The Cracker magazine, March 2015

Cracker The

March 2015 Edition 64, No.1

The Official Voice of the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council Foundation for the World Nut and Dried Fruit Trade

TURKEY HOSTS MAY CONGRESS NUTS TAKE CENTER STAGE IN NUTRITION NEWS NUTS FIT 2015 FOOD TRENDS www.nutfruit.org

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Cracker The

March 2015, Edition 64 INTERNATIONAL NUT AND DRIED FRUIT COUNCIL FOUNDATION

China Chamber of Commerce, China Giles Hacking – Chairman Pino Calcagni - Vice Chairman Mark Mariani - Vice Chairman Jack Mariani Antonio Pont Berton Steir Michael Waring Cuneyd Zapsu Goretti Guasch - Executive Director SENATORS

Hubert Berrebi, France Helmut Dankert, Germany Raoul Gamon, France Chris Hacking, UK Walter F. Payne, USA Abbas Rafii, Luxembourg Don Soetaert, USA James Swink, USA Jack Taillie, Netherlands Frank Vaerewijck, Belgium Doug Youngdahl, USA THE CRACKER EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Giles Hacking – Chairman Susan Brauner – Editor Goretti Guasch – Executive Director Graphic Design by:

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FEATURED ARTICLES

INDEX

WORLD NEWS

17 INC Ambassadors

Hawaiian Host buys Mauna Loa who invented chocolate covered macadamia nuts; Russell Stover's purchase of Lindt is expected to fuel growth for premium brand chocolates; Nuts, including nut butters touted in Paleo Diet which shuns processed foods; nuts score well in high protein diets for healthy snacking alternative,

49 Statistical Outlook 83 Advertisers

19 ANTALYA WELCOMES MAY CONGRESS Welcome to Turkey’s longest coastline in Antalya where beauty and historical monuments welcome INC delegates; VIP speakers headline meeting from Coca Cola and Chobani; tours to explore Turkey abound as do latest reports from dried fruit and nut experts.

Cracker The

March 2015 Edition 64, No.1

The Official Voice of the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council Foundation for the World Nut and Dried Fruit Trade

29 INC SECRETARIAT NEWS Sponsorships available for INC Pavilion at Anuga, October, 2015; INC launches successful nuts/dried fruit superheroes video on social media; new INC website update coming soon; updated statistical reports, trade maps set to launch.

TURKEY HOSTS MAY CONGRESS

42 2015 FOOD TRENDS Ethnic flavors, ancient grains, international cuisine gain attention of consumers as they seek out more plant-based foods like nuts and fruits and consume less meat; sustainability, local sourcing, fermented flavors, ethnic foods, gourmet for kids are new restaurant trend predictions.

68 WORLD INDUSTRY NEWS

NUTS TAKE CENTER STAGE IN NUTRITION NEWS NUTS FIT 2015 FOOD TRENDS March 2015

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Edition 64 | No. 1

Bian Zhen-hu/ Chen Ying

The Official Voice of the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council Foundation for the World Nut and Dried Fruit Trade

THE CRACKER

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Giles Hacking - Chairman CG Hacking & Sons Limited, UK Pino Calcagni - Vice Chairman V. Besana S.P.A., Italy Mark Mariani - Vice Chairman Mariani Packing Company, USA Jordi Martí - Treasurer and General Secretary Borges S.A.U., Spain Thomas Apfel Max Kiene GmbH, Germany Asadollah Asgaroladi Hassas Export Co. Ltd., Iran Cheng Hung Kay CHK Trading Co. Ltd., Hong Kong Mark Jansen Blue Diamond Growers, USA Zhou Jinkui Fenzhou Yuyuan Native Produce, China Barry Kriebel Sun-Maid Growers of California, USA Ashok Krishen Olam International Limited, Singapore Maarten Leerdam Intersnack Group GmbH & Co. KG, Germany Jack Mariani Mariani Nut Company, USA Mark Magnesen Planters / Kraft Foods, USA Stephen Meltzer Balcorp Ltd., Canada Pratap Nair Vijayalaxmi Cashew Company, India Osman Oz Aegean Exporters Associations, Turkey Antonio Pont - Honorary President Borges S.A.U., Spain Sabit Sabir Sabirlar Findik Ihracat Ltd. Sti., Turkey Berton Steir Paramount - Roll International Corp., USA Dick Walden The Green Valley Pecan Company, USA Michael Waring MWT Foods, Australia Cuneyd Zapsu Balsu A.S., Turkey

www.nutfruit.org

COVER PHOTO:

Almond industry reveals new heart healthy research that says snacking on almonds reduces belly fat and waistline, while the industry provides 104,00 jobs in CA, $21 billion in gross revenue that adds $11 billion to the states total economy; American Pistachio Growers adds new registered dietician and chef ambassador for nutrition research and creative recipe development; Nucis Italia sponsors winter health campaign; CA Walnuts releases new e-cookbook, launches new U.S ad campaign and reveals new walnuts and Alzheimer’s disease study; Australia launches new star rating system for front pack labeling to encourage healthier eating habits.

85 NUTRITION RESEARCH UPDATES Nutrition Research Updates: Beginning on page 85, the INC World Forum highlights the latest nutrition research results, followed by new research results and projects guided by the INC Nutrition Research and Education Foundation and other nutrition research news featuring cocoa flavanols, cancer study favoring plant foods like nuts, Type-2 Diabetes and almonds reduce belly fat.

Courtesy of Photographer Tatiana Popova

PERMANENT SECRETARIAT OF INC

Goretti Guasch, Executive Director Carrer de la Fruita Seca 4, Polígon Tecnoparc, 43204 Reus, Spain Tel: +34 977 331 416 | Fax: +34 977 315 028 E-mail: inc@nutfruit.org | Web: www.nutfruit.org The Cracker is published three times a year by the International Tree Nut and Dried Fruit Council Foundation (Fundacio Privada International Tree Nut CIF G-43738475). This magazine including all articles and illustrations, is copyright protected. Any utilization beyond the light limits set by the Copyright Act is subject to publisher’s approval. All trademarks, brand identities and graphic images shown in this publication are the property of their respective owners. While the publishers believe that all information contained in this publication was correct at the time of going to press, they can accept no liability for any inaccuracies that may appear or loss suffered directly or indirectly by any reader as a result of any advertisement, editorial, photographs or other materials published in the Cracker.

March 2015 | The Cracker

CHAIRMAN’S COMMENTARY

A FOND and FINAL FAREWELL FROM LONDON… As I prepare to hand over the reins in Antalya, this will be my last Chairman’s Commentary of my four year tenure. In some ways, it is hard to believe that four years have passed since I assumed the chairmanship in Budapest. But then again, it is staggering to look back and see what has been achieved in our industry as the INC has blossomed as an internationally recognized organization. It has been nothing short of an absolute privilege to say that I have, in some small way, been able to contribute to that evolution. It is indeed an honour to have worked with so many people within our industry, and in particular with my fellow directors and the INC secretariat in Reus. As always, we have been very busy since my last column was published. My year began with a trip to San Diego to attend the PTNPA annual conference. This was a great event which celebrated the culmination of the association’s 75th year and a great way to catch up with so many INC members. More recently, INC attended the Gulf Food Show in Dubai which is the biggest food show in the Middle East region where the INC booth was a focal point for existing members to meet and learn about recent developments. Gulf Food gave us an excellent opportunity to promote INC and provide valuable information about nuts and dried fruit. We were also very pleased to have received many new member applications during the show. This reminds me that the INC will again be hosting our pavilion at Anuga this year 10th– 14th October. If a member company is interested in booking a booth in the pavilion, please contact the secretariat ASAP, as space is selling fast! The INC’s World Forum launched two calls for expressions of interest in nutrition and dissemination for 2015. The total value of €250,000 is available for research projects. To date we have received eight research applications and seven dissemination/ education applications. This is an excellent response from scientists around the world who want to explore the health benefits of nuts and dried fruits. Following a peer review by the World Forum’s panel of experts, we look forward to announcing which projects are chosen at the INC’s congress in Antalya.

While on the subject of health, the INC released a media alert to coincide with World Day Against Cancer which was well received by media organizations globally. The press release featured the Harvard Health Study which linked ongoing nut consumption to helping prevent mortality caused by cancer. In addition, the Global Cashew Council announced the winner of its own €200,000 call for research projects. Of the 14 research applications , a research grant was awarded to Dr David Baer who presented his project to increase demand by demonstrating the cardiovascular benefits of cashew consumption. This project is being entirely funded by the cashew industry under the umbrella of the INC. As I address you in my last column, we are looking forward to visiting with you all in Antalya, Turkey, for our annual congress 22nd to the 24th May. As I have mentioned before, Antalya is a spectacular location where millions of tourists vacation annually. The Congress will launch from the world class Rixos Sungate Hotel where family can vacation while INC members participate in a comprehensive business program. Further details can be found in this edition of The Cracker as well as on the INC website. Registration for this event is going extremely well with 830 participants (from 50 countries) already confirmed to date. This puts us on par with the registrations we received for last year’s hugely successful meeting in Melbourne, while running slightly ahead of Singapore registrations at this juncture. Finally, as you will see from the photo above, I had the good fortune to meet HRH Prince Charles at a charity dinner, largely sponsored by the hedge-fund industry in London last month. Asking whether I was in the hedge fund business, I explained to him that I was actually in the NUT business….’so technically speaking, more trees than hedges, Your Royal Highness….’!! We look forward to welcoming you and your family in Turkey soon. Yours sincerely,

Giles Hacking INC Chairman

March 2015 | The Cracker

WORLD NUT & DRIED FRUIT NEWS KEEP UP WITH CURRENT EVENTS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL NUT & DRIED FRUIT INDUSTRY HAWAIIAN HOST TO ACQUIRE MAUNA LOA MACADAMIA NUT CORPORATION Hawaiian Host, Inc., one of Hawai’i’s premier brands and the originator of chocolate covered macadamias, announced Tuesday that the company has entered into an agreement with The Hershey Company to acquire the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corporation. Mauna Loa will join Hawaiian Host as a subsidiary once the acquisition is completed and both companies will continue operations as two separate and distinct brands. Mauna Loa was acquired in 2004 by The Hershey Company. “This acquisition will create a great opportunity for both companies, our employees and the community. It brings Mauna Loa back under Hawai’i ownership, joins together two strong, local brands, and lays the foundation for continued success,” president and chief executive officer of Hawaiian Host Keith Sakamoto said. “We are excited to welcome Mauna Loa’s outstanding employees to the Hawaiian Host family. Both companies have a long history of operating in Hawai’i and sharing our products with the world. And we remain committed to continuing to offer the same quality products our customers have grown to know and expect.” Mauna Loa planted its first macadamia nut trees near Kea’au, where the facilities and visitor center are located currently on 136 acres of land in 1946. As one of the largest and most experienced macadamia nut processors in the world, the Mauna Loa has the seasonal

The Cracker | March 2015

capacity to process about 40 million pounds of macadamias. In addition to the macadamia nuts processed, Mauna Loa is known for its production of chocolate covered macadamias and flavored macadamia nut products that are distributed locally, nationally, and internationally. “Both Hawaiian Host and Mauna Loa have a long history of supporting local growers and farmers as well as our community. And with more than 300 employees in Hawai’i we will continue that legacy together,” Sakamoto added. Officials expect the acquisition to be finalized during the first quarter of 2015. No immediate staff changes have been planned and addition details of the acquisition have not, and are not planned, to be released. Hawaiian Host was founded by a third-generation Japanese descendent, Mamoru Takitani, who dreamed of becoming a candy maker. Upon arriving to Honolulu from Maui, Takitani purchased a local confectioner, Ellen Dye Candies, and renamed it Hawaiian Host. Hawaiian Host has since become “Hawai’i’s Gift to the World” and is the leader of chocolate-covered macadamia products, with more than 250 products that are sold in more than 23 countries around the world.

WORLD NUT & DRIED FRUIT NEWS

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Nut and raisin processors are benefiting from pioneering technology which TOMRA Sorting Food has applied to one of its most popular sorters for the sector.

When Poindexter Nut Company built their new walnut shelling facility, they installed a cascading line of three digital sorters from Key Technology that includes two Cayman® BioPrint® hyperspectral ® sorters and an Optyx camera/laser sorter with three-way sorting. “Lasers and cameras and hyperspectral imaging are different tools. Each one has its strengths,” said Mike Poindexter. “Cayman BioPrint removes shells better than any sorter I’ve seen, and the good-to-bad ratio is fantastic. Optyx removes shells too, but its unique strengths are color and shape sorting and its three-way capability. With these sorters, we’ve increased production capacity, improved product quality, and decreased costs.”

Biometric Signature Identification (BSI) technology, introduced to the Nimbus free fall sorter, works by analysing the biological characteristics of nuts and raisins to determine whether they should be accepted or rejected. Bjorn Thumas, director of market development for food at TOMRA Sorting Food, said: “The state-of-the-art BSI module detects even smaller defects compared to conventional spectral technology and means the Nimbus is ideal for pre-sorting as well as effective re-sorting or reverse sorting, making it a very flexible option. “A pre-sort can reduce the incoming defect load without discarding good product. This can be very cost effective, since product handling and storage all costs money.”

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March 2015 | The Cracker

WORLD NUT & DRIED FRUIT NEWS

COCOA GRIND SLUMPS IN DEVELOPED MARKETS

RUSSELL STOVER BUY BOOSTS SWISS CHOCOLATE MAKER LINDT

Weak fourth quarter cocoa grinds in developed markets suggest that consumers have reacted negatively to wholesale chocolate price hikes from the major brands, according to an analyst. Q4 cocoa grind in Europe reached its lowest level for nine years and North American cocoa processing fell for the first time in two years.

The takeover of U.S. candy maker Russell Stover is expected to fuel growth for Swiss chocolate maker Lindt & Spruengli after strong demand for premium products boosted sales in 2014. Record-high cocoa prices forced many chocolate makers to raise prices last year, but Lindt has fared better than rivals thanks to its expansion in North America and its focus on the coveted premium segment that companies like Nestle also want to enter.

Nestlé, Hershey, Mondelez International and Mars Chocolate North America all introduced chocolate confectionery price hikes in the first half 2014 in response to rising input costs, particularly from cocoa. Average prices for cocoa futures in October 2014 were 12% higher than the same month last year at $3,100 per MT, according the International Cocoa Organization’s (ICCO’s) monthly average of daily prices. The European Cocoa Association reported in January that Q4 cocoa processing in Europe had dropped 7.4% to 323,061 metric tons (MT), the lowest Q4 since 2005. This brought the total 2014 grind in Europe to 1,301,527 MT, down 2.1%. North American cocoa processing fell 2% to 122,886 MT after eight consecutive quarters of growth, according to the US National Confectioners Association (NCA). However, the full-year grind for the US, Canada and Mexico was up 2.4% compared to 2013 to 521,657 MT.

With underlying full-year sales up 10 percent, far ahead of low single-digit growth in the overall chocolate confectionery market, Lindt also confirmed its operating profit margin target for 2014. Full results are due in March.

Cocoa processing declines in Europe and North America typically mean capacity was shifting to Asia. The Cocoa Association of Asia has yet to report Q4 cocoa grind stats, but Malaysia -Asia’s second largest cocoa processor behind Indonesia – has already posted a 21% drop. A 7% decline in Asia’s Q4 cocoa grind, despite growth in Indonesia, is expected.

The maker of Lindor chocolate balls and gold foil-wrapped Easter bunnies said it made "impressive progress" in France and Germany last year and reported double-digit sales growth in the United Kingdom, taking sales growth in Europe to 6.5 percent. Stand-alone sales in North America were up 14.3 percent. Cocoa bean prices are expected to ease further as a good outlook for crops and only a moderate increase in demand did not justify higher prices. Cocoa prices hit record highs last autumn, but have tumbled since.

Lindt paid around $1.3-1.5 billion for Russell Stover last year, securing third place in the United States, the world's biggest chocolate market. Including the Russell Stover brand, consolidated from mid-September, the company's sales rose 17.4 percent to 3.39 billion Swiss francs ($3.34 billion), ahead of market estimates. Excluding the acquired activities, Lindt's operating margin should rise by 20 to 40 basis points in 2014, in line with the company's midterm targets.

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NUTS IN THE PALEO DIET The Paleo diet is a meat-heavy diet that bans many nutritious foods, such as dairy, grains and beans. But it is supportive of eating more tree nuts in various forms. It’s a diet plan that landed at the bottom of the list in U.S. News Best Diets rankings, scoring only 2 out of 5 stars. Even so, it was at the top of the list of most-searched diets of 2013, according to the annual Google Zeitgeist trend report. So that means a lot of people are curious about adopting the diet – or are already fully entrenched in the paleo lifestyle. This growing interest is what’s behind the burgeoning Paleo industry that’s popped up – with Paleolithic-inspired cookbooks, magazines and blogs, along with Paleo-friendly foods, snacks and restaurant menu items. While health professionals may scoff at this primal eating plan (also known as the caveman diet), Paleo followers are passionate about this lifestyle. Here is how the diet applauds tree nuts: • Back to basics: The Paleo diet shuns processed foods, so the emphasis is on more whole, fresh, nutrient-rich foods that don’t come in a package. • Abolishing a fear of fat: Paleo is not a low-fat diet. In fact, it celebrates certain fats. For too long, people thought all fat was bad, so the emphasis is on olive oil, nuts and avocado. • Surge in nut butters: While peanuts are off-limits (since they’re a legume), tree nuts are fully embraced in the Paleo plan. That’s one of the reasons why there are so many new nut butters on the market – creamy and crunchy spreads made with almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, walnuts, pecans and other nuts. There’s also lots of recipes for making nut butters – for a topper on toast, spread on sandwiches or used in baking. • Increase in protein snacks. Most snack foods tend to be high in carbs and sugar. But now convenience stores, airports, malls and other places are stocking individual bags of nuts and seeds and proportioned nut butters. March 2015 | The Cracker

WORLD NUT & DRIED FRUIT NEWS

AMERICANS EMBRACE INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS IN 2015 Sterling Rice Group annually identifies the next hot culinary trends and the bigger underlying trends that drive them. They look at how consumer behavior has changed in the last four or five years and where it’s going and all agree that global foods have changed from being an outsider to being a given in our diet and in the world. A desire to reconnect with family traditions and unplug from the busy world for a while is driving another trend, that of a return to farm-totable kosher foods, while innovative artisans are expanding beer beyond the basic hops to other grains and herbs. According to Nielson, there are various trends lurking in 2015. Each one happens in a different space, a different quadrant. Restaurant incubators, for example, are pointing to an expanded food service selection that are turning up in markets across the U.S. as part of a notion of crowd sourcing and entrepreneurialism that currently exists. Many millennials are taking advantage of tools that have become popular. Restaurateurs and chefs will have less fear of failure because they don’t have to start a whole new business. It combines with today’s trends of food halls and food markets that continue to be developed. That goes to another big trend –having a place in the crowd and the continued interest in being part of a community, whether it’s in a food hall, or incubating spaces, it’s the continued growth of the food truck scene. Little businesses united in one location. That will continue to grow, as diners go to these places to discover new foods. Then there’s the matcha, which is a continued exploration of Japanese culture with a health angle that will appeal to today’s consumer most. It’s part of a need for stimulation and energy, for caffeine. People are wary about overdoing, but a little bit is good for you. It has all of the good nutrients in green tea that consumers are aware of, plus a more mellow caffeine hit, so it gives something new to explore. There will be more emphasis on premium and specialty matcha. Cafes will be opening up and focusing on matcha, with people who love the back-story becoming connoisseurs. Some convenience matcha products will come out that takes the good elements to make them more convenient and appealing. There are different drivers of trends and the more drivers, the more likely trends will grow. For something to really grow, it has to be pushed in multiple ways. It may start with a traditional use and then expand

The Cracker | March 2015

to a convenience product used for different occasions. Pastry chefs will start using trends in different ways like green tea evolving into green tea flavored ice cream. There are many motivators of trend setting. Health drives many trends with over fifty percent of products today having a health claim. There’s also a continued push for more natural foods and transparent, cleaner labels. People want to know if their food is ‘good for me’ People are demanding food that tastes great, and it has to be interesting. They want something they haven’t had before or something they’ve seen in their travels like the advanced Asian or incendiary charcoal trend. How food is prepared with flavor first and foremost will become a given. People’s palates are growing more sophisticated with a greater interest in bitter food. Sweet and salty is changing to more sophisticated Indian and other cuisines that demand new flavors. There’s a bigger demand for deeper umami, fishier flavors and fattier foods. People are learning they don’t have to be so afraid of fat. The notions of dietary fat and health issues are also evolving and changing. People are seeking new information from the media. They may see a fat-reducing miracle pill or a warning about something, and that adds to the confusion. The growth of the natural foods retail channel means consumers can find many of these products anywhere, including the mainstream grocery store, so consciousness has been raised about these natural choices. Business is reacting to a more sophisticated consumer who links health problems with eating different foods. This provides more food choices in the marketplace and more people searching for ways to create their own natural foods like grinding their own almond butter or milling their own grains the way they now grind their own coffee preferences. Gluten-free fans search for more ancient grains, and companies are marketing accordingly. The industry is answering consumer needs, trying to create cultural reasons that will fulfill a need and offer a benefit. If they can make pizzas more healthful with ancient grains, for example, it makes sense to do that. Food is more than just calories with a bigger, more complex meaning that may become more mainstream. They’re the poster children for bigger trends. For example, coconut sugar is being substituted as a sustainably grown substitute for white sugar. Food producers are using it as an organic ingredient. When manufacturers use it and put it on the front of package as a benefit, it appeals to consumers.

WORLD NUT & DRIED FRUIT NEWS feature story feature story

GOLDEN PEANUT ACQUIRES HARRELL NUT

NUTS INCLUDED IN NEXT BIG PROTEIN SOURCES

The CIA’s of Flavor International Conference & The Worlds CIA’s Worlds of Flavor International Conference & Lettuce-Wrapped Spicy Spicy Lettuce-Wrapped Festival® is in itsis 14th the U.S. (www.worldsofflavor. Festival® in itsyear 14thin year in the U.S. (www.worldsofflavor. AlmondAlmond Chicken, Chicken, com) and is widely as America’s most influential com) and is acknowledged widely acknowledged as America’s most influentialPhoto Credit: CIA CIA Photo Credit: professional forum on world cuisines, food cultures and flavor professional forum on world cuisines, food cultures and flavor trends. trends. Each year conference includesincludes more than chefs, Eachthis year this conference more70than 70 chefs, culinaryculinary experts,experts, and other from allfrom overall theover world and andpresenters other presenters the world and of Golden Peanut Company L.L.C., a subsidiary The next big trend in protein may be protein-plus. Multiple functional welcomes more than attendees including chefs, journalists welcomes more700 than 700Archer attendees including chefs, journalists Daniels Midland Co., has acquired claims, such as protein with probiotics or protein with energy, are and food restaurant and foodservice management and critics, food critics, restaurant foodservice management theand processing facilities and certain expected to rise, according to a new Packaged Facts report. High-protein executives, corporate menu decision-makers and a wide executives, corporate menu decision-makers and arange wide range assets of the Harrell Nut Co., a foods that serve dual functions are well-positioned: probiotic drinkable of suppliers, from leaders in agriculture and manufacturing to of suppliers, from leaders in agriculture and manufacturing to processor and sheller of pecans. yogurt (digestive health), almonds (heart health, weight loss) and some government agenciesagencies and topand consumer brands.brands. government top consumer With the acquisition, Golden snack bars (energy, relaxation).” The CIA’s WorldsWorlds of Flavor ASIA® International The CIA’s of Flavor ASIA® Peanut said International it is changing its More food service operators are aligning menus around nutrition and Conference & Festival will bewill dedicated to to theGolden Conference & Festival be name dedicated tocuisines, the Peanut cuisines,and functional benefits. Additionally, high-protein formulations of ancient flavors flavors and food of Asia ofand their to inspire andcultures food cultures Asia andpotential their potential to inspire Tree Nuts. grain drinks, indulgent nut butters, and protein matched with packaged chefs and consumers around the world. The program is being chefs and consumers around the world. The program is being “By expanding our product portfolio, we are improving our produce could also emerge. Growth areas in the market for highdesigned to be the premier all-Asia professional culinary designed to be the premier all-Asia professional culinary ability to serve our customers while taking another step in our efforts protein meals and snacks include Almonds and nut butters. Recent conference. Initial attendance is expected to be 800 to 1,000 conference. Initial attendance is expected to be 800 to 1,000 to reduce earnings volatility,” said Krisfrom Lutt,allfrom president of Golden nutritional positioning of nuts as heart-healthy and high in protein culinary and hospitality professionals drawn overallAsia culinary and hospitality professionals drawn over Asia andPacific—including Tree Nuts.China, “OurIndia, diversification intoSoutheast tree Southeast nuts began has elevated almonds and nut butters as better-for-you snack options. and Peanut theand Pacific—including Japan, the China, India, Korea, Japan, Korea, this when awesignificant acquired 50% ownership African Supporting the growth are organic and natural claims, new indulgent Asia,earlier and Australia—with outreach to the of United Asia, andyear, Australia—with a significant outreach to South the United Pecans. The acquisition of Harrell NutasThis Co. moves ntoslated the isU.S. pecan options and portable formats. Justin’s, for example, recently expanded States, Europe and Latin as well. program is States, Europe andAmerica Latin America well. Thisus program slated market, market that 2014. we expect will see increasing consumer interest the packaging options for its nut butters to include 80-calorie squeeze to kick offkick inaearly to off in2014. early in the coming years.” packs for on-the-go consumption. WorldsWorlds of Healthy FlavorsFlavors and Worlds of Flavor, along with of Healthy and Worlds of Flavor, along with Harrell Nutleadership Co. a initiatives, domestic pecan processor, with Heartier snack bars are leveraging additional CIA are a part of the strategic additional CIA isleadership initiatives, are a part of the facilities strategic in initiatives & industry leadership division of the college headed Camilla, Ga.;&Elindustry Paso, Texas; anddivision Monticello, It serves both the rise in snacking, more highinitiatives leadership of theFla. college headed up by Greg vice president of the division. Mr. Drescher domestic and international protein nutrition bars are hitting up byDrescher, Greg Drescher, vicemarkets. president of the division. Mr. Drescher is responsible for theforcollege's thoughtthought leadership, strategicstrategic the market. Made with nuts is responsible the college's leadership, “In recent years, we’ve seen the demand for healthier, more convenient partnerships and initiatives, industryindustry conferences, and newand media partnerships and initiatives, conferences, new media or fortified with vegetable foods drive up nut consumption,” Mr. Lutt added. “U.S. pecan demand and is the creator of theseofprograms and other CIA "think tank" and is the creator these programs and other CIA "think tank" protein, products such as has grown almost 40% over the last decade. Now, we are moving to take initiatives. He assumed his current title in title 2011inafter as initiatives. He assumed his current 2011serving after serving as Strong & Kind bars, with advantage of continuing growth. The Harrell family has built a great executive directordirector of strategic initiatives for the CIA. Mr.CIA. Drescher executive of strategic initiatives for the Mr. Drescher 10 grams per serving, and business, lookand forward to nearly working with andfirst their team to joined the CIAand in we 1995, served 10 yearsthem the joined the CIA in 1995, and served nearly 10asyears as the first Cascadian Farms Protein makeofit even stronger partcollege's of Golden Peanutinand Nuts.” director education forasthe campus St.Tree Helena, director of education for the college's campus in St. Helena, bars, with 9 grams, provide more CA, In where oversaw the development of the CIA at Greystone’s addition tohethe name change, Golden Tree Nuts is CA, he where oversaw the development ofPeanut the CIAand at Greystone’s protein than a traditional granola program of continuing and studies. introducing a continuing neweducation logo that theadvanced company said reflects program of education and advanced studies. its expanded bar. product offerings. All leadership initiatives led by the college,college, are supported by partnerships and sponsorships. Program sponsors have have All leadership initiatives led CIA, by thea not-for-profit CIA, a not-for-profit are supported by partnerships and sponsorships. Program sponsors opportunities help to make anmake impact on future ourtoindustry and receive invaluable exposure of theirofproducts and brands to industry opportunities help an impact on the of future ofgrowing our industry and receive invaluable exposure their products and brands to industry “Our new toname and logo reflect ourthecommitment and decision makersmakers and business,” opinion leaders. Parties interested in becoming sponsors may contact Cathy Jörin, of Special ProjectsProjects decision and opinion leaders. interested in becoming sponsors may contact CathyDirector Jörin, Director of Special diversifying our Mr. Lutt said.Parties “Peanuts will remain a program core program andpart Planning, Initiatives, CIA, at CIA, cathyjorin1@aol.com or 707.537.7742. and Strategic Initiatives, at cathyjorin1@aol.com of Planning, ourStrategic business. We are building on that core, enhancing theor 707.537.7742. range of products and solutions we can provide to our customers.” For more about the CIAthe andCIA ourand new campus,campus, please please visit these www.ciachef.edu, www.ciachef.edu/ Forinformation more information about ourSingapore new Singapore visitwebsites: these websites: www.ciachef.edu, www.ciachef.edu/ singapore/index.html/ and www.ciaprochef.com. singapore/index.html/ and www.ciaprochef.com.

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The Cracker | March 2015

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MarchMarch 2012 |2012 The Cracker 21 | The Cracker

WORLD NUT & DRIED FRUIT NEWS

CHOCOLATE:

STUDY PROBES POTENTIAL AS BUILDING MATERIAL Chocolate may have a compressive strength-to-weight ratio 24 times less than concrete but that hasn’t stopped US scientists probing its potential as a building material and even building a ‘chocolate pavilion’. Writing in the April 2015 issue of Computer-Aided Design, Alexander Jordan and civil engineering and architectural colleagues at Princeton University, assisted by Barry Callebaut North America, examine novel designs to create a structural system that used chocolate as an “experimental building material”. Emphasizing the fact that they used compound chocolate as their ‘chocolate’ – where the fat constituent is another type of vegetable fat, instead of cocoa butter – the scientists said that while countless studies have assessed chocolate’s taste, texture, appearance, rheology, production and shelf life, none have been performed on its structural material properties -including its strength and elasticity. Jordan et al. conducted tests with various chocolate formulations, designed using the hypothesis that less fat and smaller particles, with greater surface area for cohesion, both make a chocolate stiffer.

The first full-scale use of the team’s chocolate design methodology was designed as a pavilion for a café space; still awaiting construction, this is intended for display over 2-4 weeks in a temperature-controlled environment in what Jordan et al. describe as a typical New York City building. Made of sugar, cocoa powder, milk permeate and vegetable oil – cocoa butter is excluded to resist temperature changes – the team built a prototype with an 80cm span made from 6mm thick chocolate pieces (pictured) in 2013. Individual pieces of chocolate with a melting point of 52C°/125F° were ‘cast’ in a chocolate factory then assembled over a model, with seams welded using a syringe to deposit molten chocolate – this structure then stood for two months at a temperature of 20C°/68F°. Chocolate rheology (the science dealing with its deformation and flow) suggests four physical models that generate material-driven, force-modeled shapes, they write – a pneumatic form, an inverted branching form, a saddle form and an inverted hanging cloth form. March 2015 | The Cracker

WORLD NUT & DRIED FRUIT NEWS

UK POLICIES SHOULD PASS ‘OBESITY TEST’ ACCORDING TO STUDY All new UK government policies should be considered in the context of rising obesity rates in an effort to reverse the trend, urges a report from independent think tank 2020health. The report, titled Careless Eating Costs Lives, calls for a cross-sector five- to ten-year plan to address the public health, economic, employment and social costs of obesity. It also suggests the formation of a cross-departmental government task force, charged with drawing up plans to deal with obesity. Specific recommendations include extending the ban on advertising unhealthy foods aimed at children to daytime TV, as well as after the 9pm watershed; reviewing the potential effects of a tax on food and drink contents deemed to be harmful to health; and recognizing companies’ positive response to the Responsibility Deal and turning the deal into a legislative framework to be phased in over the next five to ten years.

Chief executive of 2020health Julia Manning said in a statement: “Piecemeal solutions have been tried in the past and shown to be inadequate. According to the WHO we are the fat-man of Europe and this has severe consequences for us as a nation. Unless we have a crosscutting strategy that everyone from the government down takes seriously, obesity will continue to rise and be devastating for both individuals and the nation.” A recent study published in The Lancet suggests that the UK has one of the highest rates of obesity and overweight in Europe. It found that more than a quarter of UK children, 67% of men and 57% of women were either overweight or obese. Manning added: “Our research has shown that handin-hand with obesity is widespread confusion over what constitutes healthy eating and a rise in malnutrition. We have a culture of excess and but there is no single reason for our obesity problem, and it’s fallacious to suggest otherwise.”

OBESITY COSTS GLOBAL ECONOMY $2 TRILLION

UK LACK OF CALORIE AWARENESS 'DEEPLY CONCERNING'

Paying the Price

Around two thirds of people in the UK do not know how many calories an average person needs to maintain a healthy weight, according to a survey commissioned by two charities and supermarket Tesco. The poll, commissioned by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), Diabetes UK and Tesco, found that 65% of respondents did not know that an average man required 2,500 calories a day to maintain a healthy weight, while 63% could not pinpoint the 2,000 calories recommended for women.

A new report by McKinsey estimates that obesity is costing the global economy $2 trillion per year. That makes it nearly as damaging as armed conflict or smoking, according to the consultants. More than 2 billion people -- or almost 30% of the global population -- are currently considered overweight or obese, and the problem is expected to get worse. Based on current trends, nearly half of the world's adults will be overweight or obese by 2030. $2.5

$1.5

$0.5

Smoking

Armed Violence, War & Terrorism

Obesity

Alcoholism

Illiteracy

"Obesity, which should be preventable, is now responsible for about 5% of all deaths worldwide," the report stated. Smoking is considered the most expensive man-made burden on the economy with a cost of $2.1 trillion, followed closely by armed conflict. The damage caused by obesity mainly comes from lost productivity due to disability and premature death, and higher healthcare costs. Both industry and governments have a role to play in addressing the epidemic levels of obesity.

The Cracker | March 2015

Awareness was particularly low among older people, with 26% of over 55s knowing this calorie count for women and 23% for men. In addition to this overall knowledge deficit, the poll showed that many people struggled to identify the calorie counts of specific foods. The calorie count of a medium latte and blueberry muffin – which actually contains 620 calories – was underestimated by 40% of people. This was the case for 33% of people for half a pint of semi skimmed milk (136 calories) and 39% for a chicken tikka masala curry and rice meal (800 calories). The BHF said this was particularly concerning given how everyday these foods were. It said greater focus on the basic principle of energy balance, i.e. matching calories consumed and used, was needed to address the UK’s 62% rate of overweight adults. The survey came as the BHF, Diabetes UK and Tesco began a three- year partnership which aimed to raise £30m for a series of healthy- lifestyle initiatives. Diabetes UK said it raised millions during a similar partnership with Tesco in 2013 and 2014. As part of the project, Tesco was also offering free health checks for 40,000 people in January at its UK store pharmacies.

WORLD NUT & DRIED FRUIT NEWS

BESANA CELEBRATES 94 YEARS HISTORY Besana Group recently celebrated its 94th Anniversary with an Open Day on January 22, 2015, in its headquarters in San Gennaro Vesuviano, Naples, Italy. The event included a visit to the plant of 36,500 sq. m to show the consistent investments and significant innovations put in place in 2014, and presentations by Pino Calcagni, President of Besana, and Riccardo Calcagni, CEO, to mark the milestones of the company history. The event was introduced and moderated by Prof. Roberto Della Casa, Professor of Food Marketing at Bologna University. The Group, today present on five continents, is a leading company in the production and distribution of nuts, dried fruits, seeds and chocolates and has received, among others, recognition by the British government for its dedicated and outstanding business activities in the United Kingdom. More recently, Tesco Finest Spiced Fruit and Nut Selection, produced by Besana Group, won the Quality Food Award 2013, in the category "Christmas Q - Grocery Ambient". Founded in 1921 by the brothers Emilio and Vincenzo Besana the group is today guided by the third and fourth generations, Pino and his son Riccardo.

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and KEEP TUNED March 2015 | The Cracker

WORLD NUT & DRIED FRUIT NEWS

ADM INVESTS IN SOUTH AFRICAN NUT MARKET

LOWER SUGAR PRICES SET TO CONTINUE IN 2015

Golden Peanut Co. L.L.C., a subsidiary of Decatur-based Archer Daniels Midland Co., acquired an 80% ownership stake in the assets of a South African peanut business and a 50% ownership stake in a South African pecan business last January, 2014. The 80% ownership stake involves P-Farm Agente, a peanut processor that had been privately owned by Alfonso Visser since it was formed in 1997. Mr. Visser will continue to control 20%. P-Farm Agente, based in Hartswater, South Africa, includes a bulk warehouse and a shelling plant capable of processing 20,000 tonnes of peanuts per year. The peanut business will operate under the name Golden Peanut and Tree Nut S.A. The 50% ownership stake involves South African Pecans, a pecan processor and marketer that will operate under the name GPC Pecan S.A. Mr. Visser will control the other 50% of the company. “Our entry into the South African peanut market augments Golden Peanut’s presence in the United States and Argentina, enabling us to serve more customers from more points of origin,” said Kris Lutt, president of Golden Peanut Co., based in Alpharetta, Ga. “The regional origination and export capacity provided by P-Farm’s operations will help Golden Peanut advance toward our goal of becoming a global groundnut sheller and handler.” Mr. Visser said, “Golden Peanut’s investment in the South African groundnut industry will bring new technology and new seed varieties to this region, which will be valuable for South African farmers and for the groundnut industry as a whole.”

Global sugar prices are likely to remain low in 2015 as production looks set to continue at a similar level, according to Rabobank’s Q4 sugar report. The main reason that prices have been low is the large amount of sugar available on the global market, the analysis firm said, and it predicts this will fall only slightly during 2015. With sugarcane providing about 80% of the world’s sugar, its growing characteristics have a big impact on sugar production. "Cane is a semi-perennial crop, meaning that if farmers don't like the current cane price, it nevertheless takes them time to switch land out of cane into other crops,” said Rabobank’s Andy Duff. “That is one reason for the slow response to low prices. Another reason is the diminishing incentive to switch to other crops, given that the prices of many other agricultural commodities are also falling along with sugar prices.” There is still time for conditions to affect the forecast in several important regions, but EU sugar production is forecast to increase 12% in the 2014/15 marketing year compared to the previous year, Rabobank predicts, while production is also up in India. However, a wet autumn in Mexico is forecast to effect yields there, Indonesian production is not keeping up with increased domestic demand, production in both Thailand and China is projected to be 12% lower than last year, and Australian production may be affected by El Nino in 2015. “In addition, developments in oil prices over the last three months have emerged as a new potential driver of prices in 2015,” Rabobank said. US sugar prices by contrast have risen significantly “and are expected to remain firm”, it said, due to a trade dispute with Mexico, a tight balance sheet and lower beet sugar production.

INC AMBASSADORS • Michael Waring - Chairman, Australia • Oscar E. Vergara, Argentina • Christopher Joyce, Australia • Frank Vaerewijck, Belgium • José Eduardo Camargo, Brazil • Francisco Assis, Brazil • Ranjeet Wallia, Canada • Siegfried Von Gehr, Chile • Chen Ying, China • Alexis Sumar, France • Richard Monnier, France • Jan Vincent Rieckmann, Germany • Cheng Hung Kay, Hong Kong • Pratap Nair, India • Pankaj Sampat, India • Asadollah Asgaroladi, Iran • Vitali Levy, Israel

The Cracker | March 2015

• Alessandro Annibali, Italy • Kazuo Julian Tagawa, Japan • Mbugua Ngugi, Kenya • Rabih Beaini, Kuwait • Hani Akzam, Lebanon • Parissa Rafii, Luxembourg • Fiodor Slanina, Moldova • Khalid Bennani, Morocco • Kees Van De Sandt, Netherlands • Kees Blokland, Netherlands • Christopher Harlem, Norway • Oliver Sio, Philippines • Jorge Carqueja, Portugal • Kourosh Mojibian, Russia • Rustam Kushu, Russia • Amit Khirbat, Singapore • Carl Henning, South Africa

• Alex Whyte, South Africa • Miquel Borràs, Spain • Stefan Boden, Sweden • Varee Phonphaison, Thailand • Ahmed Boujbel, Tunisia • Muzaffer Taviloglu, Turkey • Hasan Sabir, Turkey • Jafar Moallem, UAE • Roby Danon, UK • Marc Rosenblatt, USA • Jeffrey Sanfilippo, USA • Stephen Sousa, USA • Jim Warner, USA • Dang Hoang Giang, Vietnam

The Cracker | March 2015

The World’s Greatest Nut and Dried Fruit Event

Dear INC friends, We are delighted to invite you to Antalya, Turkey, for the XXXIV World Nut and Dried Fruit Congress, 22-24 May 2015. The Congress will bring together nut and dried fruit people from around the world to network, learn and debate the present and future of our industry in world-class thought-leadership round tables, satellite meetings, seminars and keynote speaker presentations. Located at the slopes of the Taurus Mountains, Antalya is a peaceful city rich in scenic beauties and historical monuments. This blue city enchants its guests with beautiful beaches and the longest coastline in Turkey. We encourage you to book your accommodation as soon as possible. Rixos Sungate Hotel will be the venue for the Congress sessions. Established on 250,000 sq. m area in Beldibi, it embraces the deep blue of the Mediterranean and emerald green of the Taurus Mountains for an unprecedentedly comfortable stay. Attendees can take full advantage of the many different activities that will be taking place at the world’s greatest nut and dried fruit event. Top-level managers, decision makers and keynote speakers will lead sessions to debate the present and the future of our industry in-depth through product-focused sessions. Especially, the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Coca Cola International, Mr. Muhtar Kent, as well as the CEO of Chobani LLC (Yogurts), Mr. Hamdi Ulukaya, will join us for a special “Chat with CEO’s” session moderated by Mr. H. Cuneyd Zapsu. The highest ranked Turkish politicians will also be with us in Antalya. In particular, the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Mevlüt Cavusoglu, will be joining us with his special address along with a VIP Speaker that has to be confirmed. Moreover, the event will feature an exhibition area with companies around the globe and will show an update on industry statistics, crop forecasts, supply and consumption. In addition to technical sessions about the nuts & dried fruit industry, the INC Congress would not be complete without a program of social events. The Welcome Cocktail will be held on

Friday, May 22nd, at Alara Show Center; the Casual Dinner –white beach dress is recommended-- will take place on Saturday, May 23rd, at Baby Beach, and the traditional Gala Cocktail, Dinner and Ball will close the Congress on Sunday, May 24th, at the Green Area of Rixos Sungate Hotel. There is a lot to see and do in the beautiful Turkey, and you may be interested in extending your stay beyond the Congress dates. For this reason, we have launched a program of tours to explore Turkey. Among others, these will comprise: technical tours to Trabzon, Gaziantep and Malatya; touristic tours to Istanbul, Izmir and Gallipoli, as well as spouse tours to Antalya Old City & The Archaeological Museum, and Olympos. Turkey is very well serviced by many of the major airlines, with many daily flights to capitals. Check airlines for their allegiance and please pay particular attention to the visa and travel requirements. You can visit the Congress website to identify the right visa application process. There will be an information desk at Istanbul Ataturk Airport. In Antalya Airport, there will be welcome staff and free bus shuttles from May 20 until May 22, from Antalya Airport to Rixos Sungate Hotel. This year, over 60 sponsorship opportunities have been taken; the demand is extraordinary. This is the Congress with more INC Sponsors than ever and we thank all of them for contributing to the success of the world greatest industry event. We hope you will take up the many opportunities for you to enjoy the Congress and all that it has to offer. Check out the Online Meeting Point in the Congress website and start scheduling appointments now. We will ensure you have a memorable and productive Congress. Yours sincerely, Organizing Committee Cuneyd Zapsu, Congress Chairman Giles Hacking, INC Chairman Goretti Guasch, INC Executive Director

www.nutfruitcongress.org

INC ANTALYA CONGRESS / PROGRAM – MAY 2015

9.00-9.30

Friday 22

Saturday 23

9:00-9:30 CONGRESS OPENING. Room Balsu

9:00-9:30 ALMONDS ROUND TABLE Chair: Mark Jansen, Blue Diamond Growers, USA

9.30-10.00 10.00-10.30

9:30-11:00 DRIED FRUIT SEMINAR Chair: Osman Oz, Anatolia Tarim Ürünleri Sanayi AS,Turkey

10.30-11.00 11.00-11.30

11:00-11:30 Coffee Break Sponsored by Crain Walnut

11.30-12.00

11:30-12:15 VIP Speaker

12.00-12.30 12.30-1.00 1.00-1.30 1.30-2.00 2.00-2.30 2.30-3.00 3.00-3.30 3.30-4.00 4.00-4.30 4.30-5.00

12:15-1:00 WALNUTS ROUND TABLE Chair: John Aguiar, Mariani Nut Company, USA 1:00-2:00 Buffet Working Lunch Turquoise Restaurant. Sponsored by Aydin Kuruyemis 2:00-3:30 Satellite HAZELNUTS Chair: Veysel Parlak, General Manager of Export, Ministry of Economy, Turkey. Room Balsu 4

2:00-3:30 Satellite CASHEWS Chair: Hari Nair, Western India Cashew, India. Room Balsu 14 Sponsored by CEPCI

Sunday 24

9:30-9:45 Excellence in Gastronomy Award

9:00-10:00 INC GENERAL ASSEMBLY

9:45-10:15 HAZELNUTS ROUND TABLE Chair: Orhan Oltan, Oltan Gida Mad, Turkey

10:00-10:15 2016 CONGRESS PRESENTATION

10:15-11:15 A Chat with CEO's: M. Kent & H. Ulukaya Moderated by H. Cuneyd Zapsu, Balsu Gida Sanayii ve Tic. AS, Turkey 11:15-11:45 Coffee Break Sponsored by Blue Diamond Growers 11:45 -12:30 MACADAMIAS, PINE NUTS & BRAZIL NUTS ROUND TABLE Chair: Michael Waring, MWT Foods, Australia 12:30 -1:00 PEANUTS ROUND TABLE Chair: Anupam Jindel, Olam International, Singapore 1:00-2:00 Buffet Working Lunch Turquoise Restaurant. Sponsored by Rajkumar

10:15-11:00 PISTACHIOS ROUND TABLE Chair: Michael Hohmann, Paramount Farms, USA 11:00-11:30 Coffee Break Sponsored by Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella 11:30-12:00 CASHEWS ROUND TABLE Chair: Arie Endendijk, Intersnack Procurement, Netherlands 12:00-12:45 Keynote Speaker: Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Turkey 12:45-1:15 PECANS ROUND TABLE Chair: Bruce Caris, Green Valley Company, USA 1:15-2:15 Buffet Working Lunch Turquoise Restaurant. Sponsored by Sun-Maid Growers of California

2:00-2:45 Scientific Seminar Chair: Pino Calcagni, INC International Nut and Dried Fruit Council 2:45-3:30 Nutrition Research Update Chair: Prof. Jordi Salas-Salvadó, INC World Forum for Nutrition Research and Dissemination Room Balsu 4

3:30-5:00 3:30-5:00 Satellite ALMONDS Satellite MACADAMIAS Chair: Antonio Pont Jr, Crisol Chair: Jack Mariani, Mariani de Frutos Secos, Spain. Nut Company, USA. Room Balsu 4 Room Balsu 14

5.00-5.30 5.30-6.00 6.00-6.30 6.30-7.00 7.00-7.30 7.30-8.00 8.00-8.30

7:00-8:00 GALA COCKTAIL

7:00-9:00 WELCOME COCKTAIL Alara Show Center Sponsored by Besana

8.30-9.00 7:30-11:00 CASUAL BUFFET DINNER Baby Beach. White Beach Party Sponsored by Paramount Farms

9.00-9.30 9.30-10.00 10.00-10.30

8:00-11:30 GALA DINNER AND BALL Excellence in Research Award Innovation Award The Green Area Sponsored by Republic of Turkey: Promotion Fund

10.30-11.00 11.00-11.30 8:00-6:00 Congress Registration from Thursday 21 through Sunday 24. On Wednesday 20, Registration opens at 12:00 midday. 9:00-5:00 Exhibition from Friday 22 through Sunday. On Sunday 24, Exhibition ends at 1:00 pm.

The Cracker | March 2015

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS Mr. Kent joined The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta in 1978 Chairman and CEO at The and has held a variety of marCoca-Cola Company keting and operations roles throughout his career. From 1999 to 2005, he served as President and CEO of the Efes Beverage Group, the majority shareholder of Turkish bottler Coca-Cola Icecek. Mr. Kent was named President and Chief Operating Officer of The Coca-Cola Company’s North Asia, Eurasia and Middle East Group from 2005 until early 2006. Mr. Kent served as President of Coca-Cola International through most of 2006, until his appointment as President and Chief Operating Officer of The CocaCola Company. He succeeded Neville Isdell as Chief Executive Officer of the Company on July 1, 2008, and as Chairman of the Board of Directors on April 23, 2009. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from Hull University, England, and a Master of Science degree in administrative sciences from London City University.

Mr. Hamdi Ulukaya founded Chobani in upstate New Founder, CEO and Chairman at York in 2005 and launched Chobani LLC, (Yogurts) Chobani Greek Yogurt in 2007. In just five years, Chobani became the No. 1-selling Greek Yogurt brand in the U.S. with more than a billion dollars in annual sales - making Chobani one of the fastestgrowing companies in history. Led by his passion to democratize better food for more people, Hamdi’s vision for Chobani has effectively transformed an entire food category. Hamdi is a member of the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship (PAGE) in which he has committed to helping develop the next generation of entrepreneurs. He was named the 2013 Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Of The Year and also earned the Small Business Administration’s Entrepreneurial Success Award. Hamdi is a passionate philanthropist and has pledged to give 10% of profits to charity. He resides in New Berlin, N.Y., with his two German Shepherds.

Muhtar Kent

Hamdi Ulukaya

Mr. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu was born on the 5th of February 1968 in Alanya, Turkey. Mr. Çavuşoğlu received his Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from Ankara University in 1988 and completed his Master’s Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Degree in Economics from Long Island University. He started a PhD Degree in International Relations at Republic of Turkey Bilkent University as a special student and carried out Research Fee at the London School of Economics (LSE) between 1993 and 1995 with the Jean Monnet Fellowship. Mr. Çavuşoğlu is a founding member of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and was elected as Member of Parliament from Antalya for the 22nd, 23rd and 24th Parliamentary Terms. He was the Vice Chairman of the AK Party in charge of Foreign Affairs from January to December 2013. He has been the member of the Central Decision Making and Administrative Committee of the AK Party since September 2012. He was elected as the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) during 2010-2012 and is the first Turkish parliamentarian to hold this office, and was granted the title of Honorary President of the PACE in 2014. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu served as Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator of the Republic of Turkey between 26 December 2013 and 29 August 2014. On August 29, 2014 he was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the 62nd Government of the Republic of Turkey. He speaks English, German and Japanese. He is married and has one child.

Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu

INC will also present a VIP Speaker (to be confirmed).

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The meeting point for the nut and dried fruit businesses to seek industry opportunities, make deals, learn and network. March 2015 | The Cracker

SOCIAL EVENTS Welcome Cocktail at the Alara Show Center DRIE D FRUI T

NU & TS

Friday, 22nd May The Alara Show Center in Rixos Sungate is one of the most popular entertainment venues in the city. Designed as an amphitheater to provide an excellent visibility and accessibility, Alara will host the Welcome Cocktail on Friday, May 22, where you will enjoy live performances, DJ sets and many more. A memorable experience awaits. Sponsored by V. Besana S.P.A.

Casual Buffet Dinner and White Beach Party at Baby Beach

Saturday, 23rd May Famous Baby Beach in Rixos makes the baby beach dream true! This is a gorgeous half-moon sandy expanse in a calm lagoon. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s think about beach party! Happy, white dressed beach, entertainment and non-stop music. A bonfire, if the beach allows it, will cap off the evening in true, beach style! P.S. Keep in mind to wear white beach clothes and beach style shoes to enjoy sundown to midnight. Sponsored by Paramount Farms International

Cocktail, Gala Dinner and Ball at the Green Area

Sunday, 24th May The traditional Gala Dinner and Ball at the close of the Congress will be held at the Green Area of Rixos on Sunday, May 24. Located just behind the Baby Beach of the hotel, the Green Area is a peaceful field among pine trees. Delicious food, fine wine and a glamorous atmosphere will captivate you in a delightful soiree of joy and live music. Sponsored by Republic of Turkey, Promotion Fund

ACCOMPANYING PERSON TOURS Antalya Old City & The Archaeological Museum

Saturday, 23rd May The tour will start with a brief introduction to the city of Antalya, at a terrace overviewing the Old City. From there, we will walk through its surrounding Byzantine city walls and the historical monuments from different periods and wooden Ottoman Houses towards the Marina. We will learn about Antalya and the surroundings and visit The Archaeological Museum, where finds from nearby ancient cities and prehistoric caves are displayed, including an ethnographical section.

Olympos

Sunday, 24th May Olympos is fascinating, not just for its ruins that are fragmentary and widely scattered amidst the thick greenery of wild grapevines, fig and pine trees, but also for its archeological site, just inland from a beautiful beach along the course of a stream that runs through a rocky gorge. We will have a tour at this ancient city covered with thick plants and bushes and we will understand the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history, which will make each historical ruin you see and each step you take more enjoyable and enlightening.

The Cracker | March 2015

PRE- AND POSTCONGRESS TOURS There is a lot to see in Turkey. Extend your stay beyond the Congress dates and enjoy the tours organized for you.

Pre Tours

Istanbul Gallipoli

Izmir

Turkey

Trabzon Malatya

Gaziantep

Antalya Touristic Tour: Istanbul

• 19 May Meeting service at Istanbul Atatürk Airport, transfer and dinner at the hotel. • 20 May 8.00am Breakfast at the hotel. Departure at 9.00am for Treasures of Istanbul Tour: visit to the Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, St. Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Underground Cistern and Grand Bazaar. Dinner & Overnight in Istanbul. • 21 May Breakfast at the hotel. 9.30am Pick up from the hotel and transfer to Istanbul Atatürk Airport for Antalya Flight at 11.30am, arrives to Antalya at 12.45pm.

Technical Tour: Malatya (Apricots) & Gaziantep (Pistachios)

• 17 May Meeting service at Istanbul Atatürk Airport and transfer to the Hotel Polat Renaissance. • 18 May 5.15am Pick up from the hotel and transfer to the airport for Malatya Flight at 6.25am. Arrival at 8.05am. After breakfast at the hotel, departure for Half Day Tour at 10.30am and Apricot Plant visit in the afternoon. • 19 May 8.00am breakfast at the hotel and 9am departure to Gaziantep. We will visit Mount Nemrut on the way. Dinner and overnight at Gaziantep. • 20 May 8.30am Breakfast at the hotel and 9.30am departure for visiting Gaziantep Archeology Museum. Pistachio Plant visit after lunch. Dinner and Overnight at the hotel in Gaziantep. • 21 May 12.00pm transfer to Gaziantep Airport for Antalya Flight via Ankara. Arrival to Antalya at 5.05pm. Transfer to the Congress Hotel.

Technical Tour: Trabzon (Hazelnuts)

• 19 May Upon your arrival to Istanbul Atatürk Airport, proceed to Domestic Lines for your Trabzon flight at 6.05pm. Arrival to Trabzon at 7.45pm. Transfer to hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel. • 20 May 8.30am Breakfast at the hotel. 09.30am departure from the hotel for Sümela Monastery visit. Lunch at a local restaurant followed by a Hazelnut Plant visit. Dinner and overnight at the hotel. • 21 May Transfer to Trabzon Airport for Antalya Flight via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines.

Post Tours Touristic Tour: Ephesus

• 25 May Fly to Izmir with 8.20am flight. Arrival at 9.25am. Transfer to the Greco-Roman archaeological site of Ancient Ephesus. Lunch at Selcuk Koftecisi. Last stop at the House of Virgin Mary in Ephesus. Transfer to the Hotel in Sirince Village for Dinner & Overnight. • 26 May Departure at 8.00am after breakfast at hotel. Fly to Istanbul at 10.00am and arrival at 11.10am.

Touristic Tour: Gallipoli

• 25 May Departure from the congress hotel at 5.30am for your 7.30am Istanbul Flight (arrival at 8.50am). Drive along the coast of the Sea of Marmara to Eceabat from where the ferry across the Dardanelles to Canakkale departs. Lunch at local seafood restaurant. Trip to Chunk Bair, then continue to the battlefields –Lone Pine Australian Memorial,Quinn’s Post, the Nek, ANZAC Cove– , Shrapnel Valley and 57th Regiment Turkish Memorial. Dinner and Overnight at the Hotel in Canakkale. • 26 May 8.00am Breakfast at hotel and 9.00am depart for visiting the legendary city of Troy Ancient City. En-route, view of the area of the initial naval battles. Following lunch, return to the battlefields to visit the landing beaches at Cape Helles, Redoubt Cemeteryand the Turkish Canakkale Martyr’s Memorial. Dinner and Overnight at the hotel in Canakkale. • 27 May 7.30am Breakfast at the hotel. 8.30am Departure to Istanbul. Upon arrival in Istanbul around 1.30pm, transfer to the airport or to the hotel.

www.nutfruitcongress.org March 2015 | The Cracker

INC Awards

Within the framework of the XXXIV World Nut & Dried Fruit Congress the INC will deliver the following awards: Honorary Golden Nut Award

Honoring excellence in the nuts and dried fruit industry, the Golden Nut Award is the maximum international recognition to the excellence in the sector. The Honorary Golden Nut Award recognizes a governmental or non-governmental organization (NGO) dignitary who has significantly contributed to the industry.

Award for Excellence in Gastronomy

The INC Award for Excellence in Gastronomy is a recognition that acknowledges chefs who have made significant contributions to high gastronomy: culinary creations and new product development including nuts and/or dried fruit.

Award for Excellence in Research

The INC Award for Excellence in Research is aimed at recognizing outstanding researchers whose contributions have led to significant accomplishments in health and nutrition research related to nuts and/or dried fruits.

Innovation Award

The INC Celebrates New Ideas and Innovative Approaches. INC wants to thank all the companies for submitting their products and services for the Innovation Award, and invites INC members to apply, in the form of new products, ideas, services, or business models.

Online Meeting Point Again this year, we launch the online Meeting Point, a social networking tool to enhance your experience and expand your networking connections. The Meeting Point enables INC members to maximize their time on-site by providing an easy way to connect with other attendees and exhibitors before, during and after the congress.

Sponsored by:

The Cracker | March 2015

NEWS FROM THE INC SECRETARIAT

EU-RASFF NOTIFICATIONS FOR DRIED FRUITS INCREASE 21%, SLIGHTLY INCREASE FOR NUTS In 2014, the number of notifications for dried fruits issued by the European Unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) increased 21% from 2013. This significant growth is directly connected to the increase of notifications for sulphites in Dried Apricots, from 5 notifications in 2013 to 28 notifications in 2014 (75% of which from Turkey). On the other hand, nut notifications slightly increased by 2% from 2013, from 251 to 256 notifications. The main reasons for notifying nuts were the presence aflatoxins with 218 notifications (85% of total

notifications for nuts), followed by health certifications with 17 notifications. The most notified products were peanuts, with 110 notifications, followed by pistachios (87 notifications), almonds (19 notifications) and hazelnuts (17 notifications). INC monitors food safety alerts in Europe, USA, Australia, and Japan, analyzing the trend and monitoring the causes and origins. If you wish to receive the INC Annual Report of RASFF Notifications, please contact us at inc@nutfruit.org.

2014 RASFF NOTIFICATIONS FOR EDIBLE NUTS

2009-2014 RASFF NOTIFICATIONS FOR EDIBLE NUTS ALMONDS (USA), 8, 3% HAZELNUTS (TURKEY), 13, 5% OTHERS, 43, 17% PEANUTS (CHINA), 45, 18% PEANUTS (EGYPT), 15, 6% PEANUTS (INDIA), 15, 6% PEANUTS (BRAZIL), 14, 5% PEANUTS (OTH), 21, 8% PISTACHIOS (IRAN), 46, 18% PISTACHIOS (TURKEY), 20, 8% PISTACHIOS (USA), 16, 6%

555

NOTIFICATIONS DROP BY 117% SINCE 2009

-117% 453

2009

2010

383

2011

241

251

256

2012

2013

2014

2014 RASFF NOTIFICATIONS FOR DRIED FRUITS 2009-2014 RASFF NOTIFICATIONS FOR DRIED FRUITS DATES, 10, 9% DRIED APRICOTS (OTH), 7, 6% DRIED APRICOTS (TURKEY), 21, 18% DRIED FIGS (OTH), 4, 3% DRIED FIGS (TURKEY), 49, 43% PRUNES, 3, 3% RAISINS, 21, 18%

179 103

110

2009

2010

121

2011

2012

2013

115

2014

March 2015 | The Cracker

The Cracker | March 2015

GLOBAL FOOD ALLERGY NEWS

HALF OF FOOD PRODUCTS LABELED ‘MAY CONTAIN’ ARE ALLERGEN FREE

Nearly half of products labeled with a ‘may contain’ allergen warning were allergen free in a survey of more than 1,000 prepackaged processed food samples conducted by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The survey of 12 product categories targeted food labels with allergy warnings for the presence of milk, gluten, peanut or hazelnut. Advisory labeling referred to the phrases ‘may contain X’ or ‘not suitable for someone with X allergy’. than one third (28%) of products followed FSA advice on the use of The number of samples with advisory labeling but no detectable specific phraseology: ‘may contain X’ or ‘not suitable for someone with hazelnut or peanut was just below 50%. Only gluten and milk were an X allergy’. Those statements were found on only 20.6% and 7.2% of present as crosscontamination without advisory labeling. However, the products respectively. levels found in the products were low so the FSA did not consider it to be a risk for people with allergies. The FSA introduced best practice guidance on managing food allergens in 2006 to help the food industry make best use of advisory labeling. The study also sought to uncover whether the labeling was related to But such labels vary widely due to the lack of standardization in the level of allergen present as a result of cross-contamination. Results allergen risk assessment methodology and inconsistencies in allergen from the survey suggest that cross contamination for all four allergens, management practices, said the FSA. is well controlled by manufacturers. In fact, undeclared allergen cross- contamination in the UK is lower than found in other countries. Such variations have led some allergic consumers to believe different types of advisory statements convey different levels of risk, it added. But manufacturers needed to review regularly risk assessment and That included confusion about phrases such as ‘made in a factory the application of precautionary allergen labeling to ensure allergic that also handles X allergen’ and ‘made on a line that also handles X consumers were protected without unnecessarily restricting choice, she allergen’. EU rules require food manufacturers to declare 14 allergens added. Also consumers were advised to recognize the importance of as constituent ingredients. Those include: peanuts, nuts, soybeans, precautionary allergen labeling and should not put themselves at risk by ignoring it. mustard, eggs, lupin, milk, fish, cereals containing gluten, sesame, celery, sulphur dioxide, molluscs and crustaceans. The rules do not The survey revealed a wide variety of different statements were used cover unintentional cross-contamination with allergens. across the product categories. The most frequently used warning was ‘may contain traces’, which was carried by 38% of products. But less

March 2015 | The Cracker

GLOBAL FOOD ALLERGY NEWS

HIGH FOOD ALLERGY RISKS AMONG INNER-CITY KIDS According to a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore, MD, children who live in inner-city areas are more susceptible to food allergies. Results of the study are published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Previous studies have shown that children who live in urban environments are more prone to asthma and environmental allergies. And a recent study from the University of Colorado Boulder suggested reduced exposure to rural microbes increases asthma and allergy risk. According to the National Institutes of Health, around 3% of adults and 6% of young children in the US have at least one food allergy, but Dr. Robert Wood, senior investigator on the latest study from Johns Hopkins, notes that child food allergies have been rising over the last 20 years. Their research confirms this increase, but the team says it also identifies a subgroup of children who may have an allergy risk higher than the average. They found that 1 in 10 children in Baltimore, MD, Boston, MA, New York, NY, and St. Louis, MO, have a food allergy, but they note that the actual number could be even higher because the study only counted the three most common allergies. By comparison, according to Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), the average for children's food allergies across the US is 1 in 13. To conduct their study, the researchers followed 516 inner-city children in the four major cities listed above from when they were born through 5 years of age. During each year,t the team measured each child's exposure to allergens in the household and tracked their diets and health histories. Fast facts about child food allergies in the US •

In 2007, 3 million children under 18 years had a reported food or digestive allergy in the preceding 12 months

•

Children with food allergy are 2-4 times more likely to have asthma and other allergies than children without

•

Between 2004-06, there were around 9,500 hospital discharges per year relating to food allergies among children.

Additionally, the researchers assessed blood samples of the children throughout the study to measure food-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to milk, eggs and peanuts. They explain that IgE antibodies are immune chemicals released by the body that are an indication of a food allergy. From this information, as well as other findings and symptoms, the team classified each child as either: allergic, possibly allergic, sensitive to a certain substance or not sensitive. Results showed that 55% of the children were sensitive to milk, eggs or peanuts, and nearly 10% of them met the criteria for a "fullblown food allergy." Of the allergens, peanuts were the largest culprit, with 6% of the children being allergic to them. Eggs followed, at 4.3%, and 2.7% were allergic to milk. Additionally, a further 17% met the criteria for "possibly allergic," which included elevated IgE antibodies but no history of allergic reactions to peanuts, eggs or milk. A total of 29% were classified as "sensitive but tolerant," which means they had elevated IgE antibodies and a history of consuming allergenic foods but were able to tolerate the foods without any symptoms.

STUDY SHOWS MISUSE OF PRESCRIBED EPINEPHRINE AUTO-INJECTORS

LIFE, HEALTH AND HOPE – FARE’S NEW MISSION

Just like a diligent scout, a food allergy family’s motto is “be prepared.” What happens, though, if you have what you need, but don’t know how to use it correctly? In the case of life-saving medication that is used to treat anaphylaxis, knowing how to properly administer an epinephrine auto-injector is critical.

This new mission statement reinforces its ongoing commitment of service to the food allergy community through education and advocacy initiatives, adds a new focus on improving families' access to the quality healthcare they need to avoid anaphylactic emergencies, and provides a fresh perspective on diversifying research investments to explore life-changing therapies. Supporting all of these tenets will be FARE's continuing work to promote food allergy awareness and a safe, inclusive world for people with food allergies.

According to a recent study from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) published in the January 2015 issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, only 16 percent of people using epinephrine injectors for a severe allergic reaction did so correctly.

The Cracker | March 2015

FARE's mission is to improve the quality of life and the health of individuals with food allergies, and to provide them hope through the promise of new treatments.

GLOBAL FOOD ALLERGY NEWS

NEW STUDY: MOTHERS OF CHILDREN WITH FOOD ALLERGIES ARE MORE EMPOWERED THAN FATHERS According to a new study, mothers of children with food allergies have a greater sense of empowerment than fathers, but they also report a lower food-allergy-related quality of life (FAQOL). In addition, parents of children with milk and egg allergies report a lower FAQOL than parents of children with peanut or tree nut allergies. FARE provided partial funding for this multicenter study, which was published online in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology on Dec. 6.

FARE PROVIDES COMMENT TO FDA In December 2014, FARE offered comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on its supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking that updates the Current Good Manufacturing Practices and Hazard Analysis (CGMPs) and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food. The proposed rule covers most facilities that manufacturer, process, pack or hold food for consumption in the United States, and may also apply to warehouses, distribution centers and farms. The proposed rule revises existing current good manufacturing practice regulations and requires that each facility develop and implement a written Food Safety Plan. Noting that food allergens are a public safety concern, FARE commended the FDA for looking at food allergens within the context of these proposed rules. FARE also emphasized that updating the CGMPs to include allergen cross-contact is a necessary step in order to help ensure the safety of consumers with food allergies, their families and institutions that purchase food for consumption by patrons with food allergies. This is the second time that FARE has offered comment to this rulemaking on CGMPs to the FDA, and we continue to be in dialogue with the agency about how food safety rules can be applied to allergen cross-contact.

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March 2015 | The Cracker

OPINION

REINVENTING GROWTH IN EUROPE: TIME FOR BUSINESS UNUSUAL By Jan Zijderveld [Unilever] as presented in Food, Beverage and Agribusiness Monitoring Report, December 5, 2014

Completing and enforcing the Single Market should be a high priority for the new European Commission as a key driver of innovation and sustainable growth, writes Jan Zijderveld. There are ample opportunities for business to grow in Europe, provided we reinvent the way we do business. We are operating in unfamiliar territory – the world is undergoing huge change and faces many challenges. It’s volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. For companies to be successful in the long term in this volatile, complex world with finite resources, there is only one viable way forward – new business models that are both sustainable and generate returns. It is, therefore, our vision to double the size of the company, whilst reducing our environmental footprint and increasing our positive social impact. The new President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, has made it clear that creating jobs and growth will be at the centre of his agenda. But creating jobs and growth in Europe cannot be done through a “business as usual” approach.

INNOVATING FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH The business case for sustainability is clear; consumers demand it, it drives innovation, it helps us cut costs, and it reduces our business risk in this new landscape, future-proofing our supply chains, so we can continue to serve our consumers’ every day needs for the next 130 years too and beyond. This is where innovation comes in. Europe has a strong history of innovation and building great brands, but it needs to start rebuilding an environment where this can be done bigger, better and faster. The Single Market reduces complexity in the supply chain, freeing up resources for innovations, reducing packaging waste and minimizing trucks on the road. Ultimately, less complexity in the supply chain means better value and more transparency for the consumer. Continuous improvement of our brands and products is required to respond to the changing needs of a changing consumer. The recent product launch of compressed deodorants helps save 25% in aluminium packaging. If a million people use them, this saves enough aluminum to build 20,000 bicycles and reduces significant waste of a finite resource. If member states were setting their own eco-design standards, we would not be able to reach this scale. Landing these innovations across Europe is vital to make the business case for investment.

The Cracker | March 2015

This is why a functioning Single Market is key, as it provides us with a single passport to the largest market in the world.

PARTNERING FOR GROWTH But none of our ambitions would be possible without partnerships. For example, Unilever’s commitment to 100% sustainable sourcing of its agricultural raw materials by 2020 can only be brought about through long term relationships with farmers and suppliers across the EU. Again, the Single Market is important in supporting Unilever to fulfill this commitment. At the end of 2013, 48% of our agricultural raw materials was sustainably sourced. As businesses step up and take responsibility, there is still a critical role to play for authorities, including the European Commission, to create the right policy frameworks for sustainable economic growth and to give the right signals and incentives. So, completing and enforcing the Single Market should be a high priority for the new European Commission, as a key driver of innovation and sustainable growth. For example, as a member of the High Level Forum for a Better Functioning Food Supply Chain, we have identified hurdles to the free flow of goods – this could be a good place to start in the Commission’s five-year legislature.

UNLOCK EUROPE’S GROWTH POTENTIAL It’s an exciting moment for business and politicians to follow a new path that generates growth and ensures it is sustainable, and then multiplies those benefits through the scale that the Single Market gives us all in Europe. The new European Commission has the chance to charter this course away from “business as usual”, which can no longer be successful, and be bold, forward- thinking and create the right conditions for a competitive Europe, supporting companies as they navigate these changes and opportunities. Together we can unlock Europe’s potential for growth again. Let’s go for Business Unusual!

OPINION

SEIZING THE OPPORTUNITY OF A NEW AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY By Robert Wright, Secretary General, European Renewable Ethanol Association There are many challenges facing new Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan. Managing one third of the EU’s budget; TTIP negotiations; dealing with the fall-out from the Ukraine crisis to name but a few. But the Commissioner also has a historic opportunity: to help drive the creation of a new biobased agricultural economy, built around European biorefineries. With all the pressures it faces, Europe should be pushing for the rapid expansion of its network of biorefineries, which use European biomass, grown on European farms, to produce European food, fuel and feed, as well as a range of other high-value products that replace fossil fuels. The importance of this potentially revolutionary economic system for agriculture and farmers can already be seen. By creating attractive demand for biomass feedstocks, leading to additional and regular income streams for farmers, it allows farmers to invest in increased mechanisation, better quality seeds and improved farming methods. That in turn improves their productivity, meaning more output of food, feed and fuel from every farmed hectare. For the farmers of wheat, maize and sugar beet - which account for 90% of the raw material which goes into Europe’s renewable ethanol biorefineries - the economics of farming are being transformed. And this is only the start. Advanced production technologies enable the production of so-called second-generation ethanol. That means even more value for farmers from the same feedstock thanks to cellulosic and other agricultural residues. fineries are also helping European farmers by increasing the availability of locally produced, high-protein animal feed. Europe currently has a gaping deficit in animal feed with over 70% of what we use being imported from 3rd countries, such as soya meal from South America. Ethanol biorefineries help replace the need for imported soya meal and create a virtuous circle, helping to reduce the cost and environmental impact of European’s animal feed requirements and at the same time creating more productive, sustainable rural communities in Europe. But the impact of Europe’s biorefineries extends way beyond farming. Rural biorefineries are economic hubs, producing green transport fuel, animal feed, food and beverage ingredients, biobased energy and chemicals. The advantages of proximity mean that these biorefineries are acting as hubs not just for agricultural supply, but also around which clusters of new biobased production are being established. Europe’s rural population enjoys, on average, an income just two thirds of that of their urban cousins. Nearly 5 million full-time jobs in agriculture disappeared across the EU between 2000 and 2012. Europe’s biorefineries, situated in the countryside, provide an opportunity to reverse this decline. Every new biorefinery creates, on average, 3,000 high quality jobs, both directly, and with the contractors, engineers, technicians, transporters and others needed to service them. More employment means more money for the local economy, and more likelihood that local schools and communities continue to function. To get a sense of the economic potential of each biorefinery you just have to look at the US. A wave of advanced renewable ethanol

biorefineries is now coming on stream, with the first opening just recently in Iowa. This biorefinery alone is predicted to generate $24 billion in economic output for Iowa over the next 20 years. For many the biobased economy might seem too good to be true. It isn’t. Europe has some of the most efficient agricultural production in the world and is already well advanced in key technologies. By driving further agricultural efficiency and putting to use degraded and abandoned land, Europe has the opportunity to lead this innovative new sector and to realise the massive potential of biorefineries and the biobased economy. So the real question is not whether, but how we can best advance this new biobased economic model. It is essential that we establish the right policy framework. As this economic system is driven by biorefineries, we first need to create stable demand for their primary product: renewable ethanol. We need a supportive and long-term policy framework that gives a clear signal to those who are planning to invest in a new rural biorefinery that the market for ethanol will be there after 2020. We need to learn the lessons from the US experience, where the mandating of ethanol blending rates through the Renewable Fuel Standard has underpinned rural regeneration and cut US oil dependency at the same time. So Europe needs to move quickly to resolve the current discussions around the Renewable Energy and Fuel Quality Directives and provide clarity to investors. And we need a more holistic policy approach; one which re-focuses Horizon 2020, the CAP and structural funds towards biobased technologies and agricultural productivity; and recognises the vital importance of biorefineries and ethanol in the 2030 Energy and Climate Framework and energy security strategy. But what we need more than anything is leadership. Europe’s rural communities need a Commissioner that recognises this historic opportunity and is prepared to push the creation of this new economic system to the top of the Commission’s policy agenda. We hope that Mr Hogan is that man.

March 2015 | The Cracker

FEATURE STORY

FOOD TRENDS TO WATCH IN 2015 At the end of each year, the team at Datassential releases its list of the trends to watch in the upcoming year, leveraging extensive data from services like Datassential’s MenuTrends and combining it with expert insight and passion for food trends. Last year it covered European cuisines like German and English to beverage trends including craft sodas and mocktails. In the year ahead, major changes will continue to disrupt the entire food industry. Segment melding continues to blur the lines between traditional industry concepts, from fast casual which combined the speed of fast food with options often found at casual or midscale concepts, to chef casual, where fine dining techniques and authentic flavors are showcased in more affordable and approachable ways. Now newer segments are forming, like casual fine, the result of a split in fine dining that has diverged into traditional upscalerestaurants (white tablecloths, quiet dining rooms) and casual fine, which features a livelier, more social atmosphere. And fast casual is now evolving into Fast Casual 2.0, as independent fast casual restaurants and startup brands enter the space, forcing established chains to react. Menu items are more progressive, featuring ethnic flavors and ancient grains. The effects of segment melding are being felt throughout the entire industry, in every segment, and we expect to see more operators react to this new normal. For many chefs, the focus has shifted from pleasing everyone with an all-encompassing menu to focusing on a single ingredient and executing it at a higher level than anyone else. Now menus are focused on a particular dish or region, conveying a strong identity — think restaurants focused on Texas BBQ, biscuits, ramen, and fried chicken, or a highly specific cuisine, like Sicilian or Asian street food. At the same time, many chef casual and casual fine chefs are cooking without constraints, creating cuisine-less restaurants that defy traditional definitions. Today’s modern, innovative chefs are expected to travel the world, incorporating all of the flavors and inspirations they discover into

The Cracker | March 2015

a menu that is uniquely their own. At The Cecil in New York, for instance, the menu “traces the global migration of African-descendent people through the influence of African spices, textures, and cooking techniques on traditional American, Latin, and Asian dishes.” In the year ahead we also expect chefs, manufacturers, and operators to continue to seek inspiration from around the world when it comes to flavors, hoping to create the next sriracha. Peppery flavors like harissa, aji, gochujang, togarashi, and peri peri, while nut butters, stouts, and savory jams will also impact menus. Advances in technology are turning science fiction into reality on the modern table. Technology like 3D printers and chemical analysis are increasingly affordable and available to both manufacturers and consumers. 3D printer company Natural Machines plans to release a consumer-grade version of their Foodini food printer, which will accept pre-packaged capsules to create difficult or time consuming dishes or ingredients, like noodles or pizza dough. Consumer Physics raised $2.7 million from a Kickstarter campaign to develop SCIO, a consumer handheld molecular sensor that can analyze the make-up of anything that is scanned, including food, even determining nutritional content, ripeness, and sweetness levels. And companies like Soylent, which markets a meal/food replacement drink, and Hampton Creek, which spent two years developing plant-based eggless mayonnaise substitute Just Mayo, are using technology to cater to every dietary need and want. Meanwhile, IBM’s cognitive cooking system, Watson (of Jeopardy fame), analyzes flavor compounds to develop brand new recipes using both classic and surprising ingredient combinations. For more, go to FoodBytes, a free monthly trendspotting newsletter.

FEATURE STORY

CONSUMERS WILL EAT MORE SEEDS AND LESS RED MEAT IN 2015 Seeds and nuts will usurp kale and coconut as the top two superfoods in 2015 as consumers look for onthego, nutrient dense foods, according to a survey of 500 registered dietitians conducted by the trade magazine Today’s Dietitian and the public relations agency Pollock Communications. The registered dietitians surveyed also predict in 2015: • Green tea will be the “drink of choice for its myriad health benefits,” including antioxidants to fight cell damage. Studies show it can improve heart health, reduce the formulation of plaques related to Alzheimer’s disease and lower blood pressure. It also offers a jolt of caffeine without the sugar and calories of soda and is considered “natural” by many consumers, thus tying into two other industry driving trends. • Red meat will be pushed aside in favor of fish and poultry, which have lower saturated fat, cholesterol and less impact on the environment than beef. Nutrition experts also will promote eggs, legumes, nuts and dairy as healthy, high quality proteins. • Consumers will continue to follow gluten-and wheat-free diets to lose weight in 2015, even though evidence does not support the diets as weight-loss tactic, according to 66% of the surveyed dietitians. They also predicted an increase in “clean eating,” such as the Paleo diet. • Ancient grains will gain popularity, in part because consumers are seeking gluten-free grain options. Grains to watch include amaranth, quinoa, spelt and freekah, according to the survey. • Low-fat diets will continue to wane for another consecutive year. “Low- fat is fizzling because consumers are now understanding that some fats are good for us. According to the survey, 84% of nutrition experts agree that consumers should replace saturated fat with good fats. This aligns with the recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate stating that we should reduce our intake of saturated fat and replace saturated fat sources, like butter and high-fat red meat, with foods that have more unsaturated fat, like vegetable oils, soft spreads, nuts, seeds and avocados,” Pollock said. As consumers reject low-fat foods, they will need more education about good verses bad fats, the survey adds.

• More consumers will take action to lose weight, according to the survey. “With the obesity epidemic rising in the US, consumers are feeling the pressure to make changes or be faced with challenging health consequences,” Pollock said. Nearly three-quarters of dietitians surveyed said consumers will be more interested in nutrition and weight loss in 2015 than last year. In addition, only 26% of dietitians said people would be complacent about being an unhealthy weight, down from 44% last year. The best way for consumers to improve their overall diet and health is to choose high-quality, nutrient-rich foods from all the food groups, according to 51% of the surveyed experts. Forty-seven percent say eating more fruits and vegetables is the best way to improve diet. • Misinformation about nutrition will abound in 2015 leading to consumer confusion. Slightly less than half of dietitians say consumers learn about nutrition online, and 38% say this includes misinformation, which could compromise diet improvement. • Labeling and certifications increasingly matter. According to 69% of the experts surveyed, consumers are looking for more eco-labels and listing GMO-free certifications as most important. Building on this they predict products labeled as certified GMO- free, gluten-free and organic will hold more sway over consumers in 2015. • Using USDA’s MyPlate as a tool to eat right will help consumers, according to 73% of dietitians surveyed. • Convenience, taste and price trump all else when shoppers make food purchasing decisions, despite increased access and awareness about healthy food and proper nutrition, according to the survey.

• Consumers will gauge their weight compared to those around them, including friends and family, 35% of the dietitians say. They also will compare their health to that of people on television and in magazines, just under a third of those surveyed said. Pollock noted: “Neither of these are accurate measurements of individual health and weight. Consumers should discuss their own health and weight guidelines with a health care professional such as a registered dietitian nutritionist in order to best understand how to improve.”

March 2015 | The Cracker

The Cracker | March 2015

FEATURE STORY

RESTAURANT FOOD TRENDS TO WATCH IN 2015 The National Restaurant Association has identified the following as trends to watch on menus in 2015: GOING (MORE) GLOBAL: An evolving trend for the past WASTE NOT, WANT NOT: Environmental sustainability decades, ethnic cuisine continues its inroads into mainstream remains among the hottest menu trends. As with most maturing menus. As American palates become more sophisticated and trends, sub-trends emerge over time; in 2015, food waste reduction and adventurous, so do restaurant offerings. Micro-trending in this management is at the forefront of restaurant operations. Composting, category is fusion cuisines, as well as authentic and regional, recycling and donating are all tactics of food waste strategies tying underscoring the breadth and depth of flavors being explored. into both sustainability and social responsibility. In addition, food Also, ethnic ingredients, including cheeses, flour and condiments, costs are once again on the rise and back on operators’ list of top are increasingly finding their way into non-ethnic dishes. Specific challenges, spurring restaurants to take a closer look at minimizing dishes, such as ramen, ethnic street-food and kids’ entrees are also waste and surplus as a cost-management tool. gaining momentum. MINI GOURMET: Children’s menus are drawing more OUR HOUSE: As the local sourcing trend continues at full attention from chefs and restaurant operators. Gone are the days speed in 2015, so does the hyper-local sub-trend. Beyond restaurant when kids’ menus were nothing but hot dogs and things shaped gardens, hyper-local is extending more fully into house-made, farmlike cartoon characters and dinosaurs. This is the era of gourmet branded and artisan items. From ice cream to cheese, pickles to bacon, kids’ dishes adapted from adult menu items with more adventurous lemonade to beer, restaurants are producing their own signature flavor profiles than traditional children’s options. Growing in menu items from scratch. parallel are healthy versions of those gourmet kids’ items, featuring IN A PICKLE: Borrowing terminology from social media, pickles are the Throwback Thursday of food trends. Common preparation methods for millennia, pickling and fermenting are making a comeback big time – but with a modern twist. Restaurants are exploring house-made pickles, ethnic flavors and specialty vinegars, small-batch producers with less traditional vegetable varieties, and fermented flavor profiles in a variety of dishes.

whole grains, vegetables, oven-baked items and entrée salads.

SHOOTING MENU STARS: As some items heat up in the menu trends environment, others are losing steam. The meteoric rise of hybrid desserts (looking at you, croissant-donut) is beginning to take a downward trajectory. And while still among the top trends, the momentum of gluten-free cuisine is slowing down. Similarly, the trendiness of Greek yogurt is decelerating. Only time will tell if these items will become perennial favorites or yesterday’s news.

March 2015 | The Cracker

NEWS TO WATCH

5 THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN NEW DIETARY ADVICE The 2015 U.S. Dietary Guidelines will be released later this year and nuts should be positioned very positively according to INC-NREF Director Maureen Ternus, especially with emphasis to decrease meal consumption and increase plant-based protein sources like tree nuts. For years, the government has told Americans to eat their vegetables. A rewrite of the government's dietary guidelines could include some new advice on sugar, salt, meat and caffeine. The dietary guidelines affect nutritional patterns throughout the country from federally subsidized school lunches to labels on food packages to the doctor's advice. They also form the basis for the government's "My Plate" icon, which replaced the food pyramid a few years ago. A government advisory committee made up of medical and nutrition experts will issue preliminary recommendations after indicating in draft recommendations circulated in December that it may suggest some changes in current dietary advice. The secretaries of the Agriculture and Health and Human Services Departments will take those recommendations into account as they craft the final 2015 guidelines, expected by the end of the year. Five things to watch for as the government begins writing the new guidelines: REAL LIMITS ON SUGAR The 2010 dietary guidelines recommended generally reducing caloric intake from sugars added during food processing or preparation. Those added sugars act the same in the body as naturally occurring sugars, but generally add empty calories. In its draft recommendations, this year's advisory committee is suggesting specific limits on added sugars for the first time, advising that only 10 percent of calorie intake come from added sugars. The committee said that currently, Americans get about 13 percent of their total calories from added sugar, or 268 calories a day. Much of that is from sugary drinks. Older children, adolescents and young adults get as much as 17 percent of their calories daily from added sugars. The Food and Drug Administration proposed last year that the amount of added sugars be included as a line on nutrition facts labels on food packages. HOW MUCH SALT IS TOO MUCH? Lowering sodium is important for heart health, and the 2010 dietary guidelines recommend that people eat less than 2,300 milligrams a day. That is reduced to 1,500 milligrams for people who are 51 and older, African-American or those who have hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease. Those subgroups amount to about half of the population. While the committee's draft recommendations appear similar, it is unclear if their advice on sodium will be as strong as the 2010 guidelines. A 2013 report by the Institute of Medicine said that while lowering salt intake is important for health, there is no good evidence that eating less than 2,300 milligrams a day of sodium offers benefits. The dietary guidelines advisory panel noted that years of public pressure to lower sodium levels has not had much effect. The average American consumes more than 3,400 mg of sodium a day, or about 1Â˝ teaspoons. EAT LESS MEAT? Current guidelines advise that people eat lean meats as a healthy way to get protein, but the advisory panel has debated whether lean meats should be included. In addition, the draft recommendation discussed at the panel's Dec. 15 meeting says a healthy dietary pattern includes fewer "red and processed meats" than are currently consumed. After that meeting, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association sent out a statement by doctor and cattle producer Richard

The Cracker | March 2015

NEWS TO WATCH Thorpe calling the committee biased and the draft meat recommendations absurd. He said lean beef has a role in healthy diets. The American Meat Institute issued comments calling any attempt to take lean meat out of a healthy dietary pattern "stunning" and "arbitrary."

NEW ADVICE ON CAFFEINE The advisory committee indicated it may propose guidelines that would urge pregnant women to limit caffeine intake. The 2010 guidelines don't address caffeine use. The panel said it supports advice from medical organizations that pregnant women limit caffeine to less than 200 milligrams a day, or around two cups of coffee. "Limited evidence suggests that moderate caffeine intake is associated with a small increased risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, low birth weight, and small for gestational age births," the committee said in its draft recommendations. ROLE OF THE ENVIRONMENT Over the past year, the committee has discussed the idea of including sustainability as a dietary goal. The advisory panel said in its draft recommendations that there is "compatibility and overlap" between what is good for health and what is good for the environment. The committee has framed the issue in terms of ensuring food access for future generations, and also what foods are healthiest. Guidelines addressing the environment could be another blow for the meat industry. A diet higher in plant-based foods and lower in animal-based foods is "more health promoting and is associated with lesser environmental impact than is the current average U.S. diet," the draft recommendations said.

March 2015 | The Cracker

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WORLD CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION TRENDS MARCH 2015 | GLOBAL STATISTICAL REVIEW

«Statistics are also available at our website www.nutfruit.org»

Map shows 5 top producing countries. Other major producers listed below.

MAIN PRODUCING COUNTRIES ALMONDS

BRAZIL NUTS

CASHEWS

HAZELNUTS

MACADAMIAS

PECANS

PINE NUTS

PISTACHIOS

USA Australia Spain Iran Turkey Tunisia Greece Chile Morocco Italy Syria

Bolivia Peru Brazil

India Cote d’Ivoire Vietnam Guinea-Bissau Brazil Tanzania Benin Nigeria Indonesia Cambodia

Turkey Italy USA Georgia Azerbaijan Spain France China Iran Chile

South Africa Australia Kenya USA Guatemala Malawi Brazil China Colombia New Zealand Swaziland

USA Mexico South Africa Australia

China DPR Korea Pakistan Afghanistan Mongolia Russia Spain Turkey Portugal Italy

USA Iran Turkey Syria Afghanistan China Greece Italy Australia

WALNUTS

PEANUTS

DATES

DRIED APRICOTS

DRIED CRANBERRIES

DRIED FIGS

PRUNES

China USA Iran Turkey Ukraine Chile France Moldova India Romania Hungary Italy Georgia Australia

China India USA Nigeria Indonesia Argentina Senegal Vietnam Ghana Brazil Nicaragua

Saudi Arabia Egypt Iran UAE Pakistan Algeria Iraq Sudan Oman Tunisia Morocco Libya Israel USA

Turkey Iran China USA South Africa Australia

USA Canada Chile

Turkey Egypt Iran USA Greece Spain Italy

USA Chile France Argentina Serbia Australia Italy South Africa

Listed by global production as per FAO but not necessarily meaning quantities going through commercial channels.

RAISINS SULTANAS CURRANTS USA Turkey Iran China India Chile Uzbekistan Greece Australia Argentina South Africa

March 2015 | The Cracker

GLOBAL STATISTICAL REVIEW

Almonds · Almendra · Amande · Mandorle · Mandel · Badem

USA / According to the Almond Board of California January Position Report, 6 months into the 2014/15 crop year receipts through January totaled 834,000 metric tons (1,839 million pounds), down 7% from 2013/14.

dollar added to the returns from export markets. The Almond Board of Australia is forecasting a record crop of 75,000 MT (kernel) for 2015. The kernel quality appears to very good with large size and good color.

Year-to-date export shipments were down 20% compared with the previous year, given the West Coast port slowdown. Domestic shipments remained steady at 143,600 MT (317 million pounds). Overall shipments were down 14%, at 416,600 MT (918 million pounds), due in large part to the shipment delays. Total Committed Shipments were well ahead of a year before, up 16%, at 235,000 MT (519 million pounds).

There is renewed momentum with orchard plantings of 3,000 hectares, or an increase in total industry orchard area of 10%, in 2015. Increases of at least this area are expected in the following two years as well. This additional area added to the increase in yields from maturing trees already in the ground will see the industry’s production increase significantly in future.

AUSTRALIA / 2014 has been a good year for the Australian almond industry. Exports for the 11 months to November 2014 had a value of $416.3 million, 30% higher than the previous year. Total export volume increased 13% to 49,302 kernel equivalent tons, but sales have been stifled by the lack of supply causing sales in the second half of year to be 20% lower than the same period last year, as most of the 2014 crop was committed to early shipment. The industry entered 2015 with very high expectations for the harvest to commence late February and continuing through March and April. The world price has continued to rise during 2014 and the devalued Australian

The industry’s export market development activities have been boosted with Free Trade Agreements with Korea and Japan and others with China and India being developed and hopefully completed in 2015. SPAIN / Spain had a better crop compared to last years, which allowed the country to be actively present in the European market in the first part of the season, and large volumes were traded. The Christmas season provided liquidity to the market, which partly explains the fall of shipments from California to Spain. Beginning 2015, there were still relatively good stocks available, but these will be placed in the market after the blooming period only.

Estimated World Almonds Production. Kernel Basis. Metric Tons COUNTRY USA MM lbs USA

2013 /2014

2014/2015

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

317

1.971

2.288

351

1.839

2.190

288

143.893

893.914

1.037.807

159.015

834.000

993.015

130.453

AUSTRALIA

1.000

73.800

74.800

1.000

65.000

66.000

1.000

SPAIN

2.000

32.000

34.000

1.200

48.000

49.200

2.000

IRAN

15.000

35.000

TURKEY

15.000

16.000

TUNISIA

1.600

13.000

14.600

500

14.000

14.500

500

6.000

12.000

MOROCCO

500

6.000

6.500

9.000

ITALY

500

5.000

5.500

9.000

CHILE

GREECE

1.000

5.000

6.000

5.000

OTHERS

30.000

150.493

1.094.714

1.245.207

161.715

1.077.000

1.238.715

WORLD TOTAL

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

1.083.492

USA Crop accounts for 2.0% inedible & process loss. Source: Almond Board of California, Almond Board of Australia, Aegean Exporters’ Association and other INC sources.

The Cracker | March 2015

133.953 1.104.762

GLOBAL STATISTICAL REVIEW

Brazil Nuts · Coquito de Brazil · Noix de Vresil · Noce del Brasile · Paranuss · Brezilya Fingigi

Spot prices reached sky-high levels in January, with uncommitted stocks practically nil. The new crop collection was already advancing, subject to the weather conditions.

Estimated World Amazonia (Brazil) Nuts Production. Kernel Basis. Metric Tons . Conversion rate 1:3. COUNTRY BOLIVIA PERU BRAZIL WORLD TOTAL

2013/2014

2014/2015

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

2.620

19.500

22.120

2.550

18.500

21.050

1.500

400

3.850

4.250

150

3.500

3.650

150

200

3.500

3.700

100

3.000

3.100

3.220

26.850

30.070

2.800

25.000

27.800

1.650

WORLD CONSUMPTION (SUPPLY - ENDING STOCK)

27.270

26.150

Estimated World Amazonia (Brazil) Nuts Production. In Shell Basis. Metric Tons COUNTRY

2013/2014

2014/2015

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

BOLIVIA

7.860

58.500

66.360

7.650

55.500

63.150

4.500

PERU

1.200

11.550

12.750

450

10.500

10.950

450

BRAZIL

600

10.500

11.100

300

9.000

9.300

9.660

80.550

90.210

8.400

75.000

83.400

WORLD TOTAL

WORLD CONSUMPTION (SUPPLY - ENDING STOCK)

81.810

4.950 78.450

Source: INC

2014 Bolivian Exports

Bolivian Exports. Brazil Nuts. Shelled. Metric Tons Destination

2012

2013

2014

% Change 2014-2013

4.851

5.592

5.853

USA

5.442

3.949

5.253

33%

Germany

2.731

3.441

4.514

31%

Netherlands

2.148

2.400

3.202

33%

Peru

639

261

1.602

514%

1.187

1.205

1.073

-11%

Italy

535

495

687

39%

Colombia

733

736

626

-15%

Brazil

333

481

2906%

Israel

392

250

417

67%

Spain

378

128

262

104%

Russian Fed.

464

256

197

-23%

Canada

305

144

184

27%

New Zealand

176

160

176

10%

South Africa

160

112

131

17%

Others

916

1.049

829

-21%

21.391

20.194

25.486

26%

Australia

Total

Europe, 15.366, 60% North America, 5.437, 21% Latin America, 2.759, 11% Asia-Pacific, 1.284, 5% Middle East/Africa, 640, 3%

Source: Bolivian National Institute of Statistics.

March 2015 | The Cracker

GLOBAL STATISTICAL REVIEW

Cashews · Anacardo · Noix de Cajou · Anacardio · Cashewkerne · Cashew Cevizi

The cashew market has remained more or less steady over the last months, however trade volumes have been generally low. Imports from Tanzania were delayed due to shipping problems, and therefore Indian processors faced rawnut shortages. Kernel prices continued more or less steady, as buyers were quiet, buying only nearby requirements. Raw cashew nut (RCN) prices have increased gradually over the last three years. One of the highlights of 2014 has been the return

of traditional differentials for broken grades, despite increased mechanization. In Brazil, early projections of 42,000 MT (kernel equivalent) were not achieved. The 2014/15 harvest is estimated at 25,000 MT. Northeast Brazil has suffered three years of drought. Without decent rains in the next harvest, it will be extremely difficult to produce the 300,000 MT (RCN) crops it produced only a few years ago.

Estimated World Cashews Production. Kernel Basis. Metric Tons COUNTRY

2013/2014

2014/2015

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

nil nil 31.250 nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil 31.250

172.143 91.429 104.167 47.619 27.143 24.200 25.000 14.978 20.833 15.540 16.709 12.000 8.333 5.250 2.619 2.083 8.263 598.309

172.143 91.429 135.417 47.619 27.143 24.200 25.000 14.978 20.833 15.540 16.709 12.000 8.333 5.250 2.619 2.083 8.263 629.559

nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil

164.286 119.048 109.583 48.300 35.200 28.600 25.000 19.048 17.000 12.800 12.000 10.600 9.400 7.350 1.920 1.200 8.333 629.668

nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil

INDIA VIETNAM COTE D'IVOIRE GUINEA-BISSAU TANZANIA BENIN BRAZIL CAMBODIA NIGERIA MOZAMBIQUE INDONESIA SENEGAL GHANA BURKINA FASO GAMBIA KENYA OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

629.559

629.668

Source: Global Cashew Council and INC.

India. Cashew Data Exports (kernels)

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013 Jan-Dec

2014 Jan-Nov

Quantity (MT) Value (Million US$)

115.265 547

110.949 667

107.949 593

95.583 589

111.093 725

89.582 654

121.872 865

105.951 771

570.518 369

655.459 643

662.093 538

564.785 574

798.281 1.143

685.950 753

914.552 881

884.694 1.017

Imports (rawnuts) Quantity (MT) Value (Million US$)

Major Destinations Kernel Exports (%) USA UAE Netherlands Japan UK Source: Cashew Export Promotion Council of India.

The Cracker | March 2015

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013 Jan-Dec

2014 Jan-Nov

36,7 10,9 12,0 4,6 3,5

37,5 9,3 13,0 4,8 3,5

32 12,5 10,0 5,0 4,8

31,0 13,5 10,0 5,4 2,4

32,0 8,9 8,9 6,2 3,2

33,0 12,4 8,3 6,6 2,6

32,3 12,8 8,2 6,8 2,5

24,6 17,9 7,3 6,7 1,9

GLOBAL STATISTICAL REVIEW

Hazelnuts · Avellana · Noisette · Nocciola · Haselnuss · Findik

Estimated World Hazelnuts Production. Kernel Basis. Metric Tons COUNTRY

2013/2014

2014/2015

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

25.000

335.000

360.000

32.500

240.000

272.500

10.000

ITALY

5.640

47.000

52.640

2.350

37.600

39.950

4.700

USA

400

16.080

16.480

1.880

14.520

16.400

400

GEORGIA

1.200

16.000

17.200

800

14.000

14.800

200

AZERBAIJAN

1.720

15.050

16.770

1.290

10.750

12.040

215

500

9.000

9.500

500

9.750

10.250

500

TURKEY

SPAIN OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

11.250

34.460

449.380

483.840

39.320

337.870

377.190

16.015

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

444.520

361.175

Estimated World Hazelnuts Production. In Shell Basis. Metric Tons COUNTRY

2013/2014

2014/2015

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

TURKEY

50.000

670.000

720.000

65.000

480.000

545.000

20.000

ITALY

12.000

100.000

112.000

5.000

80.000

85.000

5.000

USA

1.000

40.200

41.200

4.700

36.300

41.000

1.000

GEORGIA

3.000

40.000

43.000

2.000

35.000

37.000

500

AZERBAIJAN

4.000

35.000

39.000

3.000

25.000

28.000

500

SPAIN

1.000

18.000

19.000

1.000

19.500

20.500

1.000

25.000

71.000

928.200

999.200

80.700

700.800

781.500

28.000

OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

918.500

753.500

Source: INC.

TURKEY / After seeing a more than 30% increase TL basis in the first 6 weeks of the season, the market experienced relatively good flow with flat pricing, better supply met the year-over-year reduced demand. However, with the start of the new year, stronger demand could not be met with enough supply mostly due to weather related logistical challenges and concerns about remaining amounts of uncommitted merchandise, resulting in 10% hike TL basis. Due to weaker euro, this situation impacted euro based prices almost 20%. In the beginning of 2015, there was no negative indication of cold weather conditions on next year’s crop performance.

March 2015 | The Cracker

GLOBAL STATISTICAL REVIEW

Macadamias · Macadamia · Macadamianuss · Makedemia · Cevizi

AUSTRALIA / The 2015 Australian macadamia crop has been estimated at 47,000 metric tons in-shell at 10% moisture (43,800 MT in-shell at 3.5% moisture) by the peak industry body, the Australian Macadamia Society (AMS) in its first forecast for the year.

more normal drop pattern this year. Fortunately, the major growing regions of Bundaberg, Gympie, Glass House Mountains, Northern Rivers and Nambucca all avoided any major losses as a result of Cyclone Marcia in late February.

This is compared to 43,600 MT in-shell at 10% moisture (40,600 MT in shell at 3.5% moisture) produced in 2014, and 35,200 MT in-shell at 10% moisture (32,800 MT in-shell at 3.5% moisture) in 2013. AMS will transition crop reporting from 10 to 3.5% moisture content weights to better align with the moisture content at which the crop is traded.

SOUTH AFRICA / South Africa continues to show strong growth with a crop of 46,950 metric tons of nut-in-shell (1.5% kernel moisture) forecast for 2015, which is 4.6% up from the 2014 crop of 44,890 MT. These figures were compiled by SAMAC, the Southern African Macadamia Growers’ Association’s latest round of data collection, in which processors and handlers of nut in shell accounting for 98% of the South African volume provided their data. The final figures have been adjusted to account for volumes from processors and handlers of nut in shell that did not participate.

There is very strong global demand for both kernel and in-shell. Especially in China, demand for in-shell is expected to impact on the volume of kernel available, but the Australian industry is seeking to maintain a good balance of in-shell and kernel and will continue to support the kernel market, expecting demand from traditional kernel markets to remain strong and new, emerging markets like Korea and Taiwan to continue to grow. The 2015 crop is looking solid in all major growing regions. There was a very good nut-set and it appears the industry will return to a

Forty five percent of the 2014 crop was exported as nut-in-shell and the remainder was processed to kernel. With estimated 19,000 ha and additional 1,000 ha being planted per annum, SAMAC expects current growth trend to continue for at least the next 5 to 7 years.

Estimated World Macadamias Production. Kernel Equivalent Basis. Metric Tons COUNTRY AUSTRALIA SOUTH AFRICA KENYA USA MALAWI GUATEMALA CHINA BRAZIL COLOMBIA NEW ZEALAND SWAZILAND OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

2014/2015

BEGINNING STOCK 0 50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 50

CROP 13.080 12.569 5.208 3.600 1.839 1.684 1.540 1.250 250 150 7 1.000 42.177

TOTAL SUPPLY 13.080 12.619 5.208 3.600 1.839 1.684 1.540 1.250 250 150 7 1.000 42.227

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

2015/2016

ENDING STOCK 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

BEGINNING STOCK 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

CROP 14.100 13.146 5.448 3.600 1.813 1.650 1.540 1.500 250 150 7 1.000 44.204

TOTAL SUPPLY 14.100 13.146 5.448 3.600 1.813 1.650 1.540 1.500 250 150 7 1.000 44.204

42.227

ENDING STOCK n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 44.204

Estimated World Macadamias Production. In Shell Basis. Metric Tons COUNTRY AUSTRALIA SOUTH AFRICA KENYA USA MALAWI GUATEMALA CHINA BRAZIL COLOMBIA NEW ZEALAND SWAZILAND OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

2014/2015

BEGINNING STOCK 0 178 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 178

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

CROP 40.663 45.068 19.429 15.668 7.401 8.091 5.000 5.167 1.000 600 110 4.000 152.197

TOTAL SUPPLY 40.663 45.246 19.429 15.668 7.401 8.091 5.000 5.167 1.000 600 110 4.000 152.375

2015/2016

ENDING STOCK 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 152.375

BEGINNING STOCK 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

CROP 43.834 46.950 22.218 15.668 7.212 8.114 5.000 5.596 1.000 600 110 4.000 160.302

TOTAL SUPPLY 43.834 46.950 22.218 15.668 7.212 8.114 5.000 5.596 1.000 600 110 4.000 160.302

ENDING STOCK n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 160.302

Australia, Guatemala and Brazil reported at 10% kernel moisture and converted to dried NIS at equivalent 3.5% NIS moisture content. South Africa reported at 1.5% kernel moisture content, or equivalent 3.5% NIS moisture content. Kenya and Hawaii reporting at 20% moisture content, converted to dried NIS at equivalent 3.5% moisture content. Malawi reporting at 1.3-2.1% kernel moisture content or equivalent 3.5% NIS moisture content. All other origins at 3.5% NIS moisture content. Source: Australian Macadamia Society, Southern African Macadamia Growers’ Association, Tree Nut Growers Association of Malawi and other INC sources.

The Cracker | March 2015

GLOBAL STATISTICAL REVIEW

Pecans · Pacana · Noix de Pecan · Noce Pecan · Pecanuss · Pekan Cevizi

Estimated World Pecans Production. Kernel Basis. Metric Tons COUNTRY USA MEXICO

2013/2014

2014/2015

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

39.688

60.403

100.091

38.921

60.185

99.106

27.216

1.350

45.360

46.710

2.000

40.823

42.823

2.000

SOUTH AFRICA

3.134

3.188

5.724

5.737

AUSTRALIA

1.147

1.169

1.080

1.170

OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

n/a

626

n/a

644

n/a

41.114

110.670

151.784

41.024

108.456

149.480

29.261

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

110.760

120.219

Estimated World Pecans Production. In Shell Basis. Metric Tons COUNTRY USA MEXICO SOUTH AFRICA AUSTRALIA OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

2013/2014

2014/2015

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

79.375

120.806

200.181

77.842

120.371

198.213

54.432

3.000

90.719

93.719

4.000

81.647

85.647

4.000

120

6.965

7.085

10.800

10.830

0 100

2.550

2.600

200

2.400

2.600

n/a

1.361

n/a

1.400

n/a

82.545

222.401

304.946

82.072

216.618

298.690

58.532

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

222.874

240.158

Source: INC.

USA / The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its production estimates for pecans in 2014/15 at 120,371 MT (265 million pounds). This is lower than expected for an “on-year” crop. Poor weather in Georgia, the largest production area, was the main culprit for this shorter crop. Overall quality looks good. China purchases were lower due to the shorter crop in Georgia, so there continues to be strong buying interest from Chinese buyers. It appears that many US and Mexican processors will not be able to obtain their desired quantities of raw material due to the smaller crop. Field prices increased 16% since November as well, resulting in firmer prices in the kernel market. MEXICO / The Mexican crop came 15-20% lower than early industry estimates and very little in shell remained available for sale in January. Quality is good, thanks to good summer rains. SOUTH AFRICA / The 2015/16 crop has been forecast 30% higher to 14,000 MT in shell; 7,420 MT kernel equivalent.

March 2015 | The Cracker

GLOBAL STATISTICAL REVIEW

Pine Nuts · Piñón · Pignon · Pinoli · Pinienkerne · Çam Fistigi

Estimated World Pine Nuts Production. Kernel Basis. Metric Tons COUNTRY

2013/2014

BEGINNING STOCK

2014/2015

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

FAR EAST (Pinus Chinensis): CHINA

9.000

2.500

11.500

500

25.000

25.500

5.000

DPR KOREA

1.000

2.000

3.000

100

5.000

5.100

200

PAKISTAN

100

2.000

2.100

100

3.000

3.100

100

AFGHANISTAN

100

2.000

2.100

100

3.000

3.100

100

2.000

2.050

100

2.500

2.600

10.250

10.500

20.750

900

38.500

39.400

5.450 100

RUSSIA SUBTOTAL MEDITERRANEAN (Pinus Pinea): TURKEY

125

400

275

325

360

ITALY

175

350

150

SPAIN

375

300

PORTUGAL

OTHERS SUBTOTAL WORLD TOTAL

980

1.030

1.450

290

10.300

11.480

21.780

900

39.950

40.850

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

5.740

20.880

35.110

Source: Aegean Exporters’ Association and other INC sources.

Pine Nut Production in the Mediterranean Basin. Metric Tons 5.000

SPAIN ITALY PORTUGAL TURKEY

4.000 3.000 2.000 1.000 2007

2008

2009

2010

Source: INC

In China, after rising trends in December, the first weeks of 2015 remained quite stable, even though prices rose by 15-18% in just a few months. On the contrary, in Pakistan, prices shot up to 30-32 €/kg in a few weeks due to the increased demand. In the Mediterranean Basin, the Spanish crop has been revised downwards to 300 metric tons, 20% down the previous season. Portugal has seen a slight improvement in the quantity, estimated at 360 MT, up 31% from 2013/14, but still lower compared with a normal crop. Both the number of cones and the rate kernels per pine cone have plummeted over the last years, supposedly because of an exotic pathogen.

The Cracker | March 2015

2011

2012

2013

2014

GLOBAL STATISTICAL REVIEW

Pistachios · Pistacho · Pistache · Pistacchio · Pistazie · Antep Fistigi

World production has been revised from the November 2014 estimate by 10,700 metric tons to 628,168 MT. World ending stocks have been revised 1,500 MT lower to 102,200 MT.

IRAN / The 2014/2015 crop has been reduced from 250,000 MT previously reported to 230,000 MT. As a result, total supply fell slightly by 8%. 176,000 MT had been exported by the end of February. The annual domestic consumption is estimated at 20,000 MT; ending stocks at 25,000 MT. The 2015/2016 crop has been forecast at 220,000 MT, down 4% over 2014, and resulting in a total supply forecast of 245,000 MT.

USA / Due to the impact of drought and poor bloom, CY14 California crop came in at a lower than estimated crop size at 235,300 metric tons. Although higher in crop size compared to previous crop year, in-shell availability still remains similar to CY13 due to high percentage of Non-Splits and lower carry-in. With continued unfavorable weather conditions for pistachios, CY15 crop becomes hard to predict. However, the demand for pistachios continues to be strong from all regions of the world.

Estimated World Pistachios Production. In Shell Basis. Metric Tons COUNTRY

2013/2014

2014/2015

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

USA

51.211

215.005

266.216

39.525

235.318

274.843

37.213

IRAN

5.000

160.000

165.000

1.000

230.000

231.000

25.000

TURKEY

80.000

50.000

130.000

20.000

130.000

150.000

45.000

SYRIA

1.000

15.000

16.000

20.000

AFGHANISTAN

16.500

10.000

GREECE

2.000

5.000

CHINA

4.000

4.200

ITALY

3.000

2.500

AUSTRALIA

1.650

1.150

137.211

467.155

604.366

60.525

638.168

698.693

TOTAL

CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

107.213

543.841

591.480

Source: INC.

120.000

0 00 16 0.

48 8 7.

91 5 6.

15 6.

86 8 7. 13

3 70 12 2.

20 1 0. 13

2 13 11 7.

160.000

200.000

US Exports. Pistachios, Inshell Basis. Metric Tons

80.000 40.000 2007/08

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

Source: Foreign Agricultural Service, Official USDA Estimates.

March 2015 | The Cracker

GLOBAL STATISTICAL REVIEW

Walnuts · Nuez · Noix · Noce · Walnuss · Ceviz USA / Handler receipts in mid February showed 2014/2015 walnut production reached 515,761 MT, an increase of 13.7% over the 2013/2014 crop of 449,056 MT. The US Department of Agriculture is expected to issue a final crop number in February, adjusted for farm use. Market demand for walnuts has remained strong with export shipments through December 31, 2014 reporting shelled volumes up 8.8% from the prior year with gains in Europe, Middle East and Asia (Vietnam and Thailand). Inshell export volumes are trailing 2013, largely due to increased local walnut consumption in China resulting from a larger domestic crop. Global demand for California walnuts remains strong due to solid marketing programs, handler efforts and growing consumer awareness of walnuts health and versatility attributes.

CHINA / The 2014/2015 walnut crop in China has been estimated at 530,000 metric tons (in shell basis), which represents a slight reduction from the previous forecast of 550,00 MT. Even though, the final receipt indicates a better than normal crop. Beginning 2015, the market was getting firmer, with prices up by 10% as compared to the beginning of the season and inventories diminishing faster than before. This is mainly attributable to the moderate pricing and active demand from local market, since the volume of imports for both in shell and shelled walnuts were sharply reduced in the current season. Consumption during the Spring Festival (February 18, 2015) will determine the market. The weather was exceptionally dry and warm in the North and Northwest of China, which might have some impact on the coming crop if it continues during the whole winter.

Estimated World Walnuts Production. Kernel Basis. Metric Tons COUNTRY USA CHINA IRAN UKRAINE CHILE TURKEY FRANCE INDIA MOLDOVA ROMANIA HUNGARY ITALY GEORGIA AUSTRALIA TOTAL

2013/2014

BEGINNING STOCK 17.962 10.000 0 0 250 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 28.212

CROP 197.585 184.000 44.000 23.000 26.500 29.520 18.600 15.505 12.500 10.000 3.000 5.481 3.000 2.676 575.367

TOTAL SUPPLY 215.547 194.000 44.000 23.000 26.750 29.520 18.600 15.505 12.500 10.000 3.000 5.481 3.000 2.676 603.579

CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

2014/2015

ENDING STOCK 16.990 4.000 0 0 250 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 21.240

BEGINNING STOCK 16.990 4.000 0 0 250 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 21.240

CROP 227.207 212.000 39.600 38.000 32.500 30.000 16.720 15.505 14.000 10.800 6.400 6.000 3.500 3.419 655.651

TOTAL SUPPLY 235.036 216.000 39.600 38.000 32.750 30.000 16.720 15.505 14.000 10.800 6.400 6.000 3.500 3.419 667.730

582.339

ENDING STOCK 47.877 8.000 0 0 250 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 56.127 611.603

Estimated World Walnuts Production. In Shell Basis. Metric Tons COUNTRY USA CHINA IRAN UKRAINE CHILE TURKEY FRANCE INDIA MOLDOVA ROMANIA HUNGARY ITALY GEORGIA AUSTRALIA TOTAL

2013/2014

BEGINNING STOCK 40.823 25.000 0 0 500 4.000 1.000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 71.323

CROP 449.056 460.000 100.000 55.000 53.000 72.000 42.000 35.000 32.000 25.000 8.000 13.500 8.000 6.225 1.358.781

CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

The Cracker | March 2015

TOTAL SUPPLY 489.879 485.000 100.000 55.000 53.500 76.000 43.000 35.000 32.000 25.000 8.000 13.500 8.000 6.225 1.430.104

2014/2015

ENDING STOCK 38.568 10.000 0 0 500 4.000 1.000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 54.068 1.376.036

BEGINNING STOCK 38.568 10.000 0 0 500 4.000 1.000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 54.068

CROP 515.761 530.000 90.000 95.000 65.000 75.000 38.000 35.000 38.000 27.000 16.000 14.000 9.500 7.950 1.556.211

TOTAL SUPPLY 554.329 540.000 90.000 95.000 65.500 79.000 39.000 35.000 38.000 27.000 16.000 14.000 9.500 7.950 1.610.279

ENDING STOCK 108.682 20.000 0 0 500 4.000 1.000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 134.182 1.476.097

GLOBAL STATISTICAL REVIEW

Peanuts · Cacahuete · Cacahuète · Arachide · Erdnuss · Yer Fistigi Estimated World Peanuts Production. In Shell Basis. 1000 Metric Tons 2013/2014

COUNTRY

2014/2015

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

BEGINNING STOCK

CROP

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

CHINA

n/a

17.000

500

13.000

13.500

300

INDIA

5.650

5.670

141

4.800

4.941

n/a

3.000

n/a

3.000

n/a 840

NIGERIA USA

1.257

1.893

3.150

843

2.363

3.206

INDONESIA

1.160

1.198

1.150

1.190

ARGENTINA

411

1.050

1.461

511

1.050

1.561

431

SENEGAL

710

719

725

734

VIETNAM

530

596

550

629

GHANA

n/a

440

n/a

440

BRAZIL

364

386

290

316

NICARAGUA

150

152

n/a

150

SOUTH AFRICA

110

118

120

134

100

123

100

127

MEXICO COTE D'IVOIRE

n/a

OTHERS

292

7.586

7.878

256

7.500

7.756

352

2.148

39.833

41.981

2.446

35.328

37.774

WORLD TOTAL

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

2.130

39.535

35.644

Source: China Chamber of Commerce for Imports and Exports of Foodstuffs (CCCFNA), US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other INC sources.

US Peanut Supply and Disappearance. 1000 Metric Tons YEAR BEGIN. AUG. 1 2012/13* 2013/14** 2014/15** Production

SUPPLY

BEGINNING STOCKS 455 1.257 843

DISAPPEARANCE

PRODUCTION

IMPORTS

TOTAL

3.064 1.893 2.363

54 40 29

3.572 3.190 3.235

DOMESTIC FOOD 1.240 1.309 1.340

CRUSH 298 301 298

SEED & RESIDUAL 238 240 233

EXPORTS

TOTAL

540 497 476

2.316 2.347 2.347

ENDING STOCKS 1.257 843 889

Total Supply

3.572 2.582 1.571

2006/07

2.848 2.388

2.341

1.666

2007/08

2008/09

3.190

3.064

2.673

2.715

2.463

1.675

1.886

1.660

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

1.893

2012/13 (*)

2013/14 (**)

3.235 2.363

2014/15 (**)

(*) Estimated. (**) Forecast. Last update: January 20, 2015. Sources: USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Crop Production and Peanut Stocks and Processing, and U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Statistics.

CHINA / Serious drought in the major peanut producing provinces, like Liaoning, Henan and Shandong reduced peanut yield, while low procurement prices in the last two years lowered farmers’ returns and also resulted in a reduced planted area. INDIA / The peanut crop has been estimated at 4.8 million metric tons, down 15% from 2013, due to poor monsoon rainfall in major producing states. According to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, India’s peanut area was also reduced to 4.47 million hectares; acreage to 3.5 million ha, down 14% from 2013.

March 2015 | The Cracker

GLOBAL STATISTICAL REVIEW

Dates · Dátil · Datte · Dattero · Dattel · Hurma 2014/2015 production estimates have been slightly revised since November. It should be noted that the marginal areas for the cultivation of date palm are not included. In these areas, dates do not reach full maturity and are not frequently traded. Only 10% of the world production of dates is exported. The vast majority of dates is sold in the domestic market of the producing countries.

Estimated World Table Dates Production. Metric Tons COUNTRY SAUDI ARABIA EGYPT IRAN UAE PAKISTAN ALGERIA IRAQ SUDAN OMAN TUNISIA MOROCCO LIBYA ISRAEL USA OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

2013/2014

2014/2015

BEGINNING STOCK

PRODUCTION

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

BEGINNING STOCK

PRODUCTION

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

100.000 140.000 85.000 50.000 8.000 12.000 15.000 20.000 80.000 50.000 4.000 6.000 200 800 25.000

1.250.000 1.190.000 1.110.000 820.000 760.000 680.000 530.000 380.000 265.000 145.000 130.000 65.000 21.000 18.000 175.000

1.350.000 1.330.000 1.195.000 870.000 768.000 692.000 545.000 400.000 345.000 195.000 134.000 71.000 21.200 18.800 200.000

115.000 80.000 85.000 50.000 7.000 12.000 10.000 25.000 10.000 2.000 5.000 3.000 200 3.000 25.000

1.240.000 1.180.000 1.050.000 850.000 720.000 700.000 430.000 370.000 270.000 220.000 150.000 50.000 22.000 24.000 220.000

1.355.000 1.260.000 1.135.000 900.000 727.000 712.000 440.000 395.000 280.000 222.000 155.000 53.000 22.200 27.000 245.000

125.000 70.000 0 60.000 9.000 18.000 20.000 25.000 5.000 5.000 3.000 2.000 200 2.000 30.000

596.000

7.539.000

8.135.000

432.200

7.496.000

7.928.200

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

7.702.800

374.200 7.554.000

Source: INC.

Dried Apricots · Orejón · Abricot Sec · Albicocca Secca · Getrocknete Aprikose · Kuru Kayisi TURKEY / Turkey’s production of dried apricots in the 2014/15 was estimated at 8,210 MT. As previously reported, local frost in 30-31 March 2014 harshly damaged the crop. With a carry-over of 55,000 MT, the total supply was estimated at 63,210 MT, down 55% from the previous season. According to the Aegean Exporters’ Association, as of January 10, 2015, exports of whole type dried apricots of 2014 crop reached 26,786 MT (including whole, diced, industrial apricots) down 57% from the previous season. In 2014, Turkey exported 79,026 MT of dried apricots, down 3%. In the 2014/15 season, France, Germany and the United Kingdom were the top destinations of Turkey’s dried apricots. In 2013/14, the top three export markets were Russia, USA and Germany.

Estimated World Dried Apricots Production. Metric Tons COUNTRY IRAN TURKEY

2013/2014

BEGINNING STOCK

PRODUCTION

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

BEGINNING STOCK

PRODUCTION

TOTAL SUPPLY

n/a

22.400

1.000

20.000

21.000

ENDING STOCK 0

30.000

110.345

140.345

55.000

8.210

63.210

CHINA

n/a

5.700

6.000

USA

n/a

1.600

2.000

SOUTH AFRICA

n/a

1.500

2.000

AUSTRALIA

n/a

600

0 0

OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

n/a

28.800

30.000

170.945

200.945

56.000

68.810

124.810

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock) Source: Aegean Exporters’ Association and other INC sources.

2014/2015

The Cracker | March 2015

144.945

0 124.810

GLOBAL STATISTICAL REVIEW 小红莓 · Arándano Mirtillo Rosso · Keçiyemisi

Dried Cranberries

USA / The Sweetened Dried Cranberry (SDC) market continues to be robust. All SDC plants are working at capacity to meet demand. Grower pricing (in the form of Frozen Cranberries) has increased on the average of 30%. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recently announced a purchase of SDC that will impact available SDC for the market place. A byproduct of SDC is Cranberry Concentrate, which is in oversupply position for the Juice Manufactures.

Estimated World Sweetened Dried Cranberries Production. Metric Tons COUNTRY USA CANADA CHILE TOTAL

2013/2014

2014/2015

BEGINNING STOCK

PRODUCTION

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

BEGINNING STOCK

PRODUCTION

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

10.000 1.000 500

112.000 18.500 7.500

122.000 19.500 8.000

17.000 3.000 250

125.000 20.000 7.000

142.000 23.000 7.250

10.000 2.000 0

11.500

138.000

149.500

20.250

152.000

172.250

CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

129.250

12.000 160.250

Source: INC.

Dried Figs

· Higo Seco · Figue Sec · Fico Secco Getrocknete Feige · Kuru Incir

TURKEY / All-type Turkish dried fig exports of 2014 crop reached 30,097 MT (including whole, diced, industrial figs and fig paste), down 31% from the same period of previous season. Overall, Turkey’s exports of dried figs decreased by 7% in 2014, reaching 63,931 MT. The top three destinations were Germany, France and Italy in the 2014/15 season. In the previous season, the top three export markets had been Germany, France and the United States of America.

Estimated World Dried Figs Production. Metric Tons COUNTRY

2013/2014

2014/2015

BEGINNING STOCK

PRODUCTION

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

BEGINNING STOCK

PRODUCTION

TOTAL SUPPLY

66.000

69.731

IRAN

4.500

22.600

27.100

n/a

21.000

2.000

USA

n/a

10.000

n/a

10.000

GREECE

n/a

7.600

n/a

8.000

TURKEY

ENDING STOCK

SPAIN

n/a

5.800

n/a

6.000

ITALY

n/a

3.800

n/a

4.000

OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

n/a

2.000

n/a

5.000

500

4.500

117.800

122.300

123.731

2.500

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

122.300

121.231

Source: Aegean Exporters’ Association and other INC sources.

· Ciruela Seca · Pruneau · Prugna Secca Backpflaume · Kuru Erik · Pruna Seca

Prunes

USA / The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a 2014 California dried plum crop at 86,182 metric tons (95,000 short tons). The projected carry-in has been revised at only 29,186 MT.

Estimated World Prunes Production. Metric Tons COUNTRY USA CHILE FRANCE ARGENTINA SERBIA AUSTRALIA ITALY SOUTH AFRICA TOTAL

2013/2014

2014/2015

BEGINNING STOCK

PRODUCTION

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

BEGINNING STOCK

PRODUCTION

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

54.749 2.774 20.000 4.000 0 500 200 0

78.000 70.000 34.000 8.000 3.500 2.200 1.417 860

132.749 72.774 54.000 12.000 3.500 2.700 1.617 860

31.356 2.000 10.000 0 3.500 250 200 0

86.182 70.000 35.000 30.000 3.500 2.500 2.000 900

117.538 72.000 45.000 30.000 7.000 2.750 2.200 900

25.000 2.000 10.000 0 3.500 250 200 0

82.223

197.977

280.200

47.306

230.082

277.388

CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

232.894

40.950 236.438

Source: USDA and other INC sources.

March 2015 | The Cracker

GLOBAL STATISTICAL REVIEW

Raisins, Sultanas & Currants · Uva Pasa · Raisin Sec · Uvetta · Rosine · Kuzu Üzüm World production of raisins, sultanas and currants for 2014/15 has been estimated 11% higher to a record 1.36 million metric tons, primarily on gains in Turkey, China and Chile.

year-to-date domestic shipments (including Canada) of Natural (sundried) Seedless Raisins were 97,784 packed tons, up 1% from the same time the previous year. YTD export shipments were 55,052 packed tons, a decrease of 19%.

TURKEY / Production in 2014/15 is estimated at the record level of 328,167 MT. 2014 crop exports had reached 120,629 MT by mid January 2015. Exports in 2014 reached 226,677 MT, a 6% increase compared to 2013.

IRAN / According to the Iranian Dried Fruit Exporters Association, Iran has exported approximately 124,000 MT of sultanas/raisins per year over the past ten years. In 2013/2014, the country exported about 120,000 MT, primarily to the Middle East and Europe. Domestic consumption was estimated at 35,000 MT. In 2014/2015, the crop has been estimated at 175,000 MT.

USA / U.S. production has been revised slightly downwards to 283,000 MT, down 15% from the previous season. According to the Raisin Administrative Committee January 2015 Shipment Report,

Estimated World Raisins, Sultanas & Currants Production. Metric Tons COUNTRY TURKEY USA IRAN CHINA INDIA CHILE SOUTH AFRICA ARGENTINA GREECE UZBEKISTAN AUSTRALIA OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

2013/2014

2014/2015

BEGINNING STOCK

PRODUCTION

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

BEGINNING STOCK

PRODUCTION

TOTAL SUPPLY

ENDING STOCK

20.179 122.500 0 20.000 0 2.000 1.500 0 0 0 3.450 1.000 170.629

242.635 334.000 165.000 135.000 125.000 58.000 45.000 15.000 21.000 25.000 17.000 43.000 1.225.635

262.814 456.500 165.000 155.000 125.000 60.000 46.500 15.000 21.000 25.000 20.450 44.000 1.396.264

18.000 127.500 5.000 8.000 0 7.500 3.500 0 5.000 0 2.575 1.000 178.075

328.167 283.000 175.000 160.000 135.000 70.000 60.650 33.000 27.000 25.000 14.180 50.000 1.360.997

346.167 410.500 180.000 168.000 135.000 77.500 64.150 33.000 32.000 25.000 16.755 51.000 1.539.072

40.000 122.500 10.000 10.000 0 1.000 3.500 1.000 0 0 0 1.000 189.000

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

1.218.189

1.350.072

Source: International Seedless Dried Grape Producing Countries Conference, Aegean Exporters’ Association and other INC sources.

U.S. Natural Seedless. Top 20 Shipment Destinations. Packed Tons YTD Rank

U.S. Exports. Natural Seedles. Packed Tons 8/1/2014 - 1/31/2015

Europe, 21.689, 36% Japan, 10.885, 18% Canada, 4.683, 8% China and Hong Kong, 4.354, 7% Latin America, 4.049, 7% Taiwan, 2.294, 4% Australia, 1.650, 3% Others, 10.131, 17%

*Historically a large volume of China exports are transhipped directly to Japan.

The Cracker | March 2015

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Destination

YTD Tonnage 8/1/14-1/31/15

Previous YTD Tonnage 8/1/13-1/31/14

Percent Gain/Loss

United States Japan United Kingdom Canada Germany China* Sweden Taiwan South Korea Mexico Denmark Netherlands Australia Norway Philippines Malaysia Finland Hong Kong New Zealand Indonesia Others Total

93.101 10.885 7.782 4.683 4.218 3.619 2.695 2.294 2.150 1.996 1.783 1.734 1.650 1.423 1.272 1.271 879 735 731 668 7.267 152.836

91.533 10.844 9.620 5.043 7.459 4.724 3.764 2.254 1.772 1.400 1.418 2.765 2.373 1.580 1.271 2.868 706 839 942 420 10.537 164.132

2% 0% -19% -7% -43% -23% -28% 2% 21% 43% 26% -37% -30% -10% 0% -56% 25% -12% -22% 59% -31% -7%

GLOBAL STATISTICAL REVIEW

Special Report: Dried Grapes

International Seedless Dried Grape Producing Countries Conference The International Seedless Dried Grape Producing Countries Conference was held on November 9-12, 2014 in San Juan, Argentina following the harvest in northern hemisphere, in order to exchange information on global production and marketing.

Participating producing countries reported on production, supply and demand, and noted that world production of Sultana/Natural Seedless Raisin varieties increased by 7% from the previous year. Global production of Goldens increased 1%, while production of Currants increased by 20% compared to the previous season.

Delegations from Argentina, Australia, Chile, South Africa, Turkey and the United States participated in the Conference. Reports from China, Greece, India and Iran were also presented.

Varieties: Sultana and Raisin. Metric Tons Packed Weight

Country Greece Iran Turkey USA

Estimated physical stock 31/08/2014

Estimated production Northern Hemisphere 1/10/2014

Estimated production Southern Hemisphere 28/02/2014

Total estimated available product for marketing

Estimated invoiced domestic sales 1/09/2014 to 31/08/2015

Balance available for export marketing

Estimated invoiced export sales 1/09/2014 to 31/08/2015

Estimated physical stocks as at 31/08/2015

Planned carryout required to maintain supply between season

Surplus stocks to estimated sales and planned carryout

5.000

145.000

150.000

40.000

110.000

100.000

10.000

25.000

328.000

353.000

50.000

303.000

270.000

33.000

100.891

276.389

377.280

185.474

191.806

89.710

102.096

Uzbekistan

25.000

China

180.000

150.000

30.000

Argentina

27.000

7.000

20.000

2.000

Australia

1.450

12.250

13.700

12.750

950

Chile

6.600

55.250

61.850

2.000

59.850

7.600

South Africa

2.500

46.000

48.500

11.000

37.500

34.000

3.500

India TOTAL 2013 % Diff

0 141.441 117.719 20%

959.389 852.573 13%

105.000

245.500 288.970 -15%

1.346.330 1.259.262 7%

568.224 539.117 5%

778.106 720.145 8%

629.510 605.200 4%

156.196 112.666 39%

105.596 106.019 0%

52.600 9.505 453%

Varieties: Golden and Currant. Metric Tons Packed Weight Country Greece Iran Turkey USA India Uzbekistan China Argentina Australia Chile South Africa TOTAL 2013 % Diff

Estimated physical stock 31/08/2014

Goldens estimated production 2014 crop

Total estimated available product for marketing

Estimated physical stock 31/08/2014

Currants estimated production 2014 crop

Total estimated available product for marketing

0 0 0 7.220 0 0 0 0 0 350 1.000 8.570 5.240 64%

0 30.000 0 15.884 30.000 0 0 250 0 9.750 12.350 98.234 97.441 1%

0 30.000 0 23.104

5.000 0 0 1.337

22.000 0 0 2.179

0 0 250 0 10.100 13.350 76.804 102.681 -25%

0 0 0 1.125 400 0 7.862 2.925 169%

0 0 0 1.930 0 2.300 28.409 23.751 20%

27.000 0 0 3.516 0 0 0 0 3.055 400 2.300 36.271 26.676 36%

Source: International Seedless Dried Grape Producing Countries Conference.

March 2015 | The Cracker

GLOBAL STATISTICAL REVIEW

Special Report: Dried Grapes

International Seedless Dried Grape Producing Countries Conference World Dried Grape Production. Metric Tons TURKEY

1.400.000

USA

IRAN

CHINA

2011

2012

2013

OTHERS

1.200.000 1.000.000 800.000 600.000 400.000 200.000

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2014

Source: International Seedless Dried Grape Producing Countries Conference and other INC sources.

TURKEY 2011 Beginning Stocks

2012

2013

2014

400.000 300.000

12.500

3.500

20.000

25.000

256.336

310.000

242.000

328.000

Imports

13.457

351

3.495

Exports

215.459

248.321

185.000

270.000 Est

Domestic

50.000

45.000

52.000

50.000 Est

Production

Imports Production

200.000

Beginning Stocks Exports

100.000

Domestic

2011

2012

2013

2014

USA 2011

2012

2013

2014

500.000

Beginning Stocks

102.000

113.814

122.500

127.500

400.000

Production

320.000

268.105

334.000

294.452

300.000

Imports

15.414

15.219

17.703

Exports

144.123

118.029

153.568

89.710 Est

Domestic

174.381

175.204

193.135

185.474 Est

Imports Production Beginning Stocks

200.000

Exports Domestic

100.000 0

2011

2012

2013

2014

IRAN 200.000

2011

2012

2013

2014

5.000

Production

155.000

190.000

159.800

175.000

Exports

121.694

158.886

119.800

130.000 Est

Domestic

33.300

31.100

35.000

40.000 Est

Beginning Stocks

150.000 Production

100.000

Beginning Stocks Exports Domestic

50.000 0

2011

2012

2013

2014

CHINA 2011 Beginning Stocks Production Imports

2012

2013

2014

5.000

20.000

8.000

120.000

165.000

135.000

160.000

12.111

12.343

9.225

200.000 150.000 Imports Production

100.000

Beginning Stocks Exports

Exports

47.690

30.441

36.005

30.000 Est

Domestic

90.000

147.000

128.200

150.000 Est

Domestic

50.000 0

2011

2012

2013

2014

Data in metric tons. Source: International Seedless Dried Grape Producing Countries Conference, DESA/UNSD United Nations Comtrade Database, and other INC sources.

The Cracker | March 2015

GLOBAL STATISTICAL REVIEW Turkey: Main Destinations of Turkish Sultana Raisin 2012/13 Season Imports (MT)

2013/14 Season Imports (MT)

2012/2013 Value (1000 USD)

2013/2014 Value (1000 USD)

80.000

$180.000

70.000

$153.012

$160.000

60.000

$128.778

$140.000 $120.000

50.000

$99.830

$98.437

$100.000

$88.317

40.000

$80.000

$71.681

30.000

$56.549

20.000

$49.580

$60.000 $39.263

$34.136

$35.975

10.000

Germany

Netherlands

$32.459

Italy

France

$30.032

$29.876

$40.000

$24.021

$23.862

$20.000

Australia

Belgium

Others

Source: Aegean Exportersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association.

US: Natural Seedless Production and Global Sales. Metric, Packed Weight Production

262.407

313.082

291.966

303.076

299.343

280.755

306.949

307.264

288.170

277.707

251.788

200.000

238.712

263.600

250.000

304.888

300.000

313.492

8 Year Average Production: 280.284; Sales: 290.862

265.962

Sales

350.000

150.000 100.000 50.000

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Source: California Raisin Marketing Board.

Iran: Sultana Raisin Exports. Crop Year Oct-Sep Exports (MT)

Value (1000 USD)

$450.000 $405.000

$105.000

40.000

$84.000

2003

2004

158.886

$350.000

$295.000 $249.000

119.823

121.694

127.504

$400.000

2005

2006

2007

$250.000

$150.000 $100.000

$116.000

2008

$300.000

$200.000

$114.000

$62.000

2002

$305.000

$161.000

53.406

20.000

140.561

133.695

$152.000

60.000

$295.000

124.038

80.000

119.659

100.000

105.775

120.000

128.148

140.000

158.852

160.000

130.000

180.000

Average: 124.337 MT; 195 Million USD

$50.000

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014*

*Estimate. Source: Iran Dried Fruit Exporters Association.

China: Raisin Imports. Metric Tons USA

Turkey

Uzbekistan

16.000 14.000 12.000 10.000 8.000 6.000 4.000 2.000

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Source: China Customs.

March 2015 | The Cracker

GLOBAL STATISTICAL REVIEW China: Raisin Consumption Domestic Consumption (MT)

180.000

Change Rate (%)

60%

138.200

40%

20% 14%

12% 2%

91.000

16%

101.800

113.700

97.300

89.350

85.600

60.000

92.370

133.800

17%

100.000 80.000

131.700

120.000

150.300

140.000

144.700

160.000

165.000

52%

-11%

40.000

-20%

20.000

-32%

-40%

2002/03

2003/04

2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

Source: Foreign Agricultural Service, Official USDA Estimates.

Chile: Raisin Exports Exports (MT)

90.000

Change Rate (%)

30%

40.000

73.609

10%

66.026

67.153

50.000

65.611

59.361

61.284

60.000

20%

19%

63.641

70.000

70.225

78.297

80.000

-2%

30.000

-10% -9%

20.000 -20%

-19%

10.000 -30%

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Source: International Seedless Dried Grape Producing Countries Conference and DESA/UNSD United Nations Comtrade Database.

South Africa: Raisin Exports Change Rate (%)

38.468

60%

25.000

41%

-3%

15.000

40% 20% 0%

19.516

24.000

25.000

20.000

60%

48%

27.500

32.000

28%

34.000

30.000

35.000

35.041

40.000

80%

40.613

Exports (MT)

45.000

-14%

-20%

-29%

10.000

-40%

5.000

-49%

-60%

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Source: International Seedless Dried Grape Producing Countries Conference and DESA/UNSD United Nations Comtrade Database.

Argentina: Raisin Exports Exports (MT)

35.000

Change Rate (%)

60%

51%

30.000

23.282

29.299

29.207 0%

20% 0%

-7%

18.000

-13%

22.185

23.951 19.121

18.182

21.969

21%

20.000 15.000

28.936

25.000

29.288

40% 26%

-17%

-20%

10.000 -39%

5.000

-40% -60%

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

DESA/UNSD United Nations Comtrade Database and International Seedless Dried Grape Producing Countries Conference.

The Cracker | March 2015

2011

2012

2013

2014 Forecast

WORLD INDUSTRY NEWS

A ROAD MAP TO GFSI BENCHMARKED SCHEME CERTIFICATION FOR YOUR PRODUCT Among the many standards present in food manufacturing today, GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) certification schemes are increasingly becoming the most important and widely accepted. These schemes help meet the demands of a globalized market for improving food safety across the food supply chain. An effective implementation of GFSI schemes can enable manufacturers to establish conformity to robust food safety and quality management standards; drive continuous improvements; increase operational efficiency/productivity; protect their brand; and gain acceptance and recognition of their products, processes, and services around the world. The choice of GFSI schemes - HACCP based food safety and quality management systems - such as Safe Food Quality (SQF) and British Retail Consortium (BRC) has been predominantly driven by customer requirements. Both Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Hazard Analysis your system to meet GFSI Scheme requirements and obtain globally and Critical Control Points (HACCP) systems are intended to ensure accepted certification for your facility and product. the safe production of food. However, GMP is the “first step” to Ensure that your GMP and HACCP plans are not only implemented in food safety – a combination of management and manufacturing your facility, but that the implementation is adequately documented. practices designed to ensure food products are consistently processed Assemble a team consisting of one representative each from to comply with safety standards. GMPs are the foundation of a food management, research and development, quality assurance and safety system, which is further improved through the introduction of control, production, maintenance, procurement, and shipping. HACCP to create a systematic approach to production that prevents Identify and assign responsibilities for each team member, and and controls hazards before food safety is compromised. then validate and verify that each member is meeting the assigned Once you have the basic building blocks of a GFSI scheme in place, responsibilities. your GMP and HACCP systems, you are ready to further enhance msc_thecracker_190x134_Feb_2015.pdf 1 16.02.2015 18:19:13

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The Cracker | March 2015

WORLD INDUSTRY NEWS Foster top management commitment and the direct participation of the highest level executives. Demonstrable management commitment to preserving food safety and quality is key for meeting the highest food safety standards, not only at the time of audit, but all year around. In order to develop a strong foundation and knowledge base within the company, send a group of employees to GFSI scheme training (such as SQF or BRC or IFS, depending upon your needs) to understand the requirements of the scheme implementation and develop necessary programs, policies, and procedures. Every GFSI scheme requires food facilities to conduct internal audits. Be sure to address all non-conformities from internal audits by identifying root causes, applying corrections and developing corrective actions to prevent reoccurrence in future. Remember to document your actions in order to provide objective evidence at the time of your GFSI benchmarked scheme audit. GFSI schemes also require that you develop, verify, and validate pre-requisite programs in addition to the HACCP plan, such as supplier verification, allergen control, traceability, pest control management, the recall process, employee training, environmental monitoring programs, etc. In order to smooth out your learning curve, contact your local Certification Body (CB) to help you establish a road map for pursuing GFSI certification for your facility. Depending on your level of preparedness and scheme-specific requirements communicated to you by your CB, you may choose to conduct a pre-assessment audit to identify gaps and shortfalls in your food safety and quality management systems or you may move directly ahead into a certification audit. While audits are often felt to be nerve-wracking interruptions by both employees and management, they need not be a source of stress. By â&#x20AC;&#x153;saying what you do and doing what you sayâ&#x20AC;? through consistent systematic implementation and documentation, your facility will not only always be prepared for an audit, but will contribute to the safety of our increasingly globalized food chain.

MEET NARAYAN PATIL Narayan Patil serves as the Executive Director of Certification Services at DFA Global Certifications, LLC - an ANSI and ISO 17065 accredited Certification Body based in Sacramento, CA, USA. His prior experience includes working in diversified food industries for more than 20 years in Canada and in the United States, and in Retail Sector managing R&D, Quality Control, Process Engineering, Food Safety and Regulatory Compliance. Narayan has 4 patents in food manufacturing processes to his credit as the principal investigator. Narayan earned his Ph.D. in Bio-Resource Engineering / Food Engineering from Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Narayan can be contacted by e-mail at narayanp@dfaglobal.org; or by phone at 916-223-5164.

March 2015 | The Cracker

WORLD INDUSTRY NEWS

ALMONDS: THE HEART-SMART SNACK WITH WAISTLINE BENEFITS Almonds have long been recognized for their heart health benefits, but new research1 suggests they may also be good for your waistline. STUDY OVERVIEW A new study by researchers at Penn State University compared the effects of snacking on almonds vs. a high-carbohydrate muffin on body composition and other heart disease risk factors.

SNACKING ON ALMONDS REDUCED BELLY FAT AND WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE

Muffin

The almond snack reduced total abdominal mass by

52 healthy adults with elevated LDL cholesterol levels consumed a cholesterol-lowering diet for 12 weeks.

- 0.19 kg (0.42 lbs)

• For the first 6 weeks participants snacked on 1.5 oz/42 g of almonds (1½z servings) per day • For the following 6 weeks, participants snacked on a high-carbohydrate muffin (which contained the same amount of calories as the almonds) per day • Participants had reduced belly fat and waist circumference following six weeks of snacking on almonds daily vs. muffins.

more than the muffin snack The almond snack reduced belly fat by - 0.07 kg (0.15 lbs) more than the muffin snack The almond snack reduced waist circumference by

TAKE HEART IN 2015 Nearly two decades of research show that almonds can help maintain a healthy heart. This study suggests that a daily snack of almonds can help:

more than the muffin snack

Decrease waist circumference

The almond snack decreased total cholesterol by

Lower LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol

- 5.1 mg/dL

Maintain HDL or ‘good’ cholesterol

Protein (% kcal) Carbohydrate (% kcal) Fat (% kcal) Saturated Fat (% kcal) Monounsaturated Fat (% kcal) Polyunsaturated Fat (% kcal) Fiber (g)

The Cracker | March 2015

- 0.80 cm (0.31 inches)

SNACKING ON ALMONDS IMPROVED CHOLESTEROL LEVELS

Reduce abdominal fat

COMPOSITION OF DIETS

Almonds

more than the muffin snack The almond snack decreased LDL (bad) cholesterol by

Almond Muffin Diet Diet 16.4% 15.2% 51.3% 58.4% 32.3% 26.4% 7.7% 7.8% 13.9% 10.4% 8.4% 6.2% 26.1 23.1

- 5.3 mg/dL more than the muffin snack The almond snack reduced non-HDL (bad) cholesterol by - 6.9 mg/dL more than the muffin snack

WORLD INDUSTRY NEWS

SO WHY IS THIS RESEARCH IMPORTANT? Because reducing belly fat and waist circumference, along with lowering cholesterol, is key for cardiovascular health. Heart disease and stroke causes

Heart disease is the biggest killer for women worldwide2

8.6 million deaths among women annually2

80%

80% of premature deaths from heart disease could be avoided with meaningful changes to diet and lifestyle2

= 100,000

WHERE ARE THE JOBS? FOLLOW THE ALMONDS Anyone who has spent time around the almond industry knows firsthand that it drives economic activity. It’s not just the growers and farmworkers who earn a living; it’s the men and women who work at the huller-sheller, drive a truck transporting nuts, or sell harvest equipment. Even the waiter at the local diner or the hardware store owner depends, in part, on money spent by local farmers and others in the industry. But what does that all add up to in the big picture? The Almond Board of California recently asked the University of California Agricultural Issues Center to find out. What they learned might surprise those who are less familiar with our industry. According to their study, the almond industry supports California's economic well-being by generating more than $21 billion gross revenue across all industries, adding about $11 billion dollars to size of the state’s total economy. Almonds are also responsible for about 104,000 jobs around the state. To put that in perspective, that's about as many people as General Motors employs throughout all of North America. According to the report, the California almond industry generates about 15 percent of the value of California farm output almost 25 percent of agricultural exports, and is “a major contributor to a healthy and vibrant agriculture and a sound California economy needed to offer

economic opportunity in the state.” Interestingly, most of the jobs created – more than 78,000 – are off the farm and outside of the processing plant. They’re jobs like the truck driver, the equipment salesman, and the waiter we talked about before. Not surprisingly, the report also found that the industry is especially important to the Central Valley, the heart and soul of the California almond community where so many of us live and work. In fact, almonds account for about 97,000 jobs in the valley alone. Almonds have become a crop of choice in California because of one word: value. We’ve known for years the value almonds offer our bodies: Nearly two decades of research shows that almonds can help maintain a healthy heart and cholesterol levels. And their powerful nutrient package includes 6 grams of plant-based protein, 4 grams of filling dietary fiber, and important vitamins and minerals. We also know that, as the only place in America, and one of just a few places in the world, to effectively grow almonds, California has a competitive advantage. Now, with this study, we can see how that advantage is translating into economic value for California too – more jobs; more economic growth; more opportunity.

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WORLD INDUSTRY NEWS

AMERICAN PISTACHIO GROWERS Recently, American Pistachio Growers teamed up with Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Sharon Palmer, author of The Plant-Powered Diet and Plant-Powered for Life, to get the word out about the heart healthy benefits of American Pistachios. AMERICAN PISTACHIOS: HEART HEALTH IN EVERY BITE, SHARON PALMER, RDN Eating to fend off heart disease—the leading cause of death in the U.S. for men and women—is a smart endeavor. And the latest science shows that heart healthy eating is all about eating a diet rich in lean protein sources, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and healthy plant fats. Those healthy plant fats, from sources such as olives, avocados, seeds, and nuts—including pistachios, can help reduce the risk of heart disease. Just a single daily serving (1.5 ounces) of nuts, such as pistachios, can help lower your risk of heart disease, according to the FDA. Indeed, a body of evidence has linked nut consumption to heart health. The landmark PREDIMED study found that people who ate a Mediterranean diet with either one ounce of nuts per day or one liter of olive oil per week experienced a 30% reduction in heart disease-related events (NEJM, 2013). It’s no surprise that munching on nuts—especially pistachios—is good for your heart. Pistachios have the perfect heart health formula: a dose of plant protein, a healthy fat profile of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, plenty of fiber; heart healthy nutrients, like magnesium, potassium, and vitamin E; and a powerful dose of phytochemicals with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, such as polyphenols, lutein and zeaxanthin. Just 1 ounce of pistachios (49 nuts!) provides only 160 calories and 1.5 grams of saturated fat. That wonderful nutritional profile explains why studies have shown that pistachios can protect heart health by reducing oxidative damage and improving healthy cholesterol levels (J Nutr, 2010).

SO, GO AHEAD AND GET NUTTY! Include a handful (about 1 - 1.5 ounces) of pistachios in your diet every day to help protect your heart. It’s easy; pistachios are so nutritious, and delicious they can fit into your diet in myriad ways. Here are some great tips for powering up on pistachios for heart health. Sharon recommends several quick ways to include heart healthy American pistachios in your daily diet. •

Sprinkle pistachios over your morning breakfast cereal.

•

Snack on pistachios as the perfect between meal snack,complete with its own natural “packaging” (the shells)!

•

Toss pistachios into your garden salad for lunch or dinner.

•

Sprinkle chopped pistachios over pasta, casseroles, and grain dishes.

•

Stir chopped pistachios into your favorite baked recipes, Whiz up pistachios into your fruit and veggie smoothie.

MEET AMERICAN PISTACHIO GROWERS NEWEST CHEF AMBASSADORS: STEFANIA CORRADO A member of the Professional Association of Italian Chefs (APCI) and instructor at Food Genius Academy in Milan, Stefania Corrado defines herself as a multitasking chef. A native of Turin, she holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and first began working in advertising. Stefania cites a turning point in 2011 with the launch of her blog, 4youfood, reflecting her strong passion for cooking and creating recipes. Stefania embraces change, finding new ways to cook and tell the story of what she prepares. She uses virtual and real spaces, like a classroom setting. In addition to cooking in private homes as a chef, she works with restaurants and locations in Milan as a guest chef or chef consultant, creating social eating platforms and cultivating new and interactive projects. For the thanksgiving holiday, Chef Stefania created a recipe that reflected her contemporary Mediterranean style, and combined it with the traditional American Thanksgiving dish: "Praline Turkey and Sauce with Chopped American pistachios and Cranberries." The recipe appeared in Italy’s top print publications. To view and download Chef Stefania’s

The Cracker | March 2015

WORLD INDUSTRY NEWS recipe visit AmericanPistachios.org.

PACO RONCERO Famed Spanish chef Paco Roncero, has joined APG's team of chef ambassadors. Roncero will call on his culinary creativity in his role as one of APG's new ambassadors to imagine the best culinary uses for pistachios on menus and as an ingredient. According to Roncero , "American pistachios are nutritionally very comprehensive because they provide everything needed for a healthy daily diet." Along with his two Michelin Stars, Chef Roncero has received numerous gastronomy accolades including Chef l'Avenir 2005, awarded by the International Academy of Gastronomy; the National Gastronomy Award of 2006, of the Spanish Royal Academy and three Suns of the Guia Repsol for his restaurant La Terraza del Casino. In addition to these awards, Roncero is considered one of the pioneers of Madrid's and Spain 's vanguard (molecular gastronomy) cuisine. He has taken sensory dining to the next level, and recently opened a new restaurant, Sublimation, at the Hard Rock Hotel in Ibiza, designed to combine music, lighting and ambience with food in a way that plays to all of the senses. Roncero's passion also extends beyond the kitchen - he is an avid athlete who encourages other Spanish chefs to take up various sports and exercise. He promotes healthy nutrition habits for athletes, and has worked with nutritionists and the Instituto Nacional del Deporte (ISD) to create innovative and delicious recipes for sports nutrition. His long journey in the restaurant industry, along with his passion for sports and defense of healthy eating habits, makes him the perfect spokesperson to spread the powerful nutrition message of American pistachios in Spain. To view and download Chef Ronceroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recipes visit www.americanpistachios.es.

AMERICAN PISTACHIO PRODUCTION AND SHIPMENTS The 2014 U.S. pistachio crop came in at 519,138,705 million pounds (235.972 metric tons). This total represents the third largest crop harvested in the history of U.S. pistachio production. This crop was smaller than originally anticipated, primarily due to the lack of chilling hours (which are required by the trees during the dormant period), poor bloom during the spring and the continuing water drought experienced by all growers in the western United States. For 2015, there are now over 300,000 pistachio acres planted in the U.S., with 227,257 acres considered bearing (six years or older) in the state of California. In 2014, approximately 18,000 acres of new pistachio orchards were planted, continuing the trend of increased plantings that have occurred over the last nine years. There are an additional 4,000 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 5,000 acres planted in the states of Arizona and New Mexico. As a result of the continuing water drought being faced in the western U.S., water availability and cost will continue to be an important consideration for existing orchard management and a concern when planting new orchards.

OVERALL SHIPMENTS Domestic and Export Shipments for the U.S. pistachio industry for the new crop year (September 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014) have been slower than past years. Thus far, over 163 million pounds (74.297 metric tons) have been shipped out, representing over 30 percent of the production being shipped out thus far. An issue being faced by all who export from the West Coast of the United States is the problem with port facilities. An ongoing negotiation between the port facilities and the unionized workers who run the facilities has slowed down traffic considerably. This has caused some orders for agricultural commodities to be cancelled or delayed. Currently, U.S. agriculture exports are reduced by $1.75 billion each month or $444 million per week. This is the 9th month of the dispute at the port facilities. This issue has left those who depend on ocean shipments to consider moving product to other port facilities in the U.S. or not ship product at all. Resolution to the ongoing port dispute is imperative to the continuing success of all agricultural commodities that depend on the use of these port facilities.

March 2015 | The Cracker

WORLD INDUSTRY NEWS

NUCIS ITALIA AND THE NUTS ABOUT GOOD HEALTH PROJECT A CAMPAIGN DEDICATED TO GOOD HEALTH The winter season of the Nuts About Good Health project has come to an end. This year it again saw the involvement of dried fruit and nuts enthusiasts from a variety of backgrounds, including doctors, store managers, end consumers, nutritionists and dietologists. A passion for these versatile and eclectic fruits has, under the coordination of Nucis Italia, resulted in a variety of initiatives, all of which aim to raise awareness about the nutritional properties of dried fruit and nuts. As with every year, the involvement of Doctors, Nutritionists and Dietologists taking part in the project provided the launch pad. They were sent a kit of informative materials, which this year included small calendars for patients and larger ones for the doctors’ surgeries. The new materials distributed to the 1,000 Doctors taking part in the project flew off the shelves. Patients at doctors’ surgeries reacted enthusiastically to the new Dried Fruit and Nuts calendar, each month of which shows the properties and nutrients of a given fruit, suggesting a time of day when it can be eaten, and a given target. As in past years, Italy’s major retail stores were involved in the information campaign. No less than 1,700 kits of informative materials were sent out, adding a splash of colour to the Dried Fruit and Nuts stalls. Using simple, direct messages, the materials directed at end consumers illustrated the beneficial effects of the individual fruits,

The Cracker | March 2015

and the recommended quantities for each. In fact each fruit carries its own nutritional ID card: for example, pine nuts are packed with amino acids which are highly beneficial for those who do sports, be it at competitive level or otherwise. Almonds are excellent for a healthy gut, whilst walnuts are suitable for those with vascular illnesses or high triglyceride and cholesterol levels. In short, there is a number of properties for each fruit, and combining several types makes it possible to create natural health supplements that help us to live better. All of this is outlined in detail in the informative folders made available to consumers in stores, and at www.nucisitalia.it, the project’s website which hosted the Competition for consumers once again this year, for the whole of the Christmas period up until the end of January. This edutainment initiative made it possible to convey interesting information in a simple and fun way, whilst giving participants the chance to win small prizes each day. This year these prizes included the Nucis 2015 Calendar, and the 30g tin of high quality dried fruit and nuts, which has always been the free gift in greatest demand amongst fans of the website and the project’s Facebook page.

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The game notched up 25,000 plays in the two and half months it was published and over 8,000 single users. At the same time, fans of the FB page now number 29,000 and are continuing to increase, as does contact with Nucis staff members, who answer fan questions and publish news and titbits of interest about dried fruit and nuts every day. As a means of fostering the winter initiatives and providing a preview of the new advertising campaign due to hit stores in spring, Nucis Italia has decided to produce an original and healthy menu based around Dried Fruit and Nuts as a free gift for its loyal readers and customers. To make the gift even more valuable, a famous chef has been drafted in to create this “Wellbeing Menu”: Pietro Lemann – the king of fine Natural Cuisine – who has transformed Dried Fruit and Nuts into sublime dishes aimed at all those who decide to adopt a healthy lifestyle with a balanced, wholesome diet. Chef Pietro Lemann has devised three dishes for Nucis Italia and dedicated them to three particular targets: new mums, sportsmen and women, and the elderly. In addition, Professor Alessandra Bordoni, a scientific consultant to the Nuts about Good Health project, has provided nutritional footnotes for each recipe. The name of the first dish is “Love Nourishment”. It is a wholegrain Risotto with saffron, pumpkin, mint and hazelnuts, with caramelised figs and a cauliflower and cashew foam flavoured with pink pepper. This dish is particularly recommended for women and new mums, as cashews are a source of minerals such as zinc, copper and selenium, which help defend our cells against oxidising stress. This important role is also covered by vitamin E, large quantities of which are contained in hazelnuts, another of this recipe’s ingredients. The second dish is dedicated to Sportsmen and Women. Its name is “Source of Energy”, and it consists of puff pastry with tomato and seared tofu with a “gravy” of vegetables and pine nuts, an apple and almond curry-spice chutney, and frosted salty pine nuts. This recipe contains pine nuts and pistachios, both of which are important sources of protein and are vital for the body. Pistachios are also a source of vitamin B6 and magnesium, which help reduce tiredness and lack of energy. Both of these nuts also contain potassium and phosphorous, which respectively help normal muscle function and normal energy metabolism. The third dish is called “Wellbeing Every Day” and features of a hearty salad of endive, late radicchio and artichokes, with plums glazed with balsamic vinegar, flakes of parmesan cheese and toasted walnuts. This

delicious dish has been designed for older consumers who are often affected by irregular bowel function. Thanks to the considerable dietary fibre they contain, prunes help maintain regular bowel movements. Eating them regularly thanks also to recipes like this can help keep the bowel regular. All the recipes are available at www.nucisitalia.it and will be used in the new spring informative materials currently being drafted, in preparation for their presentation in stores and on the Web soon.

Avda. Prat de la Riba 47, 6º • 43201 REUS (Spain) Tel. +34 977 326 202 / +34 977 310 364 • Fax +34 977 326 291 • llop@llop.net • www.llop.net

an_RamonLlop.indd 1

06/05/13 12:02

March 2015 | The Cracker

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CASE STUDY: PISTACHIO HEALTH INSTITUTE SOCIAL MEDIA GIVEAWAY Pistachio Health Institute Increases Facebook Engagement with the 12 Days of Pistachios Giveaway In today’s social media landscape, social media is not just a luxury, but a necessity for organizations seeking to effectively influence consumers. Social media cannot be ignored: Facebook reaches 890 million active users around the world every single day, and more than a billion people monthly. By engaging directly with consumers on social media outlets such as Facebook, the Pistachio Health Institute aims to nurture a community of healthy snack ambassadors who love pistachios, which keeps pistachios top of mind as a healthy snack for its fans and their friends and family. In December, the Pistachio Health Institute (PHI) launched a 12-day Facebook flash sweepstakes, 12 Days of Pistachios Giveaway, to increase engagement with fans and promote the health benefits of this festive snack nut. Facebook fans were encouraged to share their pistachio health fun fact knowledge and their reasons for loving this crave-able snack nut by leaving a comment on the daily Facebook posts for a chance to win one bag of roasted and salted pistachios. Twelve lucky pistachio lovers were randomly selected to win, and the social media results were overwhelmingly positive. The PHI Facebook community is a highly engaged group of fans that show a true affinity for pistachios and their health benefits, which was proven by the level of interaction from pistachio lovers during the giveaway with the highest performing post reaching 5,614 people, representing an impressive 56 percent of the total fan base. Due to activities such as the 12 Days of Pistachios Giveaway, among others, the PHI Facebook page saw a 532 percent increase in fans in just one year – all of it organic growth. The Pistachio Health Institute symbiotically cross-promoted the 12 Days of Pistachios Giveaway on PistachioHealthInstitute.org by linking to Facebook, and vice versa: Facebook directed fans to the Health Nut blog post featuring 12 fun pistachio facts to help fans really go nuts this season. Facebook fans used the fun facts about pistachios in their Facebook comments to enter the giveaway, which proved to be an effective and efficient way to drive traffic to the PHI Health Nut blog and highlight key pistachio health and nutritional messages. PISTACHIOS: THE FESTIVE SNACK NUT THAT’S SMALL IN SIZE, BIG IN HEART Pistachios can be a good diet-based strategy for supporting heart health. Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as pistachios, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. Pistachios are high in unsaturated fats, low in saturated fats, have no cholesterol and are good source of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Nearly 90 percent of the fat in pistachios is the heart-healthy unsaturated type, making this snack a crave-able healthy habit. Pistachios are one of the lowest fat, lowest calorie snack nuts, and offer the most nuts per one-ounce serving (e.g. 49 kernels compared to 23 almonds, 18 cashews, or 14 walnuts). No wonder it’s called the Skinny NutTM.

12 Days of Pistachios Giveaway Facebook Post

ABOUT PISTACHIOHEALTHINSTITUTE.ORG PistachioHealthInstitute.org is the leading online source of information on the health and nutrition benefits of pistachios for both consumers and health professionals. It houses a comprehensive research library, with research updates and information from leading experts in the field of health and nutrition, including the Health Nut blog, Ask Our Expert section, and educational materials. The Institute is committed to advancing the understanding of the health benefits of pistachios, and continues to invest and support research at leading institutions around the world. “Like” Pistachio Health Institute on Facebook and follow @PistachioHealth on Twitter. For more information about the health benefits of pistachios, please visit www.PistachioHealthInstitute.org.

The Cracker | March 2015

NUCIS GERMANY SEEKING NEW SUPPORT Nucis e.V. Germany is a German based association that is linked to the INC with national and international sponsors that makes information available on the website www. nucis.de , y face book, scientific/nutritional congresses, lectures and articles in professional magazines about the high nutritional value of nuts. The information provided is based on the latest research and adapted to the target group which consists of health professionals like physicians, nutrition advisers, and scientific journalists that forward the facts of the high nutritional value of tree nuts to their constituents. The promotion of the high nutritional value of nuts boost consumption and supports growing consumptions of treenuts. Nucis contributes to a high profile of nuts. Continuously negative prejudices are offset (e.g. nuts contain too much fat) by the positive news given to health professionals who forward the message to their clients and write for newspapers and magazines. The close contact of Nucis to public organizations, nutritionists, hospitals, Universities, press and Professional Health Associations supports the goal of Nucis. It also delivers positive messages and recipes in public magazines for fitness, women and supermarkets advertisement flyers. Nucis offers a wide range of services for health professionals, including answering questions about nuts and health and ideas are provided for teaching patients, support of events organized by hospitals and health professionals and distributing information on request by mail and design training materials. Educational and financial support for studies to promote "Nuts and Health" is also provided. Nucis has an office in Hamburg and a pool of studied nutritionists as freelancer writers or for events. To guarantee this work Nucis is prepared to welcome additional members. All companies and associations sharing Nucis’ vision are invited to join Nucis. For details please contact the Nucis office manager, Ms. Gabriele Kirchberg at nucis@nucis.de

Your Distributor for Germany Work hand in hand with the nuts & dried fruits import and marketing experts. PALM NUTS & MORE · Nuss und Trockenfrucht GmbH & Co. KG Lindenstrasse 17 · D-21244 Buchholz · Germany Telefon: +49 4181 9091- 0 · Fax: +49 4181 9091- 80 mail@ palm-nutsandmore.de · www.palm-nutsandmore.de March 2015 | The Cracker

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CALIFORNIA WALNUT COMMISSION The California walnut industry just experienced the largest crop on record. With handler receipts at 568,530 as of the end of December, the 2014/15 crop marks a 15% increase over the 2013/14 crop. The California Walnut Board (CWB) and California Walnut Commission (CWC) continue to build worldwide demand for this historic crop. Building demand requires a balance of short term, volume-moving activities and long term, value-adding activities. Around the world the CWC carried out many in-store promotions designed to capitalize on various holidays. In Korea, the CWC conducted over 45 in-store promotion and samplings in some of Korea’s most popular supermarket chains such as Kim’s Club, E Mart, and HomePlus. These in-store demonstrations allow the consumers to try California walnuts and encourage purchasing. Consumer purchases have been seen to increase as a direct result of in-store demonstrations. Additional demonstrations are planned for this Spring. Similarly, in-store promotions were also carried out in one of the walnut industry’s newest markets, India. California walnut end caps were placed in prominent locations at select Future Retail Limited-Big Bazaar outlets across India for a period of one month. Future Retail, one of India’s retail pioneers with multiple retail formats, serves customers in 95 cities across the country via over 10 million square feet of retail space. To further build demand in the Indian market, the CWC recently conducted a promotional campaign at the wholesale market in Delhi. The campaign was targeted towards importers and wholesalers who buy walnuts in bulk quantity and sell at the retail level. This activity helped create hype about the availability of walnuts and generate top of the mind brand awareness among the trade. This activity

will also be conducted at the wholesale market in Mumbai. Plans have been underway for the past several months for a large campaign in China centred around Chinese New Year. The CWC is partnering with Golden Eagle who distributes to retail supermarket chains such as “Sam's Club”, “Carrefour”, “WalMart”, “Park ‘N Shop”, “LOTUS”, ”JUSCO”, etc., across China. A special walnut gift box was developed for point of sale along with special signage both featuring our new walnut ambassador in China, Wallie. This will be the fourth year the CWC has conducted this promotion as it has shown success in the past moving significant incremental volumes of walnuts during the promotional period. Additionally, the CWC is partnering with bakeries in key cities in China to conduct promotions on walnut breads and pastries. These promotions are also timed with Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day to boost sales and increase volumes. To complement these activities, advertising campaigns are in place in key markets, generating additional brand awareness. The California Walnut Board recently developed a new consumer advertising campaign for the U.S. which launched in January 2015. The series of four ads feature simple recipes showcasing walnuts in salads, snacks, vegetables, and dinners. This exciting campaign, which runs through June 2015, will appear in print and online versions of Better Homes & Gardens, Cooking Light, Good Housekeeping, Real Simple, Sunset, and Women’s Health. Consumers have also shown great interest in purchasing food and snacks containing walnuts. In Europe the CWC works with snack manufacturers to develop new and unique products to give consumers more choices when it comes to walnut products. The goal of this longer term marketing activity is increase volumes going to Europe’s industrial sector. The CWC also conducts long term public relations activities to keep California walnuts, the health benefits of walnuts, and the versatility of walnuts top of mind for consumers and media alike. This includes things like partnering with Spanish Heart Foundation to create a cookbook of heart healthy recipes developed by top chefs and bloggers in Spain. This campaign, titled Menus with Heart, just celebrated its 10th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the CWC conducted an online

The Cracker | March 2015

WORLD INDUSTRY NEWS

campaign to build further awareness. Consumers were invited to post their “hearts” and for each one posted the CWC would donate one euro to the Spanish Association of Patients with Heart Diseases. The 2,000 euro donation was delivered during a gala event at the US Ambassador’s residence in Madrid. The CWC recently released a beautiful new e-cookbook, whose starring ingredient is the California walnut. Mollie’s Favorite Walnut Recipes, written by award-winning chef Mollie Katzen, is a compilation of innovative recipes developed for the Commission by Chef Katzen over the past five years that vividly showcase the flavor and versatility of walnuts. The free e-cookbook was posted to the California Walnuts website in November 2014, and is also available for download from the Apple iTunes Store. Awareness of walnuts health attributes continues to rise. The recent publication of a new research study on walnuts and Alzheimer’s disease was announced in October 2014. The animal study indicated that a diet including walnuts (the equivalent of 1 to 1.5 ounces daily in humans) may have a beneficial effect in reducing the risk, delaying the onset, slowing the progression of, or possibly preventing Alzheimer’s disease. Led by Abha Chauhan, PhD., at the New York Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, the study found significant improvement in learning skills, memory, reduction of anxiety, and motor development in mice fed a walnut-enriched diet. It’s important to note that as an animal study, more research will be needed to assess the effect on humans.

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TOMRA Sorting Solutions Food Interested in a free demonstration with your own products? Then visit our website or contact us directly: tomra.com/food or food-sorting@tomra.com

March 2015 | The Cracker

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HEALTH STAR RATINGS ON PACK NOW ORBITING AUSTRALIA By Lisa Yates Program Manager Nuts for Life

An independent Australian food labelling review from 2008-2011 determined that an intrepreted front of pack labelling system would help Australians choose healthier foods. The Australian Government agreed and collaborative working groups, with members from the government, health, food industry and community health organisations, were set up to design such a system and implement it. A star rating system was decided to be the most obvious choice since Australians are all so familar with star ratings for movies, restaurants and even electrical white goods. The Australian Government’s Legislative and Governance Forum on Food Regulation approved the Health Star Rating System in June 2013 as a voluntary system, but not without some controversary. The Health Star Rating website was made live and promptly taken down again amid allegations of conflicts of interest by government staff and food industry. Further work to iron out any anomalies saw the official relaunch in December 2014. This new Health Star Rating system applies to all packaged, manufactured or processed foods (with some agreed exemptions), that are ready for sale to the customer in the retail sector and includes: •

a star rating element (“icon”) and a nutrient information element (“signposts”);

•

the star rating being underpinned by a modified Nutrient Profiling Scoring Calculator (NPSC) originally developed by Food Standards Australia New Zealand;

•

a star rating scale from ½ to 5 stars, in ½ star increments

•

Sign posts must include nutrient information for energy, saturated fat, sugars and sodium per 100g and one optional positive nutrient relevant to the particular food;

•

the option of including the word ‘high’ with the positive nutrient element and ‘low’ with saturated fat, sugars and sodium elements assuming meets nurient claim criteria.

•

Health staring rating heirachy - depending on the available space on a package smaller packages need only display the energy signpost with or without the star icon although the full package is preferred

•

Health star rating can be presented either horizontally or vertically depending on the package design.

HOW DO TREE NUTS STACK UP? All raw tree nut varieties score 4-5 stars out of five stars depending nutrient composition similar to all fruits and vegetables. To help promote the Stars Nuts for Life distributed a media release and infographic to consumer media and media dietitians via traditional and social media means comparing nuts to other snack foods highlighting their star power. Nuts for Life also shared these using our own social media channels facebook and twitter. Nuts for Life also produced the icon artwork for members only for the health star ratings for each raw nut in four formats: •

Star circle icon alone for small packs and stickers in black and white or with green stars,

•

Full icon including nutrients in horizontal orientation for larger packs - in black and white or with green stars.

Using the full icons with nutrients is considered a nutrient content claim so these nutrients must appear in the nutrition information panel on the back of pack as well. Major Australian supermarkets and large food manufacturers are rolling out the health stars on their products over the coming months as are members of the Australian Nut Industry.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Health Star rating website: www.healthstarrating.gov.au

This health star rating is for raw mixed nuts. The voluntary system will be evaluated after two years but community health groups are already calling for the health star ratings to be mandatory on all foods.

The Cracker | March 2015

For Calculator and Style guide http://www.healthstarrating.gov. au/internet/healthstarrating/publishing.nsf/Content/Applying-thehealth-star-rating For Digital and Print Advertising being undertaken http://www.healthstarrating.gov.au/internet/healthstarrating/ publishing.nsf/Content/health-star-rating-campaign

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NUTTY LINK TO WEIGHT GAIN A MYTH PrintArticle generated by Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nuts for Life program as it appeared in The Land on the North Cloast by journalist Shan Goodwin ARMED with extensive science and research, nut growers and processors are tackling head-on the big diet myths that have served as a barrier to consumption of their product. Comprehensive reviews and major population research has countered the view that nuts are fattening and found nut eaters generally have a lower body mass, less risk of chronic disease and are less likely to gain weight. Australia's tree nut industry is working hard to get that message out, and promote the recommended 30 grams of nuts per day. Also high on their agenda is addressing nut bans in schools, which they say is contradictory to efforts to prevent anaphylaxis and creating a generation of kids under the misconception that nuts are bad for you. Speaking at the Australian Macadamia Society's 40th Anniversary Industry Conference in Lismore in October, Advanced accredited practising dietician Lisa Yates outlined the 2012 report Nuts and the Big Fat Myth. The report reviewed evidence spanning the past 20 years and found a swag of pro-health benefits to eating 30g of nuts at least five times a week, including the reduction of the risk of developing heart disease by 30 to 50 per cent. It also found that energy-controlled diets that include 40 to 80g of nuts result in greater weight loss than those that don't include nuts. How do nuts help in weight management? "They affect appetite (help release hormones that make you feel full), reduce fat absorption, increase metabolism, have a low glycemic index effect and improve insulin sensitivity," Lisa said. Lisa is manager of the Nuts for Life program, voluntarily funded by grower groups, processors and packers. Now in its 11th year, it's touted as the most successful food marketing program in Australia raising consumption of nuts by 6pc each year.

Australian Bureau of Statistics figures released this year showed the average Australian intake of nuts is still only 6gm a day, where the Australian Dietary Guidelines recommendation is 30gm. While nuts are increasingly regarded as wonder foods, many people are still hung-up on the low-fat diet obsession from the 1990s with an unfounded fear of weight gain - the

Another issue is the growing number of nut-free schools as part of anaphylaxis policy. Lisa said State governments in fact do not recommend bans and Nuts for Life believes the "nut-free" status - generally driven by Parents and Citizens Associations - may actually put schools at a greater risk. "Our research shows a third of parents at nut-free schools either intentionally or accidentally send nuts in lunches," she said. "So families at risk may be under the misconception they are safe and a false sense of security is created. "We believe allergy awareness policy must extend beyond banning foods and involve education - don't share your food, wash hands. Why should the school environment be any different to every other environment a child is in? "What we are concerned about is that we are heading towards a whole generation of kids growing up thinking nuts are bad for you. "It's not just nuts. Schools have banned many foods, from tuna to strawberries, based on allergy policy and that is influencing parents to pack processed foods where all the diet science we have points to the need for kids to increase their intake of whole, natural foods." Lisa said the approach to the medical treatment of nut allergies was changing as doctors were now trying to determine which nuts patients have a problem with and encourage the consumption of all other nuts to help with tolerance overall. Reproduced with permission from The Land Newspaper, North Coast NSW Australia

Telephone: 520-791-2852

In 2003-04, a total of 31,000 tonnes of tree nuts were sold in Australia and this year that figure is at 50,000t. However, there is still a long way to go.

2012 report found that was the number one reason 98pc of Australians don't eat the recommended 30g or a handful of nuts every day, Lisa said.

www.greenvalleypecan.com sales@greenvalleypecan.com For more information on Green Valley Pecans please contact your representative: Keith Roberts Partnership 44-1702-808211 (Keith Roberts) krp@talktalkbusiness.net 44-7736-617317 (Anna Roberts) anna@krpnuts.co.uk Gemperli - Switzerland 41-44-368-2020 (Main Telephone) info@gemperli.com Jas Trading - The Netherlands 31-20-643-6412 (Main Telephone) info@jastrading.com Max Kiene - Germany 49-40-309-6550 (Main Telephone) u.matthies@maxkiene.de

CALDIC - Denmark A/S 45-44-53-56-53 (Main Telephone) b.hansen@caldic.dk Voice Vale - France, S.A.R.L. 33-1-4050-2480 (Main Telephone) philippe.truffier@voicevale-fr.com Tonto Corporation - Japan 81-3-4360-5336 (Main Telephone) kjtagawa@tantocp.com CALDIC - Sweden AB 46-40-698-11-00 (Main Telephone) info@caldic.se FoodSource, Inc. - Middle East 001-630-887-8599 (Main Telephone) sales@foodsource.us

March 2015 | The Cracker

ADVERTISERS

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BELGIUM

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TOMRA Sorting NV..........................79

Pistachio Meats

U-Horseshoe System

Brazilian Nuts

Cashews

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Gentle Handling – Less Breakage!

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CHINA

Eurobroker......................................13

Kenkko Commodities PLC................9

Somercom.........................................8

Toximet LTD....................................45

GERMANY Eurofins..........................................71

TO ALL INC MEMBERS, ADVERTISERS AND SUBSCRIBERS: THE NEXT PUBLICATIONS SCHEDULE FOR THE CRACKER WILL BE...

MARCH 2015 JULY 2015 NOVEMBER 2015

USA Cablevey Conveyors........................83 Campos Brothers Farms.................11

ITALY Cablevey is a registered trademark of Intraco, Inc. 06/2013

UK Bühler Sortex Ltd............................96

Palm Nuts & More KG....................77

(641) 673-8451 www.cablevey.com

Swiss Gourmet AG................................. 12

TURKEY

FRANCE

Peanuts

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MEXICO

Sino Jet International ......................4 Walnuts

SWITZERLAND

Connect S.R.L..................................47

Chico Nut Company........................44

V. Besana S.P.A.................................48

Crain Walnut Shelling, INC............37

JAPAN

Fisher Nut Company.......................27

Tanto Corporation..........................10

MOROCCO Santis S.A.R.L. ................................46

SPAIN Borges S.A........................................67

Grower Direct Nut...........................17 Hughson Nut, INC...........................18 Key Technology...............................28 RF Biocidics....................................98

Borrell.............................................69

Meridian Nut Growers......................1

Calconut SL.....................................15

Satake USA, INC....Front Inside Cover

Crisol de Frutos Secos, SAT.............36 Frutos Secos Ramon Llop...............75

Setton INTL Foods....Back Outside Cover

INC........................... Inside Back Cover

The Green Valley Pecan CO........81 & 82

Incus Technology S.L......................39

VICAM, A Waters Business.................7

Joan Escoda S.A...............................47 Mediterranean Shipping................68

Young Pecan Company...................84

Detailed information will be sent and posted to our website: www.nutfruit.org March 2015 | The Cracker

The American Nut

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INC WORLD FORUM FOR NUTRITION RESEARCH AND DISSEMINATION

Prof. Jordi Salas-Salvadó, Chairman of the INC World Forum for Nutrition Research and Dissemination

NUT CONSUMPTION AND MICROBIOTA MODULATION: NUTS ARE NOT ONLY GOOD FOOD FOR HUMANS By Pablo Hernández-Alonso, Mònica Bulló and Jordi Salas-Salvadó Human Nutrition Unit from the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan de Reus, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, IISPV (Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus (Spain). CIBERobn (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid (Spain). The human gastrointestinal tract contains 10-fold more cells than the rest of the body and encodes 100-fold more unique genes than our own genome [1]. These data lead us to view ourselves as holobionts [2]. Approximately only 50 species belonging to five or six genera and two phyla account for 99% of microbiota biomass [3]. Moreover, nearly 90% of the bacteria in the human gut belongs to Bacteroidetes or Firmicutes, with Actinobacteria, Fusobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Verrucomicrobia contributing to a small fraction of the total bacteria, being this set of phyla which predominantly influence human nutrition and metabolism [4]. Even though most people have similar proportions of these phyla, subjects with obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), inflammatory diseases or other major health problems have a suboptimal and less diverse gut microbiota profile compared with healthy controls [5]. However, whether lower richness of gut microbiota can be prevented or treated by changes in the lifestyle is still unknown [6]. The increased interest in the study of gut microbiota has generated an improvement of its associated molecular tools. High-throughput 16S rRNA and full-genome sequencing (metagenomics) aim to describe which microbes are present in the human gut, and what is its potential role in human health. However, to further explore what the microbes are “doing”, we need to apply other omic approaches such as metatranscriptomis (RNA level), metaproteomics (protein level) and metabolomics (compounds level) [7].

It has been established that long-term dietary patterns and shorter-term dietary interventions may influence gut microbiota composition [3]. However, these interventions does not necessarily result in permanent compositional shift, at least at phylum level [8]. Therefore, understanding which foods or dietary components strengthen or weaken the integrity of the human gut microbiota may assist in adapting diets to prevent or to promote microbes (and their associated metabolites) from accessing tissues and causing or palliating several chronic conditions.

Nuts could exhibit prebiotic effects by enriching potentially beneficial microbes such as bifidobacteria or lactic acid bacteria. Many potential prebiotic components can be present in a particular food. For example, the fermentation of fiber to beneficial end-products (e.g. butyric acid) and the biotransformation of phytochemicals by the intestinal flora have been reported to be associated with the transition to a healthier microbiota. Other dietary components, as polyphenols have also been related with gut microbiomes [9]. Concerning that, nuts are a complex matrix of nutrients especially rich in fiber, unsaturated fatty acids and different bioactive compounds such as tocopherols, phytosterols, and phenolic compounds [10]. Thus, nuts could exhibit prebiotic effects by enriching potentially beneficial microbes such as bifidobacteria or lactic acid bacteria. March 2015 | The Cracker

INC WORLD FORUM FOR NUTRITION RESEARCH AND DISSEMINATION

Along with this potential prebiotic properties, nuts have been proved to be beneficial for protecting against different metabolic disorders such as diabetes, dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease, among others [10–13]. The amount of fiber contained in nuts is also able to decrease postprandial glycaemic levels and this could be a strategy for increasing insulin sensitivity ameliorating several cardiovascular risk factors for chronic disease [14, 15]. Moreover, their content in bioactive compounds could explain the protective antioxidant properties of nuts [10]. The set of minerals present in nuts could explain the relationship observed between the consumption of some of them (e.g. magnesium or calcium) and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and overall death [16, 17].

studies with either almond or pistachio (1.5 or 3 servings/day) and a free-nut diet, showed that both interventions with nuts significantly affected gut microbiota [21]. However, the prebiotic effect of pistachio intake on gut microbiota composition was much stronger than that of almond consumption. Moreover, pistachio’s microbiota modulation increased the number of butyrate-producing bacteria, identified as potentially beneficial, whereas bifidobacteria was not affected [21]. As these results were obtained from healthy volunteers, regardless of any specific disease or condition, it will be interesting to explore the potential prebiotic role of nuts linking such changes in microbiota with improvements in specific health outcomes such as obesity or T2D.

Almonds and pistachios have different protective properties modulating insulin resistance, glucose metabolism and lipid profile (reviewed in [18] and [19]). However, their prebiotic properties were not wellcharacterized until a few years ago. Mandalari et al. founding that almond’s fiber significantly altered the composition of gut bacteria in vitro, thus suggesting a potential prebiotic use of almond skins [20]. Later, in two separated randomized, controlled, cross-over feeding

Undoubtedly, this pioneer medium-term study has set the basis for future long-term research on the modulation of nuts over the microbiota and thus, on different health outcomes. However, further research regarding nuts and microbiota-disease axis is needed in order to find new physiological pathways explaining the beneficial effects of nuts on human health, and thus contributing to strengthen the image of nuts as a healthy part of a daily diet.

REFERENCES 1. Ley RE, Peterson DA, Gordon JI: Ecological and evolutionary forces shaping microbial diversity in the human intestine. Cell 2006, 124:837-48. 2. Gordon JI: Honor thy gut symbionts redux. Science 2012, 336:1251-3. 3. Conlon MA, Bird AR: The Impact of Diet and Lifestyle on Gut Microbiota and Human Health. Nutrients 2014, 7:17–44.

13. Tanasescu M, Cho E, Manson JE, Hu FB: Dietary fat and cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular disease among women with type 2 diabetes. Am J Clin Nutr 2004, 79:999-1005.

4. Qin J, Li R, Raes J, Arumugam M, Burgdorf KS, Manichanh C, Nielsen T, Pons N, Levenez F, Yamada T, Mende DR, Li J, Xu J, Li S, Li D, Cao J, Wang B, Liang H, Zheng H, Xie Y, Tap J, Lepage P, Bertalan M, Batto J-M, Hansen T, Le Paslier D, Linneberg A, Nielsen HB, Pelletier E, Renault P, et al.: A human gut microbial gene catalogue established by metagenomic sequencing. Nature 2010, 464:59–65.

14. Brand-Miller J, Hayne S, Petocz P, Colagiuri S: Low-glycemic index diets in the management of diabetes: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Diabetes Care 2003, 26:2261-2267.

5. Frank DN, St Amand AL, Feldman RA, Boedeker EC, Harpaz N, Pace NR: Molecular-phylogenetic characterization of microbial community imbalances in human inflammatory bowel diseases. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2007, 104:13780-13785.

16. Lopez-Ridaura R, Willett WC, Rimm EB, Liu S, Stampfer MJ, Manson JE, Hu FB: Magnesium intake and risk of type 2 diabetes in men and women. Diabetes Care 2004, 27:134-140.

6. Lozupone CA, Stombaugh JI, Gordon JI, Jansson JK, Knight R: Diversity, stability and resilience of the human gut microbiota. Nature 2012:220-230. 7. Zoetendal EG, Rajilic-Stojanovic M, de Vos WM: High-throughput diversity and functionality analysis of the gastrointestinal tract microbiota. Gut 2008, 57:1605-15. 8. Wu GD, Chen J, Hoffmann C, Bittinger K, Chen Y-Y, Keilbaugh SA, Bewtra M, Knights D, Walters WA, Knight R, Sinha R, Gilroy E, Gupta K, Baldassano R, Nessel L, Li H, Bushman FD, Lewis JD: Linking Long-Term Dietary Patterns with Gut Microbial Enterotypes. Science 2011:105-108. 9. Tuohy KM, Fava F, Viola R: “The way to a man”s heart is through his gut microbiota’--dietary pro- and prebiotics for the management of cardiovascular risk. Proc Nutr Soc 2014, 73:172–85. 10. Ros E: Health Benefits of Nut Consumption. Nutrients 2010:652-682. 11. Hu FB, van Dam RM, Liu S: Diet and risk of Type II diabetes: the role of types of fat and carbohydrate. Diabetologia 2001, 44:805-817. 12. Vessby B, Uusitupa M, Hermansen K, Riccardi G, Rivellese AA, Tapsell LC, Nälsén C, Berglund L, Louheranta A, Rasmussen BM, Calvert GD, Maffetone

A, Pedersen E, Gustafsson IB, Storlien LH: Substituting Dietary Saturated for Monounsaturated Fat Impairs Insulin Sensitivity in Healthy Men and Women: The KANWU Study. Diabetologia Volume 44; 2001:312-319.

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15. Kendall CWC, Josse AR, Esfahani A, Jenkins DJA: The impact of pistachio intake alone or in combination with high-carbohydrate foods on post-prandial glycemia. Eur J Clin Nutr 2011, 65:696-702.

17. Guasch-Ferré M, Bulló M, Estruch R, Corella D, Martínez-González MA, Ros E, Covas M, Arós F, Gómez-Gracia E, Fiol M, Lapetra J, Muñoz MÁ, Serra-Majem L, Babio N, Pintó X, Lamuela-Raventós RM, Ruiz-Gutiérrez V, Salas-Salvadó J: Dietary magnesium intake is inversely associated with mortality in adults at high cardiovascular disease risk. J Nutr 2014, 144:55–60. 18. Kamil A, Chen C-YO: Health benefits of almonds beyond cholesterol reduction. J Agric Food Chem 2012, 60:6694-702. 19. Bulló M, Juanola-Falgarona M, Hernández-Alonso P, Salas-Salvadó J: Nutrition attributes and health effects of pistachio nuts. Br J Nutr 2015 (in press). 20. Mandalari G, Faulks RM, Bisignano C, Waldron KW, Narbad A, Wickham MSJ: In vitro evaluation of the prebiotic properties of almond skins (Amygdalus communis L.). FEMS Microbiol Lett 2010, 304:116-22. 21. Ukhanova M, Wang X, Baer DJ, Novotny JA, Fredborg M, Mai V: Effects of almond and pistachio consumption on gut microbiota composition in a randomised cross-over human feeding study. Br J Nutr 2014, 111:2146-52.

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NEW SCIENTIFIC STUDIES HEALTH AND NUTRITION

J Am Heart Assoc. 2015;4:e000993. Effects of Daily Almond Consumption on Cardiometabolic Risk and Abdominal Adiposity in Healthy Adults with Elevated LDL-Cholesterol: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Claire E. Berryman, Sheila G. West, Jennifer A. Fleming, Peter L. Bordi, Penny M. Kris-Etherton. Background: Evidence consistently shows that almond consumption beneficially affects lipids and lipoproteins. Almonds, however, have not been evaluated in a controlled-feeding setting using a diet design with only a single, calorie-matched food substitution to assess their specific effects on cardiometabolic risk factors. Methods and Result: In a randomized, 2-period (6 week/period), crossover, controlled-feeding study of 48 individuals with elevated LDL-C (149±3 mg/dL), a cholesterol-lowering diet with almonds (1.5 oz. of almonds/day) was compared to an identical diet with an isocaloric muffin substitution (no almonds/day). Differences in the nutrient profiles of the control (58% CHO, 15% PRO, 26% total fat) and almond (51% CHO, 16% PRO, 32% total fat) diets were due to nutrients inherent to each snack; diets did not differ in saturated fat or cholesterol. The almond diet, compared with the control diet, decreased non-HDL-C (-6.9±2.4 mg/dL; P=0.01) and LDL-C (-5.3±1.9 mg/dL; P=0.01); furthermore, the control diet decreased HDL-C (-1.7±0.6 mg/dL; P<0.01). Almond consumption also reduced abdominal fat (-0.07±0.03 kg; P=0.02) and leg fat (-0.12±0.05 kg; P=0.02), despite no differences in total body weight. Conclusions: Almonds reduced non-HDL-C, LDL-C, and central adiposity, important risk factors for cardiometabolic dysfunction, while maintaining HDL-C concentrations. Therefore, daily consumption of almonds (1.5 oz.), substituted for a highcarbohydrate snack, may be a simple dietary strategy to prevent the onset of cardiometabolic diseases in healthy individuals.

Am J Clin Nutr 2015;101:25-33. Effect of mastication on lipid bioaccessibility of almonds in a randomized human study and its implications for digestion kinetics, metabolizable energy, and postprandial lipemia. Myriam ML Grundy, Terri Grassby, Giuseppina Mandalari, Keith W Waldron, Peter J Butterworth, Sarah EE Berry, Peter R Ellis. Background: The particle size and structure of masticated almonds have a significant impact on nutrient release (bioaccessibility) and digestion kinetics. Objectives: The goals of this study were to quantify the effects of mastication on the bioaccessibility of intracellular lipid of almond tissue and examine microstructural

characteristics of masticated almonds. Design: In a randomized, subject-blind, crossover trial, 17 healthy subjects chewed natural almonds (NAs) or roasted almonds (RAs) in 4 separate mastication sessions. Particle size distributions (PSDs) of the expectorated boluses were measured by using mechanical sieving and laser diffraction (primary outcome). The microstructure of masticated almonds, including the structural integrity of the cell walls (i.e., dietary fiber), was examined with microscopy. Lipid bioaccessibility was predicted by using a theoretical model, based on almond particle size and cell dimensions, and then compared with empirically derived release data. Results: Intersubject variations (n = 15; 2 subjects withdrew) in PSDs of both NA and RA samples were small (e.g., laser diffraction; CV: 12% and 9%, respectively). Significant differences in PSDs were found between these 2 almond forms (P, 0.05). A small proportion of lipid was released from ruptured cells on fractured surfaces of masticated particles, as predicted by using the mathematical model (8.5% and 11.3% for NAs and RAs, respectively). This low percentage of lipid bioaccessibility is attributable to the high proportion (35–40%) of large particles (.500 mm) in masticated almonds. Microstructural examination of the almonds indicated that most intracellular lipid remained undisturbed in intact cells after mastication. No adverse events were recorded. Conclusions: Following mastication, most of the almond cells remained intact with lipid encapsulated by cell walls. Thus, most of the lipid in masticated almonds is not immediately bioaccessible and remains unavailable for early stages of digestion. The lipid encapsulation mechanism provides a convincing explanation for why almonds have a low metabolizable energy content and an attenuated impact on postprandial lipemia. This trial was registered at isrctn.org as ISRCTN58438021.

Phys Sportsmed. 2015 Jan 22:1-7. A randomized study of raisins versus alternative snacks on glycemic control and other cardiovascular risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Bays H, Weiter K, Anderson J. Just as the type and duration of physical activity can have variable effects on the glucose levels and other cardiometabolic parameters among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), so can the types of foods have variable effects as well. This 12-week randomized study of 51 study participants evaluated the impact of routine consumption of dark raisins versus alternative processed snacks on glucose levels and other cardiovascular risk factors among patients with type T2DM. In this study, compared to alternative processed March 2015 | The Cracker

INC WORLD FORUM FOR NUTRITION RESEARCH AND DISSEMINATION

snacks, those who consumed raisins had a significant 23% reduction in postprandial glucose levels (P = 0.024). Also compared to snacks, those who consumed raisins had a 19% reduction in fasting glucose and 0.12% reduction in hemoglobin A1c, although these latter findings did not achieve statistical significance. Regarding blood pressure, compared to alternative processed snacks, those who consumed raisins had a significant 8.7 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure (P = 0.035) (7.5% [P = 0.031]) but did not experience a significant reduction in diastolic blood pressure. Compared to alternative processed snacks, those who consumed raisins did not have a significant improvement in body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, fasting insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, total cholesterol, lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), triglyceride, or non-HDL cholesterol levels. Overall, these data support raisins as a healthy alternative compared to processed snacks in patients with T2DM.

J Nutr Health Aging 16 Dec 2014. A cross sectional study of the association between walnut consumption and cognitive function among adult us populations represented in NHANES. L. Arab, A. Ang. Objective: To examine the association between walnut consumption and measures of cognitive function in the US population. Design: Nationally representative cross sectional study using 24 hour dietary recalls of intakes to assess walnut and other nut consumption as compared to the group reporting no nut consumption. Setting: 1988– 1994 and 1999–2002 rounds of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Population: Representative weighted sample of US adults 20 to 90 years of age. Main Outcome Measure: The Neurobehavioral Evaluation System 2 (NES2), consisting of simple reaction time (SRTT), symbol digit substitution (SDST), the single digit learning (SDLT), Story Recall (SRT) and digit-symbol substitution (DSST) tests. Results: Adults 20-59 years old reporting walnut consumption of an average of 10.3 g/d required 16.4ms less time to respond on the SRTT, P=0.03, and 0.39s less for the SDST, P=0.01. SDLT scores were also significantly lower by 2.38s (P=0.05). Similar results were obtained when tertiles of walnut consumption were examined in trend analyses. Significantly better outcomes were noted in all cognitive test scores among those with higher walnut consumption (P < 0.01). Among adults 60 years and older, walnut consumers averaged 13.1 g/d, scored 7.1 percentile points higher, P=0.03 on the SRT and 7.3 percentile points higher on the DSST, P=0.05. Here also trend analyses indicate significant improvements in all cognitive test scores (P < 0.01) except for SRTT (P = 0.06) in the fully adjusted models. Conclusion: These significant, positive associations between walnut consumption and cognitive functions among all adults, regardless of age, gender or ethnicity suggest that daily walnut intake may be a simple beneficial dietary behavior.

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Nutrients. 2015 Jan 15;7(1):595-607. Tree nut consumption is associated with better nutrient adequacy and diet quality in adults: national health and nutrition examination survey 2005-2010. O’Neil CE, Nicklas TA, Iii VL. Nutrient adequacy of tree nut consumers has not been examined. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2010 data were used to assess the association of tree nut consumption by adults 19+ years (n = 14,386) with nutrient adequacy and diet quality. Covariate adjusted usual intake was determined using two 24-h dietary recalls and the National Cancer Institute method. Percentages of the consumption groups below the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) or above the Adequate Intake (AI) were determined. Diet quality was determined using the Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI) score. Usual intake data showed consumers of tree nuts had a lower percentage (p < 0.0001) of the population below the EAR for vitamins A (22 ± 5 vs. 49 ± 1), E (38 ± 4 vs. 94 ± 0.4) and C (17 ± 4 vs. 44 ± 1); folate (2.5 ± 1.5 vs. 12 ± 0.6); calcium (26 ± 3 vs. 44 ± 1); iron (3 ± 0.6 vs. 9 ± 0.4); magnesium (8 ± 1 vs. 60 ± 1); and zinc (1.5 ± 1 vs. 13 ± 1). Tree nut consumers had a higher percentage (p < 0.0001) of the population above the AI for fiber (33 ± 3 vs. 4 ± 0.3) and potassium (12 ± 3 mg vs. 2 ± 0.2 mg). HEI-2005 total score was higher (p < 0.0001) in tree nut consumers (61 ± 0.7 vs. 52 ± 0.3) than nonconsumers. Health professionals should encourage the use of tree nuts as part of a dietary approach to healthy eating.

Br J Nutr. 2015 Jan 9:1-10. Selenium status in UK pregnant women and its relationship with hypertensive conditions of pregnancy. Rayman MP, Bath SC, Westaway J, Williams P, Mao J, Vanderlelie JJ, Perkins AV, Redman CW. Dietary intake/status of the trace mineral Se may affect the risk of developing hypertensive conditions of pregnancy, i.e. pre-eclampsia and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PE/PIH). In the present study, we evaluated Se status in UK pregnant women to establish whether pre-pregnant Se status or Se supplementation affected the risk of developing PE/PIH. The samples originated from the SPRINT (Selenium in PRegnancy INTervention) study that randomised 230 UK primiparous women to treatment with Se (60 μg/d) or placebo from 12 weeks of gestation. Whole-blood Se concentration was measured at 12 and 35 weeks, toenail Se concentration at 16 weeks, plasma selenoprotein P (SEPP1) concentration at 35 weeks and plasma glutathione peroxidase (GPx3) activity at 12, 20 and 35 weeks. Demographic data were collected at baseline. Participants completed a FFQ. UK pregnant women had whole-blood Se concentration lower than the mid-range of other populations, toenail Se concentration considerably lower than US women, GPx3 activity considerably lower than US and Australian pregnant

INC WORLD FORUM FOR NUTRITION RESEARCH AND DISSEMINATION

women, and low baseline SEPP1 concentration (median 3·00, range 0·90-5·80 mg/l). Maternal age, education and social class were positively associated with Se status. After adjustment, whole-blood Se concentration was higher in women consuming Brazil nuts (P= 0·040) and in those consuming more than two seafood portions per week (P= 0·054). A stepwise logistic regression model revealed that among the Se-related risk factors, only toenail Se (OR 0·38, 95 % CI 0·17, 0·87, P= 0·021) significantly affected the OR for PE/PIH. On excluding non-compliers with Se treatment, Se supplementation also significantly reduced the OR for PE/PIH (OR 0·30, 95 % CI 0·09, 1·00, P= 0·049). In conclusion, UK women have low Se status that increases their risk of developing PE/PIH. Therefore, UK women of childbearing age need to improve their Se status.

Eur J Nutr. 2015 Jan 8. Effects of Brazil nut consumption on selenium status and cognitive performance in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled pilot trial. Rita Cardoso B, Apolinário D, da Silva Bandeira V, Busse AL, Magaldi RM, Jacob-Filho W, Cozzolino SM. PURPOSE: Oxidative stress is closely related to cognitive impairment, and the antioxidant system may be a potential therapeutic target to preserve cognitive function in older adults. Selenium plays an important antioxidant role through selenoproteins. This controlled trial aimed to investigate the antioxidant and cognitive effects of the consumption of Brazil nuts, the best selenium food source. METHODS: We enrolled 31 older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who were randomly assigned to ingestion of Brazil nuts or to the control group. Participants of the treatment group consumed one Brazil nut daily (estimated 288.75 μg/day) for 6 months. Blood selenium concentrations, erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, oxygen radical absorbance capacity, and malondialdehyde were evaluated. Cognitive functions were assessed with the CERAD neuropsychological battery. RESULTS: Eleven participants of the treated group and nine of the control group completed the trial. The mean age of the participants was 77.7 (±5.3) years, 70 % of whom were female. We observed increased selenium levels after the intervention, whereas the control group presented no change. Among the parameters related to the antioxidant system, only erythrocyte GPx activity change was significantly different between the groups (p = 0.006). After 6 months, improvements in verbal fluency (p = 0.007) and constructional praxis (p = 0.031) were significantly greater on the supplemented group when compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the

intake of Brazil nut restores selenium deficiency and provides preliminary evidence that Brazil nut consumption can have positive effects on some cognitive functions of older adults with MCI.

J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2015 Jan 12. Administration of a probiotic with peanut oral immunotherapy: A randomized trial. Tang ML, Ponsonby AL, Orsini F, Tey D, Robinson M, Su EL, Licciardi P, Burks W, Donath S. BACKGROUND: Coadministration of a bacterial adjuvant with oral immunotherapy (OIT) has been suggested as a potential treatment for food allergy. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a combined therapy comprising a probiotic together with peanut OIT. METHODS: We performed a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial of the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus CGMCC 1.3724 and peanut OIT (probiotic and peanut oral immunotherapy [PPOIT]) in children (1-10 years) with peanut allergy. The primary outcome was induction of sustained unresponsiveness 2 to 5 weeks after discontinuation of treatment (referred to as possible sustained unresponsiveness). Secondary outcomes were desensitization, peanut skin prick test, and specific IgE and specific IgG4 measurements. RESULTS: Sixty-two children were randomized and stratified by age (≤5 and >5 years) and peanut skin test wheal size (≤10 and >10 mm); 56 reached the trial’s end. Baseline demographics were similar across groups. Possible sustained unresponsiveness was achieved in 82.1% receiving PPOIT and 3.6% receiving placebo (P<.001). Nine children need to be treated for 7 to achieve sustained unresponsiveness (number needed to treat, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.06-1.59). Of the subjects, 89.7% receiving PPOIT and 7.1% receiving placebo were desensitized (P < .001). PPOIT was associated with reduced peanut skin prick test responses and peanut-specific IgE levels and increased peanut-specific IgG4 levels (all P<.001). PPOIT-treated participants reported a greater number of adverse events, mostly with maintenance home dosing. CONCLUSION: This is the first randomized placebo-controlled trial evaluating the novel coadministration of a probiotic and peanut OIT and assessing sustained unresponsiveness in children with peanut allergy. PPOIT was effective in inducing possible sustained unresponsiveness and immune changes that suggest modulation of the peanut-specific immune response. Further work is required to confirm sustained unresponsiveness after a longer period of secondary peanut elimination and to clarify the relative contributions of probiotics versus OIT.

March 2015 | The Cracker

NEWS FROM THE NUTRITION RESEARCH & EDUCATION FOUNDATION

By Maureen Ternus, M.S., R.D. INC NREF By Maureen Ternus, M.S., R.D. Executive Director INC NREF Executive Director

NEWS FROM THE INC NUTRITION RESEARCH & EDUCATION FOUNDATION This year has started out on a positive note for nuts. INC NREF has just had its 15th paper published on tree nuts and health (see sidebar 1). This latest study, published in the online journal, Nutrients, compares the nutrient adequacy and diet quality of those who consume tree nuts and those who do not. The researchers found that tree nut consumers had better intakes of vitamins A, C, and E, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc, as well as fiber and potassium. The Healthy Eating Index-2005, an objective measure of diet quality, was significantly higher in tree nut consumers than non-consumers. And, when it comes to nutrient adequacy for most nutrients, tree nut consumers fared better than non-consumers…yet another reason to include nuts in a healthy diet. To date, publicity efforts have resulted in media coverage in India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States.

U.S. DIEARY GUIDELINES The last public meeting for the 2015 U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) was held this past December. In 2014, INC NREF provided both oral and written testimony, highlighting 77 published papers on mixed nuts and health. The new 2015 U.S. Dietary Guidelines are expected to be published later this year.

INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE ALLERGY PROJECT Lastly, INC NREF is co-sponsoring a U.S. National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine (IOM) consensus study, “Food Allergies: Global Burden, Causes, Treatment, Prevention and Public Policy.” An IOM committee will be formed to examine critical issues related to food allergy (FA), including the prevalence and severity of FA and its impact on affected individuals, families, and communities; current understanding of FA as a disease, and in diagnostics, treatments, prevention and public policy. This consensus study will engage a broad array of stakeholders, including government agencies, organizations, academic institutions, industries, policy makers, and patient organization groups, to bring

together leading investigators from relevant fields; and to develop a framework for future work, and to recommend actions by both government and non-government agencies. The committee’s review of the evidence will consider the following key questions:

1. WHAT ARE CURRENT TRENDS IN FA PREVALENCE? •

What is an appropriate definition of FA to use in measuring prevalence?

•

What data or methods are most appropriate to use in measuring prevalence and how may they be implemented?

•

Should there be an effort to assess prevalence for allergens other than the 8 most common that are required to be disclosed on food packages? If so, should the same methods be used for these allergens?

2. WHAT ARE THE KEY PRENATAL/EARLY LIFE DETERMINANTS OF FA? •

For example, are there dietary factors that impact development of FA and are these modifiable?

3. WHAT ARE THE CURRENT DATA GAPS IN UNDERSTANDING THE DIAGNOSIS AND PROGNOSIS FOR FA? •

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hat new approaches are being developed to address these W data gaps?

NEWS FROM THE NUTRITION RESEARCH & EDUCATION FOUNDATION 4. WHAT STEPS CAN BE TAKEN TO EDUCATE PROVIDERS AND THE PUBLIC IN ORDER TO CREATE SAFE ENVIRONMENTS FOR FA CHILDREN BOTH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE HOME? •

What and where are the most risky food scenarios and how can these be better managed?

•

What guidance can be given to individuals about exposure to low levels of allergens in food products?

•

What is the status of assessing allergen thresholds in individuals? What additional methods or tools are needed?

5. WHAT RESEARCH GAPS NEED TO BE FILLED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE BETTER GUIDANCE TO HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND POLICY MAKERS? The committee will develop a framework for future direction in understanding FA and its impact on individuals, families, and communities; recommending steps to increase public awareness of FA; promoting research on both disease causation and management; and informing preventive approaches to FA. Research gaps will be identified and recommendations made to fill them. The project is just getting started and they expect to have a final report by summer of 2016. For more information on any INC NREF project please contact Maureen Ternus at maureen.ternus@gmail.com.

INC NREF PRESS RELEASE ON THE NEW FINDINGS ON NUT CONSUMPTION AND HEALTH

TREE NUT CONSUMPTION ASSOCIATED WITH BETTER NUTRIENT ADEQUACY AND DIET QUALITY IN ADULTS New Findings on Nut Consumption and Health Published in Nutrients DAVIS, CA, January 15, 2015—A new study , published this week in the open access journal Nutrients, compares the nutrient adequacy and diet quality of those who consume tree nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts), and non-tree nut consumers in a nationally representative population. Tree nut consumption was associated with better nutrient adequacy for most nutrients that are lacking in the diets of many Americans, and with better diet quality.

better than non-consumers. The data showed that, compared to non-consumers, tree nut consumers had a lower percentage of the population consuming usual intakes of nutrients below the recommended levels of vitamins A, E and C; folate, calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc. Tree nut consumers had a higher percentage of the population over the recommendation for adequate intake for dietary fiber and potassium. The Healthy Eating Index-2005, an objective measure of diet quality, was significantly higher in tree nut consumers than non-consumers.

Researchers looked at 14,386 adults, 19+ years of age, participating in the 2005-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). Usual intake was derived from two separate 24-hour recalls. The difference between this study and previous research is that this one uses usual intake and compares nutrient adequacy versus nutrient intake. The latter simply looks at the amount of a particular nutrient an individual consumes. Nutrient adequacy, on the other hand, measures how much of a particular nutrient is consumed in relation to the recommend amount for that nutrient.

Tree nut consumers accounted for approximately 6% of the population and their mean usual intake was 44 grams (or approximately 1.5 ounces) per day. Compare this to the per capita intake of just 3.3 grams of tree nuts per day. When it comes to nutrient adequacy for most nutrients, tree nut consumers fared

“This new research further supports the need to encourage people to eat tree nuts for overall health,” states Maureen Ternus, M.S., R.D., Executive Director of the International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research & Education Foundation (INC NREF). “In 2003, FDA (in its qualified health claim for nuts and heart disease) recommended that people eat 1.5 ounces of nuts per day—well above current consumption levels—so we need to encourage people to grab a handful of tree nuts every day.”

O’Neil, C.E., T.A. Nicklas, V.L. Fulgoni III, 2015. Tree nut consumption is associated with better nutrient adequacy and diet quality in adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2010. Nutrients. 7:595-607. doi:10.3390/nu7010595 http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/7/1/595/pdf

March 2015 | The Cracker

NEWS FROM THE NUTRITION RESEARCH & EDUCATION FOUNDATION

TREE NUT CONSUMPTION ASSOCIATED WITH BETTER NUTRIENT ADEQUACY AND DIET QUALITY IN ADULTS New Findings on Nut Consumption and Health Published in Nutrients percentage of the population consuming usual intakes of nutrients below the recommended levels of vitamins A (22 ± 5 vs. 49 ± 1), E (38 ± 4 vs. 94 ± 0.4) and C (17 ± 4 vs. 44 ± 1); folate (2.5 ± 1.5 vs. 12 ± 0.6); calcium (26 ± 3 vs. 44 ± 1); iron (3 ± 0.6 vs. 9 ± 0.4); magnesium (8 ± 1 vs. 60 ± 1); and zinc (1.5 ± 1 vs. 13 ± 1). Tree nut consumers had a higher percentage (p < 0.0001) of the population over the recommendation for adequate intake for dietary fiber (33 ± 3 vs. 4 ± 0.3) and potassium (12 ± 3 mg vs. 2 ± 0.2 mg). The Healthy Eating Index-2005, an objective measure of diet quality, was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) in tree nut consumers (61 ± 0.7 vs. 52 ± 0.3) than non-consumers.

A new studyi, published in January in the open access journal Nutrients, compares the nutrient adequacy and diet quality of those who consume tree nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts), and non-tree nut consumers in a nationally representative population. Tree nut consumption was associated with better nutrient adequacy for most nutrients that are lacking in the diets of many Americans, and with better diet quality. Researchers looked at 14,386 adults, 19+ years of age, participating in the 2005-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). Usual intake was derived from two separate 24-hour recalls. The difference between this study and previous research is that this one uses usual intake and compares nutrient adequacy versus nutrient intake. The latter simply looks at the amount of a particular nutrient an individual consumes. Nutrient adequacy, on the other hand, measures how much of a particular nutrient is consumed in relation to the recommend amount for that nutrient.

“Consumption of tree nuts should be encouraged, as part of a healthy diet, by health professionals to improve diet quality and nutrient adequacy,” according to Carol O’Neil, PhD, MPH, RD, lead author on the paper and Professor at Louisiana State University Agricultural Center. The authors also stressed the need for nutrition education programs that increase awareness and consumption of tree nuts. “This new research further supports the need to encourage people to eat tree nuts for overall health,” states Maureen Ternus, M.S., R.D., Executive Director of the International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research & Education Foundation (INC NREF). “In 2003, FDA (in its qualified health claim for nuts and heart disease) recommended that people eat 1.5 ounces of nuts per day—well above current consumption levels—so we need to encourage people to grab a handful of nuts every day.”

Flavonoids and Phytosterols in 100g of Tree Nuts Phytochemical

Units

Almonds

Brazils

Cashews

Hazelnuts

Macadamias

Pecans

Pine nuts

Pistachios

Flavonoids Anthocyanidins Cyanidin Delphinidin

mg* mg

2.46 0

0 0

6.71 0

0 0

10.74 7.28

0 0

7.33 0

2.71 0

Flavan-3-ols Epicatechin Epicatechin 3-gallate Epigallocatechin Epigallocatechin 3-gallate Catechin

mg mg mg mg mg

0.60 0 2.59 0 1.28

0 0 0 0 0

0.93 0.15 0 0 0.90

0.22 0 2.78 1.06 1.19

0 0 0 0 0

0.82 0 5.63 2.30 7.24

0 0 0.49 0 0

0.83 0 2.05 0.40 3.57

0 0 0 0 0

Flavanones Eriodictyol Naringenin

mg mg

0.25 0.43

n/a 0

Flavonols Isorhamnetin Kaempferol Quercetin

mg mg mg

2.64 0.39 0.36

n/a n/a 0

n/a n/a 1.46

n/a n/a 0

Total Proanthocyanidins Monomers Dimers Trimers 4-6mers 7-10mers Polymers

mg mg mg mg mg mg mg

184 7.77 9.52 8.82 39.97 37.68 80.26

n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

9 6.66 2.02 0 0 0 n/a

501 9.83 12.51 13.56 67.72 74.60 322.44

n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

494 17.22 42.13 26.03 101.43 84.23 223.01

n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

237 10.94 13.26 10.51 42.24 37.93 122.46

67 6.93 5.65 7.19 22.05 5.41 20.02

mg n/a n/a 158 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Total Phytosterols Stigmasterol mg 4 6 n/a 1 0 3 0 3 Campesterol mg 5 2 n/a 7 10 6 20 10 Beta-sitosterol mg 130 64 n/a 102 145 117 132 210 *mg = milligram; n/a = not available Source: Flavonoid data from USDA Database for the Flavonoid Content of Selected Foods, Release 3.1, 2014; Phytosterol data from USDA Database for Standard Reference, Release 27, Full Report, 2014; Proanthocyanidin data from USDA Database for the Proanthocyanidin Content of Selected Foods, 2004. Prepared by the International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research & Education Foundation, 1/15

Walnuts

The Cracker | March 2015

n/a 0 5 87

COCOA FLAVANOLS MAY FEND OFF AGE-RELATED COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION A Mars-backed study has provided further evidence that high cocoa flavanol consumption may help improve cognitive function, possibly through changes to insulin sensitivity. The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, looked at the impact of daily consumption of a drink containing either a high (993mg), intermediate (520mg) or low (48mg) flavanol count for 90 elderly participants for a period of eight weeks. The researchers from the Italian University of L'Aquila assessed cognitive function with a series of tests including a mini- mental state examination (MMSE), two trail- making tests and a verbal fluency test (VFT) at the beginning and end of the study. Alongside these cognitive tests, they measured insulin resistance, blood pressure and lipid peroxidation. Although uncertainties around the relationship between insulin resistance, flavanols and cognitive functioning remain, this paper was said to provide further insights about possible pathways that could underlie the observed cognitive effects. The time taken to complete the two trial- making tests was significantly different when compared to the low dose group with those given the high and intermediate drink. Improvements in verbal fluency test results across all three groups of men and women aged 61-85 years with no evidence of cognitive dysfunction were recorded, but this was most significant for the high and intermediate groups. There were no differences detected for the mini-mental state examination however. Significant improvements in insulin resistance, blood pressure

and lipid peroxidation for the high and intermediate groups were recorded compared to the low content group. Professor Claudio Ferri, one of the authors behind this study and others in the field, told us the findings had been in line with their expectations given past findings in the area of flavanols, insulin sensitivity and cognitive health. Asked why they had chosen to use flavanol levels well over the 200mg amount featured in the approved normal blood flow health claim won by Barry Callebaut in 2013 – for which some of Ferri’s past research was used – he said this was a completely different matter and ultimately just a question of study design. The drink product used in this particular trial was produced using Mars’ patented Cocoapro process, but Professor Ferri said both this and Barry Callebaut’s flavanol- preserving ACTICOA processing method were, “excellent” ‘Safe’ cocoa. Professor Ferri iterated though that these findings did not apply to chocolate, but “safe cocoa” which had been specially processed to preserve flavanol counts. “This is not chocolate at all. It must be prepared by a manufacturer.” He called flavanols secured through Mars’ process a kind of “neutraceutical agent”, since the firm both preserved the naturally occurring polyphenols and enriched them with more. This study was part of a two-part research project, the first of which, published in the journal Hypertension in 2012, suggested cognitive and cardiometabolic benefits of habitual cocoa flavanol consumption in older adults who had been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. March 2015 | The Cracker

NUTRITION RESEARCH UPDATE

CANCER STUDY SUGGESTS MEAT/ SUGAR ARE BAD, PLANTS ARE GOOD Research investigating the effect of different dietary patterns on colorectal cancer risk has found that meat-based diets and those rich in sugar are associated with increased risks, while diets that are plant- based are linked to lower risks. The study, published in Nutrition Journal, investigated the relationship between major dietary patterns and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk in a case-control study population of more than 1,000 people. Led by Professor Peizhong Peter Wang of Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, the research team reported that that those who consumed high levels of meat or sugar were associated with higher risks of developing colorectal cancer, while those consuming plant-based diets has lower risks. “The present study demonstrated that diets that are characterized by a high consumption of red meat, processed meat, fish and processed fish (labeled as the Meat-diet pattern) or with a high consumption of fruit pies, tarts, desserts and sweets (labeled as the Sugary-diet pattern) are associated with an increased risk of CRC in a Canadian population. However, the Plant based diet pattern of fruits, vegetables and whole grains has a protective effect against CRC,” wrote the team. Wang and colleagues suggested that their finding that meat-based and sugary diet patterns are linked to an increased risk, while plant-based diet patterns decrease risk could guide the promotion of healthy eating for primary prevention of the cancer in the population. Wang and his colleagues analysed data from a population based case-control study including 506 colorectal cancer patients (306 men and 200 women) and 673 healthy controls (400 men and 273 women), aged between 20 and 74 years. Dietary habits were assessed via a 169-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), before logistic

The Cracker | March 2015

regression analyses were performed to investigate the association between dietary patterns and cancer risk. “Three major dietary patterns were derived using factor analysis, namely a Meat-diet pattern, a Plant-based diet pattern and a Sugary-diet pattern,” said the team. “In combination the three dietary patterns explained 74% of the total variance in food intake.” Further analysis suggested that the meat-d iet and the sugary-d iet increased the risk of colorectal cancer risk with corresponding odds ratios of 1.84 and 2.26 for people in the highest intake quintile compared to those in the lowest. In contrast, the plant-based diet pattern was found to decrease the risk of CRC with a corresponding odds ratio of 0.55. “High consumption of red meat, processed meat, sweets and processed sugar, which are typical characteristics of the Meat- diet and Sugary- diet patterns, might determine these patterns’ relationship with CRC,” said the team – noting that the causal mechanism could involve overweight and obesity, which previous studies have found to be important risk factors for cancer development. They added that the potential protective effect seen from a dietary pattern rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains may be due to the fact that they are good sources of vitamins A, C, and E, fibres, minerals, selenium, and carotenoids.

NUTRITION RESEARCH UPDATE

MEDITERRANEAN DIET HAS ‘LASTING’ HEALTH BENEFITS The health benefits of switching to a Mediterranean style diet and upping the amount of time spent exercising for a period of just eight weeks can still be seen a year after stopping the regime, according to a new study. The findings, published in Microvascular Research, suggest that a combination of exercise and following the Mediterranean diet (MD) for just eight weeks leads to improved blood flow in cells in the inner lining of the blood vessels -called the endothelial cells – that can still be seen a full 12 months after completing participation in the intervention program. The UK-based researchers behind the study believe the long-term health benefits observed after such a short intervention could be due to molecular changes associated with the Mediterranean diet. "Preserving a patient's endothelial function as they get older is thought to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, so these findings are very encouraging,” said lead researcher Dr Markos Klonizakis of Sheffield Hallam University. “The original improvements from an 8-week exercise and MD intervention were still evident, particularly in the microcirculatory and cardiorespiratory assessments, 1 year after the initial study,” wrote the team. “This suggests that a brief intervention combining MD with exercise in this high-risk group promises long-term health benefits.”

The study focused on healthy people over the age of 50. Participants were originally assessed over an eight-week period. One group was encouraged to follow a Mediterranean style diet by eating more vegetables, fruit, olive oil, tree nuts and fresh oily fish, in addition to taking up a moderate exercise regime -while the other just took up exercise alone. "Considering the scientific evidence already out there that a Mediterranean diet offers health benefits, it made sense to examine how such a diet, when combined with exercise, could affect the small veins of our body due to their important role in our overall wellbeing, in the longer-term,” said Klonizakis. Indeed, the initial results confirmed that there were more health improvements in the Mediterranean diet group than the exercise only group alone. However, even one year later these benefits were still evident -despite the lifestyle changes implemented during the study no longer being carefully followed. "Even a medium- duration intervention with a Mediterranean diet and exercise regime can promise long-term health benefits, especially in people at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease,” commented co- researcher Geoff Middleton from the University iof Lincoln.

OBESITY CAUSES HALF A MILLION CANCERS A YEAR High body mass index (BMI) is to blame for nearly half a million cases of cancer each year worldwide, according to a new study. Researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer did a population study in which they looked at BMI index and cancer incidence in adults aged 20 or older. They assumed a 10-year lag period between high BMI and the occurrence of cancer and tested the effect of various model assumptions. BMI index is used to measure body fat and is based on one’s weight and height. The study, published in the Lancet's Oncology medical journal, revealed that in 2012 excess body weight was the reason behind 481,000 new cases of cancer, mostly in North America and Europe. This represented 3.6% of all new cancers in 2012. Its results also suggested that women face a bigger risk than men, as 5.4% of obesity-related new cancers affected women in 2012, compared to 1.9% affecting men. They also showed the risk was geography-related. “The burden of attributable cases

was higher in countries with very high and high human development indices. Corpus uteri, postmenopausal breast, and colon cancers accounted for 63·6% of cancers attributable to high BMI. A quarter (about 118 000) of the cancer cases related to high BMI in 2012 could be attributed to the increase in BMI since 1982,” said the researchers. “These findings emphasise the need for a global effort to abate the increasing numbers of people with high BMI. Assuming that the association between high BMI and cancer is causal, the continuation of current patterns of population weight gain will lead to continuing increases in the future burden of cancer,” they added. About 35% of the adult population globally is classified as overweight, including 12% of people who are classified as obese , according to UN research. March 2015 | The Cracker

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The Cracker | March 2015

NUTRITION RESEARCH UPDATE

COCOA INTAKE MAY DELAY PROGRESSION OF TYPE 2 DIABETES Cocoa intake may delay the progression of factors associated with type 2 diabetes, according to a study in rats. The Spanish-based researchers at CIBERDEM, the Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos y Nutrición, and the Universidad Complutense de Madrid had previously shown the anti-diabetic potential of cocoa flavanols in vitro. Fernández-Millán et al’s latest study, due for publication in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, used a live animal model. “These findings provide the first in vivo evidence that a cocoa-rich diet may delay the loss of functional beta cell mass and delay the progression of diabetes by preventing oxidative stress and beta-cell apoptosis,” they said. Pre-diabetic obese rats were fed a control diet or 10% cocoa-rich diet for six to 15 weeks. The cocoa came from 100 g/Kg of Natural Forastero cocoa powder, provided by Nutrexpa. After the trial period, the researchers conducted a glucose tolerance test (GTT) and assessed

beta cell mass, beta cell apoptosis and markers of apoptosis and oxidative stress. They found that cocoa feeding rats demonstrated improved factors associated with type 2 diabetes such as attenuated hyperglycaemia, reduced insulin resistant and increased beta cell mass compared to the control group. Although there was no difference in food intakes, they also found that the cocoa group had 20% less body weight than the control group. “This effect has been attributed to the ability of cocoa polyphenols to regulate lipid metabolism and prevent visceral fat deposition,” said the study. The researchers said their findings were consistent with earlier research by Fu et al that found dietary supplementation with the flavanol epicatechin preserved functional beta cell mass in non-obese diabetic mice.

UK STUDY: NUTRITION LABELING REQUIRES ‘APPROPRIATE’ REFERENCE AMOUNTS Consumers are generally able to use nutrition labeling systems to identify more and less healthy foods, but the use of different reference amounts may be confusing, say researchers. The study, published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, investigated how different reference amounts used in front of package nutrition labeling systems influence consumers’ evaluations of product healthfulness. Led by Professor Monique Raats from the University of Surrey – in conjunction with the European Food Information Council (EUFIC) – the research team questioned more than 13,000 consumers from six European countries -finding that overall, people can correctly rank foods according to their objective healthfulness but that the use of different reference amounts and ‘portion sizes’ can cause some confusion. “Overall, people correctly ranked foods according to their objective derived from differing reference amounts;; ‘typical portion’, ‘half healthfulness as defined by risk nutrients alone, and could typical portion’ and ‘per 100g’. distinguish between more and less healthful variants of foods,” wrote the team. The study revealed that overall, participants correctly ranked foods according to their objective healthfulness and could distinguish between However, they noted that the use of different ‘reference amounts’ such as more and less healthful variants of foods with the nutrition labels provided. ‘per 100 grams’ or ‘per portion’ had the potential to cause confusion and lead to inaccurate ratings of nutritional values – especially in cases where However, Raats and her colleagues also found that where the reference a ‘per 100 gram’ value differs greatly from a ‘per portion’ value. amount was very different from the ‘typical’ portion size -as was the Legislation in the EU requires a mandatory nutrition declaration on pre- case for foods such as biscuits -foods with a ‘per 100g’ label were rated significantly less healthful than when the nutrition labels were presented packed foods expressed ‘per 100g’ or ‘per 100ml’ on back of pack, but this as ‘typical’ or ‘half typical’ portions. can also be supplemented by nutrition information ‘per portion’ on the front of pack. Comparing country ratings, the team noted that French consumers displayed a tendency to rate most extreme for both the less healthful and As a result, the selection of appropriate reference amounts is central to the more healthful variants of the foods, whereas in Poland, participants current debates within the scientific community and policy makers did not differentiate as much between more and less healthful variants. regarding nutrition profiling systems and their ability to classify foods according to their healthfulness, said the study authors. “Consumers do factor the reference amount, that is, the quantity of food for which the nutritional information is being presented, into Raats and her team recruited a total of 13,117 participants from six their judgments of healthfulness,” concluded the team. “Therefore, European countries (Germany, UK, Spain, France, Poland and Sweden) appropriate reference amounts are also of importance for the effective took part in an online experiment in which they rated foods (biscuits, presentation of nutritional information.” sandwiches, yogurts) on their healthfulness using nutrition labels March 2015 | The Cracker

NUTRITION RESEARCH UPDATE

EFFECTS OF POOR DIET MAY PERSIST AFTER DIET IS IMPROVED The effects of poor eating habits on the immune system persist long after dietary habits are improved, according to a new study in mice. While improved eating habits will most likely improve a range of health measures, researchers have warned that the effects that a poor diet have on the immune system can persist even after eating habits improve. Writing in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, the team behind the new study finds that even after successful treatment of atherosclerosis, including lowering of blood cholesterol and a change in dietary habits, the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle still affect the immune system functions. Led by Erik van Kampen from Leiden University in The Netherlands, the researchers used a mouse model to show that lasting changes in immune functions occurs largely because poor eating habits alter the way genes express themselves, including genes related to immunity. These epigenetic changes in gene expression ultimately keep the risk of cardiovascular disorders higher than it would be has there been no exposure to unhealthy foods in the first place, said the team. “We’ve long known that lifestyle and nutrition could affect immune system function,” commented John Wherry, Ph.D., deputy editor of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology.

The team analyzed two groups of mice that had an altered gene making them more susceptible to developing high blood cholesterol and atherosclerosis. These mice were either fed a high-fat, highcholesterol diet (Western-type diet, WTD) or a normal diet (chow). After a long period of feeding, bone marrow was taken from the mice and transplanted into mice with a similar genetic background that had their own bone marrow destroyed. The recipient mice were left on chow diet for several months, after which the development of atherosclerosis in the heart was measured. Van Kampen and his colleagues then examined the number and status of immune cells throughout the body in addition to analyzing epigenic markings on the DNA in the bone marrow. They found that DNA methylation, an epigenetic signature, in the bone marrow was different in mice that received bone marrow from the Western-typefed donors compared to the mice receiving bone marrow from chow fed donors. In addition, these mice had large differences in their immune system and increased atherosclerosis, said the team. “We conclude that WTD challenge induces transplantable epigenetic changes in bone marrow, alterations in the hematopoietic system, and increased susceptibility to atherosclerosis,” concluded the team.

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NUTRITION RESEARCH UPDATE

SNACKING ON ALMONDS REDUCES BELLY FAT AND OTHER HEART DISEASE RISK FACTORS Eating 1.5 ounces of almonds daily also significantly improved LDL and total cholesterol levels A new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that a daily snack of 1.5 ounces of almonds instead of a highcarbohydrate muffin, eaten as part of an overall healthy diet, improved a number of heart disease risk factors in study participants. In addition to significantly improving LDL and total cholesterol, snacking on almonds instead of muffins also reduced central adiposity (belly fat), a well-established heart disease risk factor. Although heart disease remains the number one cause of death in the United States and worldwide, it is estimated that at least 80% of premature deaths from cardiovascular disease can be avoided if diet and lifestyle risk factors are controlled. While a significant body of evidence has shown that eating almonds is associated with improved heart health , this is the first and largest controlled feeding study using identical diets with the exception of almonds vs. a calorie-matched snack to investigate and isolate the cardio-protective properties of almonds beyond their contributions to an overall heart-healthy diet. The findings are also the first of their kind to show benefits of eating almonds in reducing abdominal and leg fat. Reducing abdominal fat is particularly beneficial given its connection to metabolic syndrome and increased risk for heart disease. The twelve-week, randomized, controlled clinical study, led by researchers at Penn State University, was conducted in 52 overweight, middle-aged adults who had high total and LDL cholesterol but were otherwise healthy. Participants ate cholesterol-lowering diets that were identical except that one group was given a daily snack of 1.5 ounces (42g) of whole natural almonds, while the other group was given a banana muffin that provided the same number of calories. Participants were provided all meals and snacks in amounts based on their calorie needs to maintain body weight, and followed each diet for six weeks. The diet containing the almond snack, compared to the muffin snack, decreased total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol non-HDL-cholesterol and remnant lipoproteins. In addition, the diet with the muffin snack reduced HDL (good) cholesterol more than the almond diet. Despite no differences in body weight or total fat mass, the almond diet significantly reduced abdominal fat mass, waist circumference and leg fat mass compared to the diet with the muffin snack. “Our research found that substituting almonds for a high-carbohydrate snack improved numerous heart health risk factors, including the new finding that eating almonds reduced belly fat,” says Claire Berryman, PhD and lead researcher of the study. “Choosing almonds as a snack may be a simple way to help fight the onset of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.” This study joins nearly two decades of research showing that almonds can help maintain a healthy heart and healthy cholesterol levels3, and provides new evidence showing that regularly eating almonds instead of a high-carbohydrate snack may have benefits on body composition. Previous studies showed that regular almond consumption did not lead to significant changes in body weight, indicating that nutrient-rich almonds can be incorporated in weight-maintenance and weight-loss diets. A one ounce serving of almonds provides 160 calories and a powerful nutrient package including hunger-fighting protein (6g), filling

dietary fiber (4g), “good” unsaturated fats (13g)3 and vitamins and minerals including vitamin E (35% DV), magnesium (20% DV) and potassium (6% DV), which makes them an ideal fit for hearthealthy, weight-wise diets and an easy way to snack smarter this year.

STUDY DETAILS Design: In this randomized controlled clinical feeding study, 52 otherwise healthy adults (mean age = 49.9 years) with elevated total cholesterol (mean 227 mg/dL), LDL-cholesterol (mean 148 mg/dL) and an average body mass index of 26.3 kg/m2 were provided each of two balanced diets based on their calorie needs to maintain weight. Diets were identical except for a daily snack, which was either 1.5 oz of whole natural almonds or a banana muffin which provided an equivalent number of calories. Differences in the nutrient profiles of the control (58% CHO, 15% PRO, 26% total fat) and almond (51% CHO, 16% PRO, 32% total fat) diets were due to nutrients inherent to each snack. Participants followed each diet for 6 weeks in a crossover design with a two week washout period in between diets. All meals and snacks were prepared and provided to participants by a metabolic kitchen, and compliance was assessed by daily weigh-ins and daily food logs. Blood work and body composition measurements (as measured by Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry scans) were taken at the start of the study and at the end of each diet period. Participant adherence to the study diets was 85% based on daily self-reporting forms, which indicated good compliance, and participant weight was maintained within 1.3 kg during the study. This study provides evidence that a daily snack of almonds (1.5 oz) instead of a high-carbohydrate snack, when eaten as part of an overall hearthealthy diet, beneficially affected risk favors for cardiovascular disease. In addition to improving participants’ cholesterol levels, snacking on almonds instead of muffins also reduced central adiposity (belly fat) and leg fat. These findings suggest that choosing almonds as a snack may be a simple heart-smart dietary strategy to help prevent the onset of metabolic syndrome or cardiovascular disease in those with elevated LDL cholesterol. Limitations: Researchers did not assess pre-study dietary intake and physical activity data. There was a small total body weight loss from baseline, although there were no differences between the diets. The test diets were not matched for macronutrients, limiting conclusions about the almond-delivered nutrients improved a traditional cholesterollowering diet when substituted for a high-carbohydrate snack. Berryman CE, West SG, Fleming JA, Bordi PL, Kris-Etherton PM. Effects of Daily Almond Consumption on Cardiometabolic Risk and Abdominal Adiposity in Healthy Adults with Elevated LDL-Cholesterol: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of the American Heart Association 2015; 4:e000993 DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.114.000993. World Heart Federation, About World Heart Day," Web. 24 Sept. 2014. http://www.world-heart-federation.org/what-we-do/ awareness/world-heart-day-2014-home/about-world-heart-day/ Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 oz of most nuts, such as almonds, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. Britton KA, Massaro JM, Murabito JM, Kreger BE, Hoffmann U, Fox CS. Body Fat Distribution, Incident Cardiovascular Disease, Cancer, and All-cause Mortality. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2013; 62 (10): 921-5. Hollis J, Mattes R. Effect of chronic consumption of almonds on body weight in healthy humans. Br J Nutr 2007; 98(03): 651–656. Tan S, Mattes R. Appetitive, dietary and health effects of almonds consumed with meals or as snacks: a randomized, controlled trial. Eur J Clin Nutr 2013; 67(11):1205–1214. Jaceldo-Siegl, K., Sabate, J., Rajaram, S., Fraser, G.E. Long-term almond supplementation without advice on food replacement induces favourable nutrient modifications to the habitual diets of free-living individuals. Br. J. Nutr 2004; 92:533-540. In a recent study, researchers used a method different than the traditional way to measure the calories in almonds and found they have about 20% fewer calories than originally thought. Novotny JA et al. Discrepancy between the Atwater factor predicted and empirically measured energy values of almonds in human diets. Am J Clin Nutr 2012; 96(2): 296-301.

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NUTRITION RESEARCH UPDATE

NUT CONSUMPTION AND CANCER* The first indication of a potential protective effect of nut consumption on cancer appeared already in the late 80s/early 90s. A case-control study of stomach cancer found a dose-response relationship for seven dietary items, including nuts. Similarly, a cohort study conducted on 14000 Adventist men found a statistically significant reduction of prostate cancer risk associated with increasing consumption of beans, lentils, peas, tomatoes, raisins, dates, and other dried fruits. It must be noted, however, that only age-adjusted relative risks were statistically significant, whereas no statistically significant association was found in the multivariate models. The hypothesis that grains, cereals and nuts may be protective against prostate cancer was later supported by a study on prostate cancer in a Canadian population that discovered a 31% risk reduction, although in this study nuts were mixed with legumes and seeds. Evidence of a protective role of nuts on colorectal cancer in women also appeared with a prospective study conducted in Taiwan that recruited almost 24,000 people and followed them annually for 10 years. Beneficial effects of peanut consumption were observed in women, although the authors acknowledged some limitations of the study, including the lack of detailed information on other potential factors, Nevertheless, the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), which was one of the largest prospective cohort studies on diet and cancer, also showed a reduced incidence of colon cancer in women who had an average intake of 16g of nuts and seeds daily, compared with no consumers. No observable effect was detected in men or on rectal cancer, although this might reflect the smaller number of rectal vs. colon cancer case patients in the study and the fact that more women were recruited. In addition, according to a study conducted on Greek women, there appears to be a 27% reduced risk of endometrial cancer because of a diet rich in nuts, legumes, and seeds, although it has to be considered that this is a low-risk population for this type of cancer, and the study only had 84 cases of women with confirmed endometrial cancer and 84 control patients. Taken together, these studies were all indicative of an inverse association between nut consumption and cancer. The recent investigation of the association between nut consumption and total and cause-specific mortality assessed in the NHS and in HPFS confirmed a statistically significant inverse association between nut consumption and deaths related to cancer in the pooled analysis of women and men. Similarly the recent longitudinal cohort study from the PREDIMED trial also indicated that participants with a frequency of total nut consumption of more than three servings per week had a 40% reduction in cancer death (P-trend was not statistically significant. Interestingly, the hazard ratio in participants who specifically are walnuts more than three servings per week was 0.46. Taken together, these studies have provided some very strong support to the hypothesis of a beneficial effect of nut consumption on all cancer-related mortality. It must be noted, however, that these two studies analyzed the association between nut intake and cancer mortality. It would be important to establish now if the benefits are because of a reduction of

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cancer risk or survival or a combination of both. Furthermore, it would be interesting to assess whether nuts have stronger preventive effect on specific cancer types and possibly on specific subjects of certain cancer types. Some studies have already started to investigate this aspect. For instance, a prospective cohort study followed 75,690 women in the NHS and evaluated the association between nut consumption and pancreatic cancer risk. During a follow up from 1980 to 2010, the authors documented 466 cases of pancreatic cancer, and they identified and inverse association between frequent nut consumption and risk of pancreatic cancer. Specifically, women who consumed a 28-g serving size of nuts two times or more per week had an age-adjusted relative risk of pancreatic cancer of 0.65 and a multivariable relative risk of 0.65, compared with no consumers. Importantly, similar results were obtained after controlling for BMI and history of diabetes, for other dietary variables (such as alcohol consumption, multivitamin use, intakes of red meats, fruits, vegetables, and vitamin D) or after adjusting for the Mediterranean diet score. An inverse association also remained when the multivariate analyses were performed within subgroups of BMI, physical activity, smoking, and intakes of red meat, fruits, and vegetables or after adding a four-year lag period between nut intake assessment and each follow-up period, supporting the conclusion that frequent nut consumption was associated with reduced risk of pancreatic cancer. Recent results from a population-based case-control study involving 2865 case patients with3299 control patients revealed an inverse association between nut consumption during adolescence and breast cancer risk in adult life (41). Specifically, adjusted odds ratios were 0.86 for total nuts servings of one to three per month; 0.86 for total nuts servings of one to six per week; 0.76 for total nuts servings of one or more per day, compared with consumption of less than once per month (P-trend=. 04). The inverse association between total intake of nuts during adolescence and breast cancer risk was stronger for postmenopausal than for premenopausal breast cancer. These results were consistent with a previous study that analyzed the association between adolescent fiber and nuts intake and proliferative begin breast disease (BBD), a marker of increased breast cancer risk. This study showed that total nut intake of two or more servings per week during adolescence was inversely associated with proliferative BBD, compared with an intake of less than one serving per month. Statistically significant inverse association was also observed for peanuts intake alone. Although some of these studies could not support a direct cause-effect association, they have definitely provided evidence of the beneficial effects of nut consumption and of their inverse association with cancer-related mortality. Questions remain on the cellular mechanisms responsible for their anticancer activity. (Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: information excerpted from the Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2014; Cancer Chemoprevention With Nuts by Marco Falasca, London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London; Ilaria Casari andTania Malfucci. For complete study, please contact Maureen Ternus, INC NREF at maureen.ternus@gmail.com).

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