Beyond The Headlines: Danone bolsters probiotic research, Oatly unveils non-dairy frozen range

26 Jan 2024 --- In this week’s industry news, Danone announced annual fellowship grants to graduate students for gut microbiome, yogurt and probiotic studies, while C16 Biosciences snapped up a US$3.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to bolster its capabilities in the food category. Meanwhile, Oatly launched its non-dairy frozen desserts range by joining forces with American ice cream franchise Carvel.

Research and launches
In a bid to drive research in probiotics, Danone North America extended funds worth US$50,000 to two graduate students for the twelfth year in a row. The recipients will explore the critical role of the gut microbiome, yogurt and probiotics in human health. Scientists in the field have found that the microbial community, or microbiome of the gut, affects not only gastrointestinal health but has links to the brain, immune system and  circadian clocks. According to Miguel Freitas, VP of scientific affairs at Danone North America, research is critical in advancing the company’s knowledge of the human gut microbiome. 

Oatly Group partnered with Carvel, an American ice cream franchise owned by Focus Brands, best known for its soft-serve ice cream and ice cream cakes, to unveil a range of non-dairy frozen desserts targeted toward consumers with dairy allergies and certain dietary preferences. The products are available at Carvel shops across 18 US states. Launched flavors include strawberry soft serve, cookies & cream scooped, chocolate peanut butter scooped, flying saucer sandwiches and frozen dessert cakes made with Oatly.

Ukiyo Spirits' classic dry gin will be available to retailers across the Netherlands from February (Image credit: Ukiyo Spirits).Scientists at the University of Bath, UK, uncovered the secret science of preparing chopped carrots and quantified the processes that make them curl up if left uneaten for too long. The findings, published in Royal Society Open Science, aimed to identify the geometrical and environmental factors most influencing carrots’ longevity. The research team concluded that residual stresses and dehydration were the two key factors behind the curling behavior. The team claims their findings can give food producers a new mathematical tool to design packaging and be applied to food handling processes, potentially reducing food waste.

Ukiyo Spirits, owned by Drinkslogy Kirker Greer in Japan, unveiled a small-batch classic dry gin that celebrates the exquisite tastes and aromas of the country. The drink is distilled with locally-grown native rice to create Ukiyo Tokyo Dry Gin’s distinct balance, elevated textural mouthfeel and smooth finish. The five unique Japanese botanicals are further complemented by six traditional botanicals, including juniper, pepper, coriander, angelica root, lemon peel, cardamom and rosemary. Together, they offer juniper, pine, spice, menthol and herbal notes with a bright citrus, coriander and anise background. The drink is targeted at 25-50-year-old city dwellers who love traveling and visiting high-end cocktail bars.

Business highlights
C16 Biosciences, formulator of Palmless — the platform for sustainable palm oil alternatives — is ramping up its capabilities in the food category, fueled by a US$3.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and a US$1 million investment from Elemental Excelerator. The company will use the cash injection to expand its fermentation platform to leverage next-generation feedstocks, enabling a novel approach to food security, unlocking a circular economy model capable of producing food products and ingredients without dependence on arable land.

C16 Biosciences will use the funding to work with non-agriculturally derived feedstocks to produce food-grade oils and fats (Image credit: C16 Biosciences).German beer brewery group Bitburger collaborated with jam and confectionery manufacturer Zentis to form V-Comp Pro, a venture focusing on developing high-quality plant-based milk alternatives for the B2B market. The formulations include grain-based oat-based pre-products for the B2B market and can be used by manufacturers to create drinkable or spoonable end products and refine them individually. The company is also launching two of its product lines: Oat Pro and Oat Pro Plus.

Agrain joined forces with UK distribution company Daymer Ingredients to introduce a range of Agrain’s flagship ingredients — spent grain flour — to the bread and baked goods industry across Britain. Agrain works with spent grains based on a definite gastronomic value set, ensuring that the functional flour boosts nutrition and elevates the culinary value of the final products. Incorporation of these natural aromas allows manufacturers to enhance their product’s nutritional profile and sustainability without compromising taste or quality. 

US-based Standard Meat Company announced the construction of its fifth protein processing plant in Fort Worth, Texas, US, to meet the innovative product needs and growing volume demands. It also plans to install a state-of-the-art sous vide line to explore future technologies. The 166,000 sq ft plant will occupy a renovated 1955 meat processing facility in Fort Worth’s northside. Founded in 1935, the business serves various foodservice needs from four — soon to be five — north Texas plants and is a recognized expert in meat science, food safety and quality assurance.

Sustainable food and farming
Urban Crop Solutions (UCS) provided its research indoor farm to BASF to develop more effective and environmentally friendly pesticides. The new plant in Germany will enable BASF to cultivate weed species for scientific research and develop innovative solutions to specific challenges in modern agriculture. The move also provides for the plant science division of UCS to support BASF’s research team working on developing these new products.

AHDB-hosted British Cheese Night aims to become the go-to annual dairy showcase in the industry calendar for buyers and exporters (Image credit: AHDB).Kazakhstan requested FAO’s support in promoting the exports of Aport apples that grow in the vicinity of Almaty, the largest metropolis in the country. During his official visit to Italy recently, Kazakhstan’s president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Qu Dongyu, director general of the FAO, and attended a presentation of the Kazakh aport apples as part of the FAO’s One Country One Priority Product program, which focuses on initiatives for the green development of high-value agricultural products with unique qualities and special characteristics associated with a geographic region, agricultural practices and cultural heritage.

Other highlights
Sixteen dairy exporters displayed British cheese at an exclusive event for key buyers conducted by the UK’s Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) in Las Vegas. The show brought together exporters with existing and potential customers, with more than 80 high-end buyers from hotels and retailers, chefs and distributors. It included cheese displays and tastings, providing an opportunity to British dairy exporters to showcase their products. The US is the UK’s second biggest dairy export market and AHDB analysis has highlighted further opportunities over the next decade with increasing levels of cheese consumption.

By Insha Naureen