< Previous40 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net FOOD SCIENCE identification of specific pathogens in food samples through examining fragments or small sections of their DNA. Nanotechnology has also shown potential in enhancing food safety, in developing nanomaterials that can effectively detect and eliminate pathogens. Nanoparticles with antimicrobial properties are also being explored for food packaging to extend shelf life and prevent contamination. As remote sensing technologies, such as hyperspectral imaging and spectroscopy, are being implemented to identify microbial contamination on food surfaces, AI and machine learning algorithms are being utilised to develop better risk assessment and decision- making in the future. Advancements in predictive microbiology models have led to better understanding and prediction of microbial growth and behaviour under different conditions. In analysing large datasets relating to food safety, adding to our toolkit for identifying patterns, AI has vast potential to provide deeper insights into more effective prevention and identification strategies. When dangerous microorganisms find their way into the public sphere, product recall becomes an unfortunate necessity. At present this is an imperfect measure when detecting and addressing food poisoning; the challenge this poses often leads to consumers suffering the consequences of foodborne illness-causing bacteria before emergency preventative measures can be taken. High- throughput genome sequencing of foodborne pathogens is one area that allows for more accurate tracking of outbreaks. This technology can therefore play a significant role in damage control and preventing food product recalls in the event of contamination or suspected safety issues. Genome sequencing has the potential to provide rapid and precise information about the source and extent of contamination, which can help mitigate the impact of recalls and prevent future incidents. By comparing the genetic sequences of the pathogens found in the contaminated food and in affected individuals, scientists can determine whether there is a direct link between the food and the illnesses. This helps pinpoint the source of contamination and provides evidence for targeted recalls. Information provided by the rapid identification of microorganisms in contaminated products can guide authorities and food producers to isolate affected batches, ensuring regulators and food companies can act swiftly to prevent the further spread of the contamination. This can include quarantining products, halting production, and issuing recalls for only the affected batches rather than recalling all products. By utilising genome sequencing data, regulatory agencies can ensure that contaminated products are efficiently recalled and removed from the market, ensuring compliance with food safety Allergen Services, Meat and Fish Species Detection, GMO Screening, Nutritional Values, Acrylamide, Pesticides, Heavy Metals, Vitamins and Minerals, Mycotoxins, Authenticity and Isotopic Analysis, Challenge Testing, Microbiological Assessment, Rapid (24hr) Pathogen Detection. UKASAccreditedServices UKAS accredited food, swab and water analytical services • A range of turnaround times available DAKKS accredited services available through our group Laboratory, IFP Labs Unit 1b Moderna Business Park, Mytholmroyd, HX7 5QQ Tel: 01422 405678 Email: sales@micro-search.co.uk Part of IFP Laboratories Group TESTING WITH RESPONSIBILITYFood & Drink International 41 www.fdiforum.net FOOD SCIENCE regulations. Throughout the whole production chain, genome sequencing can be used to trace the source of ingredients, which comes in particularly useful when a contaminant is found in a finished product, and investigators need to determine which ingredient or supplier is responsible. The more data is gathered at all stages, the more ammunition the industry has against future incidents, providing vital information to inspire better and earlier isolation of contaminants. Even at a human level, studies on the gut microbiome and its relationship to foodborne illnesses are providing insights into how specific microbial communities impact susceptibility to infections, along with how diet influences these dynamics. But for now, food businesses must do everything in their power to work with up-to-date microbiological knowledge every step of the way. In a world where microscopic threats can have macroscopic consequences, the diligence with which hygiene practices, handling techniques, storage, and temperature control are implemented cannot be overstated. These are not mere formalities; they are the armour that safeguards our health and wellbeing. The assurance of safe food comes from the industry’s dedication to upholding these practices—practices that might go unnoticed, but whose impact resonates through every meal we enjoy. With how fast-paced the laboratories and food science markets are, industry events are key for the sharing of knowledge and ideas, and one such event taking place soon on the 1st-2nd of November is Lab Innovations. Taking place in the UK, Lab Innovations is supported by some of the UK’s top science institutions, and is an ideal place to see the latest innovations in lab equipment, explore sustainable lab initiatives, or learn new ways to future- proof a lab. With over 4,200 laboratory professionals attending and over 190 manufacturers and suppliers of lab equipment, it is not an event to be missed. Stand L70 1 & 2 November 2023 | NEC, Birmingham sink & autoclave combo Combining a liquid waste autoclave for biohazardous fluid disposal and a traditional autoclave for sterilising everything else. Come and see a live demonstration at Lab Innovations QPVJG5EKGPVKƂE.CDQTCVQT[5WRRNKGUUVCPF #UVGNN$KQEQO © stock.adobe.com/Microgenwww.fdiforum.net Plan your campaign with Food & Drink International… ...your competitors are! As marketing is the vital ingredient for the success and growth of any business, we can offer advice and packages to suit all budgets. Speak to one of our experienced account executives. CAN YOU AFFORD NOT TO? • Print • Online • E-Newsletters • Regular News • Topical Features The perfect medium to give your brand the best chance of being seen! Contact us below for our 2023 editorial schedule Call today on +44 [0] 1472 310310 or email: v.hunt@blmgroup.co.uk INTERNATIONAL INTERN NATION AL ahe Sta d ayng d i ea ngspogh ahead a eadyRy mea ackPP kaging s Micr obiol og testing gy INTERN NATION AL ma r Cha r ket ang s g y tr yy and ma r kets m s Meat, poul d f ltt seaf oood v Sie es and separ aat ors spotlight separ aat ors e Softw a re sp Sti INTERN bl NATION bus Sus bus Sus sness stana i ti s able bl business s End of fline packk aging Int INTERN NATION AL g ro Hea h althy o wth ah chan eden wth g uncF c tional ingr e edients y upplS lyychai spotlight Caps and cl spotlight osur Caps and cl ees MINIMUM COST…MAXIMUM IMPACT! www.fdiforum.net Food & Drink International 43 www.fdiforum.net FOOD INGREDIENTS EUROPE F ood ingredients Europe has been uniting the world’s leading food & beverage suppliers, buyers, R&D experts, and production specialists for over 35 years. Originally taking place biennially in a major European city, it now operates annually in conjunction with Health ingredients Europe. Since its launch in 1986, billions of Euros worth of business have been generated as a direct result of the connections made at Fi Europe events. It is the market leader in helping F&B ingredient companies find the right people and solutions to take their business to the next level. Each year, it showcases a diverse range of innovative, new ingredients & services and over its lifespan, has welcomed more than 500,000 people through its doors. The 2-day Conference will offer a programme focused on tackling current challenges and identifying immediate opportunities for the food and beverage industry. Through a mix of keynote presentations, panel discussions and company case studies the conference will provide in-depth insights into current trends and examples of applications of the latest research, as well as deep dives into the key issues affecting the current and future growth of a specific F&B category. Explore the latest innovative products Ingredients in Action, in association with Innova Market Insights, allows guests to taste, touch and smell the latest innovative products. Innova Market Insights will present over 10 highly innovative products for sampling. Witness the F&B trends of tomorrow and expect a whole host of innovative surprises at this year’s bar. Attendees can drop by and sample the best of what the F&B industry has to offer and stay on top of the future trends! New Products Zone Discover an extensive selection of the most innovative products, showcased alongside insightful information. The New Product Zone showcases product innovations from leading industry players and provides the perfect opportunity to give new ingredients the introduction they deserve to the market. A popular area for visitors and the press, this feature has become a trendsetting spot for the food industry. For more information visit www.figlobal.com/fieurope/en/ home.html Food Ingredients Europe Food Ingredients Europe is taking place on the 28-30th November in Frankfurt, Germany, and will bring over 25,000 attendees to visit 1,200 exhibitors coming from over 135 countries. 44 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net FOOD SCIENTIST FOR HIRE Q&A Can you tell us a little about Food Scientist For Hire and what you do? Food Scientist For Hire is a dynamic product development agency specialising in the food and drink industry. We serve as a bridge between innovative ideas and physical products, helping food businesses turn their dreams into reality. While we may be a small team at our core, our extensive network in the food industry helps us to tackle virtually any challenge and bring even the most complex ideas to life. Based in a small but fully-equipped facility near Eindhoven, The Netherlands, we operate on an international scale, extending our expertise to clients around the world, whether they are young startups or well-established multinational corporations. Our team is equally specialised, with each member having a key role to play and key experience. I have over 10 years of experience working as a product developer in the F&B Industry with names as Mars and Unilever and have launched over 200 products Internationally. We have our bakery specialist, Lisanne, who has previously worked with McVities and Go Ahead and has a deep understanding of the science behind how ingredients work with one another. We also have our culinary and nutritional experts Mark and Dimitra, our manufacturing expert Frank, who has over 30 years’ experience in optimising processing, and our branding and graphic designer Dawn who can create beautiful designs. Our aim is to have someone who is specialised in every step of product development, so that there is always some real expertise on hand to deal with any issues our clients may have. What kinds of services do you offer to businesses within the food and drink industry? Our services cover every aspect of the product development process, offering support at any stage from initial concept to the final product rollout from the factory. At the heart of our operations is our in-house recipe development, where we utilise our extensive inventory of over 2000 ingredients to kickstart the development and prototyping process quickly. In addition to this, we specialise in contract manufacturing sourcing, a critical service where we excel in matching the right contract manufacturer to the specific needs and scale of our clients. Our expertise spans a wide array of product categories, including beverages, sauces, baked goods, plant-based meats, powdered mixes, concentrates, sports and functional foods, supplements, fermented products, and many more. On top of that, we can also perform various lab tests and microbiological stability tests. From this we can work on improving the shelf-life of a product, allowing it to last longer on shelves and stay fresher, making a product far more attractive to wholesalers and supermarkets. At the same time, we can create accurate nutritional facts for labelling, and can even advise on regulatory compliance and labelling requirements. We also have a great network of ingredient suppliers that we can source highly specialised ingredients from. These could be functional ingredients, herbal supplements, vitamins and minerals and many others. What kinds of challenges do food and drink businesses face, and how do you help them surpass them? Challenges arise all the time and they often vary depending on where a Q&A Food Scientist For Hire This month we sat down with Nicolas Tsisios, of Food Scientist For Hire, to learn about how they help companies with new product development, and what makes them so good at it. Food & Drink International 45 www.fdiforum.net FOOD SCIENTIST FOR HIRE Q&A business stands in its journey. For instance, startups may struggle with profitability when manufacturing their first orders or struggle to meet minimum order quantities (MOQs). To address these issues, we have developed a unique solution. We enable our clients to produce as few as 100 units in our laboratory, ensuring that these products are indistinguishable in taste and appearance from those manufactured in a large-scale facility. This approach empowers startups to confidently approach retailers and stockists, presenting their products as already in production with a well- established supply chain. The impact of showcasing a physical product rather than a PowerPoint presentation during sales pitches cannot be overstated. Can you give us an idea of how you’ve helped your clients? We recently assisted a U.S.-based company in the development of their syrup product range. They were keen on manufacturing their syrups at a competitive price point, comparable to established larger brands in the market. However, they lacked the economies of scale necessary to compete effectively on pricing. To address this challenge, we identified a manufacturing facility just across the border in Mexico. This move allowed them to manufacture their products at their desired price level as labour prices tend to be a little lower in Mexico than in the US. Our team made the journey to the Mexican factory to provide hands-on support during the initial production runs, ensuring that the production run was according to specifications and client’s requirements. What advice do you have for food and drink businesses? • Calculate Your Margins: Before embarking on production, it is a must to calculate your profit margins. Entering the market with negative margins means that even if you manage to sell all your stock, you will still be losing money. Profitability should be a non-negotiable starting point for any food or beverage business. • Invest in Research and Development: The development and manufacturing of FMCGs (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) can be streamlined with the help of agencies like Food Scientist For Hire. If you don’t have an internal product development department it would be good to talk to outside experts as it could save you lots of time and money. • Brand Recognition: Securing listings with major retailers is undoubtedly a significant milestone. However, it is essential to understand that the real challenge begins once your product is on the shelf. Building brand recognition and convincing consumers to choose your product over the competition is an ongoing effort that demands creativity and dedication. • Invest in Sales and Marketing: It is essential to recognize that achieving profitable sales is often more challenging than anticipated. Invest in a robust sales and marketing strategy to ensure your products reach and resonate with your target audience effectively. Make sure you have the right Product-Market fit. Are there any exciting plans for the future? Yes indeed! We are all about growth so we are always looking to the future. We are investing in new equipment, new technology and knowledge to expand to more product categories. We are looking into potentially opening a new location in a different part of the world so we can operate closer to where we see more demand for our services. You can come and see us at the Fi & Hi Europe 2023 Show in Frankfurt at stand 3.0L143 at FIE in November! For more information, and to see more case studies of how FSFH have helped their clients, visit www.foodscientistforhire.com or, to get in touch directly, call +31 623 007 241 Fi North America 25 - 26 October Las Vegas, USA Food ingredients North America is the largest ingredient event in the U.S. focused on food, beverage, and supplement innovation. It brings together more than 18,000 professionals from the health and nutrition industry. Join the event to learn about new trends from over 1,000 exhibitors and well curated educational content and conference programming. InFlavour 29 - 31 October Riyadh, Saudi Arabia From new tech to influencing global food security, the food industry is facing unprecedented challenges in production, distribution and sustainability. How do we solve those problems? Together, InFlavour will prove that the most unexpected breakthroughs and partnerships can only happen when diverse industry players all take their seat at the table to share experiences, solutions, and a passion for food. Take your seat at the InFlavour table, a government-backed and world-leading trade F&B event. Caffè Culture 3 - 4 October London, UK As the leading trade event for the UK’s speciality coffee and café bar market, Caffe Culture is where the trade comes for inspiration and advice to help grow their businesses. This unmissable show brings together 100s of premium international brands whilst providing business owners an unparalleled opportunity to learn and be inspired from the very best the industry has to offer. Trade Drinks Expo 10 - 11 October London, UK The UK’s only event dedicated to maximising drink sales for on-trade and off-trade is coming on 10 & 11 October with a brand-new look! Trade Drinks Expo promises to provide you with all the latest updates within the sector, including 200 hand-picked exhibitors: from beer, cider, wine, vodka, to drinking accessories, no & low, low cal and more! The event has pulled together industry experts across a range of topics who will bring you unmissable insights into the sector. 46 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net Events Food & Drink © stock.adobe.com/ amorn Responsible Packaging Expo 10 - 11 October London, UK The Responsible Packaging Expo is the UK’s leading event bringing sustainable packaging to the forefront of the industry. Responsible packaging has never been so important in an ever-increasing ecocentric world. This expo brings together the most innovative packaging solutions to the F&B industry. The wide-ranging conference schedule is packed with experts in their field, covering everything from the wider issues that affect packaging down to specifics of one small change that can make huge improvements to the way a company packages their products. Plastic Waste Free World Europe 2023 8 - 9 November Cologne, Germany Plastic Waste Free World Conference & Expo has rapidly become the must-attend © stock.adobe.com/_KUBE_international conference and exhibition for any company looking for new technologies, materials, and solutions to help realize their plastic waste targets and source the latest innovations driving the new circular economy. The event attracts more than 4,000+ attendees from the entire supply chain including major manufacturers, brand owners, retailers, materials experts, circular economy experts, government organizations, NGOs, the recycling industry, and the plastics sector to engage in discussions that will help reduce waste plastic in the environment. Plant Based World Expo Europe 15 - 16 November London, UK Plant Based World Expo Europe is the only 100% plant based professional event to attract an audience of buyers and food and beverage professionals from across retail, food service and public sector catering. This unique event combines an international exhibition of the biggest and best products in the market, as well as insightful sessions, high-level networking and tasting opportunities. Vertical Farming World Congress 2023 9 - 11 October London, UK Bringing together vertical farming operators, investors, suppliers and customers, this 4th annual Vertical Farming World Congress is designed to help develop and advance the sector’s future. It is the most substantial dedicated event of the year, featuring two days of conference sessions, exhibits, local vertical farm tours, networking with key industry figures and presentation of the Vertical Farming World Awards 2023. Food & Drink International 47 www.fdiforum.net © stock.adobe.com/ aamulya Fi Europe 28 - 30 November Frankfurt, Germany Food ingredients Europe has been uniting the world’s leading food & beverage suppliers, buyers, R&D experts and production specialists since its launch in 1986. Billions of Euros worth of business have been generated as a direct result of the connections made at Fi Europe events. It is the market leader in helping F&B ingredient companies find the right people and solutions to take their business to the next level. Each year, it showcases a diverse range of innovative, new ingredients & services and over its lifespan, has welcomed more than 500,000 people through its doors.FEATURES Packaging Spotlight Foodservice Soups & Sauces Depositors & Filling Facilities Management Cold Storage EVENT PREVIEWS Fi Europe Next month in November 2023 - Deadline 11th October INTERNATIONAL Visit us at www.fdiforum.net where you’ll find the latest news as it breaks – and why not subscribe to our newsletters so you can have the latest news emailed to your inbox, in between printed issues?Classified You can feature your company in our hugely popular Online Directory with a description, contact details and a hyperlink If you would like further information please contact Vicky Hunt on +44 [0] 1472 310310 or email v.hunt@blmgroup.co.uk or visit www.fdiforum.net/directory From field to fork, Food & Drink International is the voice of the industry. Food & Drink International 49 www.fdiforum.net Depositors Manufacturers of depositors & filling machines for the food production industry Labels • Self adhesive Labels • Lasersheets • Fanfolded Labels • Thermal Transfer Ribbons • Barcode Labels INDEX Online Directory Depositors Labels To Let www. fdiforum .net • Superb Location • Secure off street parking • High speed internet availability • A range of affordable office sizes Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby DN31 2QE Tel: (01472) 310301 Email: s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk Ground floor offices to let - prime location in Grimsby To Let Online Directory To advertise your services on the Next >