Science Shorts: Danone tech accessibility, PepsiCo thermal energy collab, Pernod Ricard digital label and more feature in our round-up

Bringing AI into food innovation: Digital tech must provide accessibility and meaning to consumers - Danone​

Food and nutrition giant Danone believes that 'accessibility and meaning' are key to get consumers to adopt digital technology and fuel personalised innovation.

Danone has invested a great deal into the use of digital health technologies to both screen and promote healthier eating behaviours in consumers, in the hopes of aggregating the data required to provide personalised solutions to all.

“Throughout these initiatives, we have realised that digital innovation must be about human needs to solve these human problems, and that the devices we use to collect this data must in fact mean something to our target consumers in order to get them to make use of these, and thus help us access the data we require,”​ Danone Senior Team Leader for Digital Health Jill Wong told FoodNavigator-Asia​ as part of our latest FNA InnovATE video, speaking to us after the Growth Asia Summit 2024.

Sustainability victory: PepsiCo eyes thermal energy collaboration with new Greenhouse Accelerator APAC champion​

Global food and beverage giant PepsiCo has granted the winner of its 2024 GreenHouse Accelerator APAC programme Alterno US$100,000 to develop its thermal energy solution, with an eye on further collaboration with the firm in this area.

PepsiCo’s Greenhouse Accelerator programme is run in multiple regions including the Middle East and Africa, with Asia Pacific seeing its second edition in 2024.

The firm crowned Vietnam-based Alterno as this year’s champion, presenting it with a US$100,000 grant to help with further development and scaling up of its sand-based battery and hinting at further collaborations moving forward.

“PepsiCo is proud to support visionary entrepreneurs who are helping to build a future where businesses and the planet can thrive,”​ PepsiCo APAC CEO and CCO Wern-Yuen Tan said.

Know your drink: Pernod Ricard taps ASEAN desire for increased information to launch digital label​

Alcohol giant Pernod Ricard has launched a new digital label initiative in Singapore, hoping to tap on South East Asian consumer demands for increased information and shift towards better drinking habits.

Pernod Ricard claims that this is the ‘first digital label launch in South East Asia’, and is targeted at helping consumers make informed and responsible drinking decisions.

“Pernod Ricard is present in over 160 countries worldwide with major brands such as Martell brandy, Chivas Regal whiskey, Absolut vodka, Malfy gin and many more, so our reach is considerable,”​ Pernod Ricard Singapore Country Manager Alex Liu told FoodNavigator-Asia​ at the launch event of the digital label initiative in Singapore.

Singapore’s Natural Trace seeks to combat food fraud, fill gaps in existing traceability tech with DNA-based ingredient​

Singapore-headquartered firm Natural Trace aims to address the limitations of existing traceability technologies through its DNA-based ingredient, while contributing to combatting food fraud and “irresponsible market behaviour”.

The firm’s idea of natural ingredient tagging emerged during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when supply chains worldwide were facing challenges that prompted companies to rethink and overhaul their strategies.

One of these aspects was traceability — the ability to track products from source to end user, and providing transparency for both producers and consumers.

Water-soluble tomato concentrate’s efficacy in reducing blood pressure shows promise for novel CVD-preventive approaches – BYHEALTH-funded study​

A recent study has found water-soluble tomato concentrate (WSTC) to have a significant impact on blood pressure regulation, which could contribute to the development of novel dietary approaches for protecting heart health.

Epidemiological evidence has linked increased consumption of tomatoes to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

In particular, WSTC, extracted from ripe tomatoes and often intended for use in fruit juices, fruit-flavoured beverages and yoghurt drinks, has garnered significant interest among researchers due to its composition of adenosine, flavonoids and chlorogenic acid.

To examine the potential impact of WSTC on individuals with elevated cholesterol levels, a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial was conducted by Chinese researchers and funded by BYHEALTH Co Ltd.