To submit a news item for inclusion, please contact Suzanne Christiansen at suzanne@bellpublishing.com or Maddy Barron at maddy@bellpublishing.com.

• FrieslandCampina predicts nutrition trends for 2024
• Kerry buys Chr Hansen lactase enzymes business
• dsm-firmenich secures 3-fucosyllactose market access in the European Union

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The Lactase Enzymes Business, which includes NOLA Products, further enhances Kerry’s biotechnology solutions capability following the acquisitions of c-LEcta and Enmex in 2022 and 2021. This purchase adds enzyme technology to help create lactose-free and sugar reduced dairy products, while preserving their authentic clean taste. Global demand for lactase is being driven by increased awareness of lactose intolerance, while many consumers are also choosing lactose-free for lifestyle and health reasons. 

The Lactase Enzymes Business had attributable revenue of approximately €40m in 2022 with sales in over 50 countries. Total consideration is €150m subject to routine closing adjustments, with the acquisition expected to close in the first half of 2024. 

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It will be the one-stop show for everything dairy, from judging and equipment to samples, and everything in between.

The Society of Dairy Technology‘s Summer Symposium and dinner will also be held on 26 June, offering a further opportunity for the dairy industry to gather together in one place.

We already have an exciting slate of exhibitors so far, including: ALPMA, CEM, Chr Hansen, Fristam Pumps, IFF, Lactalis, Marchant Schmidt, Masterpack, Ornua, PFM Packaging, Procudan, Sycamore Process Engineering, Vikan, Wafilin Systems and Water Technology Ltd.

If your company is not listed, please contact sam@bellpublishing.com for opportunities to get involved.

With an exciting programme of keynote presentations (including Ecolab as a keynote speaker) covering all sectors of the dairy industry in free-to-attend sessions on the exhibition floor, as well as a programme of workshops and judging, the International Cheese & Dairy Expo is much more than just a trade show. From pasteurisers, tanks and silos to cheese cultures, fruit flavourings and emulsifiers, though to wrappers, cutting machines, metal  detectors and logistics – the entire dairy processing chain will be represented, from cheese to yogurt and everything in between. Don’t miss it!

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“This first Chinese regulatory approval of three of our HMOs is an important milestone in our quest to bring infant formula closer to breastmilk in China and our aim to market our HMOs to the world’s largest infant formula market. The approvals put us in a positive position to secure the final regulatory wins,” says Jesper Sig Mathiasen, senior vice president, Chr. Hansen HMO.

The 3-FL HMO is particularly interesting for Chinese consumers as empirical studies of Chinese mothers’ breastmilk have shown a 3-FL concentration increase in the first months and hereafter maintaining a high level during the period of lactation.

The MARA approvals cover the technology to produce each of the three HMOs and it enables Chr. Hansen to apply for final approval of the 3 HMOs with Chinese authorities.

Chr. Hansen will also apply for Chinese approval of the remaining 2 HMOs in the clinically documented MyOli^TM 5 HMO mix. The 5 HMOs in MyOli are already approved in the US and EU amongst others.

What are HMOs?
Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are a major component of human milk, associated with multiple health benefits including shaping a healthy infant gut microbiome, possibly supporting brain development and the maintenance of a well-balanced immune system, reducing the risk of bacterial imbalance and maturing and maintaining the integrity of the intestine. Read more here.

What are the benefits of 2’-FL, LNT and 3-FL?
HMOs have been associated with a number of health benefits, including the 2’-FL, LNT and 3-FL:

• 2’-FL: 2′-Fucosyllactose is the most abundant HMO in breast milk (Thum et al., 2021). It is known for its beneficial effect in immune development (Goehring et al., 2016), supporting a balanced microbiome composition (Hill et al., 2021) and positively associated with neurodevelopment (Berger et al., 2020).
• LNT: Lacto-N-Tetraose, one of the most abundant HMOs in breast milk representing the group of basic neutral HMOs, contributes to the benefits of breastfeeding for infants and a well-balanced gut microbiome by helping to limit the growth of undesired microorganisms (Hill et al., 2021)
• 3-FL: 3-Fucosyllactose increases in concentration over the course of lactation (Thum et al., 2021), and thereby becomes the most abundant HMO in human breast milk over time (Samuel et al., 2019; Thum et al., 2021).

For a more exhaustive overview see here.

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Danone aims to expand and strengthen its relationships with partners from across the world, spanning start-ups and scale-ups,to corporations and academic institutions.

The programme is transforming the way that Danone works with its partners by strategically seizing
opportunities based on consumers’ trends and insights to support mutual growth. Danone Manifesto Ventures, the company’s corporate venture arm, will also contribute as it helps bring high potential emerging brands, concepts, or capabilities to the market.

The programme starts with three new partnerships, and one joint business development plan signed with bioscience company Chr. Hansen. This new plan will enable Danone to push boundaries of innovation in the dairy and plant-based categories by using Chr. Hansen’s leading bio-solutions capabilities and leveraging both companies’ extensive culture collections.

Partner for Growth is focused on four interconnected strategic pillars that will unlock growth for Danone and its chosen partners:

• Emerging science and technology: exploring and discovering breakthroughs across
  ingredients, agriculture, processes and packaging that will shape the future of food to meet consumer needs.
• Precision capacity creation: making its assets more flexible and smarter, combining the
  right technologies, supply security and global and local partners to better predict and respond to customer needs.
• Cost competitiveness: using digital technology and collective understanding of our end-to-end value chain to drive efficiencies, reduce waste and optimize logistics.
• Sustainability: driving performance and purpose through initiatives that increase the health benefits of Danone’s brands, decarbonise operations across the entire value chain, or help us operate more responsibly with employees, communities and partners.

Vikram Agarwal, chief operating officer at Danone, commented: “Anticipating and seizing opportunities is at the heart of the Renew Danone strategy, and is what Partner for Growth is all about. A structured, holistic and mutually-beneficial approach to transform the way we work with partners, to take advantage of short-term opportunities and prepare our brands and categories for sustainable growth in the long-term. It will help us leverage more from our supplier and partner ecosystem to drive shared business growth rather than using a traditional linear approach. It’s how we’ll stay ahead of emerging trends, serve our customers and consumers better and unlock sustainable growth.”

Isabelle Esser, chief research, innovation, quality and food safety officer at Danone, said: “Since its origins, Danone has innovated with others to bring consumers and patients healthy food and water fuelled by over a century of ground-breaking nutrition, hydration and fermentation research. Together with suppliers and partners that share our ambition to design and offer superior products to consumers and patients across the world, it is time to step up! Through close collaboration with our partners, we can explore new horizons related to product superiority, new technologies in fermentation and decarbonation and find new solutions that benefit us, our partners, consumers and the planet.”

Mauricio Graber, CEO at Chr. Hansen, said: “At Chr. Hansen, we innovate by unleashing the power of good bacteria. However, only in partnership can we truly transform the food system enabling healthier living around the globe. That is why we welcome Danone’s invitation to work even closer as partners on this important agenda.”

As part of the program, Danone this week hosted an exclusive, in-person event with 50 suppliers at its new innovation centre in Paris Saclay. At the event, Danone’s leadership team shared the growth plans for each of Danone’s core categories with potential partners and celebrated existing Partner for Growth partnerships, including:

• Arla Food Ingredients for supplying speciality dairy ingredients.
• Breakthrough Fuel for its transportation solutions.
• McCarty Family Farms for pioneering regenerative agriculture practices with Danone.
• Circulate Capital for projects to increase plastic collection and create plastic recycling
  capabilities.

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To submit a news item for inclusion, please contact Suzanne Christiansen at suzanne@bellpublishing.com or Maddy Barron at maddy@bellpublishing.com.

• dsm-firmenich completes acquisition of postbiotics pioneer Adare Biome
• Remilk of Israel adds food industry executives to board
• Milk fat phospholipids reduce stress, says trial
• Chr Hansen secures EU approval for 6’-HMO
• Hochdorf rebrands for growth
• Westland Milk Products opens new lactoferrin plant in New Zealand

The post Roundup: Ingredients appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

As of 4 June 2023, Chr Hansen’s HMO 6’-Sialyllactose sodium salt (6’-SL), marketed under the trademark MyOli 6’-SL HMO, is authorised for the EU market and under proprietary protection for five years. This EU authorisation includes the highest use level for 6’-SL in infant formula and follow-on-formula (0.7g/L) in the EU.

Benefits attributed to 6′-SL HMO are, among others, reducing the risk of adhesion of harmful bacteria and their proteins and support to the brain development in infants, by supplying sialic acid, an essential building block for neurons.

Chr Hansen now has EU authorisation for all five HMOs in its MyOli 5 HMO Mix. The 5 HMO mix contains 2’-FL, 3-FL, LNT, 3’-SL and 6’-SL and is approved for infant formula and follow-on- formula. All these five HMOs are approved at the highest use levels in the industry.

“The fact that Chr Hansen MyOli 5 HMO Mix is now approved for use in the EU at the highest use levels is an important milestone. It means that Chr Hansen can now supply a blend of five HMOs bringing infant nutrition solutions closer to breast milk, to the benefit of infants who cannot be breastfed for various reasons. The European approval is also an important step towards using HMOs at natural concentration levels in infant formula and follow-on formula,” says Jesper Sig Mathiasen, senior vice president, Chr Hansen HMO.

HMOs are the third most abundant solid component of breast milk and are known in many different variations. The benefits stem from the structural diversity of HMOs.

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The combination will leverage Novozymes and Chr Hansen Holding’s complementary expertise, capabilities, and innovation and commercial excellence to develop biological solutions that will enable healthier lives, transform food systems and accelerate towards a climate neutral society, according to the firms, with a combined annual revenue of approximately €3.5 billion. Annual revenue synergies are estimated at €200 million with €80-90 million EBIT impact achievable within four years after completion and estimated €80-90 million in cost synergies achievable within three years after completion. There is expected organic revenue growth CAGR of 6-8% until 2025.

The contemplated combination will be effectuated through a statutory merger in accordance with the Danish Companies Act, with Novozymes as the continuing company and Chr Hansen as the dissolving company. The completion of the merger is currently expected to be in the fourth quarter of the calendar year 2023/first quarter of calendar year 2024, is subject to, inter alia, approval by the extraordinary general meetings of Novozymes and Chr. Hansen, respectively, as well as customary merger control and other regulatory approvals from relevant authorities.

Ester Baiget, president and CEO of Novozymes, said: “The combination of two strategically complementary companies with a shared purpose and advanced capabilities will show the world the true power of biosolutions. The announcement is fully aligned with Novozymes’ strategy and is another step towards unlocking additional growth opportunities. Novozymes and Chr  Hansen share the strong conviction that our combined scale, know-how, commercial strengths, and innovation excellence will drive value for our shareholders, customers and society at large by providing the sustainable solutions the world so urgently needs.”

Novozymes estimates the current addressable market for biological solutions to be around €15 billion and growing. The combination of Novozymes and Chr Hansen will capitalise on this by providing the biological solutions and biotech necessary to address global megatrends and meet customer demands to produce more, sustainably, and efficiently, they say.

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However, it was Dr Judith Bryans, the former IDF president and Dairy UK chief executive, who showed a stark reminder of what humanity is facing in the future, with a video showing the population growth on Earth since the beginning of human habitation. As the dots filled up the map, she reminded everyone, “There are currently 7.2 billion people on the planet, with the same land, and same water mass as we have had since the beginning of the world. It is estimated that there will be 9.7 billion by 2050, with 68 per cent of the population in cities and urban areas by then. Around 90 per cent of the growth will be in Asia and Africa, and 1.5 billion will be over the age of 65. We have a major demographic shift.” 

What they all have in common, Dr Bryans said, was that they all need nutritious food. “But people have to be able to afford food, and nutritious food is not nutritious if you can’t take it home and eat it. Food security has not been as high up on the food agenda as it should be.” With dairy, “We provide essential nutrients and help to comply with dietary guidelines globally” as well as helping with the UN’s Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs).  

Malnutrition in all its forms has to be recognised, she states, which includes stunting, cognitive impairment and micronutrient deficiencies. “We need human capital, but if people are malnourished, this won’t happen.” 

Dairy has for its part been the world’s largest social safety net, through the many school feeding programmes. “During Covid-19, the world was shut down, and students may have left education and not come back.” However, the International Dairy Federation has its school milk knowledge hub, with resources in how to set up a milk programme in various settings.  

She warned there are continuing challenges for the global dairy industry. These include the disconnect between the consumer and where their food comes from, the misconceptions around dairy by the media and the regulatory environment. She noted the various nutrient rich dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt, and the size differential between obtaining calcium, for example, from kidney beans versus a glass of milk. “The question becomes, how many planets do we need to produce all the dairy replacements? The answer is that we can’t feed the population now or in the future without dairy.” 

At the end of the day, she said, “We have great products, and we have a role in a plethora of SDGs, but we have to keep moving together. All people have a right to food and it has to be good quality food, and you can’t take nutrition away from climate change.” 

A matter of debate 

The panel debate then discussed, “The world towards 2050 – is there room for dairy?”  

As the moderator, Theis Brøgger, communications director for Arla Foods UK noted, “It is 28 years until 2050, and a lot can happen in 28 years. In 1994, there were 2.2 billion fewer people. How does dairy adapt? This is about new opportunities and challenges for dairy.  

Alex Henriksen, managing director for northern Europe at Tetra Pak said, “Yes, there will be room for dairy in 2050, but there will be many alternatives. Global perspective is needed and we have to have something to feed people with. We need to develop ingredients and technologies to reduce the amount of resources used while increasing the yield. We have to work on consumers’ perception of dairy, where they see it as worse for the environment but they like the taste. If we all increased the output to US standards, we could produce what is needed with 60 million cows versus 400 million cows.”  

Ulf Sonesson, research & innovation manager food & agriculture for RISE Agrifood and Bioscience in Sweden, said, “There is room for dairy in the future, but we should embrace the strong pressures to change the system as a whole, so we can prepare for the unthinkable things that can happen. I can’t see what the work will be like in 20 to 40 years, but scale has been main driver of agriculture, so we have to look at technology that can work on smaller scales.”  

Dr Bryans stated, “I am optimistic about the future of dairy. It is so interwoven in so many cultures, I can’t see a time when dairy won’t have a role in the food system. We are a consumer-centric industry, we have evolved and will evolve further, as we have data behind us and are far more forward in transparency and communication. We shouldn’t be fearful of communicating – there is no perfect industry, and we have to remain relevant to Gen Z and Gen Alpha, and find a way to communicate that is globally relevant as well as country specific. 

Brian Lindsay, director at the Global Dairy Platform and Dairy Sustainability Framework, was also bullish: “Hell yeah, dairy’s going to be there in 2050. It’s more than just GHG and food, it’s food security and lets kids get their education in other parts of the world. India is growing by 6.6 per cent per year and dairy provides livelihoods. All agricultural commodities have impacts, and we have to be clear about that, and stop thinking in silos. We need to tell the whole story, communicate smarter and involve more social sciences in research and communications.” 

Chr Hansen’s CEO Mauricio Graber also noted, “Dairy will continue to be a great way to bring nutrient dense and delicious products around the world. It’s about how we embrace the consumers and regulators so that we bring them along with us. Dairy will continue to play a fundamental role in global nutrition and our responsibility is to help shape that future.  

Brøgger asked the panel, “Dairy is already facing new legislation developments in the coming years, and where do you see new opportunities and challenges?” 

Graber said, “Microbial fermentation solutions are 21st century solutions, but we are dealing with regulations from the 20th century. We need to advance the framework so that new solutions get brought to market.” 

Bryans stated, “As long as it’s intelligent regulation we can deal with. When government bodies working on different areas don’t make sense with each other, a one size fits all policy is often not very helpful. Can you please bring people who have some understanding about how food is produced, into the team on regulation? European governments are doing what they can in terms of trade, climate change and diet, and putting labels on products for many different things. For regulators in China, it’s more about food safety and they are very pro-dairy. It depends on what area of the world you’re in. In this area of the world, it’s about the negative – you’re killing yourself with what’s on your fork, rather than ensuring safety of that food.” 

Lindsay noted, “When we look at India, it’s about livelihoods and food security, and by working effectively in this area, the country is reducing GHG emissions.  

Looking at organic food production, Sonesson of RISE observed that the segment has a yield issue. “In order to have a large-scale contribution to a sustainable food system, there needs to be stronger productivity.” 

Bryans observed, “Whether we’re talking about nutrition or climate change, we are on a journey, and some companies and countries are further ahead than others. There is no linear trajectory where we all get to a certain point in sustainability, and we can’t detach the improvements we’re making for climate change credentials from the fact that we feed the world. Our opportunities might be more regional. There is a reason that somebody who grows two crops a year that fail, then goes and buys a cow when they get the money. We can’t say that you can’t have that, because of climate change. All of us moving together will help climate change and help the debate.” 

Lindsay added that a FAO study of dairy emissions for 2005-2015 showed that milk production went up by 30 per cent while emissions intensity went down by 11 per cent, and absolute emissions went up 18 per cent.  

When asked about the non-dairy competition, Sonesson said, “It is important to tell the whole story and the larger picture, about what the dairy cow puts in that is good for society. Bryans said “I am not particularly scared, as Asian countries have consumed plant-based products for a long time, but they are strong dairy consumers. Closer to home in the UK, there are media stories about the whole world turning to plant based, but when you look at what consumers are actually buying, our consumers are flexitarian. When it came to Covid-19, our consumers turned to dairy because it was there for them. Consumers see plant based as clean, and don’t see milk as clean, so we as a sector need to do more about that idea.” 

Brøgger asked about sustainability: “What can dairy learn from other food sectors?”  

Graber replied, “What are we learning about energy and electric cars? The topics are not unrelated. There is likely to be an evolution, not a revolution. The global footprint of dairy continues to drive nutritional offerings.” 

“People are looking to us as a leading industry, and we love pictures of cows in fields,” Bryans noted. “It gives an image of a sleepy industry, and doesn’t show how innovative the industry can be. Don’t see us as we really are and this needs to be updated for the future.” 

Other industries such as meat and tobacco are fighting some of the same disruptions, Brøgger pointed out.” What do we have that others don’t?”  

Lindsay said it was the cooperation in the sector: “We collaborate in dairy. We have daily contact with our customer and we can influence change as well. We also work closely with beef industry as lot of beef comes from the dairy herd. We can build on other’s experience, but not at the expense of others.”

Meeting the SDGs 

The Friday morning panel was devoted to how dairy can meet the United Nations’ SDGs, with CEOs and MDs from all over the Nordic region discussing their issues.  

Gunnar Hovlud, CEO of Tine Norway began by telling the audience about how the pandemic underlined the importance of how companies and countries can supply countries with food. “In Norway, it is impossible to produce all this protein by grass production only, not arable. Tine is working with its partners in many different ways. On the farm it is introducing red algae into feeds to reduce methane from the cow. On the packaging side, it is introducing renewable plastic into all plastic packaging. We are cooperating with consumers and customers to do things along the value chain. We are trying to make it a recyclable circle, so it is much better for consumer sand the industry, and finding solutions for problems instead of doing things alone.” 

Kai Gyllström, Arla Foods Sweden CEO notes that having a sustainability approach isn’t just about affordable, nutritious food, it’s about helping the famers have a proper livelihood.  

The P missing from the slide is profit. We need to make sustainability profitable for our farmers. We are doing a lot of work on-farm, to reduce GHG by 30 per cent by 2030, with climate checks, and understanding the carbon footprint of every farm – we are building the world’s biggest dairy farm database. Arla’s climate footprint is less than half of the global average and below the European average. We needs to do a better job communicating to consumers the facts about farming, as we are getting a worse reputation as an industry than we deserve. Without farming, there would be a lot fewer things. It’s a good if complicated story.”  

Poul Pedersen, CEO of Thise Dairy in Denmark noted that his dairy has a long history of organic production, and has been working to reduce soy consumption, so it will be soy-free as of October 2022. “The way to reduce pressure on the rainforest is not to buy it. Our yield will go down if we only use grass, but there’s also horsebeans and peas from Europe.  

The carbon footprint is enormous from soy, but we’ve been able to make a safe calculation about the feed. We don’t lose time on waiting, and prefer to act instead of waiting for the perfect system.  

CEO Robert Auselius of Valio Sverige noted his firm’s top three focuses were a carbon neutral food chain, well-being and sustainable lifestyles, and nourishing nature. The core of the business and its vision as a company is connected to UN SDGs: “The leader in innovative dairy and food solutions.” Valio has developed grass mixes that suit northern conditions and help with carbon binding. It has a joint venture company to produce bio-gas as well.  

CEO Krister Zackari at Norrmejerier, Sweden noted that the firm is using biogas, reducing water and electricity use. “The good news is that it makes us pretty average in Sweden. We’re as good and bad as the others. It is sad in a way that we’re not the worst in the bunch. When you are asking consumers what they’re doing for the environment, they answer they have a hybrid car, eat less meat and dairy. We are seen as a problem, and a bad symbol that consumers should reduce to improve the environment.” 

Dairy Ireland’s Connor Mulvihill stated, “There’s a food crisis coming and we’re a solution to it, but we need to own our problems. Ireland has the only stable or growing dairy herd globally. We are heading towards 11bn litres milk pool, and 82 per cent growth. The eyes of Europe are very much on us.  

“It is an accident of geography as we have lots of rain, so the most economical way is growing grass and making milk, with 93 per cent exported, and we contribute €15bn to the Irish economy every year. However, this is the rub – agriculture is 37 per cent of emissions as Ireland is not an industrial economy. What are we doing about it? Only about five to six per cent within our own scope, so we have to bring farmers, the industry and the state with us.”  

Mulvihill described his outlook as “Paranoid about the present, but positive about the future. We need to own water quality, calf welfare, and emissions and have to match policy and the science. We don’t want to be bitter; we want to be better. Climate science don’t get credit for sequestration, and we can’t get to climate neutrality without agriculture. We are the only industry that can sequester carbon. We need to get on with it and implement it.” 

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This is the conclusion of a new study by global bioscience leader Chr. Hansen, published in Food and Chemical Toxicology. The systematic review compiles data from several dozens of observational peer-reviewed studies for the five most prevalent HMOs in breast milk. It presents the largest data set analysed to date and provides state-of-the-art information to support the appropriate and safe levels of HMO supplementation in infant formula. 

Whereas studies have so far focused on the quantitation of HMOs in human milk, this review determines the natural concentrations of HMOs. The concentration levels vary depending on the mother’s health and genetics, environmental and geographical factors, gastational age (pregnancy progression) and lactation stage. The objective of the new study was to provide a clearer perspective on natural HMO concentrations and distribution in breast milk, as this is important to develop next-generation infant formula products with an HMO composition that is closer to breast milk.

Closer to nature and respecting natural variations

“Breastfeeding is the best way to ensure infant health and recommended by WHO. At Chr. Hansen, we further aim to support the healthy development of infants that cannot be breastfed by providing HMOs as an ingredient and blend for infant formula. We are excited to publish this study of the five most prevalent HMOs in breast milk, which are all included in Chr. Hansen’s 5 HMO Mix in concentrations closer to nature and respecting the natural variations,” says Jesper Sig Mathiasen, senior vice president, Chr. Hansen HMO. 

“The study presents important statistical data to help support the level of appropriate HMO supplementation in infant formula and confirms the safety of intake at concentrations higher than average. We see it as yet another testimony to our HMO offering,” he notes. 

Conclusions of the study

Out of over 150 HMOs identified in human breastmilk, the five most prevalent and best studied HMOs are 2′-fucosyllactose (2′-FL), 3-fucosyllactose (3-FL), Lacto-N-tetraose (LNT), 3′-sialyllactose (3′-SL), and 6′-sialyllactose (6′-SL). 

Results show a wide distribution of HMO concentrations in breast milk, ranging up to as much as 10 g/L for the most prevalent one, 2’-fucosyllactose (2’-FL). See figure 1 below. 

Fig. 1: HMO distribution in breast milk (adapted from Parschat et al., 2022)

The safety, tolerability, and health benefits of Chr. Hansen’s 5 HMO-mix have already been demonstrated in previous scientific studies (1). Infants fed infant formula containing the 5 HMO-mix demonstrated similar digestive parameters and stooling patterns as breastfed infants. 

Developed in 2019, Chr. Hansen’s 5 HMO Mix is already commercially available in North America, with approvals pending in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. 

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Since Thomas started in Chr. Hansen four and a half years ago, he has brought significant scientific knowledge to the company and strengthened the way Chr. Hansen approaches science, according to the company.

As of 1 April 2022, Henrik Joerck Nielsen, currently senior vice president Animal Health, will be promoted to chief scientific officer. Henrik has a PhD in Biotechnology from the Technical University of Denmark and National Institute of Health in Maryland. He did his post-doctoral research fellow at the National Cancer Institute in the US (2006-2008). After being with McKinsey six years, he joined Chr. Hansen in 2014. Henrik brings a strong science and commercial experience to his new role.

Thomas Schäfer will continue as chief science advisor to CEO Mauricio Graber, as well as continue as member of the Board of Directors in Bacthera AG (Chr. Hansen’s Joint Venture with Lonza AG) and the BioInnovation Institute.”

Mauricio Graber, CEO of Chr. Hansen, said: “I would like to thank Thomas for his contribution to Chr. Hansen and I look forward to continuing working with Thomas in his new role as Chief Science Advisor. At the same time, I would like to congratulate Henrik on his new position as Chief Scientific Officer, as we embark on the next journey as a bioscience-based company.”

Following the change, the Executive Board will consist of CEO Mauricio Graber and CFO Lise Mortensen. The Executive Board is appointed by the Board of Directors and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the company within the guidelines and directions given by the Board of Directors.

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To submit a news item for inclusion, please contact Suzanne Christiansen at suzanne@bellpublishing.com or Alex Rivers at arivers@bellpublishing.com.

• Ingredients supplier Henley Bridge has announced the launch of its new ice cream product, Jersey Dairy UHT Chocolate Soft Serve.
• Fi Asia is returning for its 25th edition with one event in two locations of Jakarta and Bangkok, plus five months online access.
• Arla Foods Ingredients has further strengthened its credentials in the organic sector, with two new products for early life nutrition, and a range of concepts for organic food.
• Chr. Hansen has released the results of a survey conducted in 16 countries around the world to assess consumer awareness of probiotics and their potential benefits.

The post Roundup: Ingredients appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

The results reflect a strong interest among consumers to learn more about probiotics. This opens a new chapter for market trends and a valuable opportunity for players in the global food industry.

Consumer interest in probiotics is fueled by a growing interest in health and well-being. Consumers know that robust gut health makes them feel better and supports their immune systems. This awareness encourages probiotic food choices. To better understand consumer perception and use of probiotics in food, Chr. Hansen made the survey, where a total of 16,000 people took part.

75% of respondents said that they were very or somewhat familiar with probiotics. 48% of respondents consume probiotics in supplements or other foods daily or almost daily.

50% of respondents are familiar or very familiar with the term “gut microbiome” and the majority associate it with gut health, followed by immune health, well-being and overall health.

More than half of consumers have received a recommendation to consume probiotics from a trusted person. The preferred way to learn more about probiotics is to research them online. The taste of the product and trust in the brand are the most important factors in deciding on a particular probiotic food brand and sticking with that brand.

Despite the awareness of probiotics, there are also a number of misconceptions about these products. For example, 47% of consumers agree with the false statement that all dairy yogurts contain probiotics (in fact, most yogurts contain live cultures, but not all contain probiotic cultures).

71% of consumers want to learn more about probiotics and prefer on-pack and online resources as ways to increase their knowledge about probiotics. Consumers were most interested in information about health benefits and claims to help them choose appropriate probiotic strains.

The post Chr. Hansen studies consumer awareness on probiotics appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

Global bioscience company Chr Hansen has conducted an HMO scientific study of an infant formula containing the five most abundant HMOs at a concentration of 5.75 gram per litre (g/l), which resembles the concentration that is naturally found in mother’s milk.

The results show good safety and tolerability of the blend of five HMOs – namely 2’-fucosyllactose, 3-fucosyllactose, lacto-N-tetraose, 3’-sialyllactose and 6’-sialyllactose– in infants. These results have just been published in the peer reviewed journal Nutrients, and it is the first publication describing the application of a complex blend of five HMOs at physiological concentrations.

The multi-centre, randomised, double-blinded study was conducted in 12 different investigator sites across Europe and included 341 newborn infants that were followed over a four-month investigational period. All infants developed well and the formula containing the mix of the five HMOs in question was well tolerated. Moreover, comparable to the study group of breastfed infants, they produced softer stools at a higher frequency than the control formula group.

“We are excited to publish this study of a complex blend of five HMOs at physiological concentrations in infant formula. Breastfeeding is the best way to ensure infant health and recommended by WHO, but at Chr Hansen, we aim to support the healthy development of infants that cannot be breastfed by providing HMOs as an ingredient and blend for infant formula in a natural concentration. The new study is an important step to bring infant formula closer to breast milk,” says Jesper Sig Mathiasen, senior vice president, Chr Hansen HMO.

HMOs are authorised as ingredients for infant formula in North America, Europe, parts of Latin America and Asia with approvals pending in key markets such as China, India, Brazil and Argentina.

“About 150 different HMOs have been identified so far, but most infant formula products do not contain HMOs or contain only the most abundant HMO, 2’-fucosyllactose,” explains Dr Katja Parschat, head of Research & Development, Chr Hansen HMO. “However, the benefits of HMOs stem from the structural diversity of these sugars. They are well represented by the five HMOs studied since these account for about 30% of all HMOs in human breast milk. In a further study, we will analyse the development of the gut microbiota of the 341 infants included in the study just published to get more insight on the benefits of the HMOs on gastrointestinal health,” she concludes.

It is a strategic priority for Chr Hansen to invest in further research to expand its expertise in this innovative field and provide more insights on the benefits of HMOs in science and in infants’ health.

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To submit a news item for inclusion, please contact Suzanne Christiansen at suzanne@bellpublishing.com or Alex Rivers at arivers@bellpublishing.com.

• Chr Hansen has reached a settlement with Glycom of several patent disputes, including litigations in Denmark, relating to the production of Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs).
• Glanbia Nutritionals has announced its new director of premix, Michael Hofstätter, who will lead the development and implementation of premix and functionally optimised nutrient strategies for the company in EMEA. 
• A major global survey by BC30, part of Kerry’s ProActive Health portfolio, has shown a rise in consumer demand for probiotics, linked to digestive health.
• Arla Foods Ingredients has launched a new whey protein ingredient to help meet the growing demand for high-protein yogurts with health credentials and a premium positioning.

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As the interest in probiotics and the microbiome continues to grow – not least during the past year where the world has found itself in unprecedented times – so does the number of misconceptions about probiotics and their benefits. A new initiative from Chr Hansen sets out to demystify and provide information about probiotics to healthcare professionals and B2B customers on a global scale.

Live now, The Probiotics Institute by Chr Hansen is a new global online platform dedicated to educate and inspire about the world of probiotics and the human microbiome. The aim is to provide relevant and engaging content on probiotics and the probiotic strains and solutions scientifically documented. Available first in English and, subsequently, in several other languages, the information is presented in an easily understandable format.

In addition to the global version, Chr Hansen is also launching The Probiotics Institute (China), a service in Chinese specifically designed to match the needs of the Chinese market only. At the same time, a locally hosted version of Chr Hansen’s official website, in Chinese, is underway with expected launch during June. A local Chinese server hosting the corporate website will make it easier for Chinese stakeholders to access the information on the website considerably faster and more smoothly.

“We are excited to launch this platform across a number of important markets to provide an even better service and inspiration to our B2B customers and health care professionals. We have a strategic ambition to shape the global probiotics market through scientific leadership and expansion into new B2B customer groups and segments, and this initiative should be seen as a step in that direction,” says Christian Barker, executive vice president of Chr Hansen’s Health & Nutrition Division.

The Probiotics Institute is designed to give visitors the optimal user experience. The platform provides scientific information about the usage and different benefits of probiotics, ranging from infants to seniors, and includes a guide for choosing the right probiotics.

“It is our ambition that The Probiotics Institute will foster the engagement of users and become a natural forum of reference and interaction for healthcare professionals and professional science communities,” elaborates Kevin Mehring, senior vice president for Human Health, Chr Hansen.

“We know that it can be challenging for healthcare professionals and our business partners to distinguish reliable evidence from many conflicting scientific studies of varying quality. We want to help them make informed choices in the probiotic jungle. We will do this by providing high-quality content on The Probiotics Institute, relevant for professionals needing information, scientific data or educational content within the field of probiotics,” Mehring explains.

“As a leader in the probiotics industry we want to demonstrate Chr. Hansen’s commitment to education and increase the general awareness about probiotics with healthcare professionals and our B2B customers, based on our scientific approach to research and innovation,” concludes Mehring.

Visit global.theprobioticsinstitute.com to learn more about the world of probiotics and the human microbiome and explore their potential.

The post Chr Hansen launches global science-based online platform on probiotics appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

To submit a news item for inclusion, please contact Suzanne Christiansen at suzanne@bellpublishing.com or Alex Rivers at arivers@bellpublishing.com.

• Lactalis Ingredients is expanding its milk powder range with a new whole milk powder to meet the demand of manufacturers wishing to formulate organic food products.
• Netherlands-based SVZ International has launched new fermented red beet ingredients for manufacturers in the dairy industry.
• Chr Hansen is launching the next generation of FreshQ cultures, specifically developed to unlock the benefits of bioprotection, for application in fermented dairy products.
• Enzyme specialist Biocatalysts Ltd is extending its range of Kosher and Halal certified enzymes specifically targeting the dairy protein market.
• Arla Foods Ingredients has joined Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) partners to develop a new business model for affordable nutrition in Ethiopia using papaya waste, milk and whey-based ingredients.

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It has been nearly a decade since global bioscience leader Chr Hansen launched its first generation of FreshQ®, a range of food cultures that improves the bioprotective effects of fermentation in dairy. In this process, the cultures and fermentation help keep food fresh by outcompeting yeast and mold spoilage for the space and nutrients they require to grow. “We utilise traditional fermentation principles to help improve quality and shelf life and reduce waste,” says Peter Thoeysen, Chr Hansen’s director of Bioprotection.

Now, the company is launching the next generation of FreshQ cultures, specifically developed to unlock the benefits of bioprotection for producers who may experience challenged cold chains, long fermentation, and in-process holding times. The special food cultures can be applied to a broad range of fermented dairy products, such as yogurt, white cheese and tvorog.

This new generation of FreshQ enables the dairy industry to level up by offering producers the following benefits:

• Less post-acidification impact at accelerated temperatures during distribution, or in circumstances involving long holding times or slow cooling
• Improved sensory fit compared to other food cultures with bioprotective effects
• The same best-in-class bioprotective performance producers expect from the FreshQ range

“For customers looking to trim food waste and produce the best possible products under challenging production and distribution circumstances, this new launch is a game changer,” elaborates Thoeysen. “Our new generation of FreshQ cultures has been selected to enable resilient, consistent outcomes without undesirable impacts on taste and texture — resulting in optimised shelf life, improved sustainability throughout the value chain, and superior freshness that our customers and their consumers can count on.”

Shaping a more resilient industry for a more sustainable world

“At Chr Hansen, we are committed to shaping a more resilient industry that can, in turn, shape a more sustainable world,” states Thoeysen. “We believe that succeeding in this area means holistically reexamining how the global community consumes food and innovating with long-term outcomes in mind. We aim to contribute to lasting resilience at the individual and community levels by supporting the creation of dairy options that support sustainable lifestyles without the need of adding artificial ingredients. This way, consumers can feel great about their decisions as they enjoy the tasty foods they love.”

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