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FT-May16

www.foodtechnology.co.nz 7 NEWS SNIPS THE WORLD could soon see the introduction of a peppermint potato, sporting white skin speckled with red, as part of a potato breeding programme to produce smaller, more colourful varieties packed with more phytonutrients that can be cooked quicker. The peppermint potato tastes the same as ordinary varieties. BRITISH company Sensient Flavours has unveiled its latest line of flavours for biscuits, which offers seasonal combinations for spring, summer, autumn and winter. Spring tastebuds will be tempted with raspberries and lemon, chocolate highlighted with lavender; summer is all about white peach and tequila sunrise; autumn ushers in hazlenut and date, with juicy red apples and caramel; whilst winter pairs zesty clementine with chocolate and marzipan with floral apricot. N E W S of global emissions. The majority of the country’s Council of Ethics members have already recommended a beef tax as the first stage, following the successful tax on tobacco. “Research shows that by simply changing their diets, Danes would reduce the climate impact of their food intake by 20% to 35%, providing that the intake of red meat is substantially reduced,” council senior consultant Anne Lykkeskov says. http://etiskraad. dk WORLD BEER OLYMPICS: New Zealand has finished up outside the winners’ podium at this year’s Colorado commercial beer competition. A total of 6596 beers from 1907 breweries representing 55 countries were judged by an international panel (including eight Kiwis) of 253 judges, who gave out 287 awards. The average number of beers entered per category was 69, and the most popular category was American-style India Pale Ale with 275 entries. Six breweries around the world won three or more awards, with US breweries taking 230 awards. New Zealand had 32 entries. NZ Tea on Tap: UK’s biggest trade event Natural & Organic Products Europe has just wound up in London, but its exciting range of new products on show will remain in the spotlight. Highlights include the launch of New Zealand’s Zealong Tea (Hamilton); the first-ever Paleo range of snack desserts in the chilled food sector; organic coconut oil-popped and refined sugar-free popcorn; a range of single-ingredient legume pastas; raw organic fair trade chocolates and activated breakfast cereals that are gluten, GMO and soy free; and premium granola snacks. www.naturalproducts.co.uk GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPPAGE EXPLODES In the space of just two decades, the global increase in biotech crop hectarage has increased from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 to 179 million hectares last year. In data just released in the United States, the 100-fold increase makes biotechnology the fastest adopted crop technology in recent history. Since 1996, two billion hectares of arable land – a landmass area more than twice the size of China or the United States – has been planted with genetically modified crops, and farmers in up to 28 countries have reaped more than $150 billion in benefits. International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications founder Clive James says the crops have helped alleviate poverty for up to 16.5 million small farmers and their families. “More farmers are planting biotech crops in developing countries precisely because biotech crops are a rigorously-tested option for improving crop yields. Despite claims from opponents that biotechnology only benefits farmers in industrialised countries, the continued adoption of the technology in developing countries disproves that.” www.isaaa.com FINGER LICKIN' GOOD EDIBLE NAIL POLISH For That Someone Who has it All: Fast food giant KFC loves the taste of its chicken so much, it’s created two edible nail polish colours for fans of its poultry products. KFC Hong Kong has this week released two nail polish colours – Hot & Spicy in a rich orange shade and Original Recipe for a nude look – adorned with the company’s trademark red and white packaging, as well as the slogan ‘It’s Finger Lickin’ Good’. The BBC, in a taste test, revealed that although it had a taste, the nail polish was less chicken and more spice…with the reporter saying the flavour “definitely lingered on the tongue.” The polish is “sourced from natural ingredients” which makes it completely edible, al- though it has to be used within five days and kept in the refrigerator after opening. Wall Street Journal reporters have said it “glides on the nail but has trouble sticking and dries up quickly.” << Continued from page 6


FT-May16
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