Weekly Roundup: Cargill’s canola oil receives USDA cultivation approval, Biova’s eggshell ingredient’s joint health potential

09 Aug 2019 --- In nutrition news this week, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) deregulated Cargill’s canola for cultivation, while the Singapore Food Agency added SweeGen’s Reb M Stevia Leaf Sweetener to its list of permitted food additives. A new study confirmed that Biova’s BiovaFlex, water-soluble eggshell membrane ingredient, offers benefits for joint health from only 450mg daily. University of Queensland researchers formulated a low-fat potato chip, while Corteva Agriscience became an American Chemistry Council (ACC) member.

In brief: Awards and certifications
The USDA has deregulated Cargill’s proprietary canola for cultivation in the US. Currently, aquafeed for farm-raised salmon contains fish oil to help fish reach desired EPA and DHA omega 3 fatty acid levels. By combining technology from BASF with its canola innovation capabilities and aquaculture expertise, Cargill is able to provide farmers access to Latitude, a plant-based alternative that relieves harvesting pressure on wild fish populations, while meeting the market need for long-chain omega 3s at a predictable price. “This approval means we are on target to deliver Latitude, our sustainable, fish oil alternative made from canola oilseeds to aquaculture farmers and feed manufacturers. It represents another key step in creating a global supply chain that can meet a critical environmental challenge,” says Mark Christiansen, Managing Director for Cargill’s Specialty Oils Business. Cargill has been testing omega 3 canola varieties under permit in multiple locations in Montana since 2015, and with USDA deregulation, Cargill plans to advance the commercialization of its long-chain omega 3 canola trait in a tightly-managed closed loop supply chain. The USDA deregulation is an important step in the regulatory approval strategy for Cargill’s new omega 3 canola.

SweeGen’s Reb M is a non-caloric stevia sweetener that provides sweetness with a clean, sugar-like taste.The Singapore Food Agency has added sweeteners player SweeGen’s Reb M Stevia Leaf Sweetener to the list of permitted food additives. SweeGen’s Reb M is a non-caloric stevia sweetener that provides sweetness with a clean, sugar-like taste and now enables food and beverage manufacturers to reduce sugar, without sacrificing taste. The approval comes at a time when Singapore is considering a “sugar tax” aimed at transforming the behaviors of consumers and manufacturers on reducing sugar-based products. Earlier this year, Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH) proposed multiple measures potentially impacting the food and beverage sectors including banning the sale of higher sugar drinks and imposing a tax on sugar-based drinks. SweeGen’s unique production starts with the stevia leaf and uses a patented bioconversion process to achieve high purity, clean-tasting Reb M. 

In brief: Research and studies
A recent study conducted by Biova LLC, has confirmed the five-day benefits for joint health from only 450mg daily of BiovaFlex, water-soluble eggshell membrane. The results of the clinical study are to be published in the Journal of Medicinal Foods and include statistically significant improvement in joint stiffness and performance in the six-minute walk test. Five times less stiffness was reported in BiovaFlex subjects over placebo. Subjects also reported feeling improvement after just five days on a regimen of 450mg of BiovaFlex daily. “The completion and publication of this study validates the five-day results we saw in our previous joint care clinical and continues to enhance the body of research supporting our proprietary products,” says Pat Schneider, CEO, Biova LLC. 

University of Queensland researchers have developed a technique to analyze the physical characteristics of potato chips from a simulated first bite to swallow, which they say could be used to help formulate a tastier low-fat snack. The results of the study have been published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Cutting fat in potato chips usually involves reducing the vegetable oil content. However, the oil helps give the product its characteristic crunch, taste and mouthfeel. When food scientists formulate a new low-fat chip, they often rely on trained sensory panelists to tell them how well the new snack simulates the full-fat version. This process can be expensive, time-consuming and often subjective, since perceptions can vary based on factors like a person’s saliva flow rate and composition. To overcome this issue the research team developed a method called “in vitro oral processing.” The researchers used different instruments to measure the physical characteristics of chips with various oil contents at each of the four stages. The researchers used the results to design a lower-fat chip coated in a thin layer of seasoning oil, which contained a small amount of a food emulsifier. The seasoning oil made the low-fat chip more closely resemble the greasiness of a full-fat one in tests with sensory panelists, but it only added 0.5 percent more oil to the product. Food scientists could use the new technique to link physical measurements with sensory perceptions, the team says.

In brief: Miscellaneous
Corteva Agriscience has announced that the company is a new member of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and one of their senior executives has been appointed to the ACC Board of Directors. Susan Lewis, Corteva Agriscience Senior Vice President of Enterprise Operations, will serve on the ACC board. “Corteva Agriscience is a newly independent public company. It employs chemistry as the science behind sustainability to develop innovative products that help provide a safe food supply to nourish a rapidly growing global population and we look forward to their active involvement in ACC,” says Calvin Dooley, ACC President and CEO. “Corteva Agriscience’s global perspective, along with Susan Lewis’ extensive executive and operations expertise, is valuable to our organization, membership and mission.”

Edited by Kristiana Lalou