Food & Beverage Asia October/November 2022

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2022

www.foodbeverageasia.com

Sustainable agriculture key to feeding Asia

Not a small fry: Belgian potatoes take centre stage

Driving sustainability in the edible oils and fats industry

2

CONTENTS

20

MARKET INSIGHTS

10 The GrowHub ushers in new

frontier

13 Californian farmers deliver a taste

of resilience

Contents

BITING ISSUES

14 Solvay / Euromed

15 Evonik

16 ANINA

17 Cellavent

18 Conagen

19 Nutritional Growth Solutions

INGREDIENTS

20 Protein-fortified dairy alternative

beverages for healthy ageing

22 Formulating with stevia in candy

and confections

24 Supporting immune health

through food, beverage, and

dietary supplement innovation

26

26 Sustainable agriculture key to

feeding Asia

29 What we didn’t know about

minerals: A consumer study on

mineral perception

ON THE TABLE

32 Fresh from the food truck: Next

Gen Foods at FHA – Food &

Beverage 2022

34 Ginkgo Bioworks and the cellbased

initiative

FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2022

CONTENTS 3

37 40

37 Not a small fry: Belgian potatoes

take centre stage

PROCESSING & PACKAGING

40 Driving sustainability in the edible

oils and fats industry

42 The conveying systems transforming

the food industry

44 Coffee: Delicious and eco-friendly

packaged

47 New brewery in Pittsburg

completely delivered by GEA

50 FPT hosts one-stop food innovation

centre

FIRST LOOKS

52 hubergroup / igus

53 Krones / XSYS

54 Key Technology

55 SÜDPACK

56 LANXESS

57 Pellenc ST

58 KHS

59 JBT / TOMRA

60 Comexi / Toyo Ink

SHOW REVIEW

61 FHA-Food & Beverage 2022

welcomes local and international

visitors to international showcase

REGULARS

4 Editor’s Note

5 News

63 Events Calendar

64 Advertisers’ Index

42

47


4

EDITOR’S NOTE

A taste of the future

Agatha Wong

Assistant Editor

Science fiction has always provided us ambitious

proposals as to how the future of food will look like.

In Star Trek, reconstituted matter from replicators

can create synthetic meals that meet every possible

dietary need and craving. Likewise, in Willy Wonka and

the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl’s zany confectioner

creates a bubble-gum prototype capable of mimicking

a three-course meal, albeit with some unpleasant side

effects, as the young Violet Beauregarde might attest.

While we may not be concerned with ballooning into a anthropomorphic

blueberry any time soon, one must wonder the path that the food industry

will take in the next few years. With changes taking place across the

world, from climate, to trade, to growing product and nutrition literacy,

both producers and consumers are expecting more of what goes on our

plates. Traceability, sustainability, and quality are emerging considerations

that consumers take into alongside the familiar cost-benefit analysis.

PABLO SINGAPORE

Publications Director

Publisher William Pang

williampang@pabloasia.com

Assistant Editor

Graphic Designer

Circulation Manager

PABLO BEIJING

General Manager

PABLO SHANGHAI

Editor

COVER CREDIT

Jamie Tan

jamietan@pabloasia.com

Agatha Wong

agatha@pabloasia.com

Cayla Ong

cayla@pabloasia.com

Shu Ai Ling

circulation@pabloasia.com

Ellen Gao

pablobeijing@163.com

Kresly Shen

pabloshanghai@163.net

HEAT AND CONTROL

This is why The GrowHub has tapped into blockchain as Asia’s only

Web3-enabled plug-and-play ecosystem builder. Unlike private

blockchains, the company’s proprietary public blockchain tech

ensures zero tampering and changing of information once it is logged

into the system. More than that, the company is working on a food

innovation centre located in the heart of the Food Innovation Precinct

Western Australia (FIPWA), supporting rising food-tech companies in

a common journey towards better solutions for consumers (p. 10).

Similarly, Ginkgo Bioworks’ foundries are automating and scaling the

process of organism engineering, enabling biological engineers to

prototype multiple enzyme pathways and create the most effective

design. The company's foundries serve as "factories" that facilitate

the automating and scaling of organism engineering, further

enhancing the development of alternative proteins (p. 34).

Even in the realm of coffee, which has enjoyed longstanding popularity

is lending to more sustainable frameworks. Syntegon Technology’s

vacuum technology and mono-material concept can help producers

meet recycling standards and product freshness — both vital factors that

can facilitate smoother logistics and reduced carbon footprint (p. 47).

While the current food scene might not yet reach the fantastical heights

of our favourite fictional serials, it is safe to say that key players in the

food and beverage industry are hard at work in solving its toughest

issues. From bringing greener solutions that can promote greater

efficiencies and recyclability, to nutritious food options that deliver

unparalleled taste, consumers can look forward to a vibrant food

landscape that is ever-evolving and expanding to greater proportions.

LET’S CONNECT!

@foodandbeverageasia

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NEWS 5

Biobetter lands US$10m funding to

relieve cultivated meat’s bottleneck

using tobacco plants

BioBetter has secured US$10 million

in its A–round funding. The round was

led by Jerusalem Venture Partners

(JVP), with additional investment from

Milk and Honey Investments and the

Israeli Innovation Authority (IIA).

BioBetter has developed a protein

manufacturing platform for producing

growth factors (GFs) using tobacco plants

(Nicotiana tabacum) as natural, selfsustaining,

animal-free bioreactors. The

field-grown tobacco plants offer a new,

sustainable, efficient, and flexible response

to the market need for more competitively

priced GFs, specifically insulin, transferrin,

and FGF2. These compounds are necessary

to make cultivated meat commercially viable.

Growth factors form the key building

blocks for cell-cultured proteins. However,

costs currently run anywhere from

$50,000 to $500,000 per gram of FGF2,

for example. BioBetter’s technology

has the potential to bring these costs

down to just one dollar per gram.

BioBetter will expand to a larger pilot

plant within the Tel Hai Industrial Park

in the Upper Galilee Region of Israel,

enabling it to meet its current pool of

commissions emanating from cell-based

meat cultivators globally. The new funding

also will be applied to broaden BioBetter’s

product portfolio of growth factors.

BioBetter currently is recruiting sufficient

new talent to double its workforce.

Nisan Zeevi, director of JVP and vicepresident

of Margalit Startup City Galil, said:

“Closer to home, this venture will create a

significant new source of income for local

farmers. As cellular agricultural expands,

we will dedicate some 500 acres here in the

galilee of tobacco plantations to support

the industry. This also helps growers find

new purpose in the burgeoning alternative

protein scene following a reduction in

smoking over the last decade that has

left many tobacco fields idle and tobacco

farmers suffering financial loss.” ■

Louis Dreyfus Company and Longriver Farms enter agreement

for Emerald Grain

Louis Dreyfus Company and Longriver

Farms has announced that the companies

have entered into an agreement for the

acquisition of Emerald Grain.

“This development is aligned with LDC’s

commitment to the Australian market, where

LDC has been active for over a century,

originating, processing and exporting grains,

oilseeds and cotton, and with our strategic

plans to further reinforce our leading position

in core agri-commodities merchandising

activities,” said Michael Gelchie, CEO of LDC.

Brad Mytton, director of Longriver Farms,

said: “We are pleased to announce this

agreement with LDC, under which Emerald

Grain’s grower and customer network will

benefit from LDC’s scale and expertise

in agri-commodities, for a continued

growth journey going forward.”

Emerald Grain has a network of seven

grain storage and receival sites across

the states of New South Wales and

Victoria, with a combined storage

capacity of approximately one million

metric tons, as well as a grain export

terminal at the Port of Melbourne and

marketing offices in Geraldton, Western

Australia and Moama, New South Wales.

With ties with some 10,000 Australian

farming families, an integrated supply chain

and an experienced and dedicated team,

Emerald Grain offers customers a broad

range of grains products, including wheat,

barley and canola, for export across Australia.

David Johnson, CEO of Emerald Grain,

said: “LDC’s leadership position in the

global agriculture industry reflects its

commitment to growers and customers

alike, and we look forward to continuing

our journey as part of the LDC family.”

“With Emerald Grain onboard, we

look forward to continuing to support

Australia’s farming community and grain

industry, while reinforcing our origination

network for key grains and oilseeds

staples to meet growing customer needs

worldwide,” added James Zhou, CCO

of LDC and head of Asia Region. ■


6

NEWS

Eluceda’s detection technology identifies

counterfeit regional wines

provenance of its regional wines and protect

drinkers from potential counterfeits.

to the pocket-sized Reveal detectors used

by enforcement officers in the field.

The National Office of Vine and

Vitivinicultural Products (ONVPV) in

Romania is using Eluceda’s covert

taggant marker with a machinereadable

signature, to authenticate the

The ONVPV oversees national vineyard

management and winemaking in Romania

and supports the traditional production

of wine in this designated geographical

area. The security labels provide a clear

brand identity for the ONVPV, which is

recognisable on labelled bottles and

products within a retail environment.

Working closely with security label

manufacturer Eltronis, Eluceda provided a

tailored taggant to ensure that ONVPV wine

labels were protected by the latest covert

security technology, helping producers to

stay one step ahead of the counterfeiters.

The new labels build on ONVPV’s existing

design and combine an overt hologram with

high-level covert security. Eluceda’s taggant

marker with its machine-readable signature

provides an instant unambiguous response

The Reveal range of readers work in hand in

glove with Eluceda’s MicroTagg and Securitagg

inorganic taggant materials and are

configured according to the ONVPV’s needs to

identify genuine wines quickly and securely.

Wine fraud is on the rise in all markets,

helped in part by the growth of

e-commerce. This poses significant

dangers to both consumers and producers

alike, as fraudsters will sometimes

include dangerous additives and

trust in a brand can often be broken if

customers fall foul of counterfeiters.

By adding authentication technology to wine

bottles, the ONVPV is helping to counter

this trend, promoting the provenance

of the region, and building protection

against potential counterfeit through the

ability to identify genuine products. ■

Haofood strengthens leadership team

with new appointments

Haofood has welcomed new members to its

management board. The board of directors

include Astrid Prajogo, founder and CEO

of Haofood; Christian Cadeo, managing

partner of Asia at Big Idea Ventures; and

Yip Hon Mun, who has various investments

in the alternative protein vertical as an

independent director; Henry Soesanto, CEO

at Monde Nissin Group, and Jay J Lin, vicepresident

of strategic investments for APAC

at Rich Products Ventures have joined as

board observers.

“With the addition of our new board

members who have a vast amount of

experience in the fast-growing alternative

protein industry here in Asia-Pacific,

I am positive their participation will

give us a competitive edge over other

industry players as we expand our

brand in the region,” shared Prajogo.

“As a healthy, tasty and affordable meat

alternative originated in Asia and catered

for the palate of Asian customers, Haofood

brings meat alternatives closer to taste and

cost parity. I am excited to see Haofood

lead the transformation of the food system

in China and South East Asia,” said Yip.

“Haofood […] has a competitive advantage

thanks to its great tasting and sustainable

chicken alternative products which is built

on the back of robust, innovative technology.

They also have a deep understanding of

consumer behaviour across the region. I

am confident that the brand will be able to

grow the category and become a leader

given its unique approach for winning the

hearts of Asian consumers,” added Cadeo.

Haofood has also appointed Shawn Keh

as the general manager for the Asia-

Pacific region. Having spent two decades

in the F&B industry where he held various

leadership roles at leading companies

such as Australian Fruit Juice, Carlsberg

and Asia Pacific Breweries, Keh will be

instrumental in driving the business

development, sales and revenue growth of

Haofood in the region (excluding China). ■


NEWS 7

ofi drives climate action in global cocoa supply chain

olam food ingredients (ofi) has stated

substantial advancements towards

climate goals as per its Cocoa Compass

sustainability report 2020/21. In order to

achieve the structural change required

to have an impact at scale, the report

elucidated that work on the ground in

cocoa communities should be supported by

international collaboration and regulation.

In the report, ofi shared its sustainability

progress across its cocoa supply chain,

achieved in collaboration with customers

and partners, and benchmarked against

three years of impact data. From the

Brazilian Amazon to the landscapes of Côte

d’Ivoire, the company has taken further

steps to protect and restore forests:

ofi also invested to reduce its CO2

emissions per metric ton of product output

from its cocoa processing facilities, down

by 19% since 2018, by installing circular

biomass boilers fueled by waste cocoa

shells and switching to green electricity.

The boiler at the Koog aan de Zaan facility

in the Netherlands will allow ofi to target

a further 50% cut in natural gas usage.

across sourcing countries to better

understand and close living income gaps.

Manley continued: “The progress we’ve

made so far is thanks to the joint efforts

of customers, sustainability partners, and

national and local authorities. These issues

are bigger than any one organisation;

we need collaboration and regulation

to help achieve structural change,

including the right legislation in cocoaconsuming

and producing countries.

Working together, the international

community can drive change at scale.”

All cocoa data collected by ofi can feed

directly into AtSource, its sustainability

insights platform, giving customers full

visibility of their cocoa’s environmental

and social impact, including traceability

for all of ofi’s directly sourced cocoa from

a farm, farmer group or cooperative.

Felipe Faria, LATAM regional manager

at Partnerships for Forests (P4F), a

programme funded by the UK government

via the foreign, Commonwealth and

development office, and the Department

for Business, Energy and Industrial

Strategy, added: “By successfully creating

a one-stop shop for cocoa farmers to

access technical assistance, financial

credit, and a market to sell their cocoa, we

have already brought over 17,000 hectares

of land under sustainable management.” ■

Gerard A Manley, CEO of ofi’s cocoa

platform and chief sustainability officer

of ofi, said: “We need to keep the 1.5°C

climate ambition alive. That means

driving climate action at every stage of

our supply chain, from plant to palate,

supporting customers on their own

decarbonisation journeys, and reassuring

consumers that their favorite chocolate

bar, baked good, or ice cream is having a

positive impact on the cocoa communities

and landscapes it came from."

The report includes action to eliminate

child labour and raise farmer incomes.

Child labour monitoring is in place across

all managed sustainability programmes,

while the company’s digital CLMRS

(child labour monitoring and remediation

system) app, has been extended to

Papua New Guinea. ofi is also establishing

an estimate of cocoa farmer incomes


8

NEWS

Dr Zeno Staub unanimously elected to

Bühler Group’s board of directors

Dr Zeno Staub, CEO of Vontobel Holding,

a Swiss listed globally active investment

firm majority-owned by the Vontobel

families and a charitable foundation,

was unanimously elected to Bühler

Group’s board of directors on 22 Sep.

Swiss national Dr Zeno Staub started

his career as a founding shareholder

and managing partner at Almafin AG,

St. Gallen, Switzerland, where he was

active from 1994 to 2000 in consulting

and software development specialising

in risk management, asset and liability

management, and legal reporting. In 2000,

he was a member of the executive board of

Zurich-based BZ Informatik (now Avaloq),

leader in banking software, services, and

digital technology, providing platforms

and services to financial institutions.

He joined Vontobel, Zurich, in 2001 as head

of the CFO Management Support Unit,

responsible for its controlling and IT project

portfolio. From 2001 to 2006, he served

as chief financial officer, subsequently as

head of investment banking, and from

2008 as head of asset management, in

each case as a member of the Vontobel

Executive Management. Beginning

in 2008, he strategically reoriented

Vontobel’s asset management business

area, positioning it in the market. Dr Zeno

Staub has been CEO of Vontobel Holding

AG and Bank Vontobel AG since 2011.

Dr. Zeno Staub studied economics

at the University of St. Gallen,

Switzerland, where he received his

doctorate (Dr. oec. HSG) in 1997. ■

Eremid Genomic Services founded following VC investment

Eremid Genomic Services has been acquired

by Coddle Creek Capital (CCC) and is under

new commercial management. CCC has

made a multi-million-dollar investment

in Eremid, enabling expanded research

focused on the intersection of genomics

in the areas of human health, agriculture,

plant-based nutrition and longevity.

Focusing on quality and service, Eremid

will deliver data using the latest generation

of genomics instruments and automation,

meeting a growing demand for genomics/

research across multiple markets. The

company will be a key partner and resource

for the growing biotech hub built on the

North Carolina Research Campus, and for

the local and wider genomics community.

Originally spun out as the commercial

arm of the David H Murdock Research

Institute, the new investment from CCC

will see Eremid refocus on becoming a

high-end, scientifically driven genomics

partner. Boosted by rapidly-evolving

next-generation sequencing technologies,

research and applications in this growing

branch of molecular biology increasingly

demand higher quality, reliability, and

accuracy in data and interpretation.

Eremid’s goal is to provide access to

and guidance on better use of these

technologies, and its experience in

delivering complex genomics projects and

bioinformatic analyses places it as the

perfect CRO partner to meet this need.

In addition to Eremid, CCC has been a

key investor, advisor and/or founder of

several co-located companies that will

form part of the expanding biotech hub,

including BrightPath Labs. Salubrent

Pharma Services, and SNP Therapeutics.

Key members of Eremid and Coddle Creek Capital teams

Adding a new and already successful

company to its portfolio will bolster

Coddle Creek Capital’s position as

an early phase investor and help the

new biotech hub gain traction. ■


NEWS 9

AAK signs green loan of SEK500 million

AAK has signed a bilateral green loan of

SEK500 million structured by Mizuho Bank.

The loan has a duration of three years.

The loan is closely linked to AAK’s

sustainability targets and commitment

to accelerate its reduction of greenhouse

gas emissions and will be used for the

previously communicated investment in

biomass boilers at the AAK production

plant in Aarhus, Denmark.

The bio boilers are expected to reduce the

plant’s CO2 emissions by approximately

90%. They will also generate substantial

savings as fossil fuel will be replaced by

shea meal, a by-product of the plant’s

shea oil extraction process. This will in turn

generate ash, which can be utilised for

fertilising purposes. The project is expected

to be completed by the end of 2023.

“We want to thank the Mizuho Bank

for their support, it has been a very

smooth and constructive process,” said

Tomas Bergendahl, CFO at AAK.

AAK’s production plant in Aarhus is

specialised in the crushing, refining, and

fractionation of shea, a raw material

from West Africa that AAK has been

sourcing for more than 60 years. At the

plant, AAK produces a large number of

products, among them shea stearin — a

major component in CBE (cocoa butter

equivalents), frequently used in chocolate

and confectionery products. AAK also

supplies shea-based emollients for

cosmetics and personal care products.

AAK specialises in plant-based oils add

value to the many products favoured by

consumers. With their knowledge and

expertise, AAK enables better tasting,

healthier, and more sustainable sustainable.

At the heart of AAK’s offer is customer

co-cevelopment, which combines a push

to understand each customer's needs with

the flexibility of its production assets, and a

knowledge of many products and industries,

including chocolate and confectionery,

bakery, dairy, plant-based foods, special

nutrition, foodservice and personal care.

AAK's 4,000 employees support

close collaboration with customers

through its 25 regional sales offices,

15 dedicated customer innovation

centres, and with the support of more

than 20 production facilities. ■


10

MARKET INSIGHTS

The GrowHub

ushers in new

frontier

With the rise of Web3-enabled

technologies and blockchain,

producers can look towards a new,

digital future for proving their source

of their products and secure their

reputations.

By Agatha Wong

For many years, the issue of

traceability in the food and beverage

industry has been of concern to

both consumers and producers.

As an increasingly well-educated

population with growing purchasing

power develops, so has the need

for understanding and locating a

product’s origins. This is in light of

competing issues such as food fraud

and sustainability, which can affect

brand perception and reputation.

With the rise of technology such

as blockchain, producers have yet

another method of traceable goods

to consumers. A departure from

traditional tracing methodologies

such as ERP and MES software, and

serialisation equipment, blockchain

ensures that individuals can monitor

the chain of custody and the

journey of an asset in real-time.

As Asia-Pacific’s only Web3-

enabled technology plug-and-play

ecosystem builder, The GrowHub

is seeking to transform the current

food system in the region with these

transformative technologies. Via its

public blockchain technology, the

company aims to deliver transparent

traceability methods for producers,

changing the way food producers have

been thinking about accountability

and consumer experience.

“We bring, besides the food traceability

portion, for the consumers not just

the exact pinpointing of the product’s

origins, but also an immersive

experience,” explained Lester Chan,

CEO and founder of The GrowHub.

Raising a bottle of Australian-made

honey as an example, he added:

“By scanning the QR code on our

products, it brings up a whole new

experience where augmented reality

is delivered to consumers on their

phones. And advertisements, in

terms of the producer talking about

his product, in a message, for as

much as he wants — these could

be brought up in just a scan. Thus,

for a consumer, having a product

isn’t just about making a purchase,

where you know who to trust, the

origin, and its entire process — it

becomes an exciting experience.”

TACKLING FOOD FRAUD

The significance of these

technologies is a pointed one

given the prevalence of food fraud

in recent years. The Chinese milk

scandal is one such case, where

lethal amounts of melamine

present in infant formula, affecting

some 300,000 babies, changed

the ways consumers interpreted

the labels on their purchases.

Chan added: “We can look at 2019,

where 89% of ground beef found in

Lester Chan is the CEO and founder of

The GrowHub


MARKET INSIGHTS

11

Egypt was not made of beef. The red

meat was, in fact, made from donkey

or chicken. And if I’m going back in

the context of Australia, where the

country produces premium or organic

products, other food manufacturers

can come in and claim to have the

same premium and organic labels.

Based on the research, we found that

most of the time food fraud happens

not on the supply chain, but on the

stage of processing. A product can

claim to be made of 100% juice, but

we know that this is not the case.”

The emergence of food fraud as a

considerable issue thus underscores

The GrowHub’s services, particularly as

the only public blockchain technology

provider. The differentiation between

a public and private blockchain is

a key factor in approaching food

fraud, as Chan further elaborated.

“Most producers just use a private

blockchain system. A private

blockchain system just proves that a

product is from a certain producer —

but this does not address the issue

of food fraud. Due to food fraud, 52%

of global consumers do not trust

the provenance of their food. This

goes back to the issue of a product

claiming that they’re made of 100%

real juice, with a private blockchain

tracing back to its producer, but it does

not show what exactly goes into the

product. Whereas for The GrowHub,

our private blockchain, which we open

up to the scrutiny of the world, can

trace every single aspect to know

every single ingredient that goes

into it, and we are able to prove it.”

Recently, The GrowHub participated in FHA – Food & Beverage 2022, showcasing its array of Australian-made products as

part of its partnership with FIPWA


12 MARKET INSIGHTS

A LEAP FORWARD

Blockchain, the metaverse, etc — most

consumers do not associate these terms

with the food and beverage industry at first

blush. Indeed, the immediate associations

for these ground-breaking technologies are

bitcoin and cryptocurrency, as well as NFTs.

However, Chan believes that the technology

can be put to good use for the industry: “The

entire Web3 is more than just blockchain

and meta reality; it’s about how we use

it. For us, we work closely with various

governments in Asia-Pacific, like Australia,

where we use our Web3 technology, such as

blockchain. We bring in, as a plug-and-play,

technologies that we are able to plug into

our system, to prove source of provenance;

we bring in technologies that are able to

prove things like tamper-proof packaging.

Or, we enable other forms of technology

like freight, where we are able to check on

things like temperature sensors — all these

can be plugged into our blockchain. And

what makes it different, in terms of our

system, is that information logged into our

public blockchain cannot be reversed, and

readings cannot be changed any further.”

These digital developments are vital in

keeping an industry that is generally

conservative in a forward-moving pace.

Factoring in the challenges of food fraud,

there is certainty that technologies like

blockchain can prove to be a major step

forward in ensuring that food manufacturers

are well-compensated for their produce.

“We are trying to bring about awareness in

an industry that is traditionally traditional.

Most of us, when we look at food, we think

about the ways to export food. If we think

about making food fancy again, we talk

about plant-based type of proteins, we talk

about alternative meat sources. Thus, we

are always looking at how to fine-tune the

food we have, but neglect the whole supply

chain, logistics, and provenance, where

a lot of food fraud can be prevented.

“When we embarked on the journey five

years ago, with the support of both federal

and state governments in Australia, we see

that food fraud occurs mostly in processing,

and farmers and producers get to lose out.

We can’t say that we can prevent all of

this from happening, but where our value

proposition comes in, is that we bring the

same value to those who have made the

sacrifice; for those who have paid the price,

we want to capture the same value back.”

SUPPORT FROM THE PUBLIC SECTOR

The GrowHub is the strategic and exclusive

commercial partner for the Food Innovation

Precinct in Western Australia (FIPWA).

Within FIPWA, the company manages the

innovation centre, which has three main

objectives: firstly, to attract companies

across the region to bring in their best-inclass

technology to FIPWA. By doing so

enhances the talent and productivity, as well

as research for FIPWA; on the other hand,

The GrowHub provides the commercial

angle via plugging into their system.

Secondly, a digital hub within the

innovation centre also feeds data into

food traceability and consumer behaviour.

This is returned to the producers, which

allows them to derive marketing strategies

and product innovation. Lastly, the

innovation centre is a landmark of food

innovation for western Australia, and

as a physical place of congregation.

“We are fortunate to have the support of

the Western Australia government, in terms

of technology, endorsement, and support,

which gives rise to a lot of confidence

from consumers. And I will say, in the next

three to five years, The GrowHub is in a

very good position to partake in the growth

of South East Asia, where we see rising

consumerism and consumer education.

Our technology will be able to shorten the

process with our Web3 platform, rather than

traditional systems like advertisements and

computing systems,” concluded Chan. FBA

MARKET INSIGHTS

13

Californian farmers

deliver a taste of resilience

For consumers around the world, the term

“California grown” brings to mind two

distinct features: quality and taste. The

Golden State’s rich temperate Mediterranean

climate has endowed the region with

fertile soil, and its farmers’ attention to

sustainability and innovation continues to

supply more than 400 commodities globally.

At the California Department of Food

and Agriculture, the board is committed

to strengthening the local agricultural

network and supporting the international

expansion of Californian produce.

“We’re providing resources for our farmers to

implement more sustainability practices on

the land, to increase the resiliency to climate

change, and we are also investing directly into

agricultural technology and innovation, so

that we can make our food supply chain even

more efficient,” shared Christine Birdsong,

Undersecretary of the CDFA, in her opening

remarks at the Taste of California event

hosted by the food authority in Singapore.

Indeed, the need to support farmers has

never been more urgent. The emerging

effects of climate change has altered the

agricultural landscape in California, with

recent drought compelling farmers to be

smarter and more resilient in maximising

water resources while also maintaining

the quality and quantity of produce.

“Like the rest of the world, we were expecting

the impacts of climate change to hit further

into the future. And so, we are all trying to

figure out in real time how to adjust and

become more resilient. In California, our

farmers have been conservationists before

the term was popular. We have very strict

water regulations, air regulations; so, for

a long time, farmers have had to utilise

practices that helped them to reduce

inputs and to be efficient in their farming

methods. So, by default, our farmers are in

the best position to become more resilient.

Then, of course, we have state and federal

programmes that provide incentives for

them to try new practices to enhance their

sustainability,” noted Birdsong, in a later

interview with Food & Beverage Asia.

With these farmers forming the foundation

of the food supply system, it is vital to

acknowledge the roles they play, and

can play, in creating a more sustainable

environment. Thus, understanding their

current practices and needs is a pivotal step

in establishing a more secure food ecosystem.

“One thing that I’ve found very important is

listening to farmers,” said Birdsong. “I think

our farmers know how to grow food, and they

know how to grow it efficiently. And they have

a deep appreciation for the land, so when we

talk about wanting to meet climate change

goals, or clean water, or clean air goals, it’s

so important to have a dialogue with the

farmers — to figure what are they already

doing, what do they want to do, and what

would be helpful. I just find our farmers to be

very resourceful, entrepreneurial people.”

Besides establishing a line of communication

with farmers, interacting with trade associations,

and getting out into the field are some of the

other strategies the authority has employed

to better grasp the needs of farmers, revealed

Birdsong. In addition, CDFA has a close

relationship with county departments of

agriculture, who serve as front-line workers

that know what is happening on the ground.

While the devastating drought and global

supply chain issues have no doubt pose

a serious challenge to food producers in

California, their commitment to innovation

and being resourceful will be key to ensuring

resiliency.

This is similarly echoed in Birdsong’s final

comments: “My hopes are that we are able

to grow in our resiliency, that we are able to

continue innovating in our technology to allow

our farmers to adapt more quickly and be ever

more efficient. We really do feed the world,

so it’s important to maintain our agricultural

system — not just for the US and Californians,

but to feed a growing world population.” FBA


14

BITING ISSUES

Solvay launches new natural vanillin flavors

for the food and beverage industries

Solvay has expanded the range of one

of its flagship products, Rhovanil Natural

CW, with three new natural flavour

ingredients: Rhovanil Natural Delica, Alta

and Sublima. With these new products, the

Group will enable the food and beverage

industries to switch to natural components

cost effectively and address growing

consumer expectations for healthier,

safer, tastier, and more natural products.

Rhovanil Natural Delica, Alta and Sublima

are based on Rhovanil Natural CW, the

market reference for natural vanillin needs

which is produced by bioconversion of

ferulic acid, a natural compound found in

rice bran. The non-GMO natural vanillin

flavour, produced with a non-GMM strain,

ensures quality and value that combines

taste performance and cost-in-use for food

and beverage players around the world.

“The flowability of these new grades is

higher in formulations than that of pure

vanillin, resulting in better dispersion

and greater homogeneity in the food

matrix such as chocolate, bakery and

dairy products.” said Caroline Calin of

technical marketing, naturals. “These

three new grades also reduce development

time and are specially designed to

facilitate the switch to natural vanillin.”

Solvay is committed to playing an

important role in sustaining the world’s

increasing demand for food by reducing

environmental impact and resource

consumption while meeting consumer

desires for healthier, safer, tastier, and more

natural foods. This aligns with Solvay’s

newest growth platform, renewable

materials and biotechnology, which aims

to meet growing demand for sustainable

solutions by increasing the share of

renewable carbon in Solvay’s product

offering and developing new business

opportunities enabled by biotechnology.

Instances of natural vanillin refer to “[n]atural

vanillin, obtained by a biotechnological

process from a source other than vanilla”. ■

New study reveals positive impact of pomegranate extract on satiety

According to a recently published

clinical study, those supplementing with

Euromed’s natural extract Pomanox showed

significantly lower levels of hunger and a

desire to eat, as well as higher levels of

satiety, compared to a placebo group.

In the study conducted at Queen

Margaret University, Edinburgh*, 28

healthy subjects were given either threeweek

supplementation with Pomanox

or a placebo. During week three, satiety

parameters were determined on a testing

day after participants ingested breakfast

and lunch with pomegranate juice (PJ).

The results suggested that subjects in

the Pomanox group with the PJ preload

were generally more satisfied than those

given the placebo. Participants were also

less hungry after Pomanox intake with PJ

during the meal. Scores from the visual

analogue scales (VAS), which record

subjective sensations, showed significantly

lower levels of hunger and a desire to eat,

as well as higher levels of fullness and

satisfaction, thus greater levels of satiety

in participants consuming Pomanox with

PJ, compared to the placebo. Interestingly,

the consumption of pomegranate extract

was associated with a significantly lower

amount of food intake during the satiety

session compared with the placebo group.

While preliminary, these findings confirm the

appetite-regulating effect of polyphenolrich

extracts reported in previous studies,

suggesting possible novel new approaches

to reducing risk factors for obesity

and compulsive eating, and providing

more enjoyable meals while dieting.

Pomanox is available in different formats

and strengths, and extracted using safe

and eco-friendly, water-only technologies

(Pure-Hydro Process) as with all the

other ingredients in Euromex’s line of

Mediterranean Fruit and Vegetable Extracts.

Their production is vertically integrated

as they originate from selected fruits

grown in the Mediterranean region. ■

* Reference is available on request


BITING ISSUES

15

Evonik uses epigenetics to trace animal welfare

Evonik has developed a test for chicken

products that shows how the animals were

kept and fed.

Epigenetics is a branch of biology that

determines how the environment an animal

has been exposed to influences patterns on

its genetic material. Evonik's new epigenetic

test will extend its range of system

solutions for sustainable meat production.

collaboration with the team working

with Prof Frank Lyko, who heads the

epigenetics department at the German

Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ) in

Heidelberg. They had analysed the

methylation sites in the chicken genome,

and identified more than 20 million

methylation sites in the chicken genome.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithms

analysed and interpreted the data.

Singapore, Evonik is now validating the

method, feeding data to the algorithms,

and exploring new areas of application.

At present, experts are working to tailor

the test method to the requirements of

different customers. As development

work is well advanced, specific tests

can be made available to customers

in the short- to mid-term.

Researchers at Evonik developed

the epigenetic clock for chickens in

In cooperation with Illumina, Evonik has

developed an epigenetic chip that allows

rapid analysis of, for example, samples of

meat. A pretreated sample is applied to

a test area on the chip, which measures

changes in the genome of the sample.

The data can be read with a special

appliance and are then evaluated using

AI-based algorithms. In its laboratories in

In the coming months, the experts at

Creavis aim to find out which factors

are important for potential customers

in the retail, meat processing, and

agricultural sectors. Simple evidence

of the health and welfare of livestock,

farming methods, performance-enhancing

antibiotics, medication, origin, and the

method of slaughter is now available. ■

Create Better-For-You Beverages

with Sweegen

Whether you need to replace artificial

sweeteners, reduce sugar by a certain

percentage, or eliminate added sugars

altogether, Sweegen has a wide range

of nature-based sweeteners and taste

modulation capabilities to help you

manage your biggest product

development challenges.

You have a choice. Choose well.

VISIT US AT Fi Asia-Thailand | October 5-7 | Booth M30

© 2022 Sweegen

www.sweegen.com | in.sales@sweegen.com


16

BITING ISSUES

ANINA transforms blemished

vegetables into artistic ready meal

Food-tech start-up ANINA Culinary

Art has merged art with technology

through a culinary experience of

meals from upcycled vegetables.

Each whole meal-in-a-pod is allnatural,

loaded with nutrients, and

made from “ugly” vegetables.

The ANINA pod is a complete meal

made from vegetables that have been

rejected for sale due to a less-thanperfect

appearance — a major source

of fresh produce waste. The new,

convenient, ready to cook format is

a single-size portion that allows for

a quick and nutritious meal in just a

few minutes. It can be cooked on the

stovetop or in a microwave. Each discshaped

container holds two full cups of

vegetables and is ideal for consumers

seeking a fast, nutritious, and delicious

meal solution at work or home.

The ANINA range was launched

in Israel with three recipes:

Pasta Primavera, Mediterranean

bowl and Vietnamese bowl.

The technology is patented,

from the food-grade lamination

process to the pod structure. The

unique technology forms flexible

sheets from fresh vegetables.

Mor Wilk, vice-president of R&D for

ANINA, said: “The heart of our

technology is the creation of

vegetable sheets. The flexibility of

these sheets enables us to form any

3D structure and create any recipe

in a decorative pod, each set to its

unique controlled cooking time.”

The container's outer shell is made

from a layer of dried vegetables or

fruits, while the inner core contains

a range of natural ingredients.

Anat Natan, ANINA’s co-founder and

CEO, said: “ANINA is responding to a

growing demand for making the most

of unwanted veggies, and turning them

into something artistic that appeals

to the eye and palette. Following the

successful product launch in Israel

and the positive feedback we received

from American millennials, we are set

to bring our products to the US.”

Upcycling provides a highly sustainable

solution to food waste while supporting a

circular economy. The ANINA team is on

a continuous mission to find new ways

to improve efficiency, prevent waste, and

reunite consumers with nutritious food.

“We buy leftover produce directly from

farmers,” explained Brantz. “This provides

them income for vegetables they usually

have to discard.”

“We’re changing the way we eat,” added

Natan. “And we’re shaping the future for a

meaningful culinary consumer experience.

The ANINA meal capsule also addresses

today’s fast-paced lifestyle, which too

often forces consumers to compromise

on the quality of the food they eat.

ANINA was founded in June 2020 by

Anat Natan, Meydan Levy, and Esti

Brantz. Natan, the CEO, brings more

than 20 years of experience in marketing

and business management for CPG

companies such as Nestlè and Tnuva.

Natan has an MBA, specialising in

marketing and business enterprise, a BA

in economics and communication from

Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel,

and graduated from culinary school.

ANINA has secured US$3.3 million in a

safe round from Strauss Group by The

Kitchen Hub, Unovis, Unorthodox ventures,

AgFunder VC, Wordcreate Inc, and the

Israeli Innovation Authority (IIA). ■


BITING ISSUES

17

Cellavent harnesses fermentation to tap into turmeric’s benefits

Cellavent has entered the fermented

botanical space with a new organic

turmeric that offers a wide range of health

benefits and organoleptic properties.

fermentlife turmeric provides all the health

benefits of turmeric, such as the antioxidant

properties of curcuminoids. It also offers a

full matrix of other bioactive ingredients,

including postbiotics and paraprobiotics.

The result is a new kind of turmeric, with a

range of benefits for gut health and superior

bioavailability, as well as improved taste,

smell and solubility. Available globally,

it is certified organic in the EU* and has

applications in both nutraceuticals and food.

fermentlife turmeric is created with

three certified Lactobacillus strains,

which produce numerous metabolites

during the fermentation process. It

complements turmeric’s mechanism of

action with postbiotics and paraprobiotics

(probiotics that confer a benefit despite being

inactivated), positively impacting on gut

health and general wellness, as well as

improving bioactivity. It also contains a range

of other bioactive ingredients, including

essential oils, saponins and peptides.

The launch marks Cellavent’s first venture

into the fermented botanical sector. The

company’s new fermentlife business unit will

combine traditional fermentation methods

with advanced technology. In order to create

the new range, Cellavent developed a largescale,

highly controlled fermentation process,

with the potential to be reproduced for custom

developments for the company’s customers.

fermentlife is ideal for a range of nutraceutical

applications, including powders, capsules

and liquids. It can also enhance the taste,

texture and smell of a range of everyday

foods, including baked goods, spices, snack

and pet food, and is available as a paste

which is ideally suited for healthy spreads,

dips and food service applications. ■

* DE-ÖKO-006, certified in Germany via ABCert

The flexitarian way of living.

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their healthful appeal, ecological convictions or the pleasure of trying something new. BENEO helps you develop

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Follow us on:

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18

BITING ISSUES

Conagen unveils commercial production of salidroside

Conagen has announced the commercialisation

of its 99%, high-purity salidroside made

by bioconversion technology, an active

ingredient from the herbal plant Rhodiola

rosea (golden root). Its strong antioxidant

properties as an adaptogen are associated

with reducing inflammation, protecting

against oxidative stress in cells, and

providing relief from depression, fatigue,

and stress. Salidroside has also been

used to alleviate high altitude sickness.

Unlike other salidroside products currently

on the market, Conagen’s salidroside is non-

GMO. Conagen leveraged its bioconversion

technology to produce clean, sustainable

salidroside, identical to the compound

naturally found in the Rhodiola rosea plant;

the same technology used to produce

non-GMO Rebaudioside M, other steviol

glycosides, and bitter blockers for sugar

reduction solutions which are available

from their pipeline partner, Sweegen.

Conagen’s salidroside is ideal for non-GMO

supplement solutions to formulate products

with a sustainable and natural consumer

appeal. It is soluble in water and is formulable

in food and beverage applications.

“We’re reimagining the way in which rare

ingredients are sourced to make them

safer and higher-quality for use in

health-promoting products,” said Casey

Lippmeier, PhD, senior vice-president of

innovation at Conagen. “Our bioconversion

technology enables us to deliver non-GMO

products. Through this technology, we’re

unlocking salidroside’s great potential

as a powerful active health ingredient

and as a tool for food and beverage

producers to adopt a more natural way

to preserve food and beverages.”

Food and beverage producers benefit

from Conagen’s salidroside as it also

possesses antimicrobial properties,

making it useful as a natural preservative

solution for brands seeking alternatives to

artificial preservatives. Salidroside expands

Conagen’s portfolio of natural preservatives,

such as Taxifolin BC-DHQ and Rosavel

rosmarinic acid, currently available from

another pipeline partner, Blue California.

“Salidroside is one of the rare, natural

molecules with proven adaptogenic activities

which correlates to stress reduction,” said

Lippmeier. “Initially identified in botanical

extracts, adaptogens are promising new

options in the quest to relieve the stress

of our daily lives. This trend opens new

opportunities for supplement brands and

food and beverage manufacturers to adopt

a health-focused profile for their products.”

Conagen accelerated salidroside production

by leveraging one of its molecular platforms,

which have also been used to produce

the clean antioxidants hydroxytyrosol and

p-coumaric acid. Salidroside is a glucoside

of tyrosol. Conagen’s antimicrobial and

antioxidant compounds, hydroxytyrosol and

p-coumaric acid are also available through

Blue California.

The inputs of fermentation are controlled,

reducing the chance of contamination

with heavy metals, fungal toxins, and

other unsafe materials that may be found

in traditional medicine preparations.

Rhodiola rosea extract is most commonly

used in Europe and Asia. Its medicinal

use for reducing stress and depression

can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty

in the classic medicinal scripture

Compendium of Materia Medica. ■


BITING ISSUES

19

NGS’ Healthy Heights KidzProtein range to be available on retail shelves

Nutritional Growth Solutions has strengthened

its collaboration with Walmart as it rolls

out its Healthy Heights KidzProtein range

to an initial 403 select brick and mortar

stores across the United States.

KidzProtein nutritional shakes contain

whey protein, vitamins, and minerals

demonstrated to support optimal childhood

growth and development. They also

contain a blend of fruit and vegetables

as well as omega-3 fatty acids crucial

for brain and cognitive function. The

shakes will now feature on the shelves of

Walmart stores in two flavours; chocolate

and vanilla and will be supplied from the

company’s manufacturing facility in Utah.

“Having Healthy Heights stocked in Walmart

stores coincides with growing consumer

demand for nutritional children’s products

that are not only nutritious, but also tasty,

scientifically backed and safe to use, and is a

trend we are seeing across both the US and

in other global markets in which we operate,”

added Steve Turner, president of Nutritional

Growth Solutions in North America.

The recent infant formula shortage in

the US market has opened the door for

emerging brands and products in the infant

nutrition category as store buyers who

were previously unable to find the space for

lining major brands are now facing empty

shelves that are calling to be replenished.

In addition to in-store placement for

two KidzProtein SKU’s, Walmart is also

taking the entire Healthy Heights product

portfolio onboard its online platform.

This means that the products will be held

in multiple Walmart owned distribution

centers and customers will be able

to benefit from enhanced, speedier

delivery and in-store pick up services.

“These developments also have

effectively placed our retail expansion

strategy ahead of schedule and marks

a significant step in our ongoing retail

growth efforts,” concluded Turner. ■

Elevate Taste

in Plant Based

Find out the sensory attributes

consumers are missing

Download New Insights


20

INGREDIENTS

Protein-fortified dairy

alternative beverages

for healthy ageing

A comprehensive and nutritional diet that targets what consumers

eat and drink can offer dietary benefits for healthy ageing.

By Lee Jie Ying, senior strategic marketing manager of plant-based at Kerry APMEA and

Genny Tan, business development manager of AH&N at Kerry APAC & Southeast Asia

More consumers today accept ageing as

a natural life process. This shift in mindset

towards active ageing is embraced not

just by older people, but also the younger

crowd. Amongst millennials, 40% are

already taking steps to age healthily from

age 30 1 . This trend is bolstered by the

fact that the world’s population is ageing

faster than previous generations. In Asia,

the median age by 2050 is 41 — up from

31 in 2020 — and higher than the world

average 2 . Millennials, who comprise 23%

of the global population, are starting

to enter the ageing demographic,

with 60% living in Asia Pacific 2 .

Younger consumers want to live better in

their later years and understand that to

enjoy quality of life, mental alertness and

physical wellbeing are important. In fact,

58% of consumers globally say that staying

physically active is key to healthy ageing 1 .

With this, nutrition plays a big role in

supporting a sound mind and healthy body.

THE RIGHT DIET

More than ever, a plant-based diet appeals

to today’s health conscious and socially

aware younger consumers. In APAC, 60% of

consumers regard plant protein to be more

nutritious, sustainable and better quality

than animal protein, and associate it with a

stronger immunity to support healthy ageing 3 .

Eating more protein is crucial to maintain

muscle mass as we get older. We need to

consume as much as 50% more protein, or


INGREDIENTS 21

risk losing 30-50% of our total muscle mass 4 .

Protein also supports many functions, from

cognitive, digestive, to bone and joint health.

Food is medicine — we see more consumers

turning to food and beverages to provide not

just nourishment but the right nutrients to

sustain a healthy lifestyle through every

life stage. In Asia, 70% of consumers say that

choosing functional products are important

or very important 5 .

DELICIOUS SUSTAINABLE DRINKS

Maximising nutrition in beverages, particularly

in sustainable dairy or dairy alternative

beverages, while maintaining great taste

and texture, requires understanding the

key challenges in plant protein processes

to formulate with the right nutritional

plant-based or dairy alternative solution.

Bitter off-notes, a cardboard-like texture, and

beany taste characterise most plant-based

proteins such as pea, soy and blends. ProDiem

uses a proprietary processing technique and

flavour masking technology to address the

mouthfeel and taste challenges traditionally

associated with plant proteins. ProDiem plant

protein range is made with plant sources

such as pea, rice or sunflower proteins and

its nutritional profile can be optimised to

deliver a protein quality similar to milk or egg

proteins, according to the Protein Digestibility

Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS=1).

THE PROTEIN FACTOR

As demand for plant-based or dairy alternatives

grows, consumers also want food and beverages

that offer efficient protein digestion.

BC30 (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086) is a

patented probiotic ingredient that supports

not just digestive health and immune

health. A recent clinical study has found

that BC30 improves protein absorption from

plant sources. All groups, young and old,

vegetarians and vegans, as well as athletes

can benefit from more efficient absorption

of protein to maintain muscle mass. BC30

is a shelf-stable, spore-forming sciencebacked

probiotic strain that is highly stable

in all types of beverages: dairy and dairy

alternative drinks, nutritional beverages,

cold press pasteurised beverages, tea

and coffee and enhanced waters.

Hybrid innovation may be the way forward

to opening opportunities in dairy alternative

beverage innovation. Producers can consider,

for example, a blend of cow-free and oat milk

which brings improved nutrition and

taste. It offers a high source of protein

and fibre from wholegrain oats, better

digestion and absorption of protein

with the addition of BC30. Furthermore,

it is also sustainable as cow-free milk

produces significantly lower carbon

emissions compared to milk while oat

milk requires just 1/8 the amount of

water to produce a pound of almonds.

The functional beverage market in Asia

Pacific, Middle East and Africa is valued

at more than US$42 billion 5 , the largest

globally. Combining complementary

functional ingredients to create tasty,

sustainable and nutritious dairy and dairy

alternative beverages that meet healthy

ageing needs shows good potential. FBA

REFERENCES

1

IPSOS Global: Things that best describe

the good things about getting old

2

Ageing and health (who.int); Chapter 3.

Ageing in Major Regions of the World, 2010

to 2050, Pew Research Centre

3

Kerry Proprietary Consumer Research –

The Protein Mindset 2021, n=2,153; APAC4

4

Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute, 2020

5

Euromonitor Passport 2020


22

INGREDIENTS

Formulating with stevia in candy

and confections

As health concerns

mount over

children’s diets

and their sugar

intake, stevia

is taking a lead

role in sugar

reduction efforts

for confectionery

products

By Selina Liu, technical

director at HOWTIAN

Sugary products can have an

irresistible charm with children,

but rising trends in tooth decay,

weight gain, and chronic metabolic

diseases such as diabetes have

been alarming many parents and

consumers. Thus, it comes as no

surprise that food manufacturers

have been looking at ways to reduce

sugar in candies and snack foods

marketed towards children.

In addition, the issue has caught

the attention of policymakers, who

have proposed regulations such

as restricting the sale of sugary

drinks and snacks in primary and

secondary schools as well as other

childcare institutions. Similarly,

canteens and cafeterias are

implementing measures to reduce

the amount of sugar in lunches

and meals provided by schools.

REDUCING SUGAR IS A TOP

CONCERN FOR CONSUMERS

The concerns around children’s diets

is part of a larger trend — consumers

of all ages are taking greater care with

managing sugar in their diets. This

need for health-promoting ingredients

and nutritional foods is changing

the face of product innovation

for the confectionery industry in

particular. In recent years, many

of the newest product launches in

confections have embraced the use

of sugar substitutes such as stevia.

As confectionery manufacturers

are pressured and compelled to

innovate, they are finding, however,

that reducing the need for added

sugars in such products can come

with some formulation challenges.

THE CHALLENGE OF REDUCING

SUGAR IN CANDY

When reformulating a candy product

for sugar reduction, the two most

important considerations are

replicating the sweetness profile

of sugar and bulking the candy

back to its original size. For both

these considerations, the use of

sugar substitutes is needed.

Natural plant sources, such as

stevia and monk fruit, or artificial

sweeteners such as aspartame,

acesulfame potassium, or sucralose,

can be used. Common bulking agents

that are used with plant-based

sources include erythritol, allulose,

fibre, and maltodextrin. Artificial

bulking agents include maltitol,

xylitol, sorbitol, and polydextrose.

Among such a wide array of sweetener

options, stevia has garnered

significant attention because it is

natural, has zero calories, and can be

200–450 times sweeter than sugar.

As a result, more and more candy

products containing stevia have

been launching in the marketplace.

In addition to replicating sweetness

levels, a common challenge with

reducing sugar in confectionery is

retaining the texture, flavour, taste,

and other properties of the candy’s

formula. For example, in a traditional

gummy candy, sugar plays a number


INGREDIENTS 23

of roles beyond its sweetness. It

increases the volume of the candy,

creates a soft texture, and also

positively affects the chew time of

the candy. If one merely replaces the

sugar content, many of the candy’s

quality would change with it.

CASE STUDY: FORMULATING

WITH STEVIA IN A NOUGAT

Recently, HOWTIAN’s sugar reduction

programme with stevia helped Zero

Sense Labs successfully launch a

sugar-free nougat series of candies.

This nougat comes in four flavours —

matcha, date, sesame, and strawberry.

The ingredients of the candy were

maltitol, freeze-dried strawberry

granules, whole milk powder,

strawberry powder, inulin, butter,

egg white, and stevia extract.

The nougats carry a product label

with low calorie, no added sugar,

and low glycaemic index claims. The

candy line was able to achieve these

claims by utilising HOWTIAN’s SoPure

Stevia specialty blend called Pegasus

II, which contains minor glycosides

that taste better than typical Reb A.

To complement and supplement

stevia in the formula, additional

sweetness and bulking is provided by

maltitol and inulin. This combination

provides the texture and chewiness

that is typically desired in a nougat.

FORMULATING WITH MALTITOL

Maltitol is one of the most commonly

used sugar alcohols in food and

is about 70% as sweet as sugar.

It has about half the calories of

sugar and provides many similar

properties. Since some maltitol is

digested, its gastrointestinal effect

is not as extreme when compared

to other sugar alcohols. An average

person may be okay with up to 40g

in a serving before experiencing

digestive discomfort. It is, however,

produced by the hydrogenation

of starch, which would then be

considered an artificial sweetener.

FORMULATING WITH INULIN

Inulin is a fibre that is about 30% as

sweet as sugar. However, as inulin

is currently in short supply, it may

be prudent to ensure that one has

secured a stable supplier before

committing to this ingredient in one’s

formulation. The most common

form of inulin is made from chicory

root and a second is derived from

Jerusalem artichoke. Since it is a

fibre, ingesting above about 10g in a

dose may cause digestive distress.

Inulin does provide some browning

and helps with digestion, when not

consumed at too high of a level. The

calories for inulin are about 1.5 per

gram, a little lower than maltitol.

FORMULATING WITH

TREHALOSE

Before its reformulation, the nougat

confection was sweetened with

trehalose, which is a rare sugar

that is about 25-45% as sweet as

sugar. However, trehalose hardens

over the shelf life of the product. It

can change the chewy and sticky

texture one desires in a nougat to

a more brittle consistency which

may cause the candy to crack.

Trehalose is typically produced

enzymatically from corn starch and

naturally occurs in mushrooms,

crustaceans, sunflower seeds, and

breads at low levels. It currently

counts as a sugar and can be

labelled as a natural flavour at low

use levels in countries that follow

FEMA. For example, in beverages,

these use levels can be under 3.5%

per the guidance from FEMA 4600.

Trehalose does not brown when baked

and is stable at high temperatures and

acidic conditions. While it does not

work as well in this nougat or a taffy

application, it can be utilised used in

other candy formulas or many formulas

in need of sugar replacement. FBA

(Images: Zero Sense Labs)


24

INGREDIENTS

Supporting immune health

through food, beverage and dietary

supplement innovation

With the long-term consequences of COVID-19

still unfolding, consumers today are hyper-aware

of their personal health and are taking proactive

measures to support their bodies’ natural defences

and overall wellbeing.

By Lois Mo, marketing director of health and wellness for APAC at ADM

Across the food, beverage, health and

wellness industry, functional ingredients

have become the new normal as consumers

increasingly make a connection between a

healthy digestive system and their overall

wellbeing. It has been reported that globally,

one in four consumers experience digestive

issues. Of those, half claim that it has a

moderate or severe impact on their overall

wellbeing 1 . Within Asia-Pacific, nearly one in

three Chinese, South Korean and Australian

consumers recognise a link between their

immune system and digestive health 2 .

Between 2015 to 2020, Mintel research

found that many new products launches

are including combinations of prebiotics

and probiotics, with increases of 113% in

Asia-Pacific alone*. Besides supplements,

microbiome ingredients have become

very popular in different food applications

and consumers are seeking functional

foods to deliver additional benefits

beyond their basic nutritional value.

CONSUMERS ARE CATCHING UP

It is apparent that consumers are becoming

aware of the potential role their gut

micro-biomes play in their everyday wellbeing,

from physical to emotional health. The

global human microbiome market is seeing

a huge opportunity for developers — one

that is estimated to balloon and reach $9.1

billion by 2026 3 . Building on ADM’s Global

Consumer Trends series, opportunities

are aplenty for product innovation, and

product developers should keep a pulse

on the top consumer trends that are

shaping demand for food and beverage

solutions targeting the gut microbiome.

Trend 1: Growing consumer awareness

of the gut-brain connection and the

link between microbiome function

with mood and cognition

According to a study from the University

of Oxford, BioKult’s multispecies probiotic

supplement has shown that the product

can support mood along with other related

cognitive measures. Previously, the gut

microbiome was understood to be important

for gastrointestinal health, but we now

understand that the microorganisms

found in the gut can have far-reaching

effects on distant physiological systems.

Consumers are paying more attention

to the impact their food, beverage and

supplement choices may have on their

overall well-being, and we see a growing

belief among consumers in a connection

between mind and body. In fact, 53% of

consumers state that products designed

to support brain health are appealing.

Trend 2: Personalised nutrition

solutions designed to support everyday

performance for active lifestyles

The importance of leading an active

lifestyle has motivated consumers to

focus on specialised nutrition to support

their personal wellness goals. In the past,

sports nutrition was a category mainly

driven by consumer aspirations and

demands related to physical appearance,

strength, performance, recovery, or focus.

Today’s consumers are adopting a more

holistic view of their diet and lifestyle

choices especially with growing evidence

of nutrition solutions being linked to

sleep hygiene, mental well-being,

immune function and more. Consumers

with active lifestyles want personalised

nutrition to support their everyday

performance and needs, and ADM’s

Bacillis subtilis DE111** has the versatility

to seamlessly fit into daily staples such

as protein bars and ready-to-drink


INGREDIENTS 25

SHAPING THE FUTURE OF NUTRITION

The pandemic has elevated awareness of

the importance of gut health as related

to immune function, providing fertile

ground for innovation within the food,

beverage and dietary supplement industry.

Today and in the future, consumers will

continue to take measures to support

their health and wellbeing, especially

through increased purchasing of products

targeting support for immune function.

shakes***. This presents a customised

solution to support consumer wellness, as

this probiotic ingredient has been shown

to support aspects of athletic performance

and recovery while also supporting

gastrointestinal health and immune function.

ADM has developed formulations to

help support skin health, and a growing

number of clinical trials demonstrate the

role of the gut microbiome in skin health

that inform development of probiotic

formulations that address skin care.

Our ingredients at ADM are backed by

rigorous science and a global network of

nutrition scientists, clinical researchers

and regulatory experts. We’re continually

identifying new synergies between biotics

to meet different health and wellness needs

as consumers look for tailored offerings.

As they carry new nutritional routines

into their new normal, forward-thinking

brands must help shape the future of

nutrition with microbiome at its core.

Trend 3: Test-kits benchmark the

composition of consumer’s microbiomes

as personalised nutrition phenomenon

gains hold

Tailored solutions are increasingly important,

with 49% of consumers believing every

individual is unique and requires a customised

approach to their diet 4 . As the personalised

nutrition phenomenon gains hold, new

technology is enabling consumers with

microbiome testing kits to benchmark the

make-up of their microbiome. Several startups

have recognised this and have begun

to provide insights into the composition

of consumers’ microbiomes and aspects

related to its potential function.

Be it vitamins, fibre, prebiotics, probiotics,

or postbiotics, 59% of global consumers find

the idea of nutrition-focused genetic testing

appealing. Understanding the make-up

of their microbiome allows consumers to

personalise their nutrition and incorporate

foods, beverages and dietary supplements

that may support their unique microbiomes.

Trend 4: Demystification of probiotics

and the skin microbiome

Beyond the gut, many consumers believe

that probiotics may positively affect their

skin's microbiome. To meet this demand,

While the nuances of the gut-skin link are

still emerging 5 , researchers have started

to pinpoint key differences in individuals’

microbiota, creating new opportunities in the

market for probiotic ingredients in various

applications that support skin health.

Trend 5: Consumer interest in

immune health will be a top priority

today and in the future

Consumers are actively looking for solutions

that provide a functional benefit, reinforced

by clinical studies that demonstrate the

product’s efficacy and safety. More than ever,

consumers want convenient solutions to fit

their lifestyles — they want the flexibility to

incorporate them into a variety of product

formats, whether in baking, beverages,

dairy, snacks or dietary supplements.

Additionally, 66% of global supplement

consumers seek out supplements

formulated to support immune function.

Recognising that a healthy gut helps to

support elements of their immune systems,

ADM’s proprietary probiotic, Lactobacillus

rhamnosus CNCM I-4036, is designed to

support elements of immune function.

Consumers are concerned with what they

put in their bodies, and our strains are

supported by clinically documented results.

With holistic health as an ongoing consumer

priority, shoppers today expect the selection

of available products to be tasty, nutritionforward,

sustainable and with clean labels.

As a global leader in nutrition, we help

product developers pinpoint the right

ingredients to incorporate into functional

foods and beverages as well as dietary

supplements to support consumer demands

for functionality and effectiveness. FBA

* This communication is intended for B2B use and no

statements are meant to be perceived as approved by

regulatory authorities.

** The availability of Bacillis subtilis DE111 varies across Asia

Pacific depending on local regulations.

*** Local regulations must be reviewed to confirm

permissibility of ingredients and claims for each food

category.

REFERENCES

1

Euromonitor, The Rise and Potential of Gut

Health, May 2020

2

The Hartman Group. SUST2019.

3

Euromonitor – IPA Global Probiotics Market

Insights

4

ADM Outside Voice SM

5

Ellis, S., Nguyen, M., Vaughn, A., Notay, M.,

Burney, W., Sandhu, S. and Sivamani, R.,

2019. The Skin and Gut Microbiome and Its

Role in Common Dermatologic Conditions.

Microorganisms, 7(11), p.550.


Sustainable agriculture

key to feeding Asia

Against the backdrop of one

the world’s fastest populations,

Asia’s producers must answer

the call for increased agricultural

production while balancing

sustainable practices.

By HP Nanda, CEO of water utility at Grundfos

Water, energy, and food are the most

important resources for societies

around the world, but the stability of all

three have been met with tremendous

challenges in just the last few years.

Notably, food security is a key priority on

this year’s agenda for the G20 under the

Presidency of Indonesia, particularly as

global challenges such as COVID-19 and

the Russia-Ukraine war adversely impact

the food supply chain. The World Food

Programme has reported that by end of

2022, an estimated 323 million people

will be severely food-insecure, due to the

compounding effects of social, political,

and economic crises around the world*.

Alongside this, food consumption

has been skyrocketing as a result of

a burgeoning population, growing

middle class, and rapid urbanisation.

The Food and Agriculture Organization

(FAO) predicts that we will need to

produce 60% more food to feed a global

population of 9.3 billion by 2050*.

Closer to home, food insecurity looms as

a priority in Asia. The agriculture sector is

one of Asia’s economic pillars, supporting

the livelihoods of a significant share of

the region’s population. Yet, an estimated

375.8 million people in the region faced

hunger in 2020, which is nearly 54

million more people than in 2019*.


INGREDIENTS 27

We need to urgently address hunger and

malnutrition, ensuring those impacted have

access to nutritious food. The way forward

calls for greater effort and innovation towards

sustainably increasing agricultural production,

improving the global supply chain, and

decreasing overall food loss and waste.

THE NEXUS BETWEEN FOOD,

ENERGY, AND WATER

However, sitting at the heart of it all, it

is important not to neglect the fact food

production is intrinsically tied to our

two other pillars: water and energy.

Agriculture is the largest consumer of the

world’s freshwater resources, and more

than one-quarter of the energy used

globally is expended on food production

and supply. With that in mind, the future

of agriculture systems worldwide hinges

on pursuing a more sustainable approach,

transitioning to practices and systems that

are more productive and less wasteful.

Sustainable agriculture is not only key

in ensuring sufficient resources to meet

growing demand; a farming-as-usual

approach would also take too heavy a toll

on our natural resources. Agriculture is

estimated to contribute up to 24% of total

greenhouse gas emissions worldwide*.

These statistics underscore the urgency of

this issue. To ensure longevity of our food

systems well into future generations, the

global agriculture industry needs to move

towards innovative technologies that not

only limit water consumption and increase

the reuse of resources but create more

energy efficient systems that can contribute

to addressing the global food crisis while

limiting its impact on the climate.

THE POTENTIAL FOR WATER

CONSERVATION

Critical to food security is water security.

Agriculture and food production heavily relies

on water connectivity, especially through

processes such as irrigation, which calls for

more sustainable ways to manage water.

However, water scarcity in the form of

severe droughts is steadily exacerbating.

Over the last two decades, droughts

have impacted 1.4 billion people in the

world*, increasing in number and duration

by almost 30% since 2000*. This has

had dire repercussions on Asia’s food

production. For example, in Thailand, a

drought in 2020 lowered the country’s

sugar yields, resulting in a 19% decline in

Thai sugar exports in the same year*.

With that in mind, we need to revitalise

Asia’s irrigation systems to be more water

efficient. Specific farming methods — such

as drip irrigation — can help reduce the

amount of water needed for cultivation.

Drip irrigation keeps uniformity high and


28

INGREDIENTS

water waste low by delivering water directly

to a plant’s roots through micro sprays

and sprinklers to cover larger surfaces.

Asia has access to a diverse range

of natural water resources, making it

important to manage and even restore

what is available, from rainwater to lakes.

Conservation methods like rainwater

harvesting can help farmers tap into

periods of intense rainfall, helping recharge

groundwater levels as well as storing

them away for use during drier seasons.

Beyond identifying best practices, smart

technology can also play a key role in

providing farmers with greater control

over resource consumption through

remote access. Farms around the world

are gradually running their pump systems

with sensors and remote management

units that allows complete control all at

one's fingertips via their smartphones.

AGRICULTURE’S ENERGY

TRANSITION

Agriculture’s tremendous water use also has

other greater implications. Processes like

irrigation which lifts and moves water around

farms using pumping systems consume a

lot of energy. Traditional agriculture systems

are powered by electricity generated by

the burning of fossil fuels, which in turn

contributes to climate change through the

contribution of greenhouse gas emissions.

To ensure a more resilient global food system,

it is important to explore ways we can reduce

agriculture’s energy consumption overall.

One way is by incorporating technology into

agricultural systems which can ensure water

use is optimised and in turn less pumping is

required, which can make a huge difference in

reducing the amount of energy used overall.

While reviewing how we can reduce

consumption, it is also crucial to transition

towards renewable sources of energy,

such as solar. Solar-powered pumping

systems present a cost effective, flexible,

and secure water supply solution using

clean energy. Utilising solar power reduces

energy costs substantially and saves

on the costs of energy infrastructure,

wherever the application is installed.

Beyond tapping into a renewable energy

source, solar-powered pumping systems

are also especially useful for remote or rural

areas where water is scarce and power

supply is non-existent or unreliable.

When it comes to tapping into solar

energy, Australia has a huge natural

advantage with an abundance of sun and

vast, flat expanses of land, and is well

on its way in establishing best practices

and industry cases for further learning.

For example, in Queensland, the Barfield

Station requires a reliable supply of fresh,

clean water to run its 15,500-acre organic

beef operation. Its extensive watering

infrastructure utilises solar pumping

systems capable of delivering a far wider

water supply and substantial savings.

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

AS THE WAY FORWARD

Access to food is a basic human right.

The urgency of food security is not oneoff,

driven by recent global events. It

will remain necessary for us to examine

how we can strengthen food production

while addressing emerging economic,

environmental, and societal challenges.

The benefits sustainable agriculture

bring to the table means that it has

an undeniable role to play in feeding

the growing worldwide population

while reducing the industry’s impact

on climate change. We are in the

golden age of innovative technologies

and precision agriculture which can

greatly help farmers do more with less

water and energy, and we need to

tap into it so that we can continue to

feed the generations to come. FBA

*References are available on request.

INGREDIENTS 29

What we didn't know about

minerals: A consumer study on

mineral perception

By Vivian Dietrich, product manager of special salts at Jungbunzlauer Ladenburg

Minerals have diverse functionalities in

the human body that are necessary for

its overall health. Thus, we need the daily

intake of a broad range of minerals to avoid

mineral deficiencies, which might result in

disease symptoms and common disorders.

Jungbunzlauer, as a manufacturer of

organic minerals, wanted to understand if

consumers were aware of the importance

of minerals for their health; had knowledge

about the advantages of organic minerals;

preferred organic minerals over inorganic

minerals; were open to food and beverage

mineral fortification or supplementation.

The company asked more than 1,400

consumers to participate in two online

surveys on minerals. The surveys were

conducted in cooperation with Döhler’s

sensory and consumer science department

(“Döhler”) and students from the Aalen

University’s business development course

(“Aalen University”). This article describes

some results of the two online surveys.

The complete paper can be downloaded

from Jungbunzlauer’s website.

KEY RESULTS AND

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION

Healthy nutrition and minerals are a major

topic for consumers. However, only 40% of

the respondents believe that their mineral

supply is sufficient to cover their needs. This

indicates that there is an unmet demand

among consumers to increase their

mineral supply, which provides a growth

opportunity for products containing

high levels of minerals. Since the vast

majority of the panellists wished for

more information on the mineral

content of the products

they purchase, it is

recommended that the

mineral content of

the final product

be added to the

nutritional

information. Moreover, consumers have

only limited knowledge of the health

benefits of the minerals. Thus, it is helpful

for consumer education to add health

claims on the fortified products, if possible.

However, it seemed that information

about the exact mineral compound in the

product might overload consumers, who

are generally not aware of the specific

characteristics of compounds and the

differences between them. As consumers

have very positive associations with the

term “organic minerals”, it is recommended

to advertise the final product as containing

“organic” minerals instead of their specific

form. Furthermore, it might be a good idea

to avoid or to explain the rather technical

term “bioavailability” when describing

the advantages of organic minerals. For

example, bioavailability can be described

as “minerals that can be easily absorbed”.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

“Healthy nutrition and minerals” is a

major topic for almost all consumers.

The Aalen University panellists were

asked how important a healthy diet

is to them. An impressive 93% of the

respondents answered that healthy

nutrition is “important” or “rather

important” to them. Moreover, for 92%

of the study participants, the topic of

minerals was important. Surprisingly, only

40% of the respondents believed that

their supply of minerals is sufficient.

This result was even more remarkable

when taking into account that the

panel was highly educated and

health-sensitive. It clearly showed the

need for a greater mineral supply.


30

INGREDIENTS

This is underlined by the statement

from two-thirds of the Döhler panellists

that mineral content is either very

important or important in their purchase

decision. The addition of minerals

to products in order to meet this

demand is therefore recommended.

Consumers have limited

knowledge about minerals

In order to understand the level of

education on minerals, panellists

were asked to select the health claim

associated with iron, potassium,

magnesium, calcium and zinc in

the body. Interestingly, we found

differences between the countries.

The majority of the German panel

from Aalen University, which had

a high academic rate, assigned

each mineral to its corresponding

functionality correctly. The only

exception was potassium, for which

only 55% of the respondents were able

to select the correct health claim.

Similarly, the participants from the

Döhler questionnaire were not aware

of the health advantages of potassium.

Nor were they aware of the benefits

of magnesium, with the exception of

Germany, where 60% of the panellists

correctly assigned the health claim

for magnesium. Most panellists

from all three participating countries

knew about the functions of calcium

and about 50% were aware of the

health advantages of zinc and iron.

Based on these results, there is a

clear need for consumer education

about the functionality of potassium.

The function of magnesium being

well known to German panellists but

not in the panellists from the other

countries could be attributed to the

effect of successful advertisement

of magnesium supplements in

Germany in the past. This would

prove that consumer education is

effective and might be a good way to

sensitise consumers regarding the

importance of a specific mineral.

Interestingly, the intention to consume

more of a certain mineral strongly

correlates with the awareness of its

health benefit. It is therefore strongly

recommended that health claims be

printed on the final product packaging in

order to increase consumer knowledge

of the benefits of the minerals.

Consumers have very

positive associations with

and a higher willingness to

pay for organic minerals

Seventy-seven percent of the Aalen

University panellists were not aware

of the advantage of organic minerals

over inorganic minerals. However,

they had very positive associations

with organic minerals with high

quality, and of being healthier and

more natural (Fig 1). Most importantly,

consumers indicated a willingness

to pay more for organic minerals.

It is therefore strongly recommended

that the term “organic minerals” be

included in advertisements when

products contain Jungbunzlauer

minerals. It is equally important to

educate consumers on the advantages

of organic minerals, since the majority

does not seems to be aware of them.

Fig 1: Associations with organic versus inorganic minerals. 554 panellists were asked which properties they associate more

with organic or inorganic minerals (Aalen University)


INGREDIENTS 31

Consumers do not know

what bioavailability means

but are willing to pay more

for higher bioavailability

Many of the Aalen University panellists

were not aware what bioavailability

means and only 50% linked it to organic

minerals. However, 62% of the panellists

indicated a greater willingness to

pay for higher bioavailability. It is

therefore recommended that additions

such as “readily absorbed organic

minerals” be applied in marketing or to

explain what “bioavailability” means.

Customers wish for more

information on the mineral

content of products

Currently, 56% of the panel do not pay

attention to the mineral content of

the food they purchase. This is mainly

because there is often no information

on the mineral content on the packaging

of food and beverages, in contrast to

their fat, sugar, salt and calories. More

than 80% of the respondents would

appreciate a clearer communication of

the mineral content of a product. Thus, it

seems necessary to include the mineral

content on the nutritional label. FBA


32

ON THE TABLE

Fresh from the

food truck:

Next Gen Foods

at FHA – Food &

Beverage 2022

Meeting consumer expectations

along gastronomical and regional

lines are key to enhancing the reach

of plant-based products.

By Agatha Wong

The 2022 edition of FHA – Food

& Beverage saw the launching

of the Alternative Proteins Asia

(APA) showcase, which highlighted

the latest and most exciting

developments in the alternative food

scene. Ranging from plant-based

nuggets to vegan eggs, visitors were

treated to innovative experience

demonstrating the future of protein.

Amongst the many participants of

the showcase was Next Gen Foods,

whose plant-based product, TiNDLE,

was prepared in a pop-up food truck

as samples for curious tastebuds.

“It’s great to see the industry coming

back together after around two

years. There is a great presence of

plant-based meat [at FHA – Food

& Beverage], and it’s great to see

that the category is not only getting

bigger, but also better,” commented

Marc Jolly, vice-president of

business development for APME at

Next Gen Foods. “And that is really

what we are trying to do at TiNDLE

— that is, saving the planet from

a food consumption perspective;

and making it a pleasure, not a

pain. What consumers are looking

for in TiNDLE is the taste, the

texture; they’re looking for nutrition,

they’re looking for affordability.

And it’s great to see the evolution

of things right here at FHA.”

Launched 18 months ago in

Singapore, TiNDLE has since reached

over 50 global cities including Hong

Kong, Macau, Kuala Lumpur, and

the UAE. The company’s nineingredient

blend is aimed not only

at the discerning consumer who

wishes to leave a more sustainable

imprint in their dietary choices,

but also chefs who are making the

transition to an environmentallyfriendly

alternative. With that,


ON THE TABLE

33

FHA – Food & Beverage serves

as a jumping point for Next Gen

Foods to put TiNDLE on the radar of

prospective business opportunities.

“The big focus of this show is

connecting with food service players:

restaurant and bar owners, chefs,

procurement managers; having

them taste our product and having

conversations about how we can

add value to our menu and their

business. That’s really what we

want to do at FHA,” said Jolly.

THE APAC TARGET

More crucially, as one of the largest

food and beverage trade shows in

the region, FHA – Food & Beverage

brings in an ocean of opportunities

for food companies to interact with

an Asian audience. In light of rising

consumerism and growing affluence

in the Asia-Pacific region, there

is great potential for plant-based

companies to tap into a market

that is hungrily reaching out for

unique gastronomical experiences.

Jolly commented: “Of course,

consumer pool and adoption

are not as big here yet as North

America and Europe, though we’d

certainly like it to be. There’s a

recent study by Kerry where they

surveyed 3,500 consumers across

10 different countries from APAC,

and the results show that 63% of

them were interested in plant-based

meat. This demonstrates that there

is potential for things to change

quickly. The key for that is how we

can change the consumer pool:

“First, we have to change the

perception of plant-based meat,

and sometimes there has been a

negative perception of plant-based

meat as lacking a few dimensions

that consumers are looking for. Our

raison d’être is that consumers love

meat not because it comes from

animals, but in spite of it. What they’re

looking for is the taste, texture;

the availability, versatility. Hence,

we are focused on hitting those

dimensions that can offer a meat-like

experience for that consumer pool.”

More than that, the existing

vegetarian culture is Asia can set the

stage for broader development of the

plant-based market. As mock meats

and konjac products are familiar to

local consumers, there is room for

alternative proteins to take root.

“What’s useful is that there is already

a big familiarity with soy, which is

our base ingredient. In that sense,

it makes the conversion a pleasure,

not a pain,” acknowledged Jolly.

FURTHER RESEARCH

Tapping into the rising demand

for plant-based options in the

region, Next Gen Foods will be

furthering its innovation pipeline

in Singapore with the building of

an R&D centre in Singapore, as

part a large food-tech innovation

hub under the Temasek Group’s

Asia Sustainable Foods Platform.

“As part of that, we’re always looking

at how we can make our product

relevant, with our state-of-the-art

research and innovation. What we

find is, with our core product TiNDLE,

which is malleable and allows chefs

to work with it and season it, we can

work with chefs and food service

partners to take that core product,

and turn it into steaks and dumplings.

“That being said, we’re also launching

new products at FHA — our nuggets

and patties — using our same TiNDLE

core and putting it into a format

that is pre-coated and pre-formed,

so that they are easier to use for

food service operators depending

on the level of complexity they wish

to have in their operation. When

we develop our product, we very

much kept in mind the Asian palate.

When you look at a market that

is as sophisticated as Singapore,

consumers here really expect the

best. Thus, we think about everything

when going into the design of

TiNDLE, and Lipi, our unique and

proprietary ingredient; and how we

can satisfy the consumer palate.”

With these developments, Next

Gen Foods appears poised to

continue their journey as one of

the key figures in the plant-based

market, meeting their company’s

mission to “make saving the planet

easy, enjoyable and delicious”. For

one, the gathering of other plantbased

companies at FHA – Food &

Beverage Asia is a signal for positive

changes in the food industry.

“it’s great to see the plant-based

meat category growing. We’re all

in this together — our core mission

is to rapidly transform the global

food system. This is why we’re

betting on plant-based, because

we see that as the technology

that is easily scalable. Our goal

for this show is connecting to as

many food service providers as

we can, having them taste our

product, and co-creating together

to find excellent recipes.” FBA

From katsu to satay, TiNDLE

can be moulded into a variety

of dishes for chefs


34

ON THE TABLE

Ginkgo Bioworks

and the cell-based initiative

Founded in 2008, Ginkgo went public last year with over

$1.6bn in proceeds to build a platform for customer to

program cells as easily as programming computers. Food

& Beverage Asia speaks with Sneha Srikrishnan, director of

growth at Ginkgo, to find out more about the company’s

technology, insights, and its solutions for the alternative

protein scene.

How is Ginkgo’s technology

optimised to develop yeast

strains and protein production

processes, in light of a rapidly

changing global food system?

How can alternative producers

remain vigilant and prepared,

to meet said rapid changes?

Sneha Srikrishnan: Ginkgo offers

our partners solutions ranging from

developing new chassis strains to

meeting functionality goals for food

ingredients. Ginkgo’s “Foundry” and

“Codebase” approach provides

customers with solutions, supported

by scientists, automation for high

throughput experimentation and

operational teams to guide the

development all the way through

deployment.

Sneha Srikrishnan

is the director of

growth at Ginkgo

Bioworks

Ginkgo recently launched its Cell

Development Kit (CDK) early this

year, with an offering in the protein

production space. The CDK modules

are our way of providing technical

services within a standard deal

structure that is easy to navigate.


ON THE TABLE

35

There are four primary modules

we are offering: (1) discovery of

novel proteins via metagenomic

sourcing; (2) prototype and sample

development from a proof-ofprinciple

chassis (Pichia, Aspergillus

or E. coli); (3) optimisation of strains

for commercial production; and (4)

scale-up and process development.

In addition, Ginkgo continues to

focus on pushing the performance

of chassis strains, developing

new capabilities and employing

tools including DNA synthesis,

next generation sequencing,

proteomics, transcriptomics,

metabolomics, protein purification

and characterisation to aid

alternative food markets.

One important aspect of alternative

food is that replacement ingredients

often need to compete with their

meat or dairy counterparts in terms

of not just taste and formulation but

also cost, functionality and nutritive

value. With continual expansion of

Ginkgo’s Foundry and increase in

the throughput of our automation,

our costs have reduced by 50%

each year for the last six years, with

the exception of 2020 during the

COVID-19 pandemic. We believe

that we can now engineer biology

at 1/10th the cost of performing the

same work by hand, and in a few more

years this will drop to 1/100th the

cost. We believe that Ginkgo’s platform

can be a powerful solution to quickly

evaluate feasibility of an ingredient

that is both scalable and functional.

Ginkgo’s website states that its

“foundry can be easily repurposed

to create additional food

products, thereby shortening

the time-to-market for each

new product”. Can you elaborate

more on the significance of a

reusable foundry, and how might

this change the playing field in

terms of product development

in alternative proteins?

Srikrishnan: At Ginkgo, our mission

is to make biology easier to engineer

so that companies can leverage

the power of biology to grow

products. We are specialists in cell

programming and drawing parallels

to the binary code for computers,

we help companies program the

genetic code in microorganisms.

Fig 1 describes Ginkgo’s platform

and how we work with our

customers. In developing a new

project for a customer on our

platform, we determine their product

specifications, design a program

suited to their need, and execute.

The more we execute on programs,

the more we learn about the genetic

code, thus gaining efficiency with

each generation of programs

using a better baseline to start.

We leverage automation across

virtually all laboratory operations

in our Foundry to make our work

faster, cheaper, more reproducible,

and are able to perform thousands

of experiments in parallel with

specialised scientists focused

on analysis and automation.

We have also created and continue

to expand our Codebase, which

Fig 1: Ginkgo Bioworks’ platform takes

customers from the cellular level to

their desired solutions


36

ON THE TABLE

is our repository of validated, reusable

genetic parts, chassis strains - and

our accumulated knowledge of how

to use them - in other words, data

and knowledge accumulated from

each project provides a learn cycle

for the next generation of projects.

Engineering biology is complicated. We

need a holistic, systems mindset to get it

right, especially when no one approach

is likely to be sufficient. We have an

extraordinary group of scientists and

engineers with specialised skills dedicated

to creating solutions for our customers.

When Ginkgo develops a solution to

a specific problem, we parallelly learn

from the thousands of experiments run

in the process of strain development.

Deepening our understanding of

bottlenecks within strain metabolism

and process requirements enables us to

improve our methods or to pivot strategy.

Each round of product development

therefore opens up a solution space for

similar products, providing Ginkgo with

a vantage point for rapidly navigating to

a distinct solution for each customer.

throughput screening technology and strain

development expertise, Ginkgo scientists

work closely with customers to support

scale-up of fermentations and sample

generation. From prototype development to

commercial strain development including

process optimisation, Ginkgo's approach to

organism engineering and fermentations,

provides a launch pad for customers who

are looking to formulate and develop new

foods in the alternative food space.

As the alternative protein industry

grows with more companies

entering the market, what are the

challenges that you think companies

might face in terms of product

differentiation? More crucially, how

might biotechnology, or other forms

of food tech and science, continue to

deliver novel products to consumers?

Srikrishnan: Alternative proteins offer

a tremendous opportunity to provide

differentiated product offerings. Creative

solutions resulting from novel proteins,

texturising ingredients, lipids, fatty acids and

combinations thereof can provide a plethora

of possibilities within the formulation,

application and taste profile of foods.

synthetic biology can be a great way

to explore novel ingredient discovery

and/or functionality improvements

in a single ingredient that can in

combination with creative formulation

provide a range of distinct solutions

to the alternative protein industry. The

cautionary note here would be to look

carefully into not just the differentiated

taste profile but also the economics

of the solution being developed, as

true competition is not within the

alternative food production, but with

their meat or dairy-based counterparts

and a time-tested taste/cost footprint.

When demand is high, collaborations

between synthetic biology, cellular

agriculture and plant-based ingredients

may be an exciting opportunity to

develop new formulations of flavours,

textures and taste profiles. FBA

What were the approaches the

Ginkgo team took to creating a

solution for ingredients in the

alternative protein space?

Srikrishnan: Ginkgo has developed

unique expression systems that can

produce proteins at high levels and are

capable of fermentation to high cell

densities for production. In addition to high

Let us take the tomato as an example here:

there are several varieties of tomatoes,

several ways to treat and formulate them.

Ultimately, these combinations lend

different flavour profiles to a range of

products. Although a key ingredient is the

same, several competing brands exist in

the market that each utilise the tomato to

their own preference. Drawing parallels,


ON THE TABLE

37

Not a small fry: Belgian

potatoes take centre stage

Despite fuelling challenges from climate change and the global

supply chain, Belgium has emerged as a significant player in the

potato production sector, bringing its cultivation and culinary

expertise to the rest of the word

By Agatha Wong

Beloved around the world, the humble fry

can be found across various dishes, be

it a side to the main course or a mid-day

snack. And while some may refer to it as the

French fry, the term is in fact a misnomer. It

was said that American soldiers christened

the slices of fried potatoes as such after

discovering it in Belgium, which considers

French one of its three official languages.

Since then, Belgium has gone on to become

a significant player in potato exports, being

the top global exporter of potatoes in 2021

at 53.7% of its total shares. While the

pandemic has made an understandable

dent in its performance, demand for

the root vegetable remains strong. This

is in lieu of competition from countries

such as Canada and the US, whose

potato production is centred slightly

more on meeting domestic demand.

“Belgian potatoes have a natural and wellmonitored

cultivation process, with highquality,

certified seeds which make their flesh

tasty and give it a natural yellowish colour,

removing the need to add dyes for the goldenyellow

colour,” shared Hartwig Moyaert,

project coordinator at Flanders’ Agricultural

Marketing Board (VLAM). “From raw product

to processing, packaging and transport, the

Belgian potato chain takes optimal care of

its potatoes and fries, backed by the most

exacting procedures and quality standards.”

The origin of these potatoes can be traced

quite literally to its roots: Belgium is situated

in the heart of Europe’s potato cultivation,

38

ON THE TABLE

where it receives a combination of fertile

soil and favourable climate for a wide

range of potato varieties. This has enabled

the country to enjoy the world’s highest

average yields; and in tandem with

export figures, one of the leading players

in the frozen potato export industry.

CONTINUOUS RESEARCH

However, ideal geographical conditions

serve only as the basis for Belgium’s potato

production scene. According to Moyaert,

Belgian growers’ high craftsmanship and

high-tech supply sector contribute to their

high-quality potato production, forming the

basis of all processed potato products.

“The Belgian potato processing industry

incorporates the most modern environmental

and sustainable European technologies and

quality systems. Continuous investments

and technological innovations keep the

sector at the forefront, resulting in new,

higher-performance equipment and

automation, storage capacity expansion,

enhanced food safety, high-quality

products and new packaging concepts.

Additionally, farmers, processors and

traders combine years of expertise with a

scientific approach and thorough research

and development,” said Moyaert.

He raises two examples where Belgian

farmers have utilised innovative

strategies to cultivate better potato crops:

WatchITgrow and Belgian Fries Pilot.

WatchITgrow is an online platform to

support growers to monitor arable crops

and vegetables in view of increasing yields,

both qualitatively and quantitatively.

WatchITgrow uses various types of data

starting with satellite data combined

with weather data, soil data, IoT data

and field data provided by the grower.

On the other hand, The Belgian Fries

Pilot is an investment project with a pilot

line for coating, baking and degreasing

potato products, followed by oil recovery.

Co-creation through collaboration with

knowledge institutions, companies and

other stakeholders with consumer feedback

leads to innovative potato products

and potato processing processes.


The pilot focuses on research in innovative

processing with a focus on Industry

4.0 (for example, data collection with

inline sensors), valorisation of secondary

flows and efficient use of energy. In the

potato production process, innovation

in sustainable processing at the frying

stage is important to keep up with the

growing demand for potato products and

to strengthen Belgium as the market leader

in processed potato-based products.

UPCOMING CHALLENGES

While market demand for potatoes is

projected to grow in the years ahead

thanks to changing consumer preferences

— ranging from increased impulse

purchase, gravitation towards foods with

longer shelf life, and inclination for more

accessible and affordable products — there

are challenges lined up for the sector.

The most cogent of these issues will be

climate change. As summers in Western

Europe are becoming hotter and drier, this

has had an adverse effect on the quality and

quantity of potato production. Potatoes are

getting smaller and the yield per hectare is

lower, according to Moyaert. This is further

compounded by rising energy costs and

labour wages brought on by rising inflation;

alongside an issue with finding suitable

personnel for the production process.

More than that, the war in Ukraine has

impacted wheat production. While this might

seem an adjacent issue, this has certainly

pushed some farmers to change their crops to

wheat, reducing the availability of potatoes.

To support potato farmers and producers in

these dire times, Belgium facilitates close

cooperation between food companies,

universities, scientific institution, and the

government. These efforts include pilot

plants, bio-incubators, federations, cluster

organisation, knowledge centres, university

research groups and the provision of

transport infrastructure, Moyaert supplied.

ACROSS CONTINENTS

VLAM is providing general promotion of

Belgian processed potato production under

its "Go for Gold" campaign, which unites

Belgian producers under a common PR

umbrella.

Moyaert said: “Belgian exporters are

expected to meet their 33.3% worldwide

share in Singapore. While its market share

in Singapore was 7% in 2021, VLAM has

a three-year 2022-2024 B2B promotion

campaign plan to increase it and to promote

Belgian frozen potato products in the

region. The promotion campaign includes

trade fairs participations, network events,

PR campaigns, online/offline advertising

in Singapore, Japan, Korean and China.”

Most recently, Belgian fries took the

spotlight at this year’s edition of FHA Food

& Beverage Asia, held in Singapore. With the

tagline “Go for Gold” highlighting the visual

characteristics and quality of Belgian fries,

visitors could experience and taste the hard

work of the country’s potato producers.

During the event, Moyaert and Nathalie

Surmont, Trade & Investment Commissioner

for the Embassy of Belgium, shared the

indelible cultural significance of fries in

Belgium, as well as the prominent identity

of the Frietkoten stands found all over the

country. These small eating house selling fries

can be found everywhere and are ingrained

in Belgium’s daily cuisine, in the streets,

and their culture, said Moyaert, bearing a

resemblance to Singapore’s hawker centres.

With these continuing efforts to further the

reach of Belgian fries and potatoes globally,

there is no doubt that demand for this sector

will continue to grow in the years ahead. FBA


40

PROCESSING AND PACKAGING

Driving

sustainability

in the edible oils

and fats industry

In this day and age, where

sustainability is top of mind for

customers and consumers alike,

how do process efficiency and

technology intersect to reduce

carbon footprint and improve

food safety? Jakob Helms, CEO

of JJ-Lurgi, the life sciences joint

venture of Jebsen & Jessen Group,

shares insights on the latest

sustainability challenges and

solutions.

Across the globe, oils and fats play an

important part in the commodity market

on which many key sectors depend. This

rings especially true in the South East

Asia region, which is well known for its

production and export of edible oil and

modified fat by-products such as cooking

oils, butter and margarine, among others.

In particular, palm oil is one of the most

dominant and efficient oils in the world, with

Indonesia and Malaysia producing 84% of the

global supply*. Palm is the highest yielding

crop for cooking oil and arguably the most

sustainable option, requiring between four

to 10 times less land area to get the same

amount of oil yield compared to other crops*

like soybean, coconut and sunflower.

Discussions surrounding the environmental

impacts of edible oil production, such as loss of

land area, deforestation, wastage and carbon

footprint, have given rise to the due need for

sustainable practices. In particular, this is due

to increased awareness of environmental,

social and governance (ESG) concerns in

capital expenditures as a key point in making

investment decisions; a desire to improve

operational efficiency in terms of utility

consumption and manpower; an adherence

to legislation; and a growing preference for

safe, pure and organic food products.

Customers have been looking to improve

their practices by getting to the root of the

environmental impact of the oil and fat

refining process.

CURRENT SUSTAINABILITY

CHALLENGES

Diesel, wastewater, and heat are essential

to current oil production practices, but

they create waste and emissions, and take

up significant energy and manpower.

For example, during the processing of edible oil,

deodorisation is a steam-distillation process for

the removal of free fatty acids and undesirable

odours and flavours, and the burning of diesel

is necessary to generate steam to heat the

oil and perform the deodorisation process.

This typically leads to increased operating

expenditure, as well as sulphur emissions.

Many vacuum systems within the plant

require steam to run, and the amount of



41

water needed to cool the systems often

leads to the generation of wastewater. To

avoid biodiversity damage caused by the

contamination of rivers and streams, huge

investments in large wastewater treatment

plants are needed, leading to additional

space, energy and manpower requirements.

Besides being conscious about the amount

of energy needed to refine the oil that

consumers see on supermarket shelves,

edible oils and fats refiners also find great

importance in ensuring product safety and

purity. Recently, there have been increasing

concerns surrounding the formation of

contaminants — such as 3-monochloropropane

diol (3-MCPD) and glycidyl esters (GE) —

during the refining of heat-processed food oil.

ADDRESSING THESE NEEDS

JJ-Lurgi is proud to work and partner with

customers who are committed to ensuring

long-term sustainability in their plants, and

finding a balance between protecting human

health and the environment. As part of the

Jebsen & Jessen Group, and a joint venture

with Air Liquide, we continually adapt and

localise our German technologies to meet

the specific needs of our customers.

In the palm oil industry, JJ-Lurgi seeks

to offer good value to our customers in

the form of more efficient plants, to drive

the palm oil industry locally and around

the world through sustainable processing

methods. Over the past ten to 15 years,

through innovation and adept application

of new and old technologies, JJ-Lurgi has

reduced the diesel consumption in our plant

design by over 30% — leading to savings of

one ton of diesel per ton of oil produced —

and we plan to become greener and more

efficient with our solutions and technology.

For example, our VertiFLO Economiser for

refining plants is designed to maximise

heat recovery between refined and

bleached oil. With the best heat recovery

under vacuum in its class, it leads to high

savings in fuel consumption for heating.

As no sparging steam is required for

agitation, there is no steam consumption;

this is the only economiser under vacuum

to have this feature. The short retention

time of oil within the economiser also

minimises the formation of process

contaminants such as 3-MCPD and GEs.

To mitigate the number of contaminants

formed during the oil refining process,

JJ-Lurgi offers multiple process solutions

such as oil washing, double refining, as

well as post-stripping, that are capable

of reducing 3-MCPD and GE to their

respective safe limits for consumption.

Beyond heat recovery, another aspect of

moving towards sustainability would also be

to reduce steam and hexane consumption.

Through the installation of our Twin-Track

Sliding Cell Extractor capable of multi-seed

extraction in our largest extraction plant

project, we helped our customer achieve a

20% and 30% reduction in steam and hexane

consumption, respectively, compared to

plants of similar scope. With a mild vacuum

technology that reduces hexane in wet

meals and live steam consumption at the

desolventising, toasting, drying and cooling

(DTDC) stage, this extractor has a capacity

of over 5,000 tonnes per day, maximises oil

extraction and increases energy efficiency.

Another extraction technology includes the

Waste Water Steam Generation System,

which converts wastewater generated

in the process into usable live steam for

the DTDC stage. With no effluent from the

process plant, no additional wastewater

load for water treatment is generated.

Using our technology, we are able to help

biodiesel plants adopt a zero-wastewater

approach. In this case, water used for methyl

ester washing is recovered in the glycerine

water evaporation unit and recycled once more

for washing, thus closing the wash water loop.

MOVING FORWARD

The journey towards sustainability does not

stop here. Be it through incremental changes

to individual processes, or a complete relook

at plant designs on a larger scale, the industry

needs to keep balancing process efficiency

with lower energy consumption and emissions.

Today, R&D is a mainstay in keeping abreast

of engineering solutions. One aspect that JJ-

Lurgi finds much promise in includes closer

collaboration with universities and clients,

and we look forward to further improving

our innovations with sustainability as the

mainstay. As societal and industry demands

continue to shift towards more sustainable,

efficient and healthier options, businesses

with the right engineering and technology

partners will be able to ride the wave and

position themselves for the future. FBA

* References are available upon request

The Twin-Track Sliding Cell

Extractor uses a mild vacuum

technology that reduces hexane

in wet meals and live steam

consumption


42


The conveying

systems transforming

the food industry

Conveyors form an integral part of ensuring

that products are transported smoothly

efficiently.

Food processing has become highly automated

and the equipment used increasingly

sophisticated. Industry leading conveying

solutions have transformed the food

processing industry and are at the heart

of any truly efficient production line.

Modern conveying systems are now designed

with a range of different technologies

to help move the product through the

processing line and connect all the critical

process points. Each of these technologies

has specific characteristics which are

purposefully designed: to ensure gentle,

efficient transport of product and keep

the production line running smoothly.

HORIZONTAL MOTION CONVEYORS

AND FEEDERS

Horizontal motion conveyors have emerged

over traditional vibratory/shaker conveyors

and now account for most of the nonprocessing

sanitary conveyors used in

French fry and potato chip applications.

The FastBack range has become one of the

industry’s leading solutions for processors

aiming to achieve faster product travel rates

and maximised product distribution efficiency.

The innovative series of product handling

solutions from Heat and Control includes

the FastBack modular drive technology,

which was designed by a NASA engineer and

includes a variety of feeding, proportioning

and laning conveyor solutions.

FastBack conveyors use a patented drive

system to produce the slow-forward,

fast-back horizontal motion which

has transformed the product handling

market and made it the conveyor of

choice for challenging products like

fries, snacks, fresh chicken, cookies,

candies, and many other food products.

Conveying product during processing

can damage product, disrupt its coatings,

and expose it to contamination. The

ideal conveyors are both gentle and

powerful, leaving product undamaged,

coatings intact and uncontaminated.

FastBack’s patented motion technology

improves finished product quality; by

eliminating product breakage, reducing or

eliminating seasoning and coating falloff

and reducing sanitation down-time.

Sanitation is a fundamental part of

the FastBack design. A fully enclosed

stainless steel, fan-cooled motor package

is external to the drive, and completely

sealed in an IP65-rated enclosure; making

it ideal for washdown environments.

FastBack can deliver twice the product travel

rate of comparable conveyors and has the

fastest travel rate of any horizontal motion

conveyor. This makes it ideal for high volume

production and this conveyor’s ability to

convey hard-to-handle products — while

being energy efficient, quiet and versatile —

continues to earn it great market success.

Ideal applications include: snack foods,

French fries, frozen fruits and vegetables,

confectionery, cereal and pet food.

PROPORTIONAL DISTRIBUTION

WITH SUSTAINABLE BENEFITS

On the production line, a proportional

distribution system is used to achieve

consistent (and continuous) feed of

the product from distribution conveyors

to weighing and packaging stations.

Proportional, granular feeding helps

keep product uniform and improves

the packaging process.

The FastBack Revolution Gate is a

groundbreaking proportional distribution

system which uses unique cylindrical outlets

that rotate to divert a proportional portion of

product. This is such that the main product

supply can continue to flow; as it allocates

amounts to an individual weigher/bagmaker.


ACCUMULATION

Industrial solutions for accumulation

let the processing and packing area

run without interruption. Accumulation

systems temporarily store product, or

keep it moving in a steady flow to and

from processing and packaging areas.

This improves full line efficiency by

managing output from high volume

processing systems (such as fryers

and freezers) until the time is right to

deliver it to downstream equipment.

These systems also allow an operation

to reduce the waste and product

degradation caused by sudden packaging

room stoppages or slow-downs by

providing a temporary place to hold

product rather than discarding it.

TEMPORARY PRODUCT STORAGE

AND ON-DEMAND DELIVERY

The MinuteMan Accumulation Conveyor

is a great example of a gentle system

which provides an accumulation buffer

between processing and packaging. This

style of conveyor is designed to reduce

breakage and protect quality of the

product. It provides temporary storage

for products and on-demand delivery

at the manufacturer’s discretion.

A gentle, innovative design allows the

FastBack gate to divert product without

creating a single pinch point and typically

reduces product breakage by 4% or

more. Sustainability is a key objective

for food processors today and industry

leading equipment is designed with

energy efficiency in mind. While conveying

systems typically account for a very small

percentage of overall factory energy usage

(less than 1%), global uncertainty and the

ongoing impacts of the pandemic is seeing

every area scrutinised for efficiency.

Advanced, electrically driven accessories

such as the FastBack Revolution Gate

are a viable alternative to pneumatic

gates, while using four times less energy.

This gate system is the industry’s safest

and only truly proportional gate which

prevents product breakage and eliminates

maintenance-heavy pneumatics.

The minimal drop heights and soft,

vulcanised belts on this type of conveyor

allow it to handle even the most delicate

products with care. Ideal applications

include: potato chips, tortilla chips, delicate

snack foods, crackers, cookies and candy.

COMPACT SYSTEMS FOR WET

AND DRY ENVIRONMENTS

An example of a more compact style of

accumulation conveyor is the SwitchBack

Accumulation conveyor. The spacesaving

style of this conveyor facilitates

trouble-free accumulation in both wet

and dry environments. It has a design

which requires no gates or pneumatics

and uses the world’s simplest drive. Few

moving parts mean there is no need

for preventative maintenance. This

style of conveyor is commonly used by

processors of potato chips, tortilla chips,

delicate snack foods and frozen meats

and poultry. FBA


44


Coffee: Delicious and

eco-friendly packaged

Sustainable solutions for mono-material films and

vacuum technology by Syntegon Technology can

offset environmental concerns surrounding coffee

cultivation.

Few luxury foods have endured in its

popularity as coffee. People around

the globe enjoy the versatile beverage.

Consumers not only value delicious

coffee but are growing increasingly

concerned with the product’s

environmental impact, and that largely

depends on its packaging waste.

Thus, alternative packaging concepts

that protect the planet just as well

as coffee beans are on the rise.

Sustainable packaging has swiftly

gained awareness in Asia in recent

years. Here, coffee has not only

been grown for several centuries

and exported all over the world;

it is also becoming increasingly

popular among Asian consumers,

especially with young people.

In Indonesia, for example, the

domestic coffee consumption has

quadrupled since 1990. For 2019 and

2020, the country has consumed

4.8 million 60kg bags of coffee 1 .

With these increasing quantities

in mind, consumers demand for

eco-friendlier concepts to balance

Through the complete removal

of oxygen from the inside of the

packaging, vacuum packs can

make an important contribution to

sustainable production

Separate vacuum chambers in the high-speed packaging machine PKD enable coffee manufacturers to reduce headspace effectively



45

Syntegon’s PKD is a high-speed vacuum packaging solution for producers seeking environmentally friendly alternatives

out environmental factors of coffee

cultivation, leading to an increasing

engagement of manufacturers in

developing sustainable solutions.

RECYCLING AS SUSTAINABLE

OPPORTUNITY

To offer consumers environmentally

friendly packaging alternatives and

meet stricter legal regulations in

several countries, manufacturers

are reviewing the lifecycle of their

products, including end-of-life

processes for packaging. Many

manufacturers focus on recyclable

packaging materials to comply

with the principles (reduce, reuse,

and recycle) of a circular economy,

each of them aiming at decreasing

environmental impact and avoiding

fossil-based packaging materials

such as multi-layered plastic films.

While conventional plastics, such

as polyamide and polyethylene

terephthalate, guarantee high product

protection, they also pose severe

environmental challenges as they are

difficult to recycle and often require

thermal recovery. In contrast, polyolefin

mono-materials, such as polyethylene

and polypropylene, are fully recyclable

via well-established recycling streams

in many countries. Some Asian

countries, such as Singapore, have

already recognised this potential

in environmental protection and

are gradually expanding: In 2021,

Singapore's overall recycling rate

improved from 52% in 2020 to 55%

in 2021, according to figures from the

National Environment Agency (NEA).

Thus, recycling rates of most waste

streams, including that for plastic and

food waste, were higher than in 2019 2 .

MONO-MATERIAL REQUIRES

ADJUSTED PACKAGING

PROCESSES

Shifting to mono-materials

comes with many advantages.

This shift also requires flexibility

and requires manufacturers to

rethink conventional packaging

processes, including the adjustment

of existing equipment. Alternative

materials have different processing

specifications and parameters

than composite films. They are, for

example, more heat-sensitive and

require adapted sealing technologies,

such as innovative heat sealing.

Machines need to be retrofitted to

handle recyclable mono-materials

without compromising on production

efficiency or product quality. Leading

equipment suppliers like Syntegon

offer dedicated solutions such as

retrofit kits or new packaging systems

that allow manufacturers to process

different packaging materials on

the same machine. Moreover, the

packaging experts from Syntegon

support brand owners in analysing

their individual requirements for

packaging materials. Thanks to tests

under near-production conditions,

it is possible to develop the optimal

solution for each application.

FOCUS ON PRODUCT

PROTECTION

Besides implementing the optimal

material processing parameters, a

deep understanding of the product

requirements is crucial. Coffee is

particularly sensitive and needs to be

protected from light, oxygen, water

vapour, and mechanical stress during

transport. Polyolefin mono-material

packaging is especially suitable since

it provides a highly protective barrier

layer that preserves the complex

aroma and protects the coffee from

spoiling. The film’s duplex or triplex

layer structure allows for creating

a coffee packaging solution that is

both robust and easily sealable while

offering valuable sustainability benefits.

An example for the implementation

of mono-material food packaging

in the coffee sector is the PMX

packaging machine for ground


46


coffee and whole beans from Syntegon.

The machine processes recyclable monomaterials

and reduces energy and material

consumption through integrated condition

monitoring. Its modular concept enables

manufacturers to react quickly to changing

market requirements and customer needs.

VACUUM PACKAGING PROTECTS

PRODUCT AND ENVIRONMENT

Apart from switching to mono-materials,

vacuum packaging is another option

for more sustainable coffee packaging.

Oxygen is completely removed from the

inside of the packaging. This extends the

product’s shelf life, especially in hot and

humid climate zones in Asia, and effectively

saves CO2 during transport. The tightly

packed and sealed vacuum packs make

it possible to store more packages in a

smaller space, optimising logistics processes

and reducing carbon footprint during

transport. Furthermore, vacuum packaging

minimises overall film consumption.

Thanks to its smaller headspace, less

film is required to pack a batch of ground

coffee compared to a soft bag.

However, there are some challenges to

consider with vacuum packaging: film

strength, sealability, and processing

properties can influence the overall

packaging quality if the processing

technology is not adjusted accordingly.

For example, all-PE and all-PP films prove

to be particularly sensitive to heat and

deformation, calling for protection against

radiant sealing heat and fine adjustments

of sealing parameters. Furthermore, the

films must ensure mechanical resistance

to prevent punctures that could affect

product quality. Mono-material films require

a certain stiffness for the same reason.

FUTURE-PROOF SOLUTIONS

Syntegon's PKD high-spead vacuum

packaging machine presents a solution with

a sealing system for a range of film qualities.

Like other high-speed vacuum packaging

machines from Syntegon, it can also treat

the packaging film antistatically via ionising

bars to prevent coffee particles from sticking

to the inner wall of the packaging and

affecting its tightness. The machine works

with mandrel wheels and forms, fills and

seals up to 130 vacuum packs per minute,

offering an advantage in terms of speed.

With the PMX and the PKD coffee packaging

equipment, Syntegon has developed two

solutions that enable coffee manufacturers

to switch to more sustainable packaging

concepts for their sensitive products.

Through its expertise and cooperation

with film suppliers, Syntegon can

preserve the delicious aroma of coffee

and increase its environmental impact,

even in the challenging hot and humid

climate zones in parts of Asia. FBA

REFERENCES

1

Indonesia: coffee consumption total 2020,

Statista

2

Overall Waste Generation And Recycling Rates

Increased In 2021 As Economic Activity Picked

Up, NEA

The PMX is composed of individual modules which make dosing

and closing stations as well as the machine design individually

configurable

All stations of the PMX are designed to process recyclable packaging

materials and valves made of mono-materials such as polypropylene

or polyethylene, ensuring sustainable value creation



47

New brewery

in Pittsburg completely

delivered by GEA

Pittsburgh Brewing Company returns to producing

its own beer using GEA technology

Pittsburgh Brewing Company in Pennsylvania,

USA, has returned to brewing its popular

beers independently. For this purpose, it

has invested in a new brewery featuring

GEA technology. As a greenfield project,

GEA's brewing experts designed and

developed the complete process chain,

from brewhouse to cold area and bottling.

Installation began in August 2021 and

was completed one year later.

“Doing all the brewing ourselves from now

on is a big step. The learning curve is huge,”

said Todd Zwicker, president of Pittsburgh

Brewing Company. “We relied on GEA, and

today we are proud of our iconic brewery

— a project that we managed to complete on

time thanks to GEA, despite the pandemic

and supply chain situation. We want to be

a beacon project for our region with the

participation of the local community.”

former brands will be revived and

new ones created. The capacities can

also be used by other breweries.

“We want to add weight to our brands,

but focus on our local core sales

region,” Zwicker explained. Pittsburgh

Brewing currently delivers 90% of its

production volume to West Virginia,

Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

REVIVAL OF IRON CITY BEERS

The 160-year-old Pittsburgh Brewing

Company is known for its popular lagers, such

as Iron City, IC Light and IC Mango, which

were previously produced at other sites.

Pittsburgh Brewing has big plans for its

new production site on the Allegheny

River. Not only will the company increase

core production from the current

100,000 hectolitres of beer per year,

THE TECH BEHIND BRICK WALLS

Pittsburgh Brewing's new brewery is housed

in an old glass factory. The 42-acre property

provides enough space for the brewhouse,

the huge tank farm with 100 BBL brewing

tanks and 500 BBL fermentation and

bright beer tanks, the filling and packaging

plants, and additional retail space. The

new brewery is set to start operation in

August 2022, fully equipped with GEA

machines and components: These include

the GEA COMPACT-STAR craft brewhouse

with five vessels, the GEA MILLSTAR

wet grist mill, a GEA WORTSTAR for wort

aeration, a yeast propagation unit, the

GEA Plug & Win craft centrifuge and other

equipment for cleaning and pasteurisation,

blending, carbonation and bottling.

From this point on, Pittsburgh Brewing will produce its popular lagers, such as Iron City, IC Light

and IC Mango, in this new facility. They had been previously produced at other sites

PLANNING FOR CONSTANT

CAPACITY UTILISATION IN THE

FUTURE

To ensure a reasonable expansion of

its portfolio and annual output, GEA

also prepared capacity planning for

Pittsburgh Brewing that avoids supply

peaks and forms the basis for lower

water consumption in production.


48


“The most efficient breweries are

those that achieve and maintain

a constant production level with

a high brew frequency at an early

stage,” explained Andreas Holleber,

head of GEA's brewing business.

“The higher the number of brews

and the shorter the brew cycle, the

lower the investment and operating

costs. We help the customer avoid

oversizing the equipment.”

The new plant is designed for modular

growth. Phase one provides for

150,000 hectolitres (about 94,350bl)

of annual output, which will grow

to up to 500,000 hectolitres (about

314,500bl) in phase three. This will

make Pittsburgh Brewing one of the

largest breweries in Pennsylvania.

GEA began installation of Pittsburgh Brewing's new brewery in Aug 2021 and

handed it over to the customer one year later

GEA TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS

FLEXIBILITY AND VARIABILITY

It was particularly important for the

brewing company to design the

plant to be as versatile as possible,

both to change the product range

Pittsburgh Brewing's new brewery is housed in an old glass factory on the Allegheny River. It is fully equipped with GEA machines and

components, including the GEA COMPACT-STAR craft brewhouse with five vessels



49

quickly according to consumer

requirements and to make the best

possible use of capacities. The

GEA DICON inline blender is one of

the workhorses in the production

area, which can also be used to

produce soft drinks, for example.

MULTI-FEATURED FILLER

Pittsburgh Brewing also opted for

a multifunctional filling unit: The

combined rinser-filler-capper block

GEA Visitron ALL-IN-ONE allows for

enhanced flexibility and reliability in

the production of small and medium

volumes. With its very small footprint,

it rinses, fills, seals and seams cans

and glass bottles using 64 filling

heads. Brewers can switch between

different bottle and can formats

in as little as 20-30 minutes.

common diatomaceous earth

filtration and cross-flow filtration

with polymer membranes, Pittsburgh

Brewing has invested in the GEA

clearamic BeerFiltration solution.

The plant works based on the

cross-flow principle and is equipped

with pressure-resistant, inert

and extremely durable ceramic

membranes proven in yeast

recovery and fruit juice filtration.

GEA was the first to adapt this

waste-free process for beer filtration.

This technology allows brewers to

transform the complex and originally

cost-intensive filtration step in the

cold area into a cost-effective and

environmentally friendly process. FBA

Images: GEA

WASTE-FREE FILTRATION WITH

CERAMIC FILTERS

Pale lager beers need to be filtered

to achieve a longer shelf life and the

desired clear, lustrous appearance.

As a sustainable alternative to

The building, originally a glass factory on the Allegheny River, provides ample

room for Pittsburgh Brewing to fulfill its dreams. In addition to the brewery,

which has now become reality, a museum, restaurants and distillery are in the

planning stages

At the heart of Pittsburgh Brewing's plant, geared as it is towards flexibility and fast batch changes,

lies the GEA Visitron ALL-IN-ONE filling block


50


FPT hosts one-stop food

innovation centre

Understanding the needs of

start-ups and longstanding

food producers, FPT’s latest food

campus will serve the production

process from start to finish.

By Axel Arras, managing director of FPT Group

FPT is building up the largest food campus

in the Asia-Pacific region. The 50-metre

campus is situated at the heart of the

“Kitchen of the World”, and is set to mimic

a full-fledged factory facility. It comprises

of high, medium and low risk zones that

conform to stringent hygiene standards.

FPT’s food campus is also equipped with

the latest food processing machinery and

technology, including the capability to develop

food ingredients, flavours and seasonings;

food producers can experiment to find the

right recipes and that ideal combinations.

FPT’s team of professionals encompasses

master chefs, food scientists, engineers,

project consultants, architects, QA and IT

specialists. Together we provide a range

of expertise, insights, fresh ideas and

latest trends to be leveraged upon for

our full range of farm-to-fork machinery,

technologies and innovative solutions.

one-single-source service eliminates

errors of new development, reducing

start-up costs, integration errors,

traceability complexity and enhancing their

success in this competitive industry.

THE BEGINNING OF FPT’S DREAM

The inauguration of the food campus signals

a new chapter in FPT’s history. The newly

incorporated 14,000m 2 headquarters

in Thailand and the upcoming R&D

centre in Singapore seeks to be an

industrial food academy in the region.

FPT placed emphasis on our team to actively

engage in the needs of our customers.

Through engagement and feedback,

we realised there is an immediate

need for an integrated

one-stop solutions for

testbeds and start-ups. This is especially so

in the post-pandemic era where consumers

and regulators are now emphasising

more on food safety and the latest FDA

smarter food traceability initiative.

Inside our food campus, consumables are

link to our SMART Industry 4.0 intralogistics

system to meet their needs of mandatory

The food campus aims to set a benchmark

for food production, hygiene and safety

standards. More essentially, it seeks to provide

an environment for R&D and creativity to thrive

so as to curate the upcoming food products

in a affordable, safe and sustainable manner.

FPT’s food campus is opened to entrepreneurs

and producers in the food industry. The

company’s team of specialists can testbed

their desired product or dream-factory

before building one. This synergy and



51

food traceability. All our i-box containers

are RFID tagged. At the moment when

consumables arrive in the facility, it can be

traced via our smart IoT handling system.

Customers can have a peace of mind that all

ingredients are monitored, including storage

temperature, and processes which they

can even trace from their mobile phone till

final products when fully implemented.

From past experience, FPT understands

the pain points of new start-ups. This is one

of the main reasons we have invested into

our team and the setting up of a showroom

inside a real-life kitchen equipped with food

testing laboratory. We have a collection of 300

types of advance food processing equipment

from all over Europe right in one place. This

includes several specialised production lines

such as frozen/chilled proteins processors for

sausages, meat balls, nuggets, hamburgers,

ready-to-eat products, convenient foods, pet

foods, and soups and sauces. We also have

machines catering to the development

of latest food trends in plant-based

products, clean-labelling, as

well as cultured protein.

Often, we hear that

the top concern of

manufacturers is

the support after all

the fanfare. Beside

our trained service teams, FPT has also

invested into a fully-automated spare parts

logistic centre which houses more than

€5 million worth of spare parts. FPT is thus

committed to supporting companies at the

start-up point, and through their journey

and into their production, offering them the

assurance in producing their food products.

The food campus is not just another kitchen

or exhibition hall. Our vision is to develop

the campus into a global meeting place

for food producers, where they can utilise

our convention and training centres for

brainstorming and interactions, and as an

incubator for the generation of food innovations,

to discover the next disruptive technology.

PARTNERS IN INNOVATION

FPS and FPT’s team of multi-disciplinary

expertise cater to both Greenfield and

Brownfield projects consultancy and turnkey

solutions. Our one-stop single-source services

range from: conceptualising, strategising,

planning, designing, advance food processing

machinery, automation, implementation

and supervision, till final production coupled

with effective after-sales supports.

It all begins from the shopfloor. Over 20 years

of experience in Asia-Pacific have given us

many valuable opportunities to work with

reputable multinational food manufacturers

such as CP group, Ayamas, SATS, and more.

This also includes some major aviation

caterers; winning their trust and support.

We have more than 15 offices spreading

across mainly Asia and Middle East. Beside

Western cuisines, our localised team in each

represented countries are able to understand

the diversity and process of mass-producing

Asian cuisines that need extended shelf life

while still maintaining its original taste.

More importantly, our customers do not need

to scout, trial and error the entire Europe

for the food technologies available in the

market. FPT, having acquired experience

with more than 3000 completed projects,

is constantly upgrading and delivering cost

effective and efficient European technologies

into our technology centre in Asia. Our

customers can be guaranteed integrated,

reliable and sustainable solutions for their

operation all in one-stop single-source

service. This will eliminate the high setup cost,

trial and error, integration issues between

different machinery and platforms, project

delays and, managing various suppliers.

Most essentially, our customers’ product

novelty and innovation confidentiality are

secured at a single point without disclosing

information to various suppliers that can

risk exposure. FBA


52

FIRST LOOKS

hubergroup Print Solutions relaunches UV flexo portfolio under

iray brand

To meet the growing demand for UV

flexo inks for safe food packaging and

sophisticated non-food packaging and

labels, hubergroup Print Solutions has

relaunched its UV flexo portfolio. In the

course of the relaunch under the iray

brand, hunbergroup has improved the

performance of its products and added

primers, adhesives and low-migration

printing inks, as well as varnishes for

food packaging to its portfolio.

The new UV flexo portfolio from hubergroup

covers a wide range of applications

owners," explained Alexander Blasek,

global project manager of UV Flexo at

hubergroup. "With the help of numerous

laboratory tests, we have therefore

ensured that our inks and varnishes

are deinkable on film and paper.”

In addition, the PMV department

of the Technical University of

Darmstadt certified that the products

can be deinked very well on paper

using INGEDE Method 11.

The iray products cover a wide range of

applications and are characterised by

high scratch resistance, good adhesion,

low odour values and high-yield inks.

In addition, they are designed for fast

printing and rapid finishing. UV-curable

flexographic inks and varnishes for

food packaging are brand new in the

portfolio of the printing ink specialist.

Thanks to intensive research and

carefully selected raw materials, they

meet the hubergroup's high MGA (low

migration and low odour) guidelines,

which have stood for safe application

on food packaging for many years.

"Sustainability is meanwhile, of course,

also a requirement of printers and brand

Blasek added: "At hubergroup, we take a

holistic view of sustainability and want

to drive the circular economy forward.

We are thus continuously working

to further improve the eco-balance

of our products and look forward to

working with customers as well as

organisations who want to shape a

sustainable future together with us." ■

igus polymer spherical ball improves food safety

igus has launched a new standard

with the iglidur A181 plastic as a

spherical ball material for the igubal

food contact (FC) joint system.

laboratory. At the same time, the price

was reduced by 25%, making it easier

for many mechanical engineers to

replace classic metal joint systems.

“Bottling plant, meat-processing machine

or packaging system: manufacturers must

continuously improve their equipment's

robustness and reliability while increasing

the detectability of tiny contaminants,"

said Dennis Steffen, product manager

of igubal spherical bearings at igus.

"We support manufacturers in this

food safety optimisation effort by

continuously developing igubal FC

joint system pillow block bearings, rod

ends and fixed flange bearings.”

The igubal FC joint system housing

is still made of igumid FC — a robust,

corrosion-free plastic that is resistant to

moisture, acids, alkalis and UV radiation.

Recently, however, the spherical ball

inserted into the housing has been

switched from FC180 to iglidur A181, which

features high wear resistance. With the

new material composition, the spherical

ball is up to three times as wear-resistant

on stainless steel shafts as the previous

FC180 version, making movements in the

machine even safer and more reliable.

igubal spherical bearings have been

tested for longevity in the igus test

Unlike metallic spherical bearings,

the igubal FC joint system requires no

external lubricant that dirt and dust can

stick to, forming gooey deposits and a

potential contamination risk. Instead,

igus incorporates a solid lubricant

into the material that is released

automatically over time, ensuring lowfriction,

hygienic dry operation. Both

the housing and the new spherical ball

material are thus compliant with FDA

and EU 10/2011. Both bearing housing

and spherical ball are also dyed blue,

allowing food residue and mould spores

to be quickly identified during cleaning

checks, facilitating optical detection

in the case of machine damage. ■


FIRST LOOKS 53

Kosme Barifill Canto: Multipurpose filler for bottles and cans

The Barifill Canto is the only filler offered

by the Krones Group that can handle

glass and PET bottles as well as cans on a

single machine. Krones‘ Italian subsidiary

Kosme is responsible for its development,

construction, and installation.

Thanks to the multipurpose filling valve,

the Barifill Canto fills beer, CSDs, sparkling

water, and sparkling wines in a variety of

can types and sizes plus PET containers

and glass bottles — the latter including

both classic wine bottles and the longneck

bottles used for beer and CSDs.

That allows smaller craft breweries and

wineries the greatest possible flexibility in

container choice without requiring them to

invest in three different filling machines.

To keep the footprint as small as possible,

the respective cappers and seamer are

integrated directly in the filler. Cans will

use a Krones Modulseam, while glass

bottles will use a Kosme crowner. As

an option, the machine can likewise be

equipped to handle plastic screw caps

for PET containers as well as aluminium

roll-on caps or corks. On the filler as well

as the capper(s) and seamer, all parts that

come into contact with the product are

The Barifill Canto can process glass and

PET bottles as well as cans on a single filler

made of stainless steel, enabling reliable

cleaning and ensuring their longevity.

The Barifill Canto’s output range is every

bit as customisable as the applications

it can serve: Depending on the product

and the machine configuration, it can

handle outputs as high as 16,300

cans and 17,000 bottles per hour. ■

XSYS introduces

enhanced

Woodpecker Nevis

surface screening

XSYS has announce a new version

of ThermoFlexX Woodpecker surface

microstructure technology that enables

higher imaging speeds of flat top dot

flexographic plates for standard white

inks. Woodpecker Nevis has the potential

to save on white ink while providing

more contrast and improved colours in

flexible packaging printing. Commercially

available, it is the latest addition to the

Woodpecker portfolio, which also includes

the Sharp, Nano and Replay options

for ThermoFlexX TFxX plate imagers.

Christophe Lievens, global sales director of

XSYS Prepress, said: “In combination with

the ThermoFlexX Multiplate option, which

allows multiple resolutions to be imaged

on the same plate, it delivers a more

cost-effective and competitive solution

that will help printers optimise OEE and

reduce waste.”

The Woodpecker surface screening

solution can control the ink more

accurately as it is transferred from

the anilox to the plate and onto the

substrate. The result is a smoother,

higher opacity ink laydown, sharper

line work, and cleaner screens,

without any of the common printing

defects often found in flexo printing.

Woodpecker surface microstructures

are applied at the imaging stage and is

an adaptable solution that works with

open RIPs. Furthermore, as the pattern

is not embedded in the file, faster data

exchange and computer processing

times can be achieved. This improves

plate delivery times and ultimately

speed to market for brand owners.

Developed to work with higher volume

anilox rollers usually used for printing

with standard white ink on film-based

substrates in flexible packaging,

Woodpecker Nevis consists of three

surface patterns with different levels of

coarseness for the broadest application

reach. While a higher volume anilox

will increase quality and opacity, there

is also the option to decrease the

anilox volume which may consume

less expensive white ink without

negatively impacting the opacity. ■


54

FIRST LOOKS

Fructus Meran

maximises sort

performance with

VERYX digital

sorters

In 2020, Fructus Meran turned to Key

Technology and installed their first

VERYX digital sorter. Satisfied its ability

to remove all types of foreign material

(FM) and the right number of defects to

make grade, they purchased a second

VERYX sorter for their solid pack line.

“Before VERYX, we’d been manually sorting

product on our IQF line, but it was becoming

very difficult to find reliable people willing

to do this kind of work, especially for the

night shift. Fluctuations in the quality of

incoming product added to the challenge by

requiring us to adjust the number of laborers

inspecting at any given time. Sometimes,

we’d even have to slow the throughput of

the line to give those workers the time they

needed to adequately inspect the product

flow,” said Peter Theiner, CEO at Fructus

Meran. “Automating with VERYX solved

these problems and more. It’s allowed us

to reduce our labour requirements and

increase our line capacity at the same time

we’re maintaining our high product quality.”

Fructus Meran selected a mid-sized VERYX

B140 sorter to inspect fresh peeled and cut

apples and pears on their IQF line. For their

solid pack line, they chose a high-capacity

VERYX B175 sorter to inspect fresh peeled

and cut apples and pears that will later be

stewed and packed into cans or pouches.

Both belt-fed sorters are fully-loaded

with top- and bottom-mounted off-axis

cameras as well as laser sensors and Key’s

Pixel Fusion detection module to find and

remove the most FM and the right amount of

defects to make grade and maximise yield.

Recognising colour, size, shape and

structural properties, these VERYX sorters

are able to find and remove all types

of FM including glass, rocks, plastics,

insects, extraneous vegetative matter

(EVM) and more, in addition to defects

such as fruit cores, stems, calyx, seeds

and light oxidation. As a belt-fed sorter

that can inspect product in-air with top

and bottom sensors, VERYX achieves

all-sided surface inspection with no

blind spots to optimise product quality.

To maximise sort performance, each

VERYX sorter at Fructus Meran is

integrated with Key’s Sliver Sizer Remover

(SSR) and Iso-Flo shaker. First, the SSR

mechanically removes slivers, fines,

seeds and juice that are inevitably

produced during the peeling, coring

and cutting processes. Mechanically

removing these process-generated byproducts

reduces the sorter’s load, which

contributes to superior sort accuracy.

Next, an Iso-Flo shaker gently spreads

and stabilises product for presentation

to the sorter’s inspection zone, helping

the sorter eject more FM and the right

number of defects without false rejects.

“Of course, every customer wants us

to remove all foreign material and all

critical defects. But other specifications,

such the acceptable amount of minor

defects like tiny brown spots, often

differ from one customer to another.

We appreciate that VERYX allows us to

easily adjust our sort settings to achieve

each customer’s specifications,” noted

Theiner. “Since we supply products to

baby food processors and other qualitydriven

markets like Japan, it’s important

that we can set the sorter to achieve that

customer’s quality standards and then

not deviate. VERYX is a fantastic tool that

helps us keep our customers happy.”

“We’re always looking for new ways to

improve our operations. Automating

inspection with VERYX has helped us

on so many levels,” concluded Theiner.

“Given how tedious manual sorting is,

our workers are happy to be trained

for other jobs. And, by trading human

subjectivity with a digital sorter’s

objectivity, we’re able to improve the

consistency of our product quality at

the same time we’ve enhanced our

yield. Thanks to our VERYX sorters,

we’ve significantly reduced our manual

labour requirements and increased our

throughputs all while — most importantly

— protecting our high product quality,” ■


FIRST LOOKS 55

SÜDPACK delivers

Doypack PurePP

SÜDPACK has developed its first practical,

PP-based doypack, which is materialefficient,

entirely aluminum-free and above

all recyclable. It is also polypropylenebased

and therefore supports the

statutory demand for recyclable

packaging with the same functionality.

The structure of the sealing layer

also ensures the simple and efficient

integration of resealing systems, such

as zippers, based on polypropylene

and polyethylene. These are already

available on the market for flat pouches

and doypacks. In short: SÜDPACK’s new

high-performance film not only boasts

outstanding density and sealing properties

for both the folded base and zipper area,

but is also completely sustainable.

When printed using SÜDPACK’s new SPQ

technology, users can enjoy reduced ink and

solvent consumption with improved print

quality. In light of the shortage of aluminium

on the market, SÜDPACK customers also

benefit from improved supply reliability. ■

The material is extremely rigid and offers

all the properties that are necessary for

the efficient and safe packaging of food in

doypacks. Depending on the products to

be packaged, the films can be equipped

with different barrier properties. Based

on what is needed, the pouches can

be aroma proof and guarantee optimal

protection against moisture, UV radiation

or oxygen. By substituting the aluminium

barrier with a coextruded barrier layer,

the shelf life of salami sticks could be

guaranteed for up to 70 days, as seen

in a pilot project with the zur Mühlen

Group. The integrated transparent panel

also offers a clear view of the product.

SAVING UP TO

20%

IN ENERGY

IS A GOOD START.

A reduced film thickness of around

10% achieved a weight saving of 26%

compared to conventional packaging,

resulting in a reduction in DSD fees. These

high-performance films also offer high

machinability, which results in a high level

of process and packaging reliability. With

to its wide transparent seal SÜDPACK’s

new material can be mostly used on

existing doypack lines that are designed

for processing aluminum composites,

or with minor parameter adjustments.

BUT BY NO MEANS

THE END.

Your KHS system for efficient water

bottling.

From the preform to the packaged PET bottle, our lines not only considerably save on energy but also on materials and

maintenance costs. One such system is our compact InnoPET TriBlock Aqua M, which forms, labels, and fills single-serve bottles

especially efficiently. At a rate of up to 82,000 bottles per hour it also saves time. This is what we call efficiency right down the

line! khs.com/water


khsIM17012_AZ_Wasser_111x183_ICv2_2jb_englisch.indd 1 09.09.22 11:05

56

FIRST LOOKS

Nagardo from

LANXESS receives

World Beverage

Innovation Award

2022

LANXESS has received the 2022 World

Beverage Innovation Award in the “Best

Beverage Ingredient” category for its

natural preservative Nagardo. The

preservative is already in use in the USA,

Australia, New Zealand and Canada. With

the recent EU approval, LANXESS is further

expanding Nagardo’s global presence.

In its search for natural preservatives,

Dortmund-based start-up IMD Natural

Solutions (INS), which has been part of

LANXESS’ Material Protection Products

(MPP) business unit since 2017, studied

an edible fungus that had previously

received little attention: the Dacryopinax

spathularia.

The active ingredient is obtained

fermentatively through a proprietary,

solvent-free, food-grade process. It is

composed of molecular congeners in a

specific ratio, all consisting of a sugar and

a lipid moiety. This class of surface-active

compounds that interfere with the cell

membranes of microbes is therefore

referred to as natural glycolipids.

Nagardo shows efficacy against typical

beverage spoilage organisms compared

to classical preservatives. In most cases,

a dosage many times lower than that

of conventional excipients is sufficient.

The broad spectrum of activity, even

at low application concentrations, also

shows excellent activity against heatresistant

spore-forming organisms.

It is also effective against organisms

adapted to conventional preservatives.

In the recommended dosage, Nagardo

does not affect the sensory properties

of a beverage. Therefore, the natural

glycolipids can be used in a wide range

of beverages. Carbonated products in

particular benefit from Nagardo, as no

second preservative is usually required.

Special dosing technology is also not

required: the powder is pre-dissolved

in water and added to the beverage

formulation during product mixing.

Nagardo remains in the beverage and thus

protects it naturally even after opening.

Nagardo natural preservative allows

manufacturers to adapt their portfolio

to changing consumer awareness and

growing demand for natural ingredients.

All filling systems, from glass/PET bottles

to carton packs, cans, KEGs, and bag-inbox

can be served with both technologies.

The use of Nagardo and Velcorin can

help achieve a company’s sustainability

goals by reducing energy consumption

by switching from hot fill or tunnel

pasteurisation to cold fill. Secondly, due

to lower wall thicknesses, less PET is

required for the beverage bottles than

with hot filling. When both products

are combined, depending on the

application, further microbiological

hurdles, such as energy-intensive

distribution and marketing in the

cold chain, can be dispensed with.

Both the Nagardo and Velcorin

technology can be used without

any problems in new lines and also

in combination with existing filling

machines that were not originally

intended for filling sensitive beverages.

These are, for example, fillers for

beer or classic soft drinks. ■


FIRST LOOKS 57

Pellenc ST introduces COMPACT+

Pellenc ST has launched the COMPACT+

to support operators with their sorting

line refurbishment projects and

integrators with complex projects.

Available in two configurations (conveyor

or gantry), the COMPACT+ is suited to

installations where space and access is

limited. With the option of offsetting the

control cabinet and the ability to modular

assemble the machines on site, the

COMPACT+ is the ideal solution for a quick

and easy retrofit. The machines have been

designed to interface easily with all types of

high-speed conveyors supplied by different

integrators, whether for a refurbishment

project or a new sorting centre and are also

compatible with belt speeds up to 4.5m/s.

Last but not least, Pellenc ST offers its

customers local and personalised support

through a 24/7 turnkey service offer which

includes wear parts and the Smart&Share

application, Magazin a performance Food and support Beverage tool. Asia, ■ 132 x 205 mm, Digitalisation M, CC-en91-AZ146 08/22

The COMPACT+ uses the new FLOW

detection system which combines a new

spectrometer with an extended NIR/VIS

spectrum and focused illumination. This

combination enables recovery of waste to

high levels of purity. In particular, the FLOW

Detection system improves the separation

of paper from cardboard, different

grades of PET or wood, for example.

Thanks to the CNS “Central Nervous

System” software platform, operators will

be able to integrate future technologies

with Pellenc ST scanners, such as

the IIoT, watermarking and artificial

intelligence. It also has options familiar

to the Mistral+ CONNECT range.

During the development phase, Pellenc

ST paid particular attention to simplify

the work of operators in order to optimise

maintenance costs. The control cabinet is

fitted with a large screen to improve the

man-machine interface. Pivoting reflectors

are also provided to facilitate the ease

and safety of maintenance operations.

The COMPACT+ stands out with its low

energy consumption. Maintenance costs

have been minimised, particularly in terms

of air consumption and wear parts.

58

FIRST LOOKS

Produce complex

container shapes

efficiently and

sustainably with

preferential heating

For years, it seemed impossible to make

oval PET bottles with any great degree

of precision. The big challenge was to

homogenously distribute the material

throughout the irregularly formed

plastic container. The breakthrough

ultimately came with the introduction

of sophisticated preferential heating

technology. Henceforth, it was possible

to produce complex container shapes

of an optimum weight with the help of

PET stretch blow molding machines.

Dortmund machine and systems

manufacturer KHS has used this energyefficient

process in its systems since

1997. The turnkey supplier has now

integrated preferential heating into its

latest generation of stretch blow molders,

the KHS InnoPET Blomax Series V.

Developed in the early 1970s, the PET

bottle very quickly embarked on a

remarkable march of triumph across the

globe. Its light weight and excellent barrier

properties make the plastic container the

ideal form of packaging for products found

in everyday use. It is thus no surprise

that in the beverage and food industries

and home and personal care sector the

PET bottle is one of the most popular

packaging options. Plastic receptacles

also offer clear added value at the point of

sale: as they can be easily formed when

heated, these containers can now be

made in practically any shape, whether

this be round, oval or rectangular.

However, more complex bottle bodies

make especially high demands of the

production process. The even distribution

of the plastic material in particular is a

challenging task that tests conventional

stretch blow molders to their limits. These

heat preforms evenly so that on nonround

containers the areas that first come

into contact with the blow mold cool down

sooner. The result is that the PET hardens

at these points faster and the material is

distributed unevenly. Only the use of a

specially developed heating system known

as preferential heating also enables the

wall thickness of PET bottles with more

complex shapes to be radially distributed

with any precision — and thus bottles with

an optimised weight to be produced.

KHS has used the energy-efficient

preferential heating method on its InnoPET

Blomax stretch blow molder series since 1997.

KHS first used the preferential heating

method in its InnoPET Blomax Series II, with

the procedure also available for successor

models Series III and Series IV. Around 60

machines are currently on the market, with

most of them in Europe and North America.

With preferential heating, the PET material

is evenly distributed in the container wall

across the oval cross section, securing the

stability and quality of the container, while

saving plastic. In the final process step

the bottle is aligned by its shape and fed

into the conveying system. This heating

method is also used in the manufacture

of containers for liquid foods such as ketchup,

honey, mustard and oil. Converters are

another example of businesses who trust

in this KHS technology.

KHS is further developing the preferential

heating module so that it is compatible

with its latest generation of stretch blow

molders, the InnoPET Blomax Series V.

The InnoPET Blomax

Series V is the

latest generation of

stretch blow molders

manufactured by KHS

Here, the module is integrated into the

usual heater as standard. The aim is to

keep the heater box the same and that

only the length of the full heater changes

in relation to capacity. Standardising this

feature considerably reduces the range of

parts needed and makes maintenance and

inspection much easier. Delivery times for

the machine and its components are also

shorter as a result of these optimisations.

In addition, the system is more flexible

as it can now process both round and

oval containers as an optional function.

Furthermore, the KHS team has upped

the performance to a maximum 2,000

bottles per station and hour. The number

of stations ranges from six to 16, with

the total output thus at between

12,000 and 32,000 bottles an hour.

The bottle discharge has also been

optimised; PET bottles are transported

by their necks by special grippers.

Oriented bottle guiding not only

prevents the containers from catching

but also boosts production efficiency.

During planning the KHS experts

deliberately omitted to include format

parts that have to be changed over

according to the container shape.

Finally, those responsible for the project

have further improved the energy

efficiency of the new system. It now yields

similar energy savings to the standard

version of the InnoPET Blomax Series

V over the predecessor model, with the

optimised heating technology causing up

to 40% less energy to be consumed. ■


FIRST LOOKS 59

JBT’s PLF international grows portfolio with PLF VGS

JBT Corporation’s PLF International

has announced the launch of its new

PLF VGS vacuum gassing seamer,

an sustainable gassing solution.

The PLF VGS processes up to 30 cans

per minute with low gas consumption of

21cm³ per hour, which provides a smaller

footprint than other existing technologies

on clean room floors. The solution’s vacuum

gassing and seaming operations are

carried out separately in the PLF design.

This allows container rims to be sealed

during the vacuum-gassing process and

keeps them clean for subsequent seaming,

preventing powder from migrating out of

containers. Customers also benefit from the

technology’s efficient changeovers of multiple

SKU short runs via the solution’s single

seaming head and realistically achievable

Residual Oxygen (RO) levels of 1% or less.

“PLF VGS adds to PLF International’s

ever-growing portfolio of industry-leading

technology, providing customers across

the globe with premium efficiency, safety,

hygiene, and quality,” said Amedeo Scapin,

global director at PLF International. “PLF

International continues to be at the forefront

of innovation in the infant formula sector,

and the arrival of PLF VGS reaffirms our

commitment to continuous improvement.”

PLF VGS was developed in conjunction with

the JBT research technology centre for

filling and closing in Sint Niklaas, Belgium.

The technology utilises techniques that

PLF has developed over many years in

vacuum-based powder filling to minimise

the loss of powder during the vacuum

and gassing process and reduce the

risk of product contamination.

“We are proud of the PLF International team

for providing the safest and most effective

technology to their customers through the

addition of PLF VGS,” said Carlos Fernandez,

executive vice-president of JBT Corporation

and president of diversified food and health.

“The production of safe, high quality infant

formula is critical, and PLF International

continues to exceed expectations in the

development of the safest, most hygienic

technology available to processors today.” ■

TOMRA 5C optical

sorting machine

awarded Japan Food

Journal Award

The TOMRA 5C premium sorter has won

the machine category award in the

annual Japan Food Journal Awards.

Eizo Oda, chairman of the Japan Food

Distribution Association, presented the

prize to Steven Van Geel, regional sales

director for the APAC region at TOMRA

processed food, at the official awards

ceremony at the Daiichi Hotel in Tokyo.

The TOMRA 5C delivers sorting accuracy

by combining i sensors and lasers

with TOMRA’s Biometric Signature

Identification (BSI+) technology, AI

machine learning, and big-data analysis.

With BSI+, every object passing down the

processing line is assessed for colour, shape,

and biological characteristics. By looking

inside materials with next-generation

spectral imaging, BSI+ contrasts good and

bad materials and can detect smaller defects

than conventional spectral technology.

AI also empowers defect classification

software, including the button-activated

“magic wand”, a feature with which

machine users can set new sorting

programs with an accuracy previously

only attainable by service engineers.

The TOMRA 5C is also connect to the

cloud-based data platform TOMRA Insight,

bringing live data from the sorter. Operators

can make almost instant improvements to

line efficiencies and quantify the standards

of raw materials from suppliers and to

make better-informed business decisions.

Another advanced digital tool that helps

TOMRA 5C users attain better machine

performance and more uptime is Visual

Assist, where TOMRA can provide remote

support. TOMRA Visual Assist is also a

valuable tool for delivering training.

For frozen vegetables and fruit, the TOMRA

5C is located on the processing line between

the IQF tunnel and packing station to make

final checks for food safety and product

quality. This removes any remaining foreign

material, extraneous vegetable matter,

and hard-to-detect product defects,

such as stems and stalks with green

beans and nightshade with peas. ■


60

FIRST LOOKS

AR Packaging

Halmstad acquires

Comexi S1 DS slitter

Comexi and AR Packaging Halmstad have

extended their business relationship with

the acquisition of a Comexi S1 DS slitter. This

machine will be installed in the company’s

Halmstad’s plant in Sweden; presently, there

are three types of Comexi machinery: flexo

press machines with a central drum, slitters,

and laminators. All converting machines in

the Halmstad plant are of Comexi type.

AR Packaging Halmstad was founded in

1929 by Erik Akerlund and Ruben Rausing

with the objective of reshaping European

pre-packed goods retailing. Today, among

others, the company's flexible packaging

division is a leading provider of packaging

solutions for the following industries:

food and consumer goods, beauty and

cosmetics, confectionery, food services,

tobacco, as well as pharmaceutical and

medical. AR Packaging Halmstad offers a

unique range of packaging solutions from

its specialised factories; added value is

created for its customers through its broad

range of products and profound knowledge

of carton-based and flexible packaging.

The plant in Halmstad is specialised in

the production of flexible food packaging

with a unique barrier protection.

“The Comexi slitter will allow AR

Packaging Halmstad to increase its

productivity with the highest standard

of quality,” explained Ramon Jonama.

The Comexi S1 DS is the perfect slitterrewinder

for large diameter reels jobs. With

the fastest acceleration ramps in the

market, it can achieve high productivity

by rapidly reaching top speed without

the loss of quality. This slitter has a

separate unwinder that can incorporate

various automation systems such as

knife and core positioning, automatic

handling, reel pushers or auto-tapping

to help operators during job changes,

especially when several slits have to

be made. Among other options, the

S1 DS is also capable of incorporating

end-of-line automation, from reel

handling to palletising, including reel

weighing, labelling, and bagging. ■

Toyo Ink to

double laminating

adhesives

production capacity

in Asia

Toyo Ink has announced plans to double

the laminating adhesives production at

its Malaysia-based subsidiary Toyochem

Specialty Chemical. The Toyo Ink Group

plans to expand sales of solutions such

as solvent-free adhesives, the demand

for which is expected to grow worldwide.

Expansion work is under way at the

Malaysian site with full operation slated

to begin in the third quarter of 2023.

Once in operation, Toyochem Specialty

Chemical is expected to serve as

the mother factory of laminating

adhesives to the Asian region.

At present, the demand for laminating

adhesives, which are mainly used

to coat multi-layered films in flexible

packaging structures, is expanding

in use for retort food pouches and

pharmaceutical packaging primarily

in Asia. This includes applications

such as PTP (press through package)

sheets, a common form of blister

packing for drug tablets. Rising

populations in countries across Asia

are expected to further propel the

growth of the retort pouch sector by

about 10% over the next five years.

"The Toyo Ink Group has long been a

pioneer in developing high-performance

adhesive solutions together with

our subsidiary Toyo-Morton, who is

Japan’s largest producer of laminating

adhesives,” said Toshinori Machida,

executive operating officer of Toyo Ink

SC Holdings. “We’re now looking to

bring our unique brand of packaging

adhesives, coatings and inks to other

regions of the world, in line with our

global expansion plan. In addition to

Malaysia, we’ve recently bolstered our

production infrastructure in China and

Turkey. And our Turkish facility is set to

serve as the supply hub for markets in

the Middle East and North Africa, Central

Asia, and Eastern Europe. To ensure a

stable supply to meet future demand,

we’ve set a target to increase our global

production capacity for laminating

adhesives by one-and-a-half times the

current level by the end of 2027.” ■


SHOW REVIEW

61

FHA-Food & Beverage

2022 welcomes local and

international visitors to

international showcase

This year’s show brings together the latest trends and

developments across the industry from plant-based to

food packaging.

Food and Hotel Asia (FHA) - Food & Beverage

2022, concluded with a total of 57,510

attendees from 109 countries at one of

Asia’s largest international F&B showcases.

The four-day event was graced during the

opening ceremony by a host of dignitaries

including the guests of honour, Alvin Tan,

Minister of State for Trade and Industry

& Culture, Community and Youth; Her

Excellency Iwona Piórko, EU Ambassador

to Singapore; Keith Tan from Singapore

Tourism Board and David Tan, president of

Singapore Food Manufacturers’ Association.

The European Union (EU) Pavilion, as this

year’s region of honour, aimed to improve the

access of and create new market opportunities

for EU agricultural products in South East

Asia, tapping on the benefits of the EU-

Singapore Free Trade Agreement and RCEP.

Under the motto, “Enjoy! It’s from Europe”

and “More than Food”, an emphasis

was placed on GI and organic products

from meat produce, dairy, to processed

agricultural products. Amongst them was

Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture, Food and

the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D, who

is in Singapore to engage in a series of

trade agreements to raise awareness of

Ireland as a source of sustainable, safe, and

high-quality European food and drink. Bord

Bia (the Irish Food Board) has launched

a three-year business strategy for South

From left to right: Ian Roberts, vice-president - Asia at Informa Markets; Alvin Tan, Minister

of State, Ministry of Trade & Industry of Culture, Community and Youth; Margaret Connolly,

president - Asia at Informa Markets; Michael Duck, executive vice-president commercial

development at Informa Markets

East Asia to raise export to S$1 billion by

2026, led by the dairy and meat sectors.

This was also Bord Bia’s first in person trade

mission since the onset of the pandemic.

Spanning over 60,000m 2 of exhibition

space at the Singapore EXPO, FHA - Food

& Beverage 2022 showcased over 2,000

exhibitors from 56 countries and regions

during 5-8 Sep 2022. This year FHA saw

also the largest ever participation from

international group pavilion such as Australia,

Belgium, Denmark, Germany, South Korea,

and the Netherlands. More than 50 group

pavilions across the world came together

to contribute to a platform where industry

professionals across Asia can connect, trade,

and discover the latest industry trends.


62

SHOW REVIEW

The 2022 edition of the historic tradeshow

emphasised thought-leadership as

delegates enjoyed over 75 exciting

seminars and 100 international speakers

over four days in three feature areas:

Alternative Protein Asia, Halal Theatre,

and FHA Seminar. The free-to-attend

sessions and workshops brought together

industry leaders, research and educational

institutions including Singapore Food

Agency, Singapore Ministry of Trade and

Industry, Asian Trade Center, Nanyang

Poly, Asian Culinary Institute, Gira, WGSN,

GlobalData, Lazada, foodpanda, HappyFresh,

Nielsen IQ, Enterprise Singapore,

NTUC Fairprice, Singapore Institute of

Technology, Islamic Religious Council of

Singapore (Muis), Warees Halal Limited,

Maybank, Cimbank, Ogilvy, Singapore

Management University and many others.

ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN ASIA (APA)

MAKES ITS DEBUT

Estimated to be worth $36.61 billion by

2029, Alternative Proteins Asia (APA) is the

natural progression for companies that

address climate change while targeting

affluent consumers in Asia’s markets.

The debut of a brand new 1,400m 2 feature

zone, APA dedicated entirely to plantbased

and food-technology alternatives

to animal proteins, featured some of

the industry biggest names including

Impossible Foods, Harvest Gourmet (Nestlé),

First Pride (Tyson Foods), Tindle, Oatly

amongst budding brands Finnebrogue,

GrowthWell, Shiok Meats, that seek to

satisfy the region’s fast-rising demand

for “fresh” sources of proteins. The APA

platform offers a B2B platform for a

maturing industry vertical estimated

to be worth $36.61 billion by 2029.

APA saw new product launches, the

announcement of the audience award

winners of the APA tasting bar as

in Yofi and Lohas, MOU signings on

sustainability and food innovation, cooking

demonstrations, the announcement of the

Big Idea Food Competition winner Vitality

Foods, as well as seminars that built new

bridges for distribution in the region.

APA further addressed sustainable

practices since the global food system

accounts for 26% of current global

greenhouse gas emissions. Investing

in alternative proteins has one of the

biggest impacts on decarbonisation,

with the highest CO2 savings per dollar

of any sector, according to WeForum.

FHA CULINARY CHALLENGE

In association with the World Association of

Chefs’ Societies (WorldChefs) and supported

by the Singapore Chefs’ Association (SCA)

and regional chefs’ associations, the FHA

Culinary Challenge was an arena for culinary

talents from around the world to display

their skills and be accredited by a panel of

internationally acclaimed judges recognised

by WorldChefs. The four-day competition

featured a series of thematic challenges.

This year’s panel included Otto Weibel,

director and honorary president emeritus

of SCA, as chief judge and Eric Teo, culinary

director of ET Culinary Arts, president mentor

of Singapore Chefs’ Association, as assistant

chief judge. Willment Leong, continental

director, Asia of World Association of Chefs'

Societies, will serve as the guest-of-honour.

SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS PAVE

THE WAY

As part of its sustainability efforts, FHA-

Food & Beverage 2022 eliminated over

8,000m of aisle carpet, reducing over

24 tons of carbon emissions and over

six tons of waste saved from landfill.

A dedicated recycling zone was set up

for both exhibitors and visitors where

recyclable materials such as paper,

aluminium, glass bottles, and even used

cooking oil can be deposited, saving energy

while conserving natural resources.

In addition, renewable electricity was used

throughout the four-day event. Moreover,

a food bank where exhibitors donated

their excess products and samples

to Food Bank Singapore, their official

charity organisation, was also created.

UPCOMING: FHA HORECA

Curated for partners in the food service and

hospitality equipment, the FHA-HoReCa

(Hotel, Restaurants and Cafes) will take

place on 25-28 Oct as a highly focused

platform for the food service industry. FBA


EVENTS CALENDAR

OCTOBER

5 – 7 Fi Asia – Thailand 2022

Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre

Bangkok, Thailand

9 – 12 SIAL InterFOOD Jakarta 2022

JIExpo (Jakarta International Expo)

Jakarta, Indonesia

12 – 14 Fi Vietnam

Saigon Exhbition and Convention Centre (SECC)

Saigon, Vietnam

16 – 19 Vietnam Foodexpo 2022

Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC)

Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam

12 – 14 Tokyo Pack 2022

Tokyo Big Sight (East Hall)

Tokyo, Japan

29 Nov – WORLD AQUACULTURE Singapore 2022

2 Dec Singapore EXPO

Singapore

12 – 15 ALLPacK Indonesia 2022

JIExpo (Jakarta International Expo)

Jakarta, Indonesia

19 – 21 Food Manufacturing Indonesia

JIExpo Kemayoran

Jakarta, Indonesia

25 – 28 FHA HoReCa

Singapore Expo

Singapore

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

1 – 3 AgriPro & Tech Asia Expo

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

Hong Kong

7 – 9 3rd FOODtech Week Tokyo

Makuhari Messe

Chiba, Japan

7 – 9 Drink JAPAN 2022

Makuhari Messe

Chiba, Japan

2 – 4 Asia Fruit Logistica

Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre

Bangkok, Thailand

8 – 10 FHC Shanghai Global Food Trade Show

Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC)

Shanghai, China

With the evolving COVID-19 situation, kindly check with

organisers for updates on the related events. Please refer to the

local airports’ websites for the latest travel advisories too.


64

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

COMPANY

PAGE

BENEO 17

Food & Beverage Asia

IFC

64

IBC

HEAT AND CONTROL 01

Kerry APMEA 19

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