IFT presents innovation awards to three companies

At the awards ceremony IFT18: A Matter of Science and Food, the IFT President-Elect Designate Pam Coleman presented three awards.

Handary S.A., Kancor Ingredients Ltd and Novolyze were all presented with the 2018 IFT Food Expo Innovation Award. Their winning entries offered solutions to the food issues of today, picking up on safety trends, product quality and extended shelf life.

“Now in its 12th year, the Food Expo Innovation awards program is a showcase for amazing advancements in our profession,” said Coleman.

“Exclusive to companies exhibiting at the IFT18 Food Expo here in Chicago, these awards honour outstanding innovation in products, ingredients, technologies, instrumentation, equipment, and services that were commercially introduced since 1 January 2017.”     

From 42 qualified entries, a panel of 11 judges from academia, industry and government with wide expertise in research and development, packaging and processing technology, and food safety, selected the three companies and their innovations. The criteria for judging included technical advancement, degree of innovation, scientific merit and benefits to food manufacturers and consumers.

Handary S.A. went home with the 2018 IFT Food Expo Innovation Award for its Antipack Active Antifungal Biodegradable Film, which can prevent mould growth by gradually releasing fermented sugar activities from the film onto the surface of solid foods, such as semi and hard cheeses and dried sausages during their shelf life. The biodegradable and recyclable film utilises an advanced controlled-released technology to combine polylactic acid, fermented sugars, food cultures and fungal chitosan.

Kancor Ingredients was honoured for its product, OxiKan CL – Natural Antioxidant Solution. The rosemary-based ingredient can extend the shelf life of a variety of products without imparting colour, flavour or aroma—even at dosages up to 400 ppm. The product is available as water-soluble and oil-soluble versions, with natural liquid extract being well suited for products that are sensitive to aroma, colour and flavour, such as speciality fats, omega-3 fortified products, popcorn, and other beverages. 

Novolyze accepted the 2018 IFT Food Expo Innovation Award for its SurroNov Dried, Ready-to-Use Surrogate Bacteria. These are harmless microorganisms that mimic the inactivation of foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli under different kinds of stress. Due to their safety, the surrogates can be used directly at the processing plant or pilot scale to test the efficacy of microbial kill steps and intervention steps such as extrusion, pasteurisation, drying, and roasting.