Food & Beverage Asia December/January 2024

DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024
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2
CONTENTS
MARKET INSIGHTS
8 Managing great expectations: The
alternative protein roadmap
10 In full bloom: Tetra Pak and DenEast
launch innovation centre in Vietnam
BITING ISSUES
12 Synergy Flavours celebrates 140
years of flavour extraction expertise
in Italy with new hop essences range
in Europe
13 BASF Aroma Ingredients expands its
Isobionics portfolio with new natural
flavours
14 Valio supports elderly nutrition with
latest study findings
15 PharmaLinea releases new clinically
backed sleep quality solution
INGREDIENTS
16 A new perspective on collagen
proteins
18 What’s next for plant-based meat
alternatives and do they have a role
in the future of protein
20 Empowerment from within: How
collagen-peptides can boost beauty
and self esteem
22 How Japanese companies are
addressing the global issue of
excessive salt intake with umami
24 Embracing the health-conscious
consumer: The rise and potential of
low-calorie ice cream production
16
38
24
PROCESSING & PACKAGING
34 Best practice for evaporation
processes
36 Scaling the recycling of film and
flexible packaging with AI and
automation
37 Five reasons for leveraging your
packaging equipment supplier for
enhanced packaging design
38 New technologies to enhance
safety in beverage production
40 Creative autonomy: Essential for
staying ahead of the curve
42 When package size matters
FIRST LOOKS
44 Reliable and food-safe transport
of poorly flowing cocoa powder
for beverage production
45 iHX: An intelligent heat exchanger
for all applications
46 Mecmesin rice texture analyser:
Quality control for rice
manufacturers
47 Spectrim X series with LUCAi
grades fruits with deep learning
SHOW PREVIEW & REVIEW
48 Asian companies make strong
comeback in Alimentaria 2024
49 FIC2024 opens doors to largest
exhibition space in show’s history
50 HostMilano 2023 dives into the
future with innovation at the fore
ON THE TABLE
26 Authentic taste with a sustainable
touch
28 Indulging the body, spirit, and planet:
AAK shares trends for APAC market
30 Meatable cultivates the future of
protein
32 From bean to bar: Aalst celebrates 20
years of quality and success
SIFST ANNUAL 2023
52 SIFST ANNUAL
REGULARS
3 Editor’s Note
4 News
66 Events Calendar
68 Advertisers’ Index
C O N T E N T S

EDITOR’S NOTE 3
To come, see,
and conquer
Agatha Wong
Assistant Editor
In this final issue of 2023, we are looking
back at some of the region’s hottest trends,
and anticipating the ones to follow in the
coming year.
At Fi Asia, both Kerry and AAK shed light
on the key concerns that consumers have
expressed – more than just authentic flavour
reflecting regional delicacies, they are also
seeking affordable alternatives that deliver
just as well in terms of taste and texture.
Crucially, consumers have also shown an inclination for healthier
products, alongside government pressure for less sugar and sodium.
In this regard, South East Asia serves as a hotbed for opportunities
for food manufacturers. Indeed, the average Asian consumer
is readier that ever to spend on quality products, and with that,
producers must up their game in presenting the best they can offer.
For Aalst Chocolate, who was acquired by Cargill in 2021, its
Singapore-founded and based operations present a much-needed
local perspective on the growing demand for indulgent delights
in this region.
What then, do we make of longstanding trends such as the
alternative protein sector? With Meatable, a cultivated meat firm who
launched its first press tasting in Singapore, it is evident that this
sector continues to be hungry for more – by expanding its reach,
affordability, and availability, these alt-protein firms are sure to
spread their message of uncompromising taste and sustainability.
We close this year with SIFST’s annual report, looking back at the
activities undertaken by the organisation in the past year, as well as
two articles highlighting the most pressing developments in the food
science and technology realm: on improving urban farming
practices in land-scarce environs, and meat-identical flavours for
the alternative protein sector.
As we close on another fruitful chapter, let us bear in mind the
valuable lessons we have gleaned in our journeys together, and set
forth with the goal of creating a stronger and more vibrant industry
in which all can partake. And here at Food & Beverage Asia, I wish
our readers a happy holiday season and new year ahead!
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FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

4
NEWS
Jebsen & Jessen brings together key players
to advance sustainable food future
According to the World Economics Forum,
Sep 2023 was the hottest September ever
on record, followed by the hottest August
and July. These extreme weather conditions
have compelled many consumers to think
twice before making their purchasing
decisions, with many growing aware of
their role in protecting and preserving the
environment. In turn, they are demanding
sustainably-produced food and beverage
solutions – be it on the ingredients list,
or through the type of packaging.
“This growing demand for sustainable
products reflects a collective effort to
make conscious choices that positively
impact our planet and underscores the
importance of ensuring sustainable food
manufacturing in the face of environmental
challenges,” said Ratana Vongmukdaporn,
regional business line head – food and
pharmaceutical and personal care, Jebsen
& Jessen Ingredients (Thailand).
Recently, Jebsen & Jessen, along with six
of its technology partners (Lonza, EPAX,
Orkla, EVONIK, Ingredion, and IFF) gathered
at the “Food for Thought – Sustainable
Food Manufacturing in Thailand and
South East Asia” event to share their
insights in the world of sustainable food
manufacturing and its impact on the region.
“Jebsen & Jessen Group has long been
a steadfast champion for sustainability
across all business units, and we take pride
in having partners who share the same
vision. At Jebsen & Jessen Ingredients,
we actively seek raw materials that are
sourced or produced sustainably. We value
partnerships that share our dedication to
prioritising sustainability and environmental
stewardship, and we are fortunate to have
long-standing partnerships with a number
of esteemed companies that are dedicated
to encouraging sustainable change on
multiple fronts,” shared Vongmukdaporn.
She elaborated that Lonza and Ingredion,
both ingredients manufacturers with
a global presence, were committed to
reducing emissions, water consumption
and waste, and upholding the highest
social, environmental, and governance
standards when making sourcing decisions.
IFF, meanwhile, has implemented a “Do
More Good” plan, which aims to reduce
emissions, verify zero waste to landfill from
manufacturing facilities, and achieve zero
deforestation for raw material supply chains
by 2030. Similarly, EPAX adheres strictly
to fishing regulations as a manufacturer of
marine omega-3 concentrates, while also
looking at environmentally friendly ways to
create concentrates and a commitment to
using only regulated or sustainable sources.
Orkla Food and EVONIK, who provide
Jebsen & Jessen with flavour solutions
and speciality silica, respectively, are
working towards developing safer and
healthier products, promoting responsible
business practices throughout the value
chain, and underscoring sustainability
in collaborations with stakeholders.
The event allowed for the exchange of
sustainable ideas that can generate positive
change in the industry. By facilitating
these conversations, different players and
stakeholders can play a part in contributing
ideas and solutions in this space.
“It is essential for all relevant industry
players, including suppliers, food
producers and consumers, to come
together and collaborate to create
positive and transformative change,” said
Vongmukdaporn. “By recognising their
potential and responsibility in shaping the
future of food, manufacturers can lead the
way by embracing sustainable processes,
investing in research and development,
and prioritising environmental stewardship
throughout their business practices.”
On a lighter note, the trend towards healthier
and more nutritious food products also
opens opportunities for food producers
to tap into sustainable practices; organic
and responsible sourcing, reducing food
waste, and implementing eco-friendly
packaging are ways they play a part.
However, in order to create products
that leave a lasting impression and
consumers wanting for more, food
producers should do well to keep in mind
the diverse culinary environment of the
region. In Thailand, for example, food
manufacturers have adapted popular
food products into new ones by reducing
sugar – in line with the government’s
health policy on reduced sugar intake.
“Modifying solutions for specific regions
involves considering local preferences
and conducting market research, allowing
food producers to contribute to consumer
well-being and environmental preservation,”
concluded Vongmukdaporn. FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

NEWS 5
Cargill unveils Asia’s cocoa development centre in Indonesia
Cargill has announced the opening of
the Cargill Cocoa Development Centre.
Located in Gresik, Indonesia, the cocoa
development centre is integrated into
Cargill’s cocoa processing plant within the
same site, designed to enable innovation
with greater speed and agility. Situated in
Indonesia, one of the world’s largest cocoa
producing countries, the cocoa development
centre was established to address fastchanging
Asian consumer preferences by
facilitating the creation of cocoa products
with unique and desired taste profiles.
“Asia stands out for its immense innovation
potential as the fastest-growing region
that currently accounts for about 25% of
cocoa consumption in the world. Across
this region are different and distinctive
consumer palates, influenced by its
geographical and cultural diversity. Cargill
Cocoa Development Centre is a substantial
investment that strengthens our capability
to innovate for Asian consumers as a 'beanto-bar'
innovation partner to our customers,
backed by our extensive global supply
chain networks, deep market insights and
customised sustainability solutions," said
Francesca Kleemans, managing director,
food solutions South East Asia, Cargill.
The cocoa development centre is equipped
with facilities that enable proficiency
in small-scale product and process
development. It operates as an advanced
pilot commercial production facility,
allowing for faster prototype development
and product trials from cocoa beans to
cocoa ingredients. A one-stop shop for
tailored cocoa solutions where customers
can co-create and experiment the cocoa
recipes before embarking on largescale
production, the centre enhances
Cargill’s existing global R&D intelligence
and networks by enabling an end-toend
innovation from cocoa product
development to food and drinks application.
“Through this centre, we are excited to
collaborate and innovate more closely with
our customers to bring innovative food
solutions to delight consumers across Asia
and the world," added Kleemans. FBA
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FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

6
NEWS
Tate & Lyle announces directorate change
Tate & Lyle has announced the appointment
of David Hearn as director and chair of
the board of Tate & Lyle from 1 Jan 2024.
On appointment, he will also become
chair of the nominations committee.
Hearn is an experienced chair both of
listed companies and privately-owned
businesses. He currently serves as chair
of Safestore Holdings and is also chair
of the a2 Milk Company, a company
listed on the New Zealand and Australian
Stock Exchanges, a position he stepped
down from on 16 Nov 2023. He is a nonexecutive
director of Lovat Partners.
In a career spanning more than 40 years,
Hearn has held senior roles in a number of
global businesses, including in the food and
beverage industry with Del Monte, PepsiCo
and United Biscuits. Hearn served as CEO
of Goodman Fielder, a listed Australian
food business, from 1995 to 2001 and also
as CEO of Cordiant Group in the US from
2001 to 2003. In 2005, he was appointed
CEO of Committed Capital, for whom he
acted as chair of a wide range of portfolio
businesses over a twelve-year period.
Hearn will succeed Warren Tucker who has
been interim chair since 1 Sep 2023. Tucker
will continue to serve as a non-executive
director and chair of the audit committee
after he steps down as interim chair.
Hearn said: “I am delighted to take on the
role of chair of Tate & Lyle at what is an
exciting time for the business. Tate & Lyle
is a business with a deep sense of purpose,
in a strong financial position, which puts its
customers at the heart of everything it does.
I look forward to working with the board, Nick
Hampton and the leadership team to deliver
on the company's growth agenda.” FBA
Flavour Specialty Ingredients rebrands to Natara to mark move
as a standalone business
Flavour Specialty Ingredients has
rebranded to Natara. Under new
ownership and with a refreshed strategy
as a standalone business, the new brand
identity will reflect the aspirations for
the business. The new name signals that
Natara is ready to deliver on its ambition
for the future, providing a platform for
a fresh, distinctive approach that best
conveys its customer proposition.
Natara is a $100m global manufacturer of
natural and aroma-chemical ingredients
with a specialist team of over 350
people around the world. It provides
key inputs to the global flavour and
fragrance industry, serving around 1000
clients across Europe, Americas and Asia.
Since acquired by Exponent in Aug 2023,
Natara has set out a new strategy to operate
as a standalone business and deliver on its
goal of being the partner of choice to the
flavour and fragrance industry. This vision
is underpinned by Natara’s focus on quality
ingredients, and continuous improvement
on its customer service. The strategy will
be accelerated by investment from its new
owners to deepen and broaden capabilities,
improve the supply chain, expand and
upskill teams, positioning the business to
better meet evolving customer needs.
Yoram Knoop, CEO of Natara, commented:
“Our business is opening a new chapter
in its history, a milestone we wanted to
mark with a new name: Natara. Creating
a strong brand identity and developing
a new growth strategy demonstrates
the momentum we are building as a
standalone business. With a brand
proposition that is fit for purpose, we are
better positioned to meet the evolving
needs of our growing customer base, in
turn delivering on our vision for the future:
to be the leading global independent
manufacturer of naturals and aroma
chemicals and partner of choice to the
flavour and fragrance industry.” FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

NEWS 7
ANDRITZ opens the Food Innovation Xperience test centre
ANDRITZ has opened a test and
research centre for the food and
feed industry in Waddinxveen,
The Netherlands. The Food
Innovation Xperience centre
will be the development and
technology hub where customers
and ANDRITZ professionals team
up to turn visions into reality.
The test centre is equipped with
milling, extraction, dewatering, and
drying technologies from ANDRITZ,
enabling customers to conduct
feasibility studies, pilot plant tests
for scale-up or R&D activities
under food-grade or even ATEX
conditions. Covering a total area of
850 sq m, the centre is available
to customers in the food and feed
industry, as well as research and
development organisations.
Developing new sustainable food
ingredients and food manufacturing
processes has become particularly
important today as food and feed
manufacturers must respond to the
fast-changing market and consumer
demands, governmental regulations
and environmental requirements.
“In this context, it is essential to act
quickly and scale-up new ideas,
make existing production processes
more efficient and reduce operations’
environmental impact, like freshwater
consumption or CO2 footprint,”
explained Marco Buis, managing
director at ANDRITZ Gouda. “Our Food
Innovation Xperience centre offers
customers the opportunity to determine
the best possible manufacturing
process for their need, building on latest
technologies and line solutions as well
as expert support from ANDRITZ.”
In addition to the original test portfolio
around drying and dewatering, the
centre offers various tests in the area
of alternative proteins, traditional food
and feed, as well as trend-setting
extraction.
The Food Innovation Xperience centre
has been built next to the existing pilot
and research facility at the ANDRITZ
Waddinxveen site, where customers can
perform tests for by-product processes
and wastewater treatment. FBA
Ribbon-cutting ceremony with Joachim Schönbeck (ANDRITZ CEO, centre), with Olaf Müller (senior vice-president, ANDRITZ separation
division) on the left, and Marco Buis (managing director of ANDRITZ Gouda) on the right (Photo: ANDRITZ)
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

8 MARKET INSIGHTS
Managing great
expectations: The
alternative protein
roadmap
By Neha Poddar, partner, Good Startup
2. An “eggtastic” event (2011): Following the
lead of early plant-based meat companies,
Eat Just was founded in 2011 under the
name Beyond Eggs and then Hampton
Creek Foods to develop plant-based
egg alternatives. This event marked the
extension of the plant-based alternative
line beyond just meat products.
3. A new technology stack (2012): While
plant-based companies were focused
on bringing products to market, newer
technology stacks such as fermentation
were emerging. A standout was Nature’s
Fynd, which produces fungal proteins
for meat and dairy substitutes.
4. A “cultivated” revolution (2013): The first
cultivated meat burger made from cow
cells was unveiled in The Netherlands by
Mark Post. Even though it was created at a
high cost of $330,000, it provided a proof of
concept for the viability of the technology.
5. An organised initiative (2016): The
Good Food Institute (GFI), a non-profit
organisation which has since served
as a hub for industry’s efforts, was
founded by Bruce Friedrich. It promotes
alternative proteins and is considered
the foremost voice in the industry.
Upside Foods's cultivated chicken was approved for retail sale in the US in Jun 2023
(Image: Upside Foods)
The approval of cultivated meat sales in
the US in Jun 2023 marked a milestone
for the alternative proteins sector. It
was the culmination of years of effort by
ecosystem players including startups,
governments, research institutions, nonprofits,
and investors. While the US is not
the first to grant approval to cultivated
meat (the credit goes to Singapore), it
is arguably the most significant. It is the
largest market for consumers, remains
the most vibrant for startups, and garners
the most capital from investors.
Make no mistake, cultivated meat is still
a distance away from reaching scale
and being available at a competitive
price. While companies have been
improving their technology, with investors
pumping in billions of dollars in funding,
this approval allows the most important
stakeholder – the consumer – to be involved
in the progress of the industry. The availability
of cultivated meat in the US will pique
further consumer interest as they can now
taste these bioidentical products and be a
part of a turning point in history. In light of
this recent achievement, let us look back
at the journey which brought us here.
LOOKING BACK
1. Beyond plant-based (2009): Plant-based
products have existed for decades, but
earlier versions were created for the
vegetarian population. This changed
with the founding of Beyond Meat in
2009 with the intention of producing
plant-based meat-like products for
flexitarians, reducing meat consumption
without giving it up entirely.
6. The first “hybrid” product (2016): Impossible
Foods introduced the Impossible Burger
1.0. The burger patty used plant-based
ingredients and soy leghaemoglobin,
or “heme” derived from precision
fermentation, and marked the first
hybrid product, blending two technology
stacks, to be available in the market.
7. A public milestone (2019): Beyond
Meat was the first alternative protein
focused company to go public on the
NASDAQ stock exchange in 2019. Its
IPO, occurring within 10 years of its
founding in a nascent industry, was
30 times oversubscribed. Its success
provided investors a viable path to exit
and spurred investments in the sector.
8. Dialling for dairy (2020): Perfect Day, a
startup producing milk proteins using
precision fermentation, received a
“no questions” letter from the USFDA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

MARKET INSIGHTS
9
following its generally recognised as
safe (GRAS) submission. This opened
the doors for fermentation-based
dairy to be sold in the US market.
9. All roads lead to Singapore (2020):
Singapore became the first country in the
world to approve the commercial sale of
cultivated meat, allowing GOOD Meat to
sell its cultivated chicken to customers.
10. A mountain of funding (2021): Oatly’s
successful IPO set the stage for a
watershed year for the sector with
startups raising $5bn in funding. This
represented 40% of all funding that the
sector had received since inception.
The nearly 15-year journey for the industry
has been a tumultuous one, going from
initial euphoria to inflated expectations and
doubts about its feasibility, to a watershed
regulatory landmark. As we enter a new
era, here are the key factors that will
shape the industry moving forward.
MOVING FORWARD
Consumer demand
Animal agriculture is a two trillion-dollar
industry which is growing, thanks to rising
population and income levels. At its current
growth trajectory, we will not have enough
protein to feed 9.7 billion people by 2050.
Alternative proteins offer a path to bridge
the gap. Experts estimate that alternative
protein adoption is expected to follow an
S-curve, reaching between 10-70% by 2035
and growing sharply in the late 2020s and
early 2030s. A crucial point in the journey of
alternative protein adoption will arrive when
Shiru, an alternative protein ingredient
technology company, uses their AI-based
Discovery Platform, Flourish to find ingredient
solutions for formulation challenges (Image:
Shiru)
cultivated meat becomes available at a price
point that is competitive to conventional meat.
Innovation
As all three major technology stacks – plantbased,
fermentation and cultivated – go
online, there is an opportunity to create
new products that offer comparable taste
and nutrition at a competitive price point.
Until then, the industry will take a hybrid
approach, blending ingredients from the
available technology stacks to create better
products. Furthermore, a hybrid approach
is not limited to just fusing technologies;
it can extend to combining products (eg
two types of meat) to create new ones.
In addition, the industry can leverage
computational approaches using artificial
intelligence and machine learning to
accelerate innovation and create novel
products and solutions. A recent CA$10m
fund launched by Protein Industries Canada
for using AI to improve the production of
plant-based products offers a glimpse of
government support in this direction.
Regulation
Singapore offers the most advanced
regulatory pathway in the world today, with the
US not far behind. The approval of cultivated
meat in the US will accelerate regulatory
approvals in other regions. The Netherlands,
home to the world's first cultivated beef
burger, recently became
the first European country
and fourth globally to allow
cultivated meat tastings
(behind Israel). Despite
this progress, regulatory
approval in Europe may take
the longest. According to
GFI, governments across
different geographies have
contributed over $1bn
for research initiatives
in the sector, led by
Canada, Denmark, and the
Netherlands. With additional
regulatory approvals and
larger grants, alternative
proteins will enter the
same league as renewable
energy, electric vehicles,
agri-food or biotechnology.
Funding
At its peak in 2021, alternative proteins
garnered $5bn in annual funding. However,
this funding pales in comparison to its three
adjacent sectors – climate, biotechnology,
and agri-food – each of which received over
$50bn in funding the same year. Climaterelated
funding, which has increased in recent
years, offers a compelling opportunity. Global
warming is increasingly seen as the biggest
near-term threat faced by humanity. With
animal agriculture responsible for 14.5% of
total greenhouse gas emissions, it deserves
more attention. A report by BCG-Blue Horizon
found that alternative proteins represent the
most capital efficient investment opportunity
when compared to other industries such as
transport, construction, and power. Thus, there
remains an opportunity to divert climaterelated
funding to the alternative protein sector.
The recent regulatory approval for cultivated
meat may just be the right catalyst to do so.
Since the creation of the first lab-grown
burger in 2013, the industry has aspired to
not only make lab-grown meat possible, but
also available to the average consumer. The
advancement of technology will enable this
offering to become better and cheaper with
time. The alternative protein industry will
see more highlights in the future, starting
with growing meat outside the animal. The
effects from this achievement are sure to
create ripples for years to come. FBA
Impossible Foods's burger patties made using
plant-based ingredients and heme (Image:
Impossible Foods)

In full bloom: Tetra Pak and
DenEast launch innovation
centre in Vietnam
Nestled in Binh Duong, the industrial heart of Vietnam, Bloom seeks
to serve new and emerging brand owners keen on innovation and
product development – under one roof, and cost effectively.
By Agatha Wong
In a partnership with DenEast, a global provider
of agriculture, food, beverage, and renewable
energy solutions, Tetra Pak has launched
Bloom – a one-stop innovation centre located
in Binh Duong, Vietnam. Designed to provide
cost-efficient solutions to brand owners,
Bloom seeks to incubate and accelerate
new concepts in the market with product
development best practices. Customers can
expect to also scale from trials to production
with the centre’s access to food licenses and
availability of flexible and advanced technology;
in turn, this allows them to remove the need
for capital equipment investment, particularly
for emerging businesses. Additionally, remote
trials can be conducted, giving the centre
a global reach. Together, these services
allow customers to turn their ideas into
reality – a reflection of the centre’s name.
with innovative solutions, the innovation
centre’s project name was the Incubator.
Thereafter, we developed a list of over 100
names to better position what the centre
represents, and from there we chose ‘Bloom’
for its positive connotations – because
for something to truly bloom, one needs
good seeds, good soil, and good weather
conditions, and that is what we are aiming
for. With Bloom, businesses and brand
owners can bloom with our support.”
“Together with Tetra Pak’s global market team,
we embarked on the project’s journey through
Johan Boden, CEO of DenEast, remarked:
“Prior to Bloom’s launch, where we wanted
to find a way to support brand customers

MARKET INSIGHTS
11
discovering the real needs
of our customers. By asking
ourselves what are the pain
points and challenges that
brands are facing, we were
able to identify the needs
that this centre would be
tackling. From there, we
wanted to convey, through
the centre name, Bloom,
the energy, ideation, and
results that customers
can receive through our
services,” added Thuy
Nguyen, marketing director
of Tetra Pak Vietnam.
SHAPE, LAUNCH, AND GROW
Bloom targets two primary groups of
customers: start-ups and explorers. The
former refers to new businesses aiming to
establish themselves in the industry without
significant capital investment. They may seek
flexibility and successful commercialisation,
and require industry knowledge to reduce time
to market and risk, market testing, and small
patch production. To that end, Bloom can
deliver their technology and best practices for
start-up incubation and production, in addition
to resources and market knowledge, and
services to bring their ideas into production
while achieving sustainable growth.
Explorers, meanwhile, desire feasibility and
scalability, high ROI, and plug-and-play
solutions on top of flexibility. They also require
support in their innovation strategies, facilities
for testing and small-scale production,
and swift co-creation and partnership
opportunities, as well as financial support. In
this situation, Bloom can also provide them
with cost-efficient strategies for product
development, bringing the same portfolio of
market knowledge and support to develop
new solutions and accelerate innovation.
At Bloom, customers can experience a threestage
micro innovation process that fits their
needs and output requirements. In two of the
three stages, guided by the philosophies of
Shape It and Launch It, customers undergo
various steps: from discovering their needs, to
ideation, prototyping, validating, visualising,
producing, and proving. Thereafter,
graduating into the third Grow It phase,
customers can choose to either conduct
a small-scale product manufacturing with
DenEast, or a medium to large batch through
themselves or a co-packing partnership.
UNLOCKING DYNAMIC POTENTIAL
This year marks Tetra Pak’s 30th year in
Vietnam. For both the company and DenEast,
the Vietnamese market presents a plethora
of business opportunities, particularly for
the food and beverage industry. Emerging
from the pandemic with a GDP growth rate
of 5.3% y-o-y in the third quarter of 2023,
the country has enjoyed a steady flourishing
economy. Moreover, with an expected middleclass
population growth to an estimate of
95 million by 2030, Vietnam’s consumer
demands are anticipated to become more
diverse – with sustainability, healthy living,
and local brand support in the forefront.
Nguyen concurred: “Vietnam has a dynamic
market, poised to have one of the greatest
potentials in the region for its food and
beverage industry. We experienced growth
during the pandemic and foresee its
continuation in the next three years. With
that, new brand owners will be keen on
exploring this emerging market. Moreover, a
significant percentage of Vietnam’s now-100
million population are comprised of young
people that form the chief consumer base of
the country’s food and beverage industry.”
For Boden, who hails from Sweden, Bloom’s
services also tap into a much-needed space
in Vietnam’s food and beverage sector: “I first
came to Vietnam in 2016, and researched
on all countries in this region – some more
than others. Having met several
companies in the agricultural and
food industry, I then realised the
role we could play in this sector
and in Vietnam, especially given
the lack of dedicated contract
manufacturing services here.
Hence, by bringing Tetra Pak
and DenEast together, we are
offering services in an objective
way to the market that is not
linked to any brand and available
to any customer globally.”
A WIN-WIN FOR ALL
This entire endeavour would
not have been possible without the close
relationship shared between DenEast and
Tetra Pak. Both Swedish in origin, the two
companies have combined their technology
and knowledge to create a win-win result.
Boden elaborated: “With Bloom, Tetra Pak
is delivering its global perspective and
knowledge gathered throughout its innovation
centres globally; and for DenEast, we are
bringing in the factories, licenses, certification
etc. This partnership is both a commercial
and strategic collaboration for the long
term, where we are unlocking the potential
of this market and how we can expand our
businesses to serve more customers.”
Nguyen agreed, and added: “Our ambition
since the start has always been to serve
more brand owners. With our current list of
customers – for both Tetra Pak and DenEast
– we believe we can continue to extend our
reach with just one more. We consider Bloom
as a unique business model where we can
engage the most advanced technology and
a global perspective, at a leading innovation
centre. A key challenge that many new brand
owners face is with cost and investment, and
we hope to support their product launches in
the most efficient and optimal way possible.”
In all, Bloom’s one-stop-shop services is
set to be a vibrant epicentre of growth
and innovation. Catering to up and
coming brands and existing ones, food
and beverage manufacturers can look
forward to taking their first step towards
scattering their seeds for market growth,
and blossoming to new heights. FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

12 BITING ISSUES
Synergy Flavours celebrates 140 years of flavour extraction
expertise in Italy with new hop essences range in Europe
Synergy Flavours has introduced a new
range of hop essences to celebrate
140 years of flavour extraction at its
site in Trieste, Italy. Synergy acquired
the site, formerly named Janoušek, in
2018, to expand its European footprint
and to maintain and build on the
organisation’s reputation for high quality
extracts and natural flavourings.
The hop essences have been developed
at the site in Trieste, a result of the Italian
team’s heritage in flavours and extraction
of natural ingredients combined with the
expertise of Synergy’s colleagues in the
US. The essences, which are suitable
for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic
beers, are the newest addition to the
Synergy Pure range, and are available
in three varieties: Chinook, an earthy
sweet hop which is well suited to ales
and stouts; Centennial, which possesses
floral and tropical notes, suited to pale
ales, IPAs and bitters; and a hop variety
from Slovenia that is best paired with
pilsners and lagers due to its earthy
notes and floral and fruity aromas.
The hop essences comprise of only hops
and water to ensure a clean taste delivery
without any added bitterness, and can
also be used to mitigate the overly-sweet
notes which can sometimes be present
in non-alcoholic beers. The steamdistillation
process used to extract the hop
essences can save time, reduce costs,
and improve yield compared to traditional
dry-hopping processes. The essences are
declarable on-pack as natural hop extract.
continues to deliver sustainable initiatives
and provide employment opportunities.
As well as enhancing Synergy’s global
portfolio of flavourings and essences,
the Trieste operation also supports
Carbery Group in its dairy and nutrition
market offering, enabling Synergy to
provide local support in continental
Europe, while improving access to
the Middle East and North Africa.
Since the acquisition, Synergy Italy has
achieved strong growth, with an 82%
increase in sales revenue between Apr 2018
and Jun 2023. The team has also grown
by 64% in the same period, with minimal
staff turnover following the acquisition.
Eric Zabiolle, managing director and head
of sales Europe, Synergy Italy, commented:
“We are very excited to be celebrating such
an important anniversary in our company’s
history. From the traditional extraction
techniques employed by Janoušek that
are still in operation today, to the modern
steam distillation extraction process which
we used to develop our hop essences,
Synergy is proud to showcase its Italian
heritage and craftsmanship. We look
forward to continuing to serve food and
beverage customers around the region
and supporting Synergy’s global operation
with Italian-made essences and flavours.”
Sebastiano Pagano, CEO, Synergy
Flavours Europe, commented: “140
years is an impressive milestone in any
company’s history, and to still be helping
customers internationally with their
flavour requirements is testament to the
passionate and skilled people who have
been part of the company’s journey over
the years. We continue to invest in Synergy
Italy and look forward to another 140
years of innovative taste solutions.” FBA
Janoušek opened its doors in Oct 1883, as
one of the world’s first suppliers of herbal
extracts and natural flavourings. After
135 years of serving customers across
Italy and continental Europe, Janoušek
was acquired by Synergy Flavours,
part of the Carbery Group, in 2018.
Synergy Italy has a rooted connection
to the community of Trieste, where it
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

BITING ISSUES
13
BASF Aroma
Ingredients expands
its Isobionics
portfolio with new
natural flavours
Isobionics, a brand of BASF Aroma
Ingredients, has launched two new natural
products on the flavour market. Isobionics
Natural alpha-Bisabolene 98 and Isobionics
Natural (-)-alpha-Bisabolol 99 are the
latest additions to the Isobionics' portfolio.
The Isobionics Natural (-)-alpha-Bisabolol
is traditionally derived from natural sources
and with a complex and captivating aroma
profile. Known for its delicate floral notes,
it offers a subtle hint of chamomile, along
with hints of sweet, woody undertones,
resulting in a special flavour experience.
This solution allows culinary professionals
and beverage creators to boost other
flavours such as vanillin and nootkatone to
add a distinctive twist to their creations.
THINK BIG
WE HELP YOU NAVIGATE THE JOURNEY
TO ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN PRODUCTION
Isobionics Natural alpha-Bisabolene 98 is
a new solution in the flavour industry as its
purity improves better flavour development.
Moreover, with its creamy milky flavour,
it makes a major contribution to the
expansion of the Isobionics's portfolio.
One of the highlights of the two new
flavour ingredients is their versatility. These
flavour ingredients, produced at high
concentration via fermentation technology,
can be found not only in citrus essential
oils, but also in several other natural oils,
such as chamomile, ylang-ylang, black
pepper, and basil oils. The quality of the
natural flavours enhances a variety of
applications, be it adding crispness to mild
flavours, complexity to beverages and
confectionery formulations, or a savoury
punch to culinary creations. These natural
products are also made of renewable raw
materials and produced via fermentation
technology, making them independent
from harvest conditions and seasonality,
and free from agricultural residues. FBA
ANDRITZ Singapore Pte. Ltd. / separation.sg@andritz.com
Are you looking for new opportunities to
make proteins from peas, pulses, or
lentils? Great! Going from lab tests to a
safe, full-scale production demands
hands-on experience and a complete
range of solutions, from milling and
conditioning, dewatering and drying,
extrusion and pelleting, to process
automation and services. Our specialists
can help you bridge the gap between
lab tests and production lines, maximize
process efficiency, and avoid bottlenecks.
With over 170 years of industry
experience, including designing and
engineering food processing plants, and
with the industry’s broadest portfolio, we
can tailor just the right full-line solution
for your needs.
Sounds interesting?
Let’s scale up your
production together.
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

14 BITING ISSUES
Valio supports elderly nutrition with latest study findings
support healthy ageing by maintaining the
normal muscle and cognitive functions.
Another key aspect of dairy solutions
for elderly consumers is taste; in the
study, participants were provided with
Valio’s buttermilk applications – a powder
and a ready-to-drink shake. Most of the
participants found the shake especially
delicious and easy to use. And while the
participants were not asked to give feedback
on the flavour of the products, one reply in
particular suggests it played a role, stating
that the chocolate shake made them happy.
Valio has released a scientific study
revealing that hydrolysed protein and
milk fat globule membrances (MFGM) – a
component of cow’s milk fat containing
complex phosopholipids – can generate a
positive impact on the physical performance
of elderly consumers. In a rapidly ageing
world, these findings represent a step
forward in the realm of elderly nutrition,
providng food manufacturers with the
solutions needed to create nutritious
productions for the advanced age group.
Valio’s peer-reviewed study was
conducted alongside senior researchers
at the University of Helsinki. It followed
101 Finnish women aged 70 or over, who
showed signs of sarcopenia or slight
deficits in physical functioning. The group
was divided into an intervention group
(n=51) and a control group (n=50). The
intervention group was given a powder or
a ready-to-drink product that contained
23g hydrolysed protein and 3g MFGM,
which were consumed daily for 12 weeks.
“The intervention group showed significant
improvement in balance and the short
physical performance battery (SPPB) score,
which includes testing balance, walking
speed, and the ability to rise from a chair
unaided, compared to the control group. This
suggests that the effect of protein and MFGM
can be beneficial to physical performance
even without additional exercise,” shared
Anu Turpeinen, nutrition research manager,
and Emma Laivisto, customer development
manager, special nutrition, Valio.
With these insights, Valio will develop
solutions targeting better health outcomes
and quality of life for older consumers.
“Nutrition is a cornerstone in maintaining
both physical and cognitive functioning
during ageing. Milk is naturally functional and
contains nutrients important for the ageing
consumer. It is for example an excellent
source of calcium, a mineral essential for
the maintenance of strong bones and
teeth and a high-quality protein source,
providing all the essential amino acids.
“Our aim is to develop products that can
be easily added to the everyday diet. We
see that, in addition to providing nutrients,
food should give pleasure and thus, we
put a high emphasis on the taste of our
products,” said Turpeinen and Laivisto.
In Asia, more than 90% of consumers may be
lactose intolerant – this dietary constitution
can become more prevalent with old age
due to declining lactase levels. Therefore,
elderly consumers might prefer to abstain
from dairy products, which can compromise
their intake of vital nutrients such as protein,
calcium, and B vitamins. Valio’s Eila Nutri
F, however, is lactose-free, and delivers
vitamins, minerals and phospholipids that
To this, Turpeinen and Laivisto remarked:
“The importance of flavour can be overlooked
when creating a functional dietary product,
but in the end, food is more than just
sustenance. People want to enjoy it at every
age, and that’s exactly where Valio’s different
applications can help. Ageing consumers
are a heterogenous consumer group, but
typically natural flavours and flavours
familiar from childhood are well-liked.”
At its core, the key to creating food solutions
for ageing customers is the same as
any other age group. By understanding
their specific needs and preferences,
manufacturers can tap into a world of
opportunities and offerings. Older consumers
are no different from their younger
counterparts, especially with the emphasis
on health and wellness in the food they eat.
“Out of all industries, we believe that the food
and nutrition industries have perhaps the
most significant means to ensure healthy
aging. As consumers, older adults could
be described as foodies with emphasis on
health. We make about 200 food-related
choices every day, so there is plenty of
opportunity to nudge older adults towards
better food choice. We see that the nutritional
needs of ageing consumers should be
fulfilled with food, not supplements. Milk is
naturally functional and provides endless
opportunities to develop ingredients and
products for different consumer needs,”
concluded Turpeinen and Laivisto. FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

BITING ISSUES
15
PharmaLinea releases new clinically backed sleep quality solution
PharmaLinea has introduced its
latest nutraceutical innovation. The
>Your< Good Night Acute Sticks
are a clinically-supported private
label food supplement for the
improvement of several sleep quality
parameters, displaying an immediate
effect on acute sleep latency issues.
“Good sleep is much more than just
falling asleep quickly and consumers
are starting to realise this. However,
most of the products on the
market are based on commodity
herbals with questionable efficacy
(only relying on historical use and
bibliographical data). In addition, the
formulations are highly repetitive,
and they lack clinical support,” said
Maja Oresnik, science and research
director of PharmaLinea. “They
also fail to address sleep quality
holistically through parameters
such as sleep duration, efficiency,
disturbances, daytime dysfunctions,
and so forth. Properly addressing
these parameters is important due
to good sleep being essential for
various physiological systems.”
>Your< Good Night Acute Sticks are a
clinically supported private label food
supplement for the improvement of
several sleep quality parameters and
an immediate effect on acute sleep
latency issues. They are based on
a unique ingredient with nine clinical
trials showing results such as 73%
higher sleep efficiency and supported
by melatonin.
The product is a part of >Your<
Good Night Line which also offers
melatonin-free options for children
and adults, in various user-friendly
formats. The line is proven on
various markets, showing great
results, user reviews, and doctor
feedback. It is also promotable
through medical detailing or ATL.
Ambrozic added: “Sleep is much
more than falling asleep quickly.
Most formulations are very repetitive
and fail to address sleep quality
holistically. Due to education and
wearable technology, consumers
are starting to recognise the overall
value of sleep quality. They are also
recognising the effect sleep quality
has on other areas of their life, such
as immunity, cognition, metabolism,
and mood. They are frequently
looking for new solutions that would
address these issues. Leading brands
are starting to communicate sleep
quality parameters in their launches.
The time to enter the market with an
added-value formulation, clinically
shown to improve sleep quality in
the long-term, is perfect.” FBA
“As stress and sleep is the fastestgrowing
dietary supplement
category for the third year in a row,
consumers' interest in sleeping
issues is evidently much more
than a temporary post-pandemic
trend. Sleeping disorders have
been in the top consumer health
concerns in the past years and,
according to Euromonitor, getting
enough sleep is one of the ways
they now define health,” added
Matevz Ambrozic, marketing and PR
director of PharmaLinea. “Sleeping
problems are also the category
where consumers are least satisfied
with their current treatment and are
frequently looking for new solutions,
which presents a market opportunity
for added-value solutions, such as
>Your< Good Night Acute Sticks.”
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

16
INGREDIENTS
A new perspective
on collagen proteins
By Florencia Moreno Torres, global business development manager
health and nutrition at Rousselot
Research from Euromonitor has shown that
eight of the top 10 fastest-growing global
markets for wellness over the next five years
are located in Asia-Pacific, with Japan, Hong
Kong and China cited amongst the star
players.* In some ways, Asia’s dominance
in the segment is understandable – holistic
medicine and nature-inspired healing
practices have deep roots in many of the
region’s cultures, and the opportunities for
health and wellness product manufacturers
are notable. Brands should tap into the clear
demand for effective dietary supplements,
but with so many interwoven consumer
priorities, where is the best place to start?
One answer could lie with proteins. Most
are familiar with the benefits of consuming
protein daily, but their power equally extends
to the nutraceutical space. Among different
protein sources, collagen is a known wellness
ingredient. In its original form, it is the most
abundant form of protein found in the human
body, performing a vital role in supporting
the health and elasticity of connective
tissues in bones, joints, skin, hair
and cartilage. But collagen is
more than just a protein: in
its hydrolysed form – ie
collagen peptides – it offers
many health benefits.
AGE IS JUST A
NUMBER
Asia-Pacific is home to
some of the world’s largest
ageing populations, with
Japan topping the charts
in terms of total percentage
share.* A growing cohort of
over 65s has increased demand
for solutions to support healthy
ageing, including collagen supplementation.
As we age, our metabolic rate slows, along
with our body’s ability to produce essential
proteins like collagen. These physiological
changes can leave older people more
susceptible to weight gain, muscle wasting
and joint discomfort, all of which can have an
impact on activity levels and quality of life.
Collagen peptides are an ideal solution
for supplement brands looking to attract
healthy agers, but they are not the only
consumer category interested in mobility.
MOBILITY FOR ALL AGES
Regardless of age, there are several factors
– ranging from diet to exercise level – that
may negatively impact individuals’ ability to
move or walk freely. For this reason, many
consumer groups are showing interest in
nutritional solutions that claim to support
mobility from a holistic point of view. The
multiple benefits associated with highly
bioavailable collagen peptides – such as
Rousselot’s PEPTAN – can appeal to healthy
agers and joint health-aware consumers.
For instance, in a randomised, placebocontrolled,
double-blind clinical trial, a daily
intake of Peptan was shown to reduce joint
discomfort and improve overall mobility,*
while an in vivo study demonstrated its
ability to preserve joint cartilage.*
EYES ON SPORTS NUTRITION
In the post-pandemic world, many are
looking to become fitter.* Multiple market
reports speak to the growing demand for
foods and supplements designed to boost
sporting performance, but compared with a
few years ago, professional sportspeople are
no longer the sole focus for these solutions.*
From casual gym-goers to committed
amateur athletes, sports nutrition
products are finding a wider
audience. The combination of
an ageing population keen
on keeping fit in several
countries, and pockets of
consumers elsewhere
willing to pay more for
effective supplements,
makes Asia-Pacific
an exciting arena
for sports nutrition
products – particularly
those containing
collagen.*
Peptan collagen peptides’
contribution to a faster
post-exercise recovery, and

INGREDIENTS 17
performance improvement was shown in a
double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled
clinical trial, developed in collaboration with
leading scientists at Newcastle University.*
Participants who took 20g of Peptan a day
reported 20% less muscle soreness after
intensive exercise compared with those
who received a placebo dose. In addition,
the same study suggested accelerated
muscle recovery with daily Peptan intake.
BETTER SLEEP WITH COLLAGEN
Sleep is widely recognised to be essential
for bone, muscle, and skin regeneration;*
it also has a positive psychological
effect on sporting performance. Here,
collagen can lend a helping hand too.
A study demonstrated that supplementation
with a 15g dose of Peptan collagen peptides
60 minutes before bedtime for one week,
enhanced the sleep quality of 13 healthy
candidates (18-35 years old) with sleep
complaints.* Using polysomnography –
considered the gold standard of sleep
monitoring* – the research showed an
objectively measured reduction in awakenings,
confirmed by the volunteers’ subjective
experience. A possible explanation for the
results could be the collagen peptides’ high
glycine content, a nutrient linked to improved
sleep quality.* The morning after the sleep
trial, participants consuming Peptan also
scored higher on the baseline Stroop Colour
and Word test, suggesting an improvement in
response accuracy as a result of better sleep.
BRING ON FUNCTIONAL BEAUTY
It is no secret that Asian consumers love
their skincare products. Korean, Japanese
and now Chinese beauty and skincare
brands are renowned the world over for their
quality, due in large part to their incorporation
of functional ingredients.* Often called
“ingestible skincare”, nutricosmetics are an
established trend across Asia, particularly
among younger, more proactive skincare
consumers. Collagen is one of the stand-out
ingredients in this space, popular in everything
such as topical creams and serums, and
more so in nutricosmetic supplements.
Again, collagen’s appeal as a nutricosmetic
solution stems from its science. Peptan, for
example, has been shown in clinical studies
to enhance the overall appearance of skin
by decreasing periorbital and nasolabial
wrinkles, while improving skin hydration.*
An ex vivo study also demonstrated Peptan’s
ability to stimulate hyaluronic acid – the main
acidic GAG of the skin – synthesis, and to
improve the skin's moisture by increasing the
amount of water-binding hyaluronic acid in
the epidermis.* Furthermore, the results of
a recent study into the potential impact of
collagen peptides on the natural hair cycle
suggested that Peptan could also slow
down hair loss in both men and women.*
With consumers growing tired of ten-step
skincare routines, brands can offer collagen
supplements as a route to beauty from within.
MAKING FOOD MORE FUNCTIONAL
Demand for functional foods and beverages
like protein-rich cereal bars, milkshakes and
even baked goods has risen as healthy agers,
sportspeople and consumers looking to
maintain a healthy weight seek convenient
ways to plug nutritional gaps in their diet.*
Solutions like Rousselot’s ProTake hydrolysed
collagen offer food and nutrition brands
the opportunity to reformulate, giving
a functional edge to a wide variety
of products. With its taste and
texture enhancing properties,
ProTake makes delicious and
nutritious products possible.
Take whey protein bars, for
example, where its high whey
protein content can impact
the bar’s taste and texture,
leading to a gritty, hard or
tough mouthfeel. Collagen ingredients like
ProTake can increase protein content and
improve the overall look, feel and taste of
the final product. ProTake’s solubility and
light molecular weight counteracts the
medium solubility and low water binding
capacity of whey protein, supporting a softer,
chewier or shorter texture, and a flavour
that meets consumer expectations.
PUTTING THE “PRO” IN PROTEIN
Addressing consumer priorities is rarely
simple, especially when dealing with a
segment as large and diverse as Asia-Pacific’s
health and wellness market. Collagen is an
example of a single protein with a host of
applications – what food, nutrition, health
and wellness brands need is an ingredients
partner armed with the solutions necessary
to craft consumer-centric products, and the
quality solutions to help them shine. FBA
* References available on request

18
INGREDIENTS
What’s next for
plant-based meat
alternatives and do
they have a role in
the future of protein
By Megan
Stanton,
associate
director,
South APAC,
Mintel Food
and Drink
It has been a tough couple of years for
plant-based meat alternatives. A sector
which was showing incredible growth
as consumers raced to try these novelty
products is now facing challenges with
increasing sales and retaining customers.
At the start, consumers were encouraged to try
these meat alternatives as a healthier option to
meat, while also tackling environmental issues
of excess carbon emissions and land usage
from animal protein. However, consumers are
not repeat-purchasing these products as a
result of long ingredient lists, concerns about
over processing, and poor delivery of taste. The
impact of inflation and expensive price tags has
further affected the sales of meat alternatives
as consumers try to balance their budget.
These lacklustre sales have resulted in some
significant readjustments in the sector –
Impossible Foods laid off 6% of its workforce
in Oct. Meanwhile, Beyond Meat’s Q4 2023
revenues were down 20.6% and the company
posted a loss of $366m that same year. JBS
has also exited its US-based plant foods
business Planterra, and Maple Leaf Foods
have cut their Greenleaf Foods plant-based
division by 25% due to low demand.
Many commentators have stated that plantbased
meat is currently in the “trough of
disillusionment”, according to the Gartner Hype
Cycle. The Gartner Hype Cycle illustrates the
trajectory of new innovations and explains
how new products initially experience a
plethora of media attention and consumer
interest until a peak is reached and then
consumers begin to identify the shortcomings
of the products. Mintel data has indicated
that as many as 42% of US consumers do not
currently eat plant-based meat alternatives
and do not want to do so in the future.
Consumers have been clear that their issues
with plant-based meat alternatives are taste,
price, and concerns about over-processing.
Only 30% of Thai consumers agreed that
plant-based meat is tasty, while 33% of
consumers in Singapore said they would eat
more plant-based meat alternatives if they
were less processed. Brands will thus need
to address these concerns to re-engage
consumers with plant-based meat.
In addition to these concerns, consumers
are confused by the number of products on
the market. In the US, 35% of consumers
agreed that there were too many plant-based
meat alternative brands in the market. In
2022, 88% of the
global meat substitute
launches appeared for
the first time in Mintel's Global
New Products Database. This indicated
that most of these brands would have been
unfamiliar for consumers, and choosing
a product to purchase would have been
overwhelming without the familiarity of
popular brands. We are already experiencing
a reset in the market where brands are
disappearing from shelves or companies
are merging to increase the efficiencies
required to keep businesses profitable.
A SHIFT OF STRATEGY
If brands are keen on re-engaging
consumers in the plant-based meat sector,
they will need to do things differently.
There are three main strategies that can
reset the industry: addressing consumer
criticisms head-on; being plant forward;
and targeting specific demographics.
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

INGREDIENTS 19
Address consumer criticism head-on
Rating scales like the NOVA scale have
deemed plant-based meat alternatives as
ultra processed – accordingly, brands are
addressing these concerns. For example,
US brand Daring have advertised their short
ingredient list of only six ingredients (water,
protein (soy), vegetables oil (sunflower or
canola), salt, natural flavours and spices.
Taste concerns are another main criticism
that brands need to address. Mintel data
has revealed that only 31% of consumers
in China say that plant-based proteins are
tasty. Here, plant-based meat brands can
learn from plant-based milk alternatives.
Plant-based milk brands typically contain
the key ingredient in the name of
the product, eg oat milk and
almond milk. Plant-based
meat alternatives are often
called meatless, or vegan
or meat free, making it
difficult for consumers
to understand the
delivered taste.
Be plant forward
Many more
consumers
are interested
in increasing
their fruit and
vegetable
intake and their
consumption
of vitamins and
minerals than
are keen to avoid
animal products. In
Singapore, only 11%
of the adult population
eat enough fruit and
vegetables, according to
the local government. This
therefore offers opportunities
for plant-based brands to avoid
mimicking the taste of meat, but
instead focus on the vegetables
in the formulation. In the UK, 50% of
consumers agree they would be more likely
to try a meat substitute that does not try to
mimic meat. Ingredients like mushrooms,
algae and mycelium and legumes are thus
likely to become more popular in plant-based
alternatives that are vegetable forward.
Target specific demographics
One change that must take place to reform
the plant-based meat alternatives sector
is to move beyond niche positioning. When
plant-based meats were first launched, they
were mostly positioned as vegan friendly or
as a solution to climate change. However,
these products could in fact be more broadly
aimed at flexitarians who are focused on
increasing their vegetable intake and/or
reducing animal products or even looking
for more variety in their everyday meals. For
example, environmental peer pressure is real
for younger consumers and 49% of UK Gen Z
adults think “buying sustainable/ethical
groceries makes you look good” compared
to just 19% of baby boomers. Consider also
consumers who are seeking to add plantbased
options to their diet to generate variety,
like the 40% of US consumers self-identified
as omnivores who stated that they eat plantbased
products to add variety to their diet.
There are two key approaches to eating and
nutrition that inform plant-based innovation:
one is reducing animal foods, and the other is
eating more plants – tapping into this mindset
would thus attract a wider pool of consumers.
THE SPECTRUM OF PROTEIN
If brands can address the criticisms of
consumers and tempt them to re-engage with
the sector, there is definitely a bright future
ahead for plant-based meat alternatives.
However, it is also worth noting that the future
of protein will span the spectrum between:
• Animal protein, where consumers
will eat smaller portions of a
higher quality, less frequently;
• Plant based alternatives, that either
mimic the taste and texture of meat
but are improved in their nutritional
and price proposition or those that
are deliberately plant forward;
• Cultivated meat, which are cell-based
meat grown in a tank, offering animal
protein that does not involve slaughtering
animals. This technology is already
for sale in Singapore and will soon be
available in the US, but only in limited
amounts at fine dining restaurants.
Studies indicate that cultivated meat
would be 2000-4000% more efficient
than beef and grow only the part of the
animal that is consumed. When these
products are finally launched to mainstream
consumers, it is likely to be in hybrid
combination with plant-based alternatives
due to the limited quantities available.
The challenge for brands (regardless of the
protein sector they operate in) will be to
demonstrate, with laser focus, how they solve
consumer problems surrounding protein intake,
nutrition, taste and price. Ultimately, brands will
need to play their part in supplying 10 billion
consumers on the planet with enough protein
by the year 2050, in a sustainable way. FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

20
INGREDIENTS
Empowerment from within:
How collagen-peptides can boost
beauty and self esteem
Many decades ago, Coco Chanel summed
up the link between outward appearance
and inner confidence very neatly when
she urged women to “add more lipstick
and attack” if they were feeling down.
Today, however, consumers are looking
further than colour cosmetics to boost
their beauty and self-esteem. Increasing
numbers are turning to support in the form
of dietary supplements. Research published
this year by ReportLinker has shown that
the three biggest beauty reasons why
consumers are seeking out supplements
are to improve their hair, nails and skin.*
Almost eight in 10 consumers (79%) are
keen to improve their hair growth and hair
health. A desire for stronger nails is the main
motivator for 64%, while 60% are looking to
firm their skin or restore collagen. The pursuit
of skin health and clear skin, and anti-ageing
and fine line and wrinkle reduction are close
behind at 55% and 40% respectively.
EFFICACY IS VITAL
In all of these areas, collagen is a key
component. As the most abundant protein
in the body, collagen is a vital constituent
in skin, nails and hair. Hence, it has been
used as an ingredient in topical beauty
products for many years. However, the
greatest efficacy cannot be achieved from
the outside. Instead, beauty-from-within
products based on collagen peptides
are key to achieving optimal results.
When formulating collagen supplements,
it is vital that the right peptides are
chosen. Consumers are savvier than
before, and when faced with an array of
product choices, they will go for those with
scientific backing and proven results.
GELITA’s VERISOL Bioactive Collagen
Peptides (BCP) have been shown to
deliver outstanding results for skin, hair
and nails in multiple clinical trials. When
ingested orally, VERISOL stimulates
fibroblast cells in the dermal layer of the
skin to increase overall extracellular matrix
formation. Thus, they influence collagen
metabolism from the inside, resulting in
fewer wrinkles, improved skin elasticity,
and a more youthful appearance.
In one double-blind, placebo-controlled
trial involving 69 women aged 35-55,
skin elasticity was shown to improve
significantly after only four weeks of
VERISOL supplementation. The positive
effect on skin elasticity was still detectable
at the end of the four-week washout
phase, indicating long-lasting effects.*
A second double-blind, placebo-controlled
trial investigated the effectiveness of
VERISOL on wrinkle reduction and the
synthesis of important dermal matrix
components such as type I collagen,
elastin and fibrillin. After eight weeks, some
subjects achieved a 50% reduction in eye
wrinkle volume, and four weeks after the
last dose, the VERISOL treatment group
still showed a statistically significant
decrease in eye wrinkle volume.* Studies
on brittle nail syndrome and thinning hair
have also shown remarkable results.
STRONGER, HEALTHIER NAILS
In an open, single-centre clinical trial,
25 healthy women aged 18-50 received
a daily dose of 2.5g of VERISOL for
six months, followed by a four-week
observation period. All participants
displayed at least one sign of brittle nails
– lamellar peeling, edge irregularities or
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

INGREDIENTS 21
A SOLUTION FOR THINNING HAIR
In a randomised, placebo-controlled study
conducted by Steffen Oesser of the Collagen
Research Institute in Kiel, Germany, VERISOL
supplementation was shown to improve hair
structure by significantly increasing thickness
and proliferation of human hair follicle cells.
forecasts predict the gummy supplements
market will grow by 14.5% between 2023 and
2028 to be worth US$48.5bn. Within this,
collagen gummies are expected to more than
double in value from $5.1bn to $10.8bn.*
nail roughness – and all were assessed
before starting the treatment, after 12
weeks, after 24 weeks and four weeks
after the last intake (washout phase).
When measured four weeks after the last
intake, VERISOL supplementation was
shown to have promoted a 15% increase
in nail growth. Frequency of cracked or
chipped nails also decreased significantly
by 42% after 24 weeks of treatment, which
continued during the washout phase.
The number of women displaying “severe”
or “moderate” nail peeling halved after
12 weeks of treatment, and those with
“severe” longitudinal splitting of the
free edge reduced from 4% to 0% after
24 weeks. For nail roughness, after the
washout phase, 88% of participants
showed excellent to fair improvement.
At the end of the study, most participants
(80%) agreed that using VERISOL had
improved their nails’ appearance and
were totally satisfied or satisfied with
the performance of the treatment.
Participants were also asked to rate the
overall improvement of their nails from
zero to 10, and almost half (46%) rated
this between nine and 10. Moreover, 75%
perceived their nails to be stronger, and 71%
felt they were growing faster and longer.
This study suggests a similar mechanism
to VERISOL skin studies. Hence, the
positive effects are likely derived from
the direct effect of VERISOL on the nail
matrix and nail bed. The researchers
also concluded that improvements
in nail strength demonstrated in this
trial may be a result of the increased
water-binding capacity of brittle nails
promoted by VERISOL treatment.*
The study was conducted on 44 healthy
women aged between 39-75, who each
received a daily dose of 2.5g VERISOL or
placebo for 16 weeks. At the end of the
supplementation period, comparison of the
two groups revealed a statistically significant
increase in hair thickness in the VERISOL
group compared to the placebo, confirming
the benefits of VERISOL for hair thickness.
In addition, the study investigated whether
VERISOL might have a positive impact
on hair follicle cells, and promote their
proliferation. An in vitro test showed a
statistically significant increase of 31% in
the proliferation rates of human hair follicle
cells after exposure to VERISOL for four
hours, compared with untreated control
cells. This suggests VERISOL has a positive
effect on hair metabolism, building on
previous data showing that BCP increase
mitochondrial activity in hair follicle cells.*
HUGE POTENTIAL
When it comes to presenting these benefits
to consumers in an attractive way, there are
numerous possibilities. VERISOL is soluble
and neutral in taste, making it suitable for
all sorts of delivery formats, both solid and
liquid. However, one of the most interesting
delivery routes is via fortified gummies.
Market data shows that “pill-fatigued”
consumers around the world prefer the
pleasant sensory experience of this
user-friendly format. Innova Market
Insights notes that the number of gummy
introductions globally leapt by 81%
between 2020-21 to command a 9.4%
share of total supplement launches.
Although gummies fortified with vitamins
and minerals have historically dominated
the category, other sectors are gaining
ground. In 2021, nail, skin and hair became
the third largest subcategory, with a 10%
share. Looking forward, global market
OPTIMUM DOSAGE
Developing collagen-rich gummies that
deliver visible improvements for skin, hair and
nails is not, however, straightforward. One of
the main challenges is translating effective
amounts of collagen into the gummy itself.
In scientific studies, a daily dose of 2.5g
of VERISOL has been proven to deliver
beneficial effects. Although this is much
lower than alternative collagen ingredients
(some require doses of up to 15g for a
positive effect), it is still challenging to
incorporate this amount of collagen into
a single gummy – or even a handful.
This is where VERISOL HST comes to the
rescue. This ingredient allows higher levels
of BCP to be incorporated into individual
gummies, so that consumers only have
to take three gummies a day to hit their
daily target of 2.5g collagen peptides.
The key advantage of VERISOL HST is that
it combines the health benefits of collagen
peptides with the technical benefits of gelatine.
Therefore, instead of adding gelatine and
collagen peptides separately in the gummy
production, manufacturers can replace both
ingredients with VERISOL HST. This singlestep
solution enables easy production of
high collagen beauty gummies that deliver
the taste, texture and confidence-boosting
results consumers are looking for. FBA
* References available on request
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

22
INGREDIENTS
How Japanese
companies are
addressing the
global issue of
excessive salt intake
with umami
By Hisayuki Uneyama, PhD, pharmacist and corporate fellow, science
group, global communications department, Ajinomoto
According to research by the Institute for
Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the
University of Washington, excessive salt intake
has been the leading cause for dietary health
risk in Asia over the past 30 years. Excessive
salt intake can lead to cardiovascular
diseases and increased risk of conditions
such as cancer, kidney disease, and stroke.
With this, regulating salt intake is critical for
improving health and well-being in Asia.
In 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO)
introduced the Noncommunicable Diseases
In Japan, Ajinomoto
has held salt reduction
projects with influencers
to promote the use of
MSG as a salt-reduction
solution
(NCD) Prevention Framework to address the
cruciality of the issue, which many countries
endorsed. The framework aims to reduce
salt intake from 2011 levels by 30% by 2025
and lower global average blood pressure.
Despite a decade of efforts, the WHO's "Global
report on sodium intake reduction" released
in Mar 2023 showed that nearly 73% of
WHO Member States are falling short by not
instituting policies that will comprehensively
reduce sodium. With the deadline for these
goals just over a year away, there is an
urgent call to action especially in Asia.
The WHO report indicated that countries in
South East Asia, including Indonesia, Sri Lanka,
Thailand, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic
People's Republic of Korea, India, Timor-
Leste, Maldives, Myanmar, and Nepal, have an
average daily sodium intake of about 3921mg,
equivalent to 9.8g of salt. This is almost double
the WHO recommended daily limit of 2000mg
of sodium or 5g of salt. Moreover, no country
in South East Asia has introduced more than
two effective salt-reducing policies that
meet the WHO’s standards. The resistance
to reduce salt consumption is deeply rooted
in our biology. Like calories, salt plays an
essential role in human survival. This is
evident from the term "salary", suggesting
that one could not live without salt in ancient
times. Consequently, taste buds and brains
have evolved to enjoy the flavour it brings,
significantly influencing our behavior. Salt
enhances food flavour, and many find
reduced-salt foods less tasty. For consumers
to choose low-salt products, they need to be
both affordable and flavourful. Recognising
this challenge, Japan is strengthening
collaboration between industries, government,
and academia to embark on new initiatives.
In Japan, a country known for its longevity
and rapidly ageing population, excessive
salt intake is a significant health challenge.
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that
resistance to infectious diseases can be
compromised not just by malnutrition but also
over-nutrition, such as excessive intake of salt
and calories. This "double burden" has been
gaining attention as a severe global nutritional
issue. In fact, the 2021 Tokyo Nutrition Summit
highlighted the importance of over-nutrition,
especially as it relates to excessive salt
intake. During the summit, Japan declared
that given its ageing population, they will
take action to encourage sodium reduction.
A panel by the Ministry of Health, Labour
and Welfare of Japan identified excessive
salt intake, excessive thinness among young
women, and nutritional imbalances resulting
from economic disparities as Japan's
primary nutritional challenges. Among
these, salt reduction was prioritised. Three
months after the summit, the Healthy Food
Environment Initiative was launched to create
a sustainable and healthy food environment.
The tri-sector collaboration aims to establish

INGREDIENTS 23
Consumers believe that high sodium intake
is everyone else’s problem but their own.
People know that too much sodium is bad for one’s health at any age, but they do not see this as a concern
that impacts them personally.
64%
Eating too much
sodium is bad for
your health.
Family Cares Even if You Don’t
63%
Sodium is important
to monitor at any age.
vs.
37%
I control how much
sodium I consume.
Despite noted health benefits, today less than half of consumers feel it is important to reduce their
sodium intake. Parents, family and partners were identified as the people that likely do care about your
sodium consumption.
34%
I look for food
marked “low in salt”
or “low sodium”
a society Consumers that naturally want adopts everyone a healthier else to solve technology the problem to enhance flavour, health, and
lifestyle. of sodium As of Oct intake, 2023, 26 rather major than Japanese making personal address food changes. system challenges. Notably,
organisations The stated top have three joined motivators this to initiative; eat less sodium are they are leveraging the fifth taste, umami,
conceptual at best.
and since its launch, Japan's approach has discovered
Consumers
through
Top
amino
Three
acid
Motivators
science, to
Successfully changing consumers’ behavior and sodium
to Eat Less Sodium:
been intake highlighted will require as cooperation a unique across best the practice entire food system. enhance the flavour of reduced-salt foods and
1. Remove high sodium products from
in the Given WHO these official circumstances, report "Developing Ajinomoto believes Case it is essential improve grocery the lifespan shelvesof people worldwide.
Studies that food on Multisectoral companies promote Action salt reduction for the to support
2. Government to lower the recommended
proper salt intake and contribute to the improvement of
Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable According amount to a "Salt of sodium Alternatives in guidelines and Longpublic
health around the world. Ajinomoto is doing the
3. Factual media about sodium and health
Diseases following and to reduce Mental salt Health." intake, contributing to a sustainable Term Solutions (SALTS)" survey conducted by
improvement in nutrition:
the Ajinomoto Group across seven countries,
• Ajinomoto believes that the key factor to changing consumer behavior regarding sodium intake is to
Six months later, the National Institute of 55% of consumers feel that low-salt or
maintain deliciousness and satisfaction of lower sodium products or meals. Ajinomoto is prioritizing product
Health reformulation and Nutrition and launched providing information a research to help people low-sodium improve their products health and nutrition are less through flavourful. easy
recipes on product packaging and website.
project in collaboration with seven private However, with umami, salt reduction without
• Ajinomoto is working together with governments, communities, retailers, food manufacturers, and the media
companies. This project aims to develop a sacrificing taste is possiblea one. By using
to create an environment that promotes salt reduction.
nutrition • Ajinomoto database co-chairs for products, the Japanese operationalise
chapter of the Consumer MSG Goods (monosodium Forum’s Collaboration glutamate), for Healthier which Lives.
Japan-specific It is working nutritional with 12 other profiling, Japanese and companies to extend accounts healthy life for expectancy a third of in the Japan sodium by preventing content
non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which can be influenced by diet and lifestyle choices, such as sodium
evaluate impacts on health and the economy in table salt, as a substitute, sodium intake
intake levels.
over • the Ajinomoto next three is proud years. to be A among significant the hundreds focus of global can businesses be reduced that have by signed up to The 61%. Business The Ajinomoto
of the Declaration Institute is on the Food pursuit Systems of Transformation. "deliciousness This declaration, Group's an ASV official (Ajinomoto annex the Group UN Secretary-General’s
Creating
Statement of Action for the UN Food Systems Summit, is the private sector’s commitment to doing its part to
in reduced-salt diets". The flavour-enhancing Shared Value) for Salt Reduction initiative,
ensure “equitable, net-zero and nature-positive food systems that can nourish all people.”
effects of umami in low-salt foods have been based on their nutritional profiling system, has
confirmed by numerous food chemists. Umami
was thus identified as a potential alternative
to salt in reports such as the Institute of
Medicine’s (IOM) "Salt Reduction Strategy in
the US" in 2011, the 2021 Academy of Nutrition
and Dietetics “Application of Umami Tastants
for Sodium Reduction in Food: An Evidence
Analysis Center Scoping Review”, and the
2023 WHO public review of contextual factors
to inform the development of guidelines on
the use of low-sodium salt substitutes.
developed and sold 45 reduced-salt products
across 19 brands tailored to local cuisines
in seven countries starting in Apr 2020.
Additionally, the Ajinomoto Group is striving
to improve consumer health literacy and
spread the concept of "delicious salt reduction
using umami" through its Smart Salt project.
In Japan, where salt intake is under the
spotlight, they are collaborating with local
communities and retailers. And in collaboration
with influencers in Japan they are developing
delicious reduced-salt recipes using the umami
seasoning, AJI-NO-MOTO. Furthermore, in
Vietnam, the government enacted a national
nutrition strategy in 2021 to reduce salt intake.
To help with this initiative, Ajinomoto Vietnam
held cooking contests for university students,
influencers, and health experts to teach them
about sodium reduction through umami.
The Ajinomoto Group is funding research
on evaluating the salt-reducing value
of umami in the fields of public health
and nutrition improvement to help break
the global stagnation in salt reduction
policies. Over the past three years, a series
of studies published by the University of
Tokyo and Tokyo Foundation for Policy
Research have highlighted the potential
value of umami in reducing salt intake
nationally in Japan, the US, and the UK.
Dr Shuhei Nomura, who led these studies,
stated: "Based on concrete dietary data, this
research demonstrates that umami can be a
potent tool for national salt reduction strategies
not only in Japan but also in Western countries.
The proactive use of umami could be one
of the key factors to achieve the WHO's goal
of a 30% reduction in salt intake by 2025."
The Ajinomoto Group's background in umami
can be traced back to the discovery of the
fifth taste over 100 years ago by Dr Kikunae
Ikeda at Tokyo Imperial University, now the
University of Tokyo. Through promoting
"delicious salt reduction," the Ajinomoto
Group aims to extend the healthy lifespan of
one billion people by 2030 and continue its
commitment to improving nutrition. FBA
Global food company Ajinomoto,
headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, strongly
supports implementing umami to reduce salt.
The company has leveraged “AminoScience”
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

24
INGREDIENTS
Embracing the healthconscious
consumer: The rise
and potential of low-calorie ice
cream production
The ice cream market has traditionally
gravitated towards lavish options, as
exemplified by the world's most expensive
ice cream. The flavour – Cellato's infamous
Byakuya – is priced at an astounding
$6,696 for just 4.3 ounces*, responding
to demands for decadent indulgence.
According to the International Dairy Foods
Association, 1.38 billion gallons of ice cream
were produced in the US in 2022; it is the most
popular among frozen desserts.* Due to the
increased demand for this dessert, Fortune
Business Insights projected the global ice
cream market to reach US$104.96bn in 2029
— a 46% increase from $71.52bn in 2021.*
FACTORS DRIVING THE DEMAND FOR
HEALTHIER ICE CREAM
One key trend is the rising demand for guiltfree
ice cream. Growing lactose intolerance
has bolstered the demand for vegan
alternatives. A recent survey showed 60% of
North America's population prefers healthier
confectionery, desserts, and ice cream. These
consumers contribute to an anticipated
3.5% CAGR from 2022 to 2030.*
nutrition has heightened this demand.
Health concerns are also significant
drivers of another trend for low-calorie
ice cream. This, however, is just one facet
of a broader array of factors, including:
Diabetes statistics
It is estimated that about 537 million adults
around the world live with diabetes as of
2021. Diabetics must carefully consider
their ice cream's carbohydrate, calorie, and
fat content apart from the serving size
for health reasons. This emphasises the
industry’s drive to address these dietary
restrictions while formulating their products.
Government regulations
Legal stipulations influence ice cream
production from start to finish, with specific laws
dictating ingredient quantity to product labeling
and marketing. The following requirements
have a significant effect on both ice cream
production and how people consider a product.
• Ingredients: In compliance with the US
Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21,
ice cream must contain at least 10%
milkfat and no less than 20% total solids.
Everything must result in a minimum
weight of 4.5 pounds per gallon, of which
1.6 pounds should be total solids.*
• Labeling: Products labeled as ice cream
must contain at least 10% milkfat, while
reduced fat ice cream contains 25% less
milkfat. Light ice cream provides a minimum
of 50% less milk fat. While low-fat ice cream
needs a maximum of 3g of total fat per 1/2
cup serving, nonfat ice cream contains
less than 0.5g of total fat per serving.*
Compared to guilt-free
ice cream, traditional ice
cream offers little to no
health benefits. The surge
in the production of
fortified food that offers
more than just basic
While some consumers prefer the
comfort and nostalgia of traditional
flavours, others are seeking out
innovative new flavours

INGREDIENTS 25
• Marketing and advertising: The global push
for responsible marketing, including
that of the World Health Organization,
promotes healthier food choices.*
This might influence consumer
preference in choosing
frozen desserts/products.
It is also worth noting that some
guilt-free ice cream producers
emphasise environmental
sustainability within their product
line. For instance, Breyers'
released an oat milk-based variety,
while Alec’s Ice Cream uses organic
and carbon-neutral ingredients for
its climate-conscious offerings.
Consumer Trends
• Reduced sugar: Diabetics are not
the only drivers of the demand for
reduced-sugar ice-cream. Keto and lowcarbohydrate
diets are also a growing
segment. In response, some brands are
producing low-carb varieties that go
as low as 1g of net carbs per serving.
• Plant-based and dairy-alternatives:
With the rise of vegan and plant-based,
consumers are demanding more plantbased
ice-cream. Food Navigator USA
reports that the plant-based ice-cream
demand was $1.6bn in 2022; it is expected
to grow to $4.3bn by 2033 with a 10%
CAGR. There is also a growing segment
of consumers who want more options for
plant-based ice-cream that also provide
the same rich creamy mouthfeel.
• Added protein: Another health-driven
trend is the demand for demand for
added functional ingredients like protein.
These include the addition of milk
proteins including whey or plant-based
proteins. It is increasingly common to
find ice-cream varieties that feature
their protein content per serving on
the front of the product label.
• Unusual flavours: While some consumers
prefer the familiarity and nostalgia
associated with traditional varieties,
a growing segment are interested
to try innovative new flavours from
spicy wasabi, to innovative mash
ups of more common flavours like
cacao and lime, offering brands the
opportunity to set themselves apart.
Trends for healthier ice-creams
include low-fat and ketofriendly
varieties
• Bakery-inspired flavours: The trend
for crossing ice-cream flavours with
bakery flavour components like cakes or
cannoli was reported by Barry Callebaut
that 15% of all ice cream launched in
2021 had a baked flavour component.
THE CHALLENGE FOR PRODUCERS
Creating the best low-calorie ice cream
out there is one thing, but mimicking
the creaminess, mouthfeel, and body of
traditional ice cream is a significant challenge.
Adjusting the recipes to reduce calories
without sacrificing these aspects of the
eating experience is a complex task for food
producers. They must also adapt formulations
while maintaining high customer satisfaction.
HOW THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS CAN
HELP
Proteins: Better structure and whipping,
and a functional ingredient
The protein content of ice cream typically
comes from its milk content but the
addition of protein can have a favourable
effect on ice crystal size. Proteins also
contribute to the emulsification of
ice-cream including how well it foams.
The trend for healthful ice-creams
including added-protein offers producers
the opportunity to innovate with protein
formulations including plant-based ones.
Fats: Creamy mouthfeel with
the right emulsifier blends
In the pursuit of creating exemplary lowcalorie
ice cream, producers should consider
solutions such as the right blend of emulsifiers
and hydrocolloids specifically developed
for low-calorie ice cream production.
A sustainable palm oil producer, Musim Mas,
offers features an emulsifier blend targeted
at low-calorie ice cream. The Musim Mas
MASBLEN 1401 range also assists in enhancing
mix viscosity and air incorporation, resulting
in a creamy texture and good body — vital
for an authentic ice cream mouthfeel. It also
simplifies the production process of low-calorie
ice cream variants. Additionally, it offers melting
resistance and safeguards against damage
from heat shock, which are vital factors for
maintaining consistent ice cream quality. FBA
* References available on request
Product innovation requires
rigorous testing to meet the sensory
properties that consumers demand.
Musim Mas' Novel IDEAS Centre in
Singapore is one such facility
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

26 ON THE TABLE
Authentic
taste with a
sustainable
touch
By Agatha Wong
With over 650 million people living across
11 countries, South East Asia promises
tantalising business opportunities when
it comes to product development. From
on-trend flavours such as ube from the
Philippines currently taking social media by
storm, to spices such as turmeric featuring
as a functional ingredient, manufacturers
can play with the region’s diverse
landscape to create delicious products.
And yet, ensnaring the discerning consumer
is no longer simply about taste – with rising
prices, climate change, and sustainability
on the table, food producers should also
bear in mind external factors that could
test their product’s longevity on the market.
Indeed, besides attuning their latest releases
to the trendiest flavours and formats, it
is also important for them to understand
other influencing factors that will keep
consumers coming back for more.
AUTHENTIC LOCAL EXPERIENCES
To begin with, food producers should
keep in mind the region’s unique culinary
preferences in order to develop products that
appeal to local taste. At this year’s Fi Asia
Thailand, Kerry was present to demonstrate
solutions for the industry, and how they
are catered to the needs of this region.
“South East Asia is such an exciting region
for food and each country has its own unique
cuisine, favourite dishes and savoury and
sweet taste profiles. Manufacturers need
to avoid the temptation to treat South East
Asia as one – it’s critical to understand
local consumer preferences and deliver
products that meet local needs. We invest
in in-depth consumer and sensory work
to really understand the unique tonalities
and nuances in taste in each country, in
order to consistently develop products
that delight consumers.” explained Ronan
Moloney, vice-president of strategy and
commercial enablement, Kerry APMEA.
He further shared: “It can be hard to identify
what authentic flavour is; take Indonesian
fried rice for instance, which can vary from
region to province to cities, and between
restaurants. It can be very specific as
taste is personal, so the big challenge to
brands is the ability to give consumers
authenticity in flavours. And here at Kerry,
we can help our customers bring to life
the local taste in an authentic manner,
shining a light on regional specialities.”
However, food producers are poised to face
another challenge in creating region-specific
products. Besides calling for authentic
local flavours, consumers in South East
Asia are also, as with the rest of the world,
pivoting to health and wellness as a top
priority. With rising awareness of chronic
health conditions – some 90 million adults
are living with diabetes in the region,
and countries such as Singapore record
the highest incidences of kidney failure
alongside Thailand and Indonesia – there
has been an increasing emphasis on lowsodium
and reduced sugar products.
More than consumer pressure, governments
in the region are also adopting regulations
designed to encourage healthy eating.
Singapore, for one, has the Nutri-Grade
labelling system which reviews pre-packaged
and non-customisable beverages from A
to E, on a single set of thresholds for sugar
and saturated fat content. Elsewhere,
Malaysia and Thailand have also adopted
sugar taxes aimed at reducing sugar intake;
mostly recently in Oct 2023, Malaysia
increased its tax from 40 sen to 50 sen, in a
measure aimed at addressing and treating
the issue of diabetes in the country.
In a region known for rich flavours
such as tom yum, kecap manis, fish
sauces, coconut-based curries, and
much more, food producers will need to
work under tight parameters to create
great tasting but healthier products.
“How do manufacturers make the same
product taste as good, but with less sugar,
less sodium, less fat – but also more
nutritious, such that when a consumer picks
up the product, they are likely to do so again?
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

ON THE TABLE
27
Kerry’s customers are careful with
their product formulations and brands
as they, too, are consumers at heart
– hence, we have done a significant
amount of investigation through
different technologies to help them
achieve their goals. We are excited
about our advances in the space of
sugar and salt reduced taste solutions,
enabling innovations that are better for
people, better for the planet with no
compromise on taste,” said Moloney.
SUSTAINABLE AND
AFFORDABLE SOLUTIONS
Besides becoming increasingly
conscious of their diets, consumers
in South East Asia are also taking
note of sustainable action. As the
region is particularly vulnerable to the
effects of climate change, with rising
sea levels, heat waves, floods, and
droughts on the horizon, in addition
to poor labour condition in some parts
(including low wages, long working
hours, and unsanitary conditions),
consumers have begun to show their
support for brands who are clear
about their sustainability objectives.
Accordingly, food manufacturers
are feeling the pressure to deliver
their demands.
“There is governmental pressure
putting in rigorous regulations
around sustainable practices; there
is also financial investor pressure to
implement sustainable strategies
across organisations, particularly
for food and beverage
companies,” said Moloney.
“Kerry can help our customers
to meet these sustainable
needs – behind our smoke
and grill technology for
barbecued products,
for example, is an
energy-efficient smoking
condensing process
that reduces the amount
of carbon produced. We
also make use of upcycled
wood, therefore reducing
deforestation to zero, and
minimising pollutants and carbon
dioxide to the environment.”
In addition to sustainability,
affordability remains a key factor
for consumers who are feeling
the pinch of rising food prices
as a result of disrupted supply
chains, be it from climate change
or political events. Offering value
alongside great taste and on-trend
products thus forms yet another
consideration for food manufacturers.
“There are notable trends emerging
strongly across the region: an
increasing focus on health and selfcare,
signs of an evolution in the
interest in sustainability, a strong
and continued demand for novel,
‘Instagrammable’ and on-trend
traditional and fusion dishes,” Moloney
concurred. “But manufacturers
also need to balance these with the
inflation experience – the pressure
to reduce costs and offer value for
money to consumers is very real
and, of course, in such a foodie
region as Asia, there can never be
any compromise on great taste.”
Ronan Moloney, vice-president
of strategy and commercial
enablement, Kerry APMEA.
In all, the challenges for creating
great-tasting products in South
East Asia that leave a lasting
impression requires a delicate
understanding of the region’s
changing landscape and emerging
needs. Navigating other external
challenges such as price, supply
chain disruptions, and sustainability
targets will also be key. With that,
food manufacturers will require a
reliable helping hand to ensure that
all these factors are well covered.
Moloney concluded: “South East
Asia is ideally located and it’s an
exciting time for the region and we
can expect to see a lot of innovation
ahead. At Kerry, we are making
significant investments in South
East Asia, such as the opening
of our state-of-the-art taste
manufacturing facility in Indonesia
in Jun this year, and we continue
to invest in our technologies and
differentiating insights to help
customers bring great products
into their markets.” FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

28 ON THE TABLE
Indulging the body, spirit,
and planet: AAK shares
trends for APAC market
By Agatha Wong
In “The Asia Food Challenge 2021:
Understanding the New Asian Consumer”
report published by PwC, Rabobank, and
Temasek, the “new sophisticated Asian
consumer” is discerning about the food
they eat, driven by “spending growing
disposable income on more expensive,
tastier food”. Likewise, they are also shifting
to healthier consumption and lifestyle
habits and emphasising on transparency
as a purchasing factor. More crucially, the
unexpected emergence of COVID-19 and
subsequent string of political crises sending
ripples down supply chains and food prices
have also affect consumer demand in APAC.
With that in mind, how should food
manufacturers create exciting products that
appeal to these varied demands?
THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
With growing concerns surrounding inflation
and rising prices, consumers are looking
towards alternatives that go easier on their
wallet, while also not compromising on
taste and texture. The “affordable premium”
sector is thus gaining traction, signalling
food and beverage manufacturers to bring
indulgent treats and unique flavours to a
lower price point. These can be seen in
products such as sliced cheeses, chocolates
made of emulsifiers, and premium flavours
such as truffle or spice blends. Accordingly,
low-cost but high-quality ingredient
solutions are required in order for consumers
to enjoy the same taste and sensorial
experiences without breaking the bank.
Once such example would be
AAK’s cocoa butter alternatives
and filling fats, which extend shelf
life and improve flavour release,
taste, and sensory experience. The
CEBES Choco 15 was highlighted in
particular at Fi Asia Thailand 2023 for
an emerging market looking for indulgent
and premium selections at a time of
increasing cost. With three times greater
the cocoa butter tolerance compared to
a regular CBS, CEBES Choco 15 allows
manufacturers to enhance flavours while
maintaining quality and cost-efficient
processing. The end result is therefore a
chocolate compound product that looks
highly similar to their pricier counterparts,
with little difference in taste and texture.
"We are striking the balance between
premiumisation and affordability,"
explained Nikesh Hindocha, regional
director for AAK South East Asia. “We
want to provide options to producers
seeking to create more premium and
better tasting products, especially in
a region where we are also aware that
affordability is an important factor.”
The emphasis on creating great flavour
and appearance can also be seen in the
development of plant-based products.

ON THE TABLE
29
Acknowledging that the plant-based sector
has undergone some challenges in the past
year, Hindocha emphasised his confidence
in its growth and role in bringing sustainable
food to consumers. The continued growth
of this market will be significant for the
APAC region, where vegetarianism is
familiar to most consumers through the
form of soy and seitan products. To that
end, plant-based products offer a true
protein replacement in this existing diet.
The focus for plant-based products would
thus be creating structure, flavour and
colour, and appearance, as laid out by
Guires Food Research Lab. When it comes
to taste and texture, consumers are looking
for a distinctive aroma, or perhaps a meaty
taste similar to animal protein. To improve
the visual aesthetics of plant-based
meat items, AAK has a series of solutions
that mimic the fat distribution of meat
products such as pepperoni and salamis.
“We are bringing to the industry something
that is even closer to real meat. We have
solutions for whole cuts, where fat plays
an important role on its visual and taste.
Consumers want these products to have the
familiar patterns of fat on pepperoni visually,
and for them to taste great when they eat it.”
POST-PANDEMIC DEMANDS
The experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic
have left many conscious of their health and
wellness. Besides ensuring that they have a
strong immune system capable of fending
off viruses and infections, consumers are
also searching for long-term solutions that
support other health factors, with joint health,
cardiovascular health, and cosmeceuticals
gaining prominence in this sector.
Likewise, consumers also want to give their
children a head start when it to proper
nutrition. While fish oil has always been
popular for younger age groups when it
comes to DHA supplementation, many
children shun it for its taste and smell.
AAK has thus formulated its Akonino
ELIP portfolio to enable naturally sourced
products containing phospholipids and
long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids
(LCPUFA) in the same molecule. The solution
can be added to infant formula to provide
a composition closer to mother’s milk with
clinically supported benefits for the baby.
These nutritional solutions can also be
implemented in other supplements for the
older consumer, given that a rapidly ageing
population has also resulted in a desire to
“age gracefully", ie keeping fit and eating
healthy to prevent or reduce the onset
of age-related health complications.
“ELIP works well in food applications as well,
so consumers need not turn to tablet if they
wish to consume added DHA in their diet,”
said Hindocha. “The solution can be added in
yoghurts, chocolates, or beverages without any
fishy notes common with fish oil-derived DHA.”
In addition, regional governments have
also undertaken measures to encourage
healthy eating. Given the high prevalence of
diabetes and chronic kidney diseases in the
region, ASEAN countries such as Malaysia
and Thailand have introduced sugar taxes to
encourage consumers to switch to reducedsugar
products. In Singapore, the prevalence
of high blood pressure due to high sodium
intake has also compelled the government to
study regulatory measures to reduce sodium
content and shift to healthier options.
These measures will no doubt call upon the
food and beverage industry to set the tone
for healthy eating.
“Manufacturers may face challenges when it
comes to lowering sugar content, saturated fat
content, etc. AAK can help producers mitigate
some compromises that comes from reducing
these contents, ensuring that products are still
great tasting to consumers,” said Hindocha.
FOR THE LONG RUN
Besides an emphasis on nurturing health
and wellness, consumers are also mindful of
sustainable action – be it on the ingredients
list or food packaging. On that vein, responsible
sourcing and ethical labour, among other
considerations, have come to be top-of-mind
for consumers. This, too, is a view corroborated
by Hindocha, who shared that AAK does “see
more requests” for sustainable solutions.
As part of the company’s purpose of “Making
Better Happen”, AAK has a business model
which sees them engaging with their
organisation, allowing them to prioritise
their actions and meet their sustainability
commitments. By supporting international
sustainability frameworks, AAK promotes
better sourcing, operations, and solutions.
“We support our customers firstly through
raw materials which are sourced sustainably
– protecting biodiversity and ecosystems, as
well as reducing emissions in our factories.
We also provide sustainable solutions and
lipids that go into the creation of sustainable
products like plant-based food. Sustainability
is a trend that I think will continue to grow in
the next few years; at AAK we are passionate
about this topic, and we are delighted to
help our customers drive this message.”
Rising costs, climate change, and supply
chain disruptions have certainly posed
challenges for producers; however, AAK
addresses these issues by creating affordable
solutions without compromising taste
quality. As Asian consumers are moving
towards more sophisticated products, food
and beverage manufacturers can tap into
these solutions and seize the myriad of
opportunities that this region has to offer. FBA

30 ON THE TABLE
Meatable cultivates the
future of protein
By Agatha Wong
The last time Food & Beverage Asia
featured Meatable, Krijn de
Nood, co-founder and CEO
of Meatable, shared
his views on the
cultivated meat
industry and the
positive impact
it can generate
across the protein
industry. In the
same article, he
also highlighted
Meatable’s
partnership with
ESCO Aster, the first
and only commercially
licensed cultivated meat
manufacturer based in Singapore.
Since then, Meatable has made
significant strides with regard to
both its technology, and plans
towards commercialisation.
“Over the past year, Meatable has
been working on some very exciting
improvements. We have further
increased the efficiency of our
processes, while also improving the
quality and taste of our products. We
can now create high-quality, fully
differentiated cultivated meat in only
eight days, a significant reduction in
the process which previously would
take three weeks,” said De Nood.
Through its opti-ox technology in
combination with pluripotent stem
cells (PSCs), Meatable is able to
replicate the natural growth process
of cells, making the production of
real muscle and fat cells possible.
Therein, by taking a small sample of
cells from an animal once, the PSCs
have the natural ability to continue
multiplying rapidly. This technology
allows Meatable to grow many cells
in their bioreactors, making it a
productive and easy-to-sale process.
With these changes, Meatable is able
to scale cultivated meat production
affordably and provide a solution to the
issue of growing meat consumption.
A TASTE OF THE FUTURE
On 27 Sep 2023, Meatable held its
first press tasting in Singapore, ahead
of the official commercial launch in
the country in 2024 – the tasting
was approved by the Singapore Food
Agency based on the framework of
criteria, including safety assurances.
De Nood shared: “There are currently
no universal safety standards for
cultivated meat, so we will work
closely with regulators to help
create these and ensure we keep on
working to the highest standards.
“These tasting events are incredibly
important for us to be able to collect
feedback on our products and improve
them even further. We are especially
humbled by the responses we received
at this first press tasting,” said De
Nood. “Participants have been telling
us they’re impressed by the taste and
cannot tell our products apart from
traditional meat – that’s what we’ve
been trying to achieve for the past five
years. It inspires us to keep on working
on scaling up our processes further,
to be able to get even more people
accustomed to trying cultivated meat.”
With this event, the company has
made yet another step forward
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

ON THE TABLE
31
towards commercialisation,
following Meatable’s recent
funding round of US$35m that
brought total funding to $95m.
REAL MEAT WITHOUT HARM
A vital aspect of this media tasting
sessions is further exposure to
the technology and what it can do
for the future of meat. Currently,
as cellular agriculture becomes
more commonplace, there are
invariably concerns with the finished
product being “over-processed”
or “not natural”.
To this, De Nood emphasised that
Meatable’s technology produces
real meat, and not derivatives:
“Our product consists of real fat and
muscle cells, just like you would find in
an animal. However, we know that the
idea of consuming cultivated meat still
requires further education in terms of
what it is, how we develop it and how
we can produce it without harming
animals, people or the planet. The
faster we launch, the faster we can
start that education to build consumer
acceptance and begin making an
impact with our harm-free meat.
“The way we make meat
is completely new and
the industry is only a
few years old. All our
research shows that
cultivated meat is safe.”
AN ARRAY OF
CHOICES
The past few years
has shown the
general public
new possibilities
when it comes
to consuming
protein. Beside
cellular agriculture,
plant-based meats
are also growing
increasingly popular
with a call for
sustainable eating
practices.
While animal protein still remains
dominant for now, technological
advancements will allow the
alternative protein industry to grow
alongside consumer acceptance
– a point echoed by De Nood:
“The future of protein appears
to be heading towards increased
sustainability. In the next few
years, we can expect growing
acceptance from consumers as the
alternative protein sector continues
to develop and improve scalability.
“Advancements in cultivated and
plant-based proteins will likely make
them more accessible, affordable,
and appealing to a broader audience
concerned about the environmental
and ethical implications of animal
farming. While animal farming will
continue to exist, the alternative
protein segment is poised to
expand significantly, becoming a
mainstream choice for consumers
seeking sustainable and ethical
protein sources, ultimately reshaping
the future of our food industry.”
To that end, the growing alternative
protein space is one of community,
not competition. With more choices
on the market, consumers can pick
and choose which form of protein
they prefer, from pea- or soy-based,
to 3D-printed and cultivated. For
consumers that yearn the familiar
sensorial experience of eating animal
protein, cultivated meat could be
the alternative choice for them.
Krijn de Nood, co-founder
and CEO of Meatable
“Our focus is on producing cultivated
meats that closely replicate the
taste and texture of traditional
animal-based meats. We aim to
do so affordably and at scale, to
make sure that cultivated meat
is widely available and we can
really make an impact. In the end,
we think that cultivated meat
can co-exist with plant-based
protein and traditional meat, to
offer consumers a wider range of
choices,” concluded De Nood. FBA

From bean to bar:
Aalst celebrates
20 years of quality
and success
a surprise to some that Singapore – a country
with little natural resources, and even fewer
land for cocoa farms – should be home to a
locally-founded chocolate manufacturer.
And yet, for twenty years, Aalst Chocolate has
served both local and global consumers and
food producers with their chocolate covertures
and compounds, offering a range of industrial,
food service, and consumer products.
Sourcing their ingredients from reputable
global suppliers, the company prides itself
on using the quality ingredients and recipes
to deliver distinct and consistent flavours.
Recently, in 2021, Aalst Chocolate was
acquired by Cargill, one of the world’s largest
cocoa and chocolate suppliers, signalling
When it comes to chocolate, consumers another step forward in the company’s history.
immediately think of its renowned
Speaking to Liu Xiaoling, managing director
provenances: Belgium, Switzerland, West of Aalst Chocolate and indulgence lead for
Africa, etc. Meanwhile, in Asia, Indonesia Cargill’s food solutions business in Asia Pacific,
forms the third largest producer of cocoa Agatha Wong from Food & Beverage Asia
beans in the world, just behind the Ivory learns more about the company’s history,
Coast and Ghana. It therefore might come as growth, and strategies moving forward.
This year marks 20 years since the
founding of Aalst Chocolate – as a
Singapore homegrown chocolate
business, what are some lessons that
the company has learned over the past
two decades? How has the company
evolved with changing demands?
Liu: Established 20 years ago to serve the
growing Asian market, Aalst Chocolate
is the first Singaporean brand that can
produce both chocolate covertures and
compounds, innovating from Asia, for Asia.
APAC is a dynamic playing field for the
chocolate industry. We are seeing a growing
appetite for chocolate among consumers.
This growing appetite is driven by a large
youth population, higher disposable incomes,
and emerging trends like healthier, more
conscious consumption, even as the demand
for flavourful and indulgent treats remains.
This means that the business must be
increasingly agile and collaborative with
customers, so that we can meet the demands
of this market with new innovations every day.
With Cargill’s acquisition of Aalst in 2021,
we’ve also been taking the business in a
new direction. We are now a “bean-to-bar”
business, which means that the company is
now moving to become an integrated and
innovative chocolate solutions provider for
customers across the region and beyond.
We have leveraged Aalst’s market and
chocolate expertise with Cargill’s extensive
cocoa and oil capabilities and Cargill’s global
customer networks, presenting an overall
stronger and more sustainable supply chain.
Since the acquisition of Aalst in 2021,
how has Cargill supported the company
in its growth in APAC? In addition,
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

ON THE TABLE
33
how has Aalst provided Cargill with
a distinctive local advantage for
the region’s chocolate market?
Liu: Since the acquisition, we have been
working collectively to leverage our strengths
in this region. Cargill’s global experience and
expertise in the food ingredient industry,
coupled with Aalst’s knowledge of local
market nuances, complement the stateof-the-art
manufacturing plant and world
class technical know-how, R&D capabilities,
and over 200 skilled employees across the
region, so that Aalst is primed to become
an integrated chocolate solutions provider
for customers across the region.
We remain proud of Aalst’s heritage as a
Singapore company and strive to improve
and maintain the stringent world-class
standards. Singapore, with its unparalleled
supply chain infrastructure and extensive
international trade agreements, remains
Cargill’s strategic regional business hub.
How does the Aalst Chocolate Academy
support the company’s mission to
“bringing functionality, value [and]
delight to all stakeholders”?
Liu: The Aalst Chocolate Academy, founded
in 2017, supports pilots and customer
co-creation. It is a space for research and
development, product experimentation,
co-creation with customers and training
workshops. The Academy, together with our
R&D capabilities, provides Aalst with the
agility and close collaboration with customers
to support product co-development via a
selection of cocoa mass/ingredients, recipes
development, conching, to final product
approval. This is where we connect our
deep product and application knowledge
with our broad food ingredient expertise,
and manage our supply chain – from
sourcing the beans at origin all the way
through delivering our cocoa and chocolate
products to our customers’ doorsteps.
Could you comment on the relevance of
health and convenience in the chocolate
market, and how Aalst is positioned to help
its customers on that front? Likewise,
what are some flavour innovations that
you think will become more popular
with consumers in this region?
Liu: Definitely. Asia is an exciting and
dynamic marketplace with fast-evolving
consumer trends and taste preferences,
which offers a clear opportunity for food
manufacturers to innovate to meet these
consumption demands. Based on Cargill’s
proprietary TrendTracker 2023 study, 81%
of APAC consumers have tried to improve
their overall health in ways such as choosing
healthier options when it comes to their
diet. At the same time, 58% of consumers
say that it is important to indulge or
pamper themselves on a regular basis.
As a result, combining Cargill’s in-depth and
region-specific market insights with Aalst’s
innovative capabilities, Aalst has created
products with nature-derived low-caloric
sweetener, like Pâtissier Chocolate dark
couverture 55% with no added sugar and
Aalst mellow sweet white chocolate 34%, to
respond to the growing consumer demand in
Asia for healthy and mindful consumption.
Our avenue for innovation does allow us
to meet the strong demand that Asian
consumers have tasty, flavourful chocolate
treats while also being more mindful
of the quality, nutritional
value and source
of the foods they are enjoying. Personally,
I do think customers in the region look for
nostalgic foods – these are flavours that
remind them of their childhood, for example.
Moving forward, how will Aalst continue
to enhance its services and deliver
sustainable solutions in accordance
with the Cargill Cocoa Promise?
What role does the company see
itself play in the issue of Singapore’s
roadmap towards food security?
Liu: Cargill is at the forefront of a more
sustainable food system and is committed to
doing what’s right at every step of the value
chain. Through the Cargill Cocoa Promise, a
programme that enables farmers and their
communities to achieve better incomes
and living standards while growing cocoa
sustainably, we ensure that our sourcing
network is sound and ensures a thriving
cocoa sector for generations to come.
Aalst is similarly aligned and trades only with
ethical partners. Our raw materials are from
sources that meet standards of environmental,
social and economic sustainability and
are certified by internationally recognised
certification bodies. Aalst Chocolate also has a
clean label range of chocolate solutions under
the Pâtissier Chocolate brand that meets
the demand for greater supply chain
transparency and sustainably
sourced ingredients. FBA

34 PROCESSING AND PACKAGING
Best practice for
evaporation processes
Evaporation is an important industrial process,
used for concentrating solutions in a range of
sectors including manufacturing and even the
food and pharmaceutical sectors.
By Arnold Kleijn, product development manager, HRS Heat Exchangers
Evaporation is a process where a material
moves from its liquid state to a vapour (or gas).
The most common example of evaporation
seen in everyday life is the transfer of water
from the earth’s surface to the atmosphere
as part of the water cycle. When liquids
evaporate, and materials which they contain
in solution or suspension are left behind; this
becomes a useful process to concentrate
solutions or to separate materials.
Evaporation is different from dehydration or
drying because the product is a concentrated
liquid, rather than a dry solid. However,
evaporation and drying processes can be
combined: an evaporation process first
removes the bulk of the water, and a final
dryer eliminates the last bit, to obtain the
final dried product. As evaporation plants
are usually more energy efficient than
dryers, it makes sense to combine the
two technologies. Evaporation is different
from distillation: a distillation process
separates two or more liquids that have
different boiling points (and which normally
contain no solids). In contrast, evaporation
eliminates water from a solution that contains
dissolved and/or suspended solids, thus
obtaining a more concentrated solution.
In general terms, the rate of evaporation
depends on the temperature (the warmer
it is, the faster the rate of evaporation), but
the boiling point of a material varies with
pressure (water boils at a lower temperature
as pressure reduces), and so industrial
processes often use a reduction in pressure
to speed up the evaporation process.
Evaporation is used for different purposes in
multiple industries and sectors. In the food
industry, some products are concentrated
to increase shelf life, reduce volume or
weight, or reduce storage and transport
costs. In contrast, in the pharmaceutical
sector, evaporation is often used to create
concentrated solutions which can then be
dried to create powdered products. In each
sector, the basic principles of evaporation
remain the same – the removal of water (or
another solvent) from a solution by converting
that water or solvent into its vapour phase.
Different techniques (using different
temperature and pressure conditions) can
be applied in different situations. The type
of evaporation which is most suitable for a
particular purpose depends on a large number
of factors, including the nature of the solvent
and the solution, the required end products,
and the energy available for the process.
Evaporation may be carried out in batches
or as a continuous process. Evaporation
actually consists of two elements: a heating
phase (bringing the product to a boil) followed
by an evaporation phase (where molecules
leave the liquid phase and become gaseous).
There are several types of equipment for
performing these processes, including:
Jacketed tank evaporators (JTE)
These are among the simplest evaporators
and are ideally suited to applications of
small capacity and where capex is limited.
The product is fed into a tank which has an
external heating jacket, in which the heating
media flows. The product is raised to its boiling
point and steam evaporates and exits from the
top. For good heat transfer or if product fouling
is likely, an agitator or scraper is installed to
increase product turbulence and heat transfer
rates. Jacketed tanks have less heat transfer
area per unit of product volume compared to
tubular or plate evaporators making them only
suitable for relatively small evaporation tasks.
However, there is no need for a recirculation
pump, making them simple and easy to install.
Forced recirculation evaporators (FRE)
This type of evaporator was one of the first
systems developed industrially and refined by
HRS using our corrugated tube heat exchanger
technology. In a FRE system the product
is super-heated to a temperature above its
boiling point. Upon exiting the evaporator, the
product is introduced in a flash separation
vessel where the pressure is lowered. Due to
the reduction in pressure, part of the product
will flash off, and the concentration of the
fluid in recirculation is increased. The flashed
steam is then recovered by condensing it
back to water in a condenser. Depending on
the product, FRE can use plate, corrugated
tubes or scraped surface heat exchangers.
The evaporated steam is condensed and
collected in a condensate tank. A vacuum
pump can be connected to the condensate
tank to control the evaporation pressure. The
evaporated-condensed steam can be used
to preheat the incoming product, allowing for
significantly increased levels of thermal efficiency.
Falling film evaporators (FFE)
In falling film evaporators, the product is
introduced at the top of a vertical tube
bundle, where it is evenly distributed and
falls downwards as a thin film against the
tube walls. On the outside of the tube, a
heating medium, normally steam, is applied
to raise the temperature of the product
and evaporation takes place at the liquid
film surface. The vapour generated as the
product is evaporated travels down with the
liquid film and the steam velocity moves the
film along the surface of the tube wall.
This method offers several advantages: falling
film evaporation generally leads to very high
levels of heat transfer, while the product
recirculation flow rate required is far less
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

PROCESSING AND PACKAGING
35
than for FRE evaporators, resulting in lower
power consumption for pumps. Finally, as
evaporation takes place inside the evaporator
tubes themselves, no temperature gradient
is applied to the recirculating product.
The characteristics of falling film evaporators
make them particularly suited for applications
where the service fluid temperature is close
to the evaporation temperature, such as
with thermal vapour recompression (TVR)
or mechanical vapour recompression (MVR)
evaporators (see below for more details).
Furthermore, residence times in FFEs are short,
making them particularly suitable for heatsensitive
foods such as fruit juices and milk.
IMPROVING EVAPORATION
EFFICIENCY
Evaporation processes can be optimised in
terms of energy use, by reusing the energy
(latent heat) contained in the water that is
evaporated from the product, or the use of
steam compression devices. Here are three
possible methods:
Multiple-effect evaporators
In a multi-effect evaporator, the evaporated
steam generated in the first stage of
evaporation is used as the thermal energy
source for the next stage. This can be repeated
several times over where the same quantity
of steam is reused to evaporate multiple
volumes of water. In such systems, the
pressure of each consecutive stage is lower
than the previous one, which also lowers
the boiling point. For example, in a threeeffect
system, each evaporation stage takes
care of one-third of the total evaporation
duty, and the three condensate streams
(100°C, 75°C and 50°C) can be combined and
used to preheat the raw incoming product
prior to evaporation in the first effect.
A vacuum/pressure control system is required
for adjusting the evaporation pressure
precisely in each stage, making sure there
is an optimal driving force between each
effect. Multi effect evaporation is used to
significantly increase the thermal efficiency
of the process. For example, going from one
stage to two stages reduces the thermal
energy consumption by half. Adding a third
stage reduces energy consumption by twothirds
compared to a one stage process.
Thermal vapour recompression (TVR)
In a TVR compressor, part of the evaporated
steam is mixed with "fresh" steam from
the boiler and this combined steam flow is
then used as the thermal energy for that
evaporation stage. The reuse of evaporated
steam increases the energy efficiency of
the plant. For example, if a TVR compressor
is applied to a one stage evaporation plant,
reusing 50% of the evaporated steam,
this will then double the energy efficiency,
compared to the system without the TVR
compressor. TVR compressor can be combined
within multi-effect evaporation plants,
further optimising the energy consumption.
Mixing evaporated steam and boiler steam in a
TVR device usually gives a net steam which is
much closer the boiling point then pure boiler
steam. This makes TVR processes difficult
to apply for liquids with high boiling point
elevation, and unsuitable for products with
high viscosities and lower rates of heat transfer.
Mechanical vapour recompression (MVR)
Where thermal energy (steam or hot water)
is not available but electrical power is, a
lobe, or fan compressor can be used to
recompress the steam which has been
generated. By compressing the evaporated
steam, the temperature and pressure is
increased to a point where it can provide
useful energy for evaporation. This way, the
same kg of steam which is evaporated from
the product is reused as the thermal energy
source for the same evaporation stage.
The use of MVR compressors is one of the
most economical evaporation techniques,
with one of the lowest operational costs per
ton of water evaporated. A final condenser
is not required as the evaporated steam is
condensed on the service side of the evaporator
itself, also eliminating the cost of a cooling
tower and corresponding cost of water for
condensation. However, MVR systems often
have higher capital costs due to the need for
a larger evaporator due to the lower supply
temperature. As with TVR systems, MVR
compressor systems are less suitable for
products with high boiling point elevations
or products with increased viscosities
Zero liquid discharge (ZLD)
Perhaps the ultimate use of evaporation
technology is for zero liquid discharge systems,
which combine evaporation systems with
solids precipitation or crystallisation to achieve
a net-zero liquid output from a process.
The evaporator section concentrates the
product as much as possible, typically to the
point of saturation, before it is sent to the
crystallisation section where the solids are
suspended and separated from the saturated
solution. This saturated solution (supernatant)
is recycled back into the evaporator and
the process is repeated or continued.
For products with a steep solubility curve
(high concentration at high temperature and
low at low temperature) additional cooling
to the solid’s precipitation tank will help the
solids to precipitate quicker and settle out.
ZLD systems are complex processes which
are specifically designed for each application.
In most cases product trials are required to
establish the correct process parameters.
HRS Heat Exchangers offers efficient
evaporation processes: solutions can be offered
for high viscous or high fouling application with
scraped surface evaporators. Corrugated tube
evaporators offer high heat transfer solutions
for low to medium viscosity fluids. Plate and
falling film evaporators can be applied for low
viscosity fluids that are easier to concentrate.
Our evaporator solutions can incorporate
all or some of the energy optimisation
methods discussed above in combination
with one or more of our evaporator
types within the same system. FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

Scaling the recycling
of film and flexible
packaging with AI and
automation
By Josh Hollin, vice-president of engineering,
AMP Robotics
Very few households have curbside access
for recycling film and flexible packaging
today; yet, these materials form the
fast-growing and second-largest valued
packaging segment, behind only corrugated
containers and ahead of bottles and other
rigid plastic packaging. Close to 98 pounds
of these materials, including grocery and
storage bags, pouches, and wrappers, are
found in the average US home each year.
Compounding the challenges presented
by the proliferation of these materials,
the recycling industry currently lacks the
infrastructure to identify and separate
film. Recovery within the existing materials
recovery facility (MRF) infrastructure is
estimated at 3%, meaning the majority of
residential film and flexible packaging ends up
in landfills. Moreover, these materials jam or
gum up the equipment in recycling facilities
that are not designed to handle them. It is rare
to see a MRF that does not have a challenge
or headache dealing with film somewhere;
more typically, they are in multiple places
in the system. Even 2-3% of film in the
overall MRF streams can be unmanageable
to remove manually, often damaging
equipment, necessitating downtime,
and hindering recovery of recyclables.
Film contamination also exacerbates the
industry’s labour strain because it requires
manual sorters or technology to remove it
early in the sorting process. Due to its light
weight, film finds its way onto nearly every
line in a recycling facility, degrading bale
purity and leading to revenue loss or the
need for additional downstream processing.
AI-powered recycling has scaled quickly;
using computer vision, machine learning, and
robots to identify and sort recyclable materials,
the accuracy of automated sorting machines
has improved, reducing the need for human
intervention and boosting overall recovery
rates. Robots powered by AI may have been
somewhat of a novelty in 2017, but today the
industry sees them as a critical investment
worth expanding or even redesigning their
MRFs to accommodate, according to experts.
At present, AI is enabling new types of sorting
devices for the recycling industry — those
that are suited to reduce the contamination
burden on recycling facilities and scale the
recycling of film and flexible packaging.
AI provides the means for reliable and
consistent identification of films in complex
material streams. The AI is trained to
distinguish film in a variety of colours,
shapes, sizes, and in a range of conditions
— ripped or torn, partially obscured, wet, or
contaminated. Combining the capabilities
of AI with recycling-specific hardware
can produce an automation solution that
removes volumes of film quickly with little
change to the existing material stream.
As these materials are complicated and
expensive to reprocess into raw materials,
end markets for film and flexible packaging
have been limited. While flexible packaging
has been almost uniformly single-use, major
brands are committing to more recycled
content in their products, and governments
are adopting regulations increasing the use of
post-consumer resin in plastic products and
packaging. AI is addressing how to recover
film economically, which will boost recovery
and demand for products manufactured
from recycled films to catalyse and support
end markets. In this way, AI is expanding the
set of materials that are readily recyclable,
as well as paving the way for new recycling
technologies that can accept these materials.
Many MRFs are looking for a solution for film
contamination immediately, even if it is removing
the film-to-residue for the benefit of keeping it
out of screens, fibre bales, and other equipment.
With the ability to capture film in use, even if it
goes to residue initially, demand will be easier to
catalyse since it is no longer a question of how
to remove it economically, but only whether endmarket
demand is sufficient to make storage
and shipment worthwhile for a given MRF.
The waste and recycling industry needs
infrastructure beyond what exists today to meet
brands’ post-consumer recycled content, and
other sustainability commitments and demands
from the regulatory environment. Further
laws will emerge, raising diversion goals and
establishing extended producer responsibility
programmes. The expanding
identification capabilities of AI
systems paired with sorting
mechanisms specific to
recycling operations will
bridge this infrastructure
gap, while addressing
the plastic waste
crisis and diverting
millions of tons of
recoverable material
from landfills
annually. FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

PROCESSING AND PACKAGING
37
Five reasons for leveraging
your packaging equipment
supplier for enhanced
packaging design
By Coline Hercouet, industrial packaging
designer leader, Synerlink
In the competitive world of food production,
successful machine manufacturers go beyond
just delivering reliable equipment. Synerlink
provides an industrial packaging design
service, which offers numerous benefits to
both end consumers and food producers
alike. It has provided complete packaging
solutions and services for food, beverages,
home and care products by bringing together
some of the industry’s most trusted brands,
which include Arcil, Dairy Pack and Hema.
This article explores the top five reasons why
collaborating with the equipment manufacturer
(OEM) for packaging design is a strategic choice.
ONE: OPTIMISE PACKAGING FOR
EFFICIENT PRODUCTION
Packaging design plays a pivotal role in
influencing several aspects of the production
process, including transportation costs,
material sourcing, and logistics. Working with
the OEM's packaging design team allows one
to optimise packaging dimensions and shape,
which might bring a reduction in production
costs. By considering the specificities of
the packaging equipment, the design team
can ensure that the packaging aligns with
stringent production requirements.
“When designing a cup, since initial conception,
we have to think about each step of the
project development and about the feasibility
according to the machine production, while
taking in consideration the needs of the
final consumers,” said Coline Hercouet,
industrial packaging leader at Synerlink.
TWO: ALIGN PACKAGING WITH
CONSUMER PREFERENCES
The OEM's packaging design team bridges
the gap between the marketing department's
research and the final product's packaging.
They possess vital insights into existing
market trends, enabling them to translate
consumer preferences into visually appealing
and functional packaging. This alignment
allows the product to resonate with its target
market and boosts its overall appeal.
THREE: INCREASE SALES VOLUME
THROUGH EFFECTIVE PACKAGING
The in-house experience of the packaging
design team enables them to enhance
the packaging in various ways, thereby
contributing to increased sales volume.
Whether it is creating a size impression,
incorporating sustainable elements, or
introducing premium packaging, the team can
attract more customers and drive greater sales.
FOUR: EMBRACE SUSTAINABILITY IN
PACKAGING
As sustainability becomes a key concern for
businesses and consumers alike, Synerlink's
design team can play a pivotal role in supporting
environmental objectives. They are able to
develop packaging standards and propositions
to meet internal sustainability needs while
showcasing the sustainability benefits of the
enhanced packaging to its target market. By
adopting recycled or recyclable materials and
exploring mono-material packaging, the product
can appeal to eco-conscious consumers.
FIVE: SEAMLESS MACHINE UPGRADES
WITH ENHANCED PACKAGING
Packaging design is not limited to new product
launches; it can also facilitate machine
upgrades. Whether it is the entering of new
markets, launching of fresh products, or
adapting to changing demand, collaborating
with the OEM during the pre-study phase will
enable one to navigate technical specifications
and limitations effectively. The packaging
design team can suggest new packaging ideas
to attract the desired market, opening up
exciting possibilities for upcoming projects.
Leveraging the packaging design expertise
of OEMs such as Synerlink can impact the
food production business. From optimising
packaging for efficient production to aligning
packaging with consumer preferences
and embracing sustainability, the benefits
are substantial. Additionally, the seamless
integration of packaging design during
machine upgrades ensures continued
success in an ever-evolving market. Therefore,
when evaluating a machine manufacturer,
consider their packaging equipment supplier's
capabilities to unlock the full potential of one’s
packaging and business ambitions. FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

38 PROCESSING AND PACKAGING
New technologies to enhance
safety in beverage production
Food and beverage manufacturers are
in a constant battle with food safety
as contamination incidents and food
scandals continue to endanger public
health and shake consumer confidence.
Product–related risks are one of the greatest
perils faced by the food industry today.
Defective products can pose serious safety
risks to the public and result in financial
and reputational loss to the companies
concerned. Despite enhanced safety
standards and developing technologies,
contamination still occurs regularly in food
processing, and the increasing frequency
of product recalls is alarming. Undeclared
allergens and microbiological contamination
are some of the major threats; this is further
exacerbated by complex global markets
and supply chains, with products travelling
across more facilities and various markets.
In terms of beverage production, fruit juice,
based on ingredient solutions provider Kerry's
recent research, was cited as the second top
food safety worry (behind meat). Keeping a
beverage protected over its shelf life is no
easy task, given the availability of new plant
protein beverages amid rising consumer
demand for familiar-sounding preservative
ingredients in foods and beverages. To that
end, beverage contamination remains one
of the common causes of product recall.
The types of contamination can vary,
from cross-contamination to the particle,
microbial and bacterial. In Aug 2022,
contract manufacturer Lyons Magnus
issued a voluntary recall for 53 products due
to potential bacterial contamination. The
products ranged from milk alternatives to
pre-packaged coffees to protein shakes, and
other nutritional beverages. The potential
contamination was attributed to the presence
of the cronobacter sakasakii pathogen. In
Europe, product recalls continued to increase
Product recalls result in financial and
reputational loss to businesses
across five key industries in the second
quarter of 2023, rising 7.8% from the previous
quarter. This marks the fourth consecutive
quarterly increase and the highest level of
recall activity recorded in a single quarter for
more than 10 years, according Sedgwick’s
latest edition of the 2023 European product
recall index. Meanwhile, recalls from the
food and beverage sector rose by 2.3%.
“Along with supply chain disruptions
and challenges, exacerbated by climate
change and economic uncertainty, the food
industry has to stay alert to threats posed
by product contamination. This issue is a
major concern as customers demand more
transparency for the products they consume,”
said Nalin Amunugama, general manager
of BOGE Kompressoren Asia-Pacific.
Avenues for contamination exist at every step
of production. Fortunately, new and emerging
technologies in food and beverage production,
processing and packaging are providing better
tools for improving traceability, and detecting
contaminants in food and for investigating
outbreaks, Amunugama pointed out.
MICROWAVE TECHNOLOGY FOR
CONTAMINANT DETECTION
Accidental inclusion of foreign matter in food
and beverage occurs frequently as objects
Dairy beverages and protein shakes are
susceptible to bacterial contamination
like plastics, glass and metals may not be
visible or easily detectable. Just earlier this
year, more than 25,000 cases of chilled
and bottled Starbucks vanilla frappuccinos
were voluntarily recalled due to possibly
having pieces of glass in them, according
to the US Food and Drug Administration.
The microwave technology developed by the
Antares Vision Group is based on a principle
different from x-ray technology. While x-rays
detect the difference in density between
a product and a contaminant, microwave
technology exploits the difference in the
dielectric constant between a product and
a contaminant. This identifies physical
contaminants or foreign bodies invisible to
current x-ray technology, such as wood,
plastics, glass, rubber, stones, bones, insects,
and metals in the production process. To
Microwave technology detects physical
contaminants or foreign bodies invisible to
current X-ray technology during processing
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

PROCESSING AND PACKAGING
39
For breweries, BOGE’s
Bluekat converter
assures a reliable
supply of and pure
compressed air supply
date, microwaves have been tested
on liquid and semi-liquid products,
which tend to be homogeneous, packaged,
or closed. It is expected the technology will
be used for other food products soon.
ULTRA-RAPID DETECTION OF
MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION
For dairy and beverage manufacturing, rapid
and accurate detection of microbiological
contaminants in products is crucial to safety.
Traditional methods for microbial testing can
take days to weeks and require several manual
processes, increasing the risk of human error.
Hygiena has developed a new rapid microbial
screening kit for beverage testing, using the
Innovate System. The RapiScreen Beverage Kit
is designed to neutralise complex, high-acid
content found in fruit juices. The kit has also
been validated on a broad range of matrices,
including teas, energy drinks, smoothie mixes
and ketchup. For rapid microbial results, the
Innovate System can detect contamination
faster than traditional methods. Results
can be obtained in less than 30 minutes
after a 48-hour incubation period, with the
capability to accommodate 96 samples at
a time. This is possible with a technology
that eliminates somatic cell (non-microbial)
adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and allows
product testing with a wide range of pH values.
By shortening time to results, facilities can
reduce inventory requirements, warehouse
space and safety stock, resulting in savings.
CONTAMINANT-FREE AIR FOR
BREWING PROCESS
Compressed air is an essential part of
practically all commercial manufacturing,
Hygiena's Innovate System detects
contamination in beverages faster than
traditional methods
including the brewing industry. For brewers,
air compressors are used to power the
machinery used in bottling, canning and
kegging. As there is close contact between
compressed air and the product in the
fermentation and aeration process, the
beer or ale is susceptible to contamination
with water, dirt, and microorganisms.
Oil contamination is particularly unwelcome
in beer brewing as it kills the yeast and, in
the process, affects the frothing properties.
While oil levels in the atmosphere may be
very low, once the air is taken into the system
and compressed, they become much more
concentrated. The same can be said for
water vapour and anything suspended in
the ambient air. A purification system to
remove oil and other contaminants is needed
even if an oil-free compressor is used.
BOGE has developed the Bluekat catalytic
converter BC 110 with an oil-flooded screw
compressor. The downstream converter breaks
down long-chain hydrocarbons into water
and carbon dioxide, and coverts silicone into
silicate, thus reducing carbon dioxide levels,
spores and viruses. Dirt and impurities are
also effectively removed to produce class
0 oil-free compressed air which complies
with the standard ISO 8573-1 and can be
delivered without the need for an oil-free
compressor. For breweries, the Bluekat
converter assures a reliable and pure supply of
compressed air supply, free from contaminants
and expensive product recall risks.
THE FUTURE WITH AI AND ROBOTICS
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a game changer
for the food and beverage industry. AIenabled
sensors can be used to detect
food contaminants such as bacteria and
viruses. This information can then be used
to recall contaminated food products quickly
and prevent further contamination.
AI is also being used to develop new methods
of food processing that are more efficient
and less likely to cause contamination. In
production facilities, AI can be programmed to
follow very specific instructions which means
that they are less likely to make mistakes
that could lead to contamination. AI-enabled
robots are likely to become even more
common in food production facilities, which
could lead to lower food production costs.
“No doubt, AI will continue to have a big
impact on the food and beverage industry.
AI-enabled products and processes are
already starting to make a difference in the
industry and this is only going to become
more pronounced as the technology becomes
more sophisticated,” Amunugama said. FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

Creative autonomy:
Essential for staying
ahead of the curve
By Pascal Lefèvre, global vice president of food, home,
and personal care, Sidel
For many businesses we work with in the food, home, and personal care (FHPC)
sector, the ability to independently make changes to their manufacturing
processes or their product design is paramount to retaining a competitive edge.
Retaining creative autonomy for FHPC manufacturers should be a key concern.
At Sidel, we have been working within the FHPC sector for over four decades,
providing packaging and line design innovations, solutions and services that
prioritise creative autonomy for our clients at their heart. We know that the
design of products and packaging is best left to our customer manufacturers
who know their product better than anyone else. Our role is simply to enhance
their ability to make creative choices, thus improving their existing offering.

PROCESSING AND PACKAGING
41
PRECISION PACKAGING
AND PALLETISING
ARE ESSENTIAL FOR
CREATIVE AUTONOMY
Creative autonomy extends to both the
shape and design of packaging, and the
manufacturing process itself. Ensuring
efficiency not only impacts the bottom
line, but also a manufacturer's ability
to stay ahead of its competitors.
Precision packaging and palletising solutions
are not simply about efficient logistics. If
manufacturers know that their end products
are safely arriving at their final destinations,
ie in the hands of consumers intact and
in pristine condition, this allows them to
dedicate more time to product innovation.
Sidel has worked with luxury brands,
including Guerlain, to ensure a smooth and
solid palletising process using its robotic
packing and palletising combi solution.
Production and packaging protection are
vital in luxury markets and Sidel’s solution
met these needs through adapted belt
systems fitted with protective felt to
ensure limited abrasion on the products.
In addition, Sidel has a strong reputation with
many other brands, who opt for our robotic
case packers, palletisers, and combi solutions
for the high levels of efficiency and product
care that this exclusive industry demands.
The champagne and cognac industries
have also selected Sidel technology for its
traceability and aggregation capabilities.
CREATIVE AUTONOMY ACHIEVED
THROUGH ROBUST SOLUTIONS
One of our newest solutions is the Cermex
ProSelex, a case packer infeed module for
shaped containers which has been adapted
to ensure secure packing of unstable shaped
bottles and asymmetric containers from
the FHPC industries. Revealed at Interpack
2023, the Cermex ProSelex increases
creative autonomy for manufacturers
by supporting the efficient conveying of
innovative packaging designs, which is
essential for creative differentiation.
Similarly, the RoboAccess_Pal S is a new
palletising unit that combines cobotics
and robotics to offer manufacturers
improved operability in a compact size.
The RoboAccess_Pal S achieves creative
autonomy for manufacturers by reducing
the strain on palletisation. The streamlined
and agile nature of RoboAccess_Pal S
allows the customer to be more flexible and
innovative when designing product packaging
– limitations are reduced when the palletising
process is multi-purpose and adaptive.
Sidel works with manufacturers to safeguard
and enhance their creative autonomy by
utilising advanced packaging solutions
and providing customers with greater
manufacturing flexibility which would not
be possible without creative autonomy.
SUSTAINABILITY ACHIEVED WITH
CREATIVE FREEDOM
Consumers' demand for sustainable products
is mounting and we know that manufacturers
are looking to meet this need. The ability to
adapt existing product lines and packaging
designs for more sustainable alternatives
is imperative, while manufacturers need
creative freedom to innovate and develop
new environmentally friendly products.
At Sidel, sustainability is a crucial target.
We support all our customers in making
this move by developing cost-effective and
eco-friendly solutions for our packaging
designs, equipment, and complete
packaging lines for the FHPC markets.
Simultaneously, we ensure the same, if not
better, performance or efficiency outputs.
For Guerlain, Sidel installed a robotic packing
and palletising combi solution that has been
designed to function in a compact space of
less than 20 sq m, and manages the physical
flow of products, cases, and pallets. Capable
of handling 60 cartons of product bottles
per minute in four formats, it guarantees
product protection as well as a full guarantee
of origin through advanced barcode tagging.
The solutions provided by Sidel enable
customers to have as much creative
autonomy as possible over their products,
with high levels of flexibility and efficiency
to meet current and future trends and
challenges. Creative autonomy is an essential
component for market competitiveness, and
it is Sidel’s role to support manufacturers’
creativity and
innovations. FBA
Pascal Lefèvre
is the global
vice-president of
food, home, and
personal care at
Sidel
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

When package size matters
Lifestyle changes have played a major role in defining how the packaged
food and beverage industry evolves. And it is no different when it comes to
rightsizing products, with manufacturers offering consumers the choice
of buying a product in their preferred pack size. But what is driving these
consumer preferences, and how are manufacturers responding?
By Angela Lu, president Asia-Pacific, SIG
The demand for packaging formats and sizes
are polarised based on product categories.
Furthermore, meeting these demands with
flexible options has helped manufacturers in
most regions to retain and grow their market
share, especially at a time when both buying
power and consumption habits have been
impacted by the current global inflation.
WHY SMALL SIZES STILL RULE
Small sizing has been big for some years now,
owing to the rise of on-the-go consumption
and demand for single-serve products.
One of the primary reasons is affordability.
Cost plays a major role in the prevalence of
small-sized packs in many markets. In regions
such as India, South America, Europe, the
Middle East and Africa, the shift to small
sizing is driven by the need to keep a product
within an affordable price range. Reaching
a magic price point can be the differentiator
for brands in India, for example, where the
125ml version of an SIG carton is popular
within the fruit drinks and nectars segment.
The relation between product categories and
pack volumes is a well-established factor.
Smaller pack sizes have already been popular
in product categories that are ready to drink,
such as flavoured milk, juice, and even protein
drinks. But now premium brands in some
regions, such as the Americas, are offering
smaller volumes in other categories – like
condensed milk, cooking creams and even
plant-based creamers – to retain the qualityconscious
but price-sensitive consumer.
Pack size perception and its associated value
are also important drivers in the popularity
of smaller packs. For example, when a
manufacturer in the Middle East and Africa
region (MEA) introduced a 150ml carton with
a marginal price difference compared to its
200ml carton, the 150ml offering became
the bestselling pack size in that category.
The shape of packs plays an important role
in perception too, and consumers in many
regions equate taller packs with more volume.
Hence, many manufacturers are offering
varying volumes in packs of the same height
with only a minimal price difference.
Other factors that continue to drive the small
sizing trend are convenience and a desire to
prevent food waste – especially in regions
where families are small or there are many
single-member households, as in China and
Western Europe. Consumers in urban China,
for example, prefer small-sized packs for
both food products and beverages owing
to their small families and busy lifestyles.
WHEN BIG IS BETTER
Meanwhile, upsizing in certain categories,
like milk, is a unifying trend across most
markets, along with juice – sometimes at
the cost of single-serve packs, as seen in
Mexican and European markets. With the
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

PROCESSING AND PACKAGING
43
SIG’s range of pack volumes and flexible
filling machines enable manufacturers to
achieve this agility in their production lines
as they can fill up to nine pack volumes
on a single machine, taking only a few
minutes to switch between volumes.
both basic and premium products on the same
manufacturing set-up – flexibly adapting pack
sizes to match different price points. And with
solutions like SIG Drinksplus, manufacturers
can include value-adding extras like real pieces
of fruit, vegetables, nuts or cereal grains.
rise of inflation, affordable one-litre packs
have become the norm in these categories.
Consumers are opting for even bigger
sizes in some regions to ensure availability
in times of interrupted supply chains.
Even in regions where 500ml was a
popular size for milk, there has been a shift
towards bigger packs – showcasing the
importance of dairy in diets. Plant-based dairy
alternatives also continued to be popular
in one-litre packs, especially in Europe.
It is evident that price and convenience both
play a vital role in small sizing, and while
this is likely to prevail, it remains to be seen
if the upsizing trends will also continue.
FLEXIBILITY FOR RIGHTSIZING
With fluctuating consumption trends,
flexibility and agility have become the
key to capturing and retaining consumer
segments, sometimes even in the same
product category. Anticipating and meeting
the changing needs of consumers by
offering them the right options can be a
differentiator that earns brand loyalty.
A CASE OF MARKET-CENTRIC
PRODUCTION IN INDIA
India is experiencing its youngest-ever
consumer market, according to Technopak,
with 33% of the population under 15 years
old and 50% under 24. With this growing
population of young, educated and timepressed
consumers, convenience food
and beverages are becoming ever-more
popular. And with a more globalised outlook,
Indian consumers are also seeking new
ingredients, flavours, and experiences.
With SIG, brands and manufacturers can bring
new products to consumers while enhancing
their filling line flexibility and efficiency. In India,
dairy products in packaging as small as 80ml
are hugely popular driven by their affordable
price point and ease of mobility. While in
South East Asia, new packaging sizes such as
150ml are introduced to target the affordable
premium market, giving consumers the option
of consuming premium products in smaller
packaging and at affordable prices. Some of
our customers have chosen high-performance
SIG filling machines with a SIG Drinksplus
option that is suitable for aseptically filling SIG
XSlimBloc in up to nine different volumes.
By filling different pack sizes on the same
filling machine, SIG enables producers to fill
NOT FORGETTING SUSTAINABILITY
It goes without saying that sustainable
packaging is among the top asks today. With
SIG, clients can extend flexible production
to even the choice of packaging materials,
choosing from a wide range of even more
sustainable packaging solutions to meet the
varied sustainability demands across the globe.
As regulatory bodies and businesses
worldwide transforming operations, SIG has
transitioned to 100% renewable electricity
at all its aseptic carton production plants.
The company also surpassed its target
to halve operational emissions by 2025
and accelerated the timeline for climate
action with greenhouse gas reduction
targets and its path to net zero approval
by the Science-Based Targets Initiative.
SIG has also announced that it will raise
the proportion of fibre in its aseptic carton
structure. The company plans to develop
a full-barrier aluminium-free aseptic
packaging structure with at least 90% fibre
content by 2030, with an interim target of
at least 85% by 2025. This supports SIG’s
ambition to enable carton packs to be
recycled anywhere in the world, which is
especially true for markets that have little
established infrastructure for recycling. FBA
With multiple pack sizes, brands do not
need to underfill bigger packs to ensure
affordability. Instead, they can target different
consumer segments based on volume. Take
market requirements in the MEA region,
where children’s beverages tend to come
in 125ml packs, with the same products
available in 200ml packs for teenagers.
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

44
FIRST LOOKS
Reliable and food-safe transport of poorly flowing cocoa powder
for beverage production
Cocoa powders provide the characteristic taste and colour of
chocolate beverages. Finely-ground cocoa powders are usually
mixed with other ingredients to make the beverage powders.
Handling cocoa powder can be tricky due to the nature and
fineness of the powder. Gericke has supplied, installed and
commissioned a pneumatic conveying, storage, feeding and
mixing system for the production of chocolate drinks.
Cocoa powder should be processed at temperatures below
30°C and under dry conditions. This is because cocoa powder
is a hygroscopic product that would absorb moisture and form
lumps, which would affect its flavour and make processing
difficult. Therefore, it is advantageous to have a closed
processing system that protects the product from possible
contamination and interaction with the environment. Gericke
uses pneumatic conveying systems in which the product
is introduced into a pipeline through a special device and
transported by means of a gas flow to a receiving hopper.
In a pneumatic lean phase conveying system, the product is
introduced into the pipeline by a rotary valve. The conveying gas
is usually generated by a roots blower operating at a pressure of
less than one bar g. This type of pneumatic conveying system is
characterised by high air velocities of usually more than 20m/s
and lean product loading of solids dispersed in the gas stream.
Conveying hygroscopic powders containing fat (cocoa powder
usually has a proportion of 10-20%) at high speeds can result in
product layers within the pipeline, leading to clogged pipes,
which are unhygienic.
With the PulseFlow PTA pneumatic dense phase conveying
system supplied by Gericke, the cocoa powder is conveyed as a
slow-moving plug of product. The system consists of a pressure
vessel and is operated with compressed air from an air supply
usually greater than four bar g. Since the line is filled with a
dense volume of solids, called a high loading, the cocoa powder
is transported at velocities well below 10m/s, therefore requiring
a small amount of compressed gas. The air consumed from the
air network is cleaned and typically dried with a freeze dryer,
resulting in a very low residual water content corresponding to an
atmospheric dew point of approximately -20°C. This prevents the
product from settling in the pipeline and interrupting the flow.
The Gericke
pneumatic dense
phase conveying
system for cocoa
powder
Depending on the supplier of the cocoa powder, the flow behaviour
can range from very free flowing to poor flowing. The transport
system must therefore be able to convey both types of cocoa
powder. The cohesive and poor flowing type exhibits funnel
flow in the hoppers, which can result in low performance. To
prevent this, the conveying system has been equipped with a
special fluidising system that enables uniform discharge. FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

FIRST LOOKS 45
iHX: An intelligent
heat exchanger for
all applications
onto the back of tube surfaces which aren’t thermal heating. Heat and Control’s
in direct line of sight to the hot surface.” iHX Intelligent Heat Exchanger
can be used as part of a new
The use of heat exchangers in food
equipment line, or is easily retrofitted
Food processing & Beverage are an Asia, alternative 132 x 205 to steam mm, Digitalisation or into M, an CC-en91-AZ237 existing line. FBA 03/23
Heat and Control has launched a new
heat exchanger technology. The iHX
Intelligent Heat Exchanger (iHX) is a
low oil volume model set to provide
an efficient, low cost, oil heating
solution for food manufacturers.
The heat exchanger is suitable for all
manner of snack food applications,
including bakery, potato chips, corn
products, nut products, French
fries, potato co-products and all
continuous frying operations.
Heat and Control chief engineer
Mick Walsh shared: "Using the
latest advancements in design
and automation in computer code
allowed us to perform the millions
of calculations needed to optimise
radiative heat transfer and create an
optimised tube bundle design and
heating technology, (stet) reduced
oil volume. This innovation in design
offers a 25% increase in efficiency
gains over our previous, base model
heat exchanger. The iHX provides
improved oil quality, reduced oil
volume, lower fuel costs, and lower
emission levels. Moreover, the iHX
performs at an optimal level as all tubes
within the radiative zone use their
whole surface area for heat transfer,
reflecting heat from the insulation
CC-en91-AZ237 03-23.indd 1 07.03.2023 10:00:28
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

46
FIRST LOOKS
Mecmesin rice texture analyser: Quality control for rice
manufacturers
In the world of rice manufacturing,
delivering consistent, high-quality
products is the ultimate goal.
One of the most critical factors
that influence the success of rice
products is texture. The Mecmesin
rice texture analyser supports rice
manufacturers as they perceive,
evaluate and improve rice texture.
The texture of rice impacts consumer
satisfaction and brand reputation.
To that, understanding, quantifying
and optimising rice texture is a key
part of the manufacturing process.
Ensuring that every batch meets the
desired texture is thus necessary.
THE MECMESIN RICE TEXTURE
ANALYSER
The rice texture analyser is a benchtop,
software-controlled instrument
designed to measure the sensory
mouthfeel of cooked rice and other
foods with precision. It replicates
the natural bite and chewing action,
ensuring that the results correlate
precisely with the established
texture profile analysis (TPA)
parameters that define mouthfeel.
When equipped with a Kramer
compression-shear fixture, this
system captures a set of data
points, enabling users to understand
the specificities of rice texture.
POWERED BY VECTORPRO
SOFTWARE
At the heart of this technology is
the VectorPro software — a tool that
orchestrates the texture analyser's
operation, in accordance with the
preset instructions. It not only
controls the equipment to apply
forces on the test sample, but also
acquires data and automatically
calculates results that align with
the correct sensory qualities.
The Mecmesin rice texture analyser
empowers rice manufacturers
in several critical ways:
1. Benchmark and compare
rice varieties: Use the system
to quantifiably benchmark and
compare the texture of different
rice varieties. This capability aids
in optimising the cook profile,
which, in turn, serves as a guide for
consumer preparation instructions.
2. Consistency assurance: The
system provides ensures the
consistency of supplied raw
grains — an important aspect of
maintaining product quality.
3. Evaluate harvesting variations:
Assess the impact of variations
in harvesting, such as variations
in protein and carbohydrate
levels, which influence the final
texture during preparation.
4. Measuring firmness, stickiness,
and adhesiveness: Analyse
firmness by examining the peak
compression force during the
complete bite cycle. Evaluating
stickiness and adhesiveness are
vital parameters in determining
consumer satisfaction.
In the competitive landscape of rice
manufacturing lies precision at its
core. The Mecmesin rice texture
analyser enables rice manufacturers
to fine-tune their processes, optimise
product quality, and ensure that
every grain of rice consistently meets
the consumer standards. FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

FIRST LOOKS 47
Spectrim X series with LUCAi grades fruits
with deep learning
At IFPA 2023, TOMRA presented the Spectrim
X, a new optical grading platform powered
by LUCAi Deep Learning. A grading system
for apples, kiwifruits, stone fruits, avocadoes,
and citruses, the technology minimises
operational instability and manual labour,
while also meeting grading standards. The X
series surpasses the current Spectrim model
as the optical grading platform of choice.
Comprised of the LUCAi Engine Software,
artificial intelligence, and pre-trained
models, the LUCAi Deep Learning
technology embedded within Spectrim
X delivers substantial performance and
reduces the need for human operators.
With the LUCAi, users can, for example,
detect and locate the calyx of apples
(without misreading this for a defect). It
can also build the right image classification
network to remove dehydrated fruits such
as blueberries. This was made possible
through training LUCAi on more than
300,000 images of fruit from different
varieties, geographies, and seasons.
“Our LUCAi Deep Learning technology uses
pre-trained models to teach computers how
to process data, such as complex patterns
in photos,” explained Benedetta Ricci Iamino,
global category director for cherries and
apples at TOMRA Food. “The electronic sorter
assesses thousands of high-resolution,
multi-channel fruit images every second.
Then it cross-references what it sees with
vast amounts of data to make grading
decisions to meet precise market demands.
This data has been captured from TOMRA
machines across the globe and precisely
labelled by TOMRA’s data science team.”
In line with TOMRA’s sustainability strategy,
the Spectrim X series has also been designed
to work with fewer parts, and utilises a
higher share of sustainable materials and
components. It is also designed for easier and
safer access and installation of the cabinet.
Most recently, the LUCAi was implemented
at FreshCo, a fruit and vegetable exporter
and grower of apples from New Zealand.
A representative from the company shared:
“The fruits after the storm seem to have a lot
more splits than previously, but the AI made
it really, really easy to control that. In the
past we had to work a lot harder around the
stem area, mainly for splits and punctures.
compared to AI; now, we don't have to do
the work anymore, AI does it for us. This
means we can keep production up at speed
without a lot of manual grading on the line.”
Ricci Iamino commented: “TOMRA’s
customers will continue to benefit from
LUCAi in many ways. LUCAi enables
granular controls to adjust for the
severity of a variety of defects and to
cater for seasonal dynamics and market
preferences. In the past, this could only
be achieved by an experienced operator,
but now it can be learned by LUCAi,
helping our customers maximise returns
and improve their brand reputation.
“Additionally, LUCAi modular architecture
allows multiple commodity or defects
models to plug-and-play into the existing
Spectrim system with faster onboarding
– optimising line efficiencies, bringing
greater consistency, and maintaining
peak grading performance without
human intervention. This allows
TOMRA’s customers to always minimise
bad-in-good and good-in-bad, resulting
in higher returns for their fruits. LUCAi
also means it’s no longer necessary to
find or train highly-skilled operators with
the expertise to run lines efficiently.” FBA

48 SHOW PREVIEW
their countries' pavilions, located
under the international pavilions.
In total, the show expects to bring
together nearly 3,000 firms, 30% of
them international and from more than
50 countries. They will occupy almost
the entire Gran Vía venue at Fira de
Barcelona, which spans 85,000 sq m
of net exhibition space. Nearly 100,000
visitors – 23% of them international,
from 149 countries – visited the last
edition of Alimentaria in 2022.
Asian companies
make strong
comeback in
Alimentaria 2024
Alimentaria, an international food,
beverage, and food service show, will
return to Fira de Barcelona's Gran Via
venue from 18-21 Mar 2024, with an
expected 6% increase in its international
offerings. Four months ahead of the
event, the organisers have highlighted
the return of Asian companies, led by
China, Taiwan, Thailand and South Korea.
Food sector. Taiwan will concentrate its
offerings for foodservice professionals
in the Restaurama sector.
South Korea, Indonesia and Thailand
will also have a prominent presence,
and will complete the range of Asian
gastronomy products on offer in
Its offer will be structured in different
key sectors: Intercarn, the meat
and meat products industry show;
Hostelco and Restaurama (equipment,
services and products for the Horeca
channel); Interlact (milk and dairy
industry); Expoconser (canning sector),
Snacks, Biscuits & Confectionery
(sweets and snacks); Fine Foods
(gourmet products and oils): Organic
Foods (organic products); Coffee,
Bakery and Pastry and Foodtech
(transversal solutions for processes,
machinery, technology, industry 4.0,
and ingredients for the food industry).
In addition, Alimentaria Trends will
showcase the latest in plant-based,
functional, free-from, halal and kosher
foods; meanwhile, Grocery Foods will
bring together large food corporations.
In addition, the International Pavilions
will house the participations grouped
by country, and last but not least,
Lands of Spain will present the wealth
and diversity of products from the
various Spanish regions. FBA
In the case of China and Taiwan,
who were not present in 2022 due to
COVID-19 restrictions, the exhibition
space planned for each country will
double and triple respectively this year.
China will have five large stands with dozens
of companies grouped under the umbrella
of the China Chamber of Commerce for
Food Import and Export (CCCFNA) in the
International Pavilions, Expoconser, Snacks,
Biscuits and Confectionery, and Organic
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

FIC2024 opens doors to
largest exhibition space
in show’s history
The 27th Food Ingredients China (FIC2024)
and 33rd National Food Additives
Production Application Technology
Exhibition will be held at the National
Exhibition and Convention Centre in
Shanghai from 20-22 Mar 2024.
The upcoming exhibition area sets a new
record as it spans 160,000 sq m, attracting
100,000+ professional visitors and leading
the world in this field. More than 1,500
exhibitors will gather to present the latest
innovations in the field of food additives
and ingredients. With the addition of new
exhibition categories such as food industry
machinery, natural extracts, functional food
ingredients, and functional ingredients
for pre-packaged meals, FIC2024 will
create an efficient platform for the rapid
development of the health industry.
Under the joint efforts of stakeholders in
the food industry, FIC has become one
of the largest international trade shows,
offering an extensive product range
and a series of professional activities
representing a high level of industry
development in China and beyond.
FIC 2024 covers six exhibiting halls, which
include the overseas pavilion at Hall 3, Hall
4.1; the overseas pavilion, and domestic
machinery and testing devices pavilion at
Hall 5.1; domestic natural, functional and
comprehensive products pavilion at Hall 6.1;
domestic comprehensive products pavilion
at Hall 7.1; and the domestic fragrances,
flavours and condiments pavilion at Hall 8.1.
The annual FIC is not only an industry
event; it also serves as a horizontal and
vertical technical exchange platform in the
international food field. Various forms of food
industry machinery equipment will be making
their debut at the exhibition. With more than
10 years of experience in its belt, the FIC2024
machinery exhibition area will offer more
than 200 machinery equipment exhibitors for
the food industry, such as industrialisation
automatic production equipment, food
sterilisation packaging machinery equipment,
pre-prepared meal professional equipment,
intelligent manufacturing equipment,
and food safety testing equipment.
Meanwhile, three series of academic summits
in the food industry will offer key market
insights and vital information. At the same time,
more than 40 technical seminars will create
a platform for technological innovation, with
the 7th Member Representative Conference of
the Association and the 1st Enlarged Meeting
of the 7th Council alongside the exhibition.
Experts and scholars from 12 professional
committees of the association will also be onsite
for consultation and answering questions.
Interested parties can pre-register by scanning
following FIC’s official account on WeChat and
other official platforms for more exhibition
information, or by visiting the official website
and clicking “English” to register. FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

50 SHOW REVIEW
HostMilano 2023 dives
into the future
with innovation at the fore
Dedicated to the food service and hospitality
industry, HostMilano has, since 1966,
presented a comprehensive selection of
solutions ranging from raw materials to
semi-finished products, as well as machinery
to tableware. Taking place every two years
in Italy by Fiera Milano, this year’s event was
held from 13-17 Oct in Fiera Milano Rho.
Of more than 2100 exhibitors participating
in the show (comparable to 2019 figures),
40% of them were international companies
from over 50 countries – including Germany,
Spain, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands,
Portugal, Turkey, and many more. These
exhibitors presented their latest products and
technologies, allowing for the cross-exchange
of ideas at an international arena.
Exhibitors to the show were also able to
meet with selected hosted buyers from 75
other countries through ICE-ITA Agency.
The exhibition featured 14 different
sectors grouped into three different
zones: the first, which comprised of
38% of total exhibitors, included food
service equipment and bakery, pizza
and pasta services; the second, at
42%, comprised of coffee and tea
related services, alongside bars, coffee
and vending machines, gelato, and
pastries; the third, at 20%, showcased
hospitality furniture and tableware.
General manager of Zhanjiang Sapoe Drink Systems Manufacturing with the company’s
European clients
This year’s show saw a significant growth
in the tableware and water purification
sectors, with the former observing a 35%
increase compared to figures in 2019. In
addition, the gelato sector – a specialty
of the Italian market – was also noted to
have seen exports exceeding €2.3bn in
2022, surpassing more than one-quarter
of the EU’s total exports. The gelato sector
is further projected to grow at a CAGR of
4.4%, reaching a total of €3.2bn in 2026.
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

SHOW REVIEW
51
About 60 exhibitors from China were
also present at the showground. There
were not only growing companies
exhibiting for the first time, but also
well-established companies that
have been exploring the European
market for ten consecutive years.
Zhang Qingqiu, general manager
of Zhanjiang Sapoe Drink Systems
Manufacturing, said: "Our coffee
machines and soymilk machines are
currently leading the market in China,
and the company continues to push
forward with product development
and technological innovation, always
striving for product quality to meet
international standard levels. Our
coffee machines and popcorn
machines have been exported to
South East Asia and South America,
and the European market is the most
important market, accounting for
30% of the total business. Chinese
technologies and machineries are
consistently moving forward, and
have an advantage in terms of price/
performance ratio, which can occupy
the mid-range market. We hope that
more new customers will favour
our products during this event.”
Likewise, WHITE XTAR, an
exhibitor from Jiangsu,
China founded in 2015
with two existing factories,
also drew interest.
The company provides
professional solutions and
technical support for product
development. With its own
intellectual property system in the
production of coffee beans, coffee
concentrates, freeze-dried powder, tea
extracts, espresso cocktails, chocolates
and other advanced processes, WHITE
XTAR has plans for overseas expansion
The all-in-one cooking and cutting
machine from ROBOQBO, meanwhile,
offered a cost-effective solution in a
time of rising labour costs and concerns
regarding producitivity in hotels and
restaurants. As healthy eating is still
on-pace as a leading trend, these
oil-free fryers from Spain are a timely
solution meeting these demands.
Digital transformation, sustainability,
and skills were some of the key topics
discussed at the seminars, with the
increasing consumer awareness of
global events emphasised. The flavours
of global cuisine are continuing to
evolve at a rapid pace, with consumers
showing an increasing interest in
dishes from different culinary traditions.
Demand is also growing in coffee
shops, especially for speciality coffees.
Likewise, 48% of Italian consumers
have also expressed a desire for
recipe and flavour innovations.
The 2023 Milan International Hotel
Supplies Exhibition attracted 180,000
visitors and 700 invited professional
buyers to gather at the event, once
again promoting new developments
in the industry's technology that
meet consumer demand. FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

SIFST Annual 2023
The Singapore Institute of Food Science and
Technology (SIFST) is a member of both the
International Union of Food Science and
Technology (IUFoST) and the Federation of
Institutes of Food Science and Technology in
ASEAN (FIFSTA). SIFST is also an allied organisation
of the Institute of Food Technologists of USA and
a co-operating society of the Institute of Food
Science and Technology (UK).

Annual Report 2023 SIFST
Dear SIFST members,
The desire to promote and advance food science and technology knowledge and its applications amongst
the professionals is one of the key objectives of the Singapore Institute of Food Science & Technology
(SIFST). We offer a platform for food industry professionals to enhance connectivity, collaboration and
exchange of scientific knowledge that can make an impact on our food ecosystem.
I am honoured to serve as the SIFST president in 2023 and have the opportunity to work with a dedicated
team of council members under the guidance of our immediate past president, Mr Richard Khaw. We
are excited to continue the flagship SIFST events such as the professional talks related to current
developments in food science and technology, the student symposium and quiz bowl competitions, food
product awards and industry visits for our valued members.
We strive to bring together a community of like-minded professionals to network and share industry
knowledge. In addition, we target to enhance member engagement through various communication
channels so as to grow the membership of this scientific community.
On behalf of SIFST 47th Council, I would like to thank all SIFST members who supported our events this
year. I look forward to a great 2024 as more SIFST activities are being rolled out!
Tan Ai Tsing
President, SIFST 47th Council,
2023/2024
47 th Council Members
Immediate Past President
Mr Richard Khaw Min Cheh, Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP)
President
Ms Tan Ai Tsing, Ingredion Singapore Pte Ltd
Vice-President
Ms Tan Yan Ling, Pan Pacific Singapore
Hon Secretary
Ms Evelyn Ong, Food Innovation and Resource Centre (FIRC)
Hon Treasurer
Ms Catherine Seah , Singapore Food Agency (SFA)
Council Members
Ms Lee Hui Cheng, Republic Polytechnic (RP)
Dr Alvin Loo, National University of Singapore (NUS)
Dr Matthew Zhao, YSQ international
Mr Tay Seng Kiong, Cargill Singapore
Co-opted Council Members
Dr Ng Sek Yeo Singapore Polytechnic (SP)
Mr Wong Weng Wai Temasek Polytechnic (TP)
Mr Kevin Lwe Biospringer by Lesaffre
Ms Clarisa Sibulo SMC Nutrition Pte Ltd
Honorary Advisors
Mr Lim Chee Kian
Dr Lee Kim Lian
Mr Yeoh Guan Huah
Mrs Irene Tan Ek Ek
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

SIFST Annual Report 2023
Singapore Institute of Food Science
and Technology (SIFST) Annual
Report 2023
SIFST MEMBERSHIP
Membership 2023
Honorary Fellows 2
Fellows 18
Associates 175
Licentiates 184
Corporate Members 28
Mr Richard Khaw, SIFST Immediate Past President
• IUFoST Board of Directors
• IUFoST Competition and Award Sub-Committee Member
• IUFoST Voting Delegates for SIFST
• SPRING Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC) Technical
Committee (TC) for Chemical & Biological Testing – From
July 2012
• SPRING Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC)
Technical Committee (TC) for Proficiency Testing
• Singapore Food Standards Committee 19th Term Member
• Singapore Food Standards Committee Guidelines for Delivery
of Ready-To-Eat (RTE) Food Working Group Co-Chairman
• Singapore Food Standards Committee Co-Chairman
for Food Safety Technical Committee Member
Student Members 48
SIFST would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to our
honorary advisor, fellow and past president, Mrs Ser-Low Wai
Meng who passed away peacefully in Feb 2023. SIFST would also
like to record its sincere appreciation to Mrs Ser-Low Wai Meng,
who was also a senior lecturer at the Singapore Polytechnic
School of Chemical and Life Sciences for more than 30 years.
Mrs Ser served as council member, vice-president, and president
of SIFST for more than 20 years. She chaired the 13th ASEAN
Food Conference in 2013 and concurrently served as the
president of Federation of Food Science & Technology in
ASEAN (FIFSTA) from 2012-2013.
47TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)
The 47th Annual General Meeting was held on 27 Jun 2023
at One Farrer Hotel, Singapore. Mr Richard Khaw presented
highlights of the events held for the period of the SIFST 46th
Council. A new Council was elected in and Ms Tan Ai Tsing
was elected as president of the SIFST 47th Council.
REPRESENTATION IN STATUTORY COMMITTEES AND
PROFESSIONAL ORGANISATIONS
The following members represented the Institute in various
committees of government and professional bodies:
Dr Lee Kim Lian, SIFST Past President & Honorary Advisor
• Institute of Food Science & Technology
(IFST), UK – Liaison Person
Mr Lim Chee Kian, SIFST Past President & Honorary Advisor
• Fellow of IUFoST
• Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), USA - Liaison Person
Ms Tan Yan Ling, SIFST Vice-President
• International Union of Food Science & Technology (IUFoST)
- Voting Delegate
Prof Zhou Weibiao, SIFST Fellow Member
• Fellow of IUFoST
• International Association for Engineering and Food (IAEF)
Food & Beverage Asia Magazine
SIFST continues to incorporate SIFST news in the Food &
Beverage Asia magazine, published by Pablo Publishing Pte
Ltd. The magazine is circulated to about 7,000 food industry
professionals in Asia, including SIFST members. Its features
include updates on new members, announcements of upcoming
events and reports about SIFST activities as well as a Corporate
Member’s profile in each bi-monthly issue. The SIFST Annual
Report 2022 was also co-published with Food & Beverage Asia.
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

Annual Report 2023 SIFST
The Annual Report offers a means of communication to members,
reporting the Institute’s news and publishing quality technical
papers of interest. The Editorial Board comprises of Ms Tan Ai Tsing,
Ms Tan Yan Ling, Ms Evelyn Ong and Dr Alvin Loo.
SIFST PROFESSIONAL TALK SERIES
47th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and
Professional Talk
Date: 27 Jun 2023
Time:
Venue:
6.00-10.00pm
One Farrer Hotel, Singapore
Event Details
6.00pm: Registration
Dr Mark Richards sharing about cultivated seafood technology
6.30pm: Introduction to Future Food Alliance (FFA) - Innovate with
Industry and Career Opportunities by Ms Evelyn Ong,
centre director, Food Innovation & Resource Centre,
Singapore Polytechnic; Ms Ng Su Ling, course chair,
School of Chemical & Life Sciences, Singapore Polytechnic;
Mr Richard Khaw, deputy director, School of Applied
Science, Nanyang Polytechnic; Mr Samuel Aw,
senior manager, School of Applied Science,
Republic Polytechnic; Dr Kalpana Bhaskaran, deputy director,
School of Applied Science, Temasek Polytechnic
7.30pm: 47th SIFST Annual General Meeting
8.15pm: World Congress Appreciation Dinner
10.00pm: Close
Title: Food Sustainability and Technology
Date: 28 Mar 2023, 7.00–8.30pm
Venue: Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore
1 st Topic: Overcoming Technical and Cost Challenges in
Cultivated Seafood
Speaker: Dr Mark Richards, lead specialist, School of Applied Science,
Nanyang Polytechnic
2 nd Topic: Indoor Vertical Farming: A Vision for Sustainable
Food Production
Speaker: Dr Ritu Bhalla, assistant director, Agriculture Research
and Innovation (AGRI) Centre at Republic Polytechnic
Title: Constructing Future Foods and Ingredients with
Nutritional Advantages
Date: 3 Oct 2023, 6.30–8.00 pm
Venue: NTUC Centre, One Marina Boulevard, Singapore
Speaker: Dr Shaun Sim, senior scientist, Singapore Institute
of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI), A*STAR
SIFST STUDENT SYMPOSIUM
On 19 Aug 2023, SIFST organised its annual Student Symposium,
with the purpose of enhancing academic exchange among food
science and technology students at Singapore’s tertiary educational
institutions. This event was held at the National University of
Singapore’s campus with a total of six finalists from: Singapore
Mr Richard Khaw presented highlights of SIFST for the past year
All participants, honourable judges and organiser of SIFST Student
Symposium
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

SIFST Annual Report 2023
Polytechnic, National University of Singapore and Singapore
Institute of Technology-Massey. SIFST was pleased to have
invited three honourable professional judges from the industry:
Dr Ong Mei Horng, Dr Yap Peng Kang and Ms Tan Ai Tsing.
The winner, Isaac Yeo from NUS, with the research title: “Cocoa
bean shell (CBS) Kombucha: An alternative to traditional Kombucha
brewed with tea”, was awarded with SG$300 cash prize.
technology field at the undergraduate level. This competition
aimed to recognise and support the intellectual achievement
of students, and to promote the value of teamwork in their
Institution of Higher Learning (IHL) groups. The event was held at
the Temasek Polytechnic campus, with a total of 12 teams (two
teams each from Singapore Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic,
Republic Polytechnic, Nanyang Polytechnic, National University of
Singapore, Singapore Institute of Technology-Massey University.
In addition, SIFST also presented a special Merit award with $150
cash prize to the team SP, Tan Rou-Fu, Lau Jae-Yee and Lim
Jun-Wei with the research title: "Application of Medium Chain
Triglycerides (MCTs) in plant-based meat development".
The winners emerged from the competition were:
Champion: NUS – Kenzie Tan, Nicole Wong, Marcus Ting
and Manfred Goh
1st Runner-up: NUS – Hon Keat Yong, Kathleen Yip, Lo Mei Hui
and Yi Zhang Lee
2nd Runner-up: TP – Sherrie T.,Linus Loke, Malaika Saad Janjua
and Bernice Lee
The champion team had represented Singapore to compete
in the 17th ASEAN Food Conference, ASEAN Food Quiz Bowl
competition in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia on 25 Oct 2023 and
once again, clinched gold medal in the regional competition.
Dr Yap Peng Kang presenting the award to winner Isaac Yeo
from NUS
SIFST QUIZ BOWL COMPETITION
On 6 Sep 2023, SIFST organised a Quiz Bowl competition, which
was a question-and-answer competition of knowledge and quick
recall. The questions covered topics in the food science and
UPCOMING EVENTS
SIFST 47th Council will be organising industry career talks and
learning journeys for corporate and student members to exchange
insights and increase awareness of the career opportunities
available within the food industry.
In addition, the members can look forward to interesting professional
talks on Nutri-Grade and urban agri-tech in Nov 2023 and
the first quarter of 2024.
The Council plans to hold the SIFST Food Product Awards 2024
in the first quarter of 2024. FBA
All the participating teams competing
in the Quiz Bowl
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

Annual Report 2023 SIFST
How food science can support
Singapore’s urban farming
By Dr Vinayak Ghate, lecturer, department of food science and technology,
National University of Singapore
Singapore’s food production ecosystem has undergone a significant change in the last
ten years. Traditionally, food production in Singapore has been dominated by aquaculture
and poultry farming. However, the last ten years have seen the advent of urban farming,
and as of today, there are over 200 registered farms in Singapore.

SIFST Annual Report 2023
Singapore’s urban farming ecosystem has its own set of challenges.
Land scarcity in Singapore and its high price have placed a strong
emphasis on productivity and efficiency. The high cost of production
has also translated into high prices of locally-grown produce,
leading to a risk of them going unsold on supermarket shelves.
Hence, there is a need to convert them into value-added products.
Food science and technology can help to overcome these challenges.
For example, increasing farming productivity requires innovative
approaches like direct seeding. The merits of these innovative
approaches need to be weighed against the effect that they have on
the nutritional composition of the grown produce. New approaches
must also be designed to ensure that locally grown produce stays
longer on the shelves, giving it a higher chance of being purchased by
the consumer. Novel food safety approaches can help in this regard.
In spite of these interventions, if the produce does go unsold, or if
the supply exceeds the demand, there ought to be food processing
methods that we can leverage to convert them into valuable products,
at scale. Food engineering can play a pivotal role in this endeavour.
In light of these needs, some of our recent projects under the
leadership of Prof Zhou Weibiao at the department of food science
and technology, NUS (NUS FST), have aimed at supporting solutions.
Farming usually takes place through a transplanting step, wherein
seedlings are first raised in nurseries before being transplanted into
growing trays or open fields (in the case of conventional farming).
This enables farmers to provide optimal conditions for seedling
growth, which may be different to the optimal conditions for plant
growth. It also allows them to select only those seedlings for the
next stage that are viable for further growth, ensuring economy
of effort. However, the transplanting step requires additional
labour, whose cost might outweigh the economic profits from
transplantation. This has prompted urban farmers to consider
direct seeding, wherein seedlings are directly transplanted into
the growing trays, thus bypassing the transplanting step.
While the economic benefits of direct seeding are obvious, it is
important to understand the impact that this improvisation might have
in the nutritional quality of the crops. This is because the mechanical
and moisture stress imparted by the transplanting step can induce
the production of metabolites as part of the plant’s stress response,
some of which include include nutrients such as polyphenols and
glucosinolates. To test this hypothesis, we profiled the nutritional
composition of three Asian brassicas: bok choy, choy sum and mao
bai, using transplanting and direct seeding. In these vegetables, we
estimated the vitamin C, carotenoids, glucosinolates and vitamin
K, along with their total antioxidant capacity. 1 Furthermore, we also
tested the effect of the transplanting step on two distinct stages of
maturity – the "baby" stage vs the mature stage. Our results showed
that direct seeding reduced the nutritional content of the vegetables,
but different nutrients were affected at each stage of maturity. At
the baby stage, the ascorbic acid content was reduced by 39-51%
and the vitamin K content by 21-30%; at the mature stage, the total
glucosinolate content decreased by 12-40%. These results can enable
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

Annual Report 2023 SIFST
Singapore’s urban farmers to better understand the impact that
such improvisations can have on the quality of their produce and
make a more wholistic decision on the merits of these innovations.
As the old adage goes, prevention is better than cure. It is thus highly
preferrable that the locally grown leafy greens be prevented from
spoiling. For this purpose, we have been developing the application of
visible light to extend the shelf-life of green leafy vegetables in retail
stores. Previously, our research has shown that illumination with
blue light emitting diodes can reduce pathogens on fresh-cut fruits
such as pineapples, which are sold on display shelves in food courts. 2
More recently, we have also demonstrated that blue light emitting
diodes hold promise in reducing spoilage incidence in tomatoes
and strawberries in warehouses. 3 Hence, we are now working on
integrating the technology into retail stores to extend the shelf-life of
high-value leafy green vegetables such as the locally grown ones.
At the same time, there are ongoing efforts to develop technologies
that can transform the leafy greens to value-added products
should they go unsold. These technologies include juicing, high
pressure processing (HPP) and mechanical abrasion. The demand
for vegetable juice has been increasing due to its high nutritional
properties. Hence, it is important that a juicing method which can
preserve these nutrients is selected. Conventional juicing, also
known as centrifugal juicing, has been increasingly challenged
by cold-press juicing due to the latter’s claim in producing more
nutritious juice, presumably due to its non-thermal properties.
We decided to verify this claim by comparing the nutritional
composition of conventionally pressed bok choy juice with coldpressed
bok choy juice. The results (yet to be published) showed
that cold pressing does not necessarily produce juice of a superior
nutritional quality, as is popularly believed. Hence, vegetable
growers and juice processors can make more informed decisions
while choosing a juicing method to value-add their products.
Similarly, we investigated the application of HPP as an alternative
to conventional thermal processing for producing vegetable
juice. A key factor that limits the shelf-life of vegetable juice is
the activity of enzymes such as polyphenol oxidases (PPO) and
peroxidases (POD). Inactivation of these enzymes requires a much
higher pressure or a longer pressure holding time compared to that
required for inactivating bacterial pathogens. However, increasing
the pressure or holding time risks degrading the other nutrients in
the vegetable juice, necessitating a trade-off. Our study aimed to
determine if using a longer holding time at the highest pressure
made a difference to the enzyme activity and if this trade-off was
desirable. Our results showed that even at the highest deployable
pressure commercially (600MPa), increasing the holding time to
20min (in comparison, bacteria require only 3-5min for reduction
to a “pasteurisation” level) decreased the PPO and POD activities
by about 15-30% only. 4 Moreover, this modest level of inactivation
did not translate to better retention of nutrients during storage.
Thus, we concluded that it may not be productive for growers or
juice processors employing HPP to adopt longer holding times.
To enhance the taste and shelf-life, vegetable juice manufacturers
typically add lime juice to the juice mixture. This acidification step,
which lowers the pH, also risks producing acid-adapted bacteria
in the juice, should the juice be contaminated. Acid-adapted
bacteria might also be more resistant to high pressure as response
to one stress often confers cross-resistance to other stresses. If
this is the case, methods that validate the performance of high
pressure pasteurisation ought to use acid-adapted strains as test
organisms. In one of our recent studies, published in Applied and
Environmental Microbiology, we showed that the acidification
step can indeed produce acid-adapted strains and that these
strains are harder to kill with HPP than conventional (non-acidadapted)
strains. 5 This informs interested growers, processors,
and regulators that to ensure the safety of the high-pressure
pasteurised vegetable juice, validation tests ought to employ acidadapted
strains and that the process parameters should be tuned
to ensure the inactivation of these strains, not conventional ones.
A key limitation to the shelf-stability of high-pressure pasteurised
juice is the presence of bacterial endospores, which survive
pasteurisation. Inactivation of these endospores can enable
growers and juice manufacturers to distribute the juice without
requiring a cold chain, and open more opportunities for export.
Hence, we have been developing pretreatments that can germinate
the spores before HPP and consequently sensitise them to HPP.
These include the addition of selected nutrients, the activation
of cortex lytic enzymes and mechanical abrasion. Some of these
methods have shown promise and with further research and
development, can act as complements to HPP in the future.
Food science and technology is a discipline that is downstream to
agriculture. However, by testing impactful and relevant hypotheses,
it can provide valuable feedback that can make urban farming
activities more profitable. FBA
REFERENCES
1
Koo A, Ghate V, Zhou W. Direct seeding compromised the vitamin C content of
baby vegetables and the glucosinolate content of mature vegetables in Asian leafy
brassicas. Food Chem. 2024;437(P2):137783. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.137783
2
Ghate V, Kumar A, Kim MJ, Bang WS, Zhou W, Yuk HG. Effect of 460 nm light emitting diode
illumination on survival of Salmonella spp. on fresh-cut pineapples at different irradiances
and temperatures. J Food Eng. 2017;196:130-138. doi:10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2016.10.013
3
Chong L, Ghate V, Zhou W, Yuk HG. Developing an LED preservation technology
to minimize strawberry quality deterioration during distribution. Food Chem.
2022;366(March 2021):130566. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.130566
4
Koo A, Chew DX, Ghate V, Zhou W. Residual polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase
activities in high pressure processed bok choy (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis)
juice did not accelerate nutrient degradation during storage. Innov Food Sci Emerg
Technol. 2023;84(October 2022):103284. doi:10.1016/j.ifset.2023.103284
5
Koo A, Ghate V, Zhou W. Acid adaptation increased the resistance of Escherichia
coli O157:H7 in bok choy (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) juice to high-pressure
processing. Appl Environ Microbiol. 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.00602-23.
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

SIFST Annual Report 2023
VEME flavour catalysts: VEgan
HeME ingredient for alternative
meat flavours
Generating meat-identical flavours from vegan ingredients is possible
and accessible, but the industry needs to rethink how vegan meat
flavours should be manufactured.
By Chia Jia Yang, research assistant, department of chemistry and flavour technologist, tHEMEat Company;
Max Tham Jing Rui, research fellow, department of chemistry and R&D head, tHEMEat Company
Despite plant-based meat reaching a market peak of US$1.4bn in
the US in 2020, the growth of its sales has since stagnated and
slowed since 2021. 1-2 According to consumer surveys done by SPINS
and Good Food Institute 2-3 , flavour and price remains as the top
barriers to adopting plant-based protein substitutes. Until alternative
proteins are able to match or surpass animal meats in these aspects,
the consumer adoption rates of alternative proteins will not grow
tremendously. A 2021 Applied Economic Perspective Policy article
revealed that customers were only willing to pay 44% less for a plantbased
burger than a beef equivalent. 4 This shows that customers prefer
and value animal proteins over plant-based ones, as they perceive
meat as being more premium. Therefore, for plant-based meats and
alternative proteins to gain higher consumer adoption rates, they
must uncompromisingly reach quality parities with animal meats
while remaining a magnitude more affordable than animal meats.
palatable meat flavours because they are unable to replicate
the chemical complexity of the meat flavour environment.
In order to accurately replicate the flavour profile of animal meats,
a paradigm shift in flavour generation methodology is needed.
Instead of relying on simplistic, single-mode chemical reactions
to generate limited “meaty” compounds and resulting in artificial
and unpalatable meat flavours, the industry should strive to
recreate and maximise all chemical reactions involved in the
generation of meat flavours through the use of edible catalysts.
HEME, THE MOLECULE BEHIND MEAT FLAVOURS
CURRENT VEGAN FLAVOURS CANNOT MEET MEAT
FLAVOUR COMPLEXITY
Unfortunately, alternative protein manufacturers today face challenges
in imparting meat-identical flavours to their products cost-effectively.
Options available to them come in the form of commercial meat
flavourings, and these products usually lack complexity, and are
expensive and difficult to retain in the final products. These flavourings
are either (a) flavours created by thermal processing or (b) chemical
reconstitutions of meat flavours. Both products are usually syntheticsmelling
and/or simplistic, and have to combined with other flavourings
and require costly optimisation efforts to produce a palatable flavour.
This lack of meat-identicalness is due to the flavours’ heavy
reliance on the Maillard reaction to produce a substantially
small set of flavour molecules. Other meat flavour generation
reactions due to the other natural occurring compounds in meat
are not harnessed. Consequently, these methods fail to recreate
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

Annual Report 2023 SIFST
Heme, found in haemoglobin and myoglobin in animals, is the
reason why animal meats taste better than plant-based equivalents
which lack this molecule. Heme acts as a flavour catalyst that
enables all the meat flavour generation reactions to occur,
resulting in high diversity and number of flavour molecules, and
translating into meat’s highly desirable flavour. It can reduce the
activation energy of many reactions, allowing for a much larger set
of flavour compounds to be formed during the heating process.
However, heme is typically extracted from animal sources or
produced using precision fermentation, and these sources have
their limitations of having animal origins, high costs, low efficiency
and may be unavailable to manufacturers due to pending
regulatory approval.
tHEMEat’s VEME is the market’s first vegan, non-GMO and
cost-effective heme manufactured from vegetable sources.
Similar to heme, our VEME flavour catalyst allows alternative
proteins to replicate the look, cook, smell and taste of animal
meats from vegan ingredients. Furthermore, our VEME is
produced in an efficient, rapid and environmentally sustainable
process, ensuring that VEME is more than 20 times cheaper
than precision fermentation heme. Finally, VEME’s ingredients
have already been approved by multiple international food
agencies (eg Europe, United States, Japan and Singapore), and
is immediately usable by customers. It is also possible to use
VEME to produce flavours that are similar to beef, pork or fish.
Fig 1: VEME ingredient enhances process flavours to create familiar,
complex meat flavours from plant sources
ENHANCING MEAT FLAVOUR PRODUCTION
Through scientific and sensorial testing, VEME’s ability to effortlessly
replicate meat-identical flavours has been demonstrated and
validated. Compared to existing process flavours which provide
simplistic aromas with few flavour molecules reminiscent of meat,
scientific data shows that the VEME flavour catalyst generates a
multitude and greater number of flavour molecules. In a plantbased
model system, VEME outperforms free iron and iron-absent
systems in generating meaty volatiles. VEME catalyses the formation
of more flavour molecules, adding to the complexity of the reaction
flavours (Fig 1). These key meat flavour molecules are similar to
those obtained during the cooking process of animal meats, giving
the plant-based product the flavour characteristic of meats.
Thus, VEME can allow alternative protein and flavour manufacturers
to bridge the flavour gap with animal meats, while minimising
cost and maximising margins due to its ease-of-use and high
affordability respectively.
Manufacturers can use VEME in their product to enhance and
increase these flavour molecules from existing plant-based
flavour precursors, giving a dynamic and complex meat-like
fragrance using purely plant-based ingredients (Fig 2).
Sensory test
Green = VEME TM
Red = Iron
Grey = No Iron
BBQ
Fig 2: VEME augments beefy notes
to plant-based model system.
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

SIFST Annual Report 2023
formulations. VEME interacts with plant-based precursors to generate
familiar meat flavours, and the formulation of these precursors can
be tweaked to promote formation of different species of animal meat
as desired. tHEMEat has broken the code to produce various dynamic
species-specific flavours, such as beef (Fig 3), pork, poultry and fish.
Fig 3: VEME minced beef, a product made by infusing soy texturised
vegetable protein with VEME beef-flavoured solution (Photo: DBS
Foundation)
tHEMEat’s sensory test* also found that panellists rated the VEME
flavour catalyst as producing the beefiest scent in a plant-based model
system (Fig 2), as compared to free iron or no added iron. In a plantbased
system without the addition of iron, the flavour lacks complexity
and characteristics that are reminiscent of beef. Therefore, consumers
are unwilling to switch over to meatless substitutes as they do not
yield the same levels of satisfaction. tHEMEat’s VEME flavour catalysts
can enhance the flavours of existing plant-based or other alternative
proteins, adding complexities and identifiable species-specific flavours.
Unlike traditional meat flavourings, application of VEME into alternative
proteins is versatile, and can be incorporated into existing process
flavours as catalyst to improve the aroma and taste profile of flavour
A MEAT-LIKE EXPERIENCE DURING COOKING AND
CONSUMPTION
Besides enhancing the meaty flavours of alternative proteins, VEME
also confers a range of other benefits. Visual cues when consuming
meats also affects consumer satisfaction. Like heme in animal
meats, VEME contributes to the red colours of the alternative protein
products and transitions to brown when heated. This provides
consumers with a comprehensive cooking and dining experience.
Furthermore, VEME is a highly bioavailable form of iron that is
often lacking in plant-based diets. Manufacturers may rely on
free iron to boost the iron content of alternative proteins, yet the
bioavailability of iron in this format is low and not easily absorbed
into the body. VEME is preferably taken up in the gut through
specific receptors. 5 This is especially important for vegans and
vegetarians who do not obtain sufficient iron from their diets.
By incorporating VEME into their alternative protein products
and flavours, manufacturers are assured a low-cost, vegan
and non-GMO product that is delicious and affordable, thus
satisfying their customers’ palate and wallets. This novel
food technology will support manufacturers in making their
products desirable and competitive – not just in the plantbased
sector, but in the meat protein industry as well. FBA
Fig 4: VEME recreates the sensory attributes of animal meats, with colour determining the “doneness” of the alternative protein
REFERENCES
1
Formanski, K. (2021). State of the Industry Report: Plant-based meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy;
The Good Food Institute, 2022.
2
Ignaszewski, E., & Pierce, B. (2023). Retail sales data: Plant-based meat, eggs, dairy: GFI.
The Good Food Institute. https://gfi.org/marketresearch/
3
Gaan, K. (2020). State of the Industry Report: Plant-Based Meat, Eggs, and Diary; The Good Food
Institute, 2021.
4
Caputo, V.; Sogari, G.; Van Loo, E. J. (2022). Do plant-based and blend meat alternatives taste
like meat? A combined sensory and choice experiment study. Applied Economic Perspectives
and Policy 45 (1), 86-105. DOI: 10.1002/aepp.13247.
5
Hooda, J.; Shah, A.; Zhang, L. (2014). Heme, an essential nutrient from dietary proteins,
critically impacts diverse physiological and pathological processes. Nutrients 2014, 6 (3), 1080-
1102. DOI: 10.3390/nu6031080.
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

Annual Report 2023 SIFST
SIFST Members in 2023
HONORARY FELLOWS
Emeritus Prof Ang How Ghee
Dr Ngiam Tong Tau
FELLOWS
Mr Chou Kai Chih
Assoc Prof Karunanithy Ramasamy
Mr Lodge, Norman
Dr Perera, Anne
Dr Chua Sin Bin
Dr Lien Wen Sze
Mr Lim Chee Kian
Mr Lim Kay Kong
Mrs Ong Kim Lian
Dr Pho-Tan Lay Koon
Mrs Tan Ek Ek, Irene
Ms Tan Tiat Siang, Connie
Mr Wong Mong Hong
Mr Yap Giau Cheng, Eugene
Mr Yeow Kian Peng
Mr Yeoh Guan Huah
Prof Zhou Weibiao
CORPORATE MEMBERS (21)
Abbott Laboratories (S) Pte Ltd
ALS Technichem (S) Pte Ltd
Borregaard SEA Pte Ltd
Chop Hup Chong Food Industries Pte Ltd
Cargill Asia Pacific Holdings Pte Ltd
CP Kelco Singapore Pte Ltd
Delfi Ltd
F&N Global Marketing
FrieslandCampina Development Center
Futura Ingredients Singapore Pte Ltd
Gourmet Food Safety Consultancy
Huber's Pte Ltd
Ingredion Singapore Pte Ltd
Kikkoman (S) Pte Ltd
Mondelez International AMEA PTE LTD
Nestle R&D Center Pte Ltd
NTUC Fairprice Co-operative Ltd
Prima Limited
Synergy Asia Training & Consulting Pte Ltd
The V Pte Ltd
US Dairy Export Council
LICENTIATE MEMBERS (104)
Ms Aisyah Shakira Binte Abdul Jalil
Ms Calista Foo Jun Yi
Ms Calistal Ang Si Min
Ms Christine Chan
Ms Chan Mei Hui Jenny
Ms Chan Wan Ting
Ms Chong Sin Yee
Mr Choo Zhi Wei
Mr Chow Jun Yan Eldrid
Ms Chua Jia Hui
Ms Chua Xinying
Ms Chung Hui Yu Audrey
Ms Dayna Ong Shu Min
Ms Elaine Yeow Yee Ling
Ms Elysia Sutislio
Mr Ernest Koh
Ms Eunice Lee Meei Huey
Ms Evelyn Lau
Ms Felicia Liow Ker Ching
Ms Goh Ai Ting
Ms Goh Pei Xuan
Ms Goh Siew Yen Evelyn
Ms Goh Xue Zhen Audrey
Ms Goh Yi Qian
Ms Ho Shu Qi
Ms Katrina Chng
Ms Kee Mandy
Ms Koh Huann Rong
Ms Koh Yee Chin
Ms Kok Chui Lin
Ms Kwah Yan Sin
Ms Lai Fang Yin
Ms Lai Howe Ling Daisy
Mrs Lai Jia Chee
Ms Lee Pei Xuan
Ms Lee Seu Lan
Ms Liew Samantha
Mr Lim Chai
Ms Lim Hui Pheng
Ms Lim Pei Jun
Ms Lim Shi Yi
Mr Lim Siang Wee
Ms Lim Wan Ting
Ms Lim Yu Mei Joanne
Ms Lim Yu Zhen Bellarie
Ms Lin Hui Fang Vivian
Mr Lin Weixiang Willis
Ms Lin Yan Ting Elaine
Ms Loh Hui Lin
Mr Low Poh Seng Gaven
Mr Lua Swee Song Maurice
Ms Maja Vukmirovic
Ms Mcferson Maureen Hadden
Ms Miranda Maru Angeli Calinisan
Ms Nah Jin Nim Adelyn
Ms Ng Hui Ling
Ms Nur Filzah Nadiah
Ms Nur Syahirah Binte Amirruddin
Ms Nurenilda Faraedayu Mokhtar
Ms Nurul Ayu Nafisah Binte Hussain
Ms Ong Cai Fen Esther
Ms Ong Shu Min Joan
Mr Poh Kai Keng
Ms Poh Shih Yin
Ms Quek Si Yi
Ms Qurratu Ain Bte Mohd Fadzil
Ms Radyiatul Mardyiah Binte Othman
Ms Salwah Bte Abdul Rashid
Ms Sarah Chia Jia Ning
Ms Seah Xin Hui
Ms Sim Hui Yu
Ms Sin Si Min
Ms Siti Aishah Bte Ismail
Mr Soh Chin Yi
Ms Soh Jin Chen
Ms Soh Jun Ru
Mr Tan Ban Yang Alvin
Ms Tan Bi Xue
Ms Tan Kai Chin
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

SIFST Annual Report 2023
Ms Tan Peh Ling
Ms Tan Shi Ying
Ms Tan Su Shan
Ms Tan Xiao Ping
Ms Tan Yue Ting
Ms Tan Zi Hao Crystal
Mr Tay Siang Hong
Ms Tay Xin Ying Mandy
Mr Teng Bryan
Ms Teo Wan Ling
Ms Then Chew Siew Gertrude
Mrs Tio Fang Kee
Ms Toh Chin Hwee, Iris
Ms Toh Kai Ning Clarine
Ms Tong Xiuying Jean
Ms Wang Yi Jin
Ms Wong Yun Xiao
Ms Wu Manchao
Mr Yap Jie Sen
Ms Yau Wen Lee
Mr Yeo Bin Hui
Ms Yeo Hui Jun
Ms Yeo Poh Cher
Ms Yeo Sze Min
Mr Yeon Liang Jun
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS (187)
Dr Aaron SM Goh
Ms Alessandra Macri
Dr Anh Linh Nguyen
Dr Asma Ashraf Khan
Ms Audrey Pai
Mr Aw Cheng Soon Samuel
Ms Bailyne Sim
Mr Chan Cheng Num
Mr Chan Joy Seng
Ms Chan Yong Jiet
Ms Chan Yuen Mun Carmen
Ms Chek Yvette
Prof Chen Wei Ning, William
Ms Cheng Shiwan
Mr Chew Keng Guan
Mr Chia Han Yong, Daniel
Ms Chia Say Yen Joanne
Ms Chloe Chan
Dr Cho Kian Sai
Ms Choa Wai Boey Eunice
Mr Choo Chong Kwong Frank
Ms Chong Jessica
Dr Chow Pei Yong, Edwin
Mr Chu Sin-I
Ms Chua Wei Ting
Ms Chuah Ai Mey
Mr Chuang Fook Koon
Ms Clarisa Sibulo
Mr Cyrus Yeong
Dr Jorry Dharmawan
Dr Diono H. Beatrice
Dr Du Juan
Mr Eddie Koh
Mrs Erh-Ho Guek Keow Cynthia
Ms Esther Gusti
Dr Eunice H Pang
Dr Gabrielle Lee Wah Koh
Dr Gan Heng Hui
Mrs Goh Gui Xin
Ms Goh Hwee Kwang Chris
Dr Geetha Bansai
Prof Goh Kelvin
Ms Goh Linda
Ms Grace Choo
Ms Grace Yip
Ms Gwee Choon Nghee
Mr Hemang Dholakia
Dr Heng Kiang Soon
Prof Henry Jeyakumar
Mr Huan Chee Meng
Prof Huang Dejian
Dr Ikasari Lilik
Dr Izabela Gladkowska Balewicz
Mr Justin Li
Dr Kalpana Bhaskaran
Dr Kambiz Shamsi
Ms Kang Cecilia
Ms Kaur Ravinder
Ms Ker Seok Luan Luana
Mr Khaw Min Cheh Richard
Mr Kiran Paithankar
Mr Koay Feng Ling Gregory
Mr Koh Boon Liang
Mr Koh Kok Ping Matthew
Ms Kong Siew Peng Sharon
Ms Kuah Lay Hong Evelyn
Mrs Ku-Chong Lee Fong
Mrs Kwa Biauw Ling
Dr Kwok Kian Sze
Mr Lam Nen Ying Ken
Ms Lau Kum Yee
Ms Lea Fe Tejado Bandiola
Ms Lee Chior Tee
Ms Lee Chooi Lan
Ms Lee Hui Cheng
Dr Lee Huei Hong
Dr Lee Joo Won
Ms Lee Lay Ping Wendy
Ms Lee Lay See
Mr Lee Liat Sneah
Dr Lee Ming Kei Kenneth
Ms Lee Soo Min Evelyn
Ms Lee Wei Ru
Ms Lee Yen Yen
Ms Lee Yoke Ching
Dr Lee Yuan Kun
Dr Leong Lai Peng
Dr Leong Woon Ying Jasmine
Dr Lim Allan
Dr Lim Bee Gim
Dr Lim Kaiyang
Ms Lim Kim Lian Petrina
Ms Lim Ji Min, Alishia
Mr Lim Ren Hann
Ms Lim Seok Bee
Ms Lim Su Ping
Dr Lim Wen Sheng
Mr Lim Ye Sen
Mrs Lim-Tan Siok Min
Ms Lin Zhiyin
Dr Liu Meihui
Assoc Prof Liu Shao Quan
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

Annual Report 2023 SIFST
Dr Liu YeTing
Ms Loh Pei Li Lynette
Dr Loke Wai Mun
Dr Loo Eng Kiat Alvin
Mr Low Kai Fong Lawrence
Dr Low Mei Yin
Mr Low Teng Yong
Mr Lwe Kai Wen
Ms Melissa Angeline Setiawan
Dr Molamma Prabhakaran
Ms Mu Huey Shyan, Giselle
Ms Neo Geok Tin
Ms Ng Ann Go Cheryl
Dr Ng Cher Siang
Mr Ng Kok Keong Alex
Mr Ng Kuak Ping
Mr Ng Sek Yeo
Mr Ngan Theng Meng, Raymond
Dr Ong Mei Horng
Ms Ong Xin Yi, Evelyn
Dr Oni Yuliarti
Mr Pankaj Sharma
Dr Patane Michael
Mdm Phang Choon Seng Helen
Mr Phay Tat Guan Sam
Ms Priyaporn Choonde
Ms Quek Seow Chiang Linda
Prof Richard Archer
Ms Romina Sarah Formanes
Mr Roni Wiguna
Mr Sagar Kedare
Mr Saiful Fazulul Haq
Ms Seah Lay Hoon Catherine
Dr Serene Choo
Ms Shyamala Raja Segar
Ms Sim Theng Theng
Dr Simon Loveday
Mr Sin Fook Choy Paul
Mr Sinhala Peli Batubadde Gedara
Kosala Chaminda Ranasinghe
Prof Scarlet Lee
Ms Sng Yam Hui, Jenny
Mr Subheesh Kandar Veettil
Ms Sze Wee Ping
Ms Tai Mee Yin
Mr Tan Ah Bah Albert
Ms Tan Ai Tsing
Mr Tan Boon Hwa Jasper
Mrs Tan Chong Min
Mr Tan Keng Beng
Mr Tan Sen Min
Ms Tan Siew Yan
Ms Tan Yan Ling
Dr Tay Hong Soon Ryan
Mr Tay Li Wen Wesley
Mr Tay Seng Kiong
Mrs Tay- Keh Siong Yeh
Mrs Tay-Chan Su Chin
Dr Teh Hui Ean
Mr Teh Wei Han Nigel
Ms Teng Yee Meau
Ms Teo Siew Guat Margaret
Mr Teoh Chin Chye
Mr Tham Keng Leong
Mr Tham Whye Pin Allen
Mr Ting Heng Luan
Ms Toh Hui Kheng
Mr Tan Jia Xiang Valentino
Ms Vanessa Lee
Ms Verleen Goh
Mr Vikash Raj
Dr Wang Rong Mabel
Mr Wong Chiang Siang
Mr Wong Jie Long Jerome
Dr Wong Sheng Siung
Mr Wong Siew Fai
Mr Wong Weng Wai
Mr Wong Yow Fook Jack
Mrs Wong-Chan Mei Hong Jeanette
Ms Xu Xing Lian
Mrs Yashna Harjani
Mr Yau Hean Tong Victor
Mr Yeoh Phiak Hong
Ms Zhang Yu
Dr Zhao Junyu, Matthew
Prof Zhou Weibiao
STUDENT MEMBERS (46)
Alpha Ho
Ang Charlotte
Arundhathi Sobha Narayanan
Audrey Chua
Ban Xin Yan
Chai Jolene
Chang Wen Kai
Chay Angelyn
Chen Qimin
Chian Huey
Chng Lie
Chu Crystal
Chu Hui Ting
Daniel LiePutra Santoso
Don Lee
Han Nguyen
Jolene Ong
Kai Yi
Koh Rui Wen
Koh Xin Ying, Bernice
Lam Yan Yu
Lee Faith
Lee Winnie
Lee Yi En, Jayne
Leo Hui Yuan
Leong Jasmine
Lim Jing Mun
Lim Jun Kai, Renfred
Liu Jun Jie, Sean
Liu Yang
Liu Yi
Liu Yinying
Loh Wan Fang Evelyn
Loh Wen Wei
Manfred Ku
Ng Xin Tong
Poornima Vijayan
Renee Toh
Rohaizad Khairah
Serphine Lau
Ting Marcus
Wan Sing Yun
Wong Mun Rui Serena
Yao Yueying
Yeo Isaac
Zhang Shanbo
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

2024 EVENTS
JANUARY
24 – 26
IC & Sensor Packaging Expo
Tokyo Big Sight
Tokyo, Japan
31/1 – 3/2
Food Pack Asia
Bangkok International Trade &
Exhibition Centre
Bangkok, Thailand
FEBRUARY
7 – 9
Fruit Logistica
Berlin Messe
Berlin, Germany
13 – 15
Vitafoods India
Jio World Convention Centre
Mumbai, India
13 – 16
BIOFACH
Nürnbergmesse
Nuremberg, Germany
MARCH
4 – 6
PACKINNO
China Import and Export Fair Complex
Guangzhou, China
6 - 8
China International Beverage Industry
Exhibition on Science and Technology
Shanghai New International Expo Centre
Shanghai, China
6 - 8
THAIFEX - HOREC Asia
IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Centre
Bangkok, Thailand
18 – 21
Alimentaria
Gran Via Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain
19 – 22
Anuga FoodTec
Koelnmesse
Cologne, Germany
21 – 22
Future Food-Tech
San Francisco, USA
APRIL
9 – 12
5th Global Food Security Conference
Leuven, Belgium
10 – 12
ISM Japan
Tokyo, Japan
23 – 26
FHA-Food & Beverage Asia
Singapore Expo
Singapore
23 – 26
KOREA PACK
Korea International Exhibition Centre
Seoul, South Korea
MAY
8 – 11
Food + Beverage Indonesia
Jakarta International Expo
Jakarta, Indonesia
15 – 17
NHNE: China International Natural Health
& Nutrition Expo
National Exhibition & Convention Centre
Shanghai, China
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

29 – 31
ILDEX Vietnam
Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
JUNE
4 – 7
FOOMA Japan
Tokyo Big Sight
Tokyo, Japan
12 – 15
ProPak Asia
Bangkok International Trade &
Exhibition Centre
Bangkok, Thailand
19 – 21
Hi & Fi Asia China
National Exhibition and Convention Centre
Shanghai, China
26 – 29
FOOD TAIPEI
Taipei Nangang Exhibition Centre
Taipei, Taiwan
JULY
10 – 12
Cold Chain Exhibition
Bangkok International Trade &
Exhibition Centre
Bangkok, Thailand
17 – 19
Malaysia International Food & Beverage
Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
AUGUST
1 – 2
Asia Palm Oil Conference
Co-op Exhibition Centre
Suratthani, Thailand
7 - 10
International Printing, Paper, Packaging
Machinery Exhibition
Malaysia International Trade &
Exhibition Centre
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
SEPTEMBER
4 – 5
Asia-Pacific Sustainable Food Summit
Singapore
4 – 6
Fi Asia Indonesia
Jakarta International Expo
Jakarta, Indonesia
4 – 6
ProPak Indonesia
Jakarta International Expo
Jakarta, Indonesia
OCTOBER
9 – 11
Fi Vietnam
Saigon Exhibition & Convention Centre
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
19 – 23
SIAL Paris
Paris Nord Villepinte
Paris, France
24 – 27
Kaohsiung Food Show
Kaohshiung Exhibition Centre
Kaohshiung, Taiwan
NOVEMBER
20 – 23
Drinktech Indonesia
Jakarta International Expo
Jakarta, Indonesia
20 – 23
Plaspak Indonesia
Jakarta International Expo
Jakarta, Indonesia
DECEMBER
To be announced
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

68
ADVERTISERS’ INDEX
COMPANY
PAGE
Andritz 13
CBST 2024
IFC
Flexicon
OBC
ABOUT US
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Food Ingredients China 1
Heat & Control
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NOT JUST AN EDUCATIONAL JOURNAL
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igus 5
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FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

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*See complete Guarantee for details.
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