IFT Honors Three Innovation Award Winners

Chicago, IL – At an awards ceremony on Sunday evening at IFT18: A Matter of Science + Food, IFT President-Elect Designate Pam Coleman announced and presented three companies—Handary S.A., Kancor Ingredients Ltd., and Novolyze—with the 2018 IFT Food Expo Innovation Award. The winning entries offer solutions to today’s food issues and trends of safety, superior product quality and extended shelf life.

“Now in its 12th year, the Food Expo Innovation awards program is a showcase for amazing advancements in our profession,” said Coleman. “Exclusive to companies exhibiting at the IFT18 Food Expo here in Chicago, these awards honor outstanding innovation in products, ingredients, technologies, instrumentation, equipment, and services that were commercially introduced since January 1st of 2017.”     

A panel of 11 jurors from academia, government, and industry with wide expertise in research & product development, processing & packaging technology, and food safety selected the three companies and their innovations from 42 qualified entries. Judging criteria included degree of innovation, technical advancement, benefits to food manufacturers and consumers, and scientific merit.

Handary S.A. (booth S3286) captured the 2018 IFT Food Expo Innovation Award for its AntipackTM Active Antifungal Biodegradable Film, which can prevent mold growth by gradually releasing fermented sugar activities from the film onto the surface of solid foods such as semi and hard cheeses and dried sausages during their shelf life. The biodegradable and recyclable film utilizes an advanced controlled-released technology to combine poly lactic acid, fermented sugars, food cultures and fungal chitosan.

Kancor Ingredients Ltd. (booth S0256) was honored for its OxiKan CL - Natural Antioxidant Solution. The rosemary-based ingredient can extend the shelf life of a variety of products without imparting color, flavor or aroma—even at dosages up to 400 ppm. Available in water-soluble and oil-soluble versions, the natural liquid extract is well suited for products that are sensitive to aroma, color and flavor, such as specialty fats, omega-3 fortified products, popcorn, and beverages. 

Novolyze (booth S5322) garnered the 2018 IFT Food Expo Innovation Award for its SurroNov® Dried, Ready-to-Use Surrogate Bacteria, which are harmless microorganisms that mimic the inactivation of foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli under different kinds of stress. Due to their safety, the surrogates can be used directly at the processing plant or pilot scale to test the efficacy of microbial kill steps and intervention steps such as extrusion, pasteurization, drying, and roasting. 

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About IFT
The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is a global organization of 17,000 individual members from more than 100 countries committed to advancing the science of food. Since 1939, IFT has brought together the brightest minds in food science, technology and related professions from academia, government, and industry to solve the world’s greatest food challenges. Our organization works to ensure that our members have the resources they need to learn, grow, and advance the science of food as the population and the world evolve. We believe that science is essential to ensuring a global food supply that is sustainable, safe, nutritious, and accessible to all. For more information, please visit ift.org.