Beverages & Food Processin Times Jul'12 (II)

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Pawar Calls for Priority Sector Status to Food Processing Projects

P

awar, in addition to existing instruments of duty exemption etc, strongly advocated for giving the status of priority sector lending for the projects involved in processing of perishable products.

He was speaking after inaugurating the Srini Mega Food Park at Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh.

“The Ministry expects that this

year another three projects will be completed in the country. This has further enthused me to upscale this scheme in this five year plan so that more and more farmers and entrepreneurs from rural India gets associated in the food processing sector, creating wealth for themselves and for the country. Let me also inform the budding entrepreneurs gathered here that the Government has decided to further incentivize the food processing sector through various windows,” the Minister said.

Elaborating on the importance of food processing sector and the initiatives being taken by the government for its growth, the Minister said: “Some studies have revealed that we might be losing around 40 to 50 thousand crores of rupees for the lack of post-harvest facilities.

With adequate processing facilities, much of this waste can

be reduced with increasing remunerative price to the producer as well as ensuring greater supply to the consumer at appropriate price.

“A strong and dynamic food processing sector plays a significant role in diversification of agricultural activities, improving value-addition opportunities and creating surplus for export of agrofood products. To achieve the objectives of maximizing value addition, minimizing wastage and for generation of employment opportunities the Government has taken a number of initiatives.

“Keeping this in mind, my Ministry has launched a National Mission of Food Processing and the initial feedback from various state governments is extremely encouraging. This mission is launched with a philosophy of decentralization, greater participation of the state

governments, convergence of various programmes in this sector and implementing the schemes in the mission mode instead of routine vertical programmes. This scheme has adopted all the flexibility of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, which has been vehicle of agriculture growth during the 11th plan and has been one of the model schemes with maximum participation of state governments and flexibility with no tailor-made schemes imposed by the central government on the states. I am also happy to announce that we have already started the admission process for the National Institute of Food Technology and Entrepreneurship Management, located in Haryana, very close to Delhi. This NIFTEM with IICPT in Tanjore are expected to fulfill the requirement of industry for the skilled manpower in this sector.”

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Indian nutraceuticals market could double by 2016

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unctional foods and functional beverages are relatively nascent markets in India primarily due to a burgeoning middle class that relies on traditional practices such as Ayurveda.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, The Indian Nutraceutical market, finds that the market earned revenues of $1,480 million in 2011 and could grow to $2,731 million in 2016 at a CAGR of 13.0 percent.

Dietary supplements were the largest category accounting for 64 percent of the nutraceuticals market, driven primarily by the pharmaceutical sector in the form of vitamin and mineral supplements.

Functional foods will be the quickest growing category until 2015 followed by dietary supplements. However, dietary supplements, specifically herbal and dietetic supplements, will form the greatest opportunity areas for nutraceutical manufacturers, driven by growing demand from an evolving consumer base.

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Beverages & Food Processing Times-July-II-2012

News

2

Food and Drugs Administration raids water processing unit

F

ood and Drugs Administration (FDA) officials raided a processing unit of packaged drinking water M/S Narayani Agro in Kalamna and seized the water cans. The unit run by Shivshankar Agrawal was illegal as it did not possess both the licence for processing water and BIS permission for it.

The FDA joint commissioner C B Pawar told reporters said that the administration was taking the issue of processed water very seriously and would prosecute the person if the water quality is found to be substandard and infected. "It is the question of people's life. FDA would continue to pursue the issue," he said.

FDA seized 69 cans of 20 litres each costing Rs 8498 and sent the samples from each can for testing. "Maximum punishment in such cases can be either a fine of Rs 10 lakh or life imprisonment in case the water is found to have bacterial or fungal infection and the infection is severe," stated Pawar.

The raid was conducted under the guidance of assistant commissioner of food S B Naragude. One of the team members A G Deshpande said everybody organizing any big function should ensure that all water brought by the caterer was sealed and had BIS mark. "People pay through their nose for the water and yet do not bother to check the quality which could make hundreds of person sick," he said.

It is mandatory for every water processing company, small or big, to have a licence from Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Each bottle or can should also have the ISI mark. Every batch of water processed has to be assessed by BIS officials before bringing to market. So there should be at least a gap of 3-5 days after the date of manufacturing. Joint commissioner also said that each unit should have a specified laboratory and trained technicians expected to keep a stock of material from each batch.

Beverages & Food Processing Times-July-II-2012

Event Report

3

Sri Lanka's food industry thanks Ind & Commerce for strong support

B

asil Rajapaksa (Economic Development Minister- right) and Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce ( L ) inaugurate the 11th 'Profood Propack International Exhibition 2012' on 06 July at BMICH, Colombo. As Sri Lanka's processed food exports rose by 41% topping $ 95 Mn in2011, the food industry lavished praise on the Industry and Commerce Ministry for its continued support to sustain growth in this crucial sector.”

Both food and packaging sectors in Sri Lanka have seen rapid modernization and expansion in recent times. As a result of development vision of His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa, the President, many concessions have been offered to these sectors and thus, exports from the Processed Food industry last year stood at 94.84 million US dollars which was a considerable increase of 41 percent in 2011 compared to2010” announced Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka.

Minister Bathiudeen was addressing the inauguration event of the' Profood Propack International Exhibition 2012' on 06 July at the BMICH, Colombo. The 11th in the series of exhibitions, Pro Foods/Pro Pack & Agbiz 2012” the most comprehensive agriculture based processed food /packaging exhibition is back with a new look with a complete one stop shop solution, this years' theme being “From the Farm to the Kitchen”.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa was the Guest of Honor of the occasion.

'Ministry continuously supported us during the last years' says the Industry 'Will continue our support and infuse R&D too' says Rishad 217 firms & multinationals from SriLanka, Argentina, India, Turkey,

Thailand, and Pakistan at the event 'Lanka food exports surge by 41% in 2011 to $ 95 Mn' says Rishad The organizers for the 2012 show have outlined numerous concurrent events to promote and market Pro Foods/Pro Pack & Agbiz, making it a mustfor all organizations involved in processed food, packaging &agriculture. The exhibition, facilitated by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, had only 46 companies taking part when it began in 2001, and today has 217 firms participating from Sri Lanka, India, Italy, and Pakistan-as well as an SME pavilion for the growing importance of SMEs and a special pavilion by food and packaging industry of Kerala, India. Among the 217 participating firms and organizations are the High Commission of Canada, Adamjee, Alli, CIC, Ceylon Biscuits, CMC Engineering Exports GmbH, EDNA Confectionaries, Elephant House, JAGRO Ltd, Maliban Biscuits, MAS Tropical Foods, Italy's PIGO SRL, Brown & Co PLC, APIMachinery, Harischandra Mills, Good Value Eswaran Ltd, Currymate, Nelna, MicroCars, MA's Tropical Food, MAI S.A (from Argentina), Mahima Foliage, A. Baur Co, Hindustan Hing Supplying, Tinpak Pvt Ltd, Unilever Lipton Ceylon Ltd, Patkol (from Thailand), Vezirkopru Orman (from Turkey), Institute of Agro Technology of University of Colombo, Gatronova Novatex (Pakistan) and Yamato Scale India Ltd. Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, addressing the event, said: “I am pleased to inform you that Sri Lanka processed food and confectionery industry is reaching the up market segment in exports. To gain a high price at the export market and also to get a premium price from the health conscious customer, attractive and informative packaging is paramount.

To this end, the food sector joining

with the packaging sector is a welcome sign. In view of this, I am glad to announce that we have decided to continue government's support to Profoods/Propack exhibition by assisting this series in future too. Food processing and Packaging sectors are considered as priority areas in today's context. In 2011, food and grocery sales dominated global retail sales sector and the food sector was the key driver in global retail sales which stood at14,335 billion US dollars. More importantly, 2011 growth was also led

by Asia and Pacific regions. Both food and packaging sectors in Sri Lanka have seen rapid modernization

maximum support to develop this industry. We are working closely with the private sector through the advisory committees to identify development needs and implement appropriate programmes. We believe more attention needed on research and development, certification and testing, staff training while certain changes also, needed in the area of fiscal policies. We also believe biotechnology and eco-farming can assist us to expand our processed food sector to the next level. Realizing the growing importance of SMEs in the value chain, this time also my Ministry is hosting a special pavilion to accommodate micro, small and

and expansion in recent times.

As a result of development vision of His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa, the President, many concessions have been offered to these sectors and thus, exports from the Processed Food industry last year stood at 94.84 million US dollars which was a considerable increase of 41 percent in 2011 compared to 2010. In 2010, it grew by 31 percent. Sri Lanka's growing food and beverage industry sector has now more than 4,400establishments with close to 132,000 people engaged in it. We believe that this sector to be fast growing in our exports which shows high potential for further expansion.

My Ministry is keen on giving

medium industries so that our SME integration continues well. As a result of the awareness programmes we conducted in outside regions, we notice strong demand from SME's for this pavilion. In addition special concessions have also been provided to the universities in order to encourage their participation.”

Praising Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa's commitment and efforts to develop Sri Lanka exports, Minister Bathiudeen said: “I commend Minister Basil Rajapaksa for his committed efforts to develop our exports which he fulfils even at a personal level. His attention is an example for us to follow. For example, yesterday evening Minister

Basil personally telephoned me to alert me of a problem being faced by a Sri Lankan Durian fruit exporter to Korea. I thereafter immediately summoned my officials and directed them for immediate action and inquiry as to what went wrong. We are now working on this issue.”

Mario De Alwis, Chairman of the Processed Food Development Initiative, the top independent food Industry facilitator, praised the Ministry of Industry and Commerce for its continued efforts to sustain the sector. “Michael Porter, the competitiveness guru once said that sustainable competitive advantage is not only in making the most from a country's environment. Firms must work together and collaborate to create a competitive base to launch their products to the global economy.

Though this statement was made during the height of globalization, in today's global downturn, this collaboration should not only extend among industry players but all key player in the supply chain-that is the state, industry and the political community. Thanks to the efforts of the Ministry of Industry & Commerce over the last 11 years, we managed to bring the farmers, industry and political community together here.

Collaboration has become even more important in the current economic climate” De Alwis explained.

Many international exhibitor participants were upbeat on the continued rise of the Profood exhibition series. “I have heard of this exhibition and was planning for some time to come here and I am here at last” said Asif Manzur Malik, Deputy Manager of Gatron Industries and Novatex Industries of Karachi, Pakistan. “The moment I walked in to the premises to set up my stall, I knew this is a promising effort. I believe that the next three days in Colombo would be successful for us” he added.

Beverages & Food Processing Times-July-II-2012

Food Ingredients

The newest trends in sports nutrition

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ith the London Olympics fast approaching, Leatherhead has recently hosted several conferences looking at sports nutrition. At one, I was alarmed to hear that athletes could be at risk of disqualification because of their use of popular dietary supplements. At another, I was amazed at the massive growth in the global sports drinks market.

So here's a quick tour of the newest science and market trends in sports nutrition.

Sports nutrition products fall into three main categories – drinks, foods and supplements. According to Leatherhead's recent global

Sports drinks mainly address the first two needs. The major players are PepsiCo, Coca Cola and GSK, and typical brands include Powerade, Gatorade and Lucozade.

Calorie-free electrolyte tablets, containing minerals like sodium and potassium, are also available to dissolve in water. During prolonged exercise sessions an intake of 60g of carbohydrate per hour is recommended (about 240 kcal). During hard exercise, muscles experience minor protein damage which causes postexercise soreness. By consuming protein after exercise, this damage can be rectified. Protein-containing

market report on sports performance and energy products, the global market is worth over $42billion. The top three players are US (42%), Europe (15%) and Japan (12%). Between 2006 and 2010, global sales of sports drinks increased by 38% reaching 20 billion litres. Sports foods – typically snack and energy bars – are also popular, but sales of sports supplements outside of the US remain limited due to suspicions about functional ingredients. Most consumers prefer straightforward vitamin and mineral supplements.

The three main benefits of sports nutrition products are energy, hydration and muscle recovery.

sports drinks can help but, in my opinion, a glass of milk can fulfil the same objective.

Another trend impacting the market is the blurring of boundaries between sports and energy drinks. Energy drink brands such as Red Bull (which contains caffeine, taurine, glucuronolactone, B vitamins, sucrose, glucose and water) have been re-positioning their products claiming they help to improve physical and mental alertness.

Sports supplements were once the preserve of body-builders intent on increasing muscular bulk, but they are increasingly appealing to a much broader market. They have

three main functions: increasing muscle size, strength and tone; providing energy; and aiding weight loss.

To increase muscle size and tone, consumption of protein and essential amino acids are recommended. Research has indicated that milk whey and casein are better than vegetable proteins. Recommended daily intakes vary from 1.2g to 1.6g per kg body weight, depending on exercise regimes.

For energy provision, a carbohydrate source is needed.

However some supplements contain creatine and caffeine to enhance energy provision prior to, or during, exercise. Creatine is thought to help by increasing phosphocreatine stores and by buffering lactic acid, a by-product of anaerobic exercise that leads to muscle pain and fatigue. Caffeine and guarana reduce feelings of fatigue and effort via direct stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, which increases adrenaline release.

For weight loss (in conjunction with a calorie-controlled diet and regular exercise), supplements such as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), carnitine, chromium and fucoxanthin are claimed to increase fat burning. However more research is required in this area as evidence from human studies is inconclusive.

Athletes however need to be careful. At a recent Institute of Food Science and Technology conference, Dr Roger Clemens, president of US Institute of Food Technologists and a former elite athlete, warned that athletes consuming US-legal supplements could be at risk of disqualification under latest International Olympic Committee rules. Even ergogenic aids, like caffeine, can push legal boundaries.

Although Olympic athletes are scarce, amateurs are increasingly engaging in sport, nutrition and exercise in a more professional way. This is why the market for sports nutrition products is burgeoning and why Leatherhead scientists are busy helping food companies to develop opportunities in the sports nutrition market.

4

Kraft 'finds' secret to low-calorie chocolate

K

raft Foods, which owns chocolate maker Cadbury, has filed a patent for the manufacture of low-calorie chocolate. This new method is said to preserve quality and texture while extending shelf life.

Previous attempts to develop a low-calorie chocolate had resulted in a product that lacked both richness and the appropriate mouthfeel – texture, melting behaviour, firmness and snapping characteristics.

According to the patent application. “These shortcomings are particularly evident for the

contain thermodynamically stable water, surfactant, co-surfactant and a non-aqueous component.

In chocolate manufacture the addition of up to 5% water to a chocolate mass reduces the processing window to less than one minute and necessitates the subsequent removal of the moisture.

The filing notes that a level of 5to-10% water leads to almost instantaneous firming-up of a chocolate matrix and water levels beyond 10% lead to the development of viscoelastic properties which prevent

prior art chocolate-type products, which lack a texture similar to the texture of regular chocolates and a cocoa flavour similar to the flavour of regular chocolates.”

processing of the resulting mass.

These difficulties are, according to the application, not encountered when using the structured liquid, because the water is not 'free' but 'entrapped' in a thermodynamically and kinetically stable state.

Structured liquid At the heart of the application is the use of a 'structured liquid' which allows increased moisture in the product, permitting a reduction in sugar and fat, so reducing calories.

The structured liquid is said to

This leads to beneficial properties such as little, or no, agglomeration when incorporating the structured liquid into chocolate-type products, which are the result of its special wetting behaviour.

J-K postal dept to deliver Non-carbonated drink industry may dry fruits, saffron online touch Rs 54,000 cr by 2015: Study

P

eople worldwide will now find it easy to get Kashmiri saffron and dry fruits delivered at their doorsteps through online booking through an initiative of the Jammu and Kashmir Postal department here. "Under the scheme 'Gift Post' people around the world can book their order for Kashmiri saffrons, almonds and dry fruits, through an online service and the delivery will be done through the postal services department," Chief Post Master General of Jammu and Kashmir circle John Samuel told reporters today. "If a person in London wants to have Kashmiri saffron, he can access our website, book the order and we will order it from the Srinagar GPO," he

said. Another scheme 'Expressions' launched for the residents of Srinagar will enable them to deliver a bouquet, chocolates or a cake to their dear ones within the city, after booking from the post departments.

"A person can book bouquets or anything else and we will arrange the delivery on a specific date and time," Samuel said. He said the service is specially meant for birthday and anniversary events, but can also be used for religious or community events. Samuel said the postal services department offers a choice of three types of bouquets costing between Rs 500 to Rs 700 and three varieties of cakes in this scheme. PTI AZH MIJ RCL

G

rowing at a CAGR of about 35 per cent annually, the Indian non-carbonated drinks market is likely to touch the Rs 54,000-crore mark by 2015, industry body Assocham said.

Currently, this market is around Rs 22,000 crore, including fruit drinks, nectars and juices.

Factors seen responsible for this growth are greater disposable incomes, particularly in urban areas, and a preference for traditional and healthier beverages even if they are relatively more expensive.

Also raising awareness levels with regard to obesity and other weightrelated health issues, especially amongst teenagers and young adults, has helped push sales of non-carbonates, said an industryspecific analysis of The Associated

Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India. The findings indicated a strong shift in consumer beverage demand towards noncarbonated alternatives, creating new opportunities for drinks manufactures in the country.

The Indian juice market is dominated by Dabur's Real fruit juices, while PepsiCo's Tropicana has a 45 per cent market share. Real is the market leader in the packaged fruit juices category with over 50 per cent market share, ASSOCHAM Secretary-General, Mr D. S. Rawat, said.

The non-carbonated markets are growing at a double-digit growth rate while the Indian carbonated drinks market has declined by 15-20 per cent in the last three years.

There has been a strong shift in the

consumer beverage demand towards non-carbonated alternatives, creating new opportunities for drinks manufacturers in the country.

The recent ASSOCHAM survey was based on responses from 2,500 representatives. About 80 per cent of the respondents preferred noncarbonated drinks in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.

The juice category is the fastest growing segment at present, at 3035 per cent per annum growth. The fruit drinks category has also been witnessing growth of around 10-15 per cent annually. Metropolitan cities are the largest consumers of non- carbonated drinks and are going to be the biggest consumers, the survey maintained.

Beverages & Food Processing Times-July-II-2012

Food Processing News

5

FPI is hot for investments, in India F

ood processing appears to be emerging as a hot sector for investment, if the preliminary meetings recently held across districts as a run-up to the 'Emerging Kerala' investor meet to be held in Kochi in September are any indication.

According to officials at the

various district industrial centres across the state in several districts projects connected with food processing were in the range of at least 40 per cent.

The meeting had been convened by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation with

entrepreneurs district-wise.

Besides food processing, the other sector that had entrepreneur interest was tourism. The projects proposed were mainly in the small and medium enterprise sector and included a wide range of products from pickles to readyto-eat stuff.

The KSIDC executive director, Mr TP Thomas Kutty, said that food processing would certainly get priority.

A separate sectoral session on food processing would be there at during the Emerging Kerala meet. Special exclusive food

processing zones would be set up within industrial growth centres in the state. A theme park for food processing was also under consideration, he added.

The state has been in the forefront of seafood processing.

Incidentally, the nearly Rs 1,300-crore annual sea food processing is just around 15-20 per cent of the installed capacity of the industry.

The situation is much better in the spice processing sector with leading players and the state way ahead in spice oils and oleoresins.

While efforts

have been on to make the state the hub for spice and seafood processing, the interest shown by entrepreneurs in other food processing items should help make the state be a hub for

processing most of the food items, say leaders in the industry who expect the Emerging Kerala meet to be a platform for giving it the much-needed push.

Beverages & Food Processing Times-July-II-2012

Sweeteners

6

How do you secure a consistent source of stevia and the right bulk sweeteners to pair with it?

T

he EU approval of stevia – Europe's first naturally derived high intensity sweetener – last November was hailed as a massive regulatory milestone with the potential to change the way food and beverage products are sweetened in Europe.

This may be true but stevia is not going to achieve market domination overnight. The road to developing stevia-sweetened products is long and wrought with regulatory and technical hurdles.

Steviol glycosides are high-intensity sweeteners meaning they are hundreds of times as effective as sugar on a weight basis. All highintensity sweeteners are only used in tiny amounts because they are so potently sweet. In this respect stevia presents a similar challenge to synthetic high-intensity sweeteners like aspartame, acesulfame K and sucralose – that of replacing the bulk provided by sugars.

“In the case of steviol glycosides the solutions – where required – are similar to those for other high potency sweeteners, except that there is obviously a preference for natural bulking agents,” says John Fry, director of Connect Consulting and principal consultant to Cargill Health & Nutrition, supplier of stevia under the Truvia brand.

Partnering polyols According to Cargill's arch rival PureCircle, stevia works well with polyols and other oligosaccharides which replace sugar's bulking quality.

In the US the zero-calorie sugar alcohol erythritol has proved to be one of the most popular polyol partners for stevia. Cargill's tabletop sweetener Truvia, which commands 13% of the US sugar substitute market, is a combination of erythritol and stevia.

“In the US erythritol is considered natural and this polyol is an ideal blending agent for steviol glycosides. Erythritol not only has zero calories but displays qualitative synergy with steviol glycosides, improving the taste profile markedly. It is a bulk sweetener, so can also contribute to bulk replacement,” explains Fry. Jungbunzlauer has developed an erythritol and stevia blend branded Erylite. A spokesperson for the company explains why erythritol and stevia make such a good team.

“The blend of Erylite and rebaudioside A is highly synergistic.

Rebaudioside A brings an off taste along with the sweetness and has no bulk. Erythritol in turn has a sweetness level of 50% compared to sugar but is a bulk sweetener and has a strong taste enhancing effect, as well as eliminating the off taste and lingering sweetness,” says the spokesperson.

Jungbunzlauer says the advantage of using Erylite Stevia rather than the two individual sweeteners is that it is easier to use and ensures accurate dosing – one of the main problems with high-intensity sweeteners.

Erythritol also offers an advantage over other polyols in that it is the only sugar alcohol that is classed as zero calorie in the EU. “All other polyols have a minimum

of 2.4kcal/g, allowing a maximum reduction of 40% sugar calories when used as a sugar replacer. In addition, erythritol is much more tolerable to the human digestive system – no laxative effects are observed at typical consumption levels,” says the spokesperson.

As to whether the natural status enjoyed by erythritol-stevia blends in the US also applies in the EU, Jungbunzlauer believes it does.

EU approval of stevia was granted.

It is not surprising, therefore, that several manufacturers have already launched products sweetened with stevia and isomalt.

For example, at the start of 2012 the sugar-free variant of Pulmoll, the German hard-boiled candy, was relaunched with a new recipe.

Pulmoll is now sweetened with stevia rather than acesulfame K and aspartame which has enabled it to

take into account regulatory considerations – in the EU the use of stevia in combination with sugars is only permitted if it results in a calorie reduction of at least 30%.

Besides promoting a calorie reduction, beverage manufacturers may also be able to make a toothfriendly claim if they opt for Beneo's 'next generation carbohydrate' Palatinose (isomaltulose) – the first sugar to

sound, he says some manufacturers are looking to blend stevia with synthetic sweeteners.

“There is some demand to remove aspartame, despite its safety and efficacy,” he says. “This could result in blends of stevia with acesulfame K or saccharin being considered.”

In some cases, he says it is the other way round, with manufacturers seeking to replace one or both of the latter sweeteners with a combination of stevia and aspartame.

“There is certainly pronounced quantitative and qualitative synergy between reb A and several synthetic sweeteners, such as aspartame, that makes such blends attractive.”

Stevia selection of course developing good tasting stevia sweetened products isn't just about finding the right blending partners to provide bulk and mask off flavours – it is also about selecting the right steviol glycosides in the first place.

“Significantly, the quality of the extract and the amount of individual steviol glycosides used can have a major effect on the flavour of the end product: depending on the formula, this can result in a liquorice nuance and slightly bitter aftertaste,” says Wild's Ortmann.

Her observations are backed up by John Fry, who notes “the degree to which steviol glycosides exhibit non-sweet side tastes depends on the glycoside and the amount used.”

“After a thorough review we are convinced that a natural labelling is acceptable for Erylite Stevia. This is based on the fact that Erylite Erythritol is obtained by yeast fermentation and that stevia extracts are a plant based product,” says the spokesperson.

So far, Jungbunzlauer reports success with Erylite Stevia in tabletop sweeteners, yoghurts and confectionery.

Isomalt meets its match Isomalt is another polyol that is emerging as a good match with stevia particularly in confectionery products.

“Isomalt is derived from sugar beet, which means it has a sugar-like sensorial profile, but it delivers a milder sweetness than sucrose – around 50%,” says Dr Thomas Walter, head of new business development at Beneo. “The sweetness gap is filled with stevia so you end up with a very sugar-like taste profile, no bitterness and no off tastes, and the bulk gap is filled with isomalt, which provides mouthfeel and texture that stevia alone does not offer.”

Combining stevia and isomalt results in technical, as well as sensorial benefits, according to Dr Walter. “Isomalt is nonhygroscopic, which prevents stickiness and ensures shelf-life stability for confectionery and chewing gum products.”

Furthermore, he points out that isomalt enables manufacturers to adopt a tooth-friendly positioning.

Dr Walter says that development activity involving isomalt-stevia systems started a long time before

change its slogan to 'Naturally Pulmoll – the soothing little helpers'. Isomalt and stevia are also being used to sweeten Villars, the sugar-reduced chocolate from Switzerland.

There are, however, some limitations to the use of stevia in conjunction with polyols like isomalt and erythritol, the main one being EU legislation that prevents the inclusion of polyols in beverages. This means that options for soft drinks are limited to using stevia either as a single sweetener, in combination with artificial highintensity sweeteners, or with sugars.

Stand alone stevia?

According to Fry, in the US, a number of drinks companies are successfully using stevia as a single sweetener. However, he concedes that this only really works for drinks that require a low level of sweetness, such as vitamin waters and flavoured waters, as for most soft drinks the amount you would need to use would exceed the acceptable daily intake.

“Consequently blending steviol glycosides together with reduced amounts of sugar may become the norm,” he says. “This is advantageous as steviol glycosides blend particularly well with other sweeteners, and careful formulation can achieve sugar reductions of 3050% that consumers like just as much as full-sugar versions.

“This approach has been successful in the USA where juice-based drinks sweetened with a combination of fruit juice and stevia are a real hit.” Here again, though, manufacturers must be careful to

have tooth-friendly credentials.

Derived from beet sugar, it is a white, crystalline powder which gives the same energy as sugar and a similar sweetness. Beneo says it has trialled Palatinose in conjunction with stevia in toothfriendly iced tea drinks (both readyto-drink and powder formats) and found it to deliver a masking effect and good mouthfeel.

Taking the fruit route Another alternative to conventional sugars that lends itself to combination with stevia is the natural fruit extract Fruit UP from Wild.

“Fruit UP is entirely extracted from fruit in a physical production process that uses no additives, chemical or otherwise,” explains Silke Ortmann, product manager at Wild. “In contrast to the production methods of other sweetening options, the manufacture of Fruit UP involves no enzymatic treatment at all. As such the product satisfies consumer requirements and is the ideal sweetener for clean label products.”

She says possible applications include fruit-containing beverages, smoothies, lemonades, sports drinks, near water beverages and herbal or tea drinks. In addition it can be used in dairy, bakery and confectionery applications.

Wild has also developed 'Taste Optimisation Technology' which it says eliminates the characteristic liquorice nuance and partly bitter aftertaste of stevia.

While Fry maintains that the real blending opportunity for stevia is with sugars, unlikely as it might

The EU requires that steviol glycosides supplied as food ingredients are a minimum of 95% steviol glycosides and that the glycosides comprise at least 75% of reb A and stevioside (either or both) – the two main glycosides in the leaf. Within those limits any variation is possible and in practice, Fry says, products range from virtually pure reb A (95% or more) to those high in stevioside.

He says reb A is widely considered to be the best tasting of the major glycosides in the leaf, and high reb A content is associated with the best taste performance.

However, he argues that in fact, consistency of supply is a more important criterion.

“The EU has quite complex rules controlling the maximum amount of steviol glycoside allowed in any particular product and the calculations depend on the exact composition of the ingredient. Once you have set your formulation you don't want lot-to-lot variation in glycoside composition to jeopardise either the taste or legality of your product.”

PureCircle's VP global marketing and innovation, Jason Hecker, also highlights variability as a potential issue with stevia. “As stevia is a naturally derived ingredient, this variability can begin with the plant and continue through to the finished product. Manufacturers must evaluate several factors to ensure a stevia supply with consistent quality, quantity and taste.”

He says PureCircle has a vertically integrated supply chain from plant breeding to finished product for a scalable, reliable and safe supply of high-quality stevia products.

Beverages & Food Processing Times-July-II-2012

7

Beverages & Food Processing Times-July-II-2012 Mango exports to the US reach all time high

M

ango exports to the US have been dropping steadily over the last 5 years, however, this year has seen

growers from some areas not registering to export their produce.

Information from the Agricultural and Processed Food Product Export

something of a contrast with a large rebound. Shipments have rebounded 118% to reach an all time record of 208 tonnes. Last year, for example, saw just 95 tonnes exported.

This may have been more were it not for the fact that the export season was delayed one month due to extended Winter weather and

Development Authority suggests that mango exports to the US began on April 25th this year. In just over two months after that totals exports were more than the entire season had been back in 2008-2009.

As well as starting late the exports also finished earlier than usual this year - by two whole weeks.

F & V News

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China agrees to import of Nepalese citrus

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epal and China have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), enabling Nepal to export two types of citrus fruits—orange and sweet orange—to Tibet.

Representatives of the two

countries signed the deal at the third Nepal-China Tibet Trade Facilitation Committee (NTTFC) meeting held on July 4-5 in Lasha.

Naindra Prasad Upadhyaya, joint secretary at Ministry of

Commerce and Supplies, who led the Nepali delegation at the meeting, said this was the first time after Nepal's accent to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) that the country received a facility under Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures.

Shyam Kishor Sah, director at the Department of Agriculture, signed the MoU on behalf of the Nepal government.

"This deal ensures easy access of Nepal's orange and sweet orange to the Chinese market," said a participant of the meeting, adding that the Chinese government has also agreed to expand the product list.

Officials at the Agriculture Ministry said it plans to export 100 tonnes of sweet orange and 1,000 tonnes of orange in the initial phase after issuing a grade separation of quality and quarantine certification.

India to play key role in improving banana variety Karnataka gets mango committee

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n what may peel away obstacles to growing a pest-resistant banana variety, scientists have completed the first ever genetic map of the ubiquitous fruit, which should provide them useful leads on the long sought after variety.

Even though they are not part of the sequencing team, Indian scientists

will chip in with their work in fulfilling the globally cherished scientific dream of developing a pest-resistant banana.

As an international team of researchers published the banana genetic sequence in Nature on Wednesday, it created a buzz among a motley group of South Indian researchers, including a few from Bangalore, who are part of an international project to develop a better banana variety based on the

new genetic information.

“The genetic information can be used in understanding the fruit's evolution, pests and disease tolerance and crop improvement programme. It helps develop better quality fruits,” K V Ravishankar, a senior biotechnologist at the Indian Institute of Horticulture Research

(IIHR), Bangalore told Deccan Herald.

Ravishankar and his colleagues from IIHR, National Research Centre on Banana in Thiruchirapalli and University of Kerala are part of Global Musa (banana) Genome Consortium, whose mandate is to improve banana quality using the latest scientific tools.

“The sequencing has been done within the framework of the global consortium and is a huge step

towards understanding the genetics and improving banana varieties,” said Angélique D'Hont, team leader at CIRAD – a France-based international centre for agriculture research and cooperation.

Being one of the world's most important staple crops, banana ranks fourth after rice, wheat and maize, on the basis of its production value. It is important for food and economic security of more than 400 million people in southern countries.

But the fruit is under constant pressure from a range of diseases, the most well-known of which are black Sigatoka disease and Fusarium wilt. Both, a section of plant scientists argue, can wipe out the fruit from the earth. Such threats necessitate research in developing pest-resistant varieties of banana.

The newly available genome sequence provides access to each and every one of the plant's genes – more than 36,000 of them – and to their position on its 11 chromosomes, making it easier for researchers to identify genes responsible for disease resistance and fruit quality.

It would be a vital tool for improving banana varieties using genetic resources available worldwide, said D'Hont. The sequencing – outcome of a ten-year research project by two French institutes, CIRAD and CEAGenoscope – provides a crucial stepping stone for future genome studies, and may represent an important step.

Inventor of pomegranate de-seeder shortlisted for NASA award

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ASA has shortlisted Assamese inventor, Uddhab Bharali for its prestigious Technology Award.

Bharalia has also been nominated for the World Technology Award 2012, from the World Technology Network.

Bharali has 39 patents to his name, but the one he is best known for is his mini pomegranate de-seeder.

"I am among the 26 innovators from across the globe to have qualified for the NASA award," Bharali said. "I have qualified

for developing the mini pomegranate de-seeder, which has become very popular in the United States."

The machine, exported to the US and Turkey, separates the outer cover and thin inner membrane of a pomegranate without damaging the seeds.

It has a capacity of de-seeding 50-55 kg of pomegranates per hour.

T

he High Court of Karnataka ha set up a committee to monitor the implementation of measures introduced to facilitate

mango production and ensure a market for it within the state.

The state government has submitted a list of 14 people who will sit on the committee.

The Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Horticulture will head the committee and Principal Secretary, Agriculture Department, Director of Agricultural Marketing, Director of Horticulture and others are the members of the panel.

A mango grower, Ashok Krishnappa, was also selected as a member following a submission by the counsel for petitioners.

The committee will work to aid farmes in growing, harvesting and post harverst techniques as well as maintaining a database relating to those with a stake in the industry.

The Court directed the committee to call a meeting within 15 days.

Mulberry fruit processing units create employment opportunities for Kashmir youth

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he Department of Agro Industry in Jammu and Kashmir has set up food processing units for the production of Mulberry jams and juices to

generate employment for the youth and to prevent the rotting of mulberry fruit.

The Sher-E-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) in collaboration with state's agro industries has initiated steps to introduce Mulberry jams and syrups.

The divisional manager of the state agro industries, Mohammad Rafiq Khan, said the setting up of the food processing units would provide employment opportunities to the youth.

"In case our youth is ready to join us they are having good opportunity to try in department of horticulture.

The SUKAST has 3 months and 6

months courses in food technology.

If they undergo this training, they can come to us for factory training for a month or for two months and can gain technical knowhow," Khan said.

The unemployed youth appreciated the initiative of the department and said that the private sector should invest in it.

"The mulberry fruit was being wasted. It is a good step taken by the state government as they have set up processing units. If the private sector gets involved in it, it will reap more profits," Sadat Ahmad, an unemployed youth, said.

The department is also trying to acquire a natural colouring agent from the Mulberry fruit, which could be useful to the food industry.

SKUAST has produced mulberry concentrate, mulberry jam, and mulberry resins.

Farmers who own mulberry farms enjoy additional economic benefits from these plantations that were so far used only for silk related items.

Mulberry leaves produce world's famous Kashmir silk, while mulberry fruit is famous for its sweet flavour and for various health benefits.

Beverages & Food Processing Times-July-II-2012

Interview

We have just made a beginning with

RINAC CONNECT for BANA BARN & COOL BARN

How do you see the present status of Cold Chain in India, especially in case of fruits vegetables and other perishable items like sea food, dehydrated vegetables etc.?

The Cold Chain in India has been highly fragmented and it continues to be ineffective in the overall context. In the year 2007, the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India made the first initiative for the development of Cold Chain in an aggressive manner through formation of Cold Chain Task Force. But that was predominantly into horticulture – fruits and vegetables; nonetheless it was also considering all the aspects related to the Cold Chain.

The Cold Chain Task Force was initiated in association with CII and the success is certainly to the extent of creating Technical Standards, the absence of which was a great constraint in the past towards the development of cold chain for the perishable products.

With regard to the incentive for Cold Chain development, Government of India through Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Food Processing Industries have provided capital subsidy at the initial investment stage. However, the problem continues to exist on the revenue accounts side as the revenue realised does not cover the expenses of buying, processing and selling these perishable goods.

Currently the energy labelling is available for airconditioners which forces the manufacturers and the users to consume less power inter alia spend lesser recurring expenses. In the absence of this parameter, the power intensive cold storages are saddled with energy inefficient products which also contribute towards the mismatch between the revenue and the expenses. In this situation of food security concern, one cannot afford to waste food products and the preservation through Cold Chain almost becomes mandatory. All the constituents of this sector namely policy makers, growers & producers and traders including retailers have to work jointly to

mitigate the current situation. We have a long way to go and this is the present state of affairs.

Mr Krishnan you have vast

perishable food items in this country. The design is indigenously developed to meet the requirements in India. A strong technical team is operating continuously within RINAC towards application engineering, refrigeration system design and insulating materials etc. for this business agenda.

In order to exchange views for this purpose, we have a programme called RINAC CONNECT; this is a customer contact programme intended to raise awareness on all aspects of the refrigeration systems of the perishables.

Recently, we conducted a RINAC Connect programme at Tiruchirapalli Tamil Nadu for Banana Ripening Chamber (BANA BARN, a brand name introduced by RINAC) to explain

process is a four day cycle and the large energy consumption is required for only one day when there is a pull down of temperature.

Another such RINAC CONNECT was conducted for COOL BARN, an energy efficient refrigeration system for food preservation by various contractors, traders and users. The indoor and outdoor units of refrigeration system are very important to match for delivering the desired result for food preservation. The outdoor units are supplied by few manufacturers and the indoor units are made available by others leading to a situation the purchaser should use his technical expertise in the selection of right product for meeting their food preservation requirements. This constraint was observed by RINAC and has brought a composite refrigeration system (both indoor unit and outdoor unit) with a suitable selection table for various products and similar RINAC CONNECT programme was conducted at Chennai for this purpose.

RINAC not only develops products of food preservation need but also arranges a platform for healthy exchange of views to create awareness among the users

R

INAC India Limited is an integrated engineering solutions company having expertise in end-to-end solutions for the cold chain and modular construction infrastructure. The company is the front runner in providing total solutions in the cold chain and this leadership is out of the domain expertise, technology leadership, service excellence and the customizing capabilities developed by the company over a long period of time.

RINAC are the pioneers in providing cold chain solution in this country; after all, RINAC does not import the technology fully; all the cooling systems are designed by RINAC professionals for the ambient conditions applicable in this country. The reliability of the cooling system is extremely important in preserving the basic integrity of any perishable goods. It is for this reason the Ministry of Agriculture (Government of India) has come out with the Technical Standards for various types of cold storages. The recently formulated National Centre for Cold Chain Development (NCCD) by the Ministry of Agriculture may also be a step towards building the reliability of the system.

The state-of-art manufacturing facility, creative design and engineering department to provide solutions for all types of cooling needs in the perishable sector and the time tested execution and service are some of the key contributions by RINAC to this critical need of the country.

While speaking to R Krishnan, the CEO of RINAC India Ltd. the editor of Beverages & Food Processing Times, Firoz H Naqvi came to know about the company and its eminent work in the zone of food preservation and visible effort in curbing the food losses. experience in this industry. Can you tell us about the work and the development done by you and the company to minimize food wastage and educate the people who do not know about the latest technology development in the Cold Chain industry?

RINAC is a company formed and operating for over a decade in food preservation. Reducing the food wastages through effective storage is the basic purpose of the company. RINAC are pioneers in providing cold solutions for the

the preservation of quality of banana coupled with energy efficiency and elimination of weight loss. This programme was attended largely by farmers, growers association, officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and scientist from National Banana Research Centre. This provided a platform to debate various aspects of uniform ripening of banana through a pressurized chamber and the use of rack type refrigeration system for ensuring minimum power consumption considering the fact that ripening

and dispel the fears in terms of right selection.

With the lot of companies working at it do you think wastage of food has reduced from 30-40 percent to lesser percentage in the last 10 years?

You know that hardly 2% of fruits and vegetables pass through cold chain that too in a fragmented manner and the rest move directly.

However some of the items like milk and milk products are certainly better engaged in the Cold Chain. If you wish to have

9

30 – 40% of the perishable food to move through cold chain, there is a substantial infrastructural change that may be required in terms of rural power, perishable logistics, rural roads etc. The evaluation of reduction in losses would thereafter become meaningful. It is a distant dream as of now.

RINAC is among several in the front runners of total solutions in the Cold Chain. But what plan do you have to make it a nationally dominant company, especially in the Cold Chain sector?

RINAC is a company having two manufacturing units at Bangalore and Murbad (Maharastra) and has its presence in major metros. This initiative is supported by nationwide dealer network. This infrastructure is intended to create a national presence for the products and services that we are providing in the Cold Chain sector.

Product standardization invariably will facilitate the scaling up of operation. However, perishable food items require lot of customization particularly when the country is in nascent stage in the cold chain sector. The success will arise out of customizing each product for a specific segment and to move towards standardization for scaling up thereafter. RINAC is therefore concentrating on both the fronts. In the marketing area we have a Dealer Division which will focus on standardized product for scaling up. The Project Sales Division is intended to work towards customization which is also the need of the market. It is in this process, otherwise dominant RINAC, will eventually develop as more visible player in the Indian market.

As you worked in Tamil Nadu for Banana Ripening Chamber, we have several other places with similar requirement like in Maharastra for grapes and pomegranate, banana hubs in Jalgaon, sea food hubs in Kerala etc. Do you have any future plans for which we can ask industry to wait and watch for?

Absolutely yes! We have just made a beginning with RINAC CONNECT for BANA BARN and COOL BARN. You know, our refrigeration systems are both Freon and Ammonia based. The Ammonia based system is predominantly used in sea food, dairy, meat processing etc. and the Freon based systems are used in normal preservation and food distribution system. Quite often, market gets confused with refrigeration selection due to unscrupulous recommendation by some of the manufacturers.

We are coming out with RINAC CONNECT programme for 'one stop solutions to the seafood industry with IQF, Blast Freezer and Plate Freezer etc. supported by application engineering and post installation services. Many more such programmes are planned for various applications across the country to facilitate a healthy exchange of views and ultimately offering a total solution for food preservation. We are very serious about the reliability and energy efficiency in our engineering evolution process.

Beverages & Food Processing Times-July-II-2012

Dairy Ingredients report

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Developing Ant D

airy industry plays an important role in the socio-economic development of India generating huge rural employment and providing cheap nutritional food to a vast population. The Indian dairy industry is growing rapidly, trying to keep pace with the galloping progress around the world.

Presently, India is the world's largest milk producer, accounting for more than 13 per cent of world's total milk production. In the next 10 years, India's dairy sector is expected to triple its production in view of expanding potential for export to Europe and the West. The urban market for milk products is expected to grow at an accelerated pace of around 33 per cent per annum to around Rs 43,500 crore by 2015. This growth is going to come from the greater emphasis on the processed foods sector and also by increase in the conversion of milk into milk products.

The emergence of a significant middle-class, urbanisation and the expansion of modern shopping habits by busy, health-conscious and well-informed consumers is raising the consumption of packaged milk in India. Economic growth is sustaining the purchasing power of Asia's middle-class, which is set to fuel demand for healthy packaged products in supermarkets and convenience stores from Shanghai to Mumbai. The changing demographics are changing the way people are consuming dairy products. The burgeoning middle-class is driving demand for new types of liquid dairy products in both developing and developed markets. Increasingly, consumers are opting for ready-to-serve dairy products which ride piggyback on the fast food revolution sweeping the urban India.

The effective milk market is largely confined to urban areas, inhabited by over 25 per cent of the country's population. An estimated 50 per cent of the total milk produced is consumed here. The expected rise in urban population would be a boon to Indian dairying. Presently, the organised sector both cooperative and private and the traditional sector cater to this market.

This January the nation and the Indian dairy industry had felt the shock of knowing that more than two-thirds of Indian milk was adulterated with items ranging from salt to detergent and may be unsafe to drink. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India conducted a survey in 33 states and found that 68.4 per cent of 1,791 milk samples were contaminated. In urban India, nearly 70 per cent of samples were found to be contaminated, compared with 31 per cent of samples in rural areas. This survey created a negative atmosphere for the dairy sector not only in front of its consumers Five months after India's food regulator exposed widespread adulteration of milk- TheIndian dairy industry has bounced back with further expansion plans and with new entrants.

Sahara India Pariwar has announced its decision to make a venture into dairy business from next year.It isalso set to open one lakh consumer merchandise franchisee retail outlets across the country within the next couple of years.

The outlets will be opened in stages starting from Rajasthan by March this year, and expand the network to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand by June-July. The entire retail network across the country is slated to become operational by March next year.

Mr Subroto Roy, Chairman of the group stresses that there main emphasis would be on the quality of the and in the time when there are constant reports about widespread adulteration of products, especially of food products, available in the market and the group would take it as a challenge to supply only high-quality products through its outlets.

Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, which sells dairy products under the popular brand Amul, expects to increase its exports by 20 per cent on the back of surging demand.This company has significant presence in overseas markets like the USA, Mauritius, UAE, Oman, Bangladesh, Australia, China, Singapore, Hong Kong and a few South African countries.

Amul the largest food brand in India and world's largest pouched milk brand with an annual turnover of USD 2.2 billion (2010-11) is now going to open 1,000 outlets this fiscal.

Currently, Amul's main competition in segments like dairy whitener, baby food and condensed milk comes from Swiss major Nestle, while in frozen food category it plays against regional players such like Vadilal and Kwality.On the core milk segment, Mother Dairy is its main competitor.

A scorching summer is good for dairy product makers. The capital's corporate milkman is betting on this for high growth. Mother Dairy, the wholly owned subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) with sales in excess of Rs. 5,200-crore, plans to double its dairy products turnover by the end of the fiscal year 2013-14, aided by ready-toeat kheer and fruit yoghurt on which rival brands such as Amul and Danone have pushed ahead in the past one year.

By 2013-14, Mother Dairy surely will be Rs. 1,100 crore businessand they plan to achievethis by adding capacities and expanding pan-India distribution and marketing.The dairy products division is growing at a 35 per cent annual clip and 13 new ice cream derivatives are planned to keep up the momentum.

The global opportunities available to the Indian dairy industry arise primarily out of availability of a large quantity of competitively priced milk.

Most of the traditional health and wellness products sold through the dairy sector are represented by processed dairy products such as malt beverages and infant nutritional products. Growing and organised retail penetration is expected to aid the growth of the diary market in India. The visible trends are that the consumption of milk products is on the rise. While it is growing at about 1-1.2 per cent elsewhere in the developed world, India and China are beating these trends. A number of categories which are highly dependent on organised retail like frozen food products are expected to witness significant growth in the years ahead.

W

e are frequently reminded of the urgent need for a safer food supply by large-scale foodborne disease outbreaks and the frequency of massive food recalls. This was chillingly illustrated by the impact of the deadly enterohemorrhagic (EHEC) E. coli O104:H4 German outbreak in 2011 that resulted in more than 50 deaths, numerous serious illnesses, and tremendous economic damage to the European produce industry. EHEC E. coli and its cousin Salmonella are two of the most frequent causes of food recalls in the United States, illustrating that measures for controlling just these two gram negative enterobacteria are woefully inadequate. There clearly is an urgent need for more antimicrobials that can be utilized to impart increased security to our food supply system against a broader range of potential food borne pathogens. These, of course, need to be antimicrobials that are safe and “natural” as there is an equal consumer concern over the use of chemical preservatives in foods. Given the passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) in 2011, which requires the implementation of preventative measures against foodborne pathogens, this likely will be an essential component of the implementation of this law.

Antimicrobial Peptides

Natural antimicrobial peptides from food-grade sources provide an excellent opportunity to supply this increased safety assurance to the food supply system. There are no adverse consumer concerns about incorporating natural peptides in foods that are digested upon ingestion but have the increased functionality of antimicrobial activity while in the food system. Bacteriocins are peptide-based antimicrobials that are produced by many bacteria to inhibit competing bacteria in their habitat. This is just one of many “competitive” features that bacteria can use for successful establishment in an environment.

While many bacteriocins have a very small spectrum of antimicrobial activity, often limited to closely related species or even to just different strains within the same species, some do have a broad range. This particularly applies to the lantibiotics, which are a subclass of bacteriocins that

undergo post-translation modifications, such as dehydration and cyclization reactions and, in some cases, the addition of groups to specific amino acids, thus forming novel amino acid structures (Willey and van der Donk, 2007). The effect of these modifications can greatly influence the stability of the peptide, thus making it more resilient to food processing conditions, as well as the antimicrobial spectrum.

Nisin, produced by certain strains of the cheese starter culture Lactococcus lactis, was the first lantibiotic to be characterized, having been first identified as a non-acid antimicrobial inhibitor in 1928 (Rogers and Whittier, 1928). It exhibits a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity among gram positive bacteria, specifically by binding to the membrane-bound lipid II precursor for peptidoglycan synthesis, leading to pore formation in the cell membrane and inhibition of cell wall synthesis. The outer membrane of gram negative bacteria provides a barrier, preventing it from binding lipid II. Nisin has numerous applications as a natural, peptide-based food preservative in many foods worldwide. As a purified food ingredient, it has just one application approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S.; that is to prevent the outgrowth of Clostridium botulinum spores in processed cheese. However, as nisin and many other bacteriocins are produced by food-grade lactic acid bacteria (LAB), the fermentation of foods such as whey-based materials with these cultures can generate a food matrix naturally enriched with these antimicrobial peptides.

Spray drying these matrices can create a natural antimicrobial dairy-based ingredient that can be utilized widely in the food industry to protect against gram positive spoilage and pathogenic bacteria.

While many different foods can form the basis for these functional ingredients, dairy provides an ideal medium as dairy fermentations such as cheese result in whey-based byproducts that form very suitable fermentation substrates for LAB that are also cost-effective. This strategy forms the basis of some shelf-life extenders or similar food-grade antimicrobial products in use today. While this provides good protection against gram positive bacteria, gram negative bacteria provide an area of vulnerability for a food industry that wants to avoid chemical preservatives.

Lantibiotics from Actinobacteria

Table 1. Genera of bacteria from which lantibiotics have been isolated1. From Daniel J. O'Sullivan The vast majority of lantibiotics that have been characterized to date are produced by gram positive bacteria from the Firmicute phylum of bacteria, which are characterized by a low G+C (guaninecytosine) content in their DNA. This includes the LAB, which are the most relevant to the food industry. See Table 1 for a list of the bacterial genera from which lantibiotics have been isolated.

However, some members of the Actinobacteria phylum (characterized by a high G+C content) have been found to produce lantibiotics with novel modifications and increased antimicrobial functionality. For example, microbisporicin produced by Microbispora coralline was found to contain two unusual modifications, a chlorinated tryptophan and two hydroxyl proline residues, and its antimicrobial activity extended to some gram negative bacteria, specifically Moraxella catarrhalis, Neisseria spp., and Haemophilus influenza (Castiglione et al., 2008). While its antimicrobial activity didn't extend to the enterobacteria, it did demonstrate the potential for lantibiotics to overcome the outer membrane protection barrier of gram negative bacteria to exert its antimicrobial properties. Recently in my laboratory, a novel strain of Bifidobacterium longum was shown to have the potential to produce a lantibiotic that also exhibited activity against gram negative bacteria, including the enterobacteria, highlighting the potential for increasing the availability of natural peptidebased antimicrobials for broadspectrum control of both gram positive and gram negative pathogens in our food system (O'Sullivan and Lee, 2011).

Bifidobacteria

Figure 1. Scanning electron micrograph of Bifidobacterium longum DJO6A, which is an

Beverages & Food Processing Times-July-II-2012

Dairy Ingredients report

11

imicrobial Dairy Ingredients exopolysaccharide-producing human isolate. From Daniel J. O'Sullivan/Ajmila Islam Bifidobacteria also belong to the Actinobacteria phylum and are important as probiotic cultures in the food industry. They are frequently incorporated in foods such as yogurts and other fermented milks solely for their potential probiotic attributes.

The association of bifidobacteria with good intestinal health first occurred over a hundred years ago when the pediatrician Henri Tissier at the Institute Pasteur in Paris, France, noted that the stools from healthy breast-fed infants were dominated by irregular rods or “bifid” shaped bacteria (Figure 1), which were conspicuously absent from stools of babies with infantile diarrhea (Tissier, 1900). He even treated infantile diarrhea by feeding bifidobacteria (then called Bacillus bifidus) to infants (Tissier, 1906), which likely represents the first deliberate example of our current probiotic concept.

Subsequent studies throughout the last century also established an association between the declining numbers of bifidobacteria in the stools of older people and a corresponding increase in other microbial groups, such as clostridia and enterobacteria (Mitsuoka and Hayakawa, 1973).

While the general association of bifidobacteria with good intestinal health is widely accepted, the health effects of ingesting bifidobacteria cultures in foods is not sufficiently scientifically validated, a position currently echoed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). This may well be due to the choice of current strains that are used for bifidobacteria cultures in foods, which were isolated and characterized without the benefit of the current understanding(which is still incomplete) of what characteristics are important for bifidobacteria functionality in the gut. This may explain the rapid disappearance of ingested bifidobacteria cultures from the gut following cessation of feeding (O'Sullivan, 2005). To further investigate this issue, a research project in my laboratory examined available commercial and culture collection strains for the production of siderophores (iron chelators) during growth on buffered low iron media. The rationale for this is that scavenging for iron is vital for successful competition in environments of physiological pH, given the insolubility of iron at this pH (Neilands, 1981; O'Sullivan and O'Gara, 1992).

While siderophore-like compounds were not detected

from these cultures, new intestinal isolates of bifidobacteria did display this ability (O'Sullivan, 2004). This was one of the criteria used to select B. longum DJO10A as a representative of an intestinal strain of B. longum that has undergone minimal attenuation.

Genomic Analysis of Bifidobacteria

Figure 2. Bioassay of a crude lantibiotic preparation from agar grown cultures against a gram positive indicator (M. luteus), gram negative indicator (E. coli), and the producer B. longum DJO10A. From Daniel J. O'Sullivan To evaluate potential genomic differences that may exist between intestinal and available culture collection strains, the complete genome sequence of B. longum DJO10A was deciphered and compared to the culture collection strain, B. longum NCC2705. This analysis revealed two very similar genomes, with the major difference being a smaller genome in strain NCC2705, primarily due to the absence of large “chunks” of DNA that are present in strain DJO10A (Lee et al., 2008). Interestingly, these DNA regions encoded features that would be predicted to be important for competition in the gut, but not useful in pure culture. One of these features was a lantibiotic, which has obvious implications for competition in the gut, but not in pure culture. Based on this comparative genomic analysis (as well as bioinformatic predictions), it suggested the possibility that prolonged culturing of bifidobacteria in pure culture environments may promote the loss of DNA regions that are no longer needed. To experimentally validate this hypothesis, B. longum DJO10A was cultured in pure culture for 1,000

generations and then examined to see if it lost some of the DNA regions that were predicted to have been lost from strain NCC2705. This revealed the loss of the lantibiotic gene cluster in an almost identical deletion event that was predicted from strain NCC2705, confirming the hypothesis.

Subsequent analysis revealed that B. longum DJO10A did not produce any lantibiotic during growth in broth cultures, but did produce a small amount during growth on agar media. This enabled a crude preparation of the lantibiotic to be obtained and bioassays with this revealed antimicrobial activity against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria (Figure 2).

Regulation of Lantibiotic Production Figure 3. Real time PCR

demonstration of switching on expression of the lantibiotic gene cluster in broth cultures of B. longum DJO10A by adding the crude lantibiotic preparation in a dose-dependent fashion.

From Daniel J. O'Sullivan Figure 4. Model for expression

production of the lantibiotic needed to be elucidated in order to devise strategies to permit its production during fermentation conditions. A complete genome microarray analysis was first conducted to investigate gene expression in B. longum DJO10A during growth on agar compared to growth in broth media. This revealed that all the genes involved in lantibiotic Enlarge tand his Image production processing were only expressed during growth on agar media. However, its regulatory genes, including its two-component lanRK genes that control expression of lantibiotic genes by sensing the lantibiotic in the environment outside the cell, were expressed in both conditions (Lee et al., 2011). This suggested that it should be possible to “switch on” the lantibiotic genes by adding crude lantibiotic to broth cultures. This was confirmed (Figure 3) and therefore provided a means of switching on the lantibiotic genes during growth in broth and thereby enabling lantibiotic production during fermentation conditions.

While lantibiotic production in broth did occur as confirmed using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, the amount produced was exceedingly small and of no use for any practical purposes. While this research demonstrated the “on switch” for the lantibiotic genes, it also demonstrated the existence of another level of regulation preventing full expression. To investigate this we mapped the lantibiotic promoter and demonstrated the presence of a large region of DNA between the promoter and the beginning of the lantibiotic structural gene (lanA) that potentially contains a repressor binding site, which would explain the extra regulator associated with this system and also the limitation for lantibiotic production in broth media (Figure 4).

of the lantibiotic gene cluster in B. longum DJO10A showing the “on switch” controlled by lantibiotic in the medium outside the cell and the “off switch” involving binding of the LanR1 repressor to the promoter region. From Daniel J. O'Sullivan To prepare functional dairy ingredients enriched with this lantibiotic for broad spectrum antimicrobial activity, it is first necessary to enable its production during liquid fermentation conditions.

The production of dairy ingredients from fermentation with lantibiotic-producing foodgrade cultures holds tremendous promise for the development of

Therefore, the molecular details of how the bacterium regulates

broad-spectrum antimicrobial ingredients based on natural

Future Potential

peptides. While the LAB currently provides some lantibiotics with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against gram positive bacteria, they have minimal effect on gram negative bacteria. The bifidobacteria hold the promise for supplying lantibiotics that go beyond the gram barrier and potentially supply natural peptide antimicrobials effective against the enterobacteria. The molecular understanding of the regulation of lantibiotic production by B. longum DJO10A provides the foundation for this possibility by showing that production of its broad-spectrum lantibiotic under fermentation conditions should be feasible by disabling its repressor system or understanding how to control it.

This should expand the range of peptide-based antimicrobial ingredients that have efficacy against the enterobacteria and limit the vulnerability of our food supply to these prevalent pathogens.

The production of dairy ingredients from fermentation with lantibiotic-producing foodgrade cultures holds tremendous promise for the development of broad-spectrum antimicrobial ingredients based on natural peptides. While the LAB currently provides some lantibiotics with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against gram positive bacteria, they have minimal effect on gram negative bacteria. The bifidobacteria hold the promise for supplying lantibiotics that go beyond the gram barrier and potentially supply natural peptide antimicrobials effective against the enterobacteria. The molecular understanding of the regulation of lantibiotic production by DJO10A provides the foundation for this possibility by showing that production of its broad-spectrum lantibiotic under fermentation conditions should be feasible by disabling its repressor system or understanding how to control it.

This should expand the range of peptide-based antimicrobial ingredients that have efficacy against the enterobacteria and limit the vulnerability of our food supply to these prevalent pathogens. http://www.ift.org

Beverages & Food Processing Times-July-II-2012

Food Grains News

12

Canada's First Centre for Training Dubai sees decline in Skilled Workers in Food Processing

E

conomic development executives from the Ontario Food Cluster are attending SIAL Brazil, The Latin American Food Marketplace, and the related Fispal Food Service Trade Show, promoting the new Conestoga College Institute of Food

Processing Technology (IFPT) among other strengths to international companies that want to invest in Ontario's expanding $34 billion agri-food sector -- an industry that includes $9.9 billion of exports.

The Ontario Food Cluster currently includes 3,200 food and beverage companies that make up the secondlargest food and beverageprocessing jurisdiction in North America. They take advantage of Ontario's excellent location and transportation links to 450 million affluent food consumers through the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Located in Waterloo Region, the mandate of Conestoga College's IFPT is to bolster Ontario's global reputation for food quality with a new generation of skilled front-line plant floor workers. IFPT graduates are ready for jobs in state-of-the-art

food processing plants as line operators, material handlers, machine operators, maintenance assistants, cleaning and sanitation lead hands, and supervisors. IFPT offers the first Canadian program to address this area of employment.

"IFPT graduates are ready to handle

the latest touch-screen computer and robotics technology. The Institute's creation was driven by the Alliance of Ontario Food Processors who made it an industry priority," says Luis Garcia, Chair of IFPT. "International companies setting up new baked goods, vegetable processing or bottling plants in Ontario can also turn to IFPT to develop custom training for new workers being hired, and this is modeled on successful industry training partnerships Conestoga College has forged with companies like Toyota."

"IFPT is the latest example of the Ontario Food Cluster's compelling innovation-driven talent base," says Barbara Maly, an agri-food Business Development Specialist with the City of Guelph, one of 13 cities and regions that make up the Cluster. "International companies moving to or expanding in Ontario

Irish Dairy Board acquires UK cheese ingredients company

T

HE IRISH Dairy Board has continued its active acquisition and disposal strategy with the acquisition of UK cheese ingredients company, the Cheese Warehouse.

The acquisition comes a month after the exporter sold its Belgian cheese-packaging business to Dutch dairy cooperative Royal FrieslandCampina.

The Cheese Warehouse is based in Shropshire, England, where it produces cheese-based products such as grated and diced cheese, which are then supplied to food companies.

Established in 2004, the Cheese Warehouse had turnover of €38 million for the year ending February 29th last.

Irish Dairy Board chief executive Kevin Lane said the acquisition would complement

its existing cheese ingredients operations in Britain.

He added that it would also help to develop the dairy board's business in Britain as Ireland looked for new purchasers for Irish dairy produce following the abolition of milk quotas in 2015.

The Irish Dairy Board, which exports most of Ireland's dairy products and has sold to markets in 80 countries, already has a significant presence in Britain.

Its Adams Foods plant in Leek in Staffordshire packs about a third of Britain's hard cheeses. It also has a significant food ingredients operation.

The Irish Dairy Board also owns Meadow Cheese, a cheese and dairy-based ingredients company acquired in 2003.

About 31 per cent of the Irish Dairy Board's exports last year went to the UK.

can tap into a renewable resource of graduates from over 55 university and college programs concentrating on agriculture, food science nutrition and other related food programs."

Preparing and packaging the food we eat is Ontario's number one industrial sector, with more than 130,000 direct jobs and another 483,000 workers in related sectors.

Ontario expects to grow agri-food industry revenues about 15 per cent to $40 billion by 2013.

The IFPT opened in the fall of 2011 as part of a recent $125 million dollar expansion of the Conestoga College campus. Students learn to produce baked goods, vegetables and bottled beverages on three dedicated production lines. The lines handle everything from raw materials to finished, packaged products -- just like a real food processing plant. The focus is on training workers who know how to work as a team, who understand the entire food processing operation and how they can impact line efficiencies, productivity and maintenance. In addition, IFPT programs stress communications skills, basic food chemistry, and documentation around key issues such as food quality and safety.

To put the "icing on the cake" both literally and figuratively, a unique feature of the IFPT program is access to other Conestoga College students in programs such as Robotics and Electronics. For example, students recently worked with an Ontario food company to develop an application for a robot that can both "de-pan" cupcakes and put the icing on the pastries with laser-guided precision. Garcia stresses that graduating IFPT students are ready to step right into food processing plants and very quickly become part of the manufacturing team.

food poisoning cases

C

omplaints on food poisoning in Dubai have reduced by nine per cent during the year 2011, thanks to the strict measures implemented at various levels by the civic body coupled with regular food inspections across eateries, food processing units and retailers.

Tests conducted on food samples at the central lab in the year 2011 also showed a 51 per cent decrease in non-compliance with municipal specifications, a senior official at Dubai Central Laboratory (DCL) said. Hawa Al Bastaki, head of DCL under Dubai Municipality, revealed that the food lab at the DCL examined a total of 26,072 food samples imported to or distributed in the emirate. There is a 41 percentage increase, compared to the same record in 2010.”

Tests

“About 22,898 chemical and microbiological reports on foodstuff were also issued by the central lab.

The DCL also issued about 645 survey reports last year.”

“A total number of 127,808 tests were conducted by the lab last year,” she added.

“All these tests were carried out to confirm whether these food items were suitable for human consumption in accordance with conditions and specifications set by the DM to safeguard public health,” she pointed out.

Maha Al Hajri, head of Food and Environment Section at DM, revealed that the central lab examined about 297 food samples with suspected poisoning in 2011.

“However, there was no major case as reported to be containing poisoning elements in the food.”

'Thai investors to enter JVs in cool chains, food processing'-Pakistan

K

arachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) urged the Thai investors to enter into joint ventures in cool chains, food processing and halal food sectors.

President KCCI, Mian Abrar Ahmad exchanging views with the Thai Consul General Wichai Sirisujin asserted upon the need of building trading blocks of Pakistan with Asian countries, Central Asian Republics and SAARC countries.

Due to geo-strategic position, Thailand and the countries worldwide may exports to these blocks through Pakistan.

Pakistan was never allowed economic independence and liberty by the developed countries, which they allowed to Bangladesh, India, Malaysia and Vietnam in the region.

He urged the Consul General to suggest and convince the Bangkok Chamber to form joint Chamber with KCCI on the pattern of Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint

Chamber.

He highlighted possibilities of joint ventures in food processing, halal foods, gems and jewellery, footwear, garments, tourism, computers and electrical appliances.

He requested the Consul General to invite business delegation and exhibitors to participate in the Karachi Chamber's My-Karachi Oasis of Harmony Exhibition in July 2012.

Sirisujin said trade was not balanced hence two sides should sit together to deliberate and explore more possibilities of economic and commercial cooperation with open mind and remove the obstacles which were hindering the two-way trade. He assured his best possible support to KCCI to facilitate the business community.

Possibilities of cooperation in food processing do exist and private sectors of two countries should explore it, he added.

Hong Kong-based snack brand EDO enters Indian market

H

ong Kong-based KIU Fung Hong, manufacturers of snack food and confectioneries, under brand 'EDO', on Monday forayed into the Indian

market through its distribution partner Four Leaf Technologies.

The company has inked an agreement with FMCG trading company - Four Leaf Technologies

for distributing its products in the country. Stating that the company was scouting for a "suitable" partner for the distribution of its 300 varieties of products, EDO Trading Company, Marketing Manager, Victor Gung said, "We were waiting for so many years (to tie up with a company)... We are happy to find the right company.. (Four Leaf)".

"Indian middle class segment is getting bigger and bigger and they are waiting for a quality product.

EDO Pack is the one," he said.

The company has launched 50 products out of its 300 products that are currently available in various markets. Four Leaf Technologies Founder-Director Vinodh Suchitha Dinakar said they are expecting to garner revenues of Rs 100 crore in the first year of operations.

The city-headquartered company also distributes various products, including FoodTown, Priya Pickles.

Beverages & Food Processing Times-July-II-2012

News

13

Tripura border fencing hits Australia - 50,000 cattle take a bit of handling thriving pineapple trade

S

T

he erection of barbed wire fencing in Tripura along the 865-km-long border with Bangladesh has enhanced security, but has led to the decline of age-old pineapple cultivation in the state.

The fencing has robbed the state's thriving pineapple cultivation of its predominant market - Bangladesh.

Tripura is one of the leading pineapple-growing states in the Northeast with the total production estimated at around 117531 mt during 2010-11.

A pineapple trader said, "When the border was open, we used to sell pineapples in Bangladesh which gave us good returns. But after the fencing came up, unofficial trade was stopped."

This fact was corroborated by the superintendent of the horticulture department in Sonamura subdivision, where the fruit is grown in plenty, Bimal Das. In desperation, many pineapple growers have switched to rubber cultivation, which, they claimed, is paying them good dividends.

Wakhiram Tripura, a pineapple cultivator at Jumerdepha village in Sipahijala district, now grows rubber in his pineapple orchard and says it fetches more money than pineapples did.

The picturesque village on the hillocks, surrounded by forests, was once famous for the production of the world famous 'Queen' variety of pineapple, and is now slowly turning into a rubber growing region.

Wakhiram produces rubber in one hectare of land which brings him about Rs 30,000 per month, which is three times the money earned through selling pineapples.

"It is difficult for me to run my family with the money earned from pineapple sale, whereas rubber gives us the wherewithal for a decent living," Wakhiram said.

Hundreds of pineapple growers have followed the example of Wakhiram, threatening their age-old occupation.

Concerned over the development, the Tripura government has stepped in and is taking various initiatives to reverse the trend, aware of the tremendous potential of a robust pineapple-based economy in Tripura.

The initiatives include infrastructure development like creation of Tripura Food Park, introduction of investment-friendly schemes, investment in land customs stations, laboratory for testing food products, cold storage chains and training programmes for staggered pineapple cultivation to make it available round the year.

"It is much needed for creating an

environment conducive enough for a steady growth of the food processing sector which includes pineapple," the chairman of Tripura Industrial Development Corporation, Pabitra Kar, said.

Government officials admitted that no proper fruit processing unit was working in the state.

"Though the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Limited was incorporated in 1982 with the North Eastern Council as the promoter, they are not effective enough to support pineapple growers," he said.

In order to give a fillip to the food processing industry, the central government has put stress on creating mega food parks, retail outlets, cold storage chains across the country, a CII executive here said.

Those along with the efforts by the governments of India and Bangladesh to open several border markets or 'hat' have put a smile back on pineapple cultivators' faces as they would be able to sell their produce to an established consumer base.

However, not to discourage rubber cultivation, the Tripura government is at the same time aiming at increasing the area coverage of rubber cultivation from the present 55,000 hectares to one lakh hectares.

ometimes if you want to get ahead in this world, you have to go out and do things yourself.

For Jack Burton this statement definitely rings true and he is currently putting plans into action to take back control of his product.

This "product" entails more than 50,000 head of Brahman cross cattle spread across seven stations plus Dorper sheep being run on properties that stretch from the Goldfields to Geraldton.

The operation runs under the trading name, Yeeda Pastoral Company.

While Jack's look-after-yourself attitude may seem selfish to some, market forces, bureaucratic decisions and a lack of encouragement for primary production have all combined to

push him in that direction.

Jack is a big picture kind of bloke and his vision involves producing his own beef, Kimberley Free Range Beef, that he can market across Australia and the world.

While the events surrounding last year's ban on live export to Indonesia may have added some impetus to his desire to control what he produces, his vision is not something that grew from those events.

"I have been thinking about this since I was a kid," Jack said.

"I am sick of being a price taker and I guess I want some control over my future and my family's future instead of sitting around waiting for things to get better on their own accord.�

While Jack admits live export has been, and still is, great for his family and his operation and

he has faith that it will continue for many years yet, he said there has been an unhealthy reliance on that market for too long.

"That can only lead to trouble," he said.

But if you think that starting up your own beef label and processing your own cattle couldn't be that hard - think again.

One of the first steps in the plan is building a large scale beef abattoir that will enable the Burton family to process their own and outside cattle.

There has not been a new abattoir built in WA in 20 years and since 1995, 17 WA abattoirs have closed down.

Jack says they are more fortunate than others in that they have the luxury of not having to outlay too much cash too early to get things moving.

Beverages & Food Processing Times-July-II-2012

News

14

Establishing critical control points in product inspection

D

eveloped in the 1960s by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as a comprehensive means of ensuring food safety for astronauts, the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) programme is now an international standard in the food industry and the basis for global food safety legislation. Key to complying with HACCP is the establishment of critical control points (CCPs) on your production line.

These are points where inspection can take place after contamination and product defects are most likely to have occurred. The position of the points can vary depending on the type of product and how it is processed. Each product and process brings with it the risk of a specific type of contamination.

The beginning of the production line is a common potential CCP. The production line receives raw products from a variety of sources that can contain a number of contaminants, such as bone in meat or stones in grain.

It is important to identify unwanted matter early on in the process to prevent further problems down the line, as contaminants can fragment into smaller particles making them more difficult to find.

Undetected contaminants can also damage processing machinery.

Processing raw ingredients can lead to contamination of the product and damaged machinery can leave metal shavings or slivers in food, which can prove difficult to detect further down the production line due to their irregular shapes and the changing properties of the processed product.

The packaging stage is often identified as a CCP as contamination could have occurred during processing allowing shards of glass or metal slivers for instance to enter the product. Additionally there is an opportunity at this point to perform a number of quality checks, including monitoring fill levels.

To ensure product integrity and eliminate unnecessary costs, it is important to identify any defects and product giveaway so non-conforming product can be appropriately rejected. Detecting defects and contamination prior to sealing and shipping also allows you to rework the products to reduce waste.

Once products are completely sealed, there is little opportunity for contamination to occur. Many manufacturers place their inspection systems at the end of their production line as a final check immediately prior to despatching the product to their customers.

Identifying the CCPs on your production line is just the first step in developing your product inspection programme. A well designed programme is not simply about checking for quality or complying with international food safety legislation, it is vital for combating contamination in the first place, reducing waste and boosting productivity.

Neil Giles is marketing communications manager for the product inspection division of Mettler-Toledo.

Beverages & Food Processing Times-July-II-2012

Food Grains News

15

The right strategy for wheat exports T

he Government is in a bind over subsidising export of Indian grain from the Central pool. The issues that come into play are: Extreme volatility in global wheat prices, progressive rupee depreciation, lower Indian quotes relative to other origins, weather-related issues, WTO subsidy-compatibility concerns and overflowing stocks.

the daily prices of a commodity are discovered. Unless the

discounted/subsidised by Rs 6,520/mt from economic cost of

In the current situation, the Government may be well advised to opt for the following course of action: Fix export target of five mt by March 2013 — pushing monthly exports to 0.6 mt as against current rate of 0.1 mt.

As of July 1, 50 million tonnes (mt) of wheat is languishing in public godowns, against buffer/reserve norms of 20 mt.

The enormity of the task of evacuating Government-held stocks via export has, therefore, multiplied.

Decide subsidy from the central pool, by consenting to offer OMSS price to trade/exporters on “port delivered basis”.

Offering the OMSS rate for export will be WTO compatible too, since the wheat is being exported at the same rate as that being offered to domestic mills.

WORLD MARKETS There is no denying that in June, world prices rose due to extreme dry weather in Russia and the US, and projections of lower global output. Black Sea countries (India's most potent competitors) have hiked quotes from $ 250 to $280 free on board (fob), while Indian contracts by private trade are being concluded at $250-$255 fob.

As of June 30, Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) quotes have also escalated to $ 273/mt, from $243 at the time of STC's tender opening on May 24. Will international prices remain well supported in the coming months, too?

No one can really tell. But harvest pressure in abovementioned regions in JulyAugust, weakening of the rouble, and India entering the world market with subsidised grain, are bearish signals for the coming months.

Will the Government now consider confirming the transaction to the highest bidder of STC tender at $228 fob/mt – inclusive of fobbing expenses of $40/mt and service charges of 2.5 per cent plus duty entitlement pass book scheme benefits of one per cent? An international trader will have to add additional 5 per cent on $228 as risk premium and profit — totalling $ 240 — for selling to a third party.

Confirming the business at $228 that was based upon quotes of May 24, 2012, while the world market is now up at $280 (after 45 days), can create a controversy for the government.

Likewise, not taking a decision on the tender would convey a lack of faith in the formal bidding process.

Frankly, the Government cannot take any non-contentious decision on subtle and multiple variable parameters on which

recommended a discount of Rs 8000/mt for 2 mt of grains (Rs 1,600 crore) from central pool and Rs 150 crore inland transport subsidy for one mt to private trade.

export deal is settled immediately after tender opening, as Egypt and Bangladesh do for wheat import, decisions are likely to be frustrated by unpredictable price gyrations.

GOVT's DILEMMA At the same time, the very idea of pursuing tendering route via three PSUs for exporting 4-5 mt of grains and then bids to be considered for acceptance or rejection by a high level committee is self-defeating.

PSUs lack functional autonomy and operational flexibility for undertaking negotiated business, i.e. without calling for tenders.

Even the global tender of STC attracted two or three valid bids.

This limited participation is an apparent rejection of the procedural format contemplated by authorities.

The other predicament is that wheat from the open market is currently exportable at $ 255/mt fob basis, assuming Rs 55 to the dollar and a reasonable trader's margin. At Rs 57-to-the-dollar, the same is reduced to $246 fob/mt.

But FCI's wheat at economic cost is $320/mt or Rs 18,220/mt ex-depot, or around $350/mt fob. Compulsions of managing meagre marketable surplus can limit sourcing by private trade.

At the same time, FCI values, beyond market rates, will not result in substantial reduction of its stocks, which is the primary objective of subsidisation.

ALTERNATIVES AT HAND The Government under OMSS (Open Market Sales Scheme) has already declared price of Rs. 11700/mt for flour millers/actual users/States — where, too, there is only marginal lifting. This OMSS price is

Rs 18,220/mt and is closer to the open market price.

The Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC) has

Subsidy may be dynamically calibrated by linking it to movement in CBOT prices at quarterly intervals.

Dispose of old stocks of 3-4 years vintage (as feed wheat) that are rotting and burdening warehouses with carrying costs of Rs 5000/mt per annum at a discount of Rs 1100/mt over the price of normal wheat.

Abolish tender systems, because once subsidised price is fixed, based on a transparent CBOT-linked formula, it will enable both public and private sector exporters to participate with gusto.

Railways may be advised to move at least 15 rakes per day to port towns so as to plan haulage of approximately one mt per month.

Efforts to export wheat should neither be slow-paddled nor reversed, as overflowing stocks do not justify that course of action.

(The author is a grain trade analyst.)

16

Beverages & Food Processing Times-July-II-2012

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Beverages & Food Processing Times-July-II-2012

Backery

17

Working with Nature Charles Tremewen, Kevin Li and Carl Horn Af Rantzien unmask the myths surrounding formulating products with stevia. perceptions of the herb, it does not eliminate the compounds that cause the lingering taste issues.

Using masking agents and creating sugar/stevia blends can alleviate but not eliminate the taste problem in stevia. Innovative producers have since created newer and advanced extraction technologies that focus on isolating the positive glycosides and removing the negative ones from stevia extracts, thereby creating shorter “tails” and taste profi les that are close to sugar.

Contrary to the perception by a few manufacturers that stevia cannot be used in baked goods, the sweetener is stable at high temperatures found in baking facilities.

There is a narrow gap between the consumer acceptance of stevia extracts and higher quality solutions today, making the allnatural, zero-calorie sweetener an increasingly desirable product for formulators. The appeal for stevia by consumers is meanwhile driven by an increased demand for products with natural, low calorie food ingredients. Stevia has formerly been shrouded in several myths that have haunted both extract producers and product formulators. These arose from past concerns with stevia extracts that include bitterness and aftertaste; inconsistent taste quality among batches; the inherent diffi culties working with the fi ne powdery extracts; unsatisfactory applications in baked goods; and that they are more expensive than sugar. These issues have caused extract producers to tell the truth about the natural herb by reinventing the way stevia is grown, processed and sold as the “next generation sweetener”. The race is on to produce a pure, high quality and great tasting sweetener solution with a taste profi le that is similar to sugar and is therefore acceptable to consumers. Here are more details.

low in taste. The issues with bitterness, a licorice note and aftertaste are what formulators refer to as the “long tail” or lingering taste on the tongue (see Chart 1). As sugar sets the gold standard with its short tail for stevia extract manufacturers to meet, cutting the “tail” will ultimately lead to a better

Myth #1: Stevia extracts have an undesirable bitterness, licorice note and aftertaste.

Reality: They have a clean, sweet taste that is close to sugar.

Stevia needs to overcome the common perception that it ranks

consumer acceptance and closer taste to sugar. Traditional extraction methods have been based on purifying Reb-A glycosides to a high purifi cation level of 95-100%. Although this method reduces the negative

Myth #2: The quality of stevia varies and is inconsistent from batch to batch.

Reality: Innovative extraction methods ensure reliable and consistent quality of stevia.

Formulators have been experiencing product inconsistency when using stevia extracts in food and beverages.

Even though the industry provides high grade stevia extracts, the quality of these compounds may vary from batch to batch. This results to issues when formulators manage the natural plant-based product. The annual harvest of stevia can also be affected by variables such as cropping practices and climatic conditions that affect the growing season, which impact plant quality and yields. Such inconsistencies will ultimately affect formulation irregularities and complicate the management of product outcomes.

Stevia producers are overcoming this problem by selectively cultivating higher quality and yield plants with predictable amounts of preferred steviol glycosides. The use of newer and more innovative extraction

methods, as well as solutions of blended steviol glycosides, is producing high quality and pure extracts with predictable, reliable and consistent taste profi les.

Myth #3: Stevia extracts are

diffi cult to handle and mix with other ingredients.

Reality: Combining stevia extracts with fl avors makes mixing easy.

Stevia extract users often say the sweetener is diffi cult to handle and mix, which could be overcome with more knowledge and experience. There are challenges to dissolving fi ne grade high-purity extracts such as a Reb-A 97% or Stevioside 97% into a solution, as the fi ne and powdery consistency tends to become airborne during transfer and mixing. It is also buoyant on liquid surfaces.

Combining the sweetener with fl avors would improve mixing, which is as effective as using high speed blending techniques. There are also viable methods for dissolving these light, high purity glycosides with a better understanding of the nature of the product and the management techniques recommended by suppliers of stevia extracts.

Manufacturers are also coming up with different particle sizes and combinations to aid the mixing process.

Myth #4: Stevia extracts cannot be used in baked goods.

Reality: They are used as calorie reducing agents for baking.

Contrary to the perception by a few manufacturers that stevia cannot be used in baked goods, the sweetener is stable at high temperatures found in a baking facility. As zero-calorie is not an important factor in baking and sugar is usually added into baked goods, stevia is best used as a calorie reducing agent, which lowers the calories of the fi nal product, reduces cost and is a

high-purity stevia extracts as a sweetener has been higher than that of sugar and other natural high-calorie sweeteners such as sugar beet and high fructose corn syrup. In the past 12 months the cost of high-purity stevia extracts has however been coming down, as the cost of sugar rose. A Food Business News report in August 16 last year said “with major sugar cane and beet processors offering bulk refi ned sugar at $0.59 to $0.60 per pound through 2012, sugar users are dealing with historically high prices with no short term let-up in sight”. Compared to other available zerocalorie, all natural sweeteners, stevia has therefore shown to be cheaper to use than alternatives such as monk fruit and agave. The increasing demand for sugar by Asian countries such as China and India, as well as the limited supply of sugar beet and sugar cane acreage in the market would most likely keep sugar prices up. This makes stevia extracts a viable allnatural, zero-calorie sweetener solution today. In addition, manufacturers are improving horticultural practices, as production methods become more effi cient.

Conclusion Stevia extract producers have made inroads towards understanding the herb and improving its taste, usability and cost of use. By turning to innovative, ground breaking solutions that companies have worked hard to eliminate stevia's less desirable attributes, formulators are seeing the truth about using the ingredient, as consumer enjoy healthy,

natural sweetener replacement.

sweetened food.

Myth #5: Stevia extracts are too expensive to use.

Reality: Prices of sugar are soaring worldwide.

Historically, the cost of using

Charles Tremewen and Kevin Li are from Glg Life Tech Corp and Carl Horn Af Rantzien is from the International Stevia Council.

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Beverages & Food Processing Times-July-II-2012

Packaging News

19

Nichrome'the pioneer and leader in VFFS packaging

'

Nichrome'the pioneer and leader in VFFS packaging since 1977, has been the packaging partner of the food and non-food manufacturing companies, by supplying packaging machines designed to meet their exact needs for over three decades, With over 5000 installations in 40 countries worldwide, Nichrome is considered as the reliable partner in Packaging by its customers.

Along with VFFS range for solids, liquids and powders, Nichrome also offers VFFS Multilane technology with technical collaboration with ProdoPak, USA and HFFS packaging machines with technical collaboration with TOTPACK, Spain for Dairy, Food, Cosmetics, Pharma and chemicals.

Nichrome's Filpack Servo SMD for Oil – High Speed, Accurate and Hygienic Nichrome presents its High speed Oil packing solution – Filpack Servo SMD. The only Double head machine in the market with an output of 70-80 packs/min, saves the Manpower as only a single operator is required for double output. This machine is PLC Controlled, Servo driven and is equipped with operator friendly touch screen. It has Motorized Web Tracking, Jumbo film roll Trolley and is capable to run on 320 mm web width as compared to existing 325mm web width. This Filpack Servo SMD can pack Edible oils, Ghee, Vanaspati and also a variety of viscous products such as Tomato puree, Mango pulp, Fresh cream, Shrikhand, Mayonnaise and many more.

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GM labeling norm will hurt packaged edible oil

T

he Union Consumer Affairs Ministry notification on mandatory labeling of packaged food products containing genetically-modified foods or food ingredients may primarily be targeting imported foods that are flooding the domestic market. But it will willynilly have an impact on the domestic market for vegetable oil and vanaspati (hydrogenated oil).

India annually produces approximately 11-12 lakh tones of cottonseed oil, a significant part of which in recent years is extracted from genetically-modified cottonseed.

To be sure, in the process of oil extraction the problematic protein remains in the cake/meal and not in oil. Even small traces of protein that may be found in the unrefined oil will be removed after refining. In case of cottonseed oil, it is mandatory that the oil sold to consumers is in the refined form.

Apart from going for direct human consumption as liquid oil, cottonseed oil is used as a raw material for vanaspati.

It is incorporated as an ingredient in the making of vanaspati that usually is a mixture of many oils and hydrogenated. So, will packaged cottonseed sold for human consumption be labeled as GM food? Also, will vanaspati incorporating genetically-modified cottonseed oil be subject to labeling? The industry will have to ponder over this issue. Additionally, India imports about 10-15 lakh tonnes of soya bean oil from abroad (Argentina, mainly) that is extracted from genetically modified soya bean. Will these oils, too, if sold for direct human consumption as liquid oil or incorporated as ingredient in vanaspati, be subject to labeling?

India produces about 15-17 lakh tonnes of soya bean oil from indigenously grown soya bean which obviously is non-GM. Both indigenous and imported soya oils usually get blended in the marketplace which makes it nearly impossible to distinguish one from the other.

Unfortunately, identity preservation and traceability are virtually unknown concepts in our country. A large part of vegetable oils is sold in loose and not packaged form.

Implementation of the mandatory labeling rule is sure to affect companies that sell packaged cottonseed oil and soya bean oil while allowing others to escape the law.

For the authorities seeking to enforce the labeling rule, it is going to be well-nigh impossible to detect whether cottonseed oil or soya bean oil is of GM origin. There is suspicion, the law enforcers may not have appropriate testing tools or equipment. Such a state of affairs is fraught with risks for the industry. The sooner it seeks clarity from the government the better. Because the oil, especially after refining, does not contain any protein, it may be desirable to exempt such goods from the mandatory labeling law.

In any case, for over eight years now, Indians have been consuming cottonseed oil of GM-origin, either directly or in the form of vanaspati, without any complaint. It is strange the policymakers are now keen to give consumers a chance to make an informed choice.

There is also danger that consumer perception may be swayed against GM foods. What prevents the government from strengthening its border controls so as to ensure that unauthorised and unlabelled GM foods do not enter the country?

Beverages & Food Processing Times-July-II-2012

Himachal invites private funds for food processing

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UP invites companies for setting up food processing units

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India defers discussion on raising import taxes on edible oils: KV Thomas

s leading producers of potatoes in the country, the state government assured industrialists that it would assist entrepreneurs in setting up food processing units in the state. At a Potato Conclave organised here, agriculture production commissioner Alok Ranjan

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imachal Pradesh is inviting private investments in the food processing industry, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said.

"The state has identified food processing as the thrust area and is exploring possibilities in motivating entrepreneurs to set up fruit-based units," Dhumal said at a function organised by the Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh Industries Association in Solan district.

He said there was scope for

large-scale production of fruitbased value added products in the state.

The chief minister said 79 percent of the industrial investment in the state had been made in Baddi-BarotiwalaNalagarh (BBN) industrial belt.

"Finished goods worth Rs.1,701 crore have been exported from BBN industrial area in 201112," he said.

The hill state saw investment worth Rs.12,560 crore in medium and small industrial units in the past four years.

interacted with senior representatives of companies like PepsiCo India, Merino Enterprises, ITC's techno and agri-based division, Radico Khaitan, Potato King and invited them to set up food processing units in the state.

Ranjan also assured them that with the government working to put together a new food processing policy for UP, efforts were being made to iron out all concerns faced by industrialists and entrepreneurs in the past.

Consulting Editor Basma Hussain

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imachal Pradesh is inviting private investments in the food processing industry, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said.

"The state has identified food processing as the thrust area and is exploring possibilities in motivating entrepreneurs to set up fruit-based units," Dhumal said at a function organised by the Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh Industries Association in Solan district.

He said there was scope for

large-scale production of fruitbased value added products in the state.

The chief minister said 79 percent of the industrial investment in the state had been made in Baddi-BarotiwalaNalagarh (BBN) industrial belt.

"Finished goods worth Rs.1,701 crore have been exported from BBN industrial area in 201112," he said.

The hill state saw investment worth Rs.12,560 crore in medium and small industrial units in the past four years.