< Previous30 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net MICROBIOLOGY AND TESTING Testing makes it healthy Today more than ever people have developed an interest in healthy and organic dieting and people have found in functional foods exactly what they were looking for. Probiotics are probably one of the most popular choices when it comes to functional products, but what people don’t know is how much testing goes behind it. 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 31/01/2022 12:26 Page 1Food Safety Consultancy, Support and Training Food Care Solutions aims to help our clients achieve their aims. We have helped food businesses throughout the UK since 2003 with our services, including: • Food Safety and Food Quality • BRC and FSSC 22000 certification • Supplier Auditing • Training • Hygiene Inspections & Internal Audits • Complaints & Incidents Management Tel: 01933 276 400 • Mob: 07811 192545 • Email: fcs@food-care.co.uk • Web: www.food-care.co.uk FOOD CARE SOLUTIONS FOOD CARE SOLUTIONS Food & Drink International 31 www.fdiforum.net MICROBIOLOGY AND TESTING There is something extremely appealing about functional foods, the peculiarity of the products and their ingredients make them one of the most popular choices when it comes to dieting. They combine the uniqueness of interesting ingredients with the great nutritional and health benefits that people these days are looking for. But if on one hand they are extremely popular and subject to a high demand, functional foods are also extremely delicate and challenging to manufacture. Companies invest large quantities of money on the research and development of their products, and it is thanks to the extensive and meticulous testing behind that if companies are able to process substances and ingredients that have the best effect on people. The return on investment, however, seems to be profitable. The functional food market was valued 177.770 million USD in 2019 and it is predicted to grow to 268.000 million USD by 2027. Functional foods and drinks include a wide range of products that go from tea to fruits and vegetables, fish, meat and to even bacteria or fungi. Testing of functional foods is fundamental as these products claim to bring great nutritional and physiological benefits to 32 Á © st ock. adobe .com/luck ybusiness 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 31/01/2022 12:26 Page 232 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net MICROBIOLOGY AND TESTING people, so it is important to make sure the promises are kept and the expectations and demands of people are met. Testing these products is also important to make sure they will do no harm to people, even though they are rarely dangerous and are not more toxic to people than regular food products. In most cases, functional products that have not been tested properly will have no effect or influence on a person’s diet and health; nonetheless, it is the manufacturing company’s responsibility to make sure the products are effective and can provide consumers with the desired effects. Within the functional food range of products, the products that are most popular amongst consumers are probiotics, that help people keep their guts healthy through the use of good bacteria. The market around probiotics is extremely valuable and constantly flourishing. Probiotics are an extremely attractive and interesting product to the eye of the consumers; they come with several benefits and, as they are usually consumed as pills, capsules, or drops, they are an easy and quick way to stay healthy. However, in order to make sure these bacteria are actually effective, companies are required to perform a lot of microbiological testing, including identifying any risk factors, process verification, and make sure regulatory guidelines are followed. Overall, the main goal of testing is to make sure the interaction between the live microorganisms and bacteria, the probiotics, with the host is beneficial. Producing probiotics can be a very tricky challenge, the bacteria have to go thought a difficult journey before it can start bringing any positive effect to the person’s health, and digestion and the acid conditions within the digestive system can potentially kill bacteria before they can even reach the wanted location. Microbiological testing ensures the probiotics will be behave as intended and will be able to provide people with the best nutritional and healthy effects. Usually, in vitro studies are used to mimic digestive conditions and stimulate bacteria reaction to the process to make sure the bacteria can survive digestion and be successful. Unfortunately, it is not only the gut conditions that can be harmful to the bacteria, but any environmental condition will play an important role in the survival and performance of the probiotics, including the manufacturing, packaging and storage. Environmental conditions along the supply chain, from research to manufacturing, can potentially kill the bacteria before they can even reach the consumers, making the probiotics completely ineffective. This is why testing of probiotics is not limited to growth and cultivation of the bacteria, but it also includes testing of their durability, adaptability and shelf life. Growing bacteria means controlling the process by ensuring the stability of the product and its ease of use, but also that the product is safe throughout the entire supply chain, from research to shelf. Other reasons why probiotics may be tested could be to ensure pathogenicity, avoid toxin production and test their resistance to antibiotics. Researching and developing probiotics is a fairly © st ock. adobe .com/ vaaseenaa BOTTTLED & BBAGGGED MMEDIIA Manufacturer of prepared culture media and associated products for microbiology. Find out more at www.sglab.com BESSPOKKE MEEDIA MANNUFAACTUURE PLAATE MMEDIAA CONVENIENCE YOU CAN TRUST. 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 31/01/2022 12:26 Page 3Food & Drink International 33 www.fdiforum.net MICROBIOLOGY AND TESTING expensive process and companies tend to invest large amounts of money to make sure their products meet the highest standards. Processes like DNA sequencing allow companies to analyse bacteria genomes and use that information to identify the most promising and easier to grow strains of bacteria, and hence to find the most cost-effective products. Similarly, Screening assays can help evaluate all the specific benefits bacteria have on humans’ guts or whether they have any immune modulating functionalities. Additionally, testing of probiotics also includes making sure the correct form of intake is selected in order to maximise the number end entity of benefits the bacteria will provide to an individual’s health. People’s demand for functional foods is constantly growing as nutritional trends are shifting towards healthier diets. Functional foods, and specifically probiotics, provide people with that sense of health and nutrition they desire combined with the need for easy solutions that can maximise the intake of nutritional ingredients with one single pill. Testing probiotics is difficult and expensive, but without the tests and research these products will not be as unique as they are, and hence, they would not be as popular and profitable. 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 31/01/2022 12:26 Page 434 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net CLEAN AIR SOLUTIONS It is all about the air It might sound like a trivial task, but air handling in the food and drink industry is a key element of the manufacturing process that allows high standards and safety to be maintained. 34-37.qxp_Layout 1 31/01/2022 12:29 Page 1Food & Drink International 35 www.fdiforum.net CLEAN AIR SOLUTIONS © st ock. adobe .com/ ronstik There are aspects of working in the food and drink industry that might go overlooked like clean air solutions, but air handling is actually a fundamental part of the manufacturing process that could have serious consequences on both the health of the workers and on the integrity of the products. Air filtering systems are essential for a wide range of reasons and purposes. First, they keep the environment healthy and safe for all workers, by allowing the air to circulate and fresh and letting the air in the room stay oxygenated and clean. They control and avoid contaminations; as food and drink products are required to be safe and free of any risk of contamination, the filtering systems make sure any particle in the air, whether it is dust, pathogens, bacteria, toxins or any other kind of biological or non- biological residual, does not get in touch with the food and is eliminated so that the environment stays clean and hygienic. Over the past two years and following the COVID-19 pandemic, air filtering systems have also gained a new responsibility: keeping the environment free of COVID particles. As the virus can easily been transmitted through air, when the pandemic started, many factories and manufacturing plants were forced to close because they were unable to ensure a safe work environment for employees. If there wasn’t enough space for air circulation, and ventilation within the building was poor, safety was impossible to guarantee and the companies were forced to shut down, leading to many people losing their jobs and companies losing great quantities of money. If air filtering systems were essential before, they are now in a way a mandatory requirement to make sure people can safely go back to work and operate without running any risks. Overall, there are five main key roles 36 Á 34-37.qxp_Layout 1 31/01/2022 12:29 Page 236 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net CLEAN AIR SOLUTIONS a good air filtering system plays within the food and drink industry: it helps comply with food safety standards, it helps gain operational efficiency and cut production downtime and product loss, it keeps employees safe, it contributes to enhanced customer food experience and it maximises production excellence and it extends product shelf life. Within the environment, there are numerous particles and elements that could change or compromise the integrity of a product; this contamination could, in the best-case scenario, alter the taste, texture and aesthetics of the product, and, in the worst cases, provoke reactions that would alter the integrity of the product, putting the consumers’ health at risk. There are many environmental elements that could affect products, like airborne factors from aerosols and condensation droplets, ambient temperature, odours, and humidity, and even allergens or pathogens that would represent a massive risk for food safety. Other environmental conditions that could be dangerous for both the workers and the products are dust, fumes and mist. These elements are usually a result of dangerous and toxic processes to begin with and can potentially be poisonous and lead to contamination. Food cannot be a host for viruses, and COVID specifically, so it cannot be the cause of transmission; however, viruses do survive on surfaces and products for a limited amount of time and therefore, if a product has been in contact with COVID or any virus, it is possible it could become a vector and therefore a threat to people’s health once it reaches the shelves. COVID has increased the importance of air filtering systems as it became clear the virus can be contracted easily due to its ability to move through air. Keeping the air clean and safe is a priority today to make sure workers stay safe while still keeping the facility fully operational, but it also ensures the products don’t get in touch with the virus. In order to make sure a food and drink manufacturing plant is safe and complies to health and safety regulations, it needs to make sure the environment is ventilated and fresh air from outside is brought in in order to dilute human and product-generated air pollutants. Controlled ventilation allows to make sure workers and product are kept safe from airborne particles, while still maintaining air temperatures at optimal levels. Windows, doors and other openings to the outside world are a way to maintain ventilation; however, there is little control over it and keeping windows and doors open might result in indoor temperature dropping causing issues for workers and products. Air filters allow to control the filtration of air, maintain good oxygen, humidity and temperature levels, while still 34-37.qxp_Layout 1 31/01/2022 12:29 Page 3Food & Drink International 37 www.fdiforum.net CLEAN AIR SOLUTIONS ensuring ventilation and, hence, recirculation of fresh and clean air. Selecting the right filtering systems depends on many factors and variables; what requirements the food plant has, what guidelines and regulations are in place and, most importantly, what works best for the products and the workers. But there might also be variation within the food plant itself and some areas within the manufacturing chain that require different levels of hygiene and hence, different types of air filters will be needed. Selecting the right air filtering system requires keeping in mind all the elements that could influence the overall quality and activity of the manufacturing chain. The process can be challenging, but it is a company’s responsibility to make sure employees are able to work in a safe environment free from airborne risks, but they also need to comply to food safety regulations and guarantee high standards. © st ock. adobe .com/P arilo v © st ock. adobe .com/ vadimborkin 34-37.qxp_Layout 1 31/01/2022 12:29 Page 438 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net READY MEALS Ready to make a comeback Ready to make a comeback While some ready meal brands look to rebuild momentum following a dip in interest through the pandemic, there are several gaps in the market for high- end, sustainable, healthy, and vegetable-based products. 38-41.qxp_Layout 1 31/01/2022 12:31 Page 1Food & Drink International 39 www.fdiforum.net READY MEALS © st ock. adobe .com/ Данияр Айбеков The ready meal category has faced an interesting past two years thanks to COVID-19. While some retailers, such as those in the UK, initially witnessed an uptick in their purchase, as the pandemic continued, sales declined. There are a plethora of explanations for this, including the growth in scratch cooking as we all retreated indoors, and found ourselves with more time on our hands, in addition to working from home mandates, an expanding exploration of meal kit services and foodservice delivery, and an increase in appreciation for making healthy food choices, to strengthen our bodies as Coronavirus cases rose. This is not expected to mark the gradual end for now recovering ready meals, however, as schedules start to get busier and see demand for convenience rise, and the category gets set to enter a new era to meet novel consumer trends and changes in behaviours. Ready meals are evolving in numerous ways, with one being their premiumisation. A number of premium ready meal brands reported growth in the pandemic as customers started to look for ways to treat themselves and obtain options that could match a restaurant’s quality and experience - not just ready meals offering a quick, convenient fix. Meanwhile many restaurants have recently entered the market with their own ready meal lines. Specialty ready meals, particularly, are drawing in consumers by further appealing to building desires for high-quality, natural ingredients as well as ever more topical sustainability credentials and a focus on provenance. Consumers are beginning to seek out carefully sourced meals. With increased attention on sustainability predicted to be a long-term result of the pandemic, ready meal brands that can establish and promote their eco credentials are set to be future winners. They need only look to their competition in recipe box services for inspiration, which have made reducing food waste a key USP. In its UK Ready Meals and Ready-to-Cook Foods Market Report 2021, Mintel reports that ready meals are already seen as a good way to minimise food waste by 48% of those who eat ready meals/ready-to- cook foods, up from 38% in 2019. Though there is plenty of room to expand these opinions by emphasising the potential for less 40 Á 38-41.qxp_Layout 1 31/01/2022 12:31 Page 2Next >