Fi Innovation Awards: Finalists’ “groundbreaking” concepts in nutrition, food tech and plant-based

29 Oct 2019 --- At the upcoming and highly anticipated Food Ingredients Europe (FiE) trade show, held in Paris from December 3-5, the Fi Innovation Awards have become a major highlight of the event. This year, a total of 34 companies have made it into the final round of the awards, which honors companies with outstanding solutions, services or ingredients that meet current industry challenges in eleven food categories. The most innovative and groundbreaking concepts include innovations in nutrition, food tech and plant-based.

The eight-member jury led by Professor Colin Dennis, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the International Food Information Service (IFIS) has now announced the shortlisted applications from more than 180 submissions. After a decisive pitch on the day before FiE, the winners of the eleven categories will be unveiled at a ceremony on December 03, 2019.

In recent years, the Fi Innovation Awards have become known as the most prestigious in the industry. In 2019, the number of companies that made it into the final round was almost double that of the previous event. 

“This year we not only had a record number of entries, but also the quality of the entries was above average. That’s why we considered many to be worthy of the shortlist,” explains Dennis.

The categories and finalists are as follows:

Future of Nutrition Award:

• AAK for Akovita for a range of lipids for tailor-made products in senior nutrition;
• Arla Food Ingredients (AFI) for Lacprodan MFGM-10 contributing to brain development, gut health and immune function in infant formulas;
• Nucaps Nanotechnology for bioavailable capsules with natural proteins;
• Vietnam Food Joint Stock Company for their valorization of shrimp by-products.

Sustainability Champion Award:

• Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) for promoting sustainable farming practices and biodiversity conservation in South America;
• Palsgaard as the first emulsifier ingredients company to achieve CO2 neutral production.

 Organic Champion Award:

• Diana Food for organic coloring foodstuff;
• Panteley Toshev for the world's first organic beverage emulsions;
• Tradin Organic for its range of organic avocado oil from Ethiopia.

 Clean Label and Natural Innovation Award:

• Chr. Hansen for the HANSEN SWEET POTATO, offering unique coloring properties in brilliant red;
• HI-FOOD SPA for Meltec semi-solid fibers for syrups and sugar replacement;
• Royal Koopmans for Koopmans Bind-it, a clean label binding agent for meat-free burgers.

Functional Innovation Award:

• AAK for Akonino LCP being close to human milk lipids;
• Bunge Loders Croklaan for Betapol Plus, OPO fats for infant formulas;
• Chr. Hansen for CHY-MAX Supreme – a game changing cheese coagulant. 

Reformulation Innovation Award:

• Chr. Hansen for Sweety Cultures for sugar reduction in fermented dairy;
• Griffith Foods for extruded snacks using green banana flour and Sodium Flex for salt reduction;
• Taura Natural Ingredients for JusFruit Fibre+: an easy way to increase dietary fiber intake.

Protein Innovation Award:

• Arla Foods Ingredients (AFI) for a concept for infant formula with alpha-lactalbumin and whey protein hydrolysates;
• Ebro Ingredients for textured organic pea protein;
• ICL Food Specialties for the development of ROVITARIS FBX 360, a textured fava bean protein;
• Kerry for ProDiem Refresh solving challenges of low-pH protein beverage formulation.

 F&B Categories Innovation Award:

• DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences for CHOOZIT BC Cultures, an optimum browning control of pizza cheese;
• Griffith Foods for the vegetable-based coating system “Never Fry;”
• PB Leiner for its next-generation gelatin.

 Food Tech Innovation Award: 

• BRACE for instant microspheres for beverage production;
• Corbion with Verdad Opti Powder N350, a clean label antimicrobial system;
• Interfood Dairy Value Engineering for innovative technical service for dairy ingredients and finished products.

 Diversity and Inclusion Award – Sponsored by THE HUNGER PROJECT:

• CP Kelco for its “I belong” initiative;
• International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) for its diversity and inclusion initiative;
• International Trade Centre (ITC) for its “Women and Trade Programme” supporting women entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

Plant-Based Innovation Award – Sponsored by ProVeg International:

• Döhler Group for its plant-based cheese and cream cheese;
• Fiberstar for cleaning up plant-based meat alternatives using Citri-Fi Natural Citrus Fiber;
• Vaneeghen with Dermaval for their clinically researched plant-based collagen builder.

Edited by Elizabeth Green