July 2021

Every year, more than 350 million tonnes of plastic – much of it used by the food industry – is produced worldwide. According to researchers at the ETH Zürich university in Switzerland, these plastics contain a huge variety of chemicals that may be released during their lifecycles -- including substances that pose a significant risk to people and the environment. However, only a small proportion of the chemicals contained in plastic are publicly known or have been extensively studied.

Wheat straw and mango peels are normally disposed of in landfills or used as animal feed, but can provide feedstock polymers and antioxidants to produce renewable, biodegradable and nontoxic active food packaging.

Active food packaging has the ability to respond to temperature and time changes in food storage and could help keep products fresher for longer. This is one of the main findings of her recent doctoral study.

Unilever, together with Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, have developed a new high barrier paper-based packaging material for Unilever’s Colman’s dry Meal Maker and Sauces range by reducing plastic, increasing paper content, and consequently ensuring recyclability in the existing UK paper waste stream.

As the company noted, its development has been sparked by the rapid emergence of wellbeing based foods and supplements, that have heavily influenced global market trends amid the pandemic.

According to the business, its new Paradise Fruits Health division will offer a variety of innovative fruit Shapes with high fruit content and stand-alone products fortified with vitamins, minerals and extracts that can help to enhance the wellbeing of consumers.

Developed in response to growing consumer demand for taste adventure, the two new snacks are designed to appeal to all ages and will capitalise on the popularity of shared snacking occasions with friends and family.

The Mango Chutney Grills (80g) combine the authentic sweet and spicy elements of this classic condiment, including a hint of mint, in a crunchy potato-based snack while the Onion Bhaji Corn Crackers (60g) faithfully recreate all the flavour of the famous Indian appetiser. Both are suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets and have an RRP of £0.83.

Combining vegan, fair trade chocolate with vitamins, botanicals and clinically researched ingredients, the newest product extends the Functional Chocolate line with a new formulation designed to assist with focus and productivity.

As students return to classrooms and workers return to office life, while others remain working from home offices, kitchens and basements, productivity and engagement are a struggle for many. Distractions are everywhere, pulling concentration in countless directions.

Launching this month, retailers and consumers will see new-look packaging that has been designed to increase product stand-out on shelf with a design that brings to life the luxury and quality of Thorntons chocolate. Finsbury is also bringing in ‘Bitesize Moments Made Special’ as its tagline across the entire range, playing into the treat and snacking occasions that the cake range has been successful in for the last two decades.

Coconut beverage maker Kokomio announced that it will process husks from its Mexico-grown coconuts into shipping materials for the transportation of the brand’s coconut beverage. The new initiative is expected to be in place by late spring 2021 in Kokomio’s Mexico City plant. The company says that this initiative moves it forward in its effort to develop products that use 100% of the coconut with zero waste.