food Marketing - Technology 4/2023

Ingredients
never to be thought of again,” said
Bryan Hitchcock, chief science
and technology officer at IFT.
“However, these by-products have
other potential uses in industries
or applications, such as packaging,
cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.”
In addition to upcycled ingredients,
advancements in precision fermentation
and biomanufacturing, were
presented by many ingredient
suppliers. These innovative products
are adding value across the food
supply and serving as the next
generation of protein solutions and
sustainable ingredients.
“Functional foods are exploding, and
the pace of change is accelerating
due to tumultuous times and shifting
consumer habits and a global climate
crisis,” said Hitchcock. “Despite
these challenges, there are many
opportunities to tap into these
evolving trends via novel tech
and create inspiring food product
development solutions and innovate
in a time of crisis.”
Anna Rosales, senior director of
government affairs and nutrition at
IFT, added, “Increasingly, consumers
are prioritizing the health of the
planet in their purchasing decisions.
With consumers wanting more
sustainable, planet-friendly solutions
or all-natural ingredient innovations,
plant-based alternatives and
proactive health-and-wellness trends
will continue to impact new product
development.”
Start-ups Pitch Products
More than a dozens of startups
participated in a pitch competition
at IFT FIRST, with Helaina, a New
York-based biotechnology company
producing breast milk proteins,
winning the $10,000 grand prize.
The company has developed human
lactoferrin, a bioactive compound
that “regulates iron levels, improves
nutrient absorption and improves
cognitive health,” said Paola Delgado,
chief operating officer. The pitch
event was presented in partnership
with Seeding the Future Foundation,
an organization committed to
Muffin_©BENEO source BENEO
advancing access to safe, nutritious
and affordable food.
“The only comparable ingredient in
the market is bovine lactoferrin, that
trades for up to $1,500 per kilogram,”
she said. “It is supply constrained
and incredibly wasteful, taking 2,000
liters of milk to make 1 kilogram of
lactoferrin. But the opportunity is
huge. Its market has doubled in size
in the past five years. We are here to
take over and to expand this market
with a more efficacious and costeffective
ingredient.”
Helaina is targeting sports nutrition
and prenatal nutrition markets
initially, with plans to expand into
elderly nutrition and infant formula
applications. The company, which
has raised more than $25 million
in funding to date, is performing
pre-clinical and clinical studies to
achieve regulatory approval for the
ingredient.
“Our proprietary precision
fermentation platform is able to
make human bioactive ingredients at
a fraction of the cost,” said Delgado.
“This is the future of food as medicine.
This is functional ingredients 2.0.”
SnapDNA, Broomfield, Colorado,
and unClassic Foods, San Francisco,
California, were each awarded $2,500
as the runners-up in the competition.
SnapDNA aims to revolutionize the
food testing process by reducing the
time needed to test for food pathogens,
spoilage agents and allergens. Through
its on-site analysis technology,
SnapDNA can reduce the traditional
pathogen test timeline of three to seven
days to less than one hour, reducing
storage costs for food companies and
ensuring food safety for consumers.
The second runner-up, unClassic Foods,
uses oyster mushrooms to create a
plant-based meat substitute.
From the Expo Floor
The exhibit floor featured more
than 800 companies offering the
latest in food science intelligence,
accompanied by non-stop food
tastings. There were also numerous
presentations on the expo floor
discussing trends, ingredients and
applied science.
Kemin Industries, Des Moines,
Iowa, launched its new fat-block
topical solution for the commercial
production of battered and fried
foods. The clean-label functional
protein acts as a micro-barrier,
enabling less waste in processing
and improving batter adhesion for a
crispier, more enticing bite.
“It’s a game changer for the industry,”
said Courtney Schwartz, marketing
16 food Marketing & Technology • August 2023