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Bridging the gap: Blockchain for a ‘fairer’ coffee supply

Farmer Connect and IBM are partnering with leading coffee manufacturers and brands to improve ‘traceability, efficiency and fairness’ in the coffee supply chain by leveraging blockchain technology. IBM and Farmer Connect unveiled a new mobile application, ‘Thank My Farmer’, at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) today. The consumer-facing app allows coffee drinkers to trace […]

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Impossible Foods fights back against plant-based meat “smear campaign”

As the plant-based phenomenon continues to thrive, a new series of advertisements describing plant-based products as “ultra-processed” have come into the spotlight. According to Impossible Foods, The Impossible Whopper and the likes, are “better for people and the planet,” however, non-profit organization The Center for Consumer Freedom (CFF) ran an advertisement in the New York […]

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Advances in pH monitoring technology enchance quality in food and beverage manufacturing

Monitoring the pH of food and beverages is vital for manufacturers, protecting consumer safety in line with regulatory requirements, as well as ensuring products have the desired quality characteristics that customers enjoy and expect. Take winemaking, for example, where pH monitoring is essential to ensure the final product has the desired flavor and aroma. Here, […]

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Cultured meat coalition: Lab-grown producers form alliance to drive growth of “slaughter-free” technologies

Five innovative food companies who are looking to bring cell-based (lab-grown) meat, poultry and seafood to restaurants and retail shelves in the US have formed the Alliance for Meat, Poultry & Seafood Innovation (AMPS Innovation). This coalition is focused on educating consumers and stakeholders about their new industry and facilitating a clear path to market […]

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Molecular electronic device detects E. coli

Detecting specific strains of bacteria that cause food poisoning quickly is important to food safety. Current methods can be either time-consuming or expensive. Now, a team of electrical engineers from the United States and Turkey have developed a fast and inexpensive technology to detect and identify specific strains of bacteria like E. coli. Their study […]

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Gelymar doubles carrageenan production

Gelymar has completed its capacity expansion program initiated 24 months ago with a $15M investment. Its production capacity is now doubled at about 10,000 metric tons of product. “Gelymar has been registering double-digit growth for many years,” said Andres Hohlberg, Gelymar’s CEO. “We planned this expansion 24 months ago and invested the total investment amount […]

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Research Shows Organic Pasteurization Eliminates Pathogens

The technology called Neo-Pure maintained seed nutrients while improving food safety. A new study published in the Journal of Food Protection found that an innovative organic pasteurization, non-thermal technology called Neo-Pure eliminates pathogens effectively, without damaging chia and flax seed nutrients, germination ability or shelf life.  Consumer demand is rising for nuts and seeds, and […]

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FDA to develop a ‘blueprint’ for a new era of smarter food safety

Acting U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Ned Sharpless and Deputy Commissioner Frank Yiannas have announced a “New Era of Smarter Food Safety” to augment its efforts implementing important Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requirements while also leveraging, among other things, the use of new and emerging technologies. To kick off this new focus, […]

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Ultraviolet light: potential to produce decontamination method

A study published in the Journal of Food Science investigates two emerging decontamination technologies for fresh produce—pulsed light (PL) and ultraviolet light (UV), in combination with washing (referred to as water‐assisted PL [WPL] and water‐assisted UV [WUV]). The researchers tested blueberries, grape tomatoes, and iceberg lettuce shreds to represent fresh vegetables and fruits with smooth […]

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Hong Kong researchers boost DHA absorption with novel nano-encapsulation

Researchers at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have developed a new nano-encapsulation technology that optimizes the absorption of DHA. The researchers used Zein – an edible corn protein – to mimic milk fat globule membrane (MFGM), prevent DHA from oxidation and increase its absorption. The encapsulation method can reportedly be used to increase absorption […]