April-June 2022 edition/ Food Business Gulf & ME

ISSN 1755-0 939

APRIL-JUNE 2022

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ENHANCE THE HEALTH APPEAL OF FRUIT JUICES

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RESEARCH CONTINUES TO UNCOVER THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF ALA

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OVERCOME THE PROBLEM OF POTATO SIZE VARIANCE WITH A GRADER-HALVER

The Art of European Meat

Mastered by the Belgian meat suppliers What makes the Art of European Meat? It’s that exceptional combination of Craftsmanship, Food Safety and Tailor-Made Service. And that’s what the Belgian meat suppliers truly master. As one of Europe’s leading meat producers and exporters, they turn their expertise into an art form.

Up to you to savor it.

Find your Belgian meat master at artofmeat.eu

THE CONTENT OF THIS PROMOTION CAMPAIGN REPRESENTS THE VIEWS OF THE AUTHOR ONLY AND IS HIS/HER SOLE RESPONSIBILITY. THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION DOES NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY USE THAT MAY BE MADE OF THE INFORMATION IT CONTAINS.

CONTENTS

21 Managing Editor Matt Matthews Associate Editors Jessie Jorge Megha Mary Matt Graphic Designer Aleena Susan John

Cover Photo Courtesy: California Walnuts

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MacIntyre – Let’s talk about doing more with less

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Iris fillet inspection secures food quality

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Complete solutions for meat, sausage and plant-based alternatives

31 Tomra food introduces KETE16, the new robotic packing machine

Elite agro’s UAE-grown potatoes, now back in season

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Hobart develops interim warewash models

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Registered Office Matt Media International Ltd. 12 Gateway Mews, London N11 2UT, UK info@foodbusinessgulf.com www.foodbusinessgulf.com US Office Matt Media (USA) LLC 1713 E. Morgan Court Gilbert, Arizona 85295 Middle East Office Al Saad Advertising & Publishing LLC P.O. Box 25694, Sharjah, UAE Tel: +971 656 39494 gulfag@emirates.net.ae

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Contributors Neville J. Chandler P.K. James Shakeeb Kolakadan

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Food Business Gulf & Middle East is designed to serve the fast growing Food, Fresh Produce, Ingredients, Bakery, Hotel, Hypermarkets, Restaurants & Catering industries in the Gulf and Middle East region by providing the expert information to our readers in our four comprehensive issues in a year. It is circulated throughout Middle East region and worldwide in addition to the extra distribution at various food, catering & hotel events, fresh and perishable shows. The magazine provides editorial coverage on a wide range of topics which are of interest to industry professionals.

Printed & published by Matt Media© Intl. Ltd. (U.K.) 2022

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CAMPAIGN FINANCED WITH AID FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION

THE EUROPEAN UNION SUPPORTS CAMPAIGNS THAT PROMOTE HIGH QUALITY AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

NEWS

HEALTHY FATBROCCOLI FROZEN READY MEALS LAUNCHED IN UAE MARKET Start-up company Nowadays Trading has officially marked its entry to the UAE’s healthy fastfood segment with the launch of its one-of-a-kind, market disruptive healthy frozen ready meals under its new FatBroccoli brand.

The newly introduced FatBroccoli products features locally produced healthy frozen food with 100 per cent natural ingredients. The nutritious fastfood will be available in schools, gymnasiums, universities, hospitals, petrol stations, government offices, service centres, airports, and other high footfall areas. From the UAE, FatBroccoli aims to expand into new territories, such as having 20 outlets in other GCC markets are already in the pipeline.

The launch of the new, innovative food concept of the home-grown FatBroccoli brand comes amid the rising consumption of fresh ready meals in the country as well as the exponentially growing local frozen food market.

Gilbert Kahawaty, Co-founder and Director of Strategy, FatBroccoli, said: “The UAE is home to many nationalities of diverse cultural backgrounds.

When it comes to food, FatBroccoli aims to offer them cuisines that they miss and love back home. We got very inspired by top cuisines in the world, and we carefully crafted our menu to cater several nationalities which helps a lot not only providing the whole UAE a food concept that has already been embraced in the

UK, the United States, and many European and Asian countries, but a line of healthy frozen meals that is a convenient way for health-conscious consumers to prepare and eat nutritious food despite their demanding schedules. With fresh ingredients, frozen food is a nutritious choice for many who lead a busy life but still aim for a healthier lifestyle.”

FatBroccoli’s menu consists of mouth-watering international cuisines, including Chilli Con Carne, Beef Kofta, Broccolini Pumpkin Curry, Mexican Pulled Beef, and Salmon Penne, to name a few. Containing natural sweeteners and with a shelf life of one year in the freezer, all of the company’s products are made with reduced sugar, low in salt, no additives, and no preservatives.

ABG+® BECOMES ATTRACTIVE COMPLEMENT FOR NEWLY LIMITED RED YEAST RICE

In response to growing supplement and food trends, Pharmactive Biotech Products, S.L.U. introduces Aged Black Garlic+ (ABG+®), with a sweet, “social” flavor that is odor-free and thus suitable for functional gummies. The science-backed

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ingredient delivers wellness benefits and won’t stimulate reflux the way fresh garlic can.

Grown from a special variety of garlic, and cultivated just two hours from Pharmactive’s facility, it is gently processed using green technology. This method generates very low waste and significantly reduces the environmental impact.

This advanced aged black garlic ingredient comes at a perfect time: Upcoming

Food Business Gulf & ME | www.foodbusinessgulf.com

regulations of the EFSA and European Commission will reduce the amount of red yeast rice allowed in existing formulations to just 300mg, therefore losing EFSA-approved claims for monacolin K. Aged black garlic has long been regarded as a culinary delicacy and integral component of the Asian diet, as well as a tool to maintain health.

Traditionally, it is produced by aging whole bulbs of a selected Spanish species of fresh garlic at high humidity and low temperatures for several weeks.

ABG+ is produced using the company’s proprietary ABG Cool-TechTM aging technique.

April-June 2022

NEWS

DILMAH TEA: 66% OF THE UAE VISITED A HOTEL OR A RESTAURANT FOR A LUXURY HIGH TEA IN 2021 With tea becoming a necessity in everyday life, it is even more significant in guests experience in hotels. Dilmah, the world leading tea brand conducted research with YouGov and it showed that 66% of UAE visited hotels or a restaurant for luxury high tea last year and it also revealed that 34% of guests order a luxury tea when they visit a hotel.

In support of elevating the role of luxury tea, Dilmah organized its School of Tea program, the World’s first tea school certification in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the presence

of over 200 participants from the hospitality industry.

Dilmah School of Tea was first established in 2009 and has so far hosted over 70 schools of tea globally and it seeks to inspire passion in tea through knowledge of its artisanal aspects and versatility but also enlightens and inspires knowledge amongst its participants. Held annually, The Dilmah School of Tea was previously held in Europe, Riyadh and Sri Lanka.

The training program aims for the participants to soak up all the knowledge encircling nature’s

luxury — Tea, through an intensive 6-hour program where each participant walks away with a World Association of Chefs’ Societies (WACS) endorsed certificate. WACS comprises of 10 million Chefs, and the Dilmah School of Tea is regarded as the first-of-its-kind World Chefs certified tea school.

The key topics covered during the program were Tea gastronomy, Tea Mixology and Food Pairings led by experts in their field including Tea Grower & Dilmah CEO, Dilhan C. Fernando and Mixologist Robert Schinkel.

ARCHROMA LAUNCHES NEW PFC-FREE AND AMMONIA-FREE CARTASEAL® VWAF BARRIER FOR ODORLESS PAPER-BASED FOOD PACKAGING Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals towards sustainable solutions, announced the launch of Cartaseal® VWAF, a new industry-leading perfluorinated compound (PFC)free and ammonia-free barrier coating for odor-free packaging applications.

Archroma is well known for its innovations and sustainable solution systems aimed at helping packaging & paper manufacturers to optimize productivity and/or create value in their markets.

The multifunctional Cartaseal® range offers barrier solutions that can be used to protect from grease, oils, water and water vapor in both packaging and food packaging applications such as pizza boxes, sandwich wedges, fresh vegetables, fast food service and general supermarket

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packaging.

The latest addition to the range is the new Cartaseal® VWAF, which has been developed in line with the principles of “The Archroma Way to a sustainable world: safe, efficient, enhanced, it’s our nature”.

The innovative Cartaseal® VWAF is designed to form a continuous and defect-free filmlike coating on the paper surface.

The resulting barrier offers classleading performance against the penetration of oils, fats, water and vapor.

The odor-free product is also ideally suited to food packaging applications, where the taste and smell of the packed food can be very sensitive to the environment

Food Business Gulf & ME | www.foodbusinessgulf.com

and must be carefully preserved for the full enjoyment of the consumer.

Thanks to its superior performance, Cartaseal® VWAF can be used as a more sustainable alternative to replace not only PFC-based coatings but also plastic in applications where resistance to water, oil and fats and water vapor condensation is required.

April-June 2022

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OCTOFROST LAUNCHES A NEW, INNOVATIVE FREEZING MACHINE FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY Over the past years, Octofrost realized the need to improve the traditional impingement freezing technology and create a more cost- and space-efficient solution. Thus in 2021, honoring its commitment to continuously innovate sustainable solutions, OctoFrost launched a new and unique product for the food processing industry – the MultiLevel Impingement Freezer.

Impingement freezing is a rapid freezing method which uses high-speed airstream from above and below the product.

This type of freezing is suited for

various thin food products, such as hamburgers, fish or chicken fillets, shrimp, dumplings and many more. However, it could also be used for crust freezing prior to slicing larger products.

The high speed of circulating air achieves quick freezing in a few minutes, guaranteeing low product dehydration and premium product quality.

Designed for a small footprint, the OctoFrost MultiLevel Impingement Freezer provides benefits over cryogenic freezing as it eliminates the need for liquid nitrogen, which

May 14 – 19, 2022

significantly reduces the running costs for the food processors.

The Multi-Level Impingement Freezer is also competitive in terms of capacity and footprint.

Instead of using a single belt like that in most freezers, the MultiLevel Impingement Freezer uses three conveyor straight belts that double production capacity per square meter of factory space.

This provides several advantages to food processors, including a higher load capacity, preserved product shape, and the flexibility to run different products on each level.

www.iffa.com

Frankfurt am Main

mary.ann.romano@uae. messefrankfurt.com

Proven Technologies for Pioneering Products

Tel. +971 43 89 45 00

IFFA, the world‘s leading protein processing and packaging show since 1949

72732-032_IFFA_Besucher_Food_Business_Gulf_Middle_East_EN_182x131 • FOGRA 39 • CMYK • ek |

April-June 2022

DU: 25.03.2022

UAE (Dubai)

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NEWS

ITALIAN COFFEE ROASTERS CAFFÈ VERGNANO LAUNCHES A POP-UP CAFE IN DUBAI DESIGN DISTRICT Caffè Vergnano is one of Italy’s oldest coffee roasters, a family business founded 140 years ago. Since 1882, Caffè Vergnano has sourced the finest green coffee beans from all over the world to produce high-quality coffee following a traditional slow-roasting method. The brand was born in 1882 when founder Domenico Vergnano opened his first shop near Turin in Piedmont.

A fascinating story that has carried on the coffee tradition, generation after generation, exporting the culture of authentic Italian espresso all over the world. Caffè Vergnano is still run by the same family and remains

one of Italy’s favorites.

The success is attributed to the constant search for qualitative perfection, which true coffee connoisseurs have appreciated and recognized at Caffè Vergnano for over a century. A mission that is pursued with passion, enthusiasm and an innovative spirit by the fourth generation of the family.

Caffè Vergnano prides itself on their unique, artisanal, slowroasting method, roasting each origin separately before blending them, which gives the beans a more evenly balanced roast.

From espresso to latte, their signature slow-roasted coffee

brings out the delicate flavor and aromas of the beans to create a well-rounded cup.

In a very important year during which Caffè Vergnano is celebrating 140 years of history, the brand expands into the Middle East by teaming up with key local partners to distribute their coffee. With a first partnership featuring Caffè Vergnano in luxury hotel chain Jumeirah Group, home to worldclass hotels such as the Burj Al Arab, Caffè Vergnano announces their partnership with YKONE House - the Middle East’s firstever creative hub based in Dubai Design District.

PRESS EVENT IN DUBAI FOR THE PROMOTION OF EUROPEAN RICE

As European Rice campaign is about to conclude its three year promotional journey to the market of UAE, a final press event was held in Dubai, on Saturday 12th of February 2022 at Radisson Blu Hotel. Guests from Dubai’s food sector, F&B wholesale industry and journalists from the local media had the opportunity to taste and

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learn the quality characteristics of the European rice.

Mrs. Maria Nalmpanti - Head of Information & Promotion Projects of NOVACERT LTD, the Implementing Body of the promotional campaign, welcomed the audience and presented the numerous wellorganized and coordinated actions, aiming to spread

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awareness among general public, distributors and wholesalers about the authenticity and unique production of the European rice as well as to enhance the competitiveness of the European rice produced in Greece.

It was a great honor to accommodate the Greek Counselor of Commercial and Economic Affairs, Mr Dimitrios Thomopoulos, who also addressed a short greeting to the event. Mrs. Asimina Kaldiri who represented the Directorate of Agricultural Products Promotion of the Ministry of Rural Development & Food in Greece, was also present and had the opportunity to address the audience.

April-June 2022

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SPINNEYS AND PEPSICO PARTNER TO DRIVE A CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN THE UAE Locally-owned supermarket Spinneys in partnership with global Food and Beverages company PepsiCo has introduced a Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) in its sustainable concept store Layan. Committed to making sustainable choices for the future, the initiative aims to increase the recycling rate in the UAE by advancing recycling infrastructure, building better consumer awareness, and ultimately, ensuring packaging doesn’t turn into waste.

The in-store recycling machine form part of Spinneys’ ‘Let’s Close the Loop’ campaign and

provides an easy solution for customers to dispose their plastic waste responsibly and in turn, enables materials to be reused or repurposed. A key vision is for the plastic waste to be converted into recycled content that can be used for the production of future FMCG products such as food packaging.

Whilst the use of plastics is an affordable, low-carbon solution for preventing food waste in global supply chains, there is a serious need to prevent them from escaping into the environment. This is why Spinneys has teamed up with

PepsiCo to support its ‘Join The Ripple Effect’ initiative. It aims to ensure plastic never becomes waste in the future through the responsible collection of plastic waste.

Plastic bottles collected by the RVM are recycled by local manufacturer DGrade who give new value to materials that may otherwise have been littered or added to landfill. For the singleuse plastic collected from the Layan store, DGrade will create sustainable clothing from its GreenspunR yarn, including polo shirts for Spinneys’ staff to wear in stores.

Advanced Spray Drying Solutions for the Food, Flavour & Dairy Industries.

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April-June 2022

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NEWS

BERRY’S LIGHT WEIGHT FOOD CLOSURE MAINTAINS USER BENEFITS Berry Global is introducing a new light weight food closure that provides valuable weight savings to minimise material usage without compromising on overall performance and consumer convenience.

The company’s existing 55mm closure is now over 20% lighter than the previous version, which Berry says represents a significant weight saving compared to other closures currently available.

The closure is suitable for a variety of ketchups and sauces.

For maximum flexibility, it can be adapted to suit different neck

finishes and specified with a choice of orifice configurations to meet the particular dispensing requirements of different products.

The valve offers clean, no-spill dispensing for ketchups and other sauces; the open and starorifice has been developed for high-viscosity products such as mayonnaise; and a TPE valve is also available, which is RecyClass approved as a more recyclable option than a traditional silicon version.

“We recognise that customers wish to take every step possible to minimise the environmental

impact of their packaging, but crucially this cannot be at the expense of its overall functionality,” commented Matthias Hammersen, Sales Director Food Market, Berry Global Consumer Packaging International. “This is particularly true for food packaging, where hygiene, safety and convenience are all part of the overall consumer experience.

“With its lighter weight but still robust construction and enhanced recyclability, our new closure has been developed to meet these requirements.”

MULTIVAC PRESENTS A NEW FULL WRAP LABELLER FOR RANDOM WEIGHT PRODUCTS With its new L 312 model, MULTIVAC is launching onto the market a conveyor belt labeller, which now enables attractive full wrap labelling to be used for random weight products as well.

The flexible and highly efficient solution will be shown to the public for the first time at Anuga FoodTec 2022 (Hall 8.1, Stand C010) and IFFA 2022 (Hall 11.1, Stand B11).

Retail packs of high-quality meat and fish products in particular are often sold based on their weight. The products must first be weighed, the price calculated, and the information then printed onto the label. The new L 312 performs this task precisely and reliably. This full wrap labeller is augmented with an optional weigh price marking facility.

This has been achieved by equipping the high-performance

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and robust full wrap model with a weighing system, which can be calibrated and is already approved by most European countries with plans for approval in other regions of the world. The weighing system determines the weight of the pack very precisely and transfers the calculated product price to the labeller. An integrated thermal transfer printer is then used to print all the relevant information onto the label, such as for example weight, price, best-before date and even barcode, and the print layout can be designed to the customer’s particular requirements. The label is then dispensed onto the top of

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the pack, before being wrapped accurately around the pack like a banderole.

This robust model, which is constructed in a hygiene design, makes the automatic C and D labelling of packs possible at speeds of up to 120 per minute. If required, further label dispensers can be incorporated, so that additional top or bottom labels, as well as the full wrap label, can be applied to the pack.

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GEA LAUNCHES NEW FREEZING SYSTEM PROEDGE DRIVE AT IFFA From May 14 to 19, GEA will launch the new spiral freezer GEA ProEdge Drive at IFFA (in Frankfurt/Germany, Hall 8, booth G20), the leading international trade fair for the meat industry.

The GEA ProEdge Drive features a drum-free design using fewer components for a more hygienic and sustainable solution. Its innovative spiral drive with robust patented sprockets ensures that the belt runs smoothly and extends the service life.

This freezer fits perfectly for the processing of protein or products in the area new food as it particularly meets the desired requirements for high product yield.

Standard ProEdge Drive Series models are suitable for 400mm-, 600mm- and 750mm-wide lines and offer freezing capacities of 460 to 3,600 kg/h of fully cooked

products.

This new alternative to traditional freezing systems with a drum-free design also offers more flexibility in adding tiers, increasing freezing capacity up to 12 percent for the same footprint. The reduction of the number of structural parts combined with external drives makes it easier to clean and maintain, resulting in enhanced hygiene and a lower total cost of ownership.

Another important aspect is that the drum-free design also makes production more sustainable, as the consumption of resources such as steel and other components is greatly reduced.

The GEA ProEdge Drive is also an intelligent freezer system that

provides perfect synchronization of the drives in all operating environments. The innovative and patented sprocket construction is a top performer, even under the most demanding cooling, chilling, and freezing conditions.

The positive-edge drive limits belt tension and allows less product movement on the belt.

This helps to preserve the product shape and ensures safe product handling with smooth, continuous product flow. Multiple belt width and layout options offer a seamless integration into the customer’s processing line.

PRAN GROUP, CLOCKS 6.5 MILLION USD WORTH OF SALES DURING GULFOOD 2022 A dominant force in FMGC trade has just ended with a bang, connecting 150+ countries, and giving opportunity to over 4000 companies in the food & beverage industry.

With over 59,000 visitors throughout the weekend, 2,531 companies have put their best foot forward to make Gulfood Exhibition the leading trade fair of 2022. Gulfood 2022 has played an integral role in achieving global competitiveness alongside growing its sustainability exponentially by compost production of 400kgs from waste food throughout the span of the

April-June 2022

exhibition ensuring the safety of all exhibitors and the guests hosted by the renowned Dubai World Trade Centre.

MD of Emerging World Group - UAE, the overseas business development partner of PRAN Group, Hasan Mahbub says, “What an amazing experience Gulfood 2022 was, especially this year where I personally witnessed some of the globe’s top companies, visionaries, and food revolutionaries showcasing high-impact innovations and pioneering technologies, making it the perfect platform to build healthy connections & synergies

within the industry.”

Not to mention how profitable, the Gulfood 2022 exhibition has proved to be for PRAN Group and its partner EWG. With close to 500 visits from 90+ different countries gave them the opportunity to exhibit and connect with a larger audience on products such as drinks like Aloe Vera, Float Drink, Yogurt Drink, Jelly Drink to Biscuits, Noodles and mouthwatering confectioneries bringing on board business of USD 6.5 million, from Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Morocco, Belize & Malawi.

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NEWS

MANE TO SPOTLIGHT ITS POSITION AS THE PREFERRED SUPPLIER OF FLAVOUR SOLUTIONS FOR PROTEIN-BASED PRODUCTS DURING THE IFFA TRADESHOW The IFFA trade fair in Frankfurt, which will be held from May 14-19, will be an opportunity for visitors looking for flavoring solutions to come visit the MANE stand (Hall 12.1 Stand D37), showcasing its taste expertise as well as its extensive knowledge of different protein bases, whether animal, vegetable or hybrid.

This is a unique opportunity to come (re)discover the solutions MANE offers to all manufacturers of products made from proteins, whether animal- or plant-based.

Taste being a key purchasing criterion both for consumers of meat and plant-based alternatives to meat, benefiting from MANE’s indisputable expertise in tastes and flavours will be an excellent addition to the programme. The

company, which ranks in the top five worldwide in flavour and fragrance manufacturers and celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2021, will present its latest innovations in the sector: - The use of bouillons and TCP1 to flavour cooked hams in order to respond to the growing needs for premiumisation and simplification of ingredients lists in the sector; - Its spice extracts with freshly ground profiles obtained thanks to a new-generation plating process; - Its latest collection of concentrated flavours, enabling optimisation and flexibility in the use of ingredients in a complete blend; - Its bestselling marinades: dry as well as water- and oil-based.

The company has been innovatively formulating complete blends using plant proteins for more than 40 years. And it is for all types of protein-based applications that the company wants to maintain its leadership.

Whether the base is meat, plant-based or hybrid, various concepts will be presented on the MANE stand to demonstrate this expertise, such as: - A plant-based burger, the company’s preferred segment due to its history; - Meat-free cold cuts to respond to the needs of consumers for more and more plant-based alternatives in their daily lives; - Plant-based ready meals to meet flexitarian needs on the shelves, too.

FOOD SPECIALITIES LIMITED - FSL – BRINGS INGREDIENT SOLUTIONS EXPERTISE TO NIGERIA Food Specialities Limited – FSL – the Middle East and Africa’s most trusted and innovative ingredient and beverage supplier is expanding into West Africa with an office in Nigeria.

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Established in Dubai in 1986, FSL caters to the entire spectrum of the food and beverage industry, supplying a variety of value-added ingredients and commodities to manufacturers and traders.

Its entire ingredients portfolio – including its innovative and award-winning sugar-reduced and plant-based solutions are now available across the ‘giant of Africa’.

As a market

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leader, FSL enjoys a dedicated innovation and marketing department to support customers with new product development (NPD), industry trend analysis and marketing support, backed by a world-class innovation lab and expert technical support.

FSL is now also market leader in innovative sugar reduction and plant-based solutions, and only works with the world’s leading ingredient suppliers. The company also delivers logistics support for customers, helping ensure the ingredients supply chain runs smoothly.

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AL RAWABI TO SET UP AED 650 MILLION DAIRY PRODUCTION FACILITY IN KIZAD KIZAD, part of AD Ports Group’s Economic Cities & Free Zones (EC&FZ) cluster, announced the signing of a lease agreement with Al Rawabi, one of the leading dairy and juice companies in the UAE, for the establishment of a dairy production facility in Abu Dhabi designed to meet growing consumer demand.

Under this agreement, Al Rawabi will initially develop two square kilometres in KIZAD with an additional three square kilometres slated for the future.

The dairy farm, with an investment of AED 650 million will be home to 10,000 Al Rawabi cows and increase their export efforts across the wider GCC region.

Abdullah Al Hameli, Head of Economic Cities & Free Zones Cluster, said: “Al Rawabi’s confidence in KIZAD is a testament to AD Ports Group’s commitment to driving the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy through the supply of high-quality dairy and food products, while also contributing to the growth of the nation’s industrial sector.

In addition to supporting the advancement of local farms and creating job opportunities in the local farming sector, our agreement presents a positive boost for regional consumers by offering easier access to fresh produce.”

Driven by a workforce of over

200 skilled people, Al Rawabi’s dairy production facility in KIZAD will include milk parlours, a dairy plant, a mechanic and maintenance workshop, a feed factory, staff accommodation, and a biogas plant, along with fertilizer manufacturing amenities that will also support the wider agriculture ecosystem in Abu Dhabi.

Al Rawabi will apply the latest technologies in processing waste resulting from the project that will include the production of green energy. Additionally, 10 megawatts of clean power will be generated by equipping a large portion of site assets with solar panels, reducing the operational costs and CO2 emissions at the site.

FRESH CLASS

VEGETABLES ‫ﻣﻭﻟﺔ ﺑﺩﻋﻡ‬ ّ ‫ﺣﻣﻠﺔ ﺗﺭﻭﻳﺞ ﺩﻋﺎﺋﻳﺔ ُﻣ‬ .‫ُﻣﻘﺩّﻡ ﻣﻥ ﺍﻹﺗﺣﺎﺩ ﺍﻷﻭﺭﻭﺑﻲ‬

April-June 2022

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NEWS

ARLA FOODS SAUDI ARABIA CHOOSES ASEPTIC FOOD FILLING TECHNOLOGY FROM SIG Arla Foods Saudi Arabia is opting for a state-of-the-art CFA 812 filling machine from SIG for its long-life products in the Middle East region. The installation of the food filling technology from SIG will provide Arla with exceptional format, volume, product and design flexibility, plus unmatched speed in its production process.

With SIG’s food filling technology, it will be the first time Arla Foods Saudi Arabia has produced and filled its food portfolio in aseptic carton packs locally. The unbreakable

and lightweight aseptic carton packs bring many advantages, including the retention of premium quality, taste and aroma of liquid food products, plus all-natural nutrients, vitamins, flavours and colours.

The packaging material blocks out light and air, ensuring products can be stored for a long time without the need for refrigeration or preservatives.

SIG’s CFA 812 filling machine provides Arla with high flexibility without compromising on speed, with an output of 12,000 combibloc and combifit

packs per hour, in volume sizes from 500 to 1,000ml.

In the future, there is also an opportunity to upgrade the filling machine for combistyle carton packs.

For food companies like Arla, flexibility and efficiency means having the right production and filling set up in place, with the fastest possible changeover times for formats, volumes and designs, plus the ability to handle multiple products. With the CFA 812 from SIG, volume change can be realised in just two minutes.

INGREDION ANNOUNCES THE LATEST INNOVATION IN CLEAN LABEL; NOVATION® LUMINA 8300/8600, FUNCTIONAL NATIVE STARCHES Ingredion EMEA will launch NOVATION® Lumina 8300 and 8600 functional native starches in EMEA during the first half of 2022.

Ingredion has developed two innovative functional native rice starches designed specifically to improve colour and flavour release, enabling natural flavours and colours of applications to shine through, even in white products. The new starches also improve Ingredion’s supply chain resiliency and reduce environmental impact.

Until now, even functional native waxy rice starches contributing the least colour and flavour have struggled to meet strict sensory requirements in white or light-coloured applications with delicate

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flavours. This limitation has been addressed with the launch of NOVATION Lumina 8300/8600, enabling improved consumer preference and allowing the superior label and functional benefits of rice starch to be accessible to a wider range of products - all while supporting “natural” claims and other clean label messages. All are proven to drive the consumer appeal of products.

The past 24 months reinforced the importance of having streamlined processes that strengthen Ingredion’s ability to be a reliable partner and supplier of ingredient solutions.

While the supply situation in various parts of the world is still impacted by

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continued port congestions and availability of vessels and/or labour, Ingredion has invested in improving its internal processes with NOVATION Lumina 8300/8600, leveraging a new technology that enables manufacturing efficiencies that shortens the company’s supply chain, reduces lead times and increases security of supply.

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MYAZU RIYADH WINS BEST RESTAURANT IN SAUDI ARABIA Rooted in Japanese culture, Myazu Riyadh is an authentic, contemporary restaurant that features the very best in upscale, culinary dining. Celebrated as a proud, Saudi-created brand, Myazu Riyadh is lauded for its distinct ability of transporting intrigued, high-caliber diners to Japan – courtesy of its modern yet sleek interiors and exceptional dining and beverage menu.

The latest highlight of the establishment is the announcement of Myazu Riyadh winning this year’s most coveted award of ‘Best Restaurant’ in

Saudi Arabia from the Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants – an incredible achievement not just for the curated, homegrown concept but also, for the country, Saudi Arabia, that it calls home.

With the ceremony held in Abu Dhabi and accepted by Myazu’s fellow Chefs Ian Pengelley and Barry Andrews, Myazu Riyadh honorably received this accolade while also acknowledging its inclusion and distinction among a list of other world-famous, global brands.

Receiving the prestigious

award and international recognition solidifies Myazu’s immense success within the region’s fine dining industry, in just one year of its grand opening. Welcoming the most sophisticated of diners over the past year complements Myazu’s vision of expansion. “As we celebrate our latest honor of winning the ‘Best Restaurant’ in Saudi Arabia, we also take the time to celebrate our vision in expanding our award-winning, curated concept Myazu to various destinations,” said MFC’s CEO, Faisal Shaker.

MAHALLE.AE LAUNCHES STORE TO AUTHENTIC AND QUALITY HOMEMADE TURKISH PRODUCTS TO UAE Mahalle, a family business of trading goods from Turkey in food and non-food categories recently launched its first store and online shop in Dubai, UAE. The aim of this store is to provide opportunities for women entrepreneurs in Turkey to sell their home made products to an international and diverse community of buyers located within the nation.

Located in Arenco Tower in Dubai Internet City, the Mahalle store offer

April-June 2022

customers authentic and quality products that include but not limited to: cooking oils, olives and capers food items – such as cheese, yoghurt, cold cuts, nuts, ravioli, Turkish coffee, amongst others.

Furthermore, the store also provides authentic quality non-food products that include but not limited to: Turkish Cotton towels, Embroidery Bed Linen Sets, Porcelain Mezze Platters, tea pots, coffee mugs and more.

www.foodbusinessgulf.com | Food Business Gulf & ME

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NEWS

TNA TURNS 40: CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES OF REVOLUTIONARY FOOD PROCESSING AND PACKAGING SOLUTIONS Global food processing and packaging specialist, tna solutions, celebrates forty years of revolutionary innovations by reaffirming its commitment to people, the planet and the prosperity of the local communities and regions in which it operates. As the company enters a new era, its global team of experts is looking ahead to build a fresh, innovative and digitally-forward future.

Established in 1982 by two ambitious entrepreneurs; Nadia & Alf Taylor, tna’s over

five hundred employees have installed more than fourteenthousand advanced processing and packaging systems worldwide. The company changed the face of food packaging in 1985 with the launch of its flagship solution - the tna robag® vertical form fill and seal (VFFS) packaging system.

Alf Taylor, CEO and Managing Director at tna solutions comments: “A lot has changed over the last four decades; we’ve expanded our family of brands with the acquisition of

leading processing names like FOODesign, Florigo and NID and added a fully integrated snack and confectionery processing line to our list of industry-firsts. One thing that hasn’t changed though, is our positive outlook and dedication to serving the needs of our customers.”

The organisation’s latest innovation the - tna robag® FX 3e – was launched late last year, and more exciting developments in food processing, conveying and packaging systems are planned for the anniversary year ahead.

UAE LUXURY HOTELS AND HIGH-END OUTLETS INCORPORATE PREMIUM SUSTAINABLE STRAWS AMIDST A GLOBAL MOVE TOWARDS NOT USING CONVENTIONAL PLASTIC Several luxury hotels in the United Arab Emirates have chosen sustainable straws by the Finnish material innovation company Sulapac to be used in their restaurants. The hotels include the St. Regis Downtown, Four Seasons Resort Dubai, and Caesars Palace Dubai, amongst others.

In addition to hotels, high-end restaurants, wellness centres, and clubs, such as Iris Lounge and Bar Du Port (managed

by Addmind), and Tashas Restaurants, Flamingo Room, and Avli (managed by Tashas Group) are making the switch to sustainability and have started incorporating sustainable straws.

UAE luxury hotel, The St. Regis Downtown Dubai, has taken

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sustainability to the next level and started using the sustainable straws in all of its restaurants and bars, in-room dining services and takeaway options.

“We are delighted to partner with Bird Collaborative and move towards a more sustainable operation here at The St. Regis Downtown Dubai. We all need to focus on sustainability and simple solutions, like using alternatives to conventional plastic for everyday products, are an easy starting point,” says Raja Zeidan, General Manager at St. Regis Downtown Dubai.

Currently, local regulation limiting the use of single-use plastics is being prepared in the United Arab Emirates. The aim is to phase out the most common

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single-use plastics, such as straws, plastic cups, lids, cutlery, stirrers and food containers, which account for the largest share of marine waste.

April-June 2022

N EWS

INDUSTRY’S BEST NATURAL BEVERAGE ALTERNATIVE TO RED40 LAUNCHED Oterra, the world’s leading supplier of natural colors, with the widest portfolio in the industry, is pleased to announce the launch of the industry’s best natural alternative to Red40/Allura Red for beverage – Hansen Sweet Potato FruitMax® Red 116 WS. In 2019, Oterra, at that time known as Chr. Hansen Natural Colors, launched its Hansen Sweet Potato™ range. The result of nearly a decade of ground-breaking research and development, the range quickly became an award-winning industry favorite, scooping up prizes in three continents: Europe, North America, and South America. The new vegetable variety was an instant

hit for its stable, vibrant, and natural red alternative.

Driven by innovation and the desire to provide exceptional solutions for the industry, Oterra’s scientists went back to work after launching the original range to develop the next must-have solution for the beverage market.

The result, FruitMax® Red 116 WS, is designed specifically for beverage manufacturers. It addresses the high complexity this industry faces when using anthocyanins, including fortification, high water-activity, carbonization, off-flavor, and color stability.

FruitMax® Red 116 WS provides manufacturers with a unique clean label, minimally

processed, and GMO-free fireengine red shade for beverage, making it the industry’s best natural alternative to RED40 or Allura Red. FruitMax® Red 116 WS is recommended for carbonated soft drinks, cordials, energy drinks, juice-based drinks and near waters.

F&B SECTOR OF AJMAN FREE ZONE CONTINUES TO FLOURISH AFTER WITNESSING A GROWTH OF 10 PER CENT IN 2021 The Ajman Free Zone (AFZ) revealed the results of its 2021 operational performance in the food and beverages sector, and recorded a significant 10 percent growth in the number of registered companies, compared to 2020. Furthermore, the business hub experienced a positive year with more than 370 registered businesses in the F&B sector – reinforcing the free zone’s appeal to companies wishing to establish and expand operations throughout the region.

AFZ continues to build on its track record as the region’s trusted hub for the F&B sector, with the new results boosting confidence among foreign investors and other F&B firms that avail the free zone’s wide

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range of facilities and services.

The integrated hub is among the leading free zones that continue to attract local, regional, and global F&B companies seeking to grow their presence in the country. AFZ’s value-added packages and incentives have also helped companies set up their businesses with ease and take advantage of its competitive features, including the free zone’s strategic location, costefficient solutions, state-of-the-art facilities, and simplified business setup processes.

H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ajman Free Zones, said: “The F&B sector has been integral to our success, especially considering its rapid

growth in the country. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have constantly focused on safeguarding the UAE’s food supply chain through our multimodal logistics hub. The new results reflect our continuing efforts to develop this industry and attract more F&B businesses to the region. We also believe the high inflow of residents in the country keeps the Emirate of Ajman at the forefront of the F&B sector in the region. In response to this, AFZ will continue to contribute to the development of the UAE’s F&B industry by offering a world-class business ecosystem, consisting of partners with trading experience and providing them with access to the UAE market.”

www.foodbusinessgulf.com | Food Business Gulf & ME

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NEWS

ALTO-SHAAM LAUNCHES NEW LEASING PROGRAM IN THE MIDDLE EAST Leading global foodservice equipment manufacturer Alto-Shaam has launched a new leasing program in the Middle East, making it easier for customers to benefit from its award-winning Vector® H Series Multi-Cook Ovens. The program has been introduced to give businesses greater flexibility, and more options to best suit their cashflow and business model.

Providing an unmatched volume and variety of food, ventless and waterless Vector H Series models are specifically designed for foodservice operations where space is at a premium. Featuring up

to four independent oven chambers, operators can control the temperature, fan speed and cook time in each individual chamber, allowing them to simultaneously cook a variety of menu items with no flavor transfer. Alto-Shaam’s pioneering Structured Air Technology® enables high velocity, focused heat for faster, more even cooking, ensuring the highest quality output.

Gabriel Estrella Talentti, AltoShaam Director for the Middle East and Africa (MEA), says the leasing program is designed to provide maximum flexibility and benefits: “We are committed to listening to

the needs of our customers and strive to continuously improve our solutions to meet their needs. With many businesses affected by the global pandemic, we understand the need for more flexible and versatile payment solutions and this new leasing model will help support our customers through the economic recovery.”

NSK SILVER-LUBE® BEARINGS WITHSTAND WASH-DOWN FLUIDS ON BOTTLING LINE CONVEYOR

In operations where contact with process fluid is unavoidable, poorly specified bearings that fail prematurely can prove costly in maintenance labour and production downtime. For this reason, increasing numbers of food and beverage plants are turning to the beneficial attributes

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of NSK’s Silver-Lube® bearing units.

Silver-Lube® provides optimal protection against the ingress of washdown water and detergent while simultaneously ensuring corrosion resistance.

Among those testifying to the advantages of Silver-Lube® is a market-leading milk processing and bottling plant. The facility was experiencing repeated bearing failures on five conveyor lines, where the company was changing bearings approximately every 16 weeks. With every replacement

Food Business Gulf & ME | www.foodbusinessgulf.com

taking approximately one hour to complete, the plant invited NSK’s team of experts to recommend a solution.

As part of its AIP Added Value Programme, NSK’s specialist engineers analysed the failed bearings, concluding that the ingress of water during the washdown process was causing internal corrosion and premature failures.

Further review of the application and operating conditions led the NSK team to recommend its proven Silver-Lube® housed bearing units.

The plant commenced a trial of Silver-Lube® bearings featuring food-grade grease on one of its bottling line conveyors, a solution that resulted in an immediate improvement and significant lifetime extension.

April-June 2022

N EWS

FARNEK TO LAUNCH ‘TRENDZ’ HOTEL MANAGEMENT COMPANY AT ATM Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek, is to launch ‘Trendz’ a new standalone hotel management company, at Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which takes place at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) on 9-12 May 2022. “‘Trendz’ offers a unique 360-degree service for hotel owners and operating companies with an accent on technology and sustainability, two of the most important trends in hospitality today,” said Walter Knight, Director of hospitality at Farnek.

“Farnek, which has over 8,000 employees, has traditionally provided manpower and outsourcing services, such as cleaning, security and property maintenance. However, ‘Trendz’ takes that market proposition one stage further, managing front office requirements, reservations,

concierge, housekeeping and room service - we can also manage sales operations, marketing and PR. “It is a cost-effective and totally flexible hospitality proposition.

Hotels can engage with us for specific operational requirements or contract us to manage an entire property, either under the ‘Trendz’ brand or as a white label product,” added Knight.

One of Farnek’s most recent accomplishments, was the development of an app called ‘Flexi-Guest’ which digitalises the guest journey from pre arrival to check out.

The app, which was developed in-house, interfaces with a hotel’s property management system (PMS) affording guests a whole suite of services from uploading travel documents, such as vaccination certificates, ordering

a car on arrival, room service and laundry. The hotel app can also send automated electronic updates and alerts to the guest, as well as e-registration documents, e-invoices and e-receipts, all in one convenient space.

“This gives the guest an enhanced experience, providing a seamless pre-arrival and check-in procedure. They can order room service in advance, have laundry picked up or delivered, request early or late check outs, view and pay invoices with secure online payments.

“If the guest experience is good, that develops loyalty and improves online ratings. The hotel operates more efficiently, saving staff time and expense and has the added advantage of driving revenue through F&B and e-concierge services,” added Knight.

NEKTIUM’S BOTANICALS SET TO MAKE DEBUT IN FOOD AND BEVERAGE SECTOR Nektium has expanded its botanical ingredient portfolio into the food and beverage sector for the first time. The move means its clinically researched, branded plant extracts are now available for use in a wide range of applications beyond supplements, including sports and energy drinks, dairy products, gummies, and cereal bars.

Spain-based Nektium’s portfolio includes Zynamite®, a proprietary mango leaf extract (Mangifera indica) that is clinically proven to help boost the mental and physical aspects of sports performance.

It also supplies the adaptogen Rhodiolife®, a rhodiola plant extract (Rhodiola rosea) that has been shown to help improve cognitive

April-June 2022

health and enhance endurance.

Thomas Adler, Chief Business Officer at Nektium, said: “The health benefits of natural plant extracts are gaining wider recognition, which means there is an exciting opportunity to take them beyond the dietary supplement and nutraceutical categories and into the more mainstream food and beverage sector. Following significant investment in our research and manufacturing capabilities, we have now been able to adapt our

botanical ingredients so that they are suitable for use in a wide range of food and beverage applications, opening a major new opportunity for brands that are looking to harness growing consumer demand for natural health benefits in everyday products.”

www.foodbusinessgulf.com | Food Business Gulf & ME

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NEWS

UAE’S POPULAR HOMEGROWN BURGER JOINT, PICKL, WINS DELIVEROO’S FIRST-EVER ‘RESTAURANT OF YEAR’ AWARD Pickl, the popular homegrown burger joint, bagged the title of ‘Restaurant of the Year’ and ‘Best Fried Chicken’ at Deliveroo’s first-ever restaurant awards in the UAE. Deliveroo, one of Dubai’s favorite food delivery companies, announced the winners on the 23rd of March 2022.

This comes as no surprise as Pickl was recently awarded the ‘Best Burger Restaurant’ by the Time Out Awards 2022. These accolades demonstrate the

success Pickl has experienced since its inception in 2019, having been up against some of the globe’s biggest names.

Steve Flawith, Founder and CEO of Pickl, comments, “It is an honour to receive these awards, and we couldn’t have accomplished this without our hardworking team by our side, every step of the way. Our team prides themselves on the burgers created, ensuring our customers are left with a positive experience and memory while dining in one of our locations across Dubai, or placing an order to their homes.”

Pickl is a home-grown burger restaurant that continues to prove their mantra “Fresh. Fast. Food.” by always freshly preparing their food in-house every day.

REMIRA TIA A3 HANDLES INTEGRATED PLANNING FOR SIGG DRINKING BOTTLES Swiss drinking bottle manufacturer SIGG will be planning with S&OP’s REMIRA TIA A3 software in the future.

The company is thus replacing its current sales planning with an integrated planning system that offers AI-supported sales planning, precise forecasts, and optimal scheduling.

SIGG has been one of the leading suppliers of drinking bottles since 1908.

The company is known for quality, innovation, design, and environmental awareness, and SIGG products are synonymous worldwide with high-quality and sustainable drinking bottles. To optimally pursue and implement its growth targets and at the

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same time achieve greater transparency, the traditional Swiss company was looking for software-based support. Markus Höpfner, Director Operations and Jannik Wagner, Director Finance at SIGG Switzerland Bottles AG, found what they were looking for with REMIRA, the specialist for supply chain and omnichannel solutions.

Its software REMIRA TIA A3 prevailed over other solutions due to its holistic competence in the area of Sales & Operations Planning. TIA A3 supports companies in all phases of product management with precise sales planning and forecasting and serves as the basis for resilient and holistic

Food Business Gulf & ME | www.foodbusinessgulf.com

planning. “Our primary goals are to achieve higher availability or more accurate planning, and ideally to reduce or at least optimize our inventories at the same time. At the same time, we want to be able to react more quickly to market changes in the future and establish more automatisms in planning,” explains Markus Höpfner.

A close link with corporate financial planning is also planned. By networking sales planning with supply chain, purchasing and production planning, SIGG will be able to make business decisions much faster in the future based on a valid database.

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DISCOVER POLISH FOOD PRODUCTS THAT ARE CONQUERING FOREIGN MARKETS

Tasting of Polish sweets by Bogutti at the Polish Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai

The food sector is one of the most important branches of the Polish economy and products of domestic companies are becoming more and more popular on foreign markets. Poland is among the top producers of apples, cherries, raspberries, currants as well as cheese. It is the largest producer of poultry meat, the 4th largest producer of dairy products and the 5th largest producer of honey in the European Union. Polish companies are increasingly focused on growth, and their food and agricultural products can also be found on shop shelves in the Middle East.

Poland is a market where large companies successfully operate and develop. One of them is Maspex, which exports its products to more than 60 countries. Smaller brands are also doing very well. Hultaj is a producer of ready-to-drink fruit compotes. The drinks taste like homemade preserves and bring to mind the beverage that has been present on Polish tables for generations. To produce its compotes, Hultaj uses cherries, apples, raspberries or pears – and the fruit comes from local fruit growers and suppliers. Meanwhile, Spomlek Dairy Cooperative is one of the biggest Polish producers of hard cheese – especially fine cheese. It is one of the first producers of cheese with eyes (Radamer) and long-ripened cheese (Bursztyn). The company

can also boast a long-standing tradition and has been in business since 1909. Another recognisable brand on the agrifood market is Dary Natury. The company was founded in the 1990s and specialises in creating herbal blends using traditional recipes. Its mission is to protect endangered species of herbs, preserve herb cultivation and develop organic farming.

In the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain or Oman, you can find "krówki" and biscuits made by Bogutti on shop shelves. This Polish company has recently participated in the World Expo in Dubai. It specialises in the production of "krówki" (Polish: little cows) – fudge sweets that have a history of over 100 years and are included in the list of Polish traditional products of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in the "Bakery and confectionery products" category. The originator and promoter of "krówki" was Felix Pomorski. In 1921, he founded a confectionery factory that became famous for its sweets wrapped in paper with an image of a cow.

At the Gulfood Exhibition, which was an accompanying event to Expo 2020 Dubai, around 50 companies promoted their products and foodstuffs at the Polish stand. Among them were sweets, honey, caviar, gluten-free bakery products, spices, dairy and meat products, as well as juices and soft drinks.

Learn more and discover the most rapidly growing industries in Poland: www.expo.gov.pl/reports

E V E N T U PDATES

CIBUS 2022: THE AGRIFOOD INDUSTRY DEALS WITH THE INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCY

Cibus is the first important agrifood international exhibition welcoming back foreign buyers. The 21st edition, organised by Fiere di Parma and Federalimentare, will be held from 03 to 06 May 2022.

The letting up of the pandemic emergency and new regulations easing participation to trade shows by parties outside the EU make it possible for buyers

and commercial operators from every continent to attend. Nearly 60 thousand professional visitors and about 3 thousand exhibiting companies are expected at the event.

Cibus 2022 will put food back at the centre of the social and economic debate, presenting various scenarios and its essential place within our society. The trade show highlights the role of food as archetype of social relationships, framing how this sentiment can actually put us back in harmony with a development model consistent with the consumer’s requests, those of the communities, the environment and the agrifood

businesses, increasingly more drawn towards virtuous behavioural choices. Cibus 2022 will focus of sustainability in all its multiple facets: environmental, economic and social. GI products, both Italian and international, are also leading at Cibus for their roles in promoting and enhancing the areas of origin, the set of information needed to create value on the shelves and there is an area dedicated to start ups with Italian and foreign businesses as incubators of innovative proposals. It will also feature the enhancement of the good practices of the agrifood industry intended to trigger a positive chain reaction along the entire supply chain.

IPACK-IMA (3 - 6 MAY 2022) - THE INTERNATIONAL PROCESSING & PACKAGING SHOW DEDICATED TO FOOD & NON-FOOD Four events - Ipack-Ima, Greenplast, Print4All and Intralogistica Italia - with a single objective: to present the market with the best of instrumental mechanics and tell about the most innovative solutions dedicated to the various industrial production sectors.

The Innovation Alliance will be back at Fiera Milano from 3 to 6 May: a supply chain proposal ranging from the most sustainable solutions for the processing of plastic and paper to their graphic customisation, from food and nonfood processing and packaging to the handling and storage of goods.

Safety remains the first

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priority for IPACK-IMA which has organized an exhibition layout to ensure the greatest possible distance. In compliance with the latest health and safety regulations, as of May 1st it will no longer be necessary to hold

Food Business Gulf & ME | www.foodbusinessgulf.com

a Green Pass or any other Covid-19 green certification to access exhibitions.

Therefore, at the entrances, no document of vaccination or recovery from COVID-19 or exemption will be requested, nor will it be necessary to perform antigenic or rapid test.

IPACK-IMA will do its best to avoid crowds and respect interpersonal distance in order to allow exhibitors and visitors to enjoy 4 days of business in total serenity.

We look forward to seeing you at the exhibition.

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EVEN T UPDATE S

IFFA – THE SECTOR HIGHLIGHT FOR INNOVATIONS, TRENDS AND ENCOUNTERS The sector is set to meet at IFFA in Frankfurt am Main from 14 to 19 May. Around 900 exhibitors from more than 40 countries will be showing their latest products and solutions for processing, packaging and selling meat and alternative sources of protein.

The expectations of the global meat and protein industry on their leading international trade fair – IFFA, Technology for Meat and Alternative Proteins – are high.

From 14 to 19 May, the who’s who of the sector will meet in Frankfurt am Main to present the latest innovations, to gather information and to network. Around 900 exhibitors from over 40 countries have registered to show their developments from the last three years including technology for processing and packaging meat and alternative protein products, ingredients and additives for modern foodstuffs, as well as new sales products. Everything and everyone of note will be spread over

some 116,000 square metres of exhibition space (gross) in Halls 8, 9, 11 and 12 of Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre. The traditionally high level of internationality of IFFA is also guaranteed this year with over 60 percent of registered companies coming from outside Germany, especially Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and Poland.

Trade visitors are also looking forward to this year’s IFFA in Frankfurt. They come from the food industry, the butchers’ trade, the retail trade, the hospitality industry and suppliers, and hold the fair in high regard as the best source of information for the latest innovations and trends.

Wolfgang Marzin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Messe Frankfurt, says, “We are ready to welcome important players from the German and international meat and protein industry to IFFA 2022.

Around 900 companies, including the market leaders, will be there

14. – 19. 5. 2022 Frankfurt am Main

Technology for Meat and Alternative Proteins

and show the latest innovations on their impressive exhibition stands.

The breadth and depth of the products and services to be seen is unrivalled and, this year, will once again generate a multitude of innovative impulses. With the new theme of alternative sources of protein, IFFA, the world’s leading trade fair for the industry, not only sets the trend but also reflects current consumer behaviour.”

BEST BUSINESS AT FRUIT LOGISTICA 2022 The leading trade show for the global fresh produce business has relaunched after a one-year, pandemic-induced break, bringing together over 40,000 quality buyers and trade visitors from around 130 countries, and more than 2,000 exhibitors from 87 countries.

It was back to business from 5 to 7 April 2022 when Berlin turned into the capital of the global fresh fruit industry for three days. More than 2,000 exhibitors provided a comprehensible market overview and presented

April-June 2022

their products, services, and technical solutions to over 40,000 buyers and trade visitors at the decision-making level.

"Preparations for this year's Fruit Logistica were intense," says Kai Mangelberger, Director at Fruit Logistica.

"And we, the organisers, weren't the only ones facing obstacles. This is why I would like to thank all exhibitors and trade visitors who made the trip to Berlin. They were rewarded with very good business deals. And

everyone who could not make it is welcome to come by next year."

Fruit Logistica in April is a one time exception. Next year, Fruit Logistica will return to its original date in February. Save the date: 8 to 10 February 2023.

www.foodbusinessgulf.com | Food Business Gulf & ME

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GU L F OOD REVI EW

Camelicious signs MoU with Othaim Pharma Trading Company to expand the companys operations in KSA

Olive Country sign a partnership with Saudi Arabian water brand Berain and Omans Mazoon for sourcing and distribution their products

Alexander Kappes CEO Greener Crop and Mustafa Al Hinai CEO Tamkeen Investments

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ood and beverage producers from across the GCC have praised Gulfood 2022, capitalising on

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REGIONAL F&B INNOVATORS MAXIMISE BUSINESS POTENTIAL OF GULFOOD WITH HOST OF NEW DEALS the opportunities at the 27 th edition of the world’s largest annual F&B sourcing event which ran at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 14-17 February, putting pen to paper on a number of MoUs and new partnerships.

Dubai-based hydroponic farm management company, Greener Crop, which specialises in setting up and operating commercial hydroponic farms, has maximised the growing appetite for agribusiness solutions with the signing of a partnership with Tamkeen

Food Business Gulf & ME | www.foodbusinessgulf.com

Investments, a venture capital with an aim to revolutionise economic sectors in Oman and other GCC countries, to develop and manage hydroponic farms in Oman.

Alexander Kappes, CEO, Greener Crop and Mustafa Al Hinai, CEO, Tamkeen Investments said that their shared goal was to expand the use of advanced farming technologies in Oman.

Olive Country, which disrupts conventional sourcing and supply chain in the food industry, made the most of an

April-June 2022

GULF O O D R E V I E W energetic Gulfood, signing a partnership with Saudi Arabian water brand Berain and Oman’s most trusted dairy brand Mazoon for sourcing and distribution.

Ghassan Aboud, Chairman at Ghassan Aboud Group, owners of Olive Country, said: “This is our third year at Gulfood, the exhibition has proven to be very effective and prosperous. Over the years we have established several relations and signed notable deals with companies like Minerva Foods, AFFCO, JBS, Unilever, Hunter Foods at Gulfood. Now, we are pleased to announce our latest partnership with Saudi water brand, Berain and Oman’s most trusted dairy brand Mazoon.”

April-June 2022

Meanwhile, Camelicious, owners of the world’s largest camel farms in Dubai, and manufacturers of a wide range of camel milk-based products, signed an MoU with Othaim Pharma Trading Company (“Othaim Pharma”) to expand the company’s operations in KSA. “The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Othaim Pharma, one of the leading distributors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is to take our wide range of products to market with an objective of making Camelicious the number one camel milk-based product brand in the country,” said Saeed Juma Bin Subaih Al Falasi, General Manager,

Camelicious.

Gulfood has established a position as the world’s largest annual food & beverages trade show. Split into eight specific food industry sectors, the trade-only show is professionally managed and hosted by the Dubai Word Trade Centre (DWTC). DWTC brings more than 40 years’ experience delivering worldclass events in the Middle East and provides local, regional, and international exhibitors with unmatched expertise and in-depth market knowledge.

The next edition of Gulood will take place from 20 to 24 February 2023 at the Dubai World Trade Center.

www.foodbusinessgulf.com | Food Business Gulf & ME

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PROBIOTIC S

PROBIOTIC JUICES:

EMPOWERING A CLASSIC JUICE BEVERAGE WITH PROBIOTICS SUPPORTING IMMUNE HEALTH

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fter 30 years of research and development in probiotics, bioscience leader Chr. Hansen has innovated to enable the world’s most-documented probiotic, the LGG® strain, to be applied to the harsh environment of fruit juices. Now Chr. Hansen has two probiotic offerings for a range of

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juices — the LGG® and L. CASEI 431® strains—and both are backed by scientific evidence demonstrating their ability to support immune health.

Innovation opportunity With immune health at the top of the list of priorities for many consumers, products that can

Food Business Gulf & ME | www.foodbusinessgulf.com

offer enhanced health benefits are gaining traction. A recent proprietary survey conducted in 2022 by Chr. Hansen in Qatar and Saudi Arabia found growing consumer interest in foods containing probiotics beyond the more traditional dairy options such as juice.

Fruit juice, already rich in

April-June 2022

PR O B IOTI C S nutrients, provides an ideal platform onto which producers can add functional ingredients such as probiotics. With that said, the LGG® and L. CASEI 431® strains can add immune support in addition to the nutrient content in juices, thus helping to increase their appeal to healthconscious consumers who may not currently purchase juice products.

It’s what’s inside that counts “We are proud to announce that our nu-trish® culture range of probiotics has now been expanded to include an array of juice applications, giving consumers additional options for incorporating immunity-supporting

strains into their daily routines and their overall diets,” says Anne-Claire Baiquis, Commercial Development Manager in Fermented Beverages. “Our nu-trish® LGG® Juice and nu-trish® L. CASEI 431® Juice cultures have been adapted to achieve excellent performance in chilled juice beverages, maintaining an optimal pH and cell count stability throughout the product’s shelf life.”

“With nu-trish® probiotic cultures, we like to say that it’s what’s inside that counts,” Anne-Claire Baiquis continues.

“Probiotic juice may look just like other juices on the shelf, but when analyzed up close, it offers a world of difference when it comes to live bacteria counts

and the potential to support overall health—in ways that are backed by clinical trials.”

What the LGG® or L. CASEI 431® strains can add to your product Both the world’s mostdocumented probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus, LGG® and the well-documented probiotic strain Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. casei, L. CASEI 431® support immune health and are backed by clinical evidence. The recommended daily intake for either strain is 1 billion live cells, which can be achieved in 100 ml of juice, making it easy to consume enough with just one glass.

nu-trish® probiotics It’s what’s inside that counts

Enhance the health appeal of fruit juices Respond to consumer interest in immune health with nu-trish® Juice cultures, delivering the LGG® and L. CASEI 431® probiotics in chilled juice

Contact for more information Chr. Hansen Middle East and Africa FZ-LLC meainfo@chr-hansen.com, +971 4 455 0300

April-June 2022

www.foodbusinessgulf.com | Food Business Gulf & ME

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P L A N T BASED YO G URT

MISTA MEMBERS JOIN FORCES TO CREATE THE PLATFORM’S FIRST PLANT-BASED CUSTOMER-READY PRODUCT

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ISTA unleashed the power of its unique approach to collaboration by announcing the launch of its first member co-created product, a high performance, delicious tasting plant-based yogurt base that can help get customers from development to market quickly. The yogurt base was co-created by MISTA members AAK, Chr. Hansen, Givaudan and Ingredion, bringing together some of the best parts of each of the industry leaders’ cutting edge and technically advanced solutions.

Made from high quality, sustainable, clean label ingredients, MISTA’s new plantbased yogurt base sets a new benchmark for a great tasting, universally appealing plant-based yogurt. The yogurt brings together a wide range of technologies that include plant-based proteins, designer cultures, specialized protein binders and flavors with unique functional enhancers.

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“Givaudan’s industry-leading protein binder and masker flavor solutions help mask off notes in plant-based proteins, while also enhancing the flavor profile and release,” said Catherine Bayard, global product manager at Givaudan.

“The state-of-the-art texturizing cultures from Chr. Hansen help enhance the performance of the plant proteins and starches to create an appealing mouthfeel,” said Ross Crittenden, senior director of commercial development at Chr. Hansen.

“Ingredion’s highly dispersible and clean tasting pea and faba proteins provide the nutrition, taste and mouthfeel that is key to a great plant-based yogurt,” said Greg Aloi, vice president customer co-creation and applications at Ingredion.

“AAK’s functional combination of fats that are tailor-made for a smooth and creamy mouthfeel, gives the yogurt a dairy-like taste,”

Food Business Gulf & ME | www.foodbusinessgulf.com

said Ted Lengwin, plant-based business development lead at AAK. “MISTA was created to evolve the food system for the future and to do so, we need like-minded companies, both big and small, to join forces and work on new initiatives in a collaborative way that has not been done before,” said Scott May, founder and head of MISTA. “We call this effort curated collaboration and this new plant-based yogurt base is the direct result of it. This is the first of many more collaborations to come.”

Samples of MISTA’s plant-based yogurt base are available now for customers in the U.S., Europe and some parts of Latin America. Any large, small or emerging brand can utilize this base to accelerate their time to market and tweak the formulation to meet their brand requirements.

For more information, visit www.mistafood.com

April-June 2022

PLA N T B A S ED A LT ER N ATI V E S

COMPLETE SOLUTIONS FOR MEAT, SAUSAGE AND PLANT-BASED ALTERNATIVES

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he meat industry is in a transition. Many companies face the question: Do we continue to focus entirely on meat products, or do we expand our range with plantbased alternatives? The answer isn’t easy, since worldwide meat consumption will continue to grow. On the other hand, in the western industrialised countries plant-based alternatives are increasingly in demand.

Hydrosol and Planteneers, sister companies within the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe, support the meat industry with exciting product concepts that open up new potential in many different markets. Whether all-meat, less meat or all-plant, these concepts let manufacturers react to current challenges, trends and consumer wishes.

Hydrosol: Meat meets vegetables Reducing the meat content in burger patties, nuggets or sausages, and replacing it with vegetables, legumes and fibre, results in products that are a perfect match with the ongoing consumer demand for healthy indulgence. The new PLUSmulson series stabilising system

April-June 2022

compensates for the function of the missing meat proteins. It’s suitable for making many different products, and is simple to use and easy to integrate into existing production processes. “Free from” is another major trend. In the meat category, that primarily means less salt and less phosphate.

Here again, Hydrosol has developed new concepts, for example for making phosphate-free sausages.

Likewise new are clean label solutions for meat products that use natural ingredients for effective freshness preservation, appealing colour and phosphatefree brine substitutes.

At the companies’ joint booth at IFFA (Hall 12.1, Booth B 81) Hydrosol is presenting economical solutions for a variety of applications, like meat, ham, convenience products and sausage products. Economical production calls for solutions to counter rising raw material prices; with the drastic price increases for some ingredients, replacing raw materials is currently a hot topic, and one the Hydrosol R&D team is continuously developing new solutions for. The objective of raw material substitution is to maintain the consistent quality of the final product within its existing price category.

Planteneers: Discovering new possibilities At the IFFA Planteneers is showing new possibilities that meat and convenience manufacturers have in addition to their core business. With the company’s systems, vendors can extend their product lines with a broad spectrum of plantbased alternatives.

Planteneers assists its customers throughout the entire process, from the initial idea to upscaling for large scale production. The resulting plantbased products can be made on existing machines, reducing the need to invest in new equipment.

Among the new product ideas that Planteneers is showing at the IFFA are alternatives to chicken strips, kebab and steaks. For creative variety and additional sales boosts there are cheese alternatives, for example as filling in vegan sausages, or in plantbased convenience products like cordon bleu. A plant-based burger sauce and vegan dressings for deli salads produced cold add to the possibilities. Plant-based fish and seafoods can also open up interesting new market opportunities for meat producers.

From raw fish alternatives to filets and fish fingers to calamari, Planteneers has a broad selection.

For more information, visit www.stern-wywiol-gruppe.de

www.foodbusinessgulf.com | Food Business Gulf & ME

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F O O D COL O R S

LEADING THE FOOD COLOR MARKET IN SUSTAINABILITY: GNT REVEALS AMBITIOUS TARGETS IN NEW REPORT

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XBERRY® Coloring Foods supplier GNT has published a major new report that sets out its plans to become the leader in its field on sustainability.

Each year, GNT produces more than 11,500 metric tons of EXBERRY® concentrates from edible fruit, vegetables, and plants – enough to color over 40 billion servings of food and drink.

To ensure the company is fit for the future, it has unveiled a sustainability roadmap for 2030 to optimize its environmental and social impacts across its global operations. The full plans feature in GNT’s new ‘Sustainability Report 2021,’ which also includes detailed information on its performance last year.

Frederik Hoeck, Managing Director at GNT Group B.V., said: “Since GNT was founded in 1978, we’ve been revolutionizing the food coloring industry with

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our plant-based EXBERRY® solutions. Today, we’re known for offering the most natural solutions on the market. We now want to take this to the next level and lead the industry in sustainability too. As a family business, sustainability and caring for future generations have always been part of our DNA.” GNT’s sustainability strategy is built around four key pillars: better products, better operations, better agriculture, and better for people. It features a total of 17 targets for 2030, including cutting the Product Environmental Footprint for EXBERRY® product ranges by 25% and reducing the intensity of factories’ CO2-equivalent emissions by at least 50%.

Furthermore, due to GNT’s strong vertical integration, the company will soon be in a position to report on greenhouse gas emissions for 80% of

Food Business Gulf & ME | www.foodbusinessgulf.com

EXBERRY® products. Covering scopes 1, 2 and 3, this data will provide important advantages for food and beverage brands as it will enable them to calculate final products’ total environmental footprint.

Rutger de Kort, Sustainability Manager at GNT Group B.V., said: “We’re positioning our EXBERRY® brand as the most sustainable food coloring solution on the market. GNT is committed to driving industry standards higher than ever before by providing colors that deliver on cost-in-use, performance, naturalness, and sustainability. Achieving our goals won’t be easy, but we’re already making excellent progress across multiple areas.”

To read GNT’s ‘Sustainability report 2021,’ visit www.exberry.com/en/ sustainability-report-2021

April-June 2022

COF F E E

REIMAGINE COFFEE WITH CAPSOIL’S OIL BASED FUNCTIONAL INGREDIENTS C apsoil FoodTech, by Prodalim, Ltd. innovates the coffee pods space, adding extra functional ingredients to the famous beverage. Its novel platform provides new opportunities for coffee lovers to boost their coffee routine with more than just a wakeup call. The company uses coffee pods as a unique delivery system to infuse coffee with multiple ingredients awarding added wellness benefits.

Oil and water do not mix by nature, but Capsoil cracked the code developing an advanced method for incorporating oilbased nutrients into coffee pods. This opens the doors to coffee fortified with oil-soluble ingredients, such as mediumchain triglycerides (MCTs), CBD, vitamins A, D, E, and K, and others.

“Coffee is functional drink by definition,” notes Itay Shafat, PhD, Scientific Director for Capsoil FoodTech. “This is why it is the perfect vehicle for added functional ingredients.

You get up in the morning and your first act is to drink a cup of coffee to perk you up and help you focus on your daily routine.

Consumers already link coffee with functionality.”

Capsoil’s proprietaary technology takes any oil-based compound and converts it to a self-emulsifying powder. Unlike some conventional powders,

April-June 2022

this novel process results in a dry, free-flowing powder that dissolves easily in either hot or cold liquids.

“Working for global companies that market healthy ingredients, I was fully aware of the need for coffee companies to enhance their offerings to consumers,” explains Shafat. “Capsoil has a next-gen solution for many issues I faced in my previous positions. Most vitamins and antioxidants are not watersoluble, and unable to deliver the active compound from the pod to the cup. Another challenge is the stability when mixing functional ingredients with coffee, which typically involves heat.

Capsoil’s technology can convert any oil or oil-soluble ingredient into a water-soluble powder that can be incorporated into a hot

beverage. It demonstrates high stability, even in hot temperatures.

In addition to vitamins A, D, E, and K, oil-based antioxidants, such as lycopene or astaxanthin are also gaining momentum among consumers, as are cannabis-derived ingredients, such as CBD and terpenes. MCT oil is especially popular with athletes and paleo diet fans. It is a non-dairy ingredient that adds a cream-like effect to coffee, making it ideal for ready-to-drink coffee or coffee pods.

www.foodbusinessgulf.com | Food Business Gulf & ME

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R ES EA R C H

WAL NU TS

RESEARCH CONTINUES TO UNCOVER THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF ALA The health benefits of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) on cardiovascular diseases and cognition continues to increase with ongoing research

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nvestigators continue to uncover the unique health benefits of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), separate and apart from the more widely known attributes from marine sources. Given the evidence of the health benefits of plant-based diets there is keen interest in better understanding the role of ALA, the plantderived omega-3 fatty acid, on cardio-metabolic diseases and

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cognition. The increasing scientific evidence for ALA consumption is largely based on its major food sources like walnuts.

A new review1 2, published in Advances in Nutrition, found that consuming ALA was associated with a 10% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 20% reduced risk of fatal coronary heart disease.

One of the primary authors of

Food Business Gulf & ME | www.foodbusinessgulf.com

April-June 2022

WA LN U TS the recent review, Penny M. Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD, FAHA, FNLA, FASN, CLS, Evan Pugh University Professor of Nutritional Sciences, Department of Nutritional Sciences at The Pennsylvania State University, shares “Our knowledge of the cardiovascular benefits of ALA has improved markedly over the past decade. Given the available data, ALA reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Importantly, there are heart health benefits of ALA for individuals who do not consume marinederived omega-3 fatty acids, but also extra benefits for those who do. Because of this, it is recommended that everybody consume adequate amounts of ALA.” Besides, Professor Bas said; “ALA has stand-alone health benefits that decrease risk for heart disease. Foods that are rich in ALA like walnuts, flax or chia seeds are easy ways to increase intake of this essential nutrient.

Adding walnuts to breads, salads or soup increase diet quality.”

The publication reveals that randomized controlled trials show that dietary ALA may reduce total cholesterol, low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure. Epidemiological studies also have shown an anti-inflammatory effect of ALA; which collectively account for the cardiovascular benefits of ALA. A meta-analysis reported a trend toward diabetes risk reduction with both dietary and biomarker ALA.

Interestingly and more importantly, timely, a recent paper concludes that there is a lack of knowledge regarding omega-3s, its food sources and its health benefits in Saudi Arabia3. It is estimated that 54% of deaths from non-communicable diseases in the Eastern Mediterranean Region are due to cardiovascular diseases. Deaths attributed to cardiovascular diseases (of total deaths) range from 49% in Oman to 13% in Somalia4.

Walnuts are a rich source of ALA Walnuts are the only tree nut to contain an important amount of plant-based omega-3 ALA(2.7g/30g). There are three major forms of omega-3s in the diet, including EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), two fatty acids that are commonly found in marine sources such as fish and algae. The third form of omega-3, ALA, is an essential plant-based fatty acid that is abundant in walnuts, flax and chia seeds.

ALA shows promising evidence of counteracting cognitive decline According to the research, the role of ALA in cognition is in the early stages but shows promising evidence of counteracting cognitive impairment.

For more industry information, health research and recipe ideas, visit www.californiawalnuts.ae

Source: 1 https://academic.oup.com/advances/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/ advances/nmac016/6529227?redirectedFrom=fulltext

April-June 2022

2

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/947289

3

https://www.curresweb.com/mejas/mejas/2018/83-90.pdf

4

http://www.emro.who.int/health-topics/cardiovascular-diseases/index.html

www.foodbusinessgulf.com | Food Business Gulf & ME

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P O TATOE S

ELITE AGRO’S UAE-GROWN POTATOES, NOW BACK IN SEASON

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lite Agro (EAG), a leading UAE producer and distributor of fresh produce,

is bringing UAE-grown, fresh-

from-the-earth white and purple potatoes to the market. With

their pioneering sustainable local farming methods, Elite Agro is expected to save at least 468

tons of carbon emissions, when compared to the most common

sources of imported potatoes and the carbon emissions involved in their transportation.

Potatoes are in season at EAG,

the UAE’s largest local potato

producer. They own and operate a 1,212-hectare farm in Nahel, Al Ain, producing up to 8,400

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tons of potatoes this harvest season. Potatoes have long been considered as naturally rich in protein and fiber and are free from fat and cholesterol. As such, EAG focuses on cultivating them locally to meet the needs of the regional market.

Dr. Abdulmonem Almarzooqi, Elite Agro Executive Director and Board Member, said: “The new harvest season is a testament to our success as pioneers of sustainable farming in the UAE. We renew our commitment to support the UAE’s National Strategy for Food Security and the United Nations Development Programme Goal 2 (UNDP) by producing locally-grown, fresh

Food Business Gulf & ME | www.foodbusinessgulf.com

potatoes our customers can trust.”

Since 2014, the farm has been home to three potato varieties, including Spunta, Naima, and Universa. This year, an all-new, highly-versatile potato variety called Sifra was planted for the first time in Nahel Farm. Distinguished for its light-coloured skin and excellent culinary qualities, Sifra is an excellent multi-purpose kitchen staple, suitable for baking, boiling, frying, mashing, and roasting. The Naima variety is also known for its quality and long shelf life. By growing four different varieties, EAG will be able to supply the UAE market with local potatoes for the next 9 months.

“We continuously endeavour to bring new varieties that increase the accessibility of locally-grown, high-quality fresh produce to the UAE market. In line with our commitment to promote local food security and sustainability, we are proud to pioneer sustainable farming practices that are beneficial to both our people and our planet,” said Ian Summerfield, Elite Agro CEO. EAG uses eco-friendly and sustainable farming solutions at its four farms across the country to ensure optimal production, efficient use of natural resources, as well as a lower carbon footprint, to enhance the resilience of the UAE’s agriculture industry. These include fully automated planting to harvesting methods, advanced adaptive irrigation to save water, integrated pest management to protect the environment, state of the art postharvest management to preserve quality and software management systems to reduce waste.

For more information, visit www.eag.ae

April-June 2022

S US TA I N AB I L I TY

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ottle manufacturer Yiwu Midi Technology, Zhejiang has selected Ultrason® P 3010 from BASF to produce reusable to-go mugs for the market launch of its new business segment. Because of its durability, high-temperature resistance and design versatility the BASF polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) offers a unique combination of lifestyle attributes and sustainability for high-quality to-go cups that are lightweight, shatter-proof and fashionable: Ultrason® P 3010 maintains the flavor of e.g. coffee without any impact on taste or odor. It does not show any discoloration by contact with hot or cold liquids like coffee, juices, soft drinks or tea.

At the same time, the BASF thermoplastic polymer contributes to less packaging waste as the mugs can be reused many times and thus support a circular economy: The chemically resistant Ultrason® P 3010 easily withstands cleaning agents as well as the high temperatures in dishwashers and is even sterilization-proof without losing its excellent mechanical properties or visual appearance. Thus, reusable to-go mugs made of Ultrason® can be part of a reuse and multiplecycle system that saves valuable resources and avoids packaging waste as targeted in the Singleuse Plastics EU Directive 2019/904.

Ultrason® P 3010 is a mediumviscosity injection-molding and extrusion grade with temperatureindependent properties spanning a wide temperature range from -30 to +180°C. It is food contact compliant in the US, the EU and China. “Many to-go mugs on the market are either made of singleuse materials, are not resistant

April-June 2022

REUSABLE TO-GO MUGS MADE OF ULTRASON® FOR A SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE to hot liquids or are made of easily breakable glass, or of steel which lacks design freedom”, says Georg Graessel from Global Business Development Ultrason® at BASF. “Our PPSU with superior toughness and chemical resistance is a high-performance and sustainable alternative to such materials. It gives our customers more freedom in design and provides consumers with long-term usage so that people can enjoy their daily cup of take-out coffee with pleasure and a quiet conscience.”

The slightly honey-colored tint of Ultrason® and its good processability allow the mugs to stand apart from those available in the market today. The mugs

by Yiwu Midi Technology have two air vents, an additional straw opening and a hand grip ring made of silicone, making them practical in use and elegant in

appearance at the same time.

Ultrason® P 3010 can be easily manufactured in combination with other materials like silicone.

Ultrason® is the trade name for BASF’s product range of polyethersulfone (Ultrason® E), polysulfone (Ultrason® S) and polyphenylsulfone (Ultrason® P).

The high-performance thermoplastic is used to manufacture water filtration membranes, stylish, durable and safe household and catering applications as well as lightweight components for the automotive and aerospace industries.

Ultrason® brands can substitute thermosets, metals and ceramics in many applications because of their extraordinary property profile.

For more information, visit www.ultrason.basf.com

www.foodbusinessgulf.com | Food Business Gulf & ME

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G R ADING SO LUTI O NS

OVERCOME THE PROBLEM OF POTATO SIZE VARIANCE WITH A GRADER-HALVER

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ariance in the size of raw potatoes is a common issue faced by potato chip manufacturers.

To overcome this problem, processors are incorporating a system called a ‘Grader-Halver’ into their processing lines. This cost-effective solution from Heat and Control is designed to consistently grade potatoes according to size, and then halves any that are larger than the predetermined size.

How it works Grading size is easily adjusted at any time during the production process and can be adjusted to a minimal size before rejecting very small potatoes, and foreign objects.

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This improves the grading process resulting in final (in bag) product consistency.

Most importantly, this process stops chips getting stuck in the former of the bagmaker when packaging snack size packs.

In the processing line, the Grader-Halver fits in after the peelers, and before the inspection and trim table (rollers). The system has a rugged stainless-steel frame, adjustable multiple auger system with adjustable phasing, a roller conveyor, and slicing discs which halve larger potatoes. Potatoes are delivered to the infeed from the upstream equipment.

Adjustable grading augers sort the product by size and

Food Business Gulf & ME | www.foodbusinessgulf.com

Overcome the problem of variance in potato size with a Grader-Halver from Heat and Control

April-June 2022

GR A D I N G S O LUT I ON S over-sized product passes to a circular knife arrangement for halving.

Larger sized product continues along to the grading augers, while undersized product falls through.

Adjustment can be done during operation giving an instant assessment of grading size.

Product that falls into the adjustable chute is directed into the FastBack 260E conveyor pan below the Grader-Halver and continues along the line.

Product that is larger than the maximum set size passes to the roller conveyor which orients the product and transports it to the circular halving knives, which then halves the potatoes across the longest dimension.

Halved product pieces fall from the circular knives onto a curved chute that carries them to the FastBack 260E conveyor pan to mix with the previously sorted smaller

items that are in turn passed to downstream equipment for further processing.

Features and Benefits • Consistent grading and halving • Small product is captured along the full length of grading • Clean and easy operation • No water consumption

April-June 2022

required during operation • Low maintenance • Safety guards prevent access during operation Enjoy the consistency of potato grading and halving in a convenient, low maintenance, cost effective system.

For more information, contact info@heatandcontrol.com or www.heatandcontrol.com

www.foodbusinessgulf.com | Food Business Gulf & ME

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CH O COL ATE SYSTEMS

MACINTYRE – LET’S TALK ABOUT DOING MORE WITH LESS W ith the introduction of the Next Generation MacIntyre Refiner/ Conche onto the market in 2020 and the completion of an extensive R&D programme focused on reducing cycle time and energy, discovering just how much production could be achieved from such a small footprint has been quite astonishing.

In addition to the published capacities achievable from the RC500i (500Kg batch capacity MacIntyre Refiner/Conche) – • up to 3500kg per 24 hours of 30 micron milk compound • up to 2000kg per 24 hours of 20 micron milk compound • up to 1500kg per 24 hours of 20 micron pure milk chocolate – with excellent flavour Recent production trials have additionally confirmed that the RC5000Di (5000Kg batch

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capacity MacIntyre/Conche can produce – • up to 10,000kg per 24 hours of 20 micron milk couverture If space is limited, there is no need to compromise production capacity due to the RC500i having a footprint of 2.57 metres square and the RC5000Di with a footprint of only 8.57 metres square – a small space considering the achievable capacity of 10,000Kg per day. In addition, less energy is required than ever before, with reductions of 40% in some cases. So not only can more product be manufactured in less space, future production using the MacIntyre Refiner/Conche also means less energy and less time.

These remarkable improvements have been possible due to the design changes with the Next Generation model combined

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the latest developments in MacIntyre’s R&D facilities.

While supporting customers with recipe development and matching product samples, MacIntyre are also optimising the process to ensure the least amount of time and energy is used to produce the same quality of product.

The R&D facilities are open to all MacIntyre’s existing and prospective customers.

In addition to fine tuning of standard recipes for customers, the team aspire to discover completely new production possibilities for the MacIntyre.

Reach out to the team at MacIntyre now to discuss what the Next Generation MacIntyre Refiner/Conche could mean for your business! +44 (0) 1241 434 444 enquiries-macintyre@h-d-m.com

April-June 2022

M EAT PR O CES S I N G

IRIS FILLET INSPECTION SECURES FOOD QUALITY T

oday, good food quality is on every consumer’s mind.

Everybody wants to know exactly what’s on their plate and that it is of high quality. As the global leader in food processing solutions, Marel is investing heavily in securing food quality.

IRIS Fillet Inspection is the latest addition to Marel’s food quality program for poultry processors.

This IRIS FI camera solution is an excellent tool for quality assurance of chicken fillets.

Quality control is an essential aspect in today’s poultry processing plants. Instead of incorporating human bias into quality inspection, it makes more sense to assign this job to an intelligent automated system.

Marel's IRIS FI (Fillet Inspection) camera offers such a visual quality assessment. Because of its ability to detect defects such as bruises, fat and skin, IRIS FI takes the lead in supplying highest quality poultry meat.

Trimming In a processing plant, a typical fillet line will feature a deboning system, a trimming station and a

April-June 2022

bone scanner. Additionally, IRIS FI offers the option to secure the visual quality. Installed after the trimming station, it can check in real-time whether the trimmed fillets, that are on the conveyor belt at that moment, meet the quality requirements of the customers. If trimming is done too intensely, too much valuable meat weight will be downgraded.

Too mild trimming can lead to customer complaints and a lower order intake.

What does IRIS Fillet Inspection see?

For fillet inspection, it is easy to set IRIS FI’s allowed tolerance threshold of individual bruises, total bruise area, fat defects and total fat area. Deviant fillet shapes can also be taken into account. Among the fat defects, residual skin –not removed by a skinner– is also detected.

Detected bruises can be subcutaneous bleedings or blood clots –visible as sharp, red dots that can simply be wiped off. As a result of inferior wing separation, the wing pit is notably a critical spot where several defects may

occur, such as blood spots or remaining tendons. On the other hand, too enthusiastic trimming in this area will result in odd fillet shapes and too much good meat spoiled.

Distribution options IRIS Fillet Inspection can be combined with Innova distribution software and a fillet distribution system, allowing to filter out the products that don't meet the criteria. Trimmers could miss a slice of fat or cut off too much, leaving an oddshaped fillet. Such products are unwanted in a retail tray and should be directed to a different process stream.

The camera and the software cooperate in assigning a certain quality to the fillets and this quality information can be used for decision-making for downstream distribution.

In every situation, IRIS Fillet Inspection is the perfect tool to select poultry fillets of the best possible quality.

For more information, visit www.marel.com/poultry

www.foodbusinessgulf.com | Food Business Gulf & ME

39

S AUS AGE PR O CESSI NG

GETTING UNDER THE SKIN OF SAUSAGE MANUFACTURING EFFICIENCY

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lobally, the sausage market continues to expand, and is expected to grow at an annual compound rate of over 4% from 2020 to 2025. As the popularity of sausages continues to grow, manufacturers are increasingly looking for ways to improve speed, efficiency and quality by utilizing artificial casings. In the following article, Markus Huuhtanen from Vaisala (Finland) will explain how these advantages can be gained by using in-line refractometers to monitor and control sausage casing processes.

Background Traditionally, sausage skins were made from the small intestine of meat animals. These so-

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called natural casings have been utilized for centuries, but in recent decades artificial casings have become popular in many markets.

Artificial casings include collagen (often derived from animal skin), cellulose (from plant materials), plastic, and more recently alginate (from seaweed).

The growth in artificial casings has been prompted by a number of factors, including the high costs that result from the number of processes necessary to create the natural casing product.

Also, natural casings tend to be variable in length, diameter and thickness, so it is more difficult to streamline sausage production, and the process incurs a heavier labour requirement. In contrast, continuous accurate monitoring

Food Business Gulf & ME | www.foodbusinessgulf.com

of the artificial casing process removes the requirement for manual sampling and testing, and enhances both process efficiency and product uniformity.

Alginate casing Alginate is found in the cell walls of brown algae which is a large group of multicellular algae, including many seaweeds located in colder Northern Hemisphere waters. An important feature of alginate is its ability to hold many times its own weight in water, making it a naturally gelling substance.

As a film-forming natural polymer, alginate can be used as a casing for sausages through its gel formation with calcium ions.

During the production process,

April-June 2022

S A US A GE PR O CESS I N G meat mixture is extruded to form the sausage, and a layer of sodium alginate is simultaneously applied (co-extruded) to the outer surface, before a calcium chloride brine solution is used to for dehydration and to induce gel formation. This creates a layer of calcium alginate film on the sausage, which provides the strength and flexibility required in a sausage casing.

The salt content in the brine solution is very important and needs to be closely monitored because it affects the colour, texture and overall quality of the sausage.

The main advantages of coextrusion over natural casings are: • Lower purchase cost • Ideal for automation • Low labour requirement • Product consistency • Flexibility – can be used for many different types and size of sausages • Stored as alginate powder, so no refrigerated storage necessary • Speed and throughput • Suitable for vegetarian, vegan and Halal (if alginate) Monitoring alginate brine with in-line refractometers The brine solution is stored in a brine tank, and spent brine is recycled to this same tank.

Consequently, the brine is constantly diluted by the moisture that is removed from the casing gel. It is therefore necessary to monitor the salt solution so that the correct amounts of salt can be added to the brine solution. This function is performed by the Vaisala refractometer which monitors the salt content in real-time.

There are two possible locations for the refractometers; directly in

April-June 2022

the brine tank itself, and a second refractometer can be installed in the salt supply tank.

The Vaisala refractometer measures the refractive index (RI) of the liquid, which correlates directly with the salt concentration of the brine solution. In-line RI monitoring with automatic feedback control enables process operators to ensure consistent and reliable operations; thereby protecting product quality and reducing downtime. In contrast with many other liquid concentration methods, the Vaisala refractometer is extremely accurate and reliable and needs no regular maintenance.

Importantly, these refractometers are not affected by particles, bubbles, crystals or colour, so they can be employed in a wide variety of solutions for measuring liquid concentration. The Vaisala K-PATENTS refractometers are also 3-A Sanitary Standards and EHEDG certified, which is essential for food processing equipment.

The refractometers produce mA and Ethernet output signals that allow automatic operation of the process. Moreover, the refractometers can be calibrated to read the concentration of NaOH in g/L, wt-% or any other engineering unit preferred by the factory.

Co-extrusion with collagen gel In addition to alginate gel, it is also possible to use collagen gels in sausage manufacture. Collagen casing is largely derived from beef and pig hides, but it offers most of the speed and efficiency advantages presented by alginate gels.

After co-extrusion with collagen gel, sausages are passed through a brine solution in a

similar manner to the alginate gel process. Vaisala refractometers are able to continuously monitor the process as outlined above, to ensure that the correct salt concentration is maintained and product quality is protected.

Emphasising the importance of the brine measurement, a sausage manufacturer in the USA said: “We treat co-extruded sausage casing with dipotassium phosphate to control the moisture, which directly affects the color and texture of the final product. Too much moisture in the casing makes the sausage too dark and the texture too chewy, while too little means the sausage will be too light and the texture too soft. The Vaisala K-PATENTS® refractometer helps to keep the moisture at the specified level, ensuring a standardized end product.”

Cellulose sausage casing Vaisala refractometers are also used in cellulose sausage casing processes. In this application a cellulose fiber cloth is used to create the sausage casing, but first the cloth is desulfurized by passing it through a Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) bath. Also known as caustic soda, this solution is supplied from a tank, and spent caustic is returned to this tank. Consequently, the NaOH concentration needs to be replenished because caustic is lost in the cloth during the impregnation process.

A Vaisala refractometer is therefore employed, in a similar manner to the alginate and collagen applications above, to continuously monitor (in this case) the NaOH concentration and ensure accurate replenishment.

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PAC K AGING

TOMRA FOOD INTRODUCES KETE16, THE NEW ROBOTIC PACKING MACHINE FOR PUNNETS AND CLAMSHELLS

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OMRA Food launched new robotic packing machine for clamshells and punnets.

The KETE16 automates the process of placing punnets and clamshells into cases, trays, boxes, and crates, integrating seamlessly to match the speed and capacity of the fastest filling machine, the CURO16.

Paul Slupecki, Head of Global Sales TOMRA Fresh Food at TOMRA Food commented: “The KETE16 is a versatile, highcapacity, end-of-line system with abilities the industry hasn’t seen before. No other robotic packing solution can accommodate a wide variety of pack designs at high speeds. This machine is flexible to punnet size, case size, and pack orientation, and makes it easy to change between

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different packs. This will reduce downtime, increase productivity, and deliver certainty in every pack.”

Joshua Miers-Jones, Global Category Director for Blueberries: “The KETE16 integrates with our CURO packing system, which is famous for its accuracy and gentle product handling, and which can switch between different packaging formats such as clamshells and punnets. This fast and consistent robotic packer will significantly improve the speed and efficiency of blueberry packing.”

The KETE16 is capable of matching the capacity of the CURO16-head Fill by Weight, and has been designed to be easily and quickly set up and change between package sizes

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and formats. The unique design serves to pick up and place clamshells into the tray while avoiding the risks inherent to suction methods that can open lids and compromise the product.

The KETE16 was developed at the TOMRA Field Research Centre in Hamilton, New Zealand and validated at two of the largest blueberry packing facilities in New Zealand. Manual case packing is a strain on space, lacks consistency, and requires too much labor. The KETE16 is an excellent solution for the packing industry, as it removes an unnecessary contact point and provides certainty that you will deliver consistent product at speed.

For more information, visit www.tomra.com/food

April-June 2022

KI T CHEN EQ UI P M E N T

HOBART DEVELOPS INTERIM WAREWASH MODELS TO MAINTAIN DELIVERY CAPACITIES AND REDUCE CURRENT SUPPLY BOTTLENECKS

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rolite: this is the name of the new dishwasher line from Offenburg-based warewashing manufacturer Hobart. To overcome their supply chain issues, bought about by a global shortage of microchips, Hobart has taken the steps to develop and launch an interim dishwashing range with a simplified control system that still offers their customer’s the expected high performance from a Hobart dishwasher.

Due to the pandemic the global industry is suffering from prolonged supply difficulties.

Hobart, the world market leader in commercial warewashing, is also affected by disruptions in its supply chains – particularly regarding components used in the Visiotronic-Touch singlebutton control display panel.

In order to still be able to offer their customers high-quality warewashing solutions with

April-June 2022

reliable delivery periods, Hobart has designed a new interim dishwasher line named Prolite.

“The current material bottlenecks became apparent as early as the beginning of last year. We immediately started looking for workarounds at an early stage. These unprecedented circumstances called for urgent actions,” explains Manfred Kohler, Vice President Sales and Manufacturing at Hobart GmbH, adding: “With Prolite, we have not only succeeded in maintaining our ability to deliver long term, but we can also support our customers by quickly offering them professional and reliable warewashing technology on short lead times.”

Prolite model overview The new Prolite product line includes no less than seven models, including various

versions of Hobart undercounter dishwashers for glassware and dishes, as well as several hood-type models. All the dishwashers in the product line are equipped with a proven and tested electronic control system with digital temperature indication, ensuring easy operation. Additionally, all Prolite dishwashers have three different programmes as well as the selfcleaning function.

Low water consumption is continued throughout the Prolite range – just like all models of the Hobart PROFI line.

Depending on the model only 2 litres per rack are required. All Hobart dishwashers guarantee durability, reliability, impeccable hygiene and wash results and fast availability.

For more information, visit www.hobart-export.com

www.foodbusinessgulf.com | Food Business Gulf & ME

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J APANE S E F O O D T R END S

JAPANESE FOOD TRENDS ON THE RISE IN 2022 W ith an abundance of healthy dishes which are built around fresh vegetables, rice and seafood, Japanese cuisine is ideally placed to take advantage of the continued movement towards more plant-based, wholesome, and sustainable diets.

Sumo Sushi & Bento, the originator of family friendly sushi dining in the UAE and throughout the GCC and EU has picked out some of the key ingredients, foods and techniques that might put Japanese food at the forefront of customers’ minds when looking for a new food experience in 2022.

Experts have tracked a particular interest in Japanese flavours in the build-up to and following the Tokyo Olympics.

2022 is about umami flavours, as customers seek out more and more of these deep, earthy flavours. Miso, fish sauce and mushrooms are looking set to

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continue and really become magic.

“When it comes to Japanese dining, customers are growing in confidence. Sumo Sushi & Bento has been serving the UAE for over 20+ years. The shear amount of new Japanese restaurants opening in the region is a testament to the increasing popularity of Japanese cuisine, which is seen as healthy, too. The long lives of the Japanese have been linked to their traditional food products of green tea, soy, seaweed, raw fish, matcha and fermented foods like miso.” said Ms. Julianne Holt-Kailihiwa, CEO, Sumo International Inc. LLC. Whole Foods’ experts also noted that yuzu, a citrus from

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Japan, Korea, and China, is being found in a growing number of products, from vinaigrettes to hard seltzers to mayos and more. Yuzu is a hybrid citrus fruit that originated in China and now grows in Japan, Korea, and other parts of the world. The taste is a subtle mix of grapefruit and lemon and adds an amazing punch to dressings, currently mostly used in Japanese salads and many Japanese desserts, cookies, cakes, and in just about everything.

In 2022, we see it shines even brighter along with the following: • Nori • Seafood • Grilling • Botanicals • Katsu • Teriyaki • Yaki udon • Yakisoba • Ramen

April-June 2022

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