Dr. Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted
The 2021 World Food Prize was awarded 11 May to leading nutrition expert Dr. Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted for her work in pioneering fish-based food systems to improve nutrition, health and livelihoods for millions of people around the world.
Dr. Thilsted was the first to establish that many small fish species commonly eaten across Southeast Asia are an important source of essential micronutrients and fatty acids and improve the absorption of nutrients in plant-based foods. Her work has reshaped scientific understanding of the benefits of fish in diets. This knowledge has helped prioritize increases in fish consumption and production, transforming the diets and incomes of some of the world’s most vulnerable people.
The 2021 Laureate announcement featured pre-recorded remarks from the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Thomas J. Vilsack and UN Nutrition Chair Naoko Yamamoto, with World Food Prize Foundation President Barbara Stinson announcing the name of the Laureate.
“Dr. Thilsted figured out how these nutrient-rich small fish can be raised locally and inexpensively,” said Blinken. “Now, millions of low-income families across many countries, including Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Burma, Zambia, Malawi are eating small fish regularly, dried and fresh, in everything from chutneys to porridge, giving kids and breastfeeding mothers key nutrients that will protect children for a lifetime. That is all thanks to her.”
Small-scale aquaculture
Much of Dr. Thilsted’s success in expanding small-scale aquaculture is due to the development of pond polyculture systems, in which small and large fish species are farmed together in water bodies and rice field ponds. Dr. Thilsted led research revealing that raising different fish varieties together increases total production and the nutritional value of the production.
“I am truly honuored to receive the 2021 World Food Prize, and I am deeply humbled to be placed in such distinguished ranks as those of past Laureates,” Dr. Thilsted said. “This award is an important recognition of the essential but often overlooked role of fish and aquatic food systems in agricultural research for development. Fish and aquatic foods offer life-changing opportunities for millions of vulnerable women, children and men to be healthy and well-nourished.”
Cost-effective at supplying nutrients
In Bangladesh, where her research on fish began with long-term support from Danish International Development Assistance (DANIDA), Dr. Thilsted’s fish-based approach is now recognized as more cost-effective at supplying nutrients than vegetable gardening, prompting the government to promote pond polyculture as a means of tackling malnutrition.
This approach has also helped Bangladesh become the fifth largest aquaculture producer in the world, supporting 18 million people and increasing productivity threefold since 2000. Women in particular have also benefited from the greater economic opportunities through increased fish production, as women account for 60 percent of Bangladesh’s smallholder fish farmers.
Nutrition-sensitive food systems
“Dr. Thilsted is the seventh woman to be awarded the World Food Prize and the first woman of Asian heritage,” said Stinson. “She is at the helm of our global progress in the UN Decade of Action and continues to stand at the forefront of innovation, pushing the boundaries of nutrition-sensitive food systems, truly changing the conversation from not just feeding populations but nourishing them.”
Dr. Thilsted’s trailblazing approach also extends throughout the entire chain of producing, processing, transporting, selling and consuming aquatic food. For instance, her research has led to the development of a highly nutritious fish chutney, inspired by her own grandmother’s recipe, and fish powder, helping improve the diets of millions of pregnant and breastfeeding women and their children.
Source of low-emission, high-nutrition foods
“As our global population grows, we will need diverse sources of low-emission, high-nutrition foods like aquaculture,” said Secretary Vilsack. “It is going to be crucial in feeding the world while reducing our impact on the climate. Dr. Thilsted has been a leader in this effort and certainly a worthy recipient of the World Food Prize this year.”
Dr. Thilsted, the Global Lead for Nutrition and Public Health at WorldFish, a CGIAR research centre headquartered in Malaysia, has worked across disciplines and united international partners to scale up this nutrition-sensitive approach in countries across Asia and Africa.
“The choice of Dr. Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted as the 2021 World Food Prize Laureate by the Selection Committee precisely meets the qualities envisioned by the award’s founder and Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Norman Borlaug, increasing and improving food production through scientific discovery,” said Paul Schickler, Chairman, World Food Prize Council of Advisors. “Dr. Thilsted has improved the production of small fish species and enabled fish delivery from the farmer to the consumer. The Council of Advisors congratulates Dr. Thilsted.”
Now a Danish citizen, Dr. Thilsted descends from a family of Indian Hindu migrants to Trinidad and Tobago, and she began her career as the first and only woman stationed in Tobago’s Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries.
Later, while working at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research in Bangladesh, Dr. Thilsted established a kitchen garden at the malnutrition rehabilitation centre where more than 6,000 children were admitted every year. Alongside an outreach programme for the families and communities of discharged children to help improve diets, these measures helped bring down readmittance rates by two thirds.
Human health and the environment
Motivated by a desire to prevent malnutrition with earlier interventions, Dr. Thilsted began researching the role of fish and aquaculture, working with international organizations including UNICEF, the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Bank and, since 2010, WorldFish. She also holds leadership roles in the United Nations Food Systems Summit 2021 and the High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition.
“Nutrition is everybody’s business,” said Yamamoto. “Every country, every sector has a role to play. Good nutrition can improve human capital and drive sustainable development. We are proud Dr. Thilsted’s work is highlighting how aquatic foods can benefit both human health and the environment.”
“Dr. Thilsted is credited for developing an innovative farming system through fisheries, aquaculture, and related value chains to dramatically impact the food supply, nutrition, and health of poor people living in vulnerable environments,” said Gebisa Ejeta, Chair, World Food Prize Laureate Selection Committee. “The Selection Committee recognized her remarkable research and development achievement that is shaping food systems to be more sustainable, resilient and equitable for everyone.”
AstaReal introduces high-quality feed ingredient brand NOVASTA
, /in Product news /by panglobalAstaxanthin 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.
Microalgae
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.
Müller’s Mühle invests €14.5 million in vegetable proteins
, /in E-News /by panglobalMüller’s Mühle dairy alternative
Müller’s Mühle, one of the leading suppliers of legume and rice flours, has invested €14.5 million in new refining technology for legume flours. With the help of a modern air separation plant, the company can now produce functional flours with a protein content of up to 65 per cent, enabling protein enrichment and nutritional optimisation of many foods. They are particularly suitable as a basis for plant-based alternatives such as meat, egg and milk substitutes, as well as for snacks, baked goods and pasta.
Müller’s Mühle uses different legume species as raw materials, and processes them gently to preserve their valuable nutrients. The flours are marketed under the “SMART Pulses Pro” brand. At source, they are naturally free of allergens and are also clean label.
With their high-quality nutritional and functional properties, “SMART Pulses Pro” ingredients enable the development of innovative product concepts in the plant-based segment.
From cheese, yoghurt and quark substitutes to plant-based drinks and desserts, the range of applications for milk alternatives is huge. In this area, lentil-based flours are particularly interesting thanks to their relatively neutral taste profile. From a sensory point of view, SMART ingredients also score in terms of texture: they impart appealing consistency and creaminess to products. Furthermore, their nutritional profile enables high-protein positioning and a desirable NutriScore.
Meat substitutes
Thanks to their protein content and structure-forming properties, “SMART Pulses Pro” concentrates can be further processed into high-quality texturates that serve as a basis for meat substitutes. In addition to purely vegan and vegetarian products, pulse-based texturates are also suitable for hybrid products in which the meat content is partially replaced.
Egg substitutes
Be it for baked goods, vegan mayonnaises or dressings: the emulsifying effect of the new concentrates makes it possible to replace eggs in a variety of recipes. But the legume flours are also the base for innovative egg substitutes, such as vegan scrambled eggs.
Sustainability
In addition to protein, Müller’s Mühle legume flours provide dietary fibre and minerals, B vitamins and trace elements and, in this respect, are far superior to protein isolates. In terms of sustainability, the flours are convincing due to their resource-saving cultivation: legumes do not require artificial nitrogen fertiliser, increase soil fertility and have a low water requirement. Legume-based products therefore meet the needs of environmentally-conscious consumers who are willing to pay a higher price for food that is produced as sustainably as possible.
Müller’s Mühle lentil pasta
”Vegan, high-protein, low carb, clean label, free-from – pulses serve several major food trends at once. Moreover, with their low carbon footprint and excellent nutritional profile, they are the ideal raw material for a sustainable diet,” said Uwe Walter, Managing Director at Müller’s Mühle. “We are therefore convinced that ingredients based on these superfoods will become increasingly important for contemporary food concepts. From new product development to reformulation, with our new functional variants, we can support food manufacturers better than ever.”
Müller’s Mühle is part of the GoodMills Deutschland GmbH group of companies. Its core competence lies in the procurement, processing and refinement of pulses; in addition, Müller’s Mühle is the largest rice refiner in Europe.
GoodMills collaborates with Equinom to perfect the pea
, /in E-News /by panglobalGoodMills will collaborate with Equinom, an Israel-based, plant tech company, to crossbreed Yellow Pea seeds to achieve a tailored raw material.
Equinom creates new seed varieties using patented AI-driven breeding technology and, by harnessing the natural diversity in crops, no gene editing or modification is required.
For GoodMills, Equinom will research how best to crossbreed Yellow Pea seeds to achieve a tailored raw material with outstanding sensory properties: The ingredients derived from it are expected to be without off-flavours and provide ideal protein composition for an outstanding texture in finished products such as meat and dairy alternatives as well as pasta.
With the plant-based market currently experiencing a phenomenal boom, legumes are celebrating a real comeback. According to Markets and Markets, “the global pea protein market size is projected to grow from US$745 million in 2020 to $1,400 million by 2025, recording a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.5% during the forecast period”. [1]
Pea organoleptic properties
GoodMills has been active in the field of plant-based proteins for decades and, accordingly, already provides the industry with state-of-the art ingredients. However, particularly with peas, there is still some scope when it comes to the further development of organoleptic properties.
Michael Gusko, Global Innovation Director at GoodMillsX – GoodMills Group’s innovation task force, says: “In Equinom, we’ve found a partner with whom we can get to the heart of this challenge – by creating our own perfect raw material. As the two leading innovators in our fields, we’re always looking for inventive yet natural solutions, and we share the same passion: creating a sustainable, plant-based future.”
Computer-based breeding
Equinom creates superior seeds naturally by crossbreeding exotic, ancient and modern varieties. Utilising its abundant seed bank, Equinom employs computer-based breeding and traditional genomic technologies to predict and simulate new varieties. This matchmaking process speeds up and perfects the breeding.
Rick Mignella, EVP & Managing Director, North America at Equinom says: “Our aim is to drive the global creation of truly healthy, appealing and sustainable non-GMO foods which are affordable to the masses. We are always happy to partner with passionate companies who are doing their bit to help future-proof the planet through plant-based innovations. We are confident that we’ll soon enable GoodMills to serve the market with a novel Yellow Pea-based ingredient that will make sustainable and delicious plant-based food more widely accessible.”
Yellow Pea variant
Once the tailored Yellow Pea variant has been developed, different subsidiaries of the GoodMills Group will profit from it: GoodMills Innovation, leading supplier of plant-based texturates based on wheat and legumes, will use it to expand its portfolio of texturates. Müller’s Mühle, one of Europe’s largest suppliers of dried legumes and leader in legumes refinement, will extend its portfolio of legume flours that are ideal as a base for meat, pasta and dairy replacements, and for use as a high-protein ingredient in drinks, snacks, breakfast cereals, baked goods and pasta.
[1] https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/pea-protein-market-36916504.html
Nutriswiss technology enables gentle refinement of vegetable oils to comply with contaminant limits
, /in E-News /by panglobalAs a result of EU Regulation 2020/1322, new maximum levels for 3-MCPD and glycidol in olive oil and other vegetable oils have been in force since January 2021. Nutriswiss can minimise the presence of these process-related contaminants with the help of a special refining technology.
The Swiss speciality and organic edible oils expert uses a particularly gentle process that refines oils at low temperatures. In this way, oil producers can not only optimise the sensory profile of their products and increase their yield, but also meet the new legal requirements.
New regulations
On 1 January 2021, the European Commission Regulation set limits of 1250 μg of 3-MCPD and 1000 μg of glycidol per kg of edible oil. Even stricter regulations apply to infant and children’s food (15 μg/kg of 3-MCPD and 6.0 μg/kg of glycidol for liquid infant formula).
With a particular focus on refined olive oil, in which high process contaminant values are often seen, Nutriswiss subsequently set new standards for a wide range of products. After refining, laboratory analyses now show values that are close to the detection limit for both process contaminants and far below legal limits.
Nutriswiss can also refine heavily contaminated oils or those with a high acid value, such as olive pomace or lampante oils, using special processes, so that an organoleptically acceptable, edible and safe food is produced. The olive oil raffinate can then be mixed with virgin olive oils, for example, and marketed as a blend or supplied to the food industry for further processing. Oils that are difficult to refine and would otherwise be unmarketable now benefit from a new lease of life.
Distillation technology
Unlike traditional vegetable oil refining, Nutriswiss doesn’t use time-consuming or high-temperature processes to remove pesticides and mineral oil residues (MOSH/MOAH). Heat promotes the formation of potentially harmful glycidyl fatty acid esters and chlorine-fatty acid esters such as 3-MCPD. Instead, the company relies on physical neutralisation using modern distillation technology and subsequent mild deodorisation. In this way, no process contaminants are formed. At the same time, valuable ingredients are protected, off-flavours are removed and pesticides, MOSH/MOAH, polycyclic hydrocarbons (PAH) and plasticisers such as DEHP are significantly reduced.
Michel Burla, Managing Director of Nutriswiss, said: “Manufacturers of vegetable oils face increasingly stringent legal requirements, such as stricter limits for pollutants. With our state-of-the-art technologies, we can comprehensively meet their needs and support our customers. This applies not only to olive oil, but to a wide range of vegetable and animal oils, such as rapeseed, linseed, fish, algae or hemp oil.”
Tetra Pak selected as one of the Top 50 Sustainability and Climate leaders
Sustainability, /in E-News /by panglobalAdolfo Orive, President & CEO, Tetra Pak
Tetra Pak – the world’s leading food processing and packaging solutions company – has been recognised as one of the world’s “50 Sustainability and Climate Leaders” – a docu-series project developed by the international business community to encourage businesses to take effective action in the fight against climate change.
Adolfo Orive, President & CEO at Tetra Pak, said: “Our company was founded on the philosophy that a package should save more than it costs. Sustainability has always been at the core of everything we do, as such it is also a fundamental building block of our 2030 strategy, so we are proud to receive industry recognition for our work to date.
“We are the world’s leading food processing and packaging supplier and provide food safely to billions of people in more than 160 countries.
“We have already taken great strides on our journey to pioneer a sustainable future. However, with the current climate crisis and the potential food security challenges, we believe that the food packaging industry needs a major step change in its evolution. Our ambition is to deliver the world’s most sustainable food package. This means creating cartons that are fully made from renewable or recycled materials, are fully recyclable and carbon neutral. We see this as the only way to protect what’s good – food, people and the planet.”
Watch the documentary showcasing their journey.
The video features interviews with members of Tetra Pak’s Global Leadership Team, highlighting how the role of food sector in tackling climate change is becoming even more imperative. They explain why accelerating de-carbonisation and collaborations is critical to lead the sustainability transformation of the food packaging industry – addressing complex and multi-faceted challenges such as global warming, circularity and biodiversity.
Food overlooked in climate change
Food is a critical but often overlooked element of climate change. The global food system accounts for 26% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions [1], while 8% of total emissions are caused by food waste [2]. In other words, if food waste were a country, it would be the world’s third largest producer of emissions. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the weaknesses of the world’s food system, which will only be further amplified by the expected growth of the world population to 9.1 billion by 2050 [3].
Feeding the world
High-performance food packaging plays a critical role in feeding the world, but it must do so sustainably, so that food availability does not come at the cost of the planet. This lies behind Tetra Pak’s purpose: To commit to making food safe and available, everywhere, in a way that protects what’s good – protecting food, protecting people as well as protecting the planet. To minimise climate impact while helping to ensure food security for the future, the company takes a full life cycle view of its solutions. Always working collaboratively. This means:
References
Bühler and Hosokawa Alpine to collaborate on sustainable proteins
, /in E-News /by panglobalJohannes Wick, CEO Grains & Food at Bühler, and Dr. Antonio Fernández, chairman of the executive board at Hosokawa Alpine, at the signing of the collaboration agreement.
Swiss Bühler Group and Hosokawa Alpine Group from Germany have signed a strategic collaboration agreement to accelerate and strengthen the production of healthier and sustainable plant protein solutions. Together, the companies will provide customers with the most efficient value chain for pulses being processed into protein ingredients.
As the leading solution provider in pulses processing, Bühler offers solutions for the intake, cleaning, dehulling and grinding of pulses, and further food processing with its extrusion technology, which texturizes plant-based proteins into products with fibrous texture similar to meat. Hosokawa Alpine complements the production process by adding its leading technology for the dry separation of pulses’ protein: fine grinding and air classification. The combination of Bühler’s upstream pulses process and Hosokawa’s process for size reduction and classification produces the highest yields of high value protein concentrates. Ultimately, with this partnership the companies will be able to offer customers process technology and expertise along the complete field-to-fork pulses protein chain.
“Hosokawa Alpine will be our preferred partner for integrated solutions for our customers that are processing sustainable proteins. Thanks to their vast expertise in protein extraction, we can now cover the entire value chain for plant-based protein – from any kind of pulses to dry extrudates ready for consumption,” said Johannes Wick, CEO Bühler Grains & Food.
This statement is echoed by Dr. Antonio Fernández, chairman of the executive board at Hosokawa Alpine: “By working with Bühler, we can fully realize the potential of the value chain. With our combined technologies, we meet the market requirements in the best possible way and drive developments in the process chain forward.”
Seamless customer experience
The strategic partnership will strengthen the innovation and development capacities of both companies. The market for sustainable proteins has been growing significantly over the last years, fuelled by consumers demanding more sustainable proteins.
“With this cooperation, we can address customer needs from the harvest to the final product. We operate in an integrated and collaborative way to ensure a seamless experience for our customers. This starts with our application centres in Uzwil Switzerland, and the brand-new Food Application Center in Minneapolis, US, created to develop new methods of transforming pulses and grains into tasty new food solutions. They are complemented by Hosokawa Alpine’s facilities in Augsburg, Germany, all of them being available for customer trials. Our collaboration goes through to commissioning and services ensuring high-quality outputs for our customers,” said Andreas Risch, Head of Special Grains & Pulses at Bühler.
Besides this latest collaboration agreement, Bühler and Hosokawa Alpine have been working together on different projects and industries since the 1980s. This led the two partners to the conclusion that their strong customer focus and innovation power make for a strong fit for the sustainable protein sector.
Apart from this cooperation agreement, both companies will continue to market their solutions independently through their own existing distribution channels.
The power of pulses
Peas, lentils, chickpeas, and many other dry beans are high in protein, vitamins, and minerals, which makes them an excellent meat substitute. Pulses sit at the top of the list when it comes to providing a growing world population with plant protein. Their cultivation is more resource efficient than most animal protein sources, with a positive impact on sustainability.
Synergy Flavours launches collection of ‘Inspiring Fruits’ essences
, /in Product news /by panglobalSynergy 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.
The best aromatic notes
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.”
WLS introduces RFID labelling solutions
, /in E-News, Product news /by panglobalWLS, a ProMach product brand, has showcased its latest RFID labelling solutions at Pack Expo Las Vegas. To meet the unique needs of each customer, WLS has adapted its high-speed pressure sensitive label applicators and label printers to incorporate the latest RFID technology.
By applying RFID labels to vials, bottles, tubes, syringes and devices, WLS delivers dynamic labels that can lock-in select variable data while allowing other variable data to be updated through the life of the product. This simplifies inventory control for end users while providing product verification and authenticity for manufacturers.
“At WLS, we build close, collaborative partnerships with our customers while solving their most complex labelling challenges. Given our extensive experience integrating variable data printers, vision inspection systems and serialization with our high-speed labellers, RFID is a natural progression for us,” said Peter Sarvey, Director of Business Development at WLS. “The adoption of RFID labels is being driven by pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers that want to offer improved traceability and product authentication as well as end users who require products with a dynamic fingerprint to track dosages and inventories. RFID labels can be valuable to any industry interested in improving traceability and product authentication, not just hospitals and pharmacies.”
Pressure sensitive labels with RFID
RFID-Ready Labelers from WLS are designed to apply pressure sensitive labels embedded with RFID inlays from the converter. The RFID labels are read, written (encoded), locked or unlocked, verified, applied to the product and re-verified (as needed). The label web path has been configured to preserve the integrity of the RFID chips and antennas during the label application process.
Variable data printing with vision inspection systems can be coupled with RFID-Ready Labelers. WLS options for rejected label reconciliation, assurance labelling and rejected product removal are all offered for RFID-Ready Labelers as with their standard labellers.
Customers can keep existing standard labels
RFID-enabled label application systems from WLS provide dual label heads feeding a single vacuum drum applicator. The first label head releases a standard pressure sensitive label onto the vacuum drum while the second label head releases the wet RFID tag, synchronized and centred, onto the standard pressure sensitive label, enabling the vacuum drum to apply both the wet RFID tag with the standard pressure sensitive label onto the product. This is a simple, cost-effective way to enable high-speed RFID labelling, allowing WLS customers to keep their existing standard labels.
The wet RFID tags are read, written, locked or unlocked (as required) and verified prior to being married with the standard label and applied to the product. Once applied to the product, the RFID label is re-verified (as needed). The wet RFID label web path has been configured to preserve the integrity of the RFID chips and antennas during the label application process.
RFID-ready print stands
RFID-ready print stands from WLS are designed to print on pressure sensitive labels embedded with RFID inlays from the converter, providing an off-line solution for incorporating RFID labels with variable data printing or whole-label printing. The RFID labels are read, written (encoded), locked or unlocked (as required) and verified all while the label is being printed. The roll-to-roll label web path has been configured to preserve the integrity of the RFID chips and antennas during the printing process.
Utilizing an off-line, stand-alone, on-demand RFID-Ready Print Stand allows WLS customers to adopt RFID labelling without altering or upgrading their existing labellers. The high-speed RFID-ready print stands incorporate full-label vision inspection with rejected label removal and verification, verifying the printed label and the encoded RFID tag.
Beyond healthcare, product manufacturers in a wide variety of industries are increasingly interested in RFID labeling to improve traceability, guarantee authenticity and provide end users with enhanced inventory control. WLS is excited to provide a complete RFID labeling solution to customers.
Aquatic foods researcher awarded the 2021 World Food Prize for pioneering work with small fish
Nutrition, Sustainability, /in E-News /by panglobalDr. Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted
The 2021 World Food Prize was awarded 11 May to leading nutrition expert Dr. Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted for her work in pioneering fish-based food systems to improve nutrition, health and livelihoods for millions of people around the world.
Dr. Thilsted was the first to establish that many small fish species commonly eaten across Southeast Asia are an important source of essential micronutrients and fatty acids and improve the absorption of nutrients in plant-based foods. Her work has reshaped scientific understanding of the benefits of fish in diets. This knowledge has helped prioritize increases in fish consumption and production, transforming the diets and incomes of some of the world’s most vulnerable people.
The 2021 Laureate announcement featured pre-recorded remarks from the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Thomas J. Vilsack and UN Nutrition Chair Naoko Yamamoto, with World Food Prize Foundation President Barbara Stinson announcing the name of the Laureate.
“Dr. Thilsted figured out how these nutrient-rich small fish can be raised locally and inexpensively,” said Blinken. “Now, millions of low-income families across many countries, including Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Burma, Zambia, Malawi are eating small fish regularly, dried and fresh, in everything from chutneys to porridge, giving kids and breastfeeding mothers key nutrients that will protect children for a lifetime. That is all thanks to her.”
Small-scale aquaculture
“I am truly honuored to receive the 2021 World Food Prize, and I am deeply humbled to be placed in such distinguished ranks as those of past Laureates,” Dr. Thilsted said. “This award is an important recognition of the essential but often overlooked role of fish and aquatic food systems in agricultural research for development. Fish and aquatic foods offer life-changing opportunities for millions of vulnerable women, children and men to be healthy and well-nourished.”
Cost-effective at supplying nutrients
In Bangladesh, where her research on fish began with long-term support from Danish International Development Assistance (DANIDA), Dr. Thilsted’s fish-based approach is now recognized as more cost-effective at supplying nutrients than vegetable gardening, prompting the government to promote pond polyculture as a means of tackling malnutrition.
This approach has also helped Bangladesh become the fifth largest aquaculture producer in the world, supporting 18 million people and increasing productivity threefold since 2000. Women in particular have also benefited from the greater economic opportunities through increased fish production, as women account for 60 percent of Bangladesh’s smallholder fish farmers.
Nutrition-sensitive food systems
“Dr. Thilsted is the seventh woman to be awarded the World Food Prize and the first woman of Asian heritage,” said Stinson. “She is at the helm of our global progress in the UN Decade of Action and continues to stand at the forefront of innovation, pushing the boundaries of nutrition-sensitive food systems, truly changing the conversation from not just feeding populations but nourishing them.”
Dr. Thilsted’s trailblazing approach also extends throughout the entire chain of producing, processing, transporting, selling and consuming aquatic food. For instance, her research has led to the development of a highly nutritious fish chutney, inspired by her own grandmother’s recipe, and fish powder, helping improve the diets of millions of pregnant and breastfeeding women and their children.
Source of low-emission, high-nutrition foods
“As our global population grows, we will need diverse sources of low-emission, high-nutrition foods like aquaculture,” said Secretary Vilsack. “It is going to be crucial in feeding the world while reducing our impact on the climate. Dr. Thilsted has been a leader in this effort and certainly a worthy recipient of the World Food Prize this year.”
“The choice of Dr. Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted as the 2021 World Food Prize Laureate by the Selection Committee precisely meets the qualities envisioned by the award’s founder and Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Norman Borlaug, increasing and improving food production through scientific discovery,” said Paul Schickler, Chairman, World Food Prize Council of Advisors. “Dr. Thilsted has improved the production of small fish species and enabled fish delivery from the farmer to the consumer. The Council of Advisors congratulates Dr. Thilsted.”
Now a Danish citizen, Dr. Thilsted descends from a family of Indian Hindu migrants to Trinidad and Tobago, and she began her career as the first and only woman stationed in Tobago’s Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries.
Later, while working at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research in Bangladesh, Dr. Thilsted established a kitchen garden at the malnutrition rehabilitation centre where more than 6,000 children were admitted every year. Alongside an outreach programme for the families and communities of discharged children to help improve diets, these measures helped bring down readmittance rates by two thirds.
Human health and the environment
Motivated by a desire to prevent malnutrition with earlier interventions, Dr. Thilsted began researching the role of fish and aquaculture, working with international organizations including UNICEF, the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Bank and, since 2010, WorldFish. She also holds leadership roles in the United Nations Food Systems Summit 2021 and the High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition.
“Dr. Thilsted is credited for developing an innovative farming system through fisheries, aquaculture, and related value chains to dramatically impact the food supply, nutrition, and health of poor people living in vulnerable environments,” said Gebisa Ejeta, Chair, World Food Prize Laureate Selection Committee. “The Selection Committee recognized her remarkable research and development achievement that is shaping food systems to be more sustainable, resilient and equitable for everyone.”
Feast your eyes on the magnificent winning images of the Pink Lady food photography competition
, /in E-News /by panglobalLi Huaifeng of China won first place for this atmospheric photo in the “Food for the Family” category. The photo was taken in Licheng, Shanxi, China. © Li Huaifeng
Pink Lady recently announced the winners of their annual food photography competition — the 10th anniversary of these wonderful awards.
There are a range of categories from ‘Bring home the harvest’ to ‘Food on the table’ and from ‘Food for celebration’ to ‘Food in the field’.
Feast your eyes on some of the coolest photography in the food world. The images are exceptional, inspiring, thought-provoking and magical.
The 2021 Pink Lady Food Photography winners gallery
You can view all the winning images in the online gallery here:
Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2021.
This photo by Yessica Duque of the Netherlands was highly commended in the Fujifilm Award for Innovation category. © Yessica Duque