Beyond The Headlines: Kerry unveils food safety lab, Beneo’s climate farming project

28 Jun 2024 --- In this week’s industry news, Kerry advanced food safety efforts with a Food Protection and Preservation Lab and the US Department of Agriculture commenced construction of a grape research facility. Meanwhile, Mane announced the winners of a sustainable protein start-up competition and German chocolatier Milka unveiled a chocolate swirl pastry made from 100% sustainable cocoa.

Research and innovation
Kerry unveiled a new Food Protection and Preservation Lab in Wisconsin, US, to test the effectiveness of food safety protocols and develop safer methods. Based in the company’s Beloit Innovation Center, the lab has received BSL-2 certification to safely handle food safety microorganisms, enabling in-house isolation of bacteria like Listeria, Salmonella and E. coli. The facility will conduct studies to prevent real-world infectious bacteria outbreaks and test innovative food preservation ingredients and concepts, aiming for extended shelf life and reduced food waste.

The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, US, hosted a “groundbreaking” ceremony for a grape research facility on the Cornell AgriTech campus. The 70,000-square-foot facility will be named the National Grape Improvement Center and will house the ARS Grape Genetics Research Unit and ARS Plant Genetic Resources Unit. The team will focus on interdisciplinary research, breeding and technology transfer to enhance grape production efficiency, profitability and sustainability for the country’s grape industry.

Belgian sugar beet is one of the crops cultivated in Beneo’s Climate Farming Project.Business highlights
Beet sugar producer Raffinerie Tirlemontoise, functional ingredient manufacturer Beneo and bakery ingredient supplier Puratos joined forces to launch a Climate Farming Project to support Belgian farmers in implementing more sustainable farming practices and promote regenerative agricultural principles for enhanced soil health. The ongoing project will run until 2025 and will include farming strategies such as lowering mineral nitrogen fertilization and pesticide use through more organic means and enhancing biodiversity by planting flower strips and hedges next to the fields.

dsm-firmenich launched its inaugural €800 million (US$856.6 million) bond with a ten-year maturity due in 2034, at a coupon of 3.625%. DSM will issue the bond, which will be guaranteed by DSM-Firmenich pursuant to the recently established cross-guarantee structure. The proceeds of the new bond will be used for general corporate purposes, including the refinancing of existing indebtedness.

Canadian food-tech company Chinova Bioworks collaborated with Hawkins Watts to distribute its upcycled ingredient Chiber Mushroom Fiber Extract (Chiber) in the F&B markets throughout Australia and New Zealand. Chiber preserves the freshness of F&B products as a natural preservative and provides manufacturers with a natural shelf life extender, allowing them a healthier and cleaner label option over artificial preservatives.

Plant-based emulsifier company Palsgaard and Aarhus University in Denmark announced they are looking for partners for a €5 million (US$5.4 million) “Plant-based food ingredients to be egg replacers” (PIER) project aimed at replacing 10% of the eggs used globally as ingredients in food products such as baked goods, dressings, desserts and ready meals. The move focuses on bringing in manufacturers currently using significant volumes of egg and egg powders in their products and aims to reduce their reliance on fresh and dried eggs.

French flavor formulator Mane partnered with Bridge2Food to organize a virtual start-up pitch competition, the EcoSystem Session to encourage contributions to the sustainable proteins sector. C16 Biosciences, which formulates functional oils developed from precision fermentation with yeast and The Meat Company, which produces cost-effective flavor development technology, won the competition.

Palsgaard develops cost-effective and sustainable alternatives to eggs for sponge cakes (Image credit: Palsgaard).McDonald’s introduced a US$5 Meal Deal sold since June 25 for a limited time at participating McDonald’s restaurants in the US. The meal includes a McDouble or McChicken sandwich, small fries, four piece Chicken McNuggets and a small soft drink. Local franchisees are also giving summer deals such as Buy One Get One for US$1 breakfast sandwiches in Memphis, Tennessee and lunch and dinner offers like double cheeseburger and small fries pairing for US$3.50 in Columbus, Ohio or a mix and match McChicken and McDouble deal for US$3.99 in Western New York.

Product launches
Arla subsidiary Castello Cheese expanded its product portfolio by introducing Castello Whipped Dips made from imported Danish cheese, herbs, and spices. The dips offer an extra creamy, light, airy and delightfully fluffy texture for improved dipping, snacking and unexpected recipe pairings. They are formulated using simple, natural ingredients and contain no stabilizers, gums, preservatives or artificial flavors and come in three flavors — Garlic & Herb, Cracked Pepper and Paprika & Chili.

French bakery manufacturer Bridor joined forces with German chocolate player Milka to launch a chocolate swirl pastry, which combines a light and flaky Viennese pastry and a smooth pastry cream, with Milka chocolate chips made from palm oil free and 100% sustainable cocoa. The pastry is sold in boxes of 66. The 95 g pastries come frozen and ready to bake in 16–18 minutes at 165–170°C, following a period of 35–45 minutes at room temperature. 

By Insha Naureen