NEWS
SNIPS
The
announcement
of a plastic straw
ban in an innercity
Auckland
area is a kick
in the teeth for
disabled people,
the Disabled
Persons
Assembly says
The latest
Restaurant
Association
Hospitality
Report says
nationwide sales
for the hospitality
industry in 2018
are more than
$11.2 billion
(3.6%), with
takeaway food
recording the
highest growth
A 55ha site in
the Motueka
district of Riwaka
once established
as a hop-growing
plantation in
the 1960s has
been placed on
the market by
owner ENZAFruit
New Zealand
International
An Auckland
entrepreneur and
businessman
has been so
impressed
with start-up
business Simply
Lose It – which
offers customers
three pre-cooked
meals a day
based on the low
carb healthy fat
lifestyle – that
he has had three
kitchens built
to support the
launch of the
business.
DISAPPOINTED
ABOUT PLASTIC FANCY A CUP?
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Packaging New Zealand is disappointed that the energy behind
commitments and pledges being made by businesses across
the packaging value chain towards reducing plastic is being wilfully
ignored, in favour of simplistic calls for levies which will be
socially regressive. Executive director Sharon Humphreys says
the sheer volume of plastic packaging apparently seems to justify
lumping it together with items such as plastic cutlery, plastic
straws and plastic shopping bags. “Sadly, a distinction is rarely
made on the world of difference between discretionary plastic
items and product packaging. It is hard to imagine anyone
involved in a rational debate about plastic failing to understand
the need for, and benefits of, packaging and, in particular, food
packaging. We accept that as an industry we should be doing
all that we can to reduce the plastic burden on our environment
through better packaging design, innovative new materials, and
developing and supporting end-of-life solutions.” Packaging
NZ supports a plan for New Zealand that fosters meaningful
engagement and sensible debate about the capacity and
capability to accelerate plastic packaging solutions, Humphreys
says. “At the same time, as an industry we have a responsibility
to manage the expectations behind our commitments because,
contrary to headline grabbing wish-lists, none of this is easy.”
MONEY FOR GIZZY
over what happens to the product as it travels within the chain,”
he says. Within factories and processing plants, well established
process controls and sample-based inspection plans can detect
normal processing variations. Metal detectors, visual, chemical
and other checks act as a last line of defence before product
leaves the loading bay. “However,” Grigg says, “as product
moves in a complex path from grower/processor to exporter to
shipping company to retailer to customer, there is ample opportunity
for individuals who are so inclined to deliberately adulterate
the product.” The costs involved with security that can wipe
out food terrorism are too prohibitive, and Grigg says consumer
vigilance is of utmost importance.
Two years of research and product development by the University
of Auckland has seen the launch of New Zealand’s
only protein-enriched coffee. Founder Chris Buhmann of
Protein Enriched Coffee Solution says the product provides
35% of protein and is a simple idea that has caused a few
challenges. “It became a passion project for us to find a protein
powder that would actually blend with coffee properly
without changing its taste or texture,” he says. “We have
developed a premium instant coffee/whey isolate blend that
dissolves easily in hot water. The idea is to get your perfect
coffee hit, while also getting your protein intake.” The concept
behind mixing protein with coffee is to ensure people
could get protein intake without doing anything differently.
“The biggest challenge was including a high protein content
in the formulation while ensuring solubility in hot water,”
Auckland University’s director of food science programme
Siew-Young Queck says. PECS coffee is good for vegetarians
looking for alternative protein sources, body builders
and fitness enthusiasts who are looking for muscle gain and
to lean out.
More than $1 million has been flagged for food and beverage
sector projects in Gisborne from a Provincial Growth
Fund spend by the Government. In an attempt to boost the
area’s tourism industry and create jobs, the region will benefit
from $151.7 million in spending, which will include substantial
upgrades to roads and transport links. Just under
$1 million will go to the New Zealand Macadamia Industry
Development Project, growing macadamia on Māori land
for export; and $40,000 will be spent developing a mānuka
honey strategy for Tairāwhiti (Gisborne).
/www.foodtechnology.co.nz
