Weekly Roundup: Ulrick & Short launches “scilia” range of insoluble fiber, PURIS partners with Midwestern BioAg

15 Feb 2019 --- In nutrition news this week, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Director General, Dr. Shenggen Fan, has become a member of the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Food Systems for Nutrition. Food Supplements Europe (FSE) welcomed leading European trade bodies AFEPADI, SANI, SFSA and SISTE, and Australia-based Swisse Wellness in order to make positive contributions to the supplement sector. PURIS has entered a partnership with Midwestern BioAg (MBA) to promote organic farming in the US and Ulrick & Short has launched “scilia”, a range of insoluble fiber ingredients.

In brief: Appointments and partnerships
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Director General, Dr. Shenggen Fan, has joined the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Food Systems for Nutrition. Dr. Fan is one of the Champions of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 12.3, dedicated to accelerating progress toward cutting global food loss and waste. He serves as a member of the Lead Group for the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement and also serves as an advisor to many national governments (including China and Vietnam) on agriculture, food security and nutrition. The Global Panel Members met in Rome in November 2018 to agree on an ambitious program of activities for 2019. The Panel reportedly strongly supported Dr. Fan’s nomination and looks forward to incorporating food systems and healthy diets into their policy planning.

Food Supplements Europe (FSE) has welcomed four leading European trade bodies as new members. AFEPADI from Spain, SANI from Switzerland, SFSA from Slovenia and SISTE from Italy have become FSE member associations while Australia-based supplements supplier Swisse Wellness has joined as an FSE company member. The partnerships seek to make positive contributions to the supplement sector and promote consumerPURIS Yellow Field Peaswellbeing. FSE says its priority is to understand how supplements can benefit public health and become an integral part of nutrition policy. “Our aim is to increase understanding of the correlation between supplementation, wellbeing and lowering the cost of healthcare provision, which continues to rise across the EU,” says Patrick Coppens, Director of Regulatory & Scientific Affairs.

US food processing company PURIS has entered into a partnership with Midwestern BioAg (MBA), a lead player in organic agriculture, to boost MBA’s efforts in helping growers transition into organic by providing financial, farm management and agronomic aid. Via the partnership, PURIS hopes to offer contracts to MBA growers for non-GMO soybean and yellow field peas by supplying the seeds and bridging the gap from farm to market and promoting traceability. “Achieving sustainability at the farm involves providing solutions to the farm and the food companies to aid in supply chain development,” notes Ben Adolph, Director of Farmland Sustainability for MBA. “The program allows PURIS and MBA to bring an efficient approach to growing plant-based protein production in the Midwest.” 

In brief: Product launches
Ulrick & Short have launched a range of insoluble fiber ingredients coined “scilia” from a variety of base crops such as wheat, bamboo, pea and oat. Scilia, the company says, can improve functionality and texture across several food applications, including baked good, meats, beverages and even sauces. “A few years ago, fiber claims were restricted to specialized bakery, sports nutrition and performance foods. However, as consumers have become more health conscious and the benefits of fiber have become more publicized, fiber fortification has become increasingly compelling to manufacturers and these claims have exploded in multiple sectors,” says Ulrick & Short R&D Manager, Danni Schroeter.