15 Dec 2023 --- In this week’s industry news, Loryma has launched a plant-based egg substitute for baked goods, Bühler opened its expanded hub for food testing in Switzerland, while Olam Agri joined two new global initiatives for a more sustainable agricultural future. Meanwhile, salmon was found to be the likely source of an ongoing multi-country outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes.

Launches and innovation
Ingredients specialist Loryma has expanded its wheat-based product range with a functional mix that is free of animal ingredients, artificial colorings, flavorings and preservatives. Its vegan, wheat-based mix, Lory Stab, mimics the technological properties of egg or milk in bakery products. Combined with flour, sugar, oil, water and flavorings, it can help formulators create all types of vegan dough. As a result, products made from the base ingredients, such as muffins, sponge cakes, cake bases or lava cakes, have the typical airy texture, light crumb and consistent pore structure.

French bakery manufacturer Bridor has introduced a series of Intense Flavour Macarons to its Delights range, featuring six new flavors - Lemon-Lime, Morello Cherry, Pineapple & Coconut, Apple & Cinnamon, Vanilla & Yuzu and Chocolate & Fleur de sel. The macarons are formulated with French meringue and almond powder and have a crispy outer shell and soft inside. They merge the conventional aspects of French pâtisserie with modern and vibrant flavors to meet the demand for this much-loved delicacy across Europe.

Bühler has added a new Food Creation Center to its expanded innovation center for food in Uzwil, Switzerland, which opened in November. The hub will be used for product testing, production trials, training, and education for fruit, protein, muesli and nut bars, wafers, cookies, chocolate, baked products, spreads or snack manufacturers. At the plant, the company will provide traditional bakery sector customers with a fully equipped bakery with an auditorium for courses, space for training and bakery equipment for testing in various batch sizes. 

Sustainable food and farming
Bühler has opened its Energy Recovery Center in Uzwil, Switzerland, for customer trials with two objectives - generating sustainable energy and testing the biomass side streams from the processes of Bühler’s global customer base, such as wheat bran, rice husks, and cocoa shells. The by-products will be combusted individually or in a mixture with a test-and-learn approach. This platform depicts how businesses can valorize their products and explore ways to reduce the carbon footprint in the food industry.

Olam Agri has joined two new global initiatives to make agriculture more sustainable: the COP28 Action Agenda on Regenerative Landscapes and the First Movers Coalition for Food. The initiatives bring together value chain partners, financial institutions and governments to decarbonize supply chains and promote the adoption of regenerative agriculture.

Consumer health
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the EU reference laboratory’s quarterly report reveal that the detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in wild birds in Europe have recently increased. ECDC assessed that the risk of infection with the HPAI virus in Europe remains low for the general public. Experts recommend avoiding exposure to dead or diseased seabirds or mammals to reduce the risk of infection further.

A Listeria monocytogenes outbreak has impacted many Western European countries, resulting in 17 reported cases and two deaths. EFSA and ECDC experts say that further investigations are needed to identify the origin of the contamination. Experts recommend following good manufacturing practices, hygiene rules, and effective temperature control. Consumers are advised to maintain low refrigerator temperatures to inhibit the potential proliferation of Listeria, which could be present in ready-to-eat foods.

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has launched the Let’s Eat Balanced campaign, featuring three TV adverts showcasing British beef, lamb, and dairy. The adverts emphasize British beef, lamb, and dairy as natural protein and vitamin B12 sources, combating fatigue. The theme for the vibrant January campaign is THIS and THAT, urging consumers to adopt a sustainable, healthy and balanced diet.

Other highlights
The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) concluded with an agreement signaling the “beginning of the end” of the fossil fuel era. The agreement, reached in Dubai by negotiators from nearly 200 Parties, establishes the world’s first “global stocktake” to escalate climate action by the end of the decade, with the primary objective of maintaining the 1.5°C global temperature limit. Responding to the winning of recognition about the core climate issue, 

Mighty Earth, an environmental advocacy organization, emphasizes the urgent need to decarbonize agriculture, reduce emissions from the intensive livestock sector, and promote agroecology and regenerative food production systems.