The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has invented a device to help farmers in the developing world determine the moisture content of their grain in storage, thereby preventing losses from insects, spoilage and mould. Called the Post-Harvest Loss (PHL) moisture meter, it costs only about $75 to make, using “off-the-shelf” components.

In the developing world, large bags rather than bins or silos are used to store grains such as corn. Farmers in Ethiopia, Guatemala, Bangladesh and Ghana are evaluating the meter as part of a US Agency for International Development project.

Achieving a clean label in baked foods may involve removing artificial flavors, colors and preservatives. It also may mean omitting complex multi-syllablic words from the ingredient list or avoiding the use of bioengineered/GMO ingredients. Ingredient suppliers may assist with all those issues through a multitude of alternative ingredients and systems, some new to the market.

Proprietary product development research from Dawn Food Products found 57% of consumers said they were willing to pay more for foods with no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. The company also cited Nielsen data showing consumers said they were willing to pay 20% to 30% more for clean label items. “While perceptions do vary across the consumer audiences, for most, clean label and transparency mean products with the fewest ingredients that aren’t harmful or overly processed,” said Kathy Sargent, market director, bakery for Corbion. “So it’s key for bakery manufacturers to develop products that offer simpler, more transparent labels that consumers can easily understand and that still meet their expectations on taste, quality and freshness.”

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The UK government’s leading low carbon agency Carbon Trust (CT) has issued a report stating, “Energy savings available within bakeries can be significant due to the high energy consumption of baking itself, which costs an average bakery £335,000 per year”. “Ovens are responsible for 35 to 45 percent of total site carbon emissions,” and in a typical direct-fired gas oven, “hot air exiting the flues is responsible for around 20 percent of gas use. This makes no contribution to heating bread dough and is a direct loss.”

CT experts provide measures recommended for cutting energy loss and some examples of successful energy saving measures at bakeries around the world are provided in this article.

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Despite twists and turns in world events in recent months, there is good cause – and four definite positives – to be optimistic about the future of the food and agriculture industry, which is well positioned to adjust successfully to the changing times. This is according to Juan Luciano, chairman and chief executive officer of Archer Daniels Midland Co, speaking to members of the National Grain and Feed Association during their annual meeting in New Orleans in March.

Firstly, the percentages of the world’s population living in poverty have been halved in the last 20 years, and a growing middle class in these countries is emerging. Second, other nations and regions are rising to compete with the United States in world markets, including agricultural markets. A third feature is the shift in consumer preferences and expectations with regard to the health and nutrition. And fourth, both challenges and opportunities are created by the phenomenal pace of technological change.

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Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corp. has opened its 1,000th international location with the opening of its first shop in Lima, Peru. It is the first of 24 planned shops in Peru as part of a development agreement signed with Agape Coral, SAC in 2015. Krispy Kreme now operates shops in 31 countries, with development agreements in several others.

This includes a development agreement with Quality Foods Africa (QFA) to open 20 Krispy Kreme locations in Nigeria over a period of five years. Krispy Kreme made its African debut in South Africa in 2015, when the company signed a development agreement with KK Doughnuts SA (Pty) Ltd. to open 31 Krispy Kreme locations in South Africa.

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Sarah Michelle Gellar, known best for her title role in the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer launched Foodstirs in 2015, with the desire to help create memorable, long-lasting experiences through baking. Gellar teamed up with longtime friend Galit Laibow and entrepreneur Greg Fleishman to create the Los Angeles-based company, which sells organic, GMO-free mixes and dessert baking kits online and in stores such as Whole Foods and Fresh Market.

Its mission: to disrupt the $4.7 billion baking-mix category with the first-ever USDA organic, full-gluten product line to utilize biodynamic sugar, Equal Exchange fair-trade cocoa and identity-preserved heirloom flour. Foodstirs’ product line contains a variety of mixes, all organic and GMO-free and it will soon be rolling out a new pancake mix and an organic GMO-free dry vanilla icing mix. Foodstirs’ kits start at $14.99. Customers can also sign up for a 3-, 6- or 12-month subscription service ($59 to $215) that delivers a holiday-themed baking kit each month.

Read more… http://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/28/how-sarah-michelle-gellar-intends-to-slay-the-47-billion-baking-mix-industry.html