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Exberry® color supplier GNT has welcomed China’s decision to introduce an official industry standard for Coloring Foods. “Coloring Food Ingredients for the Food Industry” came into force nationwide on May 1, 2025, and regulates their production, use, and labeling. It has been developed by the China National Food Industry Association (CNFIA) and China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) alongside GNT and other relevant experts and stakeholders. 

Coloring Foods – which were first developed by GNT in 1978 – are plant-based, edible concentrates and are used to deliver color to food, drink, and supplements. China’s new industry standard stipulates that they must be made from fruits, vegetables, plants, or algae that are normally consumed as foodstuffs. 

In addition, Coloring Foods can only be created using physical processing methods and without the use of chemical solvents. Unlike most natural coloring solutions, these products must retain the key properties of the raw materials, including color, taste, and nutritional value. Rigorous testing and quality control measures are also required to ensure that all Coloring Food ingredients meet the highest safety standards. Due to the way they are produced, the standard classifies Coloring Foods as ingredients rather than additives. This means they qualify for clean and clear label declarations with wordings that reflect the coloring characteristic and the function, such as “carrot coloring ingredient.” 

Silke Fallah, Head of Global Regulatory Affairs at GNT Group, said: “This industrial standard is an important step forward for Coloring Foods and a great achievement for getting regulatory clarity for the Chinese market.”

Prior to the introduction of the industry standard for Coloring Foods, Chinese manufacturers had relied on a voluntary group standard. It was issued by the CNFIA in 2017 and gained a high degree of recognition but lacked official industry endorsement.

The CNFIA submitted a project application for the industry standard in 2019 and received approval for its development the following year. It applies to all manufacturers selling food and drink in China and covers issues including technical requirements, ‌inspection rules, ‌labeling and packaging, storage, and transportation of Coloring Food ingredients.

Marking their debut at this fair, Döhler’s exhibit will unveil an impressive showcase of their latest pioneering solutions in the functional ingredients and integrated health solutions sector. With a mission to holistically advance healthier and longevity, their presented product portfolio is designed for better nutrition. Visitors will discover a vast portfolio of B2C applications addressing critical consumer needs – from weight management and energy to mental, digestive and women's health – all underpinned by Döhler’s deep B2B expertise. These Natural SuperHEROES® include energy-boosting Guarana, gut health solutions containing Prebiotic Topinambur or Probiotic Fruit Granulates and innovative, clean-label solutions for weight management, which can be seen in action in these featured B2C innovations: 

- GLP-1 Boosting Powder Meal Drinks: Formulated to support satiety and promote better weight management. 

- Next-Generation Super Powder Supplement Blends: Delivering holistic health benefits through advanced formulations. 

- Freeze-dried Nutritional Drops: A novel format that is set to inspire the nutraceutical industry. 

The company’s Natural SuperHEROES® – a comprehensive portfolio of natural health ingredients – and MultiSense® taste modulation solutions exemplify the ability to merge nutritional efficacy with sensory appeal. Beyond these, Döhler will introduce innovative ingredient systems across categories like micronised colours, botanicals and functional blends, illustrating their role as an end-to-end partner from plant to shelf. 

The diverse spectrum of capabilities demonstrates why they’re a leader in the nutraceutical revolution. Backward-integrated sourcing, commitment to Nutritional Excellence and Multi-Sensory Experiences as well as cutting-edge regulatory services all in one platform. Whether it’s their titanium dioxide replacement solutions for cleaner labels, freeze-dried fruit compounds for enhanced bioavailability or tailored granulates for optimised texture, Döhler’s exhibit underscores their position as a technology-driven systems provider with solutions for every challenge.

Vitafoods Europe 2025, May 20th to 22nd at FIRA, Barcelona

The provider of lecithin and functional lipid solutions for the food industry, has strengthened its commitment to sustainability and high quality standards. As a member of the ProTerra network, the company now includes ProTerra-certified products in its line of IP-soya lecithins. These are offered as part of the successful Yellothin range. This strategic initiative ensures that customers receive safe, traceable, and environmentally responsible ingredients, reinforcing Sternchemie’s reputation as a trusted partner in the global food sector.

The ProTerra Foundation, established in 2006, promotes sustainability in the food and feed supply chain, with a particular focus on segregated non-GMO materials. The ProTerra Standard addresses critical issues such as:

- Human rights and fair labour practices, ensuring safe workplaces, equal opportunities, and the prevention of child and forced labour.

- Good agricultural practices, emphasizing soil fertility, water management, and the responsible use of fertilizers and pesticides.

- Environmental protection, advocating against deforestation and preserving biodiversity and high conservation value areas.

- Rigorous non-GMO requirements, ensuring that certified products meet the highest standards for natural and sustainable food production.

By sourcing ProTerra-certified ingredients, Sternchemie provides customers with the assurance that their supply chains uphold the highest ethical and environmental standards. This enables food manufacturers to make informed choices and meet growing consumer demands for sustainable, non-GMO ingredients.

At this year’s international trade fair for packaging and processing technology, the machine manufacturer will be presenting a cartoner that demonstrates the many advantages of modular technology. With ‘The Art of Innovation’ as the slogan for this year’s event, IPACK-IMA is promising a number of outstanding technological developments. Gerhard Schubert GmbH will be a must-see at the international trade fair, as much has happened in terms of innovation since the company’s last visit to the northern Italian metropolis. The packaging machine manufacturer will demonstrate how the modular machine concept combines exceptional efficiency and durability. The cartoner on display at the stand – presented as a bar packer – has a vertical magazine with two blank stacks and a weight-optimised sealing tool.

Visitors to previous trade fairs, such as ProSweets 2025 in Cologne, will be familiar with the machine. But the true magic of the line lies in its details: instead of a pallet magazine and the ‘Comfort Feeder’ blanking solution, Schubert has equipped the cartoner with a vertical magazine. And once again, the company is demonstrating just how flexibly its in-house developments can be configured.

“Production and packaging requirements are rarely cast in stone,” explains Julia Junker, Marketing Manager at Schubert. “And packaging lines used by manufacturers in the food industry and other sectors need to be just as versatile. With Schubert, changeovers are virtually effortless thanks to the modular design.”

For example, an erection frame with a pallet magazine and Comfort Feeder can be easily replaced with a frame equipped with a vertical magazine. The cartoner itself remains unchanged; only the magazine unit needs to be replaced by experienced technicians. With the single-lane A3 erector robot, stacks of individual blanks are placed vertically into the magazine. Depending on the blank size, two stacks with a maximum height of 1200 mm can be placed one behind the other. The number of blanks varies depending on the thickness and dimensions of the cartons: the thinner and smaller they are, the more will fit into the magazine.

The trade fair model holds 4,000 pieces, ensuring that the cartoner can continuously pull, glue, erect and seal blanks for a full 60 minutes. At the stand, the model will pack four bars in two layers into shelf-ready boxes. This is also achieved thanks to the proven A3 erector, which Schubert launched in 2024. The unit is part of the vertical magazine and is capable of quickly erecting boxes in a single lane at 60 cycles per minute. “This paves the way for exceptionally reliable automated processes,” explains Junker.

IPACK-IMA, 27. bis 30. Mai, Mailand, Stand B82, Halle 7

The mixed bag of price fluctuations seen at the end of 2024 continued into the first three months of 2025. Polyethylene led the way in price increases as both HDPE and LDPE price increased by 3% and 4% respectively vs. Q4 2024, taking them to levels not seen since early 2023. Conversely 60 gsm on-side coated paper and 12-micron PET saw declines of -3% and -2% respectively vs. Q4 2024. Alufoil (7 micron) continued its upward trend, with a 3% increase, while BOPA film (15- micron) gained a modest 2% and BOPP (20-micron) was stable, according to figures from Flexible Packaging Europe (FPE).

Senior Research Analyst Santiago Castro of Wood Mackenzie added some context to these figures, 

“The prices paid in Europe for flexible packaging materials varied in Q1 2025 were driven by price fluctuations in raw materials, logistics issues and factors in overseas markets. The BOPET price reductions were largely due to declines in raw materials. While the reduction in paper prices is accounted for by under-utilised mill capacity and lower-than-expected energy prices. Higher raw material prices account for Alufoil and BOPA increases. BOPP prices remained relatively unchanged because of continued weak demand and over-supply. “Overall demand for flexible packaging remained weak in Q1, driven by reduced consumer spending and a shift towards leaner inventory management. Prices are expected to increase for all substrates, largely due to increased raw materials costs, next quarter.” 

Kaushik Mitra, Chemical Market Analyst on LDPE and HDPE continued, “The first quarter sharp increase in PE prices is due to raw material cost inflation and tighter inventory balances due to lower imports. The imports figures were affected by low order booking and supply chain bottlenecks. PE demand is still lacklustre due to macroeconomic factors and continuing market uncertainty, although some sectors like construction, consumer products and packaging are showing signs of stability. 

“Potential EU tariffs on PE from 12th April caused market volatility and nervousness as, even though there is huge supply capacity in the world, the European market may get impacted in the short term by these measures, before normalising later in the year.” Adding his perspective on the figures Guido Aufdenkamp of FPE said, “While raw material supply and logistics issues continue to weigh on flexible packaging markets, there are signs that after the weak 2023 and recovery in 2024 the overall demand continues to increase slightly.. While the geopolitical and trade developments cause continued uncertainties in both supply and demand, the industry is cautiously optimistic for the rest of 2025.”

Best practices in sensory research provide optimal conditions for tasting panel. Whether oils and fats are perceived as pleasant and flawless in taste depends on a variety of sensory stimuli, with smell and taste playing the most decisive role. With its new state-of-the-art sensory laboratory, Nutriswiss AG has futureproofed its sensory evaluation capabilities by ensuring compliance with the highest quality standards. 

Following successful certification in accordance with the current FSSC 22000 standard for food safety management systems in the food and feed industry and receipt of all the necessary permits from the municipality of Lyss, Nutriswiss AG's newly established sensory laboratory officially commences operations at the beginning of May. Laboratory Manager Michèle Béatrice Suter is delighted to be able to offer her tasting panel optimal conditions: "The new facilities allow us to evaluate samples under completely neutral conditions. All potential interferences, such as external odours, are entirely eliminated.” 

The sensory lab has been designed and equipped to comply with the latest recommendations of the German Society for Fat Science (DGF). In planning and implementing the project, Suter and her team were also advised by the Food Sensory Research Group at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) in Wädenswil. This group also trains assessors for the Swiss Olive Oil Panel (SOP). The sensory panel members at Nutriswiss are selected and trained according to DIN EN ISO 8586:2023-09 and DIN ISO 3972:2013-12. 

The new laboratory is divided into a preparation kitchen, equipped with refrigeration and heating cabinets for sample storage, preparation and pre-tempering, and the actual tasting lab. The lab has eight individual tasting booths, which are completely separated to prevent external influences between panelists. Each booth is equipped with a personal water bath to temper samples to a precise temperature. The rooms are air-conditioned and ventilated with filtered, odour-free air. Special lighting can simulate different colour temperatures to ensure consistent illumination and eliminate the effects of daylight or other visual stimuli. Red light can also be used to eliminate colour bias in product perception.

The German machine vision expert has expanded its portfolio for the confectionery industry, adding a new space-saving inspection system for empty mould checks. Plant manufacturers can integrate the module individually into their production lines. Bi-Ber has over 25 years of experience in manufacturing plant-specific empty mould check systems and offers a sophisticated multilingual Windows-based analysis software, which it continuously expands by new functions. There are currently five standard hardware models for mould widths up to 1100 mm. In addition, Bi-Ber also implements customer-specific designs. One or more megapixel colour cameras are installed in a stainless-steel housing. Shielded from the process, they are mounted above the conveyor belt where they check polycarbonate, metal or silicone moulds for product residues during operation. The associated panel PC transmits inspection results and prompts to discharge contaminated moulds to the system control. The latest model, P(anel), features a terminal box for communication and power lines on the machine side of the camera housing. The panel PC is supplied separately, without a control cabinet, for flexible integration. The food-grade inspection system is optionally designed with IP67 protection. 

Overview of the five standard models:

- The B(asic) model combines cameras, lighting, and a touch panel PC in a stainless-steel cabinet that is placed directly onto the conveyor system, with a signal light mounted on top. Good ambient light shielding through the control cabinet ensures high, repeatable image quality. The use of multiple cameras allows for a wide field of view at short working distances. Doors on both sides of the control cabinet provide good access to the system.

- The S(eparate) model offers all the advantages of the basic system in terms of accessibility and ambient light shielding. However, the imaging technology and the computer are installed in two separate enclosures. The cabinet with the operating panel and signal light can be freely positioned so that it is clearly visible and accessible.

- The F(lexible) model with a slim camera and lighting module also features a separate control cabinet and was developed especially for enclosed lines and low-height surroundings. It is also available as a multi-camera version for wide moulds.

- The new P(anel) model is a modification of the F(lexible) model without PC control cabinet or signal light.

The C(ompact) model is condensed to include only the minimum necessary equipment and does not contain a signal light, either. The control box with a touchscreen is attached directly to the camera housing. The compact model is particularly cost-effective and also suitable for lines with limited space.

The site in Germany processes local pulses into high-quality food and feed ingredients Beneo, a leading manufacturer of functional ingredients for food, feed and pharma and member of the Südzucker Group, has officially inaugurated its first pulse-processing plant after a construction period of just one and a half years. The opening is the result of an investment of around €50 million by the Südzucker Group in its site in Obrigheim, Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. Here, pulses such as the local faba bean are processed into ingredients for food and feed production. To mark the occasion, on 11th April, a special inauguration ceremony was attended by Daniela Schmitt (Minister of Economic Affairs of Rhineland-Palatinate), Johannes Steiniger (Member of the German Bundestag), Nicole Eicher (Mayor of Obrigheim), Dr Niels Pörksen (CEO of the Südzucker Group), Olivier Roques (CEO of Beneo GmbH), Niels E. Hower (Member of the Executive Board of Beneo GmbH) and Dirk Dinger (Chairman of the Works Council of the Obrigheim plant).

Up to 25 new jobs will be created at the new plant, which has been built next to the existing Beneo site where its sugar replacer Isomalt and the smart carbohydrate PalatinoseTM (isomaltulose) are produced, on an area of around 4,000 m² – about half the size of a football pitch. Sustainability has been a key focus for the new development, with the plant production running entirely on electricity from renewable energy sources. Additional power is generated by a rooftop photovoltaic system and waste heat from production is used to heat the building, while the pulse processing requires no water.