ChemLinked’s Post

📢 FDA Bans BVO in Food & Beverage Industry! Effective August 2nd, the FDA has officially prohibited the use of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in all food and beverage products. Manufacturers now have a year to reformulate their recipes. This ban follows similar actions taken by California, Missouri, and New York, demonstrating a growing trend towards prioritizing consumer health and safety within the industry. This change is expected to further drive innovation in product formulation, as companies seek out BVO alternatives that maintain product quality and appeal. It also highlights the growing importance of ingredient transparency and consumer awareness regarding food safety. What are your thoughts on this change? #FoodSafety #FDA #FoodAndBeverage #CPG #ImpactBusinessDevelopmentConsulting #IBDC

The latest NIAAA Surveillance report examines trends in apparent alcohol consumption in the United States. Findings are based on alcoholic beverage sales data, collected from the States or the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association by the Alcohol Epidemiologic Data System (AEDS), and various reports produced by beverage industry sources. Read the report here: https://go.nih.gov/ZkVgO20

Discover the cascading impacts of GLP-1 weight-management medications on food and beverage equities. Are apprehensions in the market exaggerated? Get the latest: https://amcen.co/43dlPl4. #weightlossdrugs #foodindustry #GLP1

Word of advice for beverage companies working with co-packers: Validate that proper clean-in-place (CIP) and food-contact sanitation protocols are being followed on EVERY production run. This is especially true if your co-packer produces "innovative", "emerging" or "functional" products. Those products tend to have controlled substance ingredients, such as alcohol (canned cocktails?), caffeine (energy drinks?) or mind-altering substances (Delta 9, kava, etc?). If your co-packer misses even a single step in the CIP/sanitation process, you could end up with... Residual alcohol in a non-alc product, or Cannabis in your kid-friendly drink, or Caffeine in your "night-time chill" beverage, or You name it. Cross-contamination is always bad. Especially with functional ingredients. If what I'm saying sounds confusing, then hire a 3rd party consultant to do this validation for you. While it might cost you a few thousand bucks, it will save you from a recall (or worse...). Reach out if that is the case. I'm happy to connect you with experts in the space. #beverageindustry #copacking #foodsafety #qualityassurance

The UK is more strict than Canada and the US when it comes to claiming your beverage is "non-alcoholic" or "alcohol-free". Currently, for a beverage to be considered non-alcoholic in Canada, it must contain an ABV of 0.5% or less. In the UK, it's an (impossibly) low 0.05%. I agree with Laura Willoughby MBE of Club Soda in this article - the UK should align it's threshold with that of Canada and the US. Why is 0.05% "impossibly" low? Because water is essentially one of the only beverages guaranteed to have an abv of 0.05% or less. Many everyday food and beverage items contain some trace amounts of alcohol. Bread. Over-ripe bananas. Even your grocery store orange juice could contain an abv somewhere around the 0.5% mark depending on the oranges, their ripeness, etc. Extracts, flavours, essences, distillates - all derived using ethyl alcohol (i.e. "drinking" alcohol). We learned early on we had to specifically request samples not be derived using ethyl alcohol as our early benchtops were over the the 1.1% abv threshold in Canada requiring you to label your product as alcoholic! Even with the 0.5% non-alcoholic threshold in Canada, we have to be conscious about what ingredients we're using, how they are derived, and what we can genuinely claim to be "alcohol-free". Raising the non-alcoholic threshold to 0.5% in the UK recognizes the proliferation of non-alcoholic options in the market, allows more non-alcoholic brands to grow, and ultimately provides consumers with more meaningful options.

The #formulas for #CocaCola and #Pepsi are both closely guarded secrets, known only to a select few within each company. Here's what we do know: **Coca-Cola:** The formula for Coca-Cola is a closely guarded trade secret¹[4]. The Coca-Cola Company's formula for Coca-Cola syrup, which bottlers combine with carbonated water to create the company's flagship cola soft drink, is known only to a very few select (and anonymous) employees¹[4]. The recipe for Coca-Cola originally included sugar, water, caramel, lemon oil, kola nuts, nutmeg, and other additives²[2]. However, the company maintains that the actual formula remains a secret¹[4]. **Pepsi:** Like Coca-Cola, the formula for Pepsi is also a closely guarded secret³[1]. The original formula for what would become Pepsi Cola was invented in 1893 by pharmacist Caleb Bradham. His most popular beverage was something he called "Brad's drink," a mix of sugar, water, caramel, lemon oil, kola nuts, nutmeg, and other additives²[2]. The beverage's formula initially included sugar and vanilla but not pepsin, despite speculation on the origin of its name³[1]. It's important to note that while the basic ingredients are known, the exact proportions and any additional ingredients are proprietary information. The unique taste of each cola is due to these secret formulas. Please note that this information is based on publicly available sources and may not include all ingredients or processes used in the creation of these beverages. Source: (1) Coca-Cola formula - Wikipedia. https://lnkd.in/gxKYUwam. (2) The History of Pepsi Cola - ThoughtCo. https://lnkd.in/gCvDH55t. (3) Pepsi - Wikipedia. https://lnkd.in/g9sY5YkR. (4) www.ChemistryIsLife.com - The Chemistry of Pepsi. https://lnkd.in/gRe7tXbg. (5) Coca-Cola's Formula Is at the World of Coca-Cola - The Coca-Cola Company. https://lnkd.in/g9WNJzwu. (6) Coca-Cola | Soundbite | RSC Education. https://lnkd.in/g3RMiTXR. (7) Coca-Cola: Who knows the famous recipe and why is it secret?. https://lnkd.in/gyqTN3fJ. (8) Ingredients in Coke and Their Function - ThoughtCo. https://lnkd.in/gfbTGK6p. (9) en.wikipedia.org. https://lnkd.in/g9sY5YkR.

‘When is a non-alcoholic drink alcohol-free?’ subtitled ‘I’ll have a pint of bananas please’ In Britain, alcohol-free beers have become more acceptable, driven by more health conscious consumers and much (much) better brewing methods with a 26% sales increase in 2022. Yet, this is just 3% of the alcoholic beverages market, significantly less than in Germany or Spain. Strict UK regulations set by the Department of Health and Social Care, state that drinks must contain less than 0.05% alcohol by volume [abv] to be considered alcohol-free. That is less than the alcohol content of burger rolls or ripe bananas, and a level lower than many countries; a challenge for breweries and yet another cause for potential consumer confusion. The government is considering updating these rules to allow up to 0.5% alcohol, aligning with international standards and potentially simplifying our non-alcoholic drink choice. Raising, agreeably, a potential different issue for those who do not drink on basis of belief and, of course, guidance can vary significantly depending on the specific beliefs and teachings of their religion. But in the UK, your pint could have a lower abv than the sourdough bun in which came your hotdog or the sauerkraut it comes with! https://lnkd.in/eSVdUmFC in The Economist

BBB National Program's National Advertising Division has recommended that Gruma Corp. discontinue and modify certain claims on its tortilla products. NAD said that it found certain "Zero sugar" and "0G sugar" claims were supported, but recommended the company discontinue a claim about total grams of fat per serving on challenged products. Shook Partners Katie Gates Calderon, Lindsey Heinz and James Muehlberger have more on NAD's decision, and other food and beverage litigation news, in the latest Food and Beverage Litigation and Regulatory Update. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eYt4qnRu

Beverage alcohol consumption has undergone significant changes in recent years, influenced heavily by the pandemic and evolving preferences of younger consumers aged 21 and older. I joined Joan Holleran Driggs for an episode of Circana’s Growth Insights podcast to explore these shifts and offer insights into what we can expect for 2024 and beyond. Here are the key takeaways: 🍺 Traditionally, adults aged 21+ started with beer or wine. Now, many young adults are beginning with ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, particularly spirits-based options. 📉 Despite a plethora of choices, overall beverage alcohol consumption is softening across generations. However, premium beverages are still experiencing growth. 🥤 The appeal of RTD beverage alcohol among younger consumers is largely due to innovative packaging, including on-the-go options like ball form, slim cans, and aseptic packaging. 🥃 Whiskey, tequila, spirits-based RTDs, and imported beer from Mexico continue to drive the beverage alcohol market. Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gqRdf9Xd #Circana #BeverageAlcohol #RTD #GenerationalTrends #PremiumBeverages #CircanaGrowthInsights

In today’s dynamic market, ensuring your business stays compliant with various alcoholic beverage labelling regulations is crucial for success. However, in an industry where regulations vary from region to region, how can your business stay compliant and avoid costly fines? Which markets require ingredient declaration for alcoholic beverages? Are there exemptions for certain alcoholic beverages? Do different markets mandate different health warnings on labels? What about nutritional information requirements? How will upcoming changes in alcoholic beverage labelling impact your business? Discover answers to these pressing questions and more in our latest blog, ‘Navigating alcoholic beverage labelling: Leatherhead’s Regulatory Insight Report’: https://lnkd.in/e3udmYqd. Members have the chance to access deeper insight into these essential topics by contacting [email protected] to find out more about obtaining the full copy of our Regulatory Insight Report. #alcoholicbeveragelabelling #alcoholicbeveragelabellingregulation #foodandbeverage #foodregulation #alcoholregulation