The Government of the Republic of Korea, through its development agency Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and the International Trade Centre (ITC) will provide funding to support ITC in boosting competitiveness for farming households and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the cassava, shea and oilseed value chains in Uganda 

High-level guests gathered at Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire for the official launch of the Prosper Cashew project, a five-year initiative that will help West Africa capture much greater economic value from its cashews

Significant investment is needed to reduce lifecycle carbon impacts and redesigning is the opportunity to clean up plastic packaging as sector GHG emissions are predicted to rise 75%, says Woodmac

Plastic pollution caught and maintained the world’s attention in the mid-2010s as images of marine environments ravaged by deposits of disposed of plastic led global governments and corporations to commit to improving the circular plastic economy, according to a report by Wood Mackenzie (Woodmac), a global energy, chemicals, renewables, metals and mining research and consultancy group.

Woodmac opines that the packaging industry has embarked on a transformative journey according to the company with a range of initiatives designed to increase the sustainability of the plastics value chain – from virgin plastic to the ongoing recycling of those elements with longer potential life. While recycling emerged as a front-runner for effective end-of-life treatment of plastics, a comprehensive solution requires a step-change in how brands and consumers think about the role of packaging in the first place.

 Wood Mackenzies model shows that the plastic sector GHG emissions will rise by 75% by 2050. Polymers currently account for ~4% of energy-related emissions. While the value chain will become more carbon-efficient, robust demand growth will result in 48 gigatonnes of emissions by the looming deadline of the Paris Agreement.

The packaging sector is beginning to explore new solutions to reduce plastic consumption. In this Circular Plastic Packaging Report, Wood Mackenzie leverages its ‘Material Applications Platform’ to simulate a scenario in which the industry seeks to redesign its approach towards packaging.

 Andrew Brown, head of plastic and recycling research at Wood Mackenzie, said, “This ‘packaging redesigned’ scenario reflects our view of an aggressive approach towards adopting new technologies and business models with three main principles guiding the effort: elimination, substitution and reuse.

“Rigid packaging applications are most impacted by redesign models. In this scenario, bottles, for example, would consume about 16% less plastic each year than otherwise forecast, while other rigid applications may see 14% of annual demand displaced by 2040.”

If the industry fails to pick up the redesign baton, Wood Mackenzie estimates that plastic packaging demand will more than double by 2050 – driven largely by an emerging middle class in developing Asian and African economies.

Olivia Loa, a polymer sustainability analyst at Wood Mackenzie, said, “Recycling will play an important role in meeting rising demand while reducing the environmental impacts of the packaging sector. Bottle recycling rates are expected to rise from just below 50% globally in 2020 to 67% in 2040. However, it won’t be sufficient to achieve the gains required, and if the industry is unable to grasp the nettle an increasingly stringent regulatory response to driving change is the most likely outcome. 

The report further emphasises that suppressing demand through packaging redesign, increased recycling and sourcing low carbon power will be absolutely key to mitigating base-case emissions growth – and value chain collaboration is vital to address the challenge systematically.

Prodalim Resources, a global player in the beverage industry introduces Capsoil Foodtech, an innovative platform that converts bioactive oils into water-soluble powders

Capsoil Foodtech is developed with an aim to allow product developers to create new categories of functional foods and beverages according to Prodalim. The company advanced the capacity for mixing oil and water by developing ultra-fine, water-soluble powders out of natural oils. This breakthrough presents new possibilities for integrating beneficial nutritional oils, fat-soluble vitamins and lipid-based nutrients into a broadened range of functional foods and beverages, as well as in new supplement formats. 

“Oil and water cannot mingle according to the laws of nature,” explains Itay Shafat, PhD, scientific director for Capsoil. “In Capsoil, we found a way of overcoming this barrier and created an advanced method for incorporating oil-based nutrients into water-based products. This opens the doors to products such as juices enriched with MCTs or ice pops fortified with omega fatty acids. Even hot drinks can get a ‘better-for-you’ upgrade by infusing them with beneficial oils, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K, or hemp oils. The possibilities are endless.”

Capsoils proprietary technology takes any oil compound and converts it to a self-emulsifying powder. Unlike conventional powders, this novel process results in a dry, free-flowing powder that dissolves easily in either hot or cold liquids.

Capsoil says that its production technology does not apply any form of extraction, solvent, or heat process, nor does it alter the nutrient profile of the oil. Capsoil powders contain from 30% to 60% of the oil and its bioactive compounds, and the emulsion’s nanostructured particles possess a large surface area, enhancing bioaccessibility and absorption of the encapsulated oil, leading to improved bioavailability. This can also translate into lower dose requirements.

“We are working with food and beverage companies to help them tailor a new food and beverage applications, or find new novel delivery methods, for desired food oils or key fat-soluble nutrients,” adds Shafat.

Capsoil’s tech also targets the dietary supplement space, giving the formulators new capabilities for incorporating lipid-based ingredients such as omega-3 into a dry pill, capsule, or sachet format rather than as an oil or softgel.

“Many consumers find it difficult to ingest omega fatty acids in oil form, or they dislike the texture of soft gels,” states Nir Ilani, CEO of Capsoil. “Consuming high amounts of MCT’s, a key component of the keto diet, is also burdensome for many consumers. Our tech allows for oil-based ingredients to be enjoyed in low, manageable doses and easy-to-digest formats.”