With its VITATEX® brand, GoodMills Innovation has introduced new texturates made from wheat, soy and peas. Ideal for the production of fish alternatives such as tuna substitutes and vegan versions of fish fingers, pan- or deep-fried fish, versatile popular meat applications can also be reproduced in a true-to-the-original format.
Swiss company FILTROX AG develops and produces layered filters of various shapes and sizes for use in food production as well as in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
Euromed presented its newly launched products made from functional Mediterranean fruit and vegetable extracts at this year’s Vitafoods Europe event. The range now also includes lemon extracts, all of which are sustainably sourced and gently processed with Pure-Hydro Process™ water-only extraction technology.
Manchester-based Stream Sensing, a spin-out of Industrial Tomography Systems (ITS) – a world leader in tomography-based analytical process instrumentation – has launched a unique technology that enables automated, in-line rheology measurement for fluid process optimisation. Suitable for complex fluids, the Stream Line Rheometer and accompanying software will help improve process efficiency in the personal care, […]
When developing and launching new products, speed is a critical factor. However, sensitive ingredients and solvent-based processes often present manufacturers with technological challenges. In process expert and plant manufacturer Glatt’s upgraded technology centre, support from initial idea and scale-up to industrial production is readily available.
At the company’s Technology Centre in Weimar, Glatt operates a unique fluid bed system that processes solvent-based products in a vacuum or using nitrogen as the process gas. As such, demand is high for scale-up tests, product sample production or short-term contract manufacturing services until the client’s own production plant has been commissioned.
However, a new fluid bed granulator and coater for innovative solvent-based processes has recently become available. The batch-mode apparatus is ideal for small and medium campaigns that include frequent cleaning cycles. Special explosion protection measures, a 12 bar pressure shock-resistant design and a scrubber to separate the solvents ensure a high level of safety for both employees and the environment. The superior hygienic conditions also allow the production of Kosher and Halal food products. Not only does the facility’s production capacity now reach into the three-digit tonne range, a new laboratory also allows feasibility tests on fluidised bed and spouted bed systems to be done under GMP conditions.
Customers benefit from optimal conditions when it comes to optimising product properties. These include better bioavailability, flowability and the absence of dust, improved solubility, tabletable agglomerates, pellet formulations with functional coatings, controlled release spraying of active ingredients, extracts with solvents, drying of solvent-based products and the microencapsulation of volatile and sensitive substances.
Products requiring improved bioavailability are emulsified and coated in a liquid phase by micro- or nano-encapsulation. However, granules or pellets that are dust-free, easily compressible and have a longer storage life are preferred when formulating final products. Spray granulation in the fluidised bed for drying and granulate formation in one step is the first choice for this. In addition to the capacity expansion, the existing plant can also now accommodate continuous spray granulation processes.
Filtrox AG has redesigned their recycling shredder to make it more efficient and to fit into confined spaces.
Filtrox, a globally operating company based in the Swiss town of St. Gallen, develops and produces layered filters of various shapes and sizes for use in food production as well as in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Offcuts produced during the cutting process were previously shredded using two machines and then transported away via chutes to either side of the shredding plants, both of which had two containers for this purpose. However, this solution required an enormous amount of space, which considerably impeded the work processes.
The company therefore sought an alternative option and found what it was looking for at Erdwich Zerkleinerungs-Systeme GmbH: The company from Igling in Bavaria adapted a model for cardboard shredding to the confined conditions on site in such a way that the two newly installed plants require less space overall and the volume of filter material residues is now reduced by more than 90 per cent. In this way, emptying of the directly connected collection container is also less frequent.
Filter layers perform complex tasks in the chemical, food and life science industries by removing a wide variety of particles from liquids, depending on the purpose for which they are used. For example, they ensure that the cork taste disappears from wine and turbidity from beer and are used to purify extracts or fermentation broths that are subsequently processed in the flavouring industry or for pharmaceutical purposes.
“To achieve this effect, the filter layers used for depth filtration consist of a cellulose or polymer fibre matrix,” explains Dennis Haag, Head of Engineering and Maintenance, at Filtrox. “The matrix is enriched with mineral filter aids and bonded together via a resin binder.”
Although the material thickness of the filter layers is only between 3.2 and 4.6 mm on average, the efficient shredding of the materials is a challenge. “Since the filter layers consist of a very dense, fibrous material, it is essential to take this into account when designing the plant,” reports Harald Erdwich, Managing Director of Erdwich Zerkleinerungs-Systeme. “Otherwise, the filter layers may not be drawn in properly by the knives with the result that the machine may consequently work inefficiently.” Another problem was the lack of space in Filtrox’s production hall. The new plants, which were to replace the two machines previously used, therefore required a particularly compact design so that the work processes would be inhibited as little as possible. This applies, for example, to the collection containers, which have to be removed regularly and replaced by empty containers.
After material tests in their in-house Technical Centre and evaluation of the space conditions, the Erdwich experts decided to modify the FKZ fine cardboard shredder for use at Filtrox. While the previous FKZ1300 and FKZ1600 models are relatively large with cutting unit sizes of 1,278 and 1,616 mm respectively, a much smaller version had to be developed for filter layer shredding. Due to the limited space available, the two FKZ200s used at Filtrox have a very small cutting unit with a width of approximately 200 mm and specially adapted hoppers, as well as a low drive power of 2.2 kW each. The filter trimmings, fed directly from the processing machine, have a width of between 10 and 50 mm, depending on the product. Thus, a throughput of about 140 kg/h can be achieved per shredding plant.
“Another reason for the high throughput is the knife system,” explains Erdwich. “Ordinary knives are often not able to grip some materials properly, so that manual help, for example with a manual feed press, is required. This problem does not occur with the ripper blades, because they have a better grip on the material and thus achieve a more efficient feed behaviour.”
The integrated comb ensures that the material does not wrap around the cutting rotor and can be shredded without problems. In the subsequent shredding process, the filter layers are not so much cut as torn apart, which happens regardless of the material: The blade insertion sequence does not have to be adapted for different types of filter layer, but works equally well for all types.
After the material has been shredded to a size of about 20 x 50 mm, it is transported by a screw conveyor with a drive power of 1.1 kW into a collecting container with a capacity of about 1000 litres. The entire shredding and collection process takes place in a very confined space. The compact design not only facilitates exchanging the containers, but also makes the machine very easy to maintain, for example, by allowing easy cleaning of the built-in sieve.
Filtrox now also saves space through the shredding process itself. This is because it was possible to reduce the volume of the filter layers by approximately 97 percent by commissioning the new plants. This means that the collection container has to be emptied less often, saving valuable working time. The shredded material is then processed further.
Bergamot from Calabria, Italy
Synergy Flavours has drawn on the 130-year heritage of its Italian business to develop a new Italian Provenance citrus range, which taps into consumer demand for premiumisation and increased product transparency. The extracts, developed using traditional extraction techniques to produce distillates, infusions and washes, include Calabrian lemon, Italian blood orange, Italian bergamot, Sicilian blonde orange, Sicilian mandarin, Sicilian lemon and Ligurian / Sicilian chinotto.
The new extracts deliver signature flavours to products from beverages, to baked goods and dairy products. Customers can add a sweet and juicy taste to their products with Sicilian blonde orange, or a complex sweet and sour note with Sicilian mandarin. For a distinct fresh, zesty aroma with a bitter and pungent profile, they can consider Italian bergamot, which is particularly suited to tea (Earl Grey), juices and alcoholic beverage applications.
Giorgio Ferluga, technical manager, Synergy Flavours Italy, commented: “Italy is world-renowned for citrus and particularly lemon, which has been cultivated here for over 1,000 years. Processing the highest quality fruits directly from nature in a sustainable way enables us to deliver natural and authentic citrus profiles that meet the specific application requirements of our customers. Our contracts and agreements with domestic suppliers in Italian growing regions guarantee reliable and efficient supply. Alongside this, our rich heritage and citrus know-how means we can help provide new inspiration to our customers so that they can excite consumers’ taste buds.”
Synergy has decades of experience in developing citrus profiles using a range of extraction methods and using different techniques to create natural flavours. This expertise has culminated in Synergy’s new global Citrusology programme, which includes a series of educational webinars, that help food and beverage manufacturers to explore the nuances of flavour across regions and citrus varieties. The goal of this programme is to help customers find their path to provenance, whether that be through a natural flavour which delivers a signature tone and is reminiscent in profile to the provenance material, or by enabling provenance declarations through named source ingredients, such as the new Italian extracts.
Vicky Berry, European Business Development Manager, Synergy Flavours, commented: “While provenance is a growing trend for consumers, manufacturers have many choices and considerations when it comes to creating a provenance-inspired citrus product. In some markets and for some consumers, using named source materials is the preference, however, there are regulations and supply considerations to be taken into account. There is no ‘one size fits all’ and a whole world of possibilities exist when innovating with citrus. We work collaboratively with every customer to help them to take their citrus products to a new level.”
International Molasses, a leading supplier of molasses and natural sweeteners, has introduced CaneRite™ Panela, an all-natural, free-flowing powder sweetener made from the freshly squeezed juice of the entire sugar cane plant. Unlike conventional “raw sugar” products, CaneRite Panela is unrefined and non-centrifuged, so that it authentically and comprehensively retains all the cane plant’s original flavor and nutritional benefits.
Characterized by mellow notes of toffee and caramel, CaneRite Panela’s flavor profile delivers a satisfying, “sweet but not too sweet” taste. Its nutritional profile is equally impressive: by keeping all nutrients inherent to the whole cane plant – including magnesium phosphorus, potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, and zinc – CaneRite Panela has five times the vitamins and minerals of raw sugar. The product is also is rich in antioxidants.
Panela is a traditional staple in Latin America and many other parts of the world. Its ability to harness the
wholesomeness of cane juice has been generally ignored by food manufacturers in the United States; with CaneRite Panela, International Molasses is making the core ingredient available to North American food manufacturers in a form that is easy to use in a wide array of formulations.
CaneRite Panela is an attractive sweetener option for a variety of food applications, including spices, BBQ and other sauces, cookies, bakery items, bars and confectionary items. For solids, CaneRite Panela offers excellent binding properties and a natural brown coloring with caramel notes. For all applications, it aligns with non-GMO and clean label ingredient claims increasingly popular with modern consumers.
“CaneRite Panela combines the flavour and nutrition benefits of a sweetener widely used in other markets with an ease of formulation attractive to North American food manufacturers,” said Amy Targan, President of International Molasses and its sister company, Malt Products Corp. “It also amounts to a sort of ‘nature-made’ brown sugar, eliminating the multi-step process often utilized to produce brown sugars by combining white sugar with molasses products.”
CaneRite Panela is sourced from sustainable farms in Ecuador that have been recognized for their development of innovative methods of organic farming. Officially known as the ReBird-Avez Project, the initiative fosters protection and propagation of native birds and insects – and utilizes these species to control pests, thereby allowing farmers to eliminate pesticide use.
Astaxanthin powder
AstaReal is launching its astaxanthin brand NOVASTA® for antioxidant-rich pet food and feed supplements in the European market. With its high content of natural astaxanthin and additional valuable carotenoids, proteins, carbohydrates and essential fatty acids, the wholesome ingredient supports optimal health and nutrition for a variety of animals.
Astaxanthin is nature’s most powerful antioxidant. Derived from the microalgae species Haematococcus pluvialis, studies have shown that it has wide-ranging benefits for muscles, eyes, the brain, immune system and much more. As it is suitable for all animals, including pets and those in competitive sport, agriculture and aquaculture, the market opportunities for NOVASTA are vast.
For farmers, safeguarding animal health is key to achieving the highest possible yield from cattle, pigs, sheep, poultry and other livestock. NOVASTA supports productivity in agriculture by encouraging improved fertility, better growth during suckling, more successfully hatched chicks and stronger immune defence for overall health.
Moreover, NOVASTA ensures optimal growth, health and pigmentation in fish and crustaceans. It also allows aquaculturists to use fewer fish-based products, as it is derived wholly from algae in environmentally sound aquaculture.
Microalgae-derived astaxanthin represents a sustainable and naturally sourced feed ingredient with excellent eco credentials. In addition, it is easy to combine with other nutrients for a wide array of innovative animal products such as dry and wet food, powder mixes, extruded snacks, soft chews, flakes, tablets, softgel capsules and liquid solutions.
Synergy Flavours has launched ‘Inspiring Fruits’, a collection of fruit essences, natural named flavours and depictable flavours. The newest addition to the Synergy Pure range of extracts and essences, the collection offers manufacturers a range of natural solutions to suit a variety of food and drink applications.
The Inspiring Fruits collection consists of essences, natural named flavours, and depictable flavours, including pear, sour cherry, peach, strawberry, raspberry, and blackcurrant. As the essences are made using only high-quality raw materials, there are multiple labelling options for manufacturers, including clean-label, being depictable on-pack, and natural named flavours, which meet the new standard for organic-suitable flavours as set by the EU under regulation 2018/248. With requests for provenance and transparency increasing, Synergy has also worked closely with suppliers to offer British provenance with the raspberry, strawberry and blackcurrant essences.
Using this approach, Synergy has been able to capture and enhance the best aromatic notes that are associated with each fruit. For example, in the sour cherry essence, this means efficiently extracting ‘dark’ aromatic compounds that are characteristic of the sweetness within a cherry’s flavour, and for the strawberry product, capturing the ‘jammy’ notes that are typical of ripened strawberries.
Eric Zabiolle, General Manager of Southern Europe, Synergy Flavours, commented: “Manufacturers are innovating and catering to demand from consumers for more natural ingredients across food and beverage products. At Synergy, we use a blend of art, science and insight to capture and preserve the best of what nature has to offer, so that we can provide our customers with tailored solutions whilst keeping product labels as ‘clean’ and natural as possible. By developing these essences, natural named flavours, and depictable flavours, we’re able to provide a true-to-nature range that offers authenticity and flexibility to meet the demands of today’s consumers. All of our solutions, including our wider Synergy Pure™ range, are easily tailored to meet specific taste challenges, and this is something we work on closely with our customers.”
March 2024
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