New Food Issue 1 2019

There’s no denying that we’re in the middle of uncertain times but, to follow the theme of Rob Chester of NSF’s article on technology in this issue, it’s time to walk the walk as well as talking the talk. Rob reminds us what blockchain has to offer the F&B sector and urges key players to harness its potential, to the benefit not only of their businesses but the wider food-supply chain, too.

Still on the theme of opportunities to be seized, Paul Bremner of PatSnap looks at what the data on recent patent filings can tell us about current commitment to the cannabis edibles market. He reveals which F&B manufacturers are already enjoying a piece of the action in this fast-growing sector and which stand poised to join in. He also assesses the scientific opportunities that should be explored by any company wanting to stay ahead of the game. There are opportunities aplenty, too, within the world of shelf-life extension.

As consumers become more health conscious and the demand for ‘clean-label’ ingredients continues to rise, the food industry is racing to come up with novel technologies to make food safe from spoilage for longer time frames, and without compromising on the quality or flavour of that food. Paula Hock and Navneeta Kaul look at recent developments within this field, including some particularly exciting plant-based solutions.

With growing concern surrounding the health implications of eating processed meat, we feature fascinating research from Hanne Christine Bertram and colleagues at the Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Denmark. They’ve been exploring hybridised meat products, which see plant-derived ingredients added to the traditional mix, and nutri-functionality by metabolomics. The good news is that innovations in the meat-product sector could see the nutritional profile of the humble hotdog sausage improved as a matter of course.

We’ve even managed – despite the uncertainty that continues even as we go to press – to find a positive angle on the dreaded ‘B’ word. With Brexit less than two months away, Jessica Calderón from The University of Sheffield looks at what agri-food companies in the UK might be able to learn from Mexico’s experience in the wake of the US threat to abandon the North American Free Trade Agreement.

With opportunities abounding, we’d love to hear from you if your business or organisation is rising to particular challenges in an innovative way. As ever, we welcome research and case studies, so do get in touch if you have stories to share. 

Included in this edition:

• LEADERS’ SERIES
  Anna Taylor, Executive Director, the Food Foundation
• BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY: From concept to reality
  Rob Chester, NSF International
• CONTAMINANTS: Mycotoxin contamination in cereal foods and raw materials
  Dr Will Munro, Food Standards Scotland, Dr Silvia Gratz, The Rowett Institute, Aberdeen
• BREXIT: Forging a future for agribusiness in the UK
  Jessica Calderón, University of Sheffield
• FOOD SAFETY: Shelf life extended
  Navneeta Kaul and Paula Hock, PreScouter
• FOOD-GRADE LUBRICANTS/FOOD PROCESSING: Business booming for food grade lubricants market
  Mayank Sharma, Technavio
• INGREDIENTS: Cannabis-related patent filings in the f&b market
  Paul Bremner, PatSnap