Intrafood News

Food companies face complex challenges when developing vegan products. These range from taste through health to the texture of the product. Nor should the production process be overlooked.

The use of pure functional meat proteins in the manufacture of pork, beef and chicken products is naturally in line with current nutritional trends. This creates opportunities for product developers.

Food manufacturers wanting to emphasise that all their ingredients and raw materials come from Belgium and that they also make the products in Belgium can record this voluntarily(!) on the label. This is permitted by the EU’s Food Information to Consumer (FIC) Regulation 1169/2011.

The food industry is in a state of protein transition. Not least because of the corona pandemic, sustainability and health are at the top of the corporate agenda. The challenge for product developers is to deliver distinctive concepts. "It's about doing something different from what everyone else is already doing," says Joost van Schip of High Fibe.

Research by Food & Lipids, KU Leuven Campus Kulak Kortrijk, has shown that microalgae are naturally less sensitive to oxygen than fish oil. "This makes microalgae a suitable source of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA for food enrichment," explains Prof. Dr Imogen Foubert.

During the Intrafood fair, on 28 October there will be a seminar about Sustainable Purchasing. Experts shed light on the topics from various angles

During the Intrafood fair, on 27 October there will be a seminar about protein transition. Experts shed light on the topics from various angles.

As a supplier of breadcrumbs, among other things, it is important to respond to health trends, says André Vink, commercial director of De Korrel Beheer.

Co-creation of packaging and outsourcing of (re)packaging and logistics are key trends in the food industry, says Chris Mullie of Barias. His firm was recently voted company of the year.

“More and more food manufacturers are buying Mediterranean ingredients directly from suppliers”, says Richard Peper of food broker Don Pepe. “Food manufacturers are bypassing the importer/distributor. This saves cost but that is not all.”

Dossche Mills relaunches FLINN as a brand name for its physically handled flour varieties. The family business, founded in 1875, is aiming for sustainability.

It is evident from research conducted by UCLL and KU Leuven that when assessing how (un)healthy a food product is, they attach more importance to the Nutri-Score than the nutritional value table on the packaging.