Berlin startup Share is the first beverage producer in Germany to sell its water in PET bottles made of 100% recyclate. The plans are ambitious: in 2019 Share wants to fill water into about a million bottles a month made entirely of recycled PET and thus save over 200 metric tons of plastic waste a year, according to the company. For several weeks the product has been on sale at Germany’s supermarket chain REWE and drug store dm and has caused quite a stir in the media. Besides the two retailers Share’s other partners are bottler Mineralbrunnen Allgäuer Alpenwasser and preform manufacturer Plastipack, which is also the world’s biggest converter.
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NutraT line
Extracting natural ingredients from the Mediterranean diet is the expertise of Nutrafur S.A. now a member of the Frutarom group. Nutrafur S.A., Alcantarilla, Murcia, Spain, developed NutraT, a line of ready-to-use soluble powder formulas that dissolve easily in water, soft drinks and dairy products. Once the powders dissolve, the beverage stays clear, without turbidity, and deliverS fresh fl avour. The NutraT line offers water and soft drink manufacturers the ability to fortify their products with exceptional natural extracts that typically are not watersoluble. This opens new opportunities to develop products with new flavours that include ingredients delivering the essence of a healthy Mediterranean diet. OliveT contains all the beneficial compounds from the olive, and provides more than 25% olive polyphenol content. Just 5 g/250 ml liquid provides 43-45 mg of olive polyphenols. Recent studies demonstrated that these olive extracts can help regulate blood pressure and support blood circulation. CynaxT is an exotic formulation that brings the health benefits of artichokes, with a 5% polyphenol content. Recent studies demonstrated that artichokes can help regulate serum cholesterol levels, thanks to the plant’s choleretic and diuretic properties. A single 5 g/250 ml liquid shot of CynaxT mixed with water or another beverage provides 25 mg of polyphenols and supports renal water elimination and healthy blood circulation. RosT has a high-phenolic compound content with a significant antioxidant capacity and preserves its pleasant taste. Products fortified with RosT allow beverage producers to position their product as a “beauty from within” drink or as a “better sleep” aid. RosT’s 5 g/250 ml provide 50 mg polyphenols. CitroT is a soluble extract with a high bioflavonoid content. Citrus bioflavonoids are known to provide a protective effect on the cardiovascular system. A concentration of 5 g/250 ml liquid provides 340 mg of citrus bioflavonoids. All four mixes are produced using sustainable sources, are heat stable at up to 70°C, and both Kosher and Halal certified. NutraT can be incorporated into a food or beverage matrix, such as water, fruit juice, yoghurt, kefir or milk, or as a final product in powder sticks, sachets or inside of a powder-dispensing bottle cap for preparing enhanced beverages immediately before use.
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The Agtron Abridged Spectrophotometers are designed specifically for high resolution analysis of the degree of roast, bake or fry, of fruit maturity, and of colour/appearance variations of a variety of food products in order to control quality. The M-Series spectrophotomers are bench-top units that are accurate, repeatable and easy to use for process analysis. Performing product analysis by using very specific wavelengths of light to illuminate the sample surface and measure the reflected energy, the results of the analysis are displayed as a single “Agtron” number. Many products require little or no sample preparation before being tested, making it easy for multiple users to achieve consistent results.
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Liteez
Liteez is a new, 3D stevia sweetener for hot drinks. This “free-from” meringue sweet addresses the growing demand for sugar reduction in beverages. The patent-pending vegan meringue sweet is a completely plant-based treat. It is free from any allergens, such as eggs, gluten, lactose, or nuts, and contains just a few simple ingredients, including prebiotic fibres that build sweetness, act as a bulking agent, and function as a nutraceutical. Liteez is an easy-to-use sugar replacer that doubles as a sweet treat. It can be eaten as a treat when drinking tea or coffee or, if sweetness is needed in the drink, it can be stirred right in, completely dissolving in about half a minute. While the Liteez sweetener delivery system can be formulated with different types of sweeteners, using stevia posed a challenge since the acidity and isoelectric point of the mixture changes completely relative to using other high-intensity sweeteners, such as sucralose. The delicate balance between a foam that sets firm yet is soluble enough to dissolve in a hot drink was, however, attained. Because Liteez contains mostly fibre, the aftertaste of stevia also was able to be effectively masked.

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A new method for determining bread volume was approved by the American Association of Cereal Chemists – International (AACCI). The method employs the BVM laser topography-based analyser from Perten. The method was assessed by a collaborative study conducted by the AACCI Physical Testing Methods Technical Committee. The method demonstrated acceptable precision for samples with volumes ranging from 200 to 2800 mL. Results were similar to volumes determined by reference water displacement analysis. The BVM method is objective, contact-free, rapid, and simple to perform, making it well suited to the requirements of the milling and baking industries. It serves as a replacement method to the laborious and less accurate seed displacement tests in current use at many test bake labs and commercial bakeries.  Additionally, the BVM volume analyser measures loaf dimensions and archives the results – including a 3D, rotatable image. The archived data and images can be used for further analysis, production quality control, and audit trails. The method has been approved as AACCI Approved Method 10-14.01.

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