Ingredients never to be
Ingredients never to be thought of again,” said Bryan Hitchcock, chief science and technology officer at IFT. “However, these by-products have other potential uses in industries or applications, such as packaging, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.” In addition to upcycled ingredients, advancements in precision fermentation and biomanufacturing, were presented by many ingredient suppliers. These innovative products are adding value across the food supply and serving as the next generation of protein solutions and sustainable ingredients. “Functional foods are exploding, and the pace of change is accelerating due to tumultuous times and shifting consumer habits and a global climate crisis,” said Hitchcock. “Despite these challenges, there are many opportunities to tap into these evolving trends via novel tech and create inspiring food product development solutions and innovate in a time of crisis.” Anna Rosales, senior director of government affairs and nutrition at IFT, added, “Increasingly, consumers are prioritizing the health of the planet in their purchasing decisions. With consumers wanting more sustainable, planet-friendly solutions or all-natural ingredient innovations, plant-based alternatives and proactive health-and-wellness trends will continue to impact new product development.” Start-ups Pitch Products More than a dozens of startups participated in a pitch competition at IFT FIRST, with Helaina, a New York-based biotechnology company producing breast milk proteins, winning the ,000 grand prize. The company has developed human lactoferrin, a bioactive compound that “regulates iron levels, improves nutrient absorption and improves cognitive health,” said Paola Delgado, chief operating officer. The pitch event was presented in partnership with Seeding the Future Foundation, an organization committed to Muffin_©BENEO source BENEO advancing access to safe, nutritious and affordable food. “The only comparable ingredient in the market is bovine lactoferrin, that trades for up to ,500 per kilogram,” she said. “It is supply constrained and incredibly wasteful, taking 2,000 liters of milk to make 1 kilogram of lactoferrin. But the opportunity is huge. Its market has doubled in size in the past five years. We are here to take over and to expand this market with a more efficacious and costeffective ingredient.” Helaina is targeting sports nutrition and prenatal nutrition markets initially, with plans to expand into elderly nutrition and infant formula applications. The company, which has raised more than million in funding to date, is performing pre-clinical and clinical studies to achieve regulatory approval for the ingredient. “Our proprietary precision fermentation platform is able to make human bioactive ingredients at a fraction of the cost,” said Delgado. “This is the future of food as medicine. This is functional ingredients 2.0.” SnapDNA, Broomfield, Colorado, and unClassic Foods, San Francisco, California, were each awarded ,500 as the runners-up in the competition. SnapDNA aims to revolutionize the food testing process by reducing the time needed to test for food pathogens, spoilage agents and allergens. Through its on-site analysis technology, SnapDNA can reduce the traditional pathogen test timeline of three to seven days to less than one hour, reducing storage costs for food companies and ensuring food safety for consumers. The second runner-up, unClassic Foods, uses oyster mushrooms to create a plant-based meat substitute. From the Expo Floor The exhibit floor featured more than 800 companies offering the latest in food science intelligence, accompanied by non-stop food tastings. There were also numerous presentations on the expo floor discussing trends, ingredients and applied science. Kemin Industries, Des Moines, Iowa, launched its new fat-block topical solution for the commercial production of battered and fried foods. The clean-label functional protein acts as a micro-barrier, enabling less waste in processing and improving batter adhesion for a crispier, more enticing bite. “It’s a game changer for the industry,” said Courtney Schwartz, marketing 16 food Marketing & Technology • August 2023
Ingredients director. “Depending on the application, the protein can reduce oil uptake by 25% to 30%, while providing moisture retention and increased yield, all with a potential to reduce cost-in-use.” Pea-based ingredient manufacturer Cosucra highlighted that it is investing 0 million into a seven-year project designed to reduce the overall carbon footprint by 50% by 2030 across its pea protein, fiber, starch and chicory root fiber operations. Cosucra will work with yellow pea farmers in Belgium and France to improve carbon retention in the soil. No fertilizer is needed in pea crops, which add nitrogen into the soil. Chicory root may be grown through no-till farming practices. Cosucra plans to recycle residuals from the byproducts from its pea and chicory root plants crops and then upcycle the material into biogas, which then will be transformed into renewable electricity to minimize its usage of steam. This energy transformation will increase its energy independence in Europe and contribute to achieving its corporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) objective of 50% reduction in carbon footprint by 2030. To showcase the functionality of its chicory root fiber, the company sampled a 30% sugar-reduced sandwich biscuit cookie and a ketofriendly wheat bread that had 11 grams of carbohydrates, including 8 grams of dietary fiber. There was also a plant-based butter spread containing pea protein, which provided emulsifying properties. Mannheim, Germany-based Beneo launched a whole grain barley flour with 20% beta-glucans, which are viscous and soluble dietary fibers that make food thicker and delay its passage through the large and small intestines. Beta-glucans from barley contribute to blood sugar management and cardiovascular health. Applications include baked foods, pasta, cereal and meal replacements. “This whole grain and clean label barley flour strengthens Beneo’s expertise as a leading provider of functional fibers,” said Jon Peters, sales director, Americas. “It is an economically attractive solution that supports food manufacturers in developing tasty and appealing products with added value in times of tighter consumer budgets.” BioVeritas LLC, Bryan, Texas, introduced a clean-label mold inhibitor that is a cultured vegetable oil extract. It is made through a proprietary upcycling process and replaces calcium propionate in baked foods applications with no substantial differences in texture Solutions for Gluten-free Bakery Products VITACEL ® Dietary Fibers Gluten-free and fiber enriched VISIT US 22.-26.10.2023 Key No. 105336 JRS food FOOD Marketing INGREDIENTS & Technology • August 2023 17 J. RETTENMAIER & SÖHNE GMBH + CO KG Holzmühle 1 I 73494 Rosenberg (Germany) I T. +49 7967 152-332 I food@jrs.de www.jrsfood.net
