About Food for Thought
Written for food industry decision makers, Food for Thought reports periodically on agrofood activities and advances within the Netherlands. Its articles, overviews, and white papers provide an overall perspective on food technologies, innovations, and R&D taking place here.
Articles in this issue
Two times more with two times less
Provalor creates fibers and juices from vegetable rejects
TNO develops processes that ensure protein functionality
Breakthrough process technologies for a smaller carbon footprint
Reducing the water footprint – cooperation in global food chains indispensable
Koppert Cress and TNO lead the way to multilayer cultivation
Small bites:
Short articles on food developments in the Netherlands
Editorial Advisory
Board
Dutch Food Industry Network
The Netherlands
Anne Mensink/Food Valley
Roger Kleinenberg/
Netherlands Foreign
Investment Agency
Kees de Gooijer/Food & Nutrition Delta
Marcel de Groot/Agency NL-NL Innovation
USA
Allison Turner/Netherlands
Foreign Investment Agency
Caroline Feitel/Ministry of
Economic Affairs,
Agriculture and Innovation
Karin Louzada/Netherlands Office for Science and Technology
Links to
Dutch Food Industry Network
Netherlands Foreign
Investment Agency
www.nfia.com
Food Valley
www.foodvalley.nl
Food & Nutrition Delta
www.foodnutritiondelta.nl
Ministry of Economic Affairs,
Agriculture and Innovation
http://english.minlnv.nl
Netherlands Office for Science
and Technology
www.hollandtrade.com
Plenti® alternatives for meat and fish
There are unlimited new plant-based delicacies that taste as juicy and
tender as real, unprocessed meat and fish. That’s the sensation Dutch
manufacturer Ojah promises to industrial processors and culinary professionals
with its range of Plenti® ingredients. Following a successful launch
in 2010, Ojah will open a new production facility in the Dutch Food Valley
area this fall. With an initial annual capacity of some 800 metric tons,
Ojah completes its leap from invention to innovation.
Some five years ago, Polymer Technologist Frank Giezen proved that a well-known principle for polymerization of synthetic monomers could be translated to the texturization of plant-based proteins. His invention became the foundation for a whole new generation of 100% plant-based ingredients offering unlimited opportunities for the meat-free kitchen.
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| Ojah’s founders: Frank Giezen, Jeroen Willemsen, and Wouter Jansen (left to right) |
Supported by innovation company TOP and Wageningen UR’s contract research organization Food & Biobased Research, Giezen tested a pilot system using commercially available systems and tailor-made key parts. Being an entrepreneur with a track record in food innovation, he decided not to go for short-term profit, but to really sink his teeth into this project. After he founded Ojah in 2009, everything accelerated. A core team of three experts delivered the required mix of entrepreneurial, technological, and commercial expertise. With financial aid from the Dutch Food & Nutrition Delta innovation program, Ojah further optimized the technology. In 2010, some 30 metric tons of Plenti® were produced. For the inventors, this proved that the company was ready for implementation. An enterprising initial customer, “The Vegetarian Butcher,” took the opportunity to introduce a range of products based on Plenti®. In December 2010, Ojah closed a deal with three venture capitalists to co-finance the construction of its production facility.
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| Shaslick |
Products from Ojah are characterized by a revolutionary, long fibrous
structure. In contrast to existing “meat substitutes,” Plenti®-based
products mimic the visual characteristics, mouthfeel, taste, and tactile
sensation of unprocessed meat products — that is, products for which bite
and fibrous sensation determine quality and taste. Ojah’s products are
easily processed while maintaining their structural integrity, even at
high temperatures and in an aqueous environment. These features attract
“foodies,” manufacturers, as well as culinary professionals. The fact
that Plenti® ingredients are 100% plant-based, high in moisture and proteins,
low in fat, free of any additives such as salt or alginates, and gluten-free
adds to the market potential. Foodservice and catering customers are
offered the opportunity to surprise consumers with great-tasting, healthy,
and sustainably produced food.
The secret for the unique sensorial characteristics lies in the unconventional
approach followed by Ojah. In its quest for the ultimate plant-based
meat substitutes, researchers worldwide seek to imitate meat-like structures
up to a microscopic or even nano level. Ojah let go of the assumption
that there is a one-on-one correlation between structure and sensorial
appreciation. It “simply” focused on developing great-tasting and widely
applicable products. Although on the outside the product shows an unmistakable
visual resemblance to unprocessed meat, its internal structure is quite
different. One can easily see that it’s not chicken, pork, or beef. As
an unintended side effect, Ojah believes this appeals to meat reducers,
vegetarians, and vegans.
Ojah operates in a B-2-B setting, branding Plenti® as an ingredient. When applied in end products, the EatPlenti® logo is printed on the packaging. This marketing approach offers purchasers the freedom to operate in terms of product development and host-brand positioning. More important, besides emphasizing the unique quality of the product, Ojah offers consumers insight into the production chain as a whole. Information on the company, its people, and its drivers of sustainability and health is communicated by means of Internet sites and other information tools. In the sensitive and complex market of meat-free products, this is recognized as a useful instrument to inform consumers in helping them with their purchases.
Ojah is young and ambitious. Within two years, Plenti® — currently based on soy — will be used in a wide range of food products in the Netherlands and abroad. Already, Ojah is developing its second- and third-generation Plenti® products, based on a broad range of raw materials. Products containing pea, potato, lupin, and even algae and carrot pulp are slated for introduction in 2012. With this extension, not only is Ojah broadening its potential applications, it’s also introducing additional consumer benefits in terms of health and sustainability.
Contact details:
Ojah B.V.
Jeroen Willemsen
Manager External Affairs
Agro Business Park 10
6708 PD Wageningen
The Netherlands
Email: Willemsen@ojah.nl
Telephone: +31 317 466 281
Website: www.ojah.nl
Twitter: #EatPlenti
“The Sustainable Living Plan”
Unilever talks with Food for Thought about sustainable living
According to Anniek Mauser, Head of Sustainability Unilever Benelux, sustainability is a broad concept at Unilever: “Sustainability is more than environmental impact reduction, it is about sustainable living. At Unilever, we have always been active in sustainability for our own production facilities and our own operations. But this new initiative, which we launched in November 2010, is much bigger. We include sustainability programs for our entire supply chain. This includes everything from the sourcing of raw materials to consumer use and the handling of waste. Our product portfolio reaches across 180 countries, and a Unilever product is used 2 billion times a day, so you can imagine the incredible scale of this initiative.” Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan concentrates on three areas:
- Health and well-being: Help more than one billion people improve their health and well-being.
- Environment: Halve the environmental footprint of its products.
- Enhanced livelihoods: Enhance the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people in the supply chain.
The Sustainable Living Plan sets aggressive and significant targets for 2020. “For example,” says Mauser, “Unilever will source 100% of its agricultural raw materials from sustainable agriculture. In order to achieve these targets, we are working together with governments, non-governmental organizations, suppliers, retailers, and others to address the big challenges that confront us all.”
Unilever already established a sustainability in agriculture program, “Growing for the Future,” in 1998. This program was followed by many others, such as Project Shakti in India, which was designed to increase rural distribution, help create women entrepreneurs, and implement a partnership between Lipton Tea and the Rainforest Alliance to globally and sustainably produce tea for Lipton and PG Tips by 2015. In another project taking place in India, Unilever is supporting small-scale gherkin farmers by supplying them with seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides, while the farmers themselves supply the land, water, and labor. Unilever offers these farmers a guaranteed price, fixed at the start of the season. With this agreement, the farmers receive a secure income, while Unilever secures a supply of high-quality produce for its Amora brand.
In addition to the projects on sustainability in agriculture, Unilever has sustainability projects in health, nutrition, and hygiene. An example of one of these projects takes place in Africa and focuses on fortified foods that improve health. This project is implemented in cooperation with UNICEF. According to UNICEF, more than 700 million people suffer from iodine deficiency, especially those in developing countries. A relatively easy way to decrease this number is to replace “normal” salt with iodized salt. But in developing countries like Ghana, where most of the population lives on less than a dollar a day, this is a big challenge. It is difficult to persuade people to switch to iodized salt when it costs twice as much as raw, non-iodized salt. Unilever faced a formidable challenge in coming up with a solution. It drew on its experience in India, where it had developed a low-cost iodized salt called Annapurna. Unilever made small sachet sizes at prices as low as 500 Ghanaian cedis (six U.S. cents) per packet. Due to this invention, millions of people now have access to affordable iodized salt. Since its launch in 2000, Annapurna has helped to expand the use of iodized salt in Ghana to around 50% of the population, and Unilever and UNICEF are now extending Annapurna into other African countries. Mauser explains: “To work in this way requires a different business model, called ‘Base of the Pyramid.’ This means adapting to local needs, quantities, and price levels; it’s interesting to consumers and to Unilever because of its sheer size. In this way everyone wins.”
These programs have resulted in a lot of awards and recognition. In September 2010, Unilever was, for the 12th consecutive year, named “sustainability leader” in the Food and Beverage supersector of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI). The DJSI closely follows the performance of companies that are leading in corporate sustainability. The sustainability scores are based on a thorough analysis of corporate economic, environmental, and social performance. Issues such as corporate governance, risk management, branding, climate change mitigation, supply chain standards, and labor practices — with a strong focus on long-term shareholder value — are assessed.
Recently, Unilever won the WWF Netherlands business award for its accomplishments in the area of sustainability and for its ambitious Unilever Sustainable Living Plan.
Anniek Mauser has been working in sustainability at Unilever for more than 10 years. Before joining Unilever, she finished her PhD in sustainability management in business at the University of Amsterdam. In 1998, Unilever started a local project to assist small farmers in implementing sustainability. At that time, Unilever sourced nearly 70% of its ingredients from agriculture. Today, this figure is around 50% due to acquisitions and the selling off of some units. Mauser helped further this initiative within Unilever through a project called Caring Dairy, which launched in 2004 as a Dutch pilot project for one of Unilever’s ice cream brands, Ben & Jerry’s. This project started with 11 dairy farmers and outlined targets and ideas on how to more effectively use energy, save water, promote animal welfare, etc. In 2007, by partnering with the Dutch company CONO cheesemakers, the project was scaled up to include 500 dairy farmers and more than 25,000 cows. Today, this program — in conjunction with its U.S.-based equivalent — is the inspiration for Unilever’s global sustainable dairy strategy. “This is a perfect example of a project that started on a small scale but is now leading in the dairy sector in Europe, and inspiring the dairy sector globally,” says Mauser.
Unilever was also among the three “founding fathers” for the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) Platform (www.saiplatform.org) based in Brussels. This initiative was launched in 2002 and now includes 32 food and beverage industry members that have developed standards for sustainable agriculture and share knowledge. The SAI Platform is the only global food industry initiative for sustainable agriculture.
Unilever works with hundreds of thousands of small businesses globally, most of which are in the developing world. By 2020, Unilever wants to link more than 500,000 smallholder farmers and small-scale distributors with its supply chain. Mauser explains, “We help them to improve their skills and increase productivity so that they can increase their income and standard of living.”
On a local level, Mauser finds the Netherlands to be one of the leading countries in sustainability. “In the Netherlands,” she remarks, “you find an active, vibrant culture related to sustainability, and Unilever participates in many of the think tanks and organizations such as the world-class Wageningen University.” Mauser also is engaged with organizations such as Food Policy NL, which is a network of producers and retailers that exchange ideas on various topics such as sustainability. The Federation of Dutch Food Suppliers (Federatie Nederlandse Levensmiddelen Industrie) also has key committees on sustainability. Its main purpose is to be proactive in policy development and in helping the entire sector, including small and medium-sized firms in the food industry.
About Unilever
Unilever has sales and marketing operations in more than 169 countries. It is also well placed with 92 R&D locations around the globe, all working on and implementing innovations either in product development or on the production line. There are 31 major development centers that develop and implement product innovation, and six strategic R&D laboratories that focus on delivering groundbreaking technologies. These strategic R&D laboratories are located in the U.K., the Netherlands, the U.S., China, and India. R&D Vlaardingen (the Netherlands) is one of Unilever’s largest international research laboratories with more than 1,000 employees and 40 nations represented. Many of the product innovations are developed at this location. Annually Unilever puts nearly €900 million into R&D.
Contact details:
Flip Dotsch
Corporate Media Relations Manager
Email: Flip.Dotsch@unilever.com
Sector aims to be energy-neutral by 2020
Dutch dairy sector develops climate-neutral barn
The Dutch dairy sector has developed a climate-neutral barn for dairy
farms. The climate-neutral barn is fitted with solar panels and bio-digesters
that can supply energy to a dairy factory or residential area. The natural
needs of the cow are key, so the cows remain outdoors as much as possible.
“The climate-neutral barn heralds a new step in the sustainability of
our sector,” says Tjeerd de Groot, Director of NZO (the Dutch Dairy Organization/Nederlandse
Zuivel Organisatie).
As part of its objective of having the Dutch dairy sector be energy-neutral
by 2020, the Dutch Sustainable Dairy Chain, which comprises NZO and the
Dutch Federation of Agriculture and Horticulture (LTO), is testing this
new concept at a number of small businesses throughout the Netherlands.
If the trials prove successful, the barns will then be rolled out to
all Dutch dairy farms.
“The idea is to apply the knowledge and experience we gain with this
innovation to all dairy farms,” says Siem Jan Schenk, President of the
LTO Dairy Department. “Milk is the green engine. We as a sector are willing
to invest and we hope that the government wants to contribute.”
In addition to the Sustainable Dairy Chain’s goal of becoming energy-neutral,
objectives are 30% energy savings and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
by 30%, compared to 1990.
The Dutch dairy sector is currently investing more than $300 million
annually in sustainability. The Sustainable Dairy Chain is also looking
to the government to make a contribution through the new Sustainable
Energy Subsidy Scheme, which provides subsidies to farmers and companies
investing in sustainable energy production. According to the Sustainable
Dairy Chain, the Dutch dairy sector contributes 6% to the Dutch trade
surplus.
Contact details:
Websites:
http://www.nzo.nl/
www.lto.nl
Peter Folstar and Nico Overbeeke
Meet NFIA’s “food team”
Holland’s location and logistics systems, its open innovation approach, and its well-organized public-private partnerships offer a favorable environment for companies looking for business expansion or acceleration. Add to that a mindset of creativity, collaboration, and reliability, excellent financial conditions, and a top technology sector in agrofood, and Holland is able to guarantee the most important drivers in “innovation location” choices for foreign investors.
Since November of 2010, Peter Folstar and Nico Overbeeke have been working with the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency’s food team. Peter and Nico’s focus is on foreign companies active in all segments of the agrofood chain that are looking for a foothold in Europe — and for engagement with the Netherland’s agrofood chain. These companies will find an unparalleled environment of support for their innovative activities, while the Dutch agrofood chain will grow stronger through their presence. A real win-win situation.
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Peter Folstar |
Before joining the NFIA, Peter Folstar founded and managed the Netherlands Genomics Initiative (NGI), a €750 million public/private partnership program aimed at building the knowledge infrastructure as a foundation for life sciences genomics-related research and business. At the same time, Peter was visiting professor for Knowledge and Innovation Management at Wageningen University. Before NGI, he was a member of the Board of Management of TNO (the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research, which has a yearly turnover of €600 million), and worked for food companies Heinz and Borden as R&D director. Peter holds a PhD in Food Science and Technology from Wageningen University.
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Nico Overbeeke |
Nico Overbeeke has held a variety of positions at Unilever, starting in scientific research and moving into broader R&D management roles both within various operating companies and at the global level. His last position before joining the NFIA was as VP Research Foods and Director Unilever R&D Vlaardingen. Nico holds a PhD in Microbiology from Utrecht University. Both Peter and Nico have excellent expertise and extensive national and international networks in all segments of the agrofood chain.
Peter will participate at the IFT in New Orleans; please stop by the Holland Food Valley booth and meet with him to discuss business opportunities in the Netherlands.
Contact details:
Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency +31 (0)88 602 8818
peter@nfia.nl
nico@nfia.nl
An invitation to NuGO Week 2011
Join us September 6–9 in Wageningen, the Netherlands
Nutrigenomics is an example of an innovative research theme within the Netherlands. In a previous Food for Thought newsletter (www.nfia.com/fft/201005/article6.php), NuGO director Ben van Ommen illustrated the importance of this research field.
NuGOweek 2011 marks the 8th annual conference of the Nutrigenomics Organisation, NuGO. This year’s theme: Measuring Health: How to apply nutrigenomics for measuring metabolic health. This event, organized by NuGO in collaboration with the Division of Human Nutrition of Wageningen University, will bring together scientists active in the field of nutrigenomics and related disciplines, and provide a stimulating forum for the exchange of scientific ideas and concepts. An excellent group of speakers has been gathered who will present the latest developments and exciting new data describing how we can measure health and the impact of nutrients on the body. NuGOweek 2011 aims to provide a progressive picture of nutritional science.
The scientific program will feature international keynote speakers, papers, and posters. A detailed agenda can be found at www.nugo.org/nugoweek2011/41933. Ten sessions will be offered, including: “Brain & nutrient sensing,” “The healthy gut,” “Integration of genomics data,” and “Defining health.” Participation is restricted to 250 people; registration will be accepted in the order in which payment is received. To register, please complete the form at www.nugo.org/everyone/41900.
A pre-conference Master Class on Nutrigenomics, “Defining Health: From basic science to industrial relevance,” will be offered from Sunday, September 4 to Tuesday, September 6, 2011, Wageningen, the Netherlands. For more details, see www.vlaggraduateschool.nl/courses/master-nutri.htm.
Breathtaking innovation for fresh produce processors and packers
Fast Respiration Meter — new solution to improve quality
In 2010, PerfoTec B.V., based in the Netherlands, introduced a completely new
technology to optimize the atmosphere in fresh produce packaging: the Fast Respiration
Meter.
A reduced amount of oxygen allows fresh produce to respire at a lower rate, thus
increasing its shelf life. Measuring the respiration rate of the fresh/fresh-cut
produce enables professional packers to optimize the permeability of packaging,
so that just enough oxygen can enter that packaging. This optimization can be
achieved through type of film, film thickness, nitrogen gas flush, and/or the
size and number of laser perforations per package. The innovative Fast Respiration
Meter measures the respiration rate of fresh produce within four hours.
According to Bas Groeneweg, director of PerfoTec, “There are already similar
types of meters available on the market, but they are expensive and it takes
at least 48–72 hours before you get a result. That’s too long because the product
has already been packed. Our meter gives the results within just four hours.”
In short, this is the ideal solution for production environments in which it
can be used to optimize the protective atmosphere in the packaging process.
For the first time, vegetable and fruit processors can now obtain “real time”
information about the respiration rates of their products, which is essential
information to packing the product appropriately.
“Initially,” says Groeneweg, “PerfoTec was only selling very high-precision
laser equipment for micro-perforation of the packaging film. Those micro-perforations
allow just a little bit of oxygen to enter the packaging. With the new Fast Respiration
Meter, we can reach far better precision. You can compare the Fast Respiration
Meter with the sight on a gun.” Groeneweg started with PerfoTec in 2004. The
company now sells the laser systems around the world, with customers in Kenya,
Europe, North America, and Venezuela. The commercial value of the PerfoTec system
lies in delivering more efficiency in fresh produce trading chains, and in more
constant product quality.
Getting the right balance
Groeneweg adds: “The main difference between fresh produce and other
packed products is that fresh produce is alive and needs to be able to breathe
inside the packaging. If the oxygen and CO2 levels are not regulated properly,
the quality of the product decreases faster. Too much oxygen, as well as a lack
of oxygen, is bad for the quality.”
With the laser system and the unique camera system, PerfoTec delivers a complete
solution. The laser burns small holes of a specific size in the packaging film.
The camera checks each perforation with an astonishing speed of 110 holes per
second. With a special closed-loop feedback system, any hole size variation will
be corrected automatically.
Missing link
“The Fast Respiration Meter was the missing link in our system,”
Groeneweg explains. “Respiration is a crucial factor, because it can change depending
on variety and seasonal growing conditions.” There is increased interest in transport
by sea freight and the use of MAP liner bags. The Fast Respiration Meter gives
vital information to make sea freight transport successful.
Groeneweg is very satisfied with the impact the system has had on his customer
base. Many well-known processing companies are using the PerfoTec laser system,
and they realize the added value of the Fast Respiration Meter. Says Groeneweg:
“Every fresh produce company that is vitally concerned with quality and freshness
should, at least, take the time and effort to test our system. We also offer
evaluation sessions on site.”
System with automatic OTR Control®
For professional packers of (soft) fruits who are not satisfied with the quality
consistency and want to improve the shelf life of their packed products, the
PerfoTec Laser System with online camera control gives full control over the
permeability of the packaging film. Unlike expensive laser pre-perforated packaging
films, PerfoTec allows for the actual product respiration per season. For soft
fruit, packers can achieve a shelf life extension of three to five days. PerfoTec
provides the equipment and services that deliver the flexibility and security
to significantly improve the “keeping quality” of fresh vegetables and fruits,
thereby reducing costs.
Film permeability is a critical control point for quality
The best practice in micro-perforation of packaging film is when this process
is under control of the packers, because the respiration of fresh produce changes
through the seasons. Therefore, the film permeability must be considered as a
critical control point for the quality and shelf life of fresh produce (QACCP).
To tackle this CCP, PerfoTec has developed its unique camera inspection system
with Automatic OTR (Oxygen Transmission Rate) Control®. The camera checks and
controls the oxygen transmission rate of each pack, because each hole is inspected
and analyzed. If necessary, the laser energy is automatically adjusted “on the
fly” to balance out any variation in film thickness that may cause variations
in hole size. Films produced with laser perforation without this kind of an automatic
camera control system are unreliable due to unseen and undesired inconsistencies
in film permeability, and even missing holes. The PerfoTec Laser System is protected
by several international patents and new, pending international patent applications.
Automatic OTR Control® always
guarantees the best quality for your fruit
The PerfoTec Laser can make holes as small as 30–40 microns in diameter. This
is achieved by a special Laser Beam Equalizer. With this instrument, the very
small micro-perforations can be made with the highest consistency. This is of
particular importance for salads and ready-meal salads, because of the low respiration
of these products. This leads to better taste and optical quality of these fresh-cut
salads, vegetables, and fruit, because it can prevent anaerobic atmospheres,
as well as too-high oxygen levels inside the packs. In the end, this is the key
to generating repeat purchases by consumers and to maintaining successful sales.
PerfoTec has partnerships with several well-known film suppliers, and the company
can offer you the advantages of the PerfoTec technology, including an economic
mobile PerfoTec Laser System on a special rewinding unit.
Contact details:
Bas Groeneweg
PerfoTec® B.V.
Communicatieweg 11-1
3641 SG Mijdrecht
The Netherlands
Email: bas@perfotec.com
Telephone: +31 (0) 297 - 25 55 54
Fax: +31 (0) 297 - 28 38 36
Website: www.perfotec.com