FSANZ

• In New Zealand, 10.6% of women aged 15-18 and 12.1% of women aged 31-50 suffer from iron deficiency.
• As more people consider switching to plant-based diets, the risk of iron deficiency will likely increase.
• We argue that fortifying foods with iron could provide a one-stop solution to bridge nutrient gaps caused by inadequate dietary intake.

Food fortification

• Many foods in supermarket shelves, including common staples such as bread and cereals, already have added nutrients.
• Unlike mandatory iodine and folic acid fortification of bread, there is currently no government initiative to encourage or mandate iron fortification in New Zealand.

Shift to plant-based diets

• More consumers are opting for diets that include fewer animal-sourced foods in the hope of reducing environmental impacts and emissions.
• Recent statistics show a 19% increase in the adoption of vegan and vegetarian diets among New Zealanders from 2018 to 2021.
• Considering these plant-based diets for a sustainable food system must involve conversations about nutrient availability.
• Read more:
  What to drink with dinner to get the most iron from your food (and what to avoid)

  Fortification can be a potent strategy in helping people to shift towards plant-based diets by enriching these diets with nutrients that would otherwise be lacking.

Is NZ ready for iron-fortified foods?

• Given the importance of adequate dietary iron intake and the projected shortage in dietary iron, it is crucial to evaluate the benefits of fortification.
• Educational interventions such as promoting awareness of iron deficiency and positive impacts of fortification may help improve consumers’ acceptance of these initiatives.
• Mahya Tavan receives funding from the Global Dairy Platform for developing a dietary optimisation model called The iOTA Model.

• People with this condition develop an abnormal immune reaction when they consume gluten – a protein found in grains including barley, wheat and rye.
• It can damage the lining of their small intestine and lead to a range of (often debilitating) symptoms.
• Brewers around the world work on producing beers that can be enjoyed by people with coeliac disease, or general gluten sensitivity.

The former approach is widely used in Australia and New Zealand.

Read more:
Everything you need to know about coeliac disease (and whether you really have it)

How they make gluten-free beer

• Similarly, brewers can use gluten-free grain such as sorghum, buckwheat or rice to try to replicate the flavour of beer, but without the gluten.
• While there is plenty of diversity in beer flavours, all commonly consumed beer has the underlying flavour of malted barley.
• Brewing processes for gluten-free beer must be modified to accommodate the unusual characteristics of alternative grains.
• That’s why most Australian breweries that produce gluten-free beer do so in a dedicated facility.

How they make gluten-reduced beer

• Given gluten’s importance to the life cycle of the plant, it’s inevitable some gluten will end up in beer that’s made using barley.
• To do this, brewers treat the beer with an enzyme called a prolyl endopeptidase (PEP), which is traditionally used to clarify beer by removing hazes formed by proteins.
• People who are very sensitive to gluten should exercise caution when considering gluten-reduced beers.

Different countries, different standards

• The rule in Europe is the same; products containing no more than 20 ppm are considered “gluten-free”.
• An additional category of “very low gluten” can be used to describe products containing up to 100 ppm.
• By Food Standards Australia New Zealand’s (FSANZ) criteria, products containing 20 ppm or less can be labelled “low gluten”, but not gluten-free.

Not just for coeliacs

• A 2020 study in Australia found almost one-quarter of people interviewed chose to avoid gluten in their diet, even though only 1% of respondents were coeliacs.
• Brewers are producing exciting new beers not just for coeliacs but also for other people who may be conscious about their gluten intake.

• Entitled "From Farm to Fork: How to Ensure Safe & Quality Produce Delivery with Real-Time Temperature Tracking," this free event is scheduled for Wednesday, April 12 at 2:00 pm ET, and will be available for on-demand access after the fact.
• Many of today's consumers can find a wide variety of fresh foods—from all over the globe—at their local grocery store.
• From fruits and vegetables to meat and seafood, perishables are regularly shipped over long distances—arriving safe and in perfect condition.
• While shipping fresh foods is an especially complex process, many logistics professionals have found a solution in real-time temperature tracking.

• ChromaDex Corp. (NASDAQ:CDXC) today announced that Sinopharm Xingsha will debut Tru Niagen at the major mainland China trade show, China International Natural Health & Nutrition Expo (NHNE), which kicks off Tuesday, September 20, in Shanghai.
• NHNE is Asias largest expo on natural health and nutrition products, with over 100,000 distributors and retailers.
• It is considered the best platform to help global manufacturers of health food and nutrition promote their brands and expand business channels in China, where Tru Niagen is currently sold cross-border.
• We are grateful to Sinopharm Xingsha for leading the debut of Tru Niagen at NHNE.