentials of their products By Claire Rowan - managing editor

t the Drinktec exhibition in Munich in September many of the leading specialists in bottling and filling technology were taking the opportunity to discuss their latest innovations designed to fulfil on the industry demand for hygiene, sustainability, flexibility as well as greater throughput and cost savings.

the Innofill DRV, which for beverages with no or low conductivity, also now operates with volumetric flow metering as well as electromagnetic inductive flow metering,” said Ludwig Clüsserath, manager of KHS’ process engineering competence centre, who said that the technology is designed with flexibility, simplicity and hygiene in mind.

Giant of the bottling & filling world, KHS was ready to discuss the many developments to its Innofill DRV filling system for plastic bottles, which have been made in response to industry demand.

“The new version also allows for the handling of plastic bottles with various different neck diameters including non carbonated and carbonated beverages in plastic bottles with large, 38mm bottle necks.”

“The growing trend in the soft drinks sector towards hot filled plastic bottles has prompted the integration of a new hotfill module into

Capable of filling 70,000 bottles per hour in all shapes, and sizes from 0.1 to 5 litres, the Innofill DRV is available in several versions

Food & Beverage International December 2009

“One of the two cylinders is responsible for the opening and closing of the liquid seat, the other manages all of the gas processes,” said Manfred Härtel, manager, filling and rinsing technology, machine process systems machines, process engineering competence centre, KHS, who explained that precise control of the pressure forces was possible. “If, for instance, the filling pressure is high, the bottle will be pressed against the filling valve with the required ‘greater’ amount of force, and if the filling pressure is low, a correspondingly lower pressure force is used. The advantage of adapting the pressure force to suit each individual filling station is that the plastic bottles are handled extremely gently and the sealing system is subjected to a minimum amount of stress, which in turn reduces the number of wear parts, lengthens servicing intervals and further boosts the efficiency of the filling system.” Also on the stand, KHS introduced its next generation of stretch blow moulders that can save energy, reduce materials and optimise line utilisation - the InnoPET Blomax Series IV - which can now produce up to 72,000 plastic bottles per hour; as well as its latest collaboration with Agr International to develop Agr’s PETWall Profiler material distribution management system and Process Pilot closed loop control software. The Agr technology can measure material distribution in a pre-form in up to 32 locations, creating a thickness profile for the entire container sidewall at speeds of up to 100,000 bottles per hour. Any deviations in the material distribution of the pre-form can be translated by the Process Pilot programme using

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BEVERAGE FILLING

Click here to subscribe algorithms to adjust critical blowmoulding settings and therefore maintain a constant thickness distribution for the bottles being produced. Among a myriad of solutions demonstrated at the show, fellow bottling & filling giant, Sidel, unveiled the first of its new generation of fillers: the SF 330 FM electro-pneumatic volumetric filler and rinser for carbonated beverages; a complete new beer line; the SBO Universal 2 range for blowing bottles from recycled PET; and news of its Predis dry decontamination technology. “Our new generation of fillers starts from a new base that includes a modular architecture and takes into account hygiene, sustainability and flexibility in all areas of the design,” said Corrado Ballerini, business communication manager. “The machines need to ensure shorter delivery times and higher product quality. So, it is now possible for us to test each module - up to 80 of them - individually prior to full commissioning, which means we can reduce commissioning time by 25%.” Capable of filling 23,000 bottles per hour, the SF 300 FM filler features 120 filling valves and 20 capping heads, and each component is designed to be easier to clean: nozzles have reduced grooves that might harbour residues, all surfaces are curved to avoid liquid retention, and special cleanable seals are easily reached by cleaning-in-place agents. There is also a positive pressure inside the machine which ensures that dust is kept out. “In this way, the new generation of our fillers is getting as close to aseptic filling as possible without actually being aseptic,” said Andrea Lupi, combi & fillers product manager, Sidel Group, Blowing & Coating, which now provides different filling options ranging

At Drinktec, GEA Procomac unveiled a wealth of innovations for filling

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Sidel also discussed its Predis dry sterilisation system (FBI.Sept09.p34), which has now been taken up by LSDH in France for its milk products; and by Danone in Russia, where Sidel’s Combi Predis is used for the production of its Activia dairy products with fruit pieces at a rate of 36,000 bottles per hour.

KHS’ Innofill DRV has been fully updated to give a hot fill module and volumetric flow metering for beverages with no or low conductivity

from the basic to the Ultra Clean that allow manufacturers to meet the trend for products with reduced preservatives. Sidel’s new electronic level-probe filler for filling beer into glass bottles, the SF 300 LP, has electro-pneumatic components integrated into the filling valves. This simplifies the machine design as there are no pneumatic connections. With a filling capacity of 72,000 bottles per hour, the SF 300 LP has 132 electro-pneumatic filling valves configured to reduce assembly or disassembly time, and requires no lubrication for bottle lifts. In order to meet the demand for sustainable bottling options, Sidel launched its SBO Universal 2 range at the exhibition. Designed to accelerate blow moulding output by 10% to give 2,000 bottles per hour per mould, the SBO Universal 2 range also decreases energy consumption by 10% in the ovens, and can create crystal clear bottles made from 50% recycled PET. “We worked with Husky to show that you can use up to 50% rPET on a 1.5 litre carbonated bottle and still retain the quality of the finished bottle,” said Sylvie Rak, sales communications manager, Sidel, which is continuing its collaborative work to determine the limit of recycled materials that can be used. The company’s ‘lightweighting’ work dovetails with its new ECO EIT and ECO Booster services, which are designed to help bottlers and bottle manufacturers improve the productivity of their equipment whilst delivering better environmental performance in terms of packaging materials, decreased water and energy consumption as well as waste and emissions.

Dry sterilisation was also discussed by GEA Procomac, whose new Steribeam process for caps has been integrated into its cold aseptic filling technology to transform sterilisation from chemical to energy based technology. Said to be the first such system in the beverage industry to employ electron beam cap sterilisation, the Steribeam technology provides sterile caps, fed by a cap sorter, to the capping machine and is mounted on the top platform of the filling machine. Simple electron emitters are used to produce electrons and convey them into beams, which are directed to the caps’ surface, killing any possible micro-organisms that may be present. The Steribeam can be used on multiple cap formats, sizes and geometries; can give up to 5 log reduction in microorganisms and reduces operational costs by one third, according to GEA Procomac. Tapping into the need for improved environmental performance, GEA Procomac presented its fifth generation of wet aseptic filling bloc, the ECOSpin, with reduced water consumption and smaller machine footprint. Suitable for both high and low acid beverages, the ECOSpin is based on wet PAA (p-azoxyanisole) based aseptic filling and focuses on cost optimisation. Both internal and external surfaces of the bottles are sterilised with the spraying of liquid PAA and then the bottles are rinsed with sterile water. The angle of the steriliser and rinser has been improved; the transfer starwheel is used for dripping; and the PAA technology is said to be effective on Cold Spot contamination. For news of Krones - see the Drinktec Review (FBI.Oct.p30). Other developments in the area of bottling & filling will be covered in future issues of Food & Beverage International.

For more information www.khs.com www.sidel.com www.procomac.com

December 2009 www.foodbev.com

FUNCTIONAL INGREDIENTS Click here to subscribe

Ingredients:

the functional options As demand continues for health promoting foods and beverages, so the industry responds with innovative functional ingredients and healthy solutions By Claire Rowan - managing editor

espite the hurdles posed by the European Health Claims directive, the functional foods market continues to enjoy considerable growth and is forecast to account for around 25% of the global food market by volume by 2010, according to the Future Institute in Kelkheim, Germany. This figure is forecast to rise to as much as 50% of the market by 2050 as an ageing population takes an increasingly active interest in health, and consumers become ever more informed and selective. Fortitech, the global specialist in custom nutrient premixes, has seen no reduction in the interest in functional ingredients although,

Food & Beverage International December 2009

according to Patrick Morris, communications manager, there has been a shift towards a more holistic approach to healthy living. “We have received queries about what other ingredients or nutrients are available that will give the same health benefits but with cost improvements, and also an increase in the number of consumers taking a more preventative approach to health,” said Mr Morris, who said that there was still keen awareness across all categories in products for the baby boomer generation such as bone and joint health, collagen and fibre etc. Fortitech was demonstrating some of the latest consumer trends at its stand at the

The Beneo Group has demonstrated its commitment to the future of functional foods with the launch of the Beneo Institute Fi Europe exhibition with product concepts including a brain tonic, nutri-cosmetic licorice and an immunity boosting ice cream. So confident is the Beneo Group of the future for the functional foods sector that it launched the Beneo Institute during the Fi Europe exhibition with the aim of ‘Connecting Nutrition & Health’ and to bring together

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FUNCTIONAL INGREDIENTS

Click here to subscribe food and drink manufacturers to develop innovations with well substantiated nutrition and health claims.

Soy protein Many other companies at Fi Europe were taking the opportunity to introduce their new initiatives in the functional foods arena. The well established benefits of soy, which enjoys claims associated with reduced cholesterol in the USA, were the focus of activity for several companies.

National Starch has teamed up with ConAgra Mills to sell ConAgra’s Sustagrain high fibre barley flour and flakes in Europe the expertise of its three business units: Beneo-Orafti, the inulin & oligofructose specialist; Beneo-Palatinit, the specialist in the sugar replacer, isomalt, and the low GI & fully digestible carbohydrate, Palatinose, (isomaltulose); and Beneo-Remy, which offers functional ingredients derived from rice and whole grain flours. “The functional foods arena is complex. Consumers are asking for healthy snacking, weight management, gut health, good kids nutrition etc. In order to succeed in functional ingredients we have to make a big step, and we feel the Beneo Institute can help our customers make a big step,” said Yves Servotte, Beneo-Group executive board member. “Our customers and partners will benefit from the research being carried out into functional ingredients and the knowledge about these ingredients. The transformation of this knowledge into dossiers for substantiation of claims and sound interpretation of regulatory challenges will add value and ultimately improve the efficiency of the development of new products.” In particular, the Beneo-Institute, headed by Matthias Moser, will bring together the group’s experience in Nutrition Science, Regulatory Affairs, and Nutrition Communication as well as its external scientific network. Drawing on the group’s knowledge of weight management, digestive health, dental health and physical and mental performance, the Institute aims to help

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“We have proposed a number of claims for soy in Europe and hope to have a positive response soon,” said Michele Fite, vice president - global strategy & marketing & specialty business, Solae, which introduced its new soy protein isolate at the show. Supro XF draws on proprietary technology, developed as part of Solae’s collaborative research with Novozymes, and enables significantly higher levels of soy protein to be included in a wide range of beverages without impacting the taste or clarity of the product. “Whereas you would normally notice the taste of soy at levels of 15-20g per 500ml, we have formulated beverages with as much as 40g of soy protein per 500ml without any impact on the quality of the end products,” said Greg Paul, director of performance nutrition, Solae, who explained that Supro XF is created using proprietary enzymes, which specifically target proteins and therefore avoid the problems of taste and viscosity usually associated with beverages containing higher amounts of protein. Supro XF can be used in neutral or slightly acidic pH ranges and has a low viscosity profile that is similar to hydrolysed proteins, but without their bitter flavour. It lends itself to use in ready-to-drink and powder beverages for high performance nutrition, clinical nutrition and weight management sectors. It can be used to replace up to 100% of the high value dairy proteins such as caseinates and milk protein isolates.

the synergistic properties of soy protein isolates, a calcium source and natural stabilisers in one easy-to-use powder. This formulation solves all the typical issues associated with soy and calcium inclusion in ready-to-drink beverages, according to David Kraus, Solbar’s global applications manager: “It eliminates precipitation, chalkiness and the gritty mouthfeel, protein coagulation and nonhomogenous calcium distribution.” Solpro 958QS contains levels of calcium similar to that of milk and has been tested in a number of UHT preparations.

Wholegrain health The benefits of wholegrains were the topic of conversation on the National Starch stand where the company was just drying the ink on its new agreement with ConAgra Mills to sell ConAgra’s Sustagrain high-fibre wholegrain flour and flakes in Europe. “Sustagrain ingredients are nutrient-dense, whole grain products that provide unmatched levels of fibre, plus antioxidants and B vitamins,” said Mike Veal, vice president of marketing, ConAgra Mills, which claims that Sustagrain offers the highest fibre content of any commercially available wholegrain. Sustagrain is derived from a proprietary identity-preserved barley variety, which contains more than 30% total dietary fibre. This is three times the level of total dietary fibre and soluble fibre found in whole oats, LimaLin from Limagrain Céréalés Ingredients provides Omega 3 derived from wheat flour and linseed flour

Solbar introduced its new ready-to-use stabilised calcium fortified soy protein isolate solution for pH neutral beverages; and its new series of Solpro isolated soy proteins designed for nutritional bars and crisps, which also exhibit the functional properties required for extrusion systems or for use as a binder (p45.FBI.Sept 09). Solpro 958QS was developed in conjunction with Purac of The Netherlands and combines

December 2009 www.foodbev.com

FUNCTIONAL INGREDIENTS Click here to subscribe and up to eight times more fibre than other wholegrains, according to ConAgra Mills. “As a natural, sustainable, high fibre wholegrain, Sustagrain complements our established range of high performance nutritional ingredients, which includes Hi-maize, resistant starch,” said Pauline Taggart, business manager for nutrition, National Starch Food Innovations, which highlighted the launch of two new Sustagrain products at the show. Sustagrain Flakes are high fibre whole barley flakes designed to impart thickness and granulation in nutrition bars, hot & cold cereals and baked goods. Sustagrain Flour is a high fibre wholegrain barely flour that is milled to a micro-fine particle size and can be used in cold cereals, baked goods, snacks, pasta and beverages. Around 40% of the fibre in Sustagrain is present as beta-glucan, which will help manufacturers to tap into the EFSA approved claim regarding beta-glucan and cholesterol maintenance. “If they want to manufacturers can take the claims route, or they can tap into the mainstream wholegrain/fibre platform,” said Joni J Huffman, director of business development ConAgra Food Ingredients, who pointed out that Sustagrain is better at keeping consistent blood glucose levels compared to oats and wheat. Other grains were also vying for attention throughout the show. Mefita highlighted the natural, nutritional benefits of its grain ingredients derived from the primitive grain, Teff. Said to be around 150 times smaller than wheat grains, Teff grains are always processed whole rather than being husked and are high in carbohydrate, fibre and minerals; low in phytic acid; and gluten free. They contain trace elements of various proteins including the trace elements of cysteine and methionine; are high in calcium

and iron, and are said to contain less than half the phytic acid, which inhibits the absorption of calcium and iron in the body, than whole wheat. At the show, cereal specialist, Limagrain Céréales Ingrédients (LCI), was discussing the functional benefits of its new LimaLin ingredient derived from wheat flour and linseed flour, which is rich in Omega 3. “LimaLin is the ideal partner for bakery, pastry and extruded applications such as breakfast cereals and snacks, and an easy way to increase the Omega 3 content in formulations without modifying the taste, smell and texture of the finished product,” said Walter Lopez, marketing manager for nutrition at LCI. “With an incorporation of only 5g of LimaLin, bread, cookies or breakfast cereals can become a source of Omega 3.” Developed to give a 12 month shelf-life, LimaLin is also said to increase the softness in muffins or madelines, for example; and to help reduce the fat and improve the crunchiness of cookies or biscuits.

Health and beauty The prevailing baby boomer demand for health, beauty, mental agility and joint health are the focus of new functional ingredient solutions from Glanbia Nutritional with its beauty-from-within enriched flax ingredient; Barry Callebaut’s recent cocoa studies; Enzymotec’s Sharp GPC 45F and TandemRain Innovations’ ActivMSM for joint health. Glanbia Nutritional’s enriched flax ingredient has been found to increase the lustre, shine and overall condition of human hair in a recent IRB-approved study on females between the ages of 45 and 55 who ate a 16g flax-enriched nutrition bar every day for four weeks. The softness, smoothness, lustre and shine of the participants’ hair were all noted to have improved. Barry Callebaut unveiled the results of its latest scientific studies into the anti-ageing effects of Acticoa cocoa and chocolate products, which were found to help maintain a healthy skin.

Barry Callebaut unveiled results that demonstrate the anti-ageing effects of its Acticoa cocoa and chocolate products

Food & Beverage International December 2009

Enzymotec’s new Sharp GPC 45F is said to improve mental function and impede memory related cognitive decline. A sweet, crystal-clear liquid that can be easily formulated in beverages or liquid products, Sharp GPC contains Alpha-GPC, which is an essential naturally occurring brain nutrient

Glanbia Nutritional’s enriched flax ingredient has been found to boost the lustre, shine and overall condition of hair that is capable of boosting the AcethlCholine levels in the brain and provide essential nutrients to the brain. Sport Rejuvenation, a newly launched brand of sports drinks and foods, is the first to use TandemRain Innovations’ ActivMSM, which promotes joint health. A recognised joint health nutrient, MSM has been shown to reduce inflammation and protect articular cartilage, according to TandemRain. These and other solutions attracted great interest at Fi Europe and are continuing to support new food and beverage product launches in the functional foods arena. General health and wellbeing are also fuelling new product development and a dedicated article on Meeting the Demand for Healthy Products will be published in the February issue of Food & Beverage International.

For more information www.fortitech.com www.beneo-group.com www.solae.com www.solbar.com www.foodinnovation.com www.mefita.com www.limagrain.com www.glanbianutritionals.com www.barry-callebaut.com www.enzymotec.com www.tandemrain.com

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FI EUROPE Click here to subscribe

Ingredients innovation One of the busiest Food Ingredients Europe exhibitions attracted over 20,000 visitors to Frankfurt in November for three days of stimulating business and rewarding food & beverage industry activity

N-Dulge FR, from NSFI, is a starch based solution that mimics the role of butter, margarine or bakery fats in cake recipes

By Claire Rowan - managing editor “

his has unquestionably been the best Fi Europe so far,” said David Sargent, director of the flavours specialist, FD Copeland. Both visitors and exhibitors alike demonstrated that there remains dynamism and a will to invest and innovate despite the prevailing economic conditions, and many stands were full to capacity from the moment the doors opened.

Some of this year’s greatest innovations were rewarded on the first evening of the show at the Food Ingredients Excellence Award ceremony. National Starch Food Innovation (NSFI) picked up the top award for its N-Dulge FR co-texturiser, which allows the butter, margarine or shortening used in cake recipes to be reduced by up to 75%. N-Dulge FR is a starch based solution that significantly reduces the cost of ingredients, provides savings in warehousing and storage thanks to its potential to increase shelf life, and ensures that wastage is reduced and processing efficiency is achieved due to its excellent batch-tobatch consistency. Essentially, N-Dulge FR mimics the role of butter, margarine or bakery fats in cake recipes (such as high ratio or pound cake type products). It allows reductions in both the fat and saturated fat in finished products, and reduces their calorie content by up to 25%. Chr Hansen also scooped two of the Awards for its new products Chy-Max M, in the Dairy Innovation category, and Bactoferm Rubis, in the Savoury/Meat Innovation category.

bitter peptides,” said Mads Aamann, application technologist, innovation, cheese, Chr Hansen. “It is a very specific enzyme, which doesn’t degrade other peptide chains that could cause bitterness. In this way it supports the flavour profile of the cheese and retains within the cheese the peptide chains that would otherwise be jettisoned and contaminate the whey. So the whey is purer, and the cheese yield is greater.” It functions at dosages of 25% less than a first generation chymosin, yet gives a cheese yield increase of at least 0.2%, according to Chr Hansen. And, in some fresh cheese types, Chy-Max M may also enhance the shelf life of the cheese as the texture is not broken down as rapidly as with traditional coagulants. In the Savoury/Meat category, Chr Hansen’s new Bactoferm Rubis culture helps meat manufacturers to ensure that sliced and whole meats retain their colour during shelf life.

Chy-Max M is Chr Hansen’s second generation chymosin for coagulation of cheeses, which is said to increase the yield and taste of the cheese as well as give cleaner whey and better process control. Fi Europe attracted over 20,000 to Frankfurt this year

Food & Beverage International December 2009

“Chy-Max M is a liquid coagulant that is easy to use and does not produce any

Chr Hansen picked up two Awards at this year’s show

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FI EUROPE

Click here to subscribe The focus is to have the same colour product at the end of the shelf life as at the start, said Jürgen Schwing, application manager, meat cultures, Chr Hansen

“We supply the culture and work with the customer on their specific application.” Applied in solution to the top of the meat in the pack prior to sealing, at a level of just 0.5 to 1ml per pack depending on the application, Bactoferm Rubis has the ability to enhance the look of meat products over 7 time. The culture is effective at 10 cells per gramme and Chr Hansen is currently working with companies on its practical application. An excellent, robust flavour system, which can be used to produce products such as baked mint cookies, full-flavoured pasta or extruded snacks, and lemon flavoured wafers, for example, was the winner of the Snacks/On the Go Innovation Award. Culinar of Sweden’s patented Culinax flavour system

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draws on a combination of effective process protection for volatile flavour compounds and a natural flavour release model. “For extruded snacks, for example, the flavour system can be put into the dough before extrusion and the flavour is only released on chewing,” said Karin Birch, sales promotion & marketing, Culinar. “We have a strong knowledge of taste and starch. We merged our starch and taste businesses, including the R&D departments, five years ago and the two teams have subsequently worked together to find a way to protect flavours in a wide range of products. The flavours are protected throughout processes such as baking, extrusion, and any other tough conditions and are not released until chewed in the mouth.” Now, using the Culinax flavour systems it is possible to produce pasta, which has the true taste of spinach, or olive, etc. “We can use any natural or synthetic flavours. The flavour is long and lasting, and continues to grow as you chew,” said Ms Birch. “Each

Culinar demonstrated its novel Awardwinning flavour system for use in extruded, baked and no fat products

December 2009 www.foodbev.com

FI EUROPE Click here to subscribe application is specific. Once we have optimised the end product with the customer we then supply the system as a powder, which can be added as usual with other ingredients.”

Innovations on show Other innovations abounded throughout the halls. Enzyme-modified cheese specialist, Biocatalysts, was demonstrating its extended range of enzymes that now include more proteases and new lipase products and provide a wide range of benefits for cheese manufacturers. It has recently teamed up with Novacta Biosystems to develop and manufacture intracellular enzymes, which together will be developed to provide the optimum tailored enzyme systems for customers. According to Biocatalysts, it has the expertise to increase the end product yields and to ensure the functional stability of enzyme systems during shipping and storage. The company’s new Lipomod 768P is said to be the best microbial alternative to pregastric esterase. A mixed fungal esterase and protease, which is suitable for both vegetarian and kosher markets, it can be used to achieve a Swiss-style flavour in cheese. For hydrolysis of cream to produce Cheddartype and Romano-type flavours, Biocatalysts has developed its Lipomod 772P. Also newly available from Biocatalysts is Promod 775P, a protease product that accelerates proteolysis in lowfat mozzarella and other filata cheese in order to improve the string and melt properties of the cheese.

On its dynamic stand, Wild was demonstrating its natural colours, natural functional flavours, extracts, fruit powders and stevia-based food & beverage concepts. Seven new colouring foodstuffs have been added to the Wild range of natural extracts and concentrates from plants, fruits or vegetables. Each corresponding to the type of fruit for which it is named, the new Wild colour portfolio includes banana, mango, mandarin, redcurrant, elderberry and lime and is suitable for use in confectionery such as hard candies, dragees, jelly gums and ice cream applications. The colours cover the entire spectrum from yellow, orange and red to green and include beta-carotene, various carotenoids, anthocyanins, carmine, betanin and copper chlorophyllin. The stable, intense, bright and highly concentrated colours are available as water- or oil-soluble liquids and powders. To give products, such as beverages, jelly gums and hard candies a refreshing note, Wild has developed its functional ‘Fresh Up’ range of flavours, which provide taste with a ‘lively freshness’ that leave behind a cool, pleasant sensation with no hint of menthol or peppermint. Also on the stand, Wild was discussing its natural functional, premium tea and herbal extracts for premium products as well as a standardised antioxidant pack for a variety of applications. It highlighted its new Mental Energy Drink concept that incorporates the proven health benefits of extracts and includes a standardised lemon balm extract and Fruit Up - the natural fruit sweetener from Wild. The beverage increases alertness and boosts cognitive performance (as confirmed by the Brain Science Institute of the Swinburne University of Technology, in Australia).

Wild’s standardised natural antioxidant blend containing extracts from green tea, grape skins and grape seeds has a high standardised polyphenol content and a natural antioxidant effect. It is suitable for a wide range of beverage applications and can also be used with Wild’s stand featured novel concepts for natural colours, other functional flavours, antioxidant blends and more

Food & Beverage International December 2009

Biocatalysts demonstrated its extended range of enzymes for cheese ingredients for products such as chocolates, baked goods and cereal bars. Sensient has extended its Fusion range with new shades of high performance colouring foodstuffs and natural colours giving bright and stable colouring for confectionery, dairy and beverage products. For its Fusion Red Currant Red, Sensient has drawn on carrot and beetroot varieties to produce a stable, brilliant red currant colour shade for dairy applications and confectionery such as panned sweets and hard boiled candies. It is suitable for vegetarian and kosher products and can be used to replace carmine. Fusion Nectarine Orange derived from oil soluble carotenoids is produced using a novel dispersion and emulsification process to give highly stable and precise bright colour shades. The high performance emulsion delivers a brilliant appearance, and provides an alternative to azo dyes in beverage and confectionery products. Further news of the latest in fat- and saltreplacers as well as sweetening systems for products will be covered in dedicated articles in the February issue of Food & Beverage International.

For more information www.wild.de www.fdcopeland.com www.chr-hansen.com www.foodinnovation.com www.ingredientsnetwork.com www.sensient-fce.com www.biocatalysts.com www.culinar.se

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INGREDIENTS Click here to subscribe

Pectins for jams, jellies and spreads CP Kelco has developed a new range of pectin products designed to create new textures in reduced-sugar and sugar-free jams, jellies and fruit spreads. Marketed under the GENU Explorer brand, the new pectin types are produced using a proprietary process, which retains the properties of the natural fruit. Designed to be smoother and creamier, the jams are also said to have improved visual appeal

AAK has extended its Akomix range of fat blends for ice cream, which allow products to be formulated with 50% less saturated fats

Reduces saturated fats in ice cream AAK’s Akomix fat blends now allow ice cream manufacturers to reduce the saturated fatty acids in ice cream products by more than 50%. Akomix LS 40 and Akomix LS 30 have been added to AAK’s Akomix range and contain 40% or 30% saturated fatty acids respectively - compared with dairy fat, which contains around 67% saturated fat. According to AAK, by using Akomix fat blends, the ice cream production can be tailored to produce or emphasise different ice cream characteristics such as hardness, cooling properties and creaminess. The specific composition of the Akomix blends make it possible to reduce

Food & Beverage International December 2009

the saturated fat content without compromising on the functionality and sensory properties of the end product. They are said to leave a clean and neutral taste; and ensure excellent storage stability. Other developments on show at Fi Europe included AAK’s confectionery filling fat for aerated non-hydrogenated smooth fillings, Deliair NH, which was nominated for the Food Ingredients Excellence Award in the confectionery category. Deliair is said to offer the highest whipping capacity of any filling fat on the market. Also highlighted were Akotop NH 100 non hydrogenated fat for whipped toppings and pumpable shortenings for bakery applications. www.aak.com

due to a reduction in syneresis and improved fruit distribution. “We have seen that the GENU Explorer products give producers more consistent production and improved syneresis control,” said Poul Larsen, technical support & development manager food. Several of the new pectin range can be used to formulated organic and natural labelled products. www.cpkelco.com

Whiter whey with a clean taste DSM Food Specialties has introduced a new, patentpending enzymatic concept for creating colourless whey products with a clean taste and no off-notes. MaxiBright is a fungal peroxidise, which can reduce the levels of annattoderived colour in whey. By pin-pointing the exact molecules responsible for whey colouration, it bleaches the whey without the addition of aggressive, chemical compounds, and preserves the whey proteins’ integrity. “Achieving the desired white whey colour is a priority for

manufacturers in terms of securing a price premium but this cannot be at the expense of taste or functionality which is the downside of using traditional bleaching methods, such as peroxide,” said Rutger van Rooijen, new business development manager, DSM Food Specialties. “MaxiBright is a natural, sustainable alternative to peroxide. It offers an easy to process, highly effective method of producing clean tasting, brighter, whiter whey.” www.dsm-foodspecialties.com

DSM’s new MaxiBright patent-pending enzyme concept ensures production of clean tasting, bright, white whey

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Creamy ice cream with shock stability Palsgaard’s IceTriple has been developed to give a smooth and creamy sensation to ice cream as well as excellent heat shock stability and excellent melting resistance. A fully integrated emulsifier and stabiliser system, IceTriple is available in several different fat levels, with the latest addition to the patentpending range, IceTriple 103, being free from non trans fatty acids. The suspension of the stabilisers in the melted emulsifiers, followed by a spray crystallisation process, transforms the products into uniform, free-flowing powders, which are easy to handle for a wide range of frozen applications including hardened brick ice cream, soft serve ice cream, low calorie ice cream and soft scoop ice cream.

Palsgaard’s IceTriple range of integrated emulsifier and stabiliser systems provide smooth and creamy ice creams The melting profile of an ice cream is strongly influenced by the choice of emulsifiers, which control the degree of protein desorbtion during the ageing of the emulsion and affect the fat crystallisation. IceTriple ensures the slowest melt possible for ice cream, according to Palsgaard. It also ensures a pleasant texture and mouthfeel even after the ice cream has been repeatedly exposed to fluctuating temperatures. www.palsgaard.com

Flours replace starches The Purafarin range of flours from Kampffmeyer Food Innovation provides binding and thickening systems, which can replace chemically modified starches in many applications including soups, sauces, convenience meals and frozen products. Purafarin (Typ H 151 W) has high process stability, does not create lumps and does not form a skin once the food is cooled. Neutral in taste, with a high opacity and imparting a full-bodied mouthfeel, Purafarin (Typ H 151 W) lends itself for use in soups, sauces, convenience meals and frozen products. It has an amylopectin content of 100% compared to standard wheat’s 75%, which gives it its capacity to bind large quantities of water and to build stable viscosities. Due to its opacity, Purafarin enables cream or crème fraiche to be reduced in recipes; and its high water binding capacity prevents syneresis. When used in toppings or in breadcrumbs, it binds any emerging liquids to ensure that the toppings remain appetisingly firm and breadcrumbs do not chip off. The Purafarin range comprises a variety of specific variants from different types of grains, each of which has tailored properties that are suitable for different applications. The range also includes rice and corn flours, whole grain flours and organic variants. In each case, only physical processes such as thermal

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Kampffmeyer Food Innovation‘s range of Purafarin flour-based binding and thickening systems can be used to replace chemically modified starches

or hydrothermal treatment are applied to modify the raw material and as such the Purafarin binding systems are suitable for clean label applications. At Fi Europe, Kampffmeyer also demonstrated its whole grain alternative to pastry flour. SnowWheat allows manufacturers to formulate baked goods that have the appearance and taste of white flour products, but with the same nutritional value as wholemeal products. Based on white wheat, the SnowWheat specialities contain no bitter-tasting phenolic substances and therefore lend themselves for use even in fine bakery goods. www.kampffmeyer.de

December 2009 www.foodbev.com

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Stabiliser for ice creams The Stern-Wywiol Gruppe was out in force at Fi Europe and demonstrating many innovations for different applications including ice cream, dairy products, mayonnaise, baked goods, energy drinks, confectionery and convenience foods.

Gelita has perfected a solution called Optice that produces excellent results in fat- and sugar-free ice creams

Low fat ice creams with texture At Fi Europe, Gelita presented its new concepts for fat- and sugar- free ice creams made with its innovative Optice solution - a gelatine blend, which imparts the same texture and mouthfeel of a full fat version. The Deutsches Institut für Lebensmitteltechnik in Quackenbrück has evaluated the performance of Optice and confirmed the excellent sensory properties of ice cream made without fat, stabilisers or emulsifiers, but containing just Optice, milk powder, sugar and water. In comparison with a standard ice cream containing 10% butterfat, the sensory panel found that the Optice ice cream was slightly colder on the tongue, had almost identical melting properties, excellent smoothness and an acceptable mouthfeel.

Food & Beverage International December 2009

Designed for ease of use, Optice gives a viscosity and lowering of the freezing point of the pre-product, which is comparable with the fatcontaining emulsions used for standard ice creams, according to the research. It is stable after heat-shock and ensures a good size distribution of ice crystals in the ice cream, giving a structure that is similar to that of sorbets, which also contain no fat. Optice, which can be labelled as hydrolysed gelatine or hydrolysed collagen, is supplied as a white powder that is said to be neutral in taste and odour, and easily incorporated into existing standard ice cream production processes without change. The overall flavour is said to be very similar to creamy standard ice cream. www.gelita.com

Specialist in stabilisers and emulsifiers, Hydrosol, marked its first move into the ice cream sector this year and was highlighting its wide range of customised stabilising systems including Stabimuls IC that provides the optimum in melt, viscosity and rheology, texture and consistency in standard or premium ice creams. The company also works with its sister companies to provide the stabilising systems together with chocolate pieces, special flavours or fruit preparations, for ice creams. “Emulsifiers and stabilisers only make up a small part of an ice cream formulation,” said André Kunde, technical sales manager, Hydrosol. “Nevertheless, the right choice and composition of the individual components is

decisive for the success or failure of the end product.” Herza Schokolade unveiled its latest chocolate specialities for ice cream, dairy products and fruit preparations including muesli, bakery mixes, frozen pastry goods and long life bakery products and baby foods. Fine nuggets with a hand made appearance, broken irregularly by means of a special cutting technique; and chocolate semolina have been perfected for ice cream decoration. Small pieces of chocolate with granulates and two-colour chocolate drops can also be used for enhancing ice cream, frozen gateaux and muesli. For fortified dairy products, SternVitamin now offers the fatsoluble vitamins A, D, E, K and beta-carotene as premixes in the form of oily blends, which it has achieved with the investment in a new blending line for fluids. Suitable for dairy products as well as margarine and edible oils, the fat-soluble vitamins are available as oily premixes, and also as a spray-dried powder. www.stern-wywiol-gruppe.de

Companies in the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe unveiled a wealth of innovations for ice cream, dairy products, mayonnaise, baked goods, energy drinks, confectionery and convenience foods

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Innovation Centre brings a flavour of fast NPD Optimising the new product development cycle is a challenge being addressed by NPD teams throughout the world as the time it takes a product to get to market can make the difference to its success or failure on the shelf. Ensuring that the product’s flavour is bang on target is also key. At Frutarom, which specialises in bringing taste and health to food and beverage products, a Rapid Prototyping service has been put in place that offers significant savings in that all important NPD time to market. “In one or two days, we can do the work that would have taken weeks in the past,” said Axel Graefe, general manager, Taste Solutions Europe, who is also responsible for the inspiring Innovation Centre at Frutarom’s Wädenswill site in Switzerland.

brainstorming meeting takes place in Frutarom’s large open meeting room at the Innovation Centre, which gives far-reaching views of Switzerland’s magnificent countryside. Here, inspiration is fuelled by the setting and the experienced flavourist team. and then development work begins in one of the five flavour laboratories on site. Mr Graefe explained that the Rapid Prototyping system can bring dramatic and fast results, but requires openness and trust on the part of both the Frutarom team and the client’s NPD team. “We share our expertise and experience openly, and customers share their goals, needs, and parameters for the desired product.”

of batches of samples during their visit.”

the customer.

and spend one or two intense days working on different products, and then return to their companies with five or six examples of finished products ready to show to their marketing department the next day. We usually fine-tune at least a couple

Food & Beverage International December 2009

Feedback and expectations are shared immediately, which is highly motivating for us and the client, and brings rapid results, said Mr Graefe

Product concepts are fine tuned,

According to the results of projects already conducted using the Rapid Prototyping technique, tasting scores are far higher for the first and second batches of trial products than are ever achieved using traditional NPD techniques - that involve sending samples to and from the Innovation Centre and

“Customers come to the centre

An initial briefing and

Frutarom’s Wädenswill site is also responsible for its extensive flavour analysis and development work, which has recently resulted in the development of some of the 27 new citrus flavourings for fresh tasting clean label products, which was communicated under the concept name ‘Citrus Competence’. Among the Citrus Competence range, grapefruit, lime, mandarin, tangerine, orange, lemon, clementine, pomelo, yuzu

and blood orange flavourings are available in natural and FTNF (from the named fruit) variants. At the start of 2010, the company’s Citrus Competence project will focus on the impact of the new legislation for 2011 that will bring into force the 95:5 ruling for natural fruit specific flavourings; as well as citrus tonalities and the freshness and stability of citrus flavourings for the alcoholic, non alcoholic, dairy, confectionery and bakery sectors. The Frutarom Group creates, develops and produces flavours, food systems (fruit and vegetable preparations) and herbal extracts, and supports both NPD projects and reformulation of existing products to meet the trends for healthy, flavour and clean label. www.frutarom.com

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INGREDIENTS © Food & Beverage International 2009. Reproduced with the kind permission of FoodBev Media, UK - www.foodbev.com For details about syndication and licensing please contact the marketing team on 01225 327890.

Lycopene for beverages

Allows gluten replacement

BASF has introduced an allergen-free, starchbased lycopene for beverage applications, which imparts both colour and is known as a powerful antioxidant.

In response to growing demand for gluten-free foods, Dow Wolff Cellulosics (DWC) Food&Nutrition has introduced its Methocel gluten replacement solution.

LycoVit 10 CWD/W is a vegetarian, cold-water dispersible lycopene formulation that can be used in all beverages including lemonades, sports drinks, multivitamin juices, fruit-based drinks, ready-to-drink beverages, liquid supplements and meal replacements. It can also be used in dairy products, cereals and nutrition bars.

Designed for easy incorporation into any foods where gluten needs removing, Methocel gluten replacement is said to give the same characteristics as gluten in terms of processing efficiency, quality, taste and texture.

Part of BASF’s Universal Formula range of nutritional ingredients, LycoVit has been shown in clinical studies to reduce oxidative damage in the white blood cells of elderly women and it can inhibit progression of age-related prostate enlargement in elderly men, according to BASF. It is non-animal derived, protein-free, GMOfree, BSE/TSE-unaffected, kosher and halal. www.basf.com

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In addition, the new gluten-free solution can actually enhance food by providing moistness throughout its shelf-life, preventing collapse during baking, and avoiding the gas or bloating effects often associated with other sources of fibre. “I am amazed by this new solution,” said chef, Gérard Ladner, who demonstrated Methocel on the DWC stand at Fi Europe.

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Dow Wolff Cellulosics Food&Nutrition has introduced its Methocel gluten replacement solution for use in any product “It adds unique properties and outstanding performance to gluten-free foods. Finally, we are able to create quality gluten-free foods that also taste great.” www.dowwolff.com

December 2009 www.foodbev.com

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Refurbishment at Chivas Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whisky and premium gin arm of Pernod Ricard, has completed a multi-million pound refurbishment of its conveying, palletising, shrink wrapping, storage and dispatch systems at its plant in Kilmalid, Scotland, where it produces 20 million cases per year. During a carefully planned three-year upgrade programme, undertaken in four phases, Chivas Brothers replaced its 25-year-old equipment with new without disruption. For each of the four contracts, it chose

control systems from Autotech Controls, working in partnership with the handling systems main contractor, Excel Automation. All the control systems for the carton conveyors, pallet conveyors, palletisers and stacker cranes were supplied by Autotech. In phase one, eight automatic stacker cranes were refurbished and the latest generation of intelligent Rockwell AC drive systems was selected. The cranes now feature full closed-loop control via laser positioning devices on the horizontal and vertical

Autotech supplied the control systems for the stacker cranes, palletisers and conveyors as part of a refurbishment by Chivas Brothers’ Kilmalid bottling plant movements, which eliminates the need for on-board PLC controllers. The final phase involved the twelve dispatch lanes that fed old clamp-type

pallet exchangers being replaced with an improved pallet exchange system, including laser-guided automated guided vehicles. www.autotech.co.uk

Dairy is automated Elettric 80 introduces its Beverage Dragon, end-of-line palletising system, for the precise handling of beverages

Automatic palletising End-of-line systems specialist, Elettric 80, has extended its Dragon robotic palletiser solution for high throughput beverage lines. Depending on the speed and palletising patterns required, the Beverage Dragon combines one or two Pick & Place Fanuc robots, which position packages; and one Fanuc robot with an Elettric 80 patented gripping head, which transfers the product onto the pallet, often at one complete layer at a time. The Beverage Dragon can typically manage between six to 12 layers per minute. As products in the beverage industry often have a bigger variety in shape and weight, and

Food & Beverage International December 2009

yet need precise positioning in order to maintain locking patterns – and therefore stable pallets – Elettric 80’s Beverage Dragon can be programmed to suit individual

A new material handling system has been implemented at Petmol, a division of Unimilk, in Russia, to handle dairy goods pallets at a rate of 120-150 pallets per hour. Petmol turned to the Finnish specialist ACTIW, which worked with CSi industries of The Netherlands, to put in place a complete handling system from palletising to dispatch. Said to bring cost savings both in the use of Petmol’s existing material handling space and in the control of the whole operation chain including rack supported

buildings, the installation includes two storage areas: one operating at +4°C and one at 20°C. ACTIW’s, modular, system design is flexible and it is not restricted to a certain unit load size or form, which makes it highly suitable for the handling of a variety of materials and different dairy goods. The Petmol hub has a handling capacity of 4,450 pallet positions with 120 pallets an hour being shipped into the warehouse and 150 pallets per hour exiting. www.actiw.com

customer’s specific products. The palletising patterns are studied and the software calculates the optimum layer pattern for space optimisation and pallet stability. The Beverage Dragon can handle cans, trays, PET bottle bundles and clusters of glass bottles without any mechanical adjustments. Changeover is achieved using software with a user-friendly interface. At maximum speed it can handle up to 200kg of product. www.elettric80.it

The Russian dairy, Petmol, turned to the Finnish specialist ACTIW, and CSi industries of The Netherlands for its new material handling system

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PROCESSING

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Robots speed palletising operations Robots from ABB are providing faster, more accurate palletising operations at Cadbury’s Sheffield factory following the introduction of a £1.2 million (€1.3 million) palletising system implemented by CKF Systems. Three ABB IRB 660 robots, each controlled by ABB’s dedicated palletising programme, PickMaster 5, form part of the refurbishment, which now brings higher levels of productivity and service levels above 99.5% at Cadbury. “Without a doubt, this has changed the face of Sheffield’s packing hall,” said Michelle Fitton, manufacturing manager, for Cadbury’s Gums & Liquorice Division. “It has made us

more cost effective, has further improved our high standards of safety, and is enabling the team to work more collaboratively than ever before. And, we are playing our part in improving the environment by reducing the number of vehicles delivering our products each year.” The new system incorporates three independent robotpalletising cells, each comprised of an ABB IRB660 robot complete with vacuum gripper. The new system handles up to 22 cases per minute and incorporates a pallet handling system including pallet dispensers and high speed stretch wrappers. Each robot station offers multiple line feeds, which collect products

from three separate conveyors. The robots have the ability to handle three separate pallet sizes. Capable of handling up to 250kg, the ABB 660 robots handle multiple box pick-up, which reduces cycle times and maximises throughput. Their four-axis design has a reach of 3.15 metres and is suitable for palletising bags, boxes, crates, bottles and other packs. “The IRB 660 robot offers fast, flexible palletising capabilities and can handle multiple product lines in different pallet formats

Cadbury’s has installed three new IRB 660 robots from ABB to handle 22 packs per minute as part of a new palletising system implemented by CKF Systems

with ease,” said Ian Schofield, product manager for ABB’s robotics business. “The robots give Cadbury’s a versatile handling system that can be

easily re-programmed to meet the needs of just about every palletising application.” www.abb.co.uk

Sorter operates at -30˚C For the automated sorting and distribution of frozen products, the Beumer Group has introduced a new tilt tray sorter that performs even at temperatures as low as -30˚C.

a Beumer tilt tray sorter at its cold store where approximately 1000 pallets are handled daily in refrigerated conditions ready for despatch to up to 600 Migros stores.

The specialist in innovative solutions for intralogistics has tested the tilt tray sorter at a cold store in Dortmund, Germany, where it was proven to have the durability required to operate consistently and continuously in the challenging conditions of a frozen food storage facility. The conveyor belts used in the design are produced using an elastic base material, which minimises the wear and tear caused by low temperatures, and special isolation materials are used to protect the electronic components and cabling in the machine.

According to Beumer, the installation of the tilt tray sorter allowed Migros to reduce both the number of people working and also the amount of time they spend in the -30˚C environment.

Migros in Switzerland has already installed

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At a total length of 132m, the Beumer tilt tray sorter has a distribution capacity of up to 7,500 trade units per hour. www.beumer.com

The Beumer Group has introduced a new tilt tray sorter that ensures reliable automated sorting of product even at temperatures as low as -30˚C

December 2009 www.foodbev.com

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High pulsed electric fields offer an interesting alternative to traditional thermal treatments for juices and milk

High pulsed electric fields: extending shelf life In order to meet growing consumer demand for food products with fresh characteristics and high quality, in addition to a long shelf-life, researchers are developing new technologies such as high pulsed electric fields (PEF) By Mariana Morales-De la Peña and Olga Martín-Belloso*

he non-thermal character of PEF technology and the fact that it can be applied to homogeneous liquids in continuous flow are two of the principal advantages of this emerging process.

causing little depletion in its health related components.

Essentially, PEF treatment consists of applying pulses of high electric field strength (several kV per cm) for a very short time (microseconds); while keeping a moderate temperature during the process,

One of the most critical objectives of the food industry is to manufacture safe products, which meet international standards. To this end, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA has established a minimum of 5 log reduction of target micro-organisms in preserved products - a requirement that PEF-treated

thus, maintaining the food’s freshness and

products can satisfy.

Food & Beverage International December 2009

The application of PEF destroys microorganisms because it provokes the permeabilisation of their membranes and as a consequence the breakdown of cells. The level of microbial destruction depends on the field intensity used and the treatment time applied to the product. This technology provides stable products, protecting them from microbial spoilage during shelf-life. In the same way, its application has an influence on enzymatic activity, avoiding undesirable changes and, therefore, leading to products with high quality. In order to prove the efficacy of this process, several studies have been carried out and have demonstrated that the extension of the shelf-life of products achieved by PEF is comparable to that of heat-treated products. However, the main advantages of PEF technology over

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Fruit juices Shelf-life and the inactivation of the natural microflora in PEF-treated orange juice have been studied extensively and results show that, after applying a treatment of 35.7 kV per cm and 35 exponential-decay pulses to high-pulp orange juice in continuous flow, a 5 log reduction of the natural micro

in colour, flavour and other physicochemical characteristics throughout the storage time. In addition, a thermal treatment was combined with PEF to prolong the shelf-life of the product, with the ultra high pasteurised milk being immediately exposed to a PEF treatment. This combined treatment resulted in a shelf-life of 60 days.

traditional preservation processes lie in the fact that PEF-treated products tend to keep their original flavour and also most of their bioactive compounds, such as vitamins, carotenoids and phenols, among others.

Treating milk with PEF is as effective as heat treatment in terms of physical stability

flora can be obtained, prolonging the product’s shelf-life for more than one week at 9ºC. However, if the product is kept at lower temperatures (4ºC), its shelf-life could be increased by more than 28 days, depending on treatment conditions. In the same way, it has been demonstrated that reactivation of enzymes, during the storage of the product, does not occur after PEF treatment. PEF-treated orange juice has a higher retention of vitamin C than thermally-treated juice, and the colour of the PEF-treated product is similar to that of natural juice and does not change during storage time. Changes in the quality of juice treated by PEF are always significantly lower than those induced by thermal treatments.

thermally processed and stored at 4ºC. It was observed that the PEF-treated juice always retained more vitamin C than the thermally treated product when stored for 42 days; and the flavour and colour were retained better in the PEF-treated juice during 112 days of storage. No significant differences were observed in the soluble solids, pH and viscosity between PEFtreated and thermally treated tomato juices. Sensory evaluations indicated that the juice treated by PEF had greater intensity of flavour and overall acceptability than thermally treated tomato juice; and other results have also demonstrated that PEF-treated tomato juice maintained higher lycopene and vitamin C content than

Apple juice has also been used as a model

thermally treated juice during 91 days

to evaluate the effects of PEF treatment on

of storage at 4ºC.

shelf-life, with changes in physicochemical attributes (colour, pH, soluble solids, density, viscosity, conductivity, and sensory) and deterioration of vitamin C during storage being analysed and compared with untreated juice. PEFtreated apple juice and cider achieved a shelf-life of 67 days at 4ºC. A higher retention of vitamin C content was observed in the treated juice kept at that temperature, whereas this decreased at 37ºC and the shelf-life was only around 36 days. On the other hand, no differences in colour were detected during storage time for either apple juice or cider kept at three different storage temperatures (4, 22 or 37ºC). The PEF-treated juice had flavour attributes similar to those of fresh juice, whereas PEF-treated cider showed slight differences from the untreated product. A commercial-scale unit was used to evaluate the effects of PEF on the quality of tomato juice, which was either PEF or

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Milk Milk is pasteurised by heat to extend its shelf-life, however, thermal processes affect the retention of the nutritional ingredients, such as vitamins and other bioactive compounds. Consequently, the effects of PEF-process on the shelf-life of milk have been investigated and compared with those caused by traditional thermal treatments, and shown that treating the product with PEF is as effective as heat treatment in terms of physical stability. A PEF treatment of 35kV per cm for 1000μs extended the shelf-life of the product to five days, a similar period to that achieved by traditional pasteurisation. In other studies, whole and skimmed milk were treated by PEF to evaluate the changes in their sensory and physicochemical properties. PEF-treated samples were compared with those thermally treated. In general, PEF process did not cause significant changes

Further work on combining PEF treatments with natural antimicrobials, such as essential oils or bacteriocins, to extend the shelf-life of different fruit juices and milk has been evaluated. The use of bacteriocins in PEF-treated milk has demonstrated itself to be a promising alternative for improving the shelf-life of the product. Also, the application of essential oils in combination with PEF is a treatment that is able to inactivate pathogenic micro-organisms and lead to a shelf-life of more than 91 days in different fruit juices stored at 5ºC. However, the taste and odour in those PEF-treated juices, containing essential oils, were significantly affected, and as a result, it was concluded that although combinations of these treatments may be an alternative process to heat pasteurisation, further studies are needed to decrease the impact on the sensory attributes of the products. Ultimately, PEF is a promising non-thermal alternative or complementary preservation technique to traditional thermal treatments. It can be applied for extending the shelflife of liquid foods to keep them free of microbial spoilage while preserving their nutritional properties. There is great potential for use of this technology to develop new processes and products, as well as to improve existing ones, however, processing conditions, the intrinsic and extrinsic factors of the different liquid foods and target micro-organisms need to be established in order to facilitate the optimisation and standardisation of the PEF treatment. www.tecal.uld.es *To contact the authors of this article: Department of Food Technology, University of Lleida, Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191. 25198 Lleida, Spain. (omartin@tecal.uld.es)

Acknowledgement The authors of this article participate in the EC funded Integrated Project ‘NovelQ’ that aims to remove hurdles to the application of novel food processing methods.

December 2009 www.foodbev.com

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ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT FOCUS

Sustainability:

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Addressing the Life Cycle of Food Products tend to be very limited compared to other components of the supply chain, ie less than 2% for most food products. This impact can leap to 20% as a result of the energy needed to produce the package or in the case of packaging for water products such as beverages (Katajajuuri and Virtanen 2007). The consumer transport required to purchase the food can also have a significant impact (Braschkat 2003). And finally, consumer use of the food, including

cooking, can also be a contributor to the life cycle impact (Braschkat 2003) of a product.

Agriculture Agricultural production is estimated to be responsible for about one third of total

With the food industry responsible for about 20% of total greenhouse gas emissions and with more than a third of child deaths worldwide attributed to under nutrition, there remains a significant challenge ahead in the quest for a sustainable food supply chain

However, as sustainability means that food is produced and consumed in a way that supports the wellbeing of future generations, one of the leading challenges for the food industry is how to expand the successes at the level of manufacturing to the rest of the supply chain.

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emissions and about half of the food supply’s GHG emissions. It is estimated, in the US, that 70% of river and stream pollution is caused by agriculture from chemicals, silt, and animal waste. In addition, agriculture is the largest user of water worldwide with only 45% of the irrigation water being effectively

By Cheryl Baldwin, Ph.D* ustainability has been a growing topic in the food industry over recent years and spurred manufacturers such as Danone into making a 16% reduction in water usage, a 19% reduction in energy use and a 76% reduction in industrial waste recovery between the years of 2000 and 2005, together with significant improvements in the environmental performance of their manufacturing operations.

human-induced greenhouse gas (GHG)

used (FAO 1995). Many pesticides used Today’s industry leaders in sustainability are now implementing broad initiatives not only within their own companies but also upstream and downstream of the company. This is what is known as a life cycle approach to sustainability. The life cycle of food products includes: agriculture; manufacturing; packaging; distribution; use; and disposal. Agricultural production is generally the largest contributor to the life cycle impact of food on the environment, typically accounting for more than 50%. Downstream considerations have lower impacts, but vary according to the product. In general, food processing is the next most significant contributor to impacts in the supply chain (Yakovleva 2005). Packaging impacts

in agriculture have been linked to causing cancer and having endocrine disruptor activity (Horrigan et al 2002). However, food production methods are available that have reduced GHG emissions, water needs and hazardous chemical use, and that can also bring important environmental and social benefits such as biodiversity. As a result, the primary focus of food manufacturers seeking to reduce their environmental footprint should be on supporting and procuring from companies actively pursuing such responsible (often called sustainable) agricultural production practices. One such company, H.J. Heinz Company, has worked with producers to use water conservation measures, such as drip irrigation. And, in 2009, Mars Incorporated

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Conventional animal production contributes significantly to the life cycle impact of a product. However, responsible means of producing animal products exist and should be chosen wherever possible. Manufacturers should always look to source from suppliers who use less-intensive feeding and rearing practices (for example grazing versus grain-fed practices). Over recent years, the consolidation of farms has led to a concentration of wealth, a reduction in rural populations, a loss of infrastructure in farming communities, and a reduction in the number of small farms. These small farms have tended to diversify more than large, industrial farms, and therefore provide more nutritionally dense foods and use more environmentally preferable production methods. Fair prices must be offered to small-scale producers to prevent further consolidation. To provide fair markets and wages, greater choice, and more environmentally favourable options, diversification of sourcing from different growers and suppliers should be practiced. Some companies have chosen to work with programmes such as Fairtrade to support this effort.

Cadbury teamed up with the Fairtrade Foundation to achieve Fairtrade certification for its Cadbury Dairy Milk brand, the UK’s top selling chocolate bar. It has made further commitments in Canada, Australia and New Zealand to gain Fairtrade certification by early 2010.

announced that it is committed to changing fundamentally the way sustainable cocoa farming practices are developed. It aims to certify its entire cocoa supply as being produced in a sustainable manner by 2020.

Such goals should be aggressive since they can be met. For example, Walkers has reduced its water usage by 42%. Frito-Lay, a division of PepsiCo, has saved 21% of its energy usage across its 34 US facilities. An aim should also be toward using renewable energy or even process wastes to produce energy. McCains Foods Limited produces renewable energy to source most of its electricity needs in its plants. Further, processing with zero waste (solid, liquid, and emissions) is achievable and should be practiced. For example, Nestlé has successfully diverted 95% of its waste from landfill.

Manufacturing Within the whole food chain, food processing has the second largest impact on the environment, and has typically been the area where the food industry has focused most of its sustainability efforts. Food processing constitutes 25% of all water consumption world wide and 50-80% of all water used in industrial countries (Okos). And, it is estimated that 7% of the food supply is wasted at the point of processing. Clearly, processing food with minimal inputs of water, raw materials and energy will help to reduce the total impact of the food chain and these are the typical goals for food processors.

Sustainability in the Food Industry This article is taken from Wiley-Blackwell’s newly published book entitled Sustainability in the Food Industry, which defines sustainability and gives a comprehensive review of the industry’s current approach to balancing environmental, economic and social considerations throughout the supply chain. Tools are provided to enhance future progress and information is given in the form of technical research summaries, case studies and marketing data.

Packaging & disposal Packaging helps deliver safe food, and has made a limited contribution to the total environmental impact of food. However, it has been found that over 95% of the environmental impact is from the production of the package. The remaining 5% is accounted for by its disposal. Currently, for the food industry, the objective is to reduce material use and eliminate waste. Package light-weighting and the use of recyclable packages are some key development options. Alara Wholefoods redesigned its muesli package to give a 70% reduction in material. Kellogg Co now uses 100% recycled content in its cartons and at least

Wiley-Blackwell is offering readers of Food & Beverage International a 15% discount on the usual cover price of €133.40. Contact: Sarah Waterhouse at swaterhouse@wiley.com quoting: VA622 Food & Beverage International.

Food & Beverage International December 2009

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Sustainability Life Cycle Principles for Food Products (adapted from Sustainability in the Food Industry): Agriculture: • Lower intensity production methods • Animal welfare and reduced reliance on animal products • Diverse suppliers with fair prices Manufacturing: • Food safety • Nutritional density • Resource efficiency (raw materials, energy, water) • Zero waste © Eric Isselée | istockphoto.com

Packaging/Waste: • Efficient material use and production (light-weight, recycled content) • Zero waste (recyclable, reusable, no package) Distribution/Use: • Efficient (distance/mode, substitute or redesign)

35% post-consumer material in its cereal boxes, subsequently reducing the total energy needed to produce the package.

Distribution & use The contribution that food’s distribution and use makes on its environmental impact ranges widely. Key influences are the distance and/or mode of transport involved in taking the food product to the retail outlet (or food service); or for the consumer to get to the retail outlet (or food service); or the amount of energy needed to store and prepare the food for consumption. Air transit is the least efficient distribution option for food and should be avoided. For

example, General Mills sends 80% of its shipments to the UK by sea, typically the least energy-intensive distribution option. Distribution systems should also leverage new technologies such as alternative fuels or include different options such as ‘justin-time’ or ‘local’ channels to find further efficiencies. Nestlé utilised dual-temperature vehicles to reduce its transportion by 7% in its Argentine operations. Throughout the world, providing safe and nutritious food remains the industry’s leading priority, however, these issues overlap with the life cycle considerations outlined above: food safety is linked to agricultural practices, with factory farming and high-speed processing of animal products associated

with the most prevalent food-borne pathogens (Shelke et al 2009). The book, Sustainability in the Food Industry outlines 10 key principles for achieving more sustainable food products (see above). The benefits of such sustainable practices have proven to benefit those companies practicing them. The World Business Council for Sustainable Development has found that businesses that incorporate sustainable practices have had greater financial success (WBCDS). The benefits of these practices include lower production costs, improved product function & quality, increased market share, improved environmental performance, improved relationships with stakeholders, and lower risks. In a recent study by A.T. Kearny, companies committed to sustainability were found to have financially outperformed industry averages by 15% over the six months from May through November 2008. Given this example, investing in a life cycle approach to sustainability may be the best way to protect not only a company’s value but also the future generation’s food supply. *Cheryl J Baldwin edited the new book from Wiley Blackwell entitled Sustainability in the Food Industry

For more information www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell

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ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT FOCUS

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Why there has never been a better time to invest in energy-efficient technology

here has, arguably, never been a better time to consider investing in energy efficient technologies. With profits being squeezed and unpredictable energy bills, searching for ways to cut operating costs, without any capital expenditure, is proving extremely challenging. But help is at hand from many of the world’s governments as they battle to meet their carbon reduction commitment as set out in the Kyoto Treaty. Here developed countries have agreed a legally binding commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2% below 1990 levels over the period 2008-2012. Local incentives ranging from interest-free loans and tax allowances for purchasing energy efficient equipment through to schemes aimed at charging per tonne of CO2 used, are rapidly emerging. There is one particular energy efficient technology that comes at the top of all incentive programs, not only because of its massive impact on reducing operating costs, but because of its minimal impact on capital outlay. The technology is a variable speed drive, often referred to as a low voltage AC drive.

The secret is to vary the motor speed A low voltage AC drive is an ingenious device that takes advantage of the fact that most electric motors need not run at full capacity all of the time. Motors that control the flow of pumps and fans can particularly benefit.

These motors are often running constantly at full speed, with any flow control achieved by throttling. This is like driving a car with one foot on the accelerator and the other on the brake - part of the output immediately goes to waste. In fact, an estimated 20% of the energy consumed by motors is lost by wasteful throttling mechanisms. Low voltage AC drives work in a completely different way. By adjusting the speed of the motor - and hence the pump or fan - to match the actual needs of the application, the drive optimises energy consumption. For example, a pump or fan running at 80% of full speed uses just over half the energy of one running at full capacity, while slowing things down even more to half speed slashes consumption to just one-eighth. The resulting energy savings are enormous typically 50% reduction - with payback often within 12 months.

Pastry maker slashes its energy bill A recent beneficiary of low voltage AC drives is world leading pie and pastries producer, Ginster. Eight ABB standard drives are installed on chiller pumps and are saving a potential 17% per annum at its bakery in Cornwall, UK. The bakery was keen to investigate its energy use to improve efficiency and cut costs at the plant, as Tom Crawford, projects manager, explains: “Ginsters is committed to reducing its carbon footprint and this is part of our strategy to do so. Of course, it also makes good business sense to reduce the spend on utilities.” While ABB is a global market and technology leader in low voltage AC and DC drives, it also offers services from the moment a customer makes first enquiry to disposal and recycling of the drive. Helping ABB to implement these life cycle services is a global channel partner network. And it was Ginsters’ local channel

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partner that introduced the company to the energy appraisal, one of the many services on offer.

ABB drives show how much energy they are saving The drives’ built-in energy efficiency parameters work out the energy consumed when the fan or pump is not being controlled by a drive and then compares this with the energy used once the drive is installed and running. The drive then calculates energy savings in kWh or MWh with reference to this baseline and displays it in an easy to read way on its built-in screen. Saved money is displayed in local currency after the user has set the local energy cost as a reference, while a CO2 conversion factor (tn/MWh) is used to convert energy into CO2 emissions. All these calculations can help ensure that a plant or process is working to its optimum performance, while avoiding the extra cost of external energy measuring equipment.

A worthwhile investment There is a huge scope for energy and emissions savings through speed control by low voltage AC drives. Pumps, fans, compressors, conveyors and other motordriven applications account for two-thirds of industrial electricity consumption, which in turn represents 40% of the overall electricity use in the world. However, less than 10% of motors are operated by drives. In Europe it has been estimated that if variable speed drives were used in motor-driven systems throughout the continent, annual savings in electricity consumption totaling 50 million MWh could be achieved. For more information, contact: ABB Oy: Timo Holttinen, market manager (Helsinki, Finland), Tel: +358 50 33 23604 timo.holttinen@fi.abb.com www.abb.com/drives

December 2009 www.foodbev.com

SAFETY

Whole room disinfection

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Whole room disinfection techniques may hold great potential for optimising cleaning processes, however, little microbiological or practical assessment has been made of them to date. A new review by Campden BRI highlights the advantages and disadvantages of different whole room disinfection options *By Karen Middleton, research manager, food hygiene department and Tim Hutton, publications manager, Campden BRI

uring manufacture, food can be exposed to microbiological crosscontamination from both surfaces and the air, which can cause food spoilage and safety issues. The traditional approach to controlling such contamination has been to target specific sites within the manufacturing environment with cleaning and disinfection regimes. The primary focus of the regimes is typically on food production equipment, with much of the rest of the processing area not receiving routine decontamination. This targeted approach may be sufficient for day-to-day control, but does not necessarily eliminate all of the organisms responsible for contamination. In some instances, microbial strains have become persistent in food factories, surviving for several years. Previous research at Campden BRI assessed the microbial flora of the high risk areas of five chilled food factories, all operating good practice cleaning and disinfection regimes, and identified persistent strains of Listeria spp. and Escherichia coli that had remained in the processing environment in excess of three years. Clearly, these everpresent organisms represent a constant risk to product safety, which could be compromised if there was any loss of hygiene control in these factories.

Food & Beverage International December 2009

The need for further reduction of pathogens and the identification of persistent strains within the factory environment has led to a significant increase in the use of novel whole room disinfection techniques to supplement routine cleaning and disinfection. Both the pharmaceutical and clinical sectors have been targeted by a range of ‘whole room’ type decontamination systems, but these techniques have had little microbiological assessment and their practical operation and benefit in the food and drink industry is relatively unknown. The Campden BRI Review addresses the practical use, safety and efficacy of some of the latest developments in this area.

Whole room techniques The range of techniques designed for whole room disinfection is increasing but, those that are commercially available include: • chemical fogging • vapourised hydrogen peroxide • ozone • chlorine dioxide • ultraviolet light • titanium dioxide coating and ultraviolet light • ionisation The critical factors to address before using these techniques include: identifying areas

where the decontamination processes can be applied, any health and safety issues related to using the technique and the practical considerations related to their use in the food processing environment. There is also a need to understand how often a whole room disinfection method will be used in the production area. The techniques can be used on a daily basis, after the routine cleaning and disinfection procedure has been implemented, or as seen in some factory environments, these techniques can be used daily to replace the terminal disinfection step. There is also the option to use a whole room disinfection technique as part of the periodic cleaning and disinfection procedures that occur monthly, quarterly or annually or it may only be used for decontaminating an area after a pathogen contamination incident. The level of disinfection that the whole room disinfection systems can achieve

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SAFETY

Click here to subscribe a disinfectant aerosol to reduce the numbers of airborne micro-organisms and also to apply disinfectant to surfaces that are not routinely disinfected and that may be difficult to reach, such as overhead surfaces. Fogging is done by using either a static, purpose built system in an area of a factory with strategically placed nozzles, or more commonly by using a mobile unit. The equipment works by supersaturating the atmosphere with a fog of disinfectant chemical; the area that can be covered will vary depending on the application system being used. A built-in system will typically be used for production areas larger than 200m³, with mobile units usually being employed for areas smaller than 200m³. For whole room disinfection, fogging is only effective if sufficient chemical is deposited onto all of the food contact and environmental surfaces. Providing a suitable disinfectant is used, research has suggested that fogging is effective at reducing airborne microbial populations by 2 to 3 log orders in 30 to 60 minutes and horizontal surfaces up to 6 log orders in 60 minutes, with minimal effect on vertical surfaces and the underneath of equipment. There are at least seven techniques designed for whole room disinfection that are currently commercially available

also needs to be determined, as some may achieve decontamination of all exposed room surfaces, such as ceilings, walls, floors and food processing equipment, but others may include some penetration into equipment to contact indirectly exposed surfaces. They may also provide disinfection of the air in the area being treated. The advantage to using these techniques is that for some, the decontamination process can be certified, providing documented evidence that the procedure has taken place. Two examples of whole room disinfection techniques are fogging and ozone.

Fogging Applying chemical disinfectants to production areas as fogs or mists is a method that has been used routinely in the food industry to control cross contamination. The purpose of fogging a production area is to create and disperse

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Therefore the technique tends to be used as an additional safeguard to the routine cleaning and disinfection procedure. Chemical fogging can, however, be improved with the use of electrostatic fogging nozzles, which help ensure a greater surface coverage of the aerosol droplets, even on non-horizontal surfaces.

Ozone Ozone has been used for decades for water treatment, as it inactivates a wide range of micro-organisms through oxidation, but the benefit of using ozone in the food industry is that it is environmentally friendly, with any residual ozone spontaneously decomposing to oxygen. Due to its reactive, unstable nature, ozone is produced at the point of use. Ozone generators effectively pass air through a high-energy source within the equipment and the resulting physicochemical reaction leads to the formation of ozone that can be used for area or surface decontamination. A typical ozone decontamination cycle consists of three phases in a one step process:

(i) Humidification: for maximum antimicrobial activity of ozone, the area being decontaminated needs to be humidified to 70 to 80%. (ii) Decontamination: the ozone vapour initially reacts with any volatile organic compounds present in the atmosphere of the area being decontaminated, a process known as ozone debt absorption. Having overcome this, the vapour concentration builds rapidly, to a concentration between 8 to 25 ppm, and the ozone generator maintains the optimum biocidal level by adapting to changing environmental conditions for the minimum time needed for maximum kill. (iii) Aeration: the question of removing or ‘quenching’ the ozone rather than waiting for levels to reduce naturally has been solved by the use of a biocidal quenching agent during the final phase of the cycle. It reacts to literally mop up the remaining ozone leaving the room clean, safe and fresh for immediate re-occupation. Cycle times vary depending on the area volume, desired level of decontamination and area contents, but are typically between 30 and 90 minutes. Vapours and gases have several advantages as they can effectively penetrate every part of a room, including sites that might prove difficult to gain access to with conventional liquids and manual disinfection procedures. More information on the use, advantages and disadvantages of chemical fogging, ozone and the other whole room disinfection techniques can be found in the Campden BRI Review 63: Whole room disinfection - a review of current methods.

www.campden.co.uk/publ/pubs.asp

Special offer The Review 63 Whole Room Disinfection - a Review of Current Methods costs £50 to Campden BRI members and £75 to non members. A discount of 20% is available to readers. To order your copy, contact the Publications Department, Campden BRI on the website above; email: pubs@campden.co.uk; or telephone: +44 (0) 1386 842 000, and mention Food & Beverage International.

December 2009 www.foodbev.com

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