Makers of lemon juice in South Africa may be slapped with anti-dumping duties by the US, if a petition against them succeeds. Last December, a US citrus juice maker, Ventura Coastal, filed a petition with the United States International Trade Commission, requesting that the US government impose anti-dumping duties on lemon juice from South Africa and Brazil. It alleges that lemon juice from South Africa and Brazil is sold at less than fair value in the US.

Should the petition succeed and anti-dumping tariffs be imposed, South Africa’s juice processors will be left with a lemon juice glut, Andre Swart, managing director of Venco Fruit, has commented. Venco Fruit is one of the juice makers named in the investigation.

Lemon-juice makers would not only generate less revenue, but they will have to target alternate export destinations in a world that is already experiencing an oversupply of lemon juice, Swart said. “It means that we will have much less imports in the USA and we have to find other markets for that depending on the duty that they raise eventually,” Swart said. But, he said the world currently has an excess of lemon juice. The US trade commission expects to deliver its determinations on the lemon juice anti-dumping probe this month. FreshFruitPortal

Barry Callebaut, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, leverages its deep scientific knowledge of the cacaofruit and the fruit’s supportive health effect, by presenting the first nutraceutical fruit drink. The new cacaofruit elixir – made from 100% pure cacaofruit – has a zesty fruity taste. By unlocking the power of science, the elixir is uniquely crafted to preserve the nutrients of the cacaofruit.

The cacaofruit naturally contains the required amount of flavanols to optimize the blood flow across the entire body. It is a good source of iron, magnesium and potassium. Besides the 100% pure cacaofruit elixir, combinations with herbs and other fruits can be explored to enrich the range with beautiful taste combinations and additional nutrients. The nutraceutical fruit drink contributes to personal as well environmental health. Since it upcycles the whole cacaofruit, ‘Elix’ positively impacts nature and communities, said a spokesperson.

“The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated consumers’ interest in their own health as well as in the health of their environment. The introduction of this new category of nutraceutical fruit drinks is another proof point of how Barry Callebaut, through its innovation capabilities and its profound knowledge of the cacaofruit, is able to cater to evolving consumer trends.” Commented Peter Boone, CEO of Barry Callebaut Group.

Composed of almost 20,000 different types of molecules, the seed of the cacaofruit is one of the most complex food substances on earth. The R&D behind the cacaofruit elixir ‘Elix’ took Barry Callebaut more than 15 years. In addition, there is data available from more than 100 human clinical studies which provide sound scientific proof of the health effects of the cacaofruit flavanols.

Barry-Callebaut

As part of its commitment to the continuous improvement of its supply chain, Britvic has announced a £26.9 million investment into the future of its factory in Rugby, UK, Britvic’s largest production site. The investment will see the installation of a fourth canning line, growing the site’s total capacity by a further 18%. As a result, Britvic expects to create at least 20 new jobs at the facility.

The efficient new set-up will produce recyclable 330ml cans for Britvic’s portfolio of leading brands including Tango, Pepsi and 7UP. The first cans are expected to be produced this November, with the new line fully up and running in 2022.

The new jobs will be predominantly in engineering and manufacturing, helping to build upon Britvic’s role as a leading employer within the community. Apprentices will also play a vital role during the expansion, filling some of the engineering roles and assisting with improvement projects as production commences.

The news is further evidence of Britvic’s continued investment in its supply chain and follows the completion of the transformative £250m Business Capability Programme, improving facilities for the benefit of colleagues and customers. Britvic

Apple juice lovers won’t be left with a bad taste, thanks to a new study that identifies three new bacteria species, one of which fouls up the flavour.

The three new species – Alicyclobacillus mali, A. fructus, and A. suci – all belong to the genus Alicyclobacillus, but A. suci was found to produce a compound called guaiacol, which is known in other Alicyclobacillus species to create a medicinal, smoky or rubber-like flavor in shelf-stable apple juice. While Alicyclobacillus bacteria can affect juice quality and lead to spoilage, they are not a food safety concern.

“Better understanding the structure of the Alicyclobacillus genus and the spoilage potential of individual species drives improvement in quality management decisions that reduce waste and improve customer satisfaction,” said Abigail Snyder, assistant professor of microbial food safety in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and senior author of a paper published last september in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. Katerina Roth, a graduate student in Snyder’s lab, is the paper’s first author.

The findings will allow manufacturers to identify whether their juices contain A. suci, which leads to spoilage. It will also help them fine-tune their Alicyclobacillus control strategies and will support the development of tools and diagnostic technologies for the industry, Snyder said.

Apple juice is acidic and is often heated during pasteurization, conditions that inhibit most bacteria. Unfortunately, Alicyclobacillus bacteria are extremophiles whose spores are capable of surviving extreme heat and high acidity. The bacteria originate from orchards and soils and can contaminate apples used for making juice. After juice has been processed and bottled for such products as apple juice, concentrates, teas, sports beverages and coconut water, spores can germinate, grow and produce guaiacol, causing spoilage. Also, the effects are not visible; the drinks appear fine.

Once spoiled, producers may be forced to throw products away, and if sold, unhappy consumers can lower a brand’s reputation, Snyder said. A 2017 survey of juice manufacturers by Snyder and Randy Worobo, professor of food science and a co-author on the current paper, revealed that more than 97% of participants indicated that spoilage mattered ‘a lot’ or ‘a great deal’ in brand protection and close to 90% indicated that better control over microbial spoilage would have moderately to greatly increased profits and reduced waste.

The researchers used genomic, biochemical and phenotypic analyses to identify the three new Alicyclobacillus species. The study benefitted from decades of extension work analyzing samples from the beverage industry in New York, the country’s second largest apple producing state, and beyond.  CornellChronical