featured in this issue - NZIFST - The New Zealand Institute of Food ...

Review of R&D
support to the
high-tech sector
In-Brief
Clean label technology from Zymus
Over the last decade there has been an
increasing demand for food and beverage
products that contain no additives and/
or no preservatives. The proposition of a
“Clean Label” is a move by food and beverage
manufacturers to create food and beverage
products that are simpler and more
understandable to consumers.
In February 2011, FSANZ reclassified Velcorin,
a technology developed by the
specialty chemicals group LANXESS, as a
processing aid which means that it now
doesn’t need to be listed on the label. This
decision is in line with regulatory compliances
for major beverage markets like the
USA and Germany, where Velcorin is also
registered as a processing aid.
The FSANZ reclassification of Velcorin from
a food additive to a processing aid, gives
the beverage producer the opportunity to
replace traditionally used preservatives with
Velcorin, and allowing the creation of a
“Clean Label”.
Velcorin is not present in the consumed
beverage and is therefore not considered
a classical preservative anymore. After addition
to the beverage, Velcorin rapidly
breaks down into negligible amounts of
methanol and carbon dioxide, naturally
occurring compounds in many beverages
such as fruit and vegetable juices. Consequently,
Velcorin has no effects on the
taste, smell or colour of the beverage.
With Velcorin cold fill technology, the
beverage is, depending on the formulation,
blended and flash pasteurised, then
filled at ambient temperature with Velcorin
added into the filling line. This may lead
to cost savings from heat recovery and use
of lighter weight packaging. Furthermore;
given that the beverage is exposed to heat
for a very short period the vitamin content
and aroma of the beverage is much less
affected. Velcorin is highly effective against
harmful microorganisms, even at low dosages.
For more information you are invited to
contact Zymus International Ltd.
A review of how R&D can
better support New Zealand’s
high value manufacturing and
services sector, including hightech
and related services is in
progress.
The review, conducted by
Ministry of Science and Innovation
(MSI), will focus on access
to, and uptake of, R&D by the
sector. It is part of the wider
package of Government actions
to increase businesses’ R&D
uptake.
The review recommendations,
expected in April 2011, will
help inform the development
of any future policy initiatives
relating to business R&D,
commercialisation, technology
and knowledge transfer, and
the role research organisations
play in these areas. An independent
panel will conduct the
review and report to a Steering
Committee comprised of MSI,
Ministry of Economic Development
and New Zealand Trade
and Enterprise representatives.
The review panel includes
Professor John Raine (Chair),
Professor Mina Teicher and Phil
O’Reilly.
The Terms of Reference for the
independent review panel can
be read at www.msi.govt.nz
For enquiries relating to
the review, please contact
R&Dreview@msi.govt.nz.
April/May 2011