Nutfruit magazine, July 2017

Edition 71. Nยบ 2

Edition 71. Nยบ 2 JULY 2017

COLORFUL INDIA SUCCESSFULLY HOSTS THE INC CONGRESS Page 46

JULY 2017

WATER IRRIGATION IMPROVEMENT TO MITIGATE DROUGHT Page 24

www.nutfruit.org

Edition 71 Nº 2 INTERNATIONAL NUT AND DRIED FRUIT COUNCIL FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES Mark Mariani - Chairman Mariani Packing Company, USA Michael Waring - 1st Vice Chairman MWT Foods, Australia Pino Calcagni - 2nd Vice Chairman V. Besana S.P.A., Italy Asadollah Asgaroladi Hassas Export Co. Ltd., Iran Karsten Dankert Max Kiene GmbH, Germany Giles Hacking CG Hacking & Sons Limited, UK Cheng Hung Kay CHK Trading Co. Ltd., China, Hong Kong Mark Jansen Blue Diamond Growers, USA Zhou Jinkui Fenzhou Yuyuan Native Produce, China David Knopf The Kraft Heinz Company, USA Barry Kriebel Sun-Maid Growers of California, USA Ashok Krishen Olam International Limited, Singapore Jack Mariani Mariani Nut Company, USA Jordi Martí Borges S.A.U., Spain Stephen Meltzer Balcorp Ltd., Canada Pratap Nair Vijayalaxmi Cashew Company, India Osman Oz Aegean Exporters Associations, Turkey Antonio Pont - Honorary President Borges S.A.U., Spain Hasan Sabit Sabirlar Findik Ihracat Ltd. Sti., Turkey Harry Sinclair Treehouse Foods, USA Berton Steir The Wonderful Company, USA Dick Walden The Green Valley Pecan, USA Chen Ying China Chamber of Commerce, China Cuneyd Zapsu Balsu A.S., Turkey EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Mark Mariani Michael Waring Pino Calcagni Giles Hacking Ashok Krishen Jack Mariani Antonio Pont Berton Steir Cuneyd Zapsu Goretti Guasch

Chairman 1st Vice Chairman 2nd Vice Chairman Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Secretary and Executive Director

NUTFRUIT MAGAZINE TEAM Goretti Guasch Executive Director goretti.guasch@nutfruit.org Francisco Montoya Production Editor communications@nutfruit.org Irene Gironès Technical and Statistical Editor irene.girones@nutfruit.org Marc Centelles Advertising and Subscription Sales marc.centelles@nutfruit.org

BUSINESS NEWS

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• The Ferrero Group announces new governance set up to strengthen global position.

• Dutch retailer Albert Heijn launches range of healthy snacks using nuts and dried fruits.

• Misuse of fresh fruit claim is still widespread, study says.

• UK bans online advertisements of high fat foods targeting children.

• Sainsbury’s increases its offer of nut-based alternative milks.

GOURMET 16 • JP Singh: Bukhara Restaurant. INC Excellence in Gastronomy Award 2017.

FEATURE ARTICLES

24

• Almond irrigation improvement continuum: A roadmap for California almond farmers to improve water efficiency.

• Food loss and waste in the food supply chain.

• Are you recall ready?

• Cracking the nut for tasty success: Leveraging the new food label to elevate nuts and dried fruit on the consumer’s shopping list.

• Generation gap: marketing nuts to millennials.

• Speculating on a future for FDA under President Trump.

HEALTH NEWS

34

• The role of nuts and dried fruit in healthful snacking.

• Nut consumption and mortality: New data from the United States of America.

A CHAT WITH THE INDUSTRY

43

• Gopi Kallayil, Brand Marketing, Chief Evangelist at Google.

INC CONGRESS

46

• India welcomed the World Nut and Dried Fruit Congress for the first time with more than 900 participants.

• Highlights from the Annual Report of Activities 2016/2017.

• Technological improvements in the cashew industry.

• Nutrition Research Update.

• How meditation can improve life and business.

• INC Awards Celebrate the Best Contributions to the Industry.

INC NEWS

60

• Chicago unveils the “Nuts for Gifts” booth.

• INC Pavilion: Ready for Anuga 2017.

• Statistical yearbook.

INDUSTRY NEWS

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• Groundwater recharge and why is it important to California agriculture.

• Walnuts are among the top three foods Consumers are most excited to try in meatless meals.

• New research highlights pistachios multiple benefits on human health.

• Pistachios fuel dietitians at California Academy of Dietetics Annual Conference.

• Commercial chefs become immersed into the world of pecans at the Pecan Chefs Summit Series.

• News from the INC Nutrition Research & Education Foundation.

• California Prunes help Japanese food and hospitality industry prepare for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

• #nuts30days30ways - A nut fest over March 2017.

• Nuts: Italy is up for it and aims to grow.

• Nucis Germany Foundation: A success story.

• The walnut industry in Chile moves forward, setting new challenges throughout its entire production chain.

INC HEADQUARTERS

Carrer de la Fruita Seca, 4 Polígon Tecnoparc, 43204 Reus, Spain Tel: +34 977 331 416 Email: inc@nutfruit.org

JULY 2017

Legal Update

19 Advertisers list

Statistical 69 102 Global Review

The Nutfruit magazine is published three times a year by the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council - INC (Fundació Privada International Nut and Dried Fruit CIF G-43738475).

This magazine, including all articles and illustrations, is copyright protected. Any utilization beyond the light limits set by the Copyright Act is subject to publisher’s approval.

All the trademarks, brand identities and graphic images shown in this publication are the property of their respective owners.

While the publishers believe that all information contained in this publication was correct at the time of going to press, they can accept no liability for any inaccuracies that may appear or loss suffered directly or indirectly by any reader as a result of any advertisement, editorial, photographs or other materials published in the Nutfruit magazine.

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

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INC Foreword

UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE Mark A. Mariani INC Chairman

W

e were glad to see so many of you who travelled to Chennai and from more than 50 countries to experience the delights of India.

We gained insight into the principals of innovation from Mr. Gopi Kallayi of Google, and witnessed the inspiring visions of a violence-free and stress-free society from Mr. Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Congratulations to all individuals recognized with the INC Awards: Mr. K. Ravindranathan Nair, Dr. Richard D. Mattes, and the Bukhara Restaurant received the Award for Excellence in Gastronomy. Qcify Inc. was voted the Innovation Award for its recently launched Quality Inspection System (QiS TM).

We will be in attendance at Anuga Cologne, but before Anuga we will have a booth at WorldFood Moscow for the first time on September 11 – 14, to expand INC global brand in new regions.

This year the INC will fund 4 projects through the annual grants for nutrition research and dissemination projects for a total amount of 350.000 EUR. The Board of Trustees reviewed and discussed our new Strategic Plan for the next five years. We also appointed new Board members David Knopf (The Kraft Heinz, USA), Hasan Sabir (Sabirlar Findik, Turkey) and Harry Sinclair (Treehouse Foods, USA).

Looking ahead to 2018, I believe that Sevilla will host a memorable XXXVII Congress. I recently had the pleasure of visiting the city, and as India was full of life and culture; Seville is full of romance! Look for more details in late fall and make sure you register early.

Now that most of California is out of the drought, we are hoping for more stabilized conditions. We are so pleased of a continuous interest in nuts and dried fruits worldwide, and we look ahead what the future holds for our industry.

I wish you good harvests, good selling, and a continuing dedication to improving people’s lives!

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

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Business News

FERRERO GROUP ANNOUNCES NEW GOVERNANCE SET UP TO STRENGTHEN GLOBAL POSITION

T

HE FERRERO GROUP has decided to implement a new governance set up to strengthen its competitive position in the chocolate and sweet packaged food market worldwide and accelerate growth momentum.

The Ferrero Group’s entrepreneur and CEO, Mr. Giovanni Ferrero, will assume the role of Executive Chairman as of September 1st, 2017.

As such, he will drive the group by focusing on long-term strategies, new business directions and breakthrough innovation, whilst ensuring continuity in the Company’s culture and values.

Mr. Giovanni Ferrero will define and lead new pathways to enhance the Group’s growth and globalization, in addition to guiding the strategic functions along with the group’s boards and committees.

In order to ensure the achievement of the Group’s business targets, Mr. Giovanni Ferrero has decided to appoint a manager in the role of Chief Executive Officer. In his role, the CEO will drive all the activities focused on the achievements of the short- and medium-term results. Mr. Lapo Civiletti, a highly ranked internal leader with an impressive track record of outstanding achievements, will assume the role of CEO as of September 1st, 2017.

“I am very confident that Mr. Lapo Civiletti will ensure continuity in reaching business goals and effectively support the Group in its growth objectives.” said Mr. Ferrero. “He has been chosen for his business acumen, vision and mission-driven orientation whilst truly fostering the Ferrero culture and core values”.

The Ferrero Group will have Lapo Civiletti as new CEO and Giovanni Ferrero will be the Executive Chairman.

The Group Acquires US Chocolate Confectionery Manufacturer Fannie May Meanwhile, the Ferrero Group announced the completion of the acquisition of Fannie May Confections Brands, Inc. and the Harry London chocolate brands from 1-800-FLOWERS.com, Inc. The acquisition includes all operations of Fannie May, together with the manufacturing facility in Ohio and two warehouse and distribution facilities, located in Ohio and Illinois.

Fannie May will operate as a standalone entity under the Ferrero Group, with support from Ferrero U.S.A., Inc. as needed. At the same time, Ferrero USA will maintain its headquarters in Parsippany, New Jersey and its assembly and packaging facility in Somerset, New Jersey.

BÜHLER’S BIOVISION™ TECHNOLOGY PIVOTAL TO WALNUT PROCESSOR’S SUCCESS

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EADING US walnut processor DeRuosi Nut is using pre-eminent Bühler sorting technology to meet the growing global demand for high quality walnuts. The California-based company, which is expecting to process around 25,000 tons of walnuts this year, selected SORTEX BioVision™ technology to help resolve their processing challenges with foreign material (FM) and different colored kernels - and is now reaping the rewards of its investment.

Mike DeRuosi explains: “SORTEX BioVision™ technology is the perfect sorting solution for us, as it takes care of all the different challenges we have in processing walnuts, including the ability to move larger volumes in a shorter period. Plus, when fitted to the Bühler SORTEX E optical sorting platform, it’s nice and compact. It has really upped the bar for us on food safety and the overall quality of our product.”

He added that the support received by DeRuosi from Bühler is also “amazing”. “We haven’t needed a lot of help… because the machine takes care of itself – it’s sort of ‘set it and forget it’. That’s one of the

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DeRuosi Nut has improved its processes thanks to the application of Bühler’s BioVision TM technology.

things we love about it. But whenever we do have a question, the team is very accessible.”

Bühler’s area sales manager Rio Rafael added: “The SORTEX BioVision™ technology is a combination of proprietary Bühler detection technologies - BioCam™, high definition InGaAsHD and color cameras.

It efficiently removes color defects, shells and FM that other industry technologies have struggled to cope with, which is why it is regarded as one of the most technologically advanced in the industry.”

Business News

TOMRA CELEBRATES ITS 45TH ANNIVERSARY FOLLOWING RECORD REVENUE YEAR

S

INCE its founding on April 1, 1972, TOMRA has progressed from being a pioneer in automated recycling technology to a company today offering a diverse range of sensor-based solutions that are helping to lead a cross-industry revolution toward resource sustainability.

Starting in a small shed in Asker, Norway, the brothers Petter and Tore Planke created a solution to a problem: a local grocer wanted an automated machine that could quickly and easily take back used, empty bottles for recycling, and so TOMRA was born. By the end of 1972, TOMRA had installed 29 machines in Norway, and their successes quickly began to generate interest abroad.

Since those humble beginnings, TOMRA has diversified its offering and expanded its reach. During the first 30 years of its

history, the company focused on growing its reverse vending business in markets with deposit systems for beverage packaging.

In 2000, the company began developing a more comprehensive business platform, and through a number of strategic acquisitions during the past two decades, TOMRA has become a leading provider of optical sorting technology for a broad range of materials.

Almost 45 years later, in 2016 TOMRA noted record revenues of approximately €710m, with 90,000 systems installed in over 80 markets worldwide.

TOMRA’s sensor-based solutions are used today in reverse vending, recycling, mining and food sorting. Stefan Ranstrand, TOMRA President and CEO, said: “Our growth and longevity is due in part to the growing understanding that the world needs to utilize

its natural resources in a better way to ensure sustainability. We are proud of the success our company has achieved thus far, and look forward to building on this in the years ahead as we continue to develop cutting-edge solutions for helping our customers meet their business needs and contribute to a better and more sustainable future.”

DUTCH RETAILER ALBERT HEIJN LAUNCHES RANGE OF HEALTHY SNACKS USING NUTS AND DRIED FRUITS

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UTS AND DRIED FRUITS are the main ingredients of a new range of snacking products recently launched

by Albert Heijn, Holland’s top retailer, under its private label. The new line, which also includes seeds among the ingredients, is aimed at fulfilling the growing demand for products associated with a healthy lifestyle.

In this particular case, Albert Heijn

emphasizes the high fiber content of these new own-brand products, as well as the use of natural flavorings like ginger, coconut and apple, all of which result in a more nutritious snack than traditional ones, the company says.

This claim is aligned with the firm’s strategic commitment to health-related products, following its Sound and Sustainable 2016 initiative and in response to the growing

demand for products associated with a healthy lifestyle. It is not in fact a tendency exclusive to Albert Heijn; Many other top retail brands such as Spar have recently implemented similar strategies regarding food products which are considered health-friendly.

MONDELĒZ INTERNATIONAL CHANGES NORTH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP

M

ONDELEZ INTERNATIONAL have announced that Roberto Marques, EVP and President, North America, has left the company. Tim Cofer, Chief Growth Officer, is serving as Interim President of the North American business in addition to his previous role spearheading the company's global growth strategy while Mondelez International recruits a permanent successor to lead the region.

"Over the past two years under Roberto Marques' leadership, the North American team has been executing a large transformation, which has resulted in significant progress on our margin agenda, while stepping up our participation in growth areas such as Well-being, broader channel penetration, especially in eCommerce, as well as entering the U.S. Chocolate market," said Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman

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and CEO. "We appreciate Roberto's many contributions and wish him well in his future endeavors."

In his 25 years with the company, Cofer led the company's regions in Europe, Asia Pacific and Eastern Tim Cofer. © Mondelez International Europe, the Middle East and Africa, progressing their margin agenda, expanding market shares and driving long-term profitable growth. In addition, Cofer previously led two legacy Kraft North American businesses, Oscar Mayer and Kraft Pizza Company.

Business News

FROM FIELD TO FACTORY in one call almonds cashews pistachios

GLOBAL SOURCING AND DISTRIBUTION

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OF ALL NUTS, SEEDS AND DRIED FRUITS

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FOR PROCESSORS, PACKERS, IMPORTERS

walnuts pine kernels

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pumpkin seeds sunflower seeds

CALL +44(0)208 2026600

dehydrated fruit dried fruit

sales@kenkko.com

hazelnuts

WWW.KENKKO.COM

macadamia nuts

pecans

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

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Business News

MISUSE OF FRESH FRUIT CLAIM IS STILL WIDESPREAD, STUDY SAYS

T

HE IMAGE and name of fresh fruit is still often being misused by other food sectors, according to a new edition of the ‘Where is the Fruit?’ study, conducted by Freshfel, the European association for the fresh fruit and vegetable sector. Results show that there are still too many products that are displaying fruits prominently on their packaging, despite little to no actual fruit content, confirming the main findings of a previous study in 2010. Out of the 188 products investigated from 13 EU Member States (covering 80% of the EU population), only 20% had a fruit content of 50% or more. Another 7% of products contained no fruit at all. To complete the figures, another 34% contained less than 10% fruit and another 34% contained between 11% and 50% fruit. These findings show that business practices of food operators are inconsistent with the objectives of the EU Regulation on food information to consumers, as well as the EU Regulation on nutrition and health claims.

Specifically, EU Regulation 1169/2011 on food information to consumers outlines that ‘food information shall not be misleading’, while EU Regulation 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims, includes in the definition ‘pictures, graphic or symbolic representation, which suggests that a food has particular characteristics’. Both Regulations state that products must not make false claims or mislead consumers. Consumers need truthful information when they purchase a product, even more so in the current environment of increasingly health-conscious consumers and rising levels of obesity. The outcome of this ‘Where is the Fruit?’ report confirms that there is still misleading information reaching the consumers. Some consumers might think they are making a healthy choice because of the use of healthy images such as fruit, whereas

in reality they might be disappointed. According to Daphne van Doorn, Freshfel’s Policy Advisor for sustainability and health: “This ‘Where is the Fruit?’ report shows that there are still gaps in the EU legislation that can lead to consumer confusion concerning food. Consumers shouldn’t be misled by fruit pictures when there is little to no fruit in the final product.” According to Freshfel, one way to overcome the current situation would be to finally fully implement the nutrient profiles within the claims Regulation.

Percentage of fruit content in 188 analyzed products

Fruit 10% or less Fruit 11-50% Fruit 51-100% Not specified No fruit

SPANISH ALMOND INDUSTRY CELEBRATES ITS THIRD ANNUAL MEETING

T

HE SPANISH ALMOND INDUSTRY held its third meeting on April 20, 2017, in Gergal, Almería, Spain. Around 60 participants from the Spanish almond industry (growers, traders, processors, manufacturers, organizations, and machinery companies) attended the event, which was organized by the Spanish Almond Board (SAB-Almendrave) with the objective of sharing and discussing updates and views on the challenges and opportunities of the Spanish almond industry. The INC was also represented in the meeting.

The event offered three round tables with experts from the almond sector and covered topics such as production, new almond varieties, new developments in processing technologies, profitability of the almond crops in Spain, organic certification, the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the potential impact of Brexit.

Specifically, the first session revolved around the almond crop production in the previous season and the forecast for the coming season. Participants predicted that almond production will increase

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while prices will decrease in the coming years. During the second round table, different innovations in the almond sector were presented, such as developments in machinery and technology. The importance of big data, energy efficiency and food safety were also highlighted. During the last round table, economic and political aspects were discussed.

Business News

KEY TECHNOLOGY IMPROVES NUT AND DRIED FRUIT SORTING WITH PIXEL FUSION

K

EY TECHNOLOGY has led to a new step forward in increasing the efficiency and speed of the nut and dried fruit sorting processes, thanks to the launch of Pixel Fusion. By providing a clear distinction between good product, shell, foreign material (FM), defects and different color grades, Pixel Fusion improves the accuracy of digital sorting. This effectiveness reduces the number of sorting passes required to make grade and virtually eliminates false rejects, which maximizes productivity and yield while consistently achieving the target product-quality level.

Veryx sorters equipped with Pixel Fusion identify and remove loose and embedded shell fragments, membrane material, broken nuts, product with surface scratches or insect damage, moisture-related defects, moldy product, color-based defects and FM including wood chips, stems, rocks, glass and more to satisfy consumers’ zero-tolerance for impurities. Tailored to meet the unique detection requirements of each application, VERYX with Pixel Fusion is ideal for sorting walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, peanuts, pecans, cashews and dried fruit such as raisins, prunes, cranberries, apricots, figs and dates.

Pixel Fusion is an advanced detection module that combines pixellevel input from multiple cameras and laser scanners sharing the same line of sight to create a unique, unambiguous ‘signature’ for each type of substance in the product stream. Compared to other detection methods, which do not collect data from the same pixel at the same time, Pixel

Pixel Fusion system allows a more accurate and efficient sorting process.

Fusion more precisely differentiates good product, shell, FM and defects, enabling VERYX to recognize and eject previously difficult-to-detect FM and subtle product defects such as wormholes.

“Nut and dried fruit customers using VERYX with Pixel Fusion achieve their final quality specifications with fewer inspection cycles and almost no good product in the reject stream. By reducing the number of sorting passes, productivity is increased while product degradation is reduced. “Improving good product recovery maximizes yield,” says Marco Azzaretti, Advanced Inspection Systems Product Manager at Key. “Customers around the world with installed systems tell us they have up to 1.5 percent less good product in their reject stream since they started using VERYX with Pixel Fusion compared to their previous sorter.”

OLAM TAKES A GREATER BITE OF WEST AFRICA BISCUIT MARKET WITH CAPACITY EXPANSION

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UTRIFOODS GHANA LIMITED has opened its newly expanded biscuit production facility in Tema, Ghana, which manufactures high quality biscuits for both the domestic and export markets. Jointly owned by Olam International (75%) and Sanyo Foods of Japan (25%), the Nutrifoods facility is currently the leading biscuit factory in Ghana.

It produces an assorted brand portfolio, which includes two of the most popular biscuits in the country – the King Cracker and the Perk Shortcake.

The company invested US$8.25 million in expansion work, upgrading the capacity of the facility with new state-of-the-art production equipment and technology including an additional third production line.

The expansion has strengthened Nutrifoods’ position as the number one biscuit

producer in Ghana. It has a 30% market share and an unbeatable benchmark in quality, producing international standard products for local market tastes. Moreover, the expansion has increased employment opportunities offered by the company, providing an additional 150 jobs and raising the existing workforce to 600 employees, of which 99% are Ghanaians.

The completion of the expansion project is hailed by stakeholders as a major milestone not only for Nutrifoods but also for the entire food manufacturing sector in Ghana. An inauguration ceremony held at the factory was attended by the Minister of State for Trade and Industry of Singapore, Dr. Koh Poh Koon and Ghana’s Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr. Alan K. Kyeremanten.

At the event, Dr. Koh congratulated Olam on the inauguration of their new factory

and expressed hope that more Singaporean companies can participate actively in Ghana’s growth. He also noted that Singaporean companies are not just investing in the physical infrastructure but also in building human resource capabilities for Ghana’s future, with companies such as Olam sponsoring educational programs in Ghana.

Nutrifoods, an Olam and Sanyo co-ownership, has a 30% market share.

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

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Business News

UK BANS ONLINE ADVERTISEMENTS OF HIGH-FAT FOODS TARGETING CHILDREN

A

S OF JULY 1, 2017, it is forbidden in the United Kingdom to advertise high-fat, -salt or -sugar (HFSS) food or drink products targeted at children, according to a new regulation approved by the UK’s Committee on Advertising Practice (CAP). “The rules will apply across all nonbroadcast media including in print, cinema and, crucially, online and in social media”, stresses the announcement released by the regulatory committee.

Specifically, the new rule states that any type of ads that “directly or indirectly promote an HFSS product cannot appear in children’s media” or “in

other media where children make up over 25% of the audience”.

Additionally, the new regulation establishes that advertisements for foods which are high in fat, salt or sugar won’t be allowed to use “promotions, licensed characters and celebrities” that are popular among children. “Advertisers may now use those techniques to better promote healthier options”, the announcement suggested.

Finally, the CAP states that the Department of Health nutrient profiling model will be used to determine which foods are to be considered HFSS.

MACADAMIA BREAKFAST BISCUIT: INNOVATION FROM AUSTRALIA’S LEADING MANUFACTURER

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EADING AUSTRALIAN food manufacturer Sanitarium has embraced macadamias in its ongoing mission to offer innovative, tasty and healthy breakfast solutions to today’s busierthan-ever consumer. Weet-Bix GO is Sanitarium’s range of breakfast biscuits, created to address the growing need for portable breakfast options. The range comprises six flavour variants, now including Vanilla Macadamia, made using Australian-grown macadamias. It’s a flavor combination that has struck a chord with consumers, with Vanilla Macadamia becoming one of the range’s top selling variants.

“Traditional breakfast has been in decline in Australia,” explains Sanitarium’s Alex Garas, Senior Brand Manager at Weet-Bix Australia. “Weet-Bix has managed to buck this trend and grow in a

declining market; however, we are still very aware of the growing need to provide nutritious portable breakfast options. That’s why we launched our range of portable breakfast biscuits,” he said.

Weet-Bix is an Australian icon, and has grown to become the nation’s number one cereal brand, with almost half of all Australian homes housing a box of Weet-Bix at any given time. The original WeetBix format debuted nearly 90 years ago, and many Australians grew up humming the brand’s famous “Aussie kids are Weet-Bix kids” advertising jingle.

Garas says that innovation plays an important role in the Weet-Bix GO strategy, as breakfast consumption continues to shift and the need for speed and ease gains momentum. “The brand has its roots in Weet-Bix but is all about innovation and

stretching what is possible in this taste and health space. The product is designed to make people’s lives easier when they need it.”

Macadamias are proving to be a perfect fit for this strategy, as consumers look for convenience without compromise. “Consumers want products that make the morning easier and quicker; the fewer compromises they have to make on health and taste to do this the better. They expect products to meet these needs. Macadamias are a premium and delicious nut and are on trend at the moment, and we know how much consumers like them,” he said.

SAINSBURY’S EXPANDS ITS RANGE OF NUT-BASED ALTERNATIVE MILKS

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ODERN milk substitutes such as oat, almond, rice, coconut and hemp have now joined soy in the rapidly increasing choices of alternatives for customers who avoid dairy milks, be it for health reasons or personal preference. Today Sainsbury’s is giving customers even more choice by doubling its range of nondairy milks in 300 of its stores to help cater for these choices.

After seeing growth in this category of 11.5% last year, and 28.8% over two years, Sainsbury’s is adding 18 new plant-based milks to it aisles. Within the new range, Sainsbury’s will be the only major supermarket stocking dairy alternatives from the

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iconic Califia Farm brand, including iced coffee in 1 litre or 750ml ‘take home’ packs and the drink-ofthe-moment: cold brew coffees with nut milk.

One of those new examples launched by Sainsbury’s is the Califa Farms Almond Milks & Cold Brew Coffees, a premium nut-milk based product. Califia Farms use Californian almonds to produce these products. What’s more, the range is vegan friendly.

Plenish is another nut-based example of this new range of products, made with just three simple ingredients. All natural, the range has no additives, preservatives or sweeteners.

James Curtis, Milks Buyer at Sainsbury’s said

“We’re delighted with the performance of our dairyalternative milk range over the last year. By adding these fantastic quality, great tasting branded lines like Califia Farms, we will be a real destination shop for customers looking to replace regular milk with non-dairy alternatives. In particular, we expect cold brew coffees made with nut milks and additional dairy products like kefir to continue to grow in popularity over the coming months and years.”

“

Gourmet Gourmet

THE RIGHT MIX OF NUTS AND DRIED FRUITS

is all you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle”

J. P. SINGH,

EXECUTIVE CHEF AT BUKHARA RESTAURANT (DELHI)

Chef J.P. Singh is the Executive Chef at Bukhara Restaurant (Delhi, India), winner of the 2017 INC Award for Excellence in Gastronomy. An expert in Indian Cuisine, Chef J.P., as he is affectionately known, honed his skills at the Institute of Hotel Management, Delhi, and further enhanced this knowledge at the Institute of Hotel Management Catering Technology & Applied Nutrition, Mumbai.

He joined the ITC-Welcomgroup in 1981 as a Demi Chef De Partie and held several key positions before heading the kitchen at Bukhara, located at the ITC Maurya hotel, in 1991.

Chef J.P. has traveled extensively across the globe promoting and educating people on the popular Bukhara cuisine in countries including New Zealand, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Singapore, Hong

Bukhara is one of Asia’s most renowned restaurants. Now you have just won the INC Award for Excellence in Gastronomy… What makes Bukhara so special?

You have been part of Bukhara’s staff for more than 30 years. How did it become one of the most popular and successful restaurants in India?

In a world where ‘change’ is the order of the day, Bukhara has been acknowledged for its culinary excellence since its inception almost four decades ago! We practise ‘responsible sourcing’ of the best ingredients, a part of ITC Hotels credo of ‘responsible luxury’.

Having emerged as an icon that features in the itinerary of visiting dignitaries and heads of state from around the globe, it has remained unchanged and unmatched. The USP menu has never changed since its inception. It’s a ‘must-dine’ destination for the world’s dignitaries and celebrities!

You feel elated to see the repeat clientele and elite guests coming over again and again, sometimes successive generations from the same family coming together, preparing them to be the future clients of Bukhara. Though the menu is short and crisp, its consistency and overall experience makes it unique and it speaks for itself. I have personally seen it growing in popularity and I have great appreciation for my team, which I lead from the front.

How do you personally feel about that, considering your current position at the restaurant and, above all, that you have been an essential part of most of its history?

Having been associated with Bukhara for almost three decades as its executive chef gives me immense satisfaction. Since it is a must-dine place for PMs, presidents and celebrities, it becomes rather challenging to retain its image while at the same time remaining abreast of the competition on the global front.

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Kong, Colombia, Ecuador, the USA, Costa Rica, Venezuela & Panama.

Chef JP has personally catered for numerous celebrities and heads of state at Bukhara, which is world-famous for its open kitchen, traditional Indian NorthWest Frontier region style and its menu, which hasn’t changed in 30 years.

Not at all! Innovation fever is time-bound and has its peaks and valleys. However, as I’ve said, we proudly display on our chefs’ hats ‘Every Creation is a Masterpiece’. We have authentic, master creations on our menu, out of which innovative ideas are influencing neo-modern restaurants all over. But we remain strong at our grass roots and have not been swept away by this innovation fever. The soul of the element is in the roots!

In general terms, what can customers eat at Bukhara? How would you describe its cuisine?

The menu has not changed since its inception in 1978 because at Bukhara we believe that ‘every creation is a masterpiece’ and we have chosen to retain its particular style, consistency and authenticity. This clearly shows that the authenticity of the cuisine remains close to our hearts and the result is the most masterful NorthWest Frontier tandoori style cooking imaginable.

At Bukhara, serving North West Frontier cuisine, the prime cuts of meat and vegetables are marinated with the choicest of spices and skillfully cooked on a high heat in clay ovens called Tandoor, which allow them to retainin their tender moistness. The world-famous Dal Bukhara is sure to be the longest cooked lentil in the world and is really ‘regal’ and sought after, a fact of which we are really proud. The signature dishes are Sikandari Raan, Murgh Malai Kebab, Tandoori Jhinga, Barrah Kebab, Paneer Tikka, Tandoori Aloo and above all the famous Dal Bukhara.

Weren’t you afraid that innovation fever could leave you isolated and out of popular trends?

What is an Executive Chefs’ role? Is it more about creating and cooking, or about managing?

The menu has remained the same for decades and has stuck to a very genuine and specific style. Why is that?

Gourmet My role is to ensure quality, consistency, the guests’ delight through interaction, meet most of the regulars, VVIPs, HOS and educate them about the cuisine. Above all, I am hands on chef and love to do the meat cuts, marination and the making of Dal Bukhara. I also have to keep up the morale of the team at any given point. We have created a congenial atmosphere in the kitchen and the staff turnover rate is almost zero at Bukhara. The team love being associated with the brand Bukhara and strive to retain their image. Being the custodian of Bukhara and Peshawari (located at the various ITC properties and identical to Bukhara in every way) my role also involves ensuring the same consistency at all Peshawari in line with Bukhara standards.

What can Bukhara expect in the future?

It must continue to be at the top of the ‘must dine’ list of culinary aficionados in India and the world over. Bukhara must remain market leader and retain and enhance the Bukhara brand image on the global map. Ambassadors of Bukhara must make sure to continue spreading the enthusiasm across the continents.

What do celebrities find so charming about Bukhara?

Bukhara has captured the hearts of many global icons, including US ex-presidents such as Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George Bush, Russian President Vladimir Putin, British

prime ministers like Tony Blair, David Cameron and Theresa May, prime ministers from New Zealand, Singapore and many more, who have not only dined at Bukhara but also entered the kitchen to understand the techniques behind the magical delights of the tandoor. Others, like Bill Gates, Lewis Hamilton, Bryan Adams, Mick Jagger and Arnold Schwarzenegger also enjoyed themselves and left after an unimaginable experience!

They undoubtedly find the restaurant charming because of the joy and happiness in its atmosphere, and also because they are educated to eat with their hands. As per the Indian ritual and belief, and at Bukhara too, we believe that food must be experienced through all your senses, one of the many reasons why we encourage you to eat with your hands. We serve water in copper glasses for therapeutic purposes. We have also created a ‘Wall of Fame’ at Bukhara displaying the pictures of most of the famous celebrities who have visited Bukhara and eaten with their hands. We have received more than 60 awards, laurels and accolades in the last 39 years of our existence.

At Bukhara, the kitchen can be seen by the customers. What does that change regarding your job? Does it make it harder, or at least increase the pressure?

Bukhara was probably the first restaurant in the country to have a front-show kitchen protruding

Ingredients 500 gr Whole wheat flour (coarse) 200 gr Clarified butter 250 gr Castor sugar ¼ tsp. Green cardamom powder 1 gr Saffron 100 gr Crushed almonds 100 gr Crushed cashewnuts 100 gr Crushed pistachios 70 gr Pistachio flakes 150 gr Edible resin (tree gum) 60 gr Raisins 3 tbsp Honey Garnish Gold leaf

Nut Spheres

within the restaurant. We rather enjoy working like this as it has become part of our work culture since it’s inception to ensure hygiene and the upkeep of the kitchen. Also, the guests do enjoy watching the chefs doing a great job, making the kebabs and the breads in front of them and the making of the gigantic Naan Bukhara – big enough for a family of five or six. In fact, we proudly invite the VVIPs to visit the kitchen.

What is the role of nuts and dried fruits at Bukhara?

We use nuts and dried fruits in our veg preparations and extensively in our desserts, of course.

Beyond Bukhara, what role do you think nuts and dried fruits can have in cuisine? What difference can they make? Do you enjoy them?

What is your favorite dish which features them?

With natural sugars and fibers, zero cholesterol and fats and a variety of delectable flavors, nuts and dried fruits are an excellent source of all the essential nutrients. The right and regular mix of almonds, cashew nuts, pistachios, raisins and other dried fruits and nuts is all you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

In Indian cuisine, nuts and dried fruits are used extensively to achieve textures from a chunky bite to the silky smoothness of the gravies, to provide richness and for presentation.

Procedure 1. Fry the edible resin (gum) a little at a time in clarified butter. Set aside.

2. Heat the clarified butter in a heavy bottom pan, add coarse whole wheat flour. Keep stirring until it turns a light golden color.

3. Remove from heat, set aside and allow to cool.

4. Add some of the crushed nuts and set the rest aside to use later.

5. Add the raisins and fried tree gum to the flour mix. Add castor sugar and mix well.

6. Add honey to the mixture and make equal size spheres, each weighing approximately 90 to 100 grams.

7. Garnish with gold leaf and serve

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

17

Legal Update

LEGAL UPDATE PESTICIDES CANADA: MRLs UPDATE

CHINA, TAIWAN: MRLs UPDATE

Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency recently adopted the following proposed maximum residue limits.

The Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu notified the World Trade Organization of the Draft Standards for certain Pesticide Residue Limits in Foods.

Pesticide Fenpyroximate

Product

MRL (ppm)

Adoption date

Tree nuts (crop group 14), pistachios

0.10

07-02-2017

Pesticide

Product

MRL (ppm)

Date

2.0

Entered into force on: 15-03-2017

Spiromesifen

prune

Boscalid

peanut

0.1

Chromafenozide

peanut

0.5

Deadline for comments: 13-05-2017

EU: MRLs UPDATE The European Commission issued the following regulations amending maximum residue limits of pesticides in nuts and fruits.

Pesticide

Product tree nuts

Bifenthrin

Carbetamide Cinidon-ethyl Fenpropimorph

Adoption date

0.01*

peanuts

0.02*

tree nuts, peanuts

0.02*

stone fruit, grapes, cranberries, dates, figs

0.01*

peanuts

0.05*

tree nuts, stone fruit, grapes, dates, figs, peanuts

0.01*

cranberries stone fruit, grapes, cranberries, dates, figs

Sulfoxaflor

plums dates, figs

0.5 0.05 0.06

Tolylfluanid

tree nuts, apricots, plums, grapes, cranberries, dates, figs, peanuts

0.02

Cyantraniliprole

tree nuts

0.04

Ethephon

figs

Fenpyroximate

almonds

0.05*

Triadimefon Chlormequat

tree nuts

0.01*

Tebufenpyrad

27-04-2017

Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/626 of 31 March 2017

27-10-2017

Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/627 of 3 April 2017

03-11-2017

Commission Regulation 2017/693 of 7 April 2017

0.03

cranberries

0.01*

tree nuts, apricots, plums, grapes, cranberries, dates, figs, peanuts

0.01*

tree nuts, apricots, plums, cranberries, dates, figs, peanuts

0.01*

tree nuts, dates, figs, peanuts

Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/624 of 30 March 2017

0.5 0.01*

grapes

26-04-2017

0.1

peanuts grapes

Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/405 of 8 March 2017

3 0.01*

cranberries

Triadimenol

3 0.04

tree nuts (except almonds) plums

29-03-2017

0.02

apricots, plums, grapes, cranberries, dates, figs

grapes

Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/170 of 30 January 2017

0.9

Daminozide

Fluxapyroxad

23-08-2017

0.01*

peanuts

tree nuts

Regulation

0.05

stone fruit, grapes, cranberries, dates, figs

Triflusulfuron

Bifenazate

MRL (ppm)

0.05 0.01*

apricots

0.4

plums

0.2

grapes

0.6

cranberries

1.5

*Indicates lower limit of determination.

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

19

Legal Update INDIA: BANNED PESTICIDES The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India notified the World Trade Organization of the Draft Notification related to pesticides banned as per Insecticides Act, 1968.

The banned pesticides are the following: Aldicarb; Aldrin, dieldrin; Chlordane; Heptachlor; Lindane Gamma-HCH) Gamma (γ) Isomer (Known as Lindane); Endosulfan; Carbofuran 50% SP; Methomyl 12.5% L and Methomyl 24% formulation; Phosphamidon 85% SL; Captafol

80% Powder; Ferbam; Formothion; Simazine; Diazinon (banned for use in agriculture except for household use); D.D.T (withdrawn for use in agriculture); Fenitrothion (banned for use in agriculture except for locust control in scheduled dessert area and public health); Fenthion (banned in agriculture except for locust control, household and public health); Methyl Parathion 50% EC and 2 % DP formulations (banned for use in fruits and vegetables); and Monocrotophos (banned for use on vegetables).

JAPAN: MRLs UPDATE The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan notified the World Trade Organization of the “Revision of the Standards and Specifications for Foods and Food Additives under the Food Sanitation Act (revision of agricultural chemical residue standards)”, which includes the following maximum residue limits in nuts and dried fruits.

Pesticide

Product

MRL (ppm)

peanut, cranberry, date Clofentezine

nuts, apricot, prune

0.5

grape Fludioxonil Prohexadione-calcium

Date 0.01 2

peanuts

0.5

peanuts

1

pecan, almond, walnut, other nuts, apricot, prune, cranberry, date

0.01

Abamectin

peanuts

Nitenpyram

apricot, cranberry, date, peanuts, pecan, walnut, almond, other nuts

0.01

Paclobutrazol

apricot, almond

0.01

peanuts

0.02

apricot, cranberry, grape, date, pecan, walnut, almond, other nuts

0.01

Isoxathion

Deadline for comments: 12-06-2017

0.005

Glyphosate

grape

0.5

Clethodim

almond

0.01

EFSA: MRLs REASONED OPINION

Deadline for comments: 15-07-2017

In May 2017, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published the Reasoned Opinion on the Modification of the existing maximum residue level for prohexadione (considered variant prohexadione-calcium) in plums.

EFSA concluded that the proposed use of prohexadione on plums will not result in a consumer exposure exceeding the toxicological reference value and therefore is unlikely to pose a risk to consumers’ health.

EFSA proposes to increment the MRL from 0.01* ppm to 0.05 ppm (*Indicates that the MRL is set at the limit of analytical quantification, LOQ).

USA: MRLs UPDATE

USA: CHLORPYRIFOS

The US Environmental Protection Agency established the following maximum residue limits in nuts and fruits.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published an order denying a petition of revocation of all tolerances for the pesticide chlorpyrifos and cancellation of all chlorpyrifos registrations. EPA concluded that “despite several years of study, the science addressing neurodevelopmental effects remains unresolved and that further evaluation of the science during the remaining time for completion of registration review is warranted to achieve greater certainty as to whether the potential exists for adverse neurodevelopmental effects to occur from current human exposures to chlorpyrifos”. EPA shall complete the registration review by October 1, 2022.

Pesticide

Product

MRL (ppm)

Adoption date

Cyantraniliprole

peanuts

0.01

22-03-2017

Pyroxasulfone

peanuts

0.30

18-04-2017

Fenazaquin

nuts, tree, group 14-12

0.02

25-05-2017

20

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

Legal Update

CONTAMINANTS NEPAL: AFLATOXIN MLs The Ministry of Agricultural Development of Nepal recently notified the World Trade Organization of the proposed maximum limits (MLs) of mycotoxins in food products. For nuts and dried fruits, the following MLs for total aflatoxins (B1+B2+G1+G2) are proposed.

Food

ML of aflatoxins total (B1+B2+G1+G2) (ppb)

Nuts for further processing

15

Ready to eat nuts and their products

10

Dried figs

10

QUALITY STANDARDS INDIA: DATE PASTE The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India notified the World Trade Organization of the Draft Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2017. The Standard for date paste includes description of date paste; characteristics of moisture (not more than 20%), ash (not more than 1.2%) and acid insoluble ash (not more than 0.1%); additives (not allowed); contaminants, toxins and residues; hygiene; labeling, and method of analysis.

MOROCCO: QUALITY AND SAFETY OF DATES The Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires of Morocco notified the World Trade Organization of the Draft Decree relating to the quality and safety of dates and date paste marketed. The aim of the decree is to define date and date paste; to determine the marketing characteristics and the quality tolerances; to provide the labeling requirements; and to determine the storage conditions to preserve the safety and quality of the dates and date paste, among others.

LABELING (I) AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND: NUT HEALTH CLAIMS Some health claims linking nut consumption with positive health outcomes have been approved by Food Standards Australian New Zealand (FSANZ) and other relevant health departments.

Thanks to that, and for the first time, under certain conditions, producers of nut products will be able to communicate that nuts are heart-healthy on product packaging and in advertising. The health claim can be made for tree nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts), peanuts, nut butters and pastes (not weight claim).

Examples of statements include: • ‘Nuts are a heart healthy food’ • ‘Enjoy a handful of heart healthy nuts’ • ‘Regular nut consumption contributes to heart health without causing weight gain’ • ‘Regular nut consumption such as (insert nut variety in product), as part of a healthy, varied diet, contributes to heart health without causing weight gain’

EU COURT OF JUSTICE CONCLUDES THE TERM “MILK” CANNOT BE USED FOR PLANT-BASED PRODUCTS

JAPAN: COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING

On June 14, 2017, the Court of Justice of the European Union concluded that the designations such as ‘milk’, ‘cream’, ‘butter’, ‘cheese’ or ‘yoghurt’ cannot be legally used to designate purely plant-based products.

The Court observes that, in principle, for the marketing purposes, the relevant legislation reserves the term ‘milk’ only for milk of animal origin.

In addition, except where expressly provided, that legislation reserves designations like ‘cream’, ‘chantilly’, ‘butter’, ‘cheese’ and ‘yoghurt’ solely for milk products, that is products derived from milk. Therefore, purely plantbased products cannot be legally marketed with these designations.

The Consumer Affair Agency of Japan notified the World Trade Organization of the draft amendment of the Food Labeling Standards concerning the place of origin labeling of ingredients of processed foods. The objective of the amendment is to provide information about the place of origin of the heaviest ingredient of the processed foods domestically produced and sold. Imported processed foods are not required to label the place of origin of the ingredient.

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

21

Legal Update

LABELING (II) MOROCCO: FOOD LABELING The Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires of Morocco notified the World Trade Organization of the Draft Decree relating to the food products labeling rules. The aim of the Decree is to amend the current labeling regulation. Articles 2, 4, 11 and 24 of the Decree No 2-12389 are modified in respect of the shelf life of the products, as defined by the European Regulation 1169/2011 on the labeling of foodstuffs. It will apply both to products produced in Morocco and to imported products. The publication of the Decree is expected in January 2018.

THAILAND: LABELING OF PRE-PACKAGED FOODS Thailand notified the World Trade Organization of certain amendments in the Draft Labelling of Pre-packaged Foods (No 2). It is proposed to amend the notification of the Ministry of Public Health No 367, Clause 4 (6). Information for allergen shall be labelled by either “contain……..” or “may contain……….” in red bold alphabets in white background frame.

Information for allergen shall be labelled by either “contain………..” or “may contain……….” in the frame. The color of the letters shall contrast with the color of the background frame. The color of the background frame shall contrast with the color of the label.

TRADE EU: DUTY SUSPENSION ON DRIED CRANBERRIES Currently, the import of dried cranberries benefits from a duty suspension that allows them to be imported into the European Union at 0% instead of 17.6%. Since no EU Member State is a cranberry-producing country, dried cranberries are mainly imported from USA, Canada and Chile. The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the

Growers & Exporters

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July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

European Union and Canada might put an end to the dried cranberry duty suspension. The non-renewal of the current duty suspension would result in an increase of the duty rate from 0% to 17.6%, having a negative impact in trade. On April 24, 2017, the EC clarified, in response to a letter from the INC, that the suspension will continue until December 31, 2017 (that is, the date of mandatory review) and that “steps have not been taken to reinstate duties on dried cranberries“.

PUBLI

Feature Articles

ALMOND IRRIGATION IMPROVEMENT CONTINUUM: A ROADMAP FOR CALIFORNIA ALMOND FARMERS TO IMPROVE WATER EFFICIENCY Launched this year, the Almond Irrigation Improvement Continuum synthesizes decades of almond irrigation research into a single resource that is helping farmers evolve practices and get the most out of their irrigation system investments.

Terry Prichard and Larry Schwankl.

Both retired University of California extension specialists, they have utilized their decades of experience in California tree crop water and irrigation management in developing the Almond Board of California’s Almond Irrigation Improvement Continuum.

Soil moisture monitoring is a key component of successful irrigation management and part of the Almond Irrigation Improvement Continuum.

L

imited water supplies — with or without the California drought — are a reality for permanent California specialty crops, such as treenuts, wine, table grapes and fruit trees. Since 1982, the California Almond industry has been investing in irrigation improvement research through the Almond Board of California (ABC). Acknowledging the State’s limited water resources and propensity for drought, the industry has funded 182 projects to date. Research projects are wide-ranging, including field-testing innovative technology and supporting the development of localized crop water demand models, but they have one goal in mind: to continue to help almond farmers be leaders in irrigation efficiency. As a result, almond farmers have reduced the amount of water needed to grow a pound of almonds by 33 percent over the past twenty years.1

Using Research to Drive Innovation In 2015, ABC launched a groundbreaking new effort to compliment its existing research programs. The Accelerated Innovation Management (AIM) program prioritizes innovative almond farming research and improvements to better meet future needs of the California Almond industry as well as the consumer, local communities and the environment. The efficient use and management of water is one of four key initiatives of AIM. Using the decades of industry-funded research as a foundation, the Almond Board of California, in partnership with technical experts from University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources created the Almond Irrigation Improvement Continuum.

This comprehensive resource supports the AIM initiative to accelerate almond farmer adoption of research-based, commercially available and more water-efficient irrigation practices and technology.

The Almond Irrigation Improvement Continuum With the overarching goal of growing more crop per drop, this progressive management guide encourages continued improvement in a farmer’s irrigation strategies. Recognizing that each of California’s 6,800 almond farmers are operating at different stages of irrigation management, the Continuum provides information at three proficiency levels (1.0, 2.0 and 3.0), each covering the following five essential elements of good irrigation management, as well as how to effectively integrate them into an overarching strategy: • Estimating orchard water requirements based on evapotranspiration • Measuring irrigation system performance and efficiency

• Determining the water applied • Evaluating soil moisture • Evaluating plant water status None of the information in the Continuum is revolutionary, or wasn’t out there before; most of it was available but hard to find. Irrigation water management can be complicated, but taking all the information and putting it in one place is helping almond farmers see how it all fits together. The Continuum provides this information in one easy-to-access location.

Beyond its utility for California’s almond farmers, the Continuum has broad applicability to other fruit and treenut crops in California or Mediterranean climates globally.

Three Levels of Proficiency The Continuum was designed to offer something to every almond farmer, regardless of their irrigation management sophistication. Level 1.0 outlines irrigation management practices that are within reach for all California Almond farmers and require zero capital investment for the farmer. Proficiency level 2.0 (intermediate) and level 3.0 (advanced) evolve practices to more sophisticated levels that further increase water efficiency, minimizing waste and growing more “crop per drop”.

As an example, the Level 1.0 guide shows almond farmers how to calculate estimated orchard water requirements using “normal year” regional crop evapotranspiration (ET) and other site-specific factors, such as rain or salt leaching, to determine irrigation needs on a monthly basis.

To improve upon these measures, Level 2.0 and 3.0 in the Continuum guides farmers to calculate orchard water requirements on a more frequent basis, using increasing reliance on current

1 University of California. UC Drought Management. Feb. 2010. Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN. FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper 66 – Crop yield in response to water. 2012. Almond Board of California.

Almond Almanac 1990-94, 2000-14.

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July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

Feature Articles weather conditions or even real time ET monitoring through local monitoring stations provided by the California Department of Water Resources’ California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS).

Increasing the frequency at which farmers monitor and adjust for local conditions allows them to manage their irrigation scheduling adaptively, increasing precision and decreasing inefficiencies. Using real-time monitoring gives farmers a more accurate picture of what is going on within their orchard, allowing them to be more proactive in their management decisions.

The Irrigation Calculator A supplement to irrigation management practices outlined in the Continuum is the Almond Board’s online Irrigation Calculator. This decision support tool is available to any California Almond farmer and generates irrigation run time schedules that provide the amount and timing of irrigations based on local ET and information about individual orchards and irrigation systems.

Linked to each field’s nearest real-time ET monitoring station, this tool automatically integrates current weather information, allowing farmers to efficiently calculate an orchard’s irrigation water requirement.

In-Field Support The Almond Board’s objective through this AIM initiative is to assist all almond farmers in meeting level 1.0 proficiency. Beyond this, the Almond Board will work with farmers to progress along the Continuum to levels 2.0 and 3.0 proficiency. To achieve this goal, in 2016 ABC hired an expert in irrigation and water efficiency to interface with farmers in the field, providing orchard and irrigation system-specific recommendations for improvement.

Using the tools and research available through the Continuum, the Almond Board’s Spencer Cooper, Senior Manager, Irrigation and Water Efficiency, is helping almond farmers across the spectrum of irrigation management precision improve.

This work is complemented by extension through California’s many trusted and respected technical experts from the University of California Cooperative Extension, allied industry and beyond.

Farmer Adoption The Continuum and associated outreach program were launched earlier this year, so it is difficult to say how many of California’s almond farmers are at each level. What is clear is that no operation is a distinct Level 1.0, 2.0 or 3.0 but rather a blend, providing opportunities for improvement across the board.

Through farmer self-assessments from the California Almond Sustainability Program, we know that more than 70 percent of California’s almond orchards employ efficient microirrigation in contrast just 42 percent California farms statewide. In addition 83 percent of almond orchards are managed using some combination of evapotranspiration, soil moisture and the trees’ water needs (plant water status) to determine a demand-based irrigation strategy, rather than irrigating on a predetermined schedule.

While this still doesn’t answer exactly how many almond farmers fall within any of the Continuum’s levels, it reflects the fact that these practices are used by many to inform their water management throughout the growing season.

As a research-based industry, users of California’s limited water resources, and stewards of some of the world’s most productive farmland, continuous improvement is nothing new for almond farmers. No matter where their starting point is, every California Almond farmer will be able to learn something and evolve their practices through the Almond Irrigation Improvement Continuum.

To learn more about the Almond Irrigation Improvement Continuum visit Almonds.com/Irrigation.

Almond Irrigation Improvement Continuum Use the proficiency levels and guidance below to adopt good irrigation water management practices for almonds. Each level of the Almond Irrigation Improvement Continuum will provide the tools necessary to obtain measurements needed to best schedule and manage almond irrigation.

Measurement

1.0 Minimum

2.0 Intermediate

3.0 Advanced

Orchard Water Requirements

Estimate orchard water requirements using “normal year” regional ETc to estimate irrigation demand on a monthly basis.

Estimate orchard water requirements using “normal year” regional ETc—adjusting for current weather and cover crop use on a bi-weekly basis.

Estimate orchard water requirements using “normal year” regional ETc to plan irrigations, then use real-time ETc data to correct the schedule on a weekly basis.

Irrigation System Performance

Evaluate irrigation system for pressure variation and average application rate at least once every 3 years. Correct any diagnosed system performance problems.

Assess distribution uniformity and average application rate by measuring water volume at least every 3 years. Correct any diagnosed system performance problems.

Assess distribution uniformity and average application rate by measuring water volume at least every 2 years.

Correct any diagnosed system performance problems.

Applied Water

Use application rate and duration of irrigation to determine water applied.

Use water meters to determine flow rate and water applied.

Use water meters to determine applied water and compare to crop water use (ETc, evapotranspiration) to determine irrigation efficiency.

Soil Moisture

Evaluate soil moisture based upon feel and appearance by augering to at least 3-5 feet. Monitor on a monthly time step.

Use manually operated soil moisture sensors to at least 3-5 feet and monitor on a bi-weekly time step. Use information to ensure calculated water is not over/under irrigating trees.

Use automated moisture sensors that store data over time. Review weekly to ensure calculated water is not over/under irrigating trees.

Plant Water Status

Evaluate orchard water status using visual plant cues just prior to irrigation or on a bi-weekly basis.

Use pressure chamber to measure midday stem water potential just prior to irrigation on a monthly basis. Ensure calculated water applications are not over/under irrigating trees.

Use pressure chamber to measure midday stem water potential prior to irrigation on a weekly basis. Ensure calculated water applications are not over/under irrigating trees. Use it to assess when to start irrigating.

Integrating Irrigation Water Management Practices

Combine irrigation system performance data with “normal year” regional ETc to determine orchard-specific water requirements and schedule irrigations. Check soil moisture with an auger and/or monitor plant water status to verify scheduling.

Use irrigation system performance data with regional estimates of “normal year” ETc to schedule irrigations and adjust based on feedback from monitoring soil moisture or crop water status.

Develop an irrigation schedule based on predicted “normal year” demand, monitor status using soil and plant based methods. Adjust irrigation schedule with real-time ETc as the season progresses.

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

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Feature Articles

FOOD LOSS AND WASTE IN THE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN Maryam Rezaei

is a Food technologist at FAO Nutrition and Food Systems Division (ESN). Her work includes providing technical support to food loss and waste assessment projects and formulation of national strategies on value chain development.

She has an MSc. from Ecole Supérieure d’Agriculture d’Angers in France.

A

n estimated 30% of the food produced for human consumption globally is lost or wasted somewhere along the food supply chain1.

Meanwhile, the world’s population is predicted to reach 9.1 billion by 2050 and this will require an increase of 70% in food availability.2 A significant part of this growth will take place in developing countries, where steadily increasing urban populations continue to create complex and lengthy food supply chains involving many actors, presenting challenges in delivering safe, nutritious food that is of good quality. Tackling food losses and waste in an efficient, sustainable and integrated way should be considered an opportunity to feed people and optimize the use of natural and financial resources at the same time. The private sector, including the food industry, can play an important and unique role in food loss and waste reduction by optimizing food processing procedures, streamlining supply chains and linking farmers to market, among other things. Reducing the loss and waste of nuts and fruits is especially significant given their nutritional value and great potential for value addition.

What is food loss and waste?

Food loss and waste is defined as a decrease in the quantity or quality of edible food that is intended for human consumption. The redirecting of edible food to be used as animal feed, converting food to bioenergy and dumping into landfills are examples of a decrease in quantity. It is important to distinguish between food loss and food waste and the circumstances of their occurrence, especially when identifying causes and developing solutions and interventions to address this issue.

Food loss is mainly caused by the malfunctioning of the food production and supply system or its institutional and policy framework. This could be due to managerial and technical limitations, such as a lack of proper storage facilities, cold chain, proper food handling practices, infrastructure, packaging, or efficient marketing systems.

Food waste refers to the removal from the food supply chain of food which is still fit for human consumption. This is done either by choice or after the food is spoiled or expired due to poor stock management or neglect.

Food waste typically but not exclusively happens at the retail and consumer levels whereas food loss takes place at the earlier stages of the food supply chain – during production, post-harvest and processing stages.

Implications of food loss and waste Food loss and waste have significant negative food-security, economic and environmental impacts. The value of annual food loss and waste at the global level is estimated at US$ 1 trillion.1 Food loss and waste may decrease food availability in the market, which may in turn increase food prices and reduce the capacity of low-income consumers to access food. Moreover, if the quality of food deteriorates so badly that the food has to be sold at a lower price or even discarded, the livelihood of farmers and producers is adversely affected.

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Bin Liu

is an officer of Nutrition and Food Systems Division, FAO. His work involves food processing technologies and assessing food loss and waste. Before joining FAO, he worked on value chain development for International Potato Center in the Philippines.

Food loss and waste represent wastage of the water, land, energy and other natural resources used to produce food. In fact, the resources used to produce food that is eventually lost or wasted account for approximately 4.4 gigatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2 equivalent) annually, making food loss and waste the world’s third largest emitter, after only China and the United States3. Given that climate change has become a major concern among INC members4, the nut and dried fruit industry could benefit from climate change mitigation measures, and one effective way is by reducing food loss and waste in their operations.

Where does food loss and waste take place in the food supply chain?

The level of losses differ from one stage of the food supply chain to another, depending on crop type, level of economic development, as well as social and cultural practices in a region. In the case of fruits and vegetables, according to an FAO study,5 losses at harvest and during sorting and grading dominate in industrialized regions, probably mostly due to discarding during grading to meet quality standards set by retailers. In developing regions, while losses at harvest and during sorting and grading are also high, losses during processing (14% – 21%) are much higher than those in developed regions (< 2%), as depicted in Figure 1. The distinct difference highlights the need to improve processing technologies for perishable products like fruits and vegetables in developing regions. The food industry can make a substantial contribution in this area by developing and disseminating low-cost and effective techniques such as drying.

60% 50% 40%

Consumption

30%

Distribution Processing

20%

Post-harvest

10% 0%

Agriculture

Europe

North Industrialized Sub-Saharan North Africa, America and Asia Africa West and Oceania Central Asia

South and Southeast Asia

Latin America

Figure 1. Percentage of the initial production lost or wasted at different stages of the FSC for fruits and vegetables in different regions. “Agriculture” indicates losses occurring during harvest operation and subsequent sorting and grading.

“Post-harvest” indicates losses occurring during handling, transportation and storage immediately after harvest and before processing.

Strategies and solutions to reduce food loss and waste Developing efficient solutions to reduce food loss and waste lies in the recognition of interlinkages among different stages of the food supply chain. In other words, the performance of each actor and cost of activities in upstream segments of the chain could determine the quality of the product further down the food supply chain. In this integrated supply chain approach, special attention should be paid to the impact of technical interventions on the social context

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and environment and the cost of the solutions proposed should not exceed the cost of food that is lost. For instance, improving on-farm storage facilities to reduce post-harvest losses should be coupled with proper strategies and interventions to enhance access to markets. In low-income countries, solutions should first and foremost take a producer’s perspective, e.g. by improving harvest techniques, farmer education, storage facilities and cooling chains. In industrialized countries on the other hand, solutions at the producer and industrial levels would only be marginal1 if consumer education and appropriate stock management at retail level is not in place. Moreover, government investment on capacity building for agriculture and infrastructure and policy support to facilitate market access for farmers and to provide an enabling environment for private sector investment is a non-negotiable factor that cuts across most measures to reduce food loss and waste.

The food industry has long relied on technological advances to reduce losses and increase efficiency, and the nut and dried fruit sector is no exception. A few examples and scenarios will follow to illustrate the impact of different solutions on reducing losses and waste with a focus on nuts and fruits: One of the major causes of losses in the nut sector in particular when the supply is procured from small farmers, is the absence of proper on-farm drying facilities. Many farmers employ traditional sun-drying during the summer, which could be compromised by sudden weather changes. This is often combined with a lack of knowledge and training on the best handling practices and tools to measure the crop humidity after drying. As a result, higher moisture content leads to biological contamination of the crop with mould and toxins during storage and eventual loss of quality, food safety and economic value. Therefore, training farmers and facilitating their access to basic tool kits to measure the moisture content of the crop and provision of alternative drying methods such as

hot air, fluidized bed, infrared and solar should be considered when formulating solutions to reduce losses in the nut sector.

An example of reducing losses in fresh fruits by using effective drying techniques is developing dried mango product in Kenya. More than half of the mango production in Kenya is lost before reaching market. To address this problem, the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) partnered with a Nairobi-based company called Azuri Health to develop a dried mango product6,7 under the FAO’s initiative to reduce food loss and waste. With the financial and technical assistance of GIZ and other SAVE FOOD members, Azuri obtained solar driers and packaging facilities and successfully developed a dried mango product that meets the safety and quality requirements for entering the formal market in Kenya. In autumn 2016, Azuri started to build a new production site near Nairobi, with the long-term goal of entering markets such as Europe and the US. Two more examples are the application of freeze drying to cosmetically imperfect fruits in US and the introduction of a new packaging system to at an Italian nut company.8,9 In the former case, fruits rejected by retailers but perfectly fit for human consumption are made into dried fruit products. Thanks to the freeze-drying technique, their nutrients are preserved without adding preservatives. In the latter case, the loss of raw materials (nuts) in the packaging step is reduced to less than 1%. Considering that nut and dried fruit products can often demand high prices, reducing loss and waste is particularly significant.

In addition to processing technologies, simple strategies such as improved coordination and collaboration among value chain actors can often lead to reduction of losses.

In Australia (1996-99), a study showed that around 37,000 tonnes of bananas are lost every year due to rejection at the pack house because they don’t meet customer specifications for sale

as fresh fruit. Thus banana growers started to work with packaging companies, state primary industry departments and retailers to identify the major causes of fruit damage in the supply chain and to identify solutions. They found out that losses also occur due to fruit damage in transport, storage and handling and in supermarkets due to poor staff handling (inadequate training) and consumer handling (lack of awareness). As a result of extensive collaboration and coordination, the supply chain became more streamlined. Research led by a major Australian retailer led to the introduction of cluster packing, the development of the six-per-layer carton, absorbent paper for sap control as well as the development of product specifications and systematic quality assurance to monitor fruit outturn at points along the chain and implementation of improved cold chain and processes from harvest through to retail.10 Conclusion Reducing loss and waste throughout the food supply chain should be considered an effective solution to reduce the environmental impacts of agriculture, to improve the income and livelihood of the chain actors and to improve food and nutrition security for low-income consumers. An increasing urban population, changing food consumption pattern and trade globalization have rendered food supply chains extremely complex and lengthy, which calls for a change of mindset from the traditional way of addressing the causes of food loss at each stage of the food supply chain to an integrated approach.

Investing in efficient, low-cost and sustainable processing technologies, adequate storage and packaging solutions, road infrastructure and market linkages as well as providing training and education to chain actors, including consumers, are among the tried and proven interventions which increase the efficiency of the chain and therefore lead to a reduction in food loss and waste.

References 1. FAO. 2015. Global Initiative on Food Loss and Waste Reduction. Rome, FAO. (also available at http://www.fao.org/3/a-i4068e.pdf). 2. FAO. 2009. How to Feed the World in 2050. Background paper for High Level Expert Forum - How to Feed the World in 2050. Rome, FAO. (also available at http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/wsfs/docs/expert_paper/How_to_Feed_the_World_in_2050.pdf). 3. FAO. 2013. Food wastage footprint: Impacts on natural resources. Rome, FAO. 61 pp. (also available at http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i3347e/i3347e.pdf). 4. International Nut and Dried Fruit Council. 2015. World Nut and Dried Fruit Congress sets a new road map for the industry. In: PR Newswire [online]. [Cited 14 April 2017]. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/world-nut-and-dried-fruit-congress-sets-a-new-road-map-for-the-industry-505979831.html. 5. FAO. 2011.

Global food losses and food waste - Extent, causes and prevention. Rome, FAO. 29 pp. (also available at http://www.fao.org/docrep/014/mb060e/mb060e00.pdf). 6. Bloom, J. 2016. Kenyan farmers fight food loss by drying, selling mangoes. In: National Geographic | The Plate [online]. [Cited 14 April 2017]. http://theplate.nationalgeographic.com/2016/01/22/kenyan-farmers-fight-food-loss-by-drying-selling-mangoes/. 7. Anonymous. undated.

SAVE FOOD SUCCESSES: the Mango Project. In: SAVE FOOD [online]. [Cited 14 April 2017]. http://www.save-food.org/cgi-bin/md_interpack/lib/pub/tt.cgi/Mango_Project.html?oid=54660&lang=2&ticket=g_u_e_s_t. 8.

Anonymous. 2016. U.S.: Freeze-dried fruit and the fight against food waste. In: FreshFruitPortal.com [online]. [Cited 14 April 2017]. http://www.freshfruitportal.com/news/2016/05/31/u-s-freeze-dried-fruit-and-the-fightagainst-food-waste/. 9. Anonymous. 2017. Italian nut supplier cuts waste with new machine. In: FreshPlaza.com [online]. [Cited 14 April 2017]. http://www.freshplaza.com/article/169824/Italian-nut-supplier-cuts-wastewith-new-machine. 10. Dr. Karli Verghese et al. 2013, Final report; role of packaging in minimising food waste in the supply chain of the future, Australia. (also available at file:///C:/Users/rezaei/Downloads/RMIT%20 study_The%20role%20of%20packaging%20in%20minimising%20food%20waste%20in%20the%20supply%20chain_June%202013_FINAL.pdf ).

Copyright: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

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ARE YOU RECALL READY? THE ROLE OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN SUCCESSFUL PRODUCT RECALL IMPLEMENTATION More food-related product recalls than ever before were seen in 2016, a continuation of a trend that shows no sign of reversing. Consequently, internal operational responses from manufacturers are slick and wellrehearsed but engagement with stakeholders and consumers is not always so effective. Responding during a recall is not just about statements you make in the media or on your website.

I

n 2017 likely triggers for recalls include, undeclared allergens, food fraud, contamination within complex supply chains and non-compliance with regulations. Thanks to so many potential root causes, operational aspects of a recall situation are complex (e.g. traceability, logistics, root cause analysis).

suppliers, regulators, and customers. Preexisting strong networks and good relationships with stakeholders help smooth this process.

Even if a full recall is not required, ongoing engagement and collaboration will be vital to resolving the situation successfully.

In a recall situation an holistic approach

RecallOptic is a diagnostic tool designed specifically to encourage collaboration and dialogue across departments regarding product recall preparation.

Faced with such challenges, it is all too easy for incident management teams to focus on the technicalities when they should also be taking a fully strategic approach to communication in order to ensure successful outcomes.

Often the most difficult aspect of a product recall situation is determining whether a recall is the appropriate course of action. The decisionmaking process can sometimes be prolonged by the need for lab testing, engagement with

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is required to ensure all relevant stakeholders know how they are (or may be) affected; what actions they need to take; what actions the affected company is taking (and will take); and what steps are being taken to prevent the same situation occurring again.

Data from the EU RASSF portal, which records and reports food contamination incidents across the EU, shows that the number of consumer recalls are rising steadily year-on-

Victoria Cross

leads the Instinctif Partners’ team of risk & crisis specialists advising clients including some of the world’s leading food & beverage manufacturers and regulators. In 2016 Instinctif Partners launched RecallOptic, a unique, powerful and fast diagnostic tool to quantify product recall readiness against international best practice.

year, from 189 in 2013 to 279 last year. Amongst other drivers, social media, traditional media, and legal scrutiny are leading brands to act in the public interest more quickly than ever before.

Given that the likelihood of a recall type event grows greater each year, taking a strategic approach to communication before during and after a product recall will contribute to your overall business resilience.

Developing a Communications Strategy to Get Recall Ready When developing a communications strategy, it is important to consider the bigger picture; we always urge our clients to think about “collaboration” rather than simply communication. All too often communication can be seen as a one-way street or simply “not my job” if you work in the technical department!

Thinking about collaboration and engagement instead makes clear and timely communication everyone’s responsibility.

Developing an effective communications strategy ensures that conversations with all stakeholders, regardless of who owns the relationship, are consistent and contribute to the overall operational objectives. Create the framework of your communications strategy by thinking about your requirements from different perspectives: • Internal stakeholders vs. external stakeholders and audiences.

• ‘Peacetime’ vs live incident.

• Positioning communication vs. collaboration.

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Taking this approach gives you a clear understanding of: 1. Which individuals and organisations will be strategically relevant to successfully resolving a product recall situation; and allocating responsibility for building positive relationships with them.

2. What work must be done in ‘peacetime’ to ensure effective engagement with key stakeholders in a live incident; and how your communications plan will be activated.

3. What your stakeholders (internal and external) need from you to successfully resolve a live incident and how to work effectively together.

Knowing these elements you can go on to embed the approach within your recall management team, empowering the development of strong networks and relationships as well as the communications tools required.

Collaboration in a Crisis Our work with manufacturers relies heavily on effective collaboration with the best in the business from lab testing to site security. Only with true collaboration, and an open two-way flow of information, can you be sure you are communicating effectively.

One thing is clear, it’s very difficult to start a positive collaboration during the heightened pressure of a live incident. Developing on-going positive relationships and collaboration with

internal and external stakeholders, will not only enable faster resolution of live incidents but will also facilitate business as usual.

Consider whether you have a culture that makes collaboration easy or puts unintended barriers in your way. If the latter, what can you do to remove these barriers in ‘peacetime’?

Communication + Collaboration = Successful Engagement Strategic advisors Oxford Metrica have studied the effects of ‘reputation events’ on shareholder value for over 20 years. They found that crisis response directly determines whether a company emerges as a ‘Winner’ or ‘Loser’, i.e. whether its shareholder value outperforms or underperforms pre-crisis expectations.

The market makes its judgement on whether a company will emerge as a ‘Winner’ or ‘Loser’ during the first few days of a crisis, when substantially more information is forthcoming on a company and its management than usual. Some will be controlled corporate communications; the rest will be uncontrolled third-party reports, rumour and speculation.

All will inevitably influence investors and other stakeholders as they re-assess expectations of future corporate behaviour and performance.

Putting an effective communication strategy at the heart of your product recall response and successfully engaging with stakeholders improves your likelihood of emerging from the incident a ‘Winner’.

For example, by successfully engaging with consumers to ensure they avoid consuming

hazardous or illegal product, and minimising disruption will reduce the impact of the incident and avoid reputational damage.

Meanwhile positive engagement and collaboration with regulators will help demonstrate that you are complying with laws and may prevent negative comments by third-parties. Engaging with staff to share what happened and how you are managing the incident will also reinforce their faith in the company.

Building Business Resilience Organisations should focus on developing effective communication and collaboration strategies in ‘peacetime’, in order to build business resilience and long-term trust with stakeholders.

We recommend a four-stage process for getting recall ready. It starts with RecallOptic – our new diagnostic tool designed specifically to encourage collaboration and dialogue across departments within your organisation regarding product recall preparation. RecallOptic is currently free to use for a limited period.

After a thorough review of your processes against international best practice, develop your crisis communication plan and embed it throughout your organisation before stresstesting it with a simulated recall exercise.

And if you do suffer an incident, once the dust has settled and pain has receded, use the experience to learn lessons so that you won’t suffer the same way in future.

Your Distributor for Germany Work hand in hand with the nuts & dried fruits import and marketing experts.

PALM NUTS & MORE · Nuss und Trockenfrucht GmbH & Co. KG Lindenstrasse 17 · D - 21244 Buchholz · Germany Telefon: + 49 4181 9091- 0 · Fax: + 49 4181 9091 - 80 mail@ palm-nutsandmore.de · www.palm-nutsandmore.de

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

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CRACKING THE NUT FOR TASTY SUCCESS: LEVERAGING THE NEW FOOD LABEL TO ELEVATE NUTS AND DRIED FRUIT ON THE CONSUMER’S SHOPPING LIST Mary Christ-Erwin

leads Porter Novelli’s Food, Nutrition and Policy discipline. Translation of science and the evolving food and nutrition landscape into influencer and consumer communications is a hallmark of Mary’s work.

Michael DeAngelis

is Nutrition Director with Porter Novelli. His work focuses on translating the science for consumer and health professional communications, applying nutrition science to policy, and managing food and nutrition issues.

S

hopping for food has become an adventure. Foods of all kinds and sorts and from many different places and cultures stock the shelves. Wading through the labels, claims, marketing, and nutrition information is like decoding the Rosetta stone.

However, information at the point of purchase can reinforce food choices that take root before the consumer even enters the store or the website, as the case may be. Purchase decisions generally are made during early information gathering at home, conversations with friends, recommendations from dietitians and chefs, and family input. But beyond the enormous amount of conversation about food coming from media, marketing, science and policy sources, consumers are fortunate to have a highly informative resource at their fingertips – the food label. From ingredients to nutrient content, the food label speaks to the inherent values, and health needs of shoppers.

The FDA has announced the intended changes on the nutrition facts panel to be implemented by 2018 although there is some talk within the Beltway of delaying that to coincide with GMO disclosure. With these changes, there are new nutrients, ingredients and daily values included that will inform how consumers are

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making nutritious food choices as the label always has; however, both consumers and the health and wellness authorities they trust must be educated on the changes themselves, their implications and their application to everyday food choices.

If anyone has thought the nutrition facts panel passé, think again – consumer’s value this relatively small piece of real estate.

According to the International Food Information Council’s (IFIC) 2016 Food and Health Survey, nearly half of consumers still reference the nutrition facts panel second only to the expiration date. Further, the survey shows that consumers view food as “healthy” when it contains a low amount or none of a certain food component (low fat or sugar; 35 percent); contains certain components (vitamins, minerals, protein; 17 percent); and no artificial ingredients (14 percent). The nutrition facts panel and ingredient list, therefore, are a critical point of information and engagement for consumers.

Freshening Up Nutrient Information: Out with the Old and In with the New The label rules of the 90s left us with an unbalanced fear of fat, which has not served us well. In fact, this fat-phobia, as it has been called, placed nuts on the list of foods to avoid.

Health professional conferences prohibited nut groups for being present because “they contained too much total fat.”

Heart disease and calories being the main thrust of the label until this recent change incorrectly encouraged large amounts of carbohydrates in our daily food choices. The new nutrition facts panel codifies the need to focus on the type of fat and all sources of calories. Hence, calories are more largely emphasized on the label. However, “calories from fat”, an archaic measure of a healthful

diet, has been removed. Further, the amount of fat considered healthy in the diet has increased, but more on that later.

There is a full-bodied liberation of nuts now driving the narrative that nuts are a source of unsaturated fats and in most cases, low in saturated fat. Coupled with portion and satiety messaging to address calories, this opens up opportunity all around.

Along with this change, public health has finally caught up with science on micronutrients, vitamins and minerals that should be encouraged. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans identified important nutrients that impact health of which consumer do not get enough: calcium, vitamin D, potassium, dietary fiber, and iron in women of childbearing age. This means big changes; vitamins A and C are no longer required but now D and potassium will take their places.

Nuts and dried fruit are presented with an opening to call out the nutrition packed in a serving. Potassium, calcium, and dietary fiber in nuts and dried apricots and prunes among others, and iron in raisins are tantalizing tidbits that most shoppers aren’t aware of.

Even if a nut or dried fruit doesn’t qualify for a nutrient content claim, education around the mere presence of these nutrients in notable amounts is a new window of engagement, an opportunity to shine new light on nuts and dried fruit. The nutrition message gives more of a reason to love the crunch of nut and the sweet taste of dried fruit.

Sweet Calories in the Crosshairs: Added Sugars Pick up a newspaper or popular magazine, or log into your favorite blog or social media channel and you are sure to hear how bad sugar is for us; some are even saying sugar is toxic (definitely a stretch). To be sure, sugar that is

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added to foods is the bullseye, but even naturallyoccurring sugar cannot escape the blitz.

We’re in a public health crises called obesity (and all the chronic diseases that go with it).

The pendulum has swung back to focusing on sugar calories, since the new found respect for fat. Adding a sub-line under “Total Sugars” called “Added Sugars” is the latest attempt to awaken consumers to the extra, “empty” calories from sugar. Capped at 10 percent of calories—200 calories or 50 grams based on 2,000 daily calories—everyone in the industry is on high alert to prepare communications around the label.

The challenge is in understanding what constitutes an added sugar. Sucrose, dextrose, honey, corn syrup, agave, and fructose are all added sugars (fairly obvious). The wrinkle is that fruit juice concentrates that are unreconstituted and used primarily to sweeten a food or beverage will be deemed “added sugars.” Reformulations across the industry are underway to cut or reduce sweeteners that will add to this number.

Nuts are naturally low in carbs and sugar and carry a healthy halo, and yet nuts and dried fruit are used in many baked goods and confections, but the added sugars in these products are a target for public health advocates. The health halo may not be enough to overcome the negative sugar perception.

Dried fruit are often enhanced with added sugars; this is an area for exploring ways of reformulating. Communication preparedness and consumer engagement are the keys to navigating the new requirement for “added sugars” and to mitigate backlash.

New Daily Values, New Nutrient Claims Shoppers are looking for positive attributes in the food they purchase including nutrients.

In the same IFIC study referenced earlier, 64 percent are looking for protein, 60 percent for fiber, and more than half are looking for vitamins (56 percent). With this high level of interest, there is an equally important need to fill the gap between what’s consumed and what’s recommended. To drive this, there are new Daily Values (DVs) and Daily Reference Values (DRVs), which are for macronutrients like fat, carbs, and fiber.

Here is an overview of the changes in DVs and DRVs: Current DV/DRV

New DV/DRV

Fat

Nutrient

65 g

78 g 275 mg

Total Carbohydrate

300 g

Dietary Fiber

25 g

28 g

Added Sugars

--

50 g

2400 mg

2300 mg 4700 mg

Sodium Potassium

3500 mg

Vitamin D

400 I.U. = 10 mcg

20 mcg

Calcium

1000 mg

1300 mg

The existing DVs and DRVs were based on data from the 1990s. These numbers are reference values to help consumers put the amount of a nutrient in a serving of food in the context of the total daily diet and to compare products in order to facilitate healthful food choices. DVs/DRVs were overdue for a face lift; the new label is the answer.

The shift from fat concerns to a reduction in total and simple carbs—increased fiber DRV and first Added Sugars DV vs. increased total fat—becomes very clear from these changes.

In addition, reducing the sodium DV and increasing potassium continues to emphasize the great imbalance of these electrolytes and their role in maintaining a healthy blood pressure. With the increased DVs for vitamin D and calcium, foods that deliver these nutrients will be in demand.

Nuts and dried fruit can really deliver for consumers. Healthy fats, dietary fiber, and modest amounts of potassium and calcium create a positive story in this new label construct. While harder to get a nutrient content claim, this is a good time to tell the strong nutrient story.

The one watch out, as mentioned earlier, is Added Sugars. This has to be addressed or else it threatens to undermine the whole nutrition narrative. From reformulation to aggressive consumer activation, Added Sugars can be managed and the nutrition branding for nuts and dried fruit preserved.

Keeping Portions in Proportion In the land that gave us super sizes and oversized soft drink cups, portion size distortion is alive and well. The FDA realized that there is confusion around proper portions and how

to understand the number of portions in a package. There needed to be a fresh approach to serving sizes and labelling that aligned with the overall focus on calorie control.

The serving sizes for certain foods were updated. For example, for sugar-sweetened beverages that are commonly consumed in one sitting such as a 12 ounce container will now be labeled as one serving. Also, when a package contains multiple servings, dual column labeling will be used to show the content in a single serving and the whole package.

This is particularly important for nuts and dried fruit. If a package contains 120 grams of nuts or dried fruit, it will be labeled as having 4 or 3 servings, respectively, and it will be labeled for the full package so consumers are aware of what they are consuming.

Embracing Change for the Better Change is often difficult to embrace, but almost always makes you stronger, better. The same is true for the new food label. With a new focus away from fats and focused on balancing calories with important nutrients, the label is ripe with opportunity. That is, as long as other factors such as Added Sugars and sodium are addressed responsibly and clearly for consumers.

The nut and dried fruit industry has a chance to take hold of this important moment in time to use the food label update to sharpen communications and consumer engagement to truly equip and empower them to make smart food choices. Nuts and dried fruit as part of an overall healthy lifestyle is the end goal to supporting the health of the industry well into the future.

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GENERATION GAP: MARKETING NUTS TO MILLENNIALS Millennials. What drives their purchase decisions? What are their media habits?

How are they consuming nuts? And what’s a millennial anyway?

Lynne Ziehlke

is the Australian macadamia industry’s Market Development Manager, leading its long term marketing strategy and communication campaigns in Australia, Germany, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and China.

T

hese are some of the questions examined in research commissioned by the Australian nut industry recently in a bid to uncover this generation’s perceptions of the nut category. With the growth of this group’s purchasing power now in full swing, shaping product development and marketing strategies that speak to their needs will be a critical determinant of continued category growth.

While significant headway has been made, millennials still need convincing when it comes to regular nut consumption. The research explored which nut health benefits are most compelling to millennials and found that not only can health benefits drive greater consumption among lighter millennial nut consumers, but also that ‘cognitive performance’ is a particularly potent proposition for this market segment.

What’s a Millennial?

Millennials are defined as consumers aged 18 to 35 years, both young transitionals and younger families. As the first generation of digital natives, this group is different to any other that has gone before it.

Persuading Light and Medium Millennials to Buy Nuts more Often Light and medium millennial nut buyers can be convinced to increase their nut consumption, provided they have the right information to encourage behavioural change.

Light and medium millennial users are lacking awareness and knowledge of nuts. Usage occasions are limited, and understanding of different nut varieties and uses is poor.

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The research recommends nut marketers focus on three key propositions to change the purchase behaviour of light and medium users: 1. Health and nutritional benefits 2. Versatility: on-pack recipes are a key tool here 3. Provenance: educating millennials on where and how the product is produced is important as most are removed from the realities of how food is grown.

Cohesion Across the Supply Chain The industry as a whole will need to contribute to the strategy if it’s to see the desired uplift in consumption among this target group.

This includes retailers, who have scope to design an improved nut shopping experience to alleviate the confusion that many light and medium users currently experience when trying to locate nuts in store.

Keeping Brain Food in Mind ‘BRAIN FOOD’ was identified as a unique health proposition for nuts that is highly appealing to the millennial market. Positioning nuts as the food that delivers enhanced mental stamina and concentration makes them relevant to the millennial lifestyle and speaks to a host of regular consumption opportunities, such as office snacking and after-school snacking.

Diabetes, heart disease and weight management messaging was also tested, however millennials see these as their parents’ health challenges, not benefits that would change their own behaviour.

‘Nuts as a source of protein’ also emerged as an appealing health message for millennials, however it was noted that this is a busier space, with many products already trading on the protein proposition. By contrast, the cognitive performance space is relatively unoccupied at present.

Getting the Media Strategy Right Lighter users tend to be younger, so understanding the unique media behaviours and consumption patterns of this group will be critical.

Typically this group’s attention is diluted across multiple media at any given time. With undivided attention a thing of the past, it is important to provide authoritative, relevant and inspiring content in the numerous places they will be seeking it out.

Breaking Down the Price and Allergy Barriers Nuts are perceived as expensive, especially among younger millennials. Overcoming this will require continued focus on health benefits, versatility and the growing process in order to feed the value proposition.

Millennials grew up in an age where nuts were largely avoided due to allergy concerns and many are now unsure whether they can safely incorporate nuts into their diets. The nut industry is tasked with busting allergy myths and providing reassurance around how nuts can be enjoyed safely on a daily basis.

Remaining Relevant into the Future The research predicts consumers are heading into a time of rebellion – of breaking out, taking control and finding better ways of doing things. They’re seeking functional, ethical and sustainable products, and natural fortification, which is great news for the nut industry, as many of its products’ benefits align perfectly with these trends.

The challenge of marketing to millennials is not unique to the nut industry. However its importance cannot be underestimated. For more information about this research, please email lynne. ziehlke@macadamias.org

The findings in this article are from research conducted by research agency Colmar Brunton in 2017 on behalf of the Australian nut industry.

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SPECULATING ON A FUTURE FOR FDA UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP New FDA Commissioner supports FSMA

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t is difficult to speculate about how the U.S. Food and Drug Administration may operate under the Trump administration, but for hints we have gathered some preliminary information. While President Trump has proposed a budget that indicates his direction, final outcomes are always subject to whether Congress can agree between Republicans and Democrats to pass a bill. In addition, any legislation or Executive Orders issued by the President are subject to challenges in the Supreme Court which serves as a “check “on both the President and Congress.

Scott Gottlieb, formerly a practicing physician and resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, was confirmed by Congress to be President Trump’s commissioner of the FDA. According to sources, Gottlieb is one of the nation’s foremost voices for “changing the FDA’s culture.” During his confirmation hearing in early April, the FDA commissioner told lawmakers that he supports the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

“I think FSMA was a significant advance in terms of giving the agency the authorities and the resources it needed to ensure the food supply is safe,” Gottlieb stated. “My mandate is going to be to make sure FSMA is implemented in the proper way, and that we’re striking the right balance with respect to that implementation.”

President Trump Supports Protecting Consumers In a recent audio presentation by Norma Skolnik who has over 35 years of regulatory experience working with the pharmaceutical and dietary supplement industries, said, “Donald Trump is on record for referring to the FDA as the food police and that he doesn’t like that role.”

In addition, Skolnik also stated that President Trump recently said that he might eliminate some regulations that dictate food production, hygiene, food packaging and FDA’s greatly increased inspection of food facilities. In the last couple of years FDA has increased its oversight to inspect food facilities and food imports which the President believes is important to continue. How his administration will impact the regulation of food and food products is still too soon to determine.

The President mentioned in a leaked phone conversation that he may also impose stricter food safety standards for trade purposes. He is a self-described germaphobe and that is reflected in his dining habits: he orders his hamburgers and steaks well done! A noted consumer of fast food meals, he explained in a campaign interview last year that a big fast food franchise can be destroyed with one bad hamburger. Clearly, he comprehends some basic economics of foodborne illness, and the impact it can have on consumers, businesses, and trade.

At first glance, it does not appear that any of the $54 billion President Trump wants to shift to defense from domestic programs will be coming from food safety. The “America First” document released by the White House in fact claims the President’s 2018 Budget “Safeguards the Nation’s supply of meat,

poultry, and egg products by fully funding the Food Safety and Inspection Service, which employs more than 8,000 in-plant and other frontline personnel who protect public health in approximately 6,400 federally inspected slaughter and processing establishments nationwide.”

Department of Justice Expected to Support FDA Hard Line on Company Leaders President Trump’s 2018 budget document is silent on exactly how much will be allocated to enforcing the FSMA which was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2011, and required about five years of rule making processes before it could be fully implemented. One FDA senior advisor for food safety, said some small- to medium-sized processors are only now scrambling to get the training they need to comply. Nevertheless, it is clear that FDA will enforce its final FSMA rules and is rolling out a web-based food safety plan builder on its website.

The FSMA Produce Rule marks the first time that farms are falling under FDA regulation, although the smaller operations remain exempt. Experts are advising the food industry to embrace FSMA aggressively to avoid making operational mistakes that could result in criminal exposure if evidence of contamination is uncovered.

Jeffrey Steger, assistant director of the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) consumer division, recently stated that no one should expect any lessening of DOJ’s backstopping FDA’s enforcement actions during the Trump administration. DOJ has issued several high profile food industry prosecutions and Steger expects the trend will continue. DOJ gets involved in cases where there is significant harm to consumers, where food company executives had prior knowledge, and where legal action will protect the integrity of the regulatory system and prevent future harm.

Steger added that the U.S. Supreme Court may again rule on the socalled Park Doctrine used by FDA to prosecute “responsible corporate officials” for violations they are not expressly aware, but that fall under their overall responsibilities. He said DOJ favors preservation of the Park Doctrine for FDA’s implementation of FSMA. While Congress will have the final say, the food industry supports an Administration that would recognize FDA as an “exception” in the final budget.

While FDA stakeholders should be concerned, they should not panic. In the end, they are hopeful that Congress will recognize FDA as a protected program that is not subject to a 10 percent to 15 percent cut because it is considered a national priority!

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Health News

THE ROLE OF NUTS AND DRIED FRUIT IN HEALTHFUL SNACKING Snacking has become a dominant eating pattern and has been linked to weight gain and overweight/obesity. Snacks that are nutrient rich but hold strong satiety value are needed to address these health concerns. Nuts are well suited to this purpose.

E

nergy (measured in calories) intake is determined by how frequently people eat and by the portion sizes of the foods and beverages they select for consumption. Under ideal conditions, these factors are balanced so that energy intake matches energy expenditure and body weight is maintained in a normal range. It is possible to have just a few larger eating events each day or numerous smaller eating events and maintain body weight. However, if eating frequency increases without a concurrent and commensurate reduction in portion size, positive energy balance (i.e. energy intake exceeding energy expenditure) will result in weight gain and, over time, the development of overweight/obesity.

Eating frequency has increased markedly over the past four decades in many developed and developing countries due to factors such as increased food availability, convenient packaging, low cost, high palatability and shifts in attitudes about when and where it is acceptable to eat and drink. Unfortunately, this was not accompanied by a precise, offsetting reduction in selected portion sizes so total daily energy intake typically increases. The problem is especially pronounced in individuals who are already overweight or obese. Aside from the social stigma and constraints on physical activity associated with obesity, weight gain also contributes to the onset and manifestation of a variety of chronic disorders such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The increase in eating frequency is most commonly attributed to snacking. Eating frequency and snacking are not synonymous because meals may be skipped when snacking occurs, but generally snacking leads to increased frequency of eating/drinking events. Snacking has been defined many ways including: time of day it occurs; the type of food ingested; the food’s energy or nutrient content; or by self-description (i.e., the consumer classifies the eating/drinking event as a snack). No definition has been widely accepted, but there is a widely-held view that snacking is often unhealthful, even by many who feel increased eating frequency is not problematic or even beneficial. The common belief is that snacks are nutrient poor and energy rich. The reality is that “snacks” actually can contribute important nutrients to the diet, but may also provide more energy than is needed. Thus, there are calls to curtail snacking.

Efforts to restrict eating frequency have not been highly successful for a number of reasons: 1) the sensory properties of foods and beverages are often appealing; 2) eating mitigates the unpleasant sensation of hunger; 3) eating is a mechanism to avoid boredom or enhance alertness; 4) the belief that a nibbling or grazing eating pattern is more healthful; and 5) foods and beverages are a basis for desirable social interactions. Consequently, an alternative approach to manage intake and body weight is to identify and

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Dr. Richard Mattes,

Distinguished Professor of Nutrition Science, Director of Purdue University’s Public Health Graduate Program and Ingestive Behavior Research Center.

encourage the consumption of snacks less likely to promote weight gain.

Items that also supply nutrients would be ideal.

Nuts have long been considered problematic for the management of body weight. They are energy dense, meaning they contribute a high energy load relative to their physical weight (i.e., high calories per gram (ounce) weight). However, a convergence of evidence does not support this view.

Surveys of varied populations reveal there is no association or an inverse association between the frequency of nut consumption and body mass index. Short-term clinical trials provide support for these observations.

They indicate nuts have a high satiety value (promote fullness) so lead to a spontaneous reduction of energy intake from other parts of the diet; perhaps skipping a snack or reducing the size of a subsequent meal. The compensation is not precise (about 75%), but this is not required because about ~5-20% of energy is not absorbed from nuts. So if you consume 100 calories of nuts, you only absorb 80-95 of those calories. In addition, chronic consumption has been associated with a 5-10% elevation of resting energy expenditure (the energy expended just to maintain life sustaining processes). Longer-term trials indicate that the strong dietary compensation, limited efficiency of energy extraction and elevated energy expenditure roughly equal the energy provide by a moderate (28-56g (1-2 ounce)) portion of nuts, leaving little energy to be stored as body fat1.

Collectively, these findings prompted questions about the influence of nuts consumed as snacks on appetite, energy intake and body weight.

In one early trial2 45 overweight/obese males ingested a cereal bar or almonds as a snack for 12 weeks. No differences in hunger, energy intake or body weight was observed between the foods or over time. To determine if there is a dose-response relationship, another group conducted an acute feeding trial providing 28g or 42g portions as mid-morning snacks to 32 normal weight females3. They reported a direct dose-related increase in fullness and decrease in hunger over the ninety-minute period following consumption. Consistent with the implications of this trial and providing evidence that nuts may hold particularly strong appetitive effects when consumed as snacks, another group noted daily energy intake was lower when peanuts alone or in a snack mix were consumed as a snack as compared to with a meal4. This work was followed by a randomized, controlled parallel-arm trial with 18-60 year old healthy adults who were either obese or had a family history of diabetes5. Participants were randomly assigned to one of five treatments; they consumed 42g of almonds daily with breakfast, as a mid-morning snack, with lunch or as an afternoon snack or no almonds for four weeks. No differences in energy intake or body weight were observed between treatments or over time. It was also

Health News reported that the inclusion of the almonds as snacks resulted in significant reductions of blood sugar concentrations in the morning (60 minutes) and especially in the afternoon (60-120 minutes) after consumption.

Nuts may be a wholesome snack compatible with any weight management goal.

Taken together, this body of evidence suggests the consumption of moderate portions of nuts as snacks help to curb hunger, moderate energy intake, do not promote weight gain and may aid blood sugar control. Given the evidence that snacking is especially problematic for weight gain, but this may not hold for nuts, they may be a useful snack for those attempting to lose weight or maintain their weight.

However any recommendation to increase consumption of a single food or class of foods must consider several potential obstacles to compliance. First, it is unlikely to be followed if the recommendation is highly disruptive to oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lifestyle. In this regard, nuts are convenient to

eat under many circumstances and are culturally accepted as snacks.

Second, they must have an acceptable and sustained level of sensory appeal. Monotony effects may reduce the willingness to ingest a food on a chronic basis. Preliminary evidence with nuts indicates that they are generally rated as palatable and this is sustained with daily use for at least three months either when consumed unflavored or with a variety of added flavors. Importantly, despite the fact that different types of nuts vary in nutrient profile and physical properties, their effects on energy balance are more similar than dissimilar. Thus, although it has not been tested, it is likely that nut types can be varied to enhance sensory diversity and acceptability without compromising function. Ideally, snacks should also provide nutrients at a level at least commensurate with the energy they provide. Though there are difference between nut varieties, they generally provide fiber, unsaturated fat, protein, assorted minerals (e.g., magnesium) and vitamins (e.g., vitamin E) and phytonutrients (e.g., polyphenols) to the diet. Thus, they can make a positive contrition to the nutrient profile of the diet and a nutritious and convenient snacking option.

References 1. Hollis JH, Mattes RD. Effect of chronic consumption of almonds on body weight in healthy humans. Br J Nutr 2007;98:651-656. 2. Zaveri S, Drummond S. The effects of including a conventional snack (cereal bar) and nonconventional snack (almonds) on hunger, eating frequency, dietary intake and body weight. J Humn Nutr Dietet 2009;22:461-468. 3. Hull S, Re R, Chambers L, Echaniz A, Wickham MSJ. A mid-morning snack of almonds generates satiety and appropriate adjustment of subsequent food intake in healthy women. Eur J Clin Nutr 2015;54:803-810. 4. Devitt AA, Kuevi A, Coelho SB, Lartey A, Lokko P, Costa N, Bressan J, Mattes RD. Appetitive and dietary effects of consuming an energy-dense food (peanuts) with or between meals by snackers and nonsnackers. J Nutr and Metabol 2011 doi:10.1155/2011/928352. 5. Tan S-Y, Mattes RD. Appetitive, dietary and health effects of almonds consumed with meals or as snacks. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 2013;67:1205-1214.

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Health News

NUT CONSUMPTION AND MORTALITY: NEW DATA FROM THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA An excess of saturated fats, sugar or trans-fats may contribute to age-related diseases and thus increase mortality rates. Healthy dietary habits have become the key to improving overall health. Researchers found an inverse association between nut consumption and total mortality and specific cause of mortality.

T

here is a vast literature that describes the effects of several dietary factors and energy content of the diet on the health general status.

High energy intake increases the risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes (T2D), stroke, cancers and it is likely to also affect neurodegenerative disorders1. Regarding specific dietary components, saturated fats, cholesterol and trans-fats may contribute to age-related disease2, while diets high in simple carbohydrates increase the risk of T2D3. Other data suggest that health benefits can be obtained from dietetic patterns rich in certain food categories such as fruits and vegetables4, fish5 and nuts6. In fact, understanding the relationship between individual dietary components and cardiometabolic disease (at the population level) is key to identifying priorities, guiding public health planning, and informing strategies to alter these dietary habits and improve overall health.

Globally, the associations between suboptimal diet and health outcomes have been estimated by various investigators7,8. In the United States, numerous analyses have estimated the association between suboptimal dietary habits and cardiometabolic health overall9 or for a limited number of dietary factors (e.g., sodium and sugar-sweetened beverages)10. However, there was no specific data evaluating the link between the consumption of individual dietary factors and death by specific causes in the United States, taking into account differences in age, sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.

To overcome this lack in the literature, Micha and collaborators explored in a recent original investigation, the association of 10 specific dietary factors thought to be related to health (fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grains, unprocessed red meats, processed meats, sugarsweetened beverages, polyunsaturated fats, seafood omega-3 fats, and sodium), and death by heart disease, stroke and T2D (i.e. cardiometabolic death) among US adults11. This set of dietary factors was selected out of a pool of 17 factors that had associations with stroke, coronary heart disease (CHD), adiposity, T2D or systolic blood pressure. Factors that overlapped with other effects and factors with inadequate evidence were removed.

Researchers performed a comparative risk assessment model to estimate cardiometabolic deaths that were related to substandard intakes of 10 dietary factors. The model also featured information that focused on dietary habits and population demographics by age, sex, race and education; dietary factors relating to stroke, heart disease or T2D death; ideal intake for each of the 10 dietary factors and the number of

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PhD Student Lucía Camacho-Barcia and Prof. Jordi Salas-Salvadó

Human Nutrition Unit from the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan de Reus, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, IISPV (Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus (Spain). CIBER (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid (Spain).

cardiometabolic deaths by age, sex, race and education. They analyzed participants from the 1999-2000 and 2001-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, n = 8,104; 48% men), as well as the 2009-2010 and 2011-2012 NHANES (n = 8,516; 48% men).

According to Micha and colleagues, intake of each dietary factor was suboptimal for 2002 and 2012. In 2012, there were 702,308 cardiometabolic deaths among adults in the United States. Of those, 506,100 occurred from heart disease, 67,914 from type 2 diabetes and 128,294 from stroke12.

Nearly one in two deaths (318,656; 45.4%) were associated with suboptimal intakes of the 10 dietary factors in 2012. High sodium was

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Health News related to the largest number of diet-related cardiometabolic deaths (66,508; 9.5%), followed by the low intake of nuts and seeds (59,374; 8.5%) and high amounts of processed meats (57,766; 8.2%). The lowest number of deaths was caused by low intake of polyunsaturated fats (16,025; 2.3%) and high intake of unprocessed red meats (2,869; 0.4%).

The highest death rates among those with CHD were linked to a low intake of nuts and seeds (54,591; 14.7%), the researchers wrote. Stroke-

Researchers found that high sodium intake was related to the largest number of diet-related cardiometabolic deaths, followed by low intake of nuts and seeds, and high amounts of processed meats.

21.4%), and death from type 2 diabetes was most commonly associated with a high intake of processed meats (11,900; 17.5%).

These results come from several other large epidemiological studies that have found an inverse association between nut consumption and total mortality or specific cause of mortality.

The beneficial effects of nuts have been explained through their nutritional composition: rich in many essential nutrients such as unsaturated fatty acids, fiber, vitamins and minerals and in several bioactive compounds like phytosterols and phenolic compounds. These results can also confirm that, included in a healthy dietary pattern, nuts can be considered a deathpreventing dietary factor.

Results derived from this study may help to identify priorities and to update public health guidelines that exert an improvement in population dietary habits.

related death was most often attributed to low consumption of vegetables (28,039; 21.9%) and fruits (28,741; 22.4%). Death caused by hypertensive heart disease was most often attributable to high levels of sodium (7,505;

References 1. Mattson, M. P. Dietary factors, hormesis and health. Ageing Res. Rev. 2008, 7, 43–48. 2. Wijendran, V.; Hayes, K. C. Dietary n-6 and n-3 fatty acid balance and cardiovascular health. Annu. Rev. Nutr. 2004, 24, 597–615. 3. Schulze, M. B.; Hu, F. B. Primary prevention of diabetes: what can be done and how much can be prevented? Annu Rev Public Heal. 2005, 26, 445–467. 4. Kuzma, J. N.; Schmidt, K. A.; Kratz, M. Prevention of metabolic diseases. Curr. Opin. Clin. Nutr. Metab. Care 2017, 1. 5. Carpentier, Y. A.; Portois, L.; Malaisse, W. J. N-3 fatty acids and the metabolic syndrome. Am J Clin Nutr 2006, 83, 1499S–1504S. 6.

Hu, F. B.; Stampfer, M. J. Nut consumption and risk of coronary heart disease: a review of epidemiologic evidence. Curr. Atheroscler. Rep. 1999, 1, 204–9. 7. Lim, S. S.; Vos, T.; Flaxman, A. D.; Danaei, G.; Shibuya, K.; Adair-Rohani, H.; AlMazroa, M. A.; Amann, M.; Anderson, H. R.; Andrews, K. G.; et al. A comparative risk assessment of burden of disease and injury attributable to 67 risk factors and risk factor clusters in 21 regions, 1990–2010: a 2. systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. Lancet 2012, 380, 2224–2260. 8. Forouzanfar, M. H.; Alexander, L.; Anderson, H. R.; Bachman, V. F.; Biryukov, S.; Brauer, M.; Burnett, R.; Casey, D.; Coates, M. M.; Cohen, A.; et al. Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks. 9. in 188 countries, 1990–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. Lancet 2015, 386, 2287–2323. 10. Investigation, O. The state of US health, 1990-2010: burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors. JAMA 2013, 310, 591–608. 11. Danaei, G.; Ding, E. L.; Mozaffarian, D.; Taylor, B.; Rehm, J.; Murray, C. J.; Ezzati, M. The preventable causes of death in the United States: comparative risk assessment of dietary, lifestyle, and metabolic risk factors. PLoS Med 2009, 6, e1000058. 12. Micha, R.; Peñalvo, J. L.; Cudhea, F.; Imamura, F.; Rehm, C. D.; Mozaffarian, D.; G, Y.; S, W. Association Between Dietary Factors and Mortality From Heart Disease, Stroke, and Type 2 Diabetes in the United States. JAMA 2017, 317, 912.

IN MEMORIAM CONSTANCE GEIGER We were very sad to hear of the death, on May 5, of Dr. Constance J. Geiger, member of the INC World Forum for Nutrition Research and Dissemination. We loved working with her and she will be dearly missed.

Constance was Research Associate Professor and served as Chairperson of the Division of Foods and Nutrition at the University of Utah, where her research in labeling and public policy issues received national and international awards.

She contributed to more than 20 US and international research papers and projects focusing on the health benefits of mixed nuts and pistachios. As Director of the Board of Directors of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics she provided direction for programming and research grants. She also developed and managed her own consulting company, Geiger and Associates.

There is a scholarship fund in her name for students in the field of nutrition at the University of Utah College of Health.

Our thoughts are with her family and friends.

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NEW SCIENTIFIC STUDIES Dhillon, J., Tan, S. Y., & Mattes, R. D. (2017).

Effects of almond consumption on the post-lunch dip and long-term cognitive function in energy-restricted overweight and obese adults.

British Journal of Nutrition, 1-8.

The post-lunch dip in cognition is a well-established phenomenon of decreased alertness, memory and vigilance after lunch consumption. Lunch composition reportedly influences the post-lunch dip. Moreover, dieting is associated with cognitive function impairments. The negative effects of dieting have been reversed with nutsupplemented diets. The aims of this study were to (1) evaluate the acute effect of an almond-enriched high-fat lunch or high-carbohydrate lunch on the post-lunch decline in cognitive function, and (2) evaluate the effects of chronic almond consumption as part of an energy-restricted diet on the memory and attention domains of cognitive function. In total, eighty-six overweight and obese adults were randomised to consume either an almond-enriched diet (AED) or a nut-free control diet (NFD) over a 12-week weight loss intervention. Participants were also randomised to receive either an almond-enriched high-fat lunch (A-HFL) (>55 % energy from fat, almonds contributing 70-75 % energy) or a high-carbohydrate lunch (HCL) (>85 % energy from carbohydrates) at the beginning and end of the weight loss intervention. Memory and attention performance indices decreased after lunch consumption (P<0·001). The A-HFL group ameliorated the decline in memory scores by 57·7 % compared with the HCL group (P=0·004). Both lunch groups had similar declines in attention. Moreover, memory and attention performance indices increased after the 12-week intervention period (P<0·05) with no difference between the AED and NFD groups. In conclusion, almond consumption at a midday meal can reduce the postlunch dip in memory. However, long-term almond consumption may not further improve cognitive function outcomes in a weight loss intervention.

Hernáez, Á., Castañer, O., Elosua, R., Pintó, X., Estruch, R., Salas-Salvadó, J., ... & OrtegaCalvo, M. (2017).

Mediterranean Diet Improves High-Density Lipoprotein Function in HighCardiovascular-Risk Individuals Clinical Perspective. Circulation, 135(7), 633-643.

BACKGROUND: The biological functions of high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) contribute to explaining the cardioprotective role of the lipoprotein beyond quantitative HDL cholesterol levels. A few small-scale interventions with a single antioxidant have improved some HDL functions. However, to date, no long-term, large-scale, randomized controlled trial has been conducted to assess the effects of an antioxidant-rich dietary pattern (such as a traditional Mediterranean diet [TMD]) on HDL function in humans. METHODS: This study was performed in a random subsample of volunteers from the PREDIMED Study (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea; n=296) after a 1-year intervention. We compared the effects of 2 TMDs, one enriched with virgin olive oil (TMD-VOO; n=100) and the other enriched with nuts (TMD-Nuts; n=100), with respect to a low-fat control diet (n=96). We assessed the effects of both TMDs on the role of HDL particles on reverse cholesterol transport (cholesterol efflux capacity, HDL ability to esterify cholesterol, and cholesteryl ester transfer protein activity), HDL antioxidant properties (paraoxonase-1 arylesterase activity and total HDL antioxidant capacity on low-density lipoproteins), and HDL vasodilatory capacity (HDL ability to induce the release of nitric oxide in endothelial cells). We also studied the effects of a TMD on several HDL quality-related characteristics (HDL particle oxidation, resistance against oxidative modification, main lipid and protein composition, and size distribution). RESULTS: Both TMDs increased cholesterol efflux capacity relative to baseline (P=0.018 and P=0.013 for TMD-VOO and TMD-Nuts, respectively).

The TMD-VOO intervention decreased cholesteryl ester transfer protein activity (relative to baseline, P=0.028) and increased HDL ability to esterify cholesterol, paraoxonase-1 arylesterase activity, and HDL vasodilatory capacity (relative to control, P=0.039, P=0.012, and P=0.026, respectively). Adherence to a TMD induced these beneficial changes by improving HDL oxidative status and composition. The 3 diets increased the percentage of large HDL particles (relative to baseline, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The TMD, especially when enriched with virgin olive oil, improved HDL atheroprotective functions in humans.

Liu, X., Hill, A., West, S., Gabauer R., McCrea, C., Fleming, J., Kris-Etherton, P. (2017).

Acute Peanut Consumption Alters Postprandial Lipids and Vascular Responses in Healthy Overweight or Obese Men. The Journal of Nutrition.

BACKGROUND: Postprandial hyperlipidemia is associated with impaired endothelial function. Peanut consumption favorably affects the lipid and lipoprotein profile; however, the effects on endothelial function remain unclear.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of acute peanut consumption as part of a high-fat meal on postprandial endothelial function. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, controlled, crossover postprandial study to evaluate the effect of acute peanut consumption on postprandial lipids and endothelial function as assessed by flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of the brachial artery in 15 healthy overweight or obese men [mean age: 26.7 y; mean body mass index (in kg/m2): 31.4]. Participants consumed, in a randomized order, a peanut meal containing 3 ounces (85 g) ground peanuts (1198 kcal; 40.0% carbohydrate, 47.7% fat, 19.4% saturated fat, 13.2% protein) and a control meal matched for energy and macronutrient content. Meals were in the form of a shake, scheduled ≥1 wk apart. Lipids, lipoproteins, glucose, and insulin were measured at baseline (0 min) and at 30, 60, 120, and 240 min after shake consumption. FMD was measured at baseline and at 240 min. RESULTS: Acute peanut consumption blunted the serum triglyceride (TG) response 120 and 240 min after consumption compared with the control meal (means ± SEMs—120 min: 188.9 ± 19.4 compared with 197.5 ± 20.7 mg/dL; 240 min: 189.9 ± 24.3 compared with 197.3 ± 18.4 mg/dL; P < 0.05 for both). Total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol and glucose and insulin responses were similar between the test meals. Compared with baseline, only the control meal significantly decreased FMD at 240 min (control: −1.2% ± 0.5%; P = 0.029; peanut: −0.6% ± 0.5%; P = 0.3). Participants with higher baseline total (>150 mg/dL) and LDL (>100 mg/dL)-cholesterol concentrations showed a significant decrease in FMD after the control meal (−1.8%, P = 0.017; −2.0%, P = 0.038), whereas the peanut meal maintained endothelial function in all participants irrespective of total- and LDL-cholesterol concentrations. CONCLUSION: The inclusion of 85 g peanuts (3 ounces) as part of a high-fat meal improved the postprandial TG response and preserved endothelial function in healthy overweight or obese men. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01405300.

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Feature Articles

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Health News Razquin, C., Sanchez-Tainta, A., Salas-Salvadó, J., Buil-Cosiales, P., Corella, D., Fito, M., ... & Fiol, M. (2017).

Dietary energy density and body weight changes after 3 years in the PREDIMED study. International.

Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 1-8.

The association of dietary energy density (ED) and overweight is not clear in the literature. Our aim was to study in 4259 of the PREDIMED trial whether an increase in dietary ED based on a higher adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern was associated with 3-year weight gain. A validated 137-item food-frequency questionnaire was administered. Multivariable-adjusted models were used to analyze the association between 3-year ED change and the subsequent 3-year body weight change. The most important weight reduction after 3-year follow-up was observed in the two lowest quintiles and the highest quintile of ED change. The highest ED increase was characterized by an increased intake of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and nuts and a decreased intake of other oils, vegetable and fruit consumption (p < .001). In conclusion, increased 3-year ED in the PREDIMED study, associated with a higher EVOO and nuts consumption, was not associated with weight gain.

Micha, R., Peñalvo, J. L., Cudhea, F., Imamura, F., Rehm, C. D., & Mozaffarian, D. (2017).

Association Between Dietary Factors and Mortality From Heart Disease, Stroke, and Type 2 Diabetes in the United States.

Jama, 317(9), 912-924.

IMPORTANCE: In the United States, national associations of individual dietary factors with specific cardiometabolic diseases are not well established. Objective: To estimate associations of intake of 10 specific dietary factors with mortality due to heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes (cardiometabolic mortality) among US adults. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A comparative risk assessment model incorporated data and corresponding uncertainty on population demographics and dietary habits from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (1999-2002: n = 8104; 2009-2012: n = 8516); estimated associations of diet and disease from meta-analyses of prospective studies and clinical trials with validity analyses to assess potential bias; and estimated disease-specific national mortality from the National Center for Health Statistics. EXPOSURES: Consumption of 10 foods/nutrients associated with cardiometabolic diseases: fruits, vegetables, nuts/seeds, whole grains, unprocessed red meats, processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), polyunsaturated fats, seafood omega-3 fats, and sodium.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Estimated absolute and percentage mortality due to heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes in 2012. Disease-specific and demographic-specific (age, sex, race, and education) mortality and trends between 2002 and 2012 were also evaluated. RESULTS: In 2012, 702 308 cardiometabolic deaths occurred in US adults, including 506 100 from heart disease (371 266 coronary heart disease, 35 019 hypertensive heart disease, and 99 815 other cardiovascular disease), 128 294 from stroke (16 125 ischemic, 32 591 hemorrhagic, and 79 578 other), and 67 914 from type 2 diabetes. Of these, an estimated 318 656 (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 306 064-329 755; 45.4%) cardiometabolic deaths per year were associated with suboptimal intakes-48.6% (95% UI, 46.2%-50.9%) of cardiometabolic deaths in men and 41.8% (95% UI, 39.3%-44.2%) in women; 64.2% (95% UI, 60.6%-67.9%) at younger ages (25-34 years) and 35.7% (95% UI, 33.1%-38.1%) at older ages (≥75 years); 53.1% (95% UI, 51.6%-54.8%) among blacks, 50.0% (95% UI, 48.2%-51.8%) among Hispanics, and 42.8% (95% UI, 40.9%-44.5%) among whites; and 46.8% (95% UI, 44.9%-48.7%) among lower-, 45.7% (95% UI, 44.2%-47.4%) among medium-, and 39.1% (95% UI, 37.2%-41.2%) among higher-educated individuals. The largest numbers of estimated diet-related cardiometabolic deaths were related to high sodium (66 508 deaths in 2012; 9.5% of all cardiometabolic deaths), low nuts/seeds (59 374; 8.5%), high processed meats (57 766; 8.2%), low seafood omega-3 fats (54 626; 7.8%), low vegetables (53 410; 7.6%), low fruits (52 547; 7.5%), and high SSBs (51 694; 7.4%). Between 2002 and 2012, population-adjusted US cardiometabolic deaths per year decreased by 26.5%.

The greatest decline was associated with insufficient polyunsaturated fats (-20.8% relative change [95% UI, -18.5% to -22.8%]), nuts/seeds (-18.0% [95% UI, -14.6% to -21.0%]), and excess SSBs (-14.5% [95% UI, -12.0% to -16.9%]). The greatest increase was associated with unprocessed red meats (+14.4% [95% UI, 9.1%-19.5%]).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Dietary factors were estimated to be associated with a substantial proportion of deaths from heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. These results should help identify priorities, guide public health planning, and inform strategies to alter dietary habits and improve health.

Wallace, T. C. (2017). Dried Plums, Prunes and Bone Health: A Comprehensive Review.

Nutrients, 9(4), 401.

The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans advocate for increasing fruit intake and replacing energy-dense foods with those that are nutrient-dense. Nutrition across the lifespan is pivotal for the healthy development and maintenance of bone. The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that over half of Americans age 50+ have either osteoporosis or low bone mass. Dried plums, also commonly referred to as prunes, have a unique nutrient and dietary bioactive profile and are suggested to exert beneficial effects on bone. To further elucidate and summarize the potential mechanisms and effects of dried plums on bone health, a comprehensive review of the scientific literature was conducted. The PubMed database was searched through 24 January 2017 for all cell, animal, population and clinical studies that examined the effects of dried plums and/or extracts of the former on markers of bone health.

Twenty-four studies were included in the review and summarized in table form. The beneficial effects of dried plums on bone health may be in part due to the variety of phenolics present in the fruit. Animal and cell studies suggest that dried plums and/or their extracts enhance bone formation and inhibit bone resorption through their actions on cell signaling pathways that influence osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation. These studies are consistent with clinical studies that show that dried plums may exert beneficial effects on bone mineral density (BMD). Long-term prospective cohort studies using fractures and BMD as primary endpoints are needed to confirm the effects of smaller clinical, animal and mechanistic studies. Clinical and prospective cohort studies in men are also needed, since they represent roughly 29% of fractures, and likewise, diverse race and ethnic groups. No adverse effects were noted among any of the studies included in this comprehensive review. While the data are not completely consistent, this review suggests that postmenopausal women may safely consume dried plums as part of their fruit intake recommendations given their potential to have protective effects on bone loss.

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Health News Rehm, C. D., & Drewnowski, A. (2017).

Replacing American snacks with tree nuts increases consumption of key nutrients among US children and adults: results of an NHANES modeling study.

Nutrition Journal, 16(1), 17.

BACKGROUND: Replacing typical American snacks with tree nuts may be an effective way to improve diet quality and compliance with the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs). OBJECTIVE: To assess and quantify the impact of replacing typical snacks with composite tree nuts or almonds on diet metrics, including empty calories (i.e., added sugars and solid fats), individual fatty acids, macronutrients, nutrients of public health concern, including sodium, fiber and potassium, and summary measures of diet quality. METHODS: Food pattern modeling was implemented in the nationally representative 2009-2012 National Health and Examination Survey (NHANES) in a population of 17,444 children and adults. All between-meal snacks, excluding beverages, were replaced on a per calorie basis with a weighted tree nut composite, reflecting consumption patterns in the population. Model 1 replaced all snacks with tree nuts, while Model 2 exempted whole fruits, non-starchy vegetables, and whole grains (>50% of total grain content). Additional analyses were conducted using almonds only. Outcomes of interest were empty calories (i.e., solid fats and added sugars), saturated and mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, fiber, protein, sodium, potassium and magnesium. The Healthy Eating Index-2010, which measures adherence to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, was used as a summary measure of diet quality. RESULTS: Compared to observed diets, modeled food patterns were significantly lower in empty calories (-20.1% and -18.7% in Model 1 and Model 2, respectively), added sugars (-17.8% and -16.9%), solid fats (-21.0% and -19.3%), saturated fat (-6.6% and -7.1%) and sodium (-12.3% and -11.2%). Modeled patterns were higher in oils (65.3% and 55.2%), monounsaturated (35.4% and 26.9%) and polyunsaturated fats (42.0% and 35.7%), plant omega 3 s (53.1% and 44.7%), dietary fiber (11.1% and 14.8%), and magnesium (29.9% and 27.0%), and were modestly higher in potassium (1.5% and 2.9%). HEI-2010 scores were significantly higher in Model 1 (67.8) and in Model 2 (69.7) compared to observed diets (58.5). Replacing snacks with almonds only produced similar results; the decrease in sodium was more modest and no increase in plant omega-3 fats was observed. CONCLUSION: Replacing between-meal snacks with tree nuts or almonds led to more nutrient-rich diets that were lower in empty calories and sodium and had more favorable fatty acid profiles. Food pattern modeling using NHANES data can be used to assess the likely nutritional impact of dietary guidance.

Mah, E., A Schulz, J., N Kaden, V., L Lawless, L., Rotor, J., B Mantilla, L., J Lisk. D. (2017).

Cashew consumption reduces total and LDL cholesterol: a randomized, crossover, controlled-feeding trial.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

BACKGROUND: Cashews are the third most-consumed tree nut in the United States and are abundant with monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk. Although a qualified Food and Drug Administration health claim exists for nuts and heart health, cashews have been exempt from its use because cashews exceed the disqualifying amount of saturated fatty acids. Approximately one-third of the saturated fat in cashews is stearic acid, which is relatively neutral on blood lipids, thereby suggesting that cashews could have effects that are similar to those of other nuts. However, clinical data on cashews and blood lipids have been limited. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effect of reasonable intakes of cashews on serum lipids in adults with or at risk of high LDL cholesterol. DESIGN: In a randomized, crossover, isocaloric, controlled-feeding study, 51 men and women (aged 21–73 y) with a median LDL-cholesterol concentration of 159 mg/dL (95% CI: 146, 165 mg/dL) at screening consumed typical American diets with cashews (28–64 g/d; 50% of kilocalories from carbohydrate, 18% of kilocalories from protein, and 32% of kilocalories from total fat) or potato chips (control; 54% of kilocalories from carbohydrate, 18% of kilocalories from protein, and 29% of kilocalories from total fat) for 28 d with a ≥2-wk washout period. RESULTS: Consumption of the cashew diet resulted in a significantly greater median change from baseline (compared with the control, all P < 0.05) in total cholesterol [−3.9% (95% CI: −9.3%, 1.7%) compared with 0.8% (95% CI: −1.5%, 4.5%), respectively], LDL cholesterol [−4.8% (95% CI: −12.6%, 3.1%) compared with 1.2% (95% CI: −2.3%, 7.8%), respectively], non-HDL cholesterol [−5.3% (95% CI: −8.6%, 2.1%) compared with 1.7% (95% CI: −0.9%, 5.6%), respectively], and the total-cholesterol:HDL-cholesterol ratio [−0.0% (95% CI: −4.3%, 4.8%) compared with 3.4% (95% CI: 0.6%, 5.2%), respectively]. There were no significant differences between diets for HDL cholesterol and triglyceride. CONCLUSIONS: In comparison with a control diet, the incorporation of cashews into typical American diets decreases total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Results from this study provide support that the daily consumption of cashews, when substituted for a high-carbohydrate snack, may be a simple dietary strategy to help manage total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02769741.

Selma, M. V., González-Sarrías, A., Salas-Salvadó, J., AndrésLacueva, C., Alasalvar, C., Örem, A., ... & Espín, J. C. (2017).

The gut microbiota metabolism of pomegranate or walnut ellagitannins yields two urolithinmetabotypes that correlate with cardiometabolic risk biomarkers: comparison between normoweight, overweightobesity and metabolic syndrome.

Clinical Nutrition.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Urolithins are microbial metabolites produced after consumption of ellagitannin-containing foods such as pomegranates and walnuts. Parallel to isoflavone-metabolizing phenotypes, ellagitannin-metabolizing phenotypes (urolithin metabotypes A, B and 0; UM-A, UM-B and UM-0, respectively) can vary among individuals depending on their body mass index (BMI), but correlations between urolithin metabotypes (UMs) and cardiometabolic risk (CMR) factors are unexplored. We investigated the association between UMs and CMR factors in individuals with different BMI and health status. METHODS: UM was identified using UPLC-ESI-qToF-MS in individuals consuming pomegranate or nuts. The associations between basal CMR factors and the urine urolithin metabolomic signature were explored in 20 healthy normoweight individuals consuming walnuts (30 g/d), 49 healthy overweight-obese individuals ingesting pomegranate extract (450 mg/d) and 25 metabolic syndrome (MetS) patients consuming nuts (15 g-walnuts, 7.5 g-hazelnuts and 7.5 g-almonds/d). RESULTS: Correlations between CMR factors and urolithins were found in overweight-obese individuals. Urolithin-A (mostly present in UM-A) was positively correlated with apolipoprotein A-I (P ≤ 0.05) and intermediate-HDL-cholesterol (P ≤ 0.05) while urolithin-B and isourolithin-A (characteristic from UM-B) were positively correlated with total-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol (P ≤ 0.001), apolipoprotein B (P ≤ 0.01), VLDLcholesterol, IDL-cholesterol, oxidized-LDL and apolipoprotein B:apolipoprotein A-I ratio (P ≤ 0.05). In MetS patients, urolithin-A only correlated inversely with glucose (P ≤ 0.05). Statin-treated MetS patients with UM-A showed a lipid profile similar to that of healthy normoweight individuals while a poor response to lipid-lowering therapy was observed in MB patients. CONCLUSIONS: UMs are potential CMR biomarkers. Overweight-obese individuals with UM-B are at increased risk of cardiometabolic disease, whereas urolithin-A production could protect against CMR factors. Further research is warranted to explore these associations in larger cohorts and whether the effect of lipid-lowering drugs or ellagitannin-consumption on CMR biomarkers depends on individuals’ UM.

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July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

A Chat with the Industry

“

GOOD MARKETING CAN NEVER REPLACE A BAD PRODUCT OR SERVICE

”

Gopi Kallayil is the Chief Evangelist, Brand Marketing at Google. He works with Google’s sales teams and customers and helps grow customer brands through digital marketing. In his prior roles he led the marketing team for the Company’s flagship advertising product, AdWords, in the Americas and Asia Pacific, and the marketing team for AdSense, Google’s publisher-facing product.

He is an avid yoga practitioner, triathlete, public speaker, global traveler and Burning Man devotee. He has spoken at TEDx, Renaissance Weekend, The World Peace Festival and Wallace, T. C. (2017). Dried Wisdom 2.0. He hosts a TV program on cable and YouTube called Change Makers. He is Plums, Prunes and Bone Health: the author of The Internet to the Inner-net, published by Hay House recently. He released a A Comprehensive Review. music album Kirtan Lounge and holds a guest faculty position teaching Brand Marketing at CHIEF EVANGELIST, Nutrients, 9(4), 401. the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. He sits on the Board of Directors of the BRAND MARKETING Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation.

AT GOOGLE

GOPI KALLAYIL

In terms of consumer decisionmaking, has marketing become even more important than the product/ service itself?

Good marketing can never replace a bad product or service. As a classic example, if you are an airline, you can encourage consumers to fly your friendly skies, but if the service you provide is beating a customer and dragging him down the aisle, that’s the message consumers will remember.

What is exactly the task of a “chief evangelist” and why do today’s companies need one?

Often people think I evangelize the Google brand, but no, I don’t. I evangelize brand building to Google customers. In my role, I meet with the CMOs and their teams of the top thousand brands in the world that are all Google customers. They’re trying to understand how to build their brand in a world that has gone digital. My job is to find a process for them.

Marketing has undeniably changed.

One of today’s most successful trends is based on encouraging people to spread the message, to go viral. Why is that supposed to be more effective than traditional advertising on TV, for instance?

We live in an age of participation where consumers

have become the brand directors. All consumers today are empowered with a mega-form; they can whisper to one person by sending them a message on Chat, or shout to hundreds or thousands of people by posting it on their social media pages, or create an entire video about how good or bad a product is and blast it across the world. And this is exactly what consumers are doing. (Every 60 seconds, they’re uploading 400 hours of video.)

Everyone has a certain circle of influence ranging from their friends and family to people they may not know but for some reason follow them on social media and respect their opinions. These followers are more likely to be influenced about certain products and services and brands by these people rather than the brands themselves. And everyone has something to say.

Take the humble Ziploc bag. If you type “Ziploc bags” in YouTube, you get more than 150,000 videos. Only a handful are from S.C. Johnson. The rest come from people uploading these videos to show how great Ziplocs are for making cupcakes and omelets, how amazingly dry Ziplocs kept their food on a recent camping trip, and how convenient the bags are for packing their kids’ sandwiches for school. Customers have taken over the brand and are becoming brand ambassadors. This is why this new consumer behavior has become hugely important in shaping the personality of the brand. And big brands don’t even have a choice.

Consumers have taken control. So you want to

participate in and encourage your customers and possibly help curate some of the content they’re putting out there.

Along with that, another trend in today’s marketing are the so-called “influencers”. Does that represent the new form of celebrity-based advertising?

Yes. And brands should make these influencers a part of their campaigns. Take PewDiePie, who reviews gaming software. He’s been using YouTube as his platform for four years and has nearly 55 million subscribers (by contrast, The New York Times, which is 127 years old, has just over 3 million subscribers). It goes without saying that PewDiePie has enormous influence.

In the health and beauty category, the Swedish pop singer Vera Larsen’s “Lush Life” video on YouTube has nearly half a billion views. She’s a huge influencer. As are Michelle Tram and Bethany Mota. Whereas consumers used to go to the beauty counter at Nordstrom to find out which shade of lipstick they should wear, now, for those in their twenties, YouTube videos from these influencers have replaced the department store makeup counter.

What about “engagement”? It seems that reaching the target is no longer enough. You need much more.

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

43

A Chat with the Industry You need emotional engagement. Otherwise you lose your audience. On digital, everything’s accompanied by choice. The consumer understands that they have the power of the swipe— with all that content in front of them, they have the choice to watch it or skip it. They understand that they have what brands want— their attention. From BMW, to British Airways, to Bristol-Myers Squibb-they all want consumers’ attention, and that’s one of the most difficult things to get. Consumers are saying, “Okay, if you want my attention for 30-60 seconds, I’ll give it to you, but you have to give me something of value in exchange. Keep me engaged for the next 30–60 seconds. Entertain me, educate me, give me something that’s useful to me, invite me to participate.” If you don’t, four seconds later your content’s been swiped away; they’ve moved on to something else. It’s even faster on a mobile phone.

New marketing strategies seem to leave a major role to consumers and ordinary people in spreading the message. Is that controllable? Is there a magic recipe to become viral or is simply doing an excellent job not enough and you also need to be lucky somehow?

Some factors you can control, and some you can’t. Among the things you can control is to make the content unique and interesting to that particular audience. Make it quirky and unusual and use the influencers, induce them to become part of it. The Jean-Claude Van Damme epic splits video for Volvo went viral because he was doing something incredible, unusual, entertaining, and awe inspiring. That type of content doesn’t guarantee the video will go viral, but it increases the likelihood that it will.

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Why is it so essential for companies to adapt their strategies to a mobilefirst basis?

There are three reasons. First, the mobile device has become the biggest, most deployed platform and technology in the world. There are 8 billion mobile devices and connections on the planet and 7.5 billion human beings. Second, the ubiquity. It has become the 79th organ of the body-always with us. The typical human touches his or her phone an estimated 200 times a day. Third, it’s become the remote control for the world; you click and things happen. We speak to it, listen to music on it, order milk with it. We use it to find our way around the world, to take pictures and document our most intimate moments, to find information in the store about how to get the best deals-It’s become such an embedded part of life and culture.

Does that apply to everyone? Take the food sector, for example. Or the nut and dried fruit industry. How will the “mobile era” affect them? How should they face the challenge?

Yes, it applies to everyone. People are using these devices for everything from learning about the products and services, to ordering them, to sharing their experiences with those around them.

So you want to look at a day or a week in the life of your target customers—how they function and operate in the world, how they use their mobile devices. Say you’re selling almonds and you’re targeting a population that’s into yoga because they think of almonds as a very healthy food. You have to get into their shoes to understand how they interact with their mobile device as they go about their yogic life and become part of that whole story.

There is a collateral effect on this technological revolution: the socalled Big Data. How reliable and useful are they? Will they continue to be more and more exhaustive?

There’s an enormous amount of data collected every single minute and the sheer volume is going to explode to a scale we can’t even imagine, simply because in so much of the world, definitely in the US, everything is now purchased through some sort of electronic transaction, and the data can be kept forever because the storage is cheap.

The data can be invaluable (the trick, of course, is converting the data to valuable information and wisdom), but you need to look at where it comes from. For example, if you look at my shopping purchases at the supermarket, you know my food consumption pattern exactly. But if you’re looking at my Facebook posts and trying to determine whether I’m a vegetarian, that may be less accurate

The internet undoubtedly changed people’s lives and smartphones have done so in an even more striking way.

What is next?

Newer technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, virtual reality, and changes to personal transportation with things like self-driving cars-these are the big changes we’re expecting.

To conclude: What is Google’s secret? How does Google apply all the above-mentioned marketing concepts?

Google’s secret isn’t really a secret. It’s a wellknown fact. First, we have some core principles that drive how the company thinks and operates.

The most important one is that we focus on the end user, above all else, building innovative products that meet the needs of current and future end users. Second, we try to think in terms of 10x innovation, which is to not just incrementally improve what’s already working, but to challenge ourselves by asking how we can make it ten times better, ten times faster. That thinking also drives a level of innovation that’s unusual. Then there’s the willingness to fail, and we fail most of the time. But because we fail so much and so often, because of the experiments we run, and what we learn, we then become successful.

A Chat with the Industry

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INC Congress

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT OF ACTIVITIES 2016/2017 The Annual Report of Activities updated Congress delegates on the work of the INC in 2016/2017.

R

esearch and nutrition continue to be at the forefront of the INC. In this area, INC promotes annual calls for research and dissemination projects. In 2016, a first research grant (€200,000) was awarded to 3 research studies: a clinical study on dried fruits and glycemic index, a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of nut consumption on inflammation and endothelial function, and an animal and cell study on the effects of nut-derived miRNAs on the inflammatory and metabolic profile of fat cells. A second grant (€150,000) was given to a clinical study on the molecular effects of nut-products on cell membranes in obese children. As for dissemination, INC allocated €50,000 to grant 3 projects. The total funds that INC has allocated to research and dissemination over the past 5 years amounts to €1.55 million. In 2017, INC is allocating €300,000 to health research and €300,000 to dissemination programs.

Scientific and government affairs also remain crucial on the agenda. In 2016/17, INC participated in several technical ad-hoc meetings and payed particular attention to chlorpyrifos in table grapes, fosetyl in nuts, hydrocyanic acid in raw apricot kernels, sorbates and sulphites, the reclassification of blanched peanuts, and the revision of the current duty suspension on dried cranberries. The INC also monitors food safety alerts and import border rejections in Europe, the USA, Japan and Australia, analyzing the trends and monitoring the causes and origins. The INC Annual Report on Import Border Rejections is available at www.nutfruit.org.

During recent months, the INC has prepared a new Statistics Database with a more intuitive and user-friendly graphical interface that will increase the possibility of working with charts and maps. Secondly, the Statistical Yearbook will be published by the end of June and will provide a wide set of production, trade and consumption data, and the World Map of Trade Flows, which is produced every 2 years, will offer a global yet comprehensive overview of the movement of trade flows around the world.

Under the umbrella of the INC, the Global Cashew Council funded a €200,000 clinical study, which will run until June 2017, on the effect of cashew consumption on cardiovascular disease. On the marketing side, a Technical Information Kit in English, Spanish and French was distributed among the industry. As for the Macadamia Working Group, the INC is coordinating a Macadamia Health Research Grant (€200,000). Project proposals are currently under review and the final funding decision is expected shortly. In addition, a Technical Information Kit about macadamias is being prepared with the assistance of this ad-hoc working group.

Another priority is increasing the understanding of production, processing, distribution and consumption trends, for which the INC is developing an Executive Program on Nuts and Dried Fruits. The INC Academia will serve as an education program on the basics of the industry. The first course will be launched in February 2018 and will include an online course with texts, videos and self-assessment tests, combined with visits to factories and orchards just before the INC Congress in Seville, Spain. The online course will consist

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July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

The report was presented through a video message by Ms. Goretti Guasch, Executive Director, who covered the activities and major projects of the past year.

of 10 units (10 hours approx.), which will cover origin and description, soil and climate, varieties and uses, nutrition facts, processing, food safety and quality standards, production, trade and value, consumption trends, arbitration rules, and a final unit will cover essential strategies and skills for successful negotiations.

In the area of marketing, INC continued to provide the INC Pavilion at the most important trade shows. The number of exhibitors and the size of the Pavilion increase year after year, making it the meeting point for the nut and dried fruit businesses. In February, the INC Pavilion was front and center at GulFood Dubai, attracting hundreds of visitors and hosting hundreds of business meetings.

“Efforts in marketing and communication have doubled over the past few years, the results of which are remarkable”, announced Ms. Guasch.

The INC also continued to publish a wide range of informative materials: the Nutfruit magazine, the weekly Cracking the News, the monthly newsletter, as well as the website, blog and social media. In 2016, INC issued 12 press releases resulting in an average of 7.3 impacts per day and an estimated value of €24 million. In 2017, INC is launching 9 press releases and a recipes program. As for the digital plan, Ms. Guasch outlined the number of Facebook fans, from 2,000 in October 2015 to nearly 100,000 in December 2016, as well as the 43% increase in the number of followers on Twitter, and a 22% increase in web visits.

At the end of the video presentation, Ms. Guasch highlighted the recently launched Nuts for Gifts, a new global promotional initiative aimed at positioning nuts and dried fruits as a top-of-mind gift among consumers. Nutsforgifts.org is already live and available in 4 languages (English, Spanish, Arabic and Hindi) and allows users to upload DIY videos showing the creation of gifts with nuts and dried fruits. A large number of influencers, YouTubers, Instagrammers and bloggers have been invited to create DIY videos and upload them to their social media channels. In addition, Nuts for Gifts has a promotional booth in specialized exhibitions at both commercial events and events for health-professionals.

INC Congress

TECHNOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CASHEW INDUSTRY The cashew industry came into existence in 1940 when the British saw the potential of manufacturing and exporting this nut. Peirce Leslie India Ltd was the first company to manufacture cashews using Oil Bath Roasting technology. Since then, the processing technology has changed and improved beyond recognition. Thanks to the technological improvements, cashew farming became viable and the area of land under cashew cultivation grew significantly.

T

he following article summarizes some of the highlights from the presentation by keynote speaker Mr. Prakash Kalbavi.

From 1930 to 2000, the cashew industry was a small scale sector in the form of a cottage industry or in the category of a small-and-medium enterprise. Due to the lack of mechanization, the industry was highly labor-intensive with low power requirements.

Conditioning: Cracking the nuts without breakages was a major challenge and conditioning the nuts for this process was causing a bottleneck.

The major innovation was in the late 1970s in the use of steam to precondition the nuts. The cashews are cooked in steam drums to achieve the desired degree of hardness, which makes the cracking/shelling process easy. The rotary cookers are the latest innovation as uniformity of the roasting improves with rotating drums. The use of steam has many advantages since it is a very clean process and non-hazardous in operation.

Importantly, the cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) is retained in the shell and can be subsequently extracted, which is a major value addition in the process. Furthermore, the volume of nuts handled in a single location increases significantly.

Shelling: With the innovation of steam cooking came another simple piece of technology used in the manual cracking process. A cutting device was developed in a small workshop in Karnataka, India, which cracked the nuts efficiently by a simple hand and leg operation. This was the first machine adopted by the industry back in 1975.

It required no energy and maintenance was low - it only required sharpening or replacing the blades.

But the major revolution in shelling technology happened between 2008 and 2017, firstly with the introduction of the Sri Lankan auto cutter and, subsequently, an improvised version by the Vietnamese. Automated shelling lines followed, reducing the dependence on manual labor. The process of shelling moved from mechanization to automation. As a result, productivity improved dramatically and processing capacity could be tripled with the same labor force. These lines could achieve 6-8% breakages, 10-12% un-cuts, 20% TBS (to be scooped) and 65% pop outs (kernels completely separated from the shell). The industry is currently working to achieve 5% breakages, 5% un-cuts and 75% pop outs.

Automation has helped to scale up the processing capacity to over 50 MT for a single location, which was unthinkable just a few years ago.

Manual hand peeling. Photo courtesy of Mr. Prakash Kalbavi

Peeling: Peeling the testa was a very laborious process. The introduction of automated peeling machines, which used pressurized air, was a game changer as it reduced the manual labor requirement from 3 to 0.25 employees per

Prakash Kalbavi

is a Mechanical Engineer from the Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) in India. Active in the cashew industry since 1987, he established Kalbavi Cashews, a cashew processing company at the industrial area of Baikampady, in New Mangalore, and was President of the Karnataka Cashew Manufacturers Association from 2004 to 2008. He is the Director of Karnataka Cashew Development Corporation, a joint venture of the Central and the State Governments to take care of the raw cashew nuts production in the State of Karnataka.

bag of 80 kg, and helped the industry to address major food-safety issues. Although the amount of breakages doubled compared to manual peeling (15-20%) and a percentage of cashews remains unpeeled (12-15%), this technology is now well established and accepted.

The ideal factory layout.

Source: Vietmold Machine Manufacturer PVT LTD

Grading: The grading and sorting of cashews by size, shape and color was done manually until almost the year 2000. From that year, color sorters and size graders were introduced and by 2015 75% of the grading was handled by color sorters in most high-volume plants. The latest innovation is the image processing technology which makes color and size sorting possible in a single operation.

Packaging: Flexi packaging bags, fivelayer barrier bags, packing lines, vacuum packing machines, pneumatic separators and metal detectors were some of the innovations introduced between 2000 and 2005.

All these technological improvements have made it possible to improve food safety and to reduce net processing costs. The industry is now poised for a consolidation process as processing plants with huge capacity are becoming a reality in the era of automation. With farmers benefiting from this process, the doubling of the crop and the processing capacity is imminent.

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INC Congress

NUTRITION RESEARCH UPDATE Prof. Jordi Salas-Salvadó, Dr. Richard D. Mattes and Dr. V. Mohan presented the latest findings on nut and dried fruit consumption and health.

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he session, Nutrition Research Update, chaired by Prof. Jordi SalasSalvadó, Chairman of the INC World Forum for Nutrition Research and Dissemination, featured two leading experts in nutrition as guest speakers: Dr. Richard D. Mattes, Distinguished Professor of Nutrition Science, Director of Purdue University’s Public Health Graduate Program and Ingestive Behavior Research Center (USA) and Dr. V. Mohan, President of the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation in Chennai (India).

Prof. Salas-Salvadó presented the work of the INC World Forum for Nutrition Research and Dissemination, highlighting the annual Call for Research Projects and preparations for the IUNS 21st International Congress of Nutrition.

He also summarized the most relevant studies published during the preceding year. A meta-analysis of prospective studies concluded that a higher nut intake is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer and allcause mortality, and mortality from respiratory disease, diabetes and infections.

Also, a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials linked nut consumption with significantly improved endothelial function (the endothelium maintains a normal vascular tone and blood fluidity).

Recent scientific studies suggest that a higher nut consumption is associated with a lower risk of cardiometabolic mortality.

To conclude, Prof. Salas-Salvadó shared some new results from the PREDIMED trial, for instance, that a long-term adherence to a Mediterranean (Med) diet, supplemented with nuts, may counteract age-related cognitive decline. The PREDIMED-PLUS trial is currently underway to investigate the effect of an intensive weight-loss lifestyle intervention on an energy-restricted Med diet (including nuts and extra virgin olive oil) compared to a non-intensive intervention Med diet (including nuts and extra virgin olive oil) without caloric restriction.

Dr. Richard D. Mattes opened his presentation “The role of nuts in healthful snacking” with an overview of global trends in the prevalence of obesity. Weight gain is related to energy intake, which is determined by two factors: portion size

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and consumption frequency. Under ideal conditions, these factors are balanced.

In recent years, snacking has become a dominant eating pattern in middleand low-income countries. The increase in eating frequency may provide more energy than is needed and lead to weight gain.

Research indicates that nuts have a high satiety value.

Nuts could be part of the solution due to their interesting nutritional composition. Dr. Mattes summarized the results of some studies that have associated nut consumption with hunger suppression and fullness. He also remarked that consuming nuts at some point in the day may help to moderate blood sugar levels over an extended period of time. In summary, the consumption of moderate portions of nuts as snacks may help to curb hunger, moderate energy intake, prevent weight gain and may aid blood sugar control.

Last but not least, Dr. V. Mohan gave an update of new findings concerning the health benefits of cashew consumption. The main objective of the study he presented was to assess changes in glycemic and lipid profile among type 2 diabetic subjects after a daily supplementation of cashews in their diets, and also to evaluate the effects of daily cashew supplementation on anthropometric measurements and blood pressure. 300 participants were randomized and assigned either to an intervention or a control group.

Cashews may have beneficial effects on HDL cholesterol and blood pressure due to their high content of monounsaturated fats and minerals such as magnesium, copper, iron and zinc.

According to this recent study, the results showed a decrease in systolic blood pressure and an increase of HDL “good” cholesterol, monounsaturated fats and also plasma oleic acid. Dr. Mohan concluded that regular consumption of a handful of cashews may have beneficial effects on HDL “good” cholesterol and systolic blood pressure with no deleterious effects on glycemic or lipid parameters or body weight.

INC Congress

HOW MEDITATION CAN IMPROVE LIFE AND BUSINESS Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Spiritual and Humanitarian Leader, offered his view of a violencefree and stress-free world.

I

n front of a packed Rajendra Hall at the ITC Grand Chola, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was the protagonist of one of the INC Congress numerous memorable moments. Indeed, his keynote speaker session in Chennai had generated notable interest among delegates, and with good reason; His thoughts and principles are well known across the globe, and have inspired millions of people.

Humanitarian, spiritual leader and founder of the worldwide Art of Living Foundation, Sri Sri advocates for a violence-free and stress-free world. He argues that peace and meditation are key to achieving happiness, leaving a better world to future generations and, what was most enlightening about his talk, enhancing intuition and innovation in business.

During the session, Gurudev confessed that “seeing a smile on everyone’s face” is his ultimate dream, and thus encouraged the audience to spread happiness: “World health organizations have already declared that by 2022 the biggest issue that our planet will face is depression. It will go bigger than cancer”, he warned, and added: “You can’t feed half of the world’s population with anti-depressives. We have to teach them how to alter the state of their mind, how they can create happiness within themselves.”

‘DREAMING BIG’ It is true, and the speaker freely admits, that his principles “may sound very utopian”. However, he is “used to dreaming big”, meaning “a society free of conflicts, free of stress, free of violence… And”, he said, addressing the attendees directly, “as businessmen from all around the world, you have a big role to play.”

Both during his speech and when answering questions from the audience, Sri Sri laid out several of his ideas on how to achieve such happiness. One key can be to practice things such as yoga, breathing and meditation. “They can help your spirit”, he claimed, and remarked that “meditation is a conscious rest” and that “20 minutes of meditation equal 8 hours of sleep.”

“Take long, deep breaths. Breath is connected to our emotions” Another key to happiness is, according to the keynote speaker, achieving a non-violent state of mind. Avoiding anger or abrupt reactions might be much more significant than it seems: “Breath is connected to our emotions. Take long,

deep breaths. That can bring the shift inside of you. Along with meditation it is the best way to control all our negative emotions, either anger, jealousy…”, Sri Sri said.

In parallel, a violence-free state of mind can also be achieved by remodelling the way we interact with others. In this regard, Gurudev got a question from the audience inquiring what to do when someone behaves offensively towards us. Understanding is the answer: “There is too much stress inside them, their vision is small and they are afraid. That negativity is reflected in their behavior. We should deal with them like you deal with a patient and look at them as someone who needs help” was the recommendation.

WIDEN OUR LIFE’S CONTEXT Furthermore, Gurudev deems it essential to set a “bigger context” to our lives. We must be aware that “millions of years have passed on this planet, and millions of people have come and gone”. When approached from that perspective, things change, “something shifts within us, we stop worrying on small things, and our intuitive ability develops to a very big extent.”

The latter is not only essential to life in general, but particularly to business.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar took the opportunity that such an audience represented, and said: “Intuition and innovation are very much necessary for businessmen. You need to be innovative, whether in your packaging, the spicing of your nuts, retailing or wholesale. And you need to be intuitive too. When we practice meditation, and when we give bigger context to our lives, both innovation and intuition improve”.

“Whatever you do, give back a little of what you get to society” This was not the only message that the keynote speaker delivered during the session regarding business. “Whatever you do, give back a little portion of what you get to society through what we today call CSR: social projects, social responsibility…”, he also suggested.

Finally, just before the end of the session, Gurudev was asked the milliondollar question: “Does money bring happiness?”. “Money is necessary, is a means, but not an end in itself. Happiness has nothing to do with richness; It has to do with education, expanded awareness and the confidence you have in yourself”, he answered.

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INC Congress

19 MAY

Cashews Round Table.

Congress Welcome by Mark Mariani, INC Chairman; Giles Hacking, INC past Chairman; Pratap Nair, Congress Chairman; and Jack Mariani, past Congress co-Chairman.

Keynote Speaker Gopi Kallayil.

Morning Coffee sponsored

by Besana.

Nutrition Research Update.

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Congress officially opens.

Peanuts Round Table.

Dried Fruits Round Table.

Macadamia Working Group panel discussion.

Global Inter-Board Cooperation Summit.

INC Congress

Buffet Working Lunch sponsored

by Gayathri.

Meetings Area sponsored

by Jungle Organic.

Welcome Cocktail sponsored

by Intersnack Rajkumar

20 MAY

Morning Yoga

Keynote Speaker Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

Walnuts Round Table.

Almonds Round Table.

Pistachios Round Table.

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INC Congress

Scientific Seminar.

Morning Coffee sponsored by Setton Farms.

Buffet Working Lunch sponsored by the Almond Board of California

Buffet Casual Dinner sponsored by Wonderful Pistachios & Almonds

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INC Congress

21 MAY

INC Executive Director, Goretti Guasch, presents the Annual Report of Activities.

Annual Report of Activities 2016-2017

Jack Mariani receives a diploma of appreciation for participating in 30 INC Congresses.

Qcify Inc. receives the Innovation Award.

Dr. Richard D. Mattes, Award for Excellence in Research.

Brazil Nuts Round Table.

Hazelnuts Round Table.

Chef JP Singh (Bukhara Restaurant), Award for Excellence in Gastronomy.

Macadamias Round Table.

Pecans Round Table.

Pine Nuts Round Table.

Morning Coffee sponsored by The Richard Franco Agency.

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INC Congress

Buffet Working Lunch sponsored

by Sun-Maid Growers of California.

INC Ambassadors Committee Meeting.

Gala Dinner sponsored

by VLC Cashews.

Pratap Nair collects, on behalf of Ravindranathan Nair, the Golden Nut Award.

INC Staff.

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INC Congress

INC AWARDS CELEBRATE THE BEST CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE INDUSTRY The XXXVI World Nut and Dried Fruit Congress provided an unparalleled setting to recognize those individuals, companies and organizations that have made an outstanding contribution to the progress of the nut and dried fruit industry. The INC Awards program has become a traditional and convivial celebration that year after year acknowledges excellence in the sector.

GOLDEN NUT AWARD The Individual Golden Nut Award was granted to Mr. K. Ravindranathan Nair, for his indefatigable dedication to the cashew business for more than 40 years and his pivotal role in accelerating the distribution of nuts worldwide. His son, Mr. Pratap Nair, collected the award on his behalf.

It was in 1957 when Mr. K. Ravindranathan Nair founded the Vijayalaxmi Cashew Company (VLC).

What started as a family business has turned into a premier trading house in the cashew industry in India, having earned an international reputation for quality products.

Besides his key role in the nut industry, Mr. Nair has always been at the forefront of undertaking activities for the benefit of society. Mr. Nair has constructed and donated the building, furniture and books for the Quilon Public Library and Research Centre, one of the largest and most popular libraries in Kerala. He has also donated and constructed a building to house the pediatric ward at Kollam District Hospital. While improving the lives of those who are around him, Mr. Nair has also bestowed many school libraries, kindergartens and sports clubs on the community.

AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH The INC Award for Excellence in Research was delivered to Dr. Richard D. Mattes, Distinguished Professor of Nutrition Science at Purdue University, who has been an active researcher in the area of nuts and health for over 20 years. Most notably, he has helped to define the mechanisms that account for the neutrality of nut consumption with respect to energy balance and body weight. He has also conducted work documenting the beneficial effects of nut consumption on cardiovascular disease and diabetes risk factors.

“Scientists often do a lot of esoteric work and we don’t really see the application. To sit here and hear the different round table talks about how our science is being translated into health benefits and business benefits is very rewarding”, Mattes said after collecting the prize.

AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN GASTRONOMY The 2017 Award for Excellence in Gastronomy was given to Bukhara Restaurant at the ITC Maurya Hotel for its contribution to the preservation, improvement and dissemination of Indian cuisine worldwide while using nuts and dried fruits in its dishes.

Overseen by Chef Singh, the restaurant offers an ethnic experience where the open kitchen is part of the restaurant and where visits from world leaders and celebrities have become frequent. After receiving the award, Chef JP Singh highlighted the benefits of nuts and dried fruits: “They are an easy source of all essential nutrients. The right and regular mix of almonds, cashews, pistachios and raisins and other dried fruits and nuts is all you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle”, he stated.

INNOVATION AWARD The INC Innovation Award winner was Qcify Inc., a world leader in the field of automated quality control for the best solutions in the food industry, for its recently launched Quality Inspection System (QiS).

This system enables full automation of the entire QC department, from sampling all the way to sample inventory management.

The founders of Qcify, Raf Peeters and Bert Peelaers, collected the prize. Commenting on the occasion, Peeters said: “We thank all the processors who have spent time with us over the past years, talking about quality control, their needs and the solutions they would like to see, because thanks to all those conversations we were able to develop our quality control system.”

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N C EX O N T G IN R C ES S

INC News

We look for ward to seeing you!

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www.nutfruitcongress.org

INC News

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

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INC News

INC News CHICAGO UNVEILS THE “NUTS FOR GIFTS” BOOTH The INC presented the “Nuts for Gifts” booth at the Experimental Biology Conference & Meeting

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ith the aim of promoting nuts and dried fruits as a topof-mind gift, the INC exhibited in Chicago last April (2226), at the EB Experimental Biology 2017 Conference & Meeting. Gathering an estimated 14,000 attendees and 300 exhibitors, the event was the chosen venue to unveil the program through a newly designed specific booth. The basic principles of the project were showcased by means of informative brochures and displays with examples of handcrafted gifts.

As well as the launch of the new booth, the EB also resulted in an outstanding occasion to be present and visible at one of the world’s major events on nutrition, a pivotal field of the INC’s activity. As such, the INC had the opportunity to highlight its funding opportunities by putting informative brochures at the visitors’ disposal.

The Experimental Biology conference was only the first of a series of events where “Nuts for Gifts” will be disseminated and promoted. The same booth was displayed again at the ITC Grand Chola in Chennai during the 36th INC Congress (May 19-21), and will also be present at the IUNS 21st International Congress of Nutrition on October 15-20 in Buenos Aires.

The plan will also be presented at other events, such as WorldFood Moscow (September 11-14) and Anuga Cologne 2017 (October 7-11), in both cases under the general umbrella of the INC booth, but with highlighted prominence.

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Contact with Influencers Participation in exhibitions and conferences so as to reach health and nutrition professionals represents a fundamental branch of the “Nuts for Gifts” promotion route. Just as important, however, is the online strategy, towards which many of the efforts will be dedicated. In this regard, the plan contemplates contacting up to 100 DIY (“Do It Yourself”) bloggers, celebrities and other types of influencers from all around the world and encouraging them to join the trend by asking them to hand craft their own nut-and-dried-fruit-based gifts and show them to their hundreds of thousands of followers.

The list of influencers includes a diverse range of fields such as food, lifestyle, fashion and trends, home and family, gift and toys, and photography. The list has been composed accounting for the fact that food fans are not the only “Nuts for Gifts” target; There are also other potential audiences in fields such as photography, home-style and fashion, who could be captivated by the initiative, either due to the health benefits of nuts and dried fruits or because of another of the plan’s assets, such as its DIY aspects.

Website Already Online In parallel with the in-person presentation of “Nuts for Gifts” in locations like Chicago and Chennai, the initiative’s official website has already been released in four different languages: English, Arabic, Hindi and Spanish.

INC News

The entire site has been designed and programmed in order to visually convey at a glance the basic “Nuts for Gifts” principles, and above all to encourage visitors to join the initiative. This is why moving footage is permanently played on the header background: to unleash the user’s creativity.

Aligned with that objective is also the “videos” section, where five different clips depict already prepared gift ideas, one for each of the established gift categories: kids, corporate gifts, partners and family & friends. The category division has been set taking into account the different targeted audiences of the plan.

Finally, the site also includes the so-called Healthy Nibbles pages: an informative section featuring diverse and catchy content that unveils interesting facts and highlights properties and nutritional information about nuts and dried fruits.

“Say it with Nuts” The “Nuts for Gifts” global dissemination plan, an INC initiative, intends to stimulate nut and dried fruit consumption by spreading the idea that they can be a top-of-mind gift, just as some other food products have been traditionally, such as chocolates, for example.

Their gastronomic value, their well-known health benefits, and the variety of attractive and funny design possibilities that they offer make them more than suitable for such a purpose.

Along with spreading this core idea, the “Nuts for Gifts” plan also embraces another very popular concept, the DIY philosophy.

It encourages not only giving nuts and dried fruits as gifts, but also handcrafting your own designs.

Finally, the dissemination strategy operates on two fronts: health and nutrition professionals are reached at exhibitions and conferences, while bloggers and influencers are contacted through digital channels, encouraging them to join and disseminate the trend.

Fifty years experience as International Brokers and Agents Consultants Almonds, Hazelnuts, Pistachios, Cashews, Walnuts, Peanuts, Pinenuts, Olive Oil, Seed Oils and Other Products

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Cell : Raoul Gamon + 33 (0) 608370413

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

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INC News

INC PAVILION: READY FOR ANUGA 2017 The Facility Will Feature 20 Different Companies of the Sector at Cologne's Fair Next October Cocktail Networking Mixer on October 8

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nuga 2017 (Cologne, October 7-11) will see the sixth edition of the INC Nut and Dried Fruit Pavilion, which this time will host 20 companies over 320 sqm.

Firms from 13 different countries will showcase their products and services at the world’s largest and most important trade fair for food and beverages.

The pavilion will be located in the Fine Foods Hall with a premium location, visibility and hightraffic of visitors. INC members participating in the pavilion enjoy a full-service package including graphic design and printing, refreshment and daily lunch, free wifi connection, storage rooms, pre-show planning, company listing in the official catalogue, assistance in shipping, travel and accommodation and multilingual personnel, among other things.

We thank our exhibitors for joining us in the world's biggest food and hospitality show

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Additionally, those joining INC’s sponsorship opportunities have two internal meeting rooms at their disposal. INC members not exhibiting in the pavilion will also be given the opportunity to book and use meeting rooms upon request and subject to availability.

Once again, the hospitality area emerges as a core element within the Pavilion. Past experiences have shown the increasing importance this common space has gained as it is widely used for co-exhibitors and INC members to relax, receive customers or simply to have an informal chat with colleagues.

More than 160,000 Visitors Anuga Cologne is held every two years and considered the world’s largest and most important trade fair for food and beverages,

The INC Pavilion will be hosting a cocktail mixer on the second day of the fair, Sunday October 8. Sponsored by Minerva Commodities, the mixer is a unique opportunity to network in a relaxed atmosphere. Top leaders of the nut and dried fruit world, as well as other sectors of the agri-food industry, will meet at the gathering, making it an outstanding platform to do business and promote brands. Cocktail mixer sponsorship opportunities at the INC Pavilion are still available for the rest of the days of the fair for those companies interested.

attracting around 160,000 visitors. The event features more than 7,000 exhibitors who take the opportunity to showcase their most innovative products and services and make their brands visible in front of the food industry’s global leaders.

INC News

STATISTICAL YEARBOOK The INC is pleased to announce the publication of the seventh issue of its Statistical Yearbook. This book, published annually, gathers the most relevant statistical data on production, trade and consumption of nuts and dried fruits from recent years up to the 2016/2017 season.

T

he yearbook provides both a general overview of the estimated world production, trade and consumption of tree nuts, peanuts and dried fruits as well as a summary for each nut and dried fruit in ad hoc chapters covering 15 products: almonds, Brazil (Amazonia) nuts, cashews, hazelnuts,

macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts, peanuts, dates, dried apricots, dried figs, dried grapes and prunes. Offering a global yet detailed panorama of the industry, each chapter features the main producing, exporting, importing and consuming countries as well as the averages and trends over recent years.

World tree nut production in 2016/17 followed the rising trend observed in previous years. Estimated at around 4.2 million metric tons, it increased by 11% compared to the previous season and 30% up over the last decade average. Almonds were the most produced nut among tree nuts in 2016/17, reaching 1.2 million MT (kernel basis), followed by walnuts and cashews. In terms of production growth, the world pistachio crop was raised by 46% compared to the previous season; while walnut production was up by 53% over the last 10-year average. The USA has historically been and continues to be the top producer, amounting to 1.7 million MT in 2016/17, followed by China and Turkey, who have similar production volumes (figures are expressed in kernel basis, except for pistachios which are in-shell).

With China clearly leading world production (42%), peanut total crop has also trended upwards during the last decade, increasing by 16% and totalling 41.5 million MT in 2016/17.

Dried fruit production reached 2.6 million MT in 2016/17. Although similar to 2015/16 levels, this figure reflects the increasing trend in production over the last 10 years, up by 10% over the average. Dried grapes accounted for almost half of the dried fruit produced worldwide, reaching 1.3 million MT in 2016/17,

followed by table dates and prunes. Turkey ranked as the top producer, totaling 488,250 MT, along with Iran and the USA as the second and third biggest producers respectively. The greatest growth over the previous season was observed for dried apricots, up by 12%, and for table dates, up 24%, compared to the average of the previous decade.

Estimated world consumption of tree nuts, peanuts and dried fruits has been growing at a sustained pace throughout the 2005-2015 period. Global consumption in 2015 rose by 28% for tree nuts, 17% for peanuts and 13% for dried fruit over the previous 10-year average.

Middle- and high-income economies (according to their gross net income levels) dominated the estimated consumption world share of tree nuts, peanuts and dried fruits. The most consumed tree nut and dried fruit in 2015 were almonds and dried grapes respectively.

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INC News

SUMMARY OF MEETINGS AND AD-HOC WORKING GROUPS IN CHENNAI INC’s Committees and Ad-hoc Working Groups met in the frame of the XXXVI World Nut and Dried Fruit Congress, last May in Chennai, India. It was an excellent opportunity to review ongoing projects and discuss future works.

Executive Committee The Executive Committee met in Chennai on May 18, 2017 to review the Foundation financial status and budget as well as the status of ongoing projects such as the Academia, the Annual Communication and Digital Marketing Plan, the results of the 2017 Calls for Research and Dissemination Projects, and the “Nuts for Gifts” Dissemination Program.

The brand new website nutsforgifts.org was also presented. Finally, the Committee reviewed the program of activities in Chennai and preparations for next year’s Congress in Seville, Spain.

Statistics Committee The Statistics Committee meeting took place on May 21. Chaired by Mr. Pino Calcagni, INC Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Statistics Committee, the group reviewed the program of activities and discussed the plan of action for the coming year. The Statistics Yearbook and the World Map of Trade Flows were some of the activities that were reviewed and discussed. Special emphasis was given to the difficulties in getting statistical information from some regions and the challenges that both tariff and non-tariff barriers bring.

Board of Trustees The Board of Trustees met immediately after the Executive Committee to approve the 2016 End of Year audited accounts and the 2017 Budget. They also reviewed and discussed the new Strategic Plan for the next five years, appointed the new INC Leadership and approved an update of the INC Bylaws and Internal Organization Manual in order to introduce and address the latest legal developments of Foundations law and simplify some of the procedures and structures established in the past.

Board members also reviewed the 2016-2017 Annual Report of Activities, and the actions developed by the different Sub-committees and Ad-hoc Working Groups. In addition, the Board was updated on the preparations for next year’s Congress in Seville and ratified Boca Raton, Florida as the congress site for 2019.

Ambassadors Committee Chaired by Mr. Stephen Meltzer, the Ambassadors Committee met on May 21. A total of 33 ambassadors from 27 countries reviewed the activities of the group towards the promotion of nuts and dried fruits, as well as the INC and the annual congress, in their respective countries. The “Nuts for Gifts” Dissemination Program was presented to the ambassadors so as to promote it and help position nuts and dried fruits as a top-of-mind gift across the globe.

Scientific and Government Affairs Committee The members of the Scientific and Government Affairs Committee met on May 19 to review the activities conducted by the Committee and discuss the most relevant issues of concern over the last year. The Committee discussed topics such as: the European Commission call for data on sorbates and sulphites; custom reclassification of blanched peanuts; duty suspension of dried cranberries; the status of the Fosetyl dossier; INC activities in various Codex Alimentarius Committees; INC cooperation with the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE); US FDA risk assessment on Salmonella in tree nuts and the US Food Safety Modernization Act. World Forum for Nutrition Research and Dissemination The Evaluating Committee of the World Forum for Nutrition Research and Dissemination met on May 19 to review the activities of the Committee and to plan for next year’s program. Chaired by Prof. Jordi Salas-Salvadó, the Committee discussed the work they have done in peer-reviewing project proposals under the INC Research and Dissemination Grants Program. As for next year’s INC Award for Excellence in Research, the Committee will discuss and submit a list of candidates in the coming months.

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Global Inter-Board Cooperation Summit The Global Inter-Board Cooperation Summit was held on May 19. Chaired

by Mr. Antonio Pont, INC Honorary President, the session brought together over 70 delegates to hear a series of presentations by leaders from industry organizations. Nucis Italia, INC NREF, the Australian Macadamia Society, the Almond Board of California, the Chilean Walnut Commission and the Aegean Exporters Association presented projects and initiatives aimed at promoting nut and dried fruit consumption. Presentations are available at nutfruitcongress.org/chennai2017.

Global Cashew Council On May 20, the Board of the Global Cashew Council met in Chennai to discuss budgetary and strategic plans. Chaired by Mr. Ashok Krishen, Board members reviewed and debated the Mid-Term Strategic Plan, the proposed Organization Manual and membership structure, and participants were given an update on the status of current projects.

Macadamia Working Group and Panel Discussion The Macadamia Working Group Meeting and Panel Discussion took place on May 19 as an open forum for the macadamia industry to learn about the work of the group and to exchange views and ideas. Experts from South Africa, Australia and China shared insights into the challenges the producing countries face, as well as production prospects and the drivers of demand.

INC News

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

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INC News

NEW VIDEO-RECIPES ON THE NUTFRUIT & HEALTH BLOG

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new INC Recipe plan has been launched through the INC’s Nutfruit & Health blog. It consists of 48 new recipes including nuts and dried fruits among the ingredients. The recipes have already been produced and the first ones were released in May. They are divided into five categories: appetizers & salads; meat & fish; grains, vegetables & pasta; biscuits & cakes; and desserts.

Eight of these newly-created recipes include an innovative format: along with the text (including the traditional “ingredients” and “how to prepare” sections), they also feature a video showing how the dish is cooked and presented, following the globally popular video-recipe trend.

The other 40 recipes will be published in the usual “picture + text” format.

All 48 dishes will be posted on the Nutfruit & Health blog over the next year and a half, at the rate of approximately 3 per month.

Along with the production and publication of the recipes on the blog, the program also includes an ambitious promotion plan through social media, with sponsored advertisements on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. The goal is to disseminate the properties and gastronomic value of nuts and dried fruits and to give ideas to final consumers so as to encourage their use.

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Statistical Review

WORLD CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION TRENDS

Global Statistical Review July 2017

Statistics are also available at our website www.nutfruit.org

Map shows 5 top producing countries. Other major producers listed below.

Main producing countries

Almonds USA Australia Spain Iran Turkey Tunisia

Greece Chile Morocco Italy Syria

Walnuts China USA Iran Turkey Ukraine Chile France

Moldava India Romania Hungary Italy Georgia Australia

Brazil Nuts Bolivia Peru Brazil

Peanuts China India USA Nigeria Indonesia Argentina

Senegal Vietnam Ghana Brazil Nicaragua

Cashews India Cote dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ivoire Vietnam Guinea¡Bissau Brazil

Tanzania Benin Nigeria Indonesia Cambodia

Dates Saudi Arabia Egypt Iran UAE Pakistan Algeria Iraq

Sudan Oman Tunisia Morocco Libya Israel USA

Hazelnuts Turkey Italy USA Georgia Azerbaijan

Spain France China Iran Chile

Dried Apricots Turkey Iran China USA South Africa Australia

Macadamias South Africa Australia Kenya USA Guatemala Malawi

Brazil China Colombia New Zealand Swaziland

Dried Cranberries USA Canada Chile

Pecans USA Mexico South Africa Australia

Dried Figs Turkey Egypt Iran USA

Greece Spain Italy

Pine Nuts China DPR Korea Pakistan Afghanistan Mongolia

Russia Spain Turkey Portugal Italy

Prunes USA Chile France Argentina

Serbia Australia Italy South Africa

Pistachios USA Iran Turkey Syria Afghanistan

China Greece Italy Australia

Raisins Sultanas Currants USA Turkey Iran China India Chile

Uzbekistan Greece Australia Argentina South Africa

Listed by global production as per FAO but not necessarily meaning quantities going through commercial channels.

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

69

Statistical Review

ALMONDS 杏仁

/ ALMENDRA / AMANDE / MANDORLE / MANDEL / BADEM

USA. Taking into account that weather

AUSTRALIA. Australian almond crop

during the bloom period was very challenging, the subjective estimate for 2017/2018 California crop was recently forecasted at 997,903 metric tons (2.2 billion pounds).

Bearing acres in California have been in steady increase for many years and continue to increase. The last report from the NASS (USDA’s National Agricultural Statistical Service) estimated that there were about 1 million bearing acres (around 400,000 hectares) in California in 2016, up about 80,000 acres (approx. 32,400 ha) from the prior year.

Global shipments (August-May) increased by 20%, up to approx. 544,000 MT (1,217 million pounds) according to the May Position Report of the Almond Board of California. That is about 90,700 MT (200 million pounds) more than the prior year. YTD exports to India grew remarkably by 35%, up to approx. 68,000 MT (147 million pounds, of which 6 million pounds were shelled; 141 million pounds in-shell).

for 2017 is expected to be about 87,000 MT, however harvest was delayed and partly affected by some rains that impacted yields to some extent. Therefore, total production could range between 83,000 to 87,000 MT. Total acreage in Australia is about 36,000 hectares (approx. 89,000 acres) and increasing.

In 2016 there were around 5,000 ha planted.

Between 2016 and 2018 another 15,000 ha will be panted according to Almond Board of Australia, totaling around 55,000 ha (roughly 136,000 acres). Once the 15,000 ha that are likely to be planted start maturing by April 2020-25, they are expected to produce a crop of 130,000 MT. Local consumption has actually gone up significantly compared to the previous years. In 2016 domestic consumption was about 23,000 MT, led by many new product applications and developments and reasonable

price levels. Shipments levels have equaled the consumption growth.

SPAIN. Spain is expecting a crop of around 60,000 MT for the 2017/18 season, 26% over the previous one, a substantial increase and probably one of the best crops in the last 10 years.

Following the major producers trend, acreage in Spain has also been increasing.

Over the last 5-6 years around 100,000 ha were planted. Once they enter into production from this year on, crops in Spain could reach up to 100,000 MT by 2020-25.

The domestic market in Spain is robust.

Consumption is going up for almonds as a snack, and particularly for almond beverage over the last couple of years. In addition, raising consumption of organic almonds is giving the Spanish farmers an alternative to conventional production.

Estimated World Almond Production. Kernel Basis · Metric Tons.

Country USA* (MM lbs)

2016/2017 Beginning Stock

Crop

2017/2018

Total Supply

Ending Stock

Beginning stock

Crop

Total Supply

Ending Stock

412

2,091

2,503

421

421

2,200

2,621

440

186,881

948,672

1,135,552

190,962

190,962

997,903

1,188,866

199,581

AUSTRALIA

1,000

80,140

81,140

1,000

1,000

86,900

87,900

1,000

SPAIN

1,000

45,850

46,850

1,000

1,000

57,750

58,750

1,000

IRAN

0

15,000

15,000

0

0

15,000

15,000

0

TUNISIA

0

15,000

15,000

0

0

15,000

15,000

0

TURKEY

0

13,000

13,000

0

0

13,000

13,000

0

CHILE

0

12,000

12,000

0

0

12,000

12,000

0

MOROCCO

0

11,000

11,000

0

0

11,000

11,000

0

ITALY

0

7,500

7,500

0

0

7,500

7,500

0

GREECE

0

7,500

7,500

1,000

1,000

5,000

6,000

0

OTHERS

0

30,000

30,000

0

0

30,000

30,000

0

188,881

1,185,662

1,374,542

193,962

193,962

1,251,053

1,445,016

201,581

USA* (MT)

WORLD TOTAL

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

1,180,580

*USA crop reflects the estimated 2% Loss & Exempt (L&E) for the crop year.

Source: Almond Board of California, Almond Board of Australia, Greek Nut Association and other INC sources.

70

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

1,243,435

Statistical Review

AMAZONIA (BRAZIL) NUTS 巴西果 / COQUITO DE BRASIL / NOIX DE VRESIL /

NOCE DE BRASILE / PARANUSS / BREZILYA FINGIGI

Amazonia (Brazil) nut production is expected to plunge by 46% compared to the previous season. Shortage of rainfall during the last two years in the Amazon rainforest would allegedly be the cause of this dramatic decline, that is anticipated to affect all the levels of the supply chain.

Prices shot up as a result, reaching over $9 per lb. in May -more than double from the $3.80 per lb. at the beginning of the year.

The indigenous communities that depend on the collection of the nuts went even deeper into the jungle once they realized there was a shortage. Yet gatherers struggled to find the tree nut. On average, the annual production is about 27,000 metric tons (MT), kernel basis.

However, this season the estimate is only 15,000 MT. The crop in Bolivia, the major exporter, is estimated to total about 12,000 MT -half of last season’s total of 23,000 MT. The shortage is feared to have a critical

social impact in the region. It is estimated that Brazil nuts support about 250,000 people in South America.

At an estimated density of roughly 0.8 trees per hectare, gatherers face the challenge of accessing the jungle, vast and difficult to penetrate.

At the World Nut and Dried Fruit Congress, industry experts estimated that Bolivia could potentially produce about 40,000 MT of Brazil nuts.

In the rest of the Amazon jungle (Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela) the crop potential could be about 120,000 MT. On a more positive note, the quality has gotten much better over the last years. Quality Assurance people has helped to implement good practices, hygienic conditions and standards in the countries of origin.

Early indications are that next season’s crop will get back to normal levels.

Estimated World Amazonia (Brazil) Nut Production · In-shell Basis · Metric Tons.

2016/2017

Country

Beginning Stock

BOLIVIA PERU BRAZIL WORLD TOTAL

4,500 450 300 5,250

Crop

2017/2018

Total Supply

69,000 13,050 1,500 83,550

73,500 13,500 1,800 88,800

Ending Stock

Beginning stock

3,000 900 300 4,200

3,000 900 300 4,200

Crop

Total Supply

36,000 8,400 600 45,000

Ending Stock

39,000 9,300 900 49,200

1,500 300 0 1,800

84,600

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

47,400

Kernel Basis · Metric Tons.

2016/2017

Country

Beginning Stock

BOLIVIA PERU BRAZIL WORLD TOTAL

1,500 150 100 1,750

Crop

2017/2018

Total Supply

23,000 4,350 500 27,850

24,500 4,500 600 29,600

Ending Stock

Beginning stock

1,000 300 100 1,400

1,000 300 100 1,400

Crop 12,000 2,800 200 15,000

Total Supply

Ending Stock

13,000 3,100 300 16,400

28,200

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

500 100 0 600

15,800

Source: INC.

Brazil Nut Kernel Price & Crop Size.

DDP $/MT

MT Crop

$21,000

$19,070

$19,000 $17,000

35,000 30,000

$15,000

25,000

$13,000

$11,684

20,000

$10,350

$11,000 $9,000

40,000

15,000

$8,377

10,000

$6,393

$7,000

$8,047

$5,000 $3,000 2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

5,000

$5,650

$3,748

$4,299

0 2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Source: 2017 World Nut and Dried Fruit Congress.

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

71

Statistical Review

CASHEWS 腰果 / ANACARDO / NOIX DE CAJU / ANACARDIO /

CASHWKERNE / CASHEW CEVIZI

In 2017/2018 season, a very good crop is forecast at around 177,000 MT for India. Crops are also expected to grow in Africa, except in Côte d’Ivoire that are anticipated slightly lower (only by 3%) compared to 2016/17. The highest crop declines will presumably occur in Vietnam and Cambodia, reportedly down by 38% and 16% respectively. This year crop shortage in Vietnam is mainly being caused by weather conditions and tea mosquito bug pest.

Vietnam and India currently have the biggest processing capacity. As stated by VINACAS, Vietnam is the leading exporting country and expects to become the top processor in the next few years. Currently Vietnam has more than 1,000 cashew nuts processing units, with a processing capacity of 1.5 million MT of raw cashew nuts (RCN) per year. Imports of RCN from East Africa, namely Tanzania and Mozambique, raised significantly. West Africa and Indonesia are currently processing part of their production as well, spreading its availability through the year.

Cashew prices, relatively stable until the beginning of 2016, raised about 40%. Some of the causes of this increment were attributed to the lower crops in India and Vietnam in 2016/17 season, along with Indian import duties and the consequent decreases in imports which resulted in lesser availability in processing and hence the higher prices per se.

Consumption has been consistent in the US, one of the top cashew consumers, over the middle of 2015 through January 2017. It remains to be seen how the rise in price will impact on the market. In India, biscuit usage and snacking use has decrease mainly because of the sustained high prices. Although consumption in Vietnam is currently only 5% of the total amount processed, they are currently looking to boost consumption locally.

Estimated World Cashew Production. Kernel Basis · Metric Tons.

Country

2016/2017 Beginning Stock

Crop

2017/2018

Total Supply

Ending Stock

Beginning stock

Crop

Total Supply

Ending Stock

INDIA

nil

155,900

155,900

nil

nil

176,700

176,700

nil

COTE D'IVOIRE

nil

167,500

167,500

nil

nil

162,800

162,800

nil

GUINEA-BISSAU

nil

58,200

58,200

nil

nil

60,500

60,500

nil

VIETNAM

nil

93,000

93,000

nil

nil

58,100

58,100

nil

TANZANIA

nil

54,000

54,000

nil

nil

55,800

55,800

nil

NIGERIA

nil

39,600

39,600

nil

nil

44,200

44,200

nil

INDONESIA

nil

27,600

27,600

nil

nil

30,200

30,200

nil

MOZAMBIQUE

nil

24,400

24,400

nil

nil

26,800

26,800

nil

BRAZIL

nil

23,300

23,300

nil

nil

26,700

26,700

nil

BENIN

nil

24,000

24,000

nil

nil

25,600

25,600

nil

BURKINA FASO

nil

17,700

17,700

nil

nil

20,000

20,000

nil

GHANA

nil

16,500

16,500

nil

nil

18,800

18,800

nil

CAMBODIA

nil

19,400

19,400

nil

nil

16,300

16,300

nil

SENEGAL

nil

10,000

10,000

nil

nil

10,500

10,500

nil

GAMBIA

nil

5,900

5,900

nil

nil

6,300

6,300

nil

KENYA

nil

2,200

2,200

nil

nil

2,200

2,200

nil

OTHERS

nil

8,100

8,100

nil

nil

8,100

8,100

nil

WORLD TOTAL

nil

747,300

747,300

nil

nil

749,600

749,600

nil

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock) Source: Global Cashew Council and INC.

72

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

747,300

749,600

Statistical Review

HAZELNUTS

榛子 / AVELLANA / NOISETTE / NOCCIOLA / HASELNUSS / FINDIK

Crop forecasts presented at the World Nut and Dried Fruit Congress estimate the world production of hazelnuts up by 16% this season, to about 992,500 metric tons (in-shell basis).

TURKEY. This year’s bloom in Turkey was promising. The country had a long winter (it even snowed on April 24) causing a 2 weeks delay in crop development, but there was no frost damage. Early indications point to a potential crop of 670,000 MT. The industry will be able to give a more accurate figure by the end of July.

As reported in the last issue, hazelnut prices slid in October-December, and stabilized in January-March at an average of $7.4/kg, coming back to pre-frost levels of 2014. The depreciation of the Turkish lira has also played a significant role.

The number of hazelnut trees has remained stable over the last decade, at an average of 348

million trees (bearing) according to data from the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock.

ITALY. The second producing country and first consumer, Italy, expects a smaller crop of 100,000 MT (in-shell basis), that is, down 23% over 2016/17; consequence of frost damage in early May in Viterbo and Piedmont regions.

New agronomic practices and prices in recent years have encouraged Italian farmers to invest in new plantings. The sector is projecting a potential crop of nearly 220,000 MT by 2027.

Productivity is already improving, in both current and new acreage: the average yield of 2 MT/ hectare has risen to 2.5 MT/ha, and even 3.5 MT/ha in some areas.

GEORGIA. According to the Hazelnut

TURKEY ITALY GEORGIA AZERBAIJAN USA CHILE SPAIN IRAN CHINA FRANCE OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

135,000 15,000 1,000 1,000 0 0 300 500 0 0 0 152,800

USA. Oregon plantings continue to increase.

By 2022, there should be over 24,000 mature hectares and an additional 8,000 harvestable hectares. The industry projects a rapid growth: 104,000 MT (in-shell basis) by 2025.

Processors and Exporters Association of Georgia,

Estimated World Hazelnut Production. In-shell Basis · Metric Tons.

2016/2017 Country Beginning Stock

the forecast for the next crop is 60,000 MT (inshell basis), same as in 2016/17.

Georgia plans to foster hazelnut production and trade, as one of the strategic export commodities of the country. New regulations, certifications and standards remain on the agenda of the Government and the private sector, along with the modernization of the industry and marketing efforts. Changes in technical regulations are already in place. From January 2018 non-certified producers and exporters will not be able to export hazelnuts.

Crop

Total Supply

500,000 130,000 60,000 50,000 39,000 18,000 18,000 10,000 5,500 10,000 15,000 855,500

635,000 145,000 61,000 51,000 39,000 18,000 18,300 10,500 5,500 10,000 15,000 1,008,300

Ending Stock 50,000 20,000 1,000 500 0 0 1,000 500 0 0 0 73,000

2017/2018

Beginning stock 50,000 20,000 1,000 500 0 0 1,000 500 0 0 0 73,000

Crop

Total Supply

670,000 100,000 60,000 45,000 34,000 20,000 19,000 12,000 8,000 4,500 20,000 992,500

720,000 120,000 61,000 45,500 34,000 20,000 20,000 12,500 8,000 4,500 20,000 1,065,500

935,300

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

Ending Stock 50,000 20,000 10,000 0 0 0 1,000 0 0 0 0 81,000

984,500

Kernel Basis· Metric Tons.

Country TURKEY ITALY GEORGIA AZERBAIJAN USA CHILE SPAIN IRAN CHINA FRANCE OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

2016/2017 Beginning Stock 67,500 6,750 500 500 0 0 144 225 0 0 0 75,619

Crop

Total Supply

250,000 58,500 19,000 20,000 15,120 8,100 8,640 4,500 2,500 4,800 6,000 397,160

317,500 65,250 19,500 20,500 15,120 8,100 8,784 4,725 2,500 4,800 6,000 472,779

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

2017/2018 Ending Stock 25,000 9,000 320 200 0 0 480 225 0 0 0 35,225

437,554

Beginning stock 25,000 9,000 320 200 0 0 480 225 0 0 0 35,225

Crop

Total Supply

335,000 47,000 22,800 19,350 14,620 8,800 8,500 5,760 3,360 2,025 8,000 475,215

360,000 56,000 23,120 19,550 14,620 8,800 8,980 5,985 3,360 2,025 8,000 510,440

Ending Stock 25,000 9,400 3,800 0 0 0 450 0 0 0 0 38,650

471,790

Source: Hazelnut Processors and Exporters Association of Georgia, Hazelnut Growers of Oregon and other INC sources.

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

73

Statistical Review

MACADAMIAS

夏威夷果 / MACADAMIA / MACADAMIANUSS / MAKEDEMIA / CEVIZI

AUSTRALIA. In Australia, the 2017 macadamia nut crop has been forecast the same as in 2016, at 48,600 metric tons in-shell (at 3.5% NIS moisture content), slightly down the previous forecast due to several adverse weather, namely Cyclone Debbie in southeast Queensland and the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. The Australian Macadamia Society (AMS) is optimistic about the future crops thanks to the sustained investment into orchards, growth in planting area (1,000 hectares per year) and new measures adopted by farmers over the past five years.

As reported by AMS, Australian kernel sales were steady in the 12 months to March 2017, at just over 10,000 MT. In-shell sales increased significantly, with continued strong demand from China. The domestic market

remained stable and continued to be the single largest market for Australian kernel at 31% of total kernel sales. Sales of kernel to Japan were particularly strong, up 26% yearon-year despite total imports to this market rising by just 1%. Kernel sales to China are increasing, highlighting a steady escalation in opportunities for kernel in this market. Kernel sales to Germany held stable, as did total sales to Europe.

SOUTH AFRICA. Last May, the Southern African Macadamia Growers’ Association completed a round of data collection from approximately 80% of the registered handlers, representing approximately 95% of the macadamia industry’s total production volume. The

updated forecast for the 2017 crop is 41,430 MT in-shell (1.5% kernel moisture content), slightly lower than the previous forecast of 42,000 MT. It is suspected that many new plantings will come into production for the first time, resulting in a slight increase in production from 2016. The macadamia industry is still suffering the effects of a severe drought that led to a crop of 38,000 MT in 2016, compared to 46,000 MT that were produced in 2015.

According to tree sales data received from nurseries, the macadamia industry is still growing rapidly. A total of 1.1 million macadamia trees were sold in South Africa during 2016.

This is the equivalent of 3,538 hectares at a planting density of 320 trees per hectare.

Estimated World Macadamia Production. In-shell Basis · Metric Tons.

Country AUSTRALIA SOUTH AFRICA KENYA USA CHINA GUATEMALA MALAWI BRAZIL COLOMBIA NEW ZEALAND SWAZILAND OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

2016 Beginning Stock 0 3,831 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3,831

2017

Crop

Total Supply

48,600 38,000 27,500 16,800 9,400 9,050 5,452 5,596 1,000 600 110 16,398 178,506

48,600 41,831 27,500 16,800 9,400 9,050 5,452 5,596 1,000 600 110 16,398 182,337

Ending Stock 0 1,880 0 0 300 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2,180

Beginning stock 0 1,880 0 0 300 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2,180

Crop

Total Supply

48,600 41,430 32,000 17,900 12,000 9,450 6,297 4,500 1,000 229 110 19,946 193,462

48,600 43,310 32,000 17,900 12,300 9,450 6,297 4,500 1,000 229 110 19,946 195,642

180,157

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

Ending Stock n/a n/a n/a n/a 340 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 340

195,302

Kernel Basis · Metric Tons.

Country AUSTRALIA SOUTH AFRICA KENYA USA CHINA GUATEMALA MALAWI BRAZIL COLOMBIA NEW ZEALAND SWAZILAND OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

2016 Beginning Stock 0 1,073 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1,073

Crop 15,600 10,640 7,372 4,300 2,632 1,800 1,443 1,500 250 150 26 4,100 49,813

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

2017

Total Supply

Ending Stock

15,600 11,713 7,372 4,300 2,632 1,800 1,443 1,500 250 150 26 4,100 50,886

0 526 0 0 84 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 610

50,276

Source: Australian Macadamia Society, Southern African Macadamia Growers Association and other INC sources.

74

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

Beginning stock 0 526 0 0 84 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 610

Crop 15,600 11,600 8,012 4,700 3,360 1,990 1,659 1,100 250 57 26 4,987 53,342

Total Supply 15,600 12,126 8,012 4,700 3,444 1,990 1,659 1,100 250 57 26 4,987 53,952

Ending Stock n/a n/a n/a n/a 95 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 95

53,857

Statistical Review

PECANS

/ PECANA / NOIX DE PÉCAN / NOCE PECAN / PECANUSS / PEKAN CEVIZI

2017/2018 world pecan production is forecasted at 284,000 metric tons (in-shell basis), approximately a 4% increase from the prior season. 2016/17 ending stocks are expected to be similar to prior year and total supply for 2017/18 to expand approximately 3%. Global consumption for 2017/18 is forecasted conservatively to increase by approx. 3%.

Based on currently planted acres coupled with new and partial bearing acres, global production, considering an average growth of 2-5%, could expand up to nearly 318,000 MT in shell (700 million pounds) by 2020.

Mexico’s crop is showing a slight fall while the US is increasing by 14% up to 136,200 MT. In Mexico and the USA jointly, the projected 2017/18 crop increases by 3%. Nevertheless, it hast to be taken into account that in the United States, pecan grows throughout several

states with varying climates, weather issues and varying stages of maturity. Similarly, in Mexico crop is found also over a broad geographic area. Therefore, it is very early in the crop cycle to get precise estimations.

Some notable crop increases from emerging origins could be expected this season, South Africa up by 37% and Australia by 18%. The Southern African crop is recovering from a three-year drought and is getting back where it should be, although it will take some time for the trees to recover since it has been estimated that about 15 to 20% of the trees have been lost. On the positive side, so far there were good rains and new trees are being planted.

US Crop kernel shipments (October-March) were already around 6,800 MT (15 million pounds) ahead of the prior year and projected to reach about 22,700 MT (50 million pounds)

by the end of the marketing year. Kernel exports are very diversified throughout +32 destinations and are increasing in the majority of them, noticeably in Israel, Germany, South Korea and China. In-shell exports, mainly destined to China, were already 30% up (5,400 MT/12 million pounds) and expected to approach approx. 31,700 MT (70 million pounds). Main South African in-shell export destination is also China.

Recently, the US pecan industry has passed the Federal Marketing Order (FMO) that will allow to promote both agricultural and nutritional research with a focus on marketing.

The main focus in US pecan industry over a 3 to 5-year period is to get a coordinated path where the efforts and the voice of the industry are more in line with each other in order to use and promote pecans.

Estimated World Pecan Production. In-shell Basis · Metric Tons.

Country MEXICO USA SOUTH AFRICA AUSTRALIA OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

2016/2017 Beginning Stock

2017/2018

Crop

Total Supply

Ending Stock

4,535

140,796

145,331

4,500

58,533

119,160

177,693

0

10,080

200

Beginning stock

Crop

Total Supply

4,500

130,617

135,117

3,500

59,000

59,000

136,200

195,200

61,300

10,080

0

0

13,800

13,800

0

2,550

2,750

200

200

3,000

3,200

200

0

1,000

1,000

0

0

500

500

0

63,268

273,586

336,854

63,700

63,700

284,117

347,817

65,000

273,154

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

Ending Stock

282,817

Kernel Basis · Metric Tons.

Country MEXICO USA SOUTH AFRICA AUSTRALIA OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

2016/2017 Beginning Stock

Crop

2017/2018

Total Supply

Ending Stock

Beginning stock

Crop

Total Supply

Ending Stock

2,268

70,398

72,666

2,250

2,250

65,309

67,559

1,750

25,755

52,430

78,185

25,960

25,960

59,928

85,888

26,972

0

5,040

5,040

0

0

6,900

6,900

0

100

1,275

1,375

100

100

1,500

1,600

0

0

500

500

0

0

250

250

0

28,123

129,643

157,766

28,310

28,310

133,887

162,197

28,722

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

129,456

133,475

Source: USDA, SIAP Mexico and other INC sources.

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

75

Statistical Review

PINE NUTS 松子

/ PIÑÓN / PIGNON / PINOLI / PINIENKERNE / ÇAM FISTIGI

Pine nut production is alternate worldwide. The 2017/18 crop season started with less tons than usual. China, the top producer, is forecast to increase its crop by 33% from the previous season, while Russia, with a much lower crop this season, is expected to be down by 67%. Based on the grow of pine trees, at the time this report was written, an average harvest for Chinese red pine kernels could be expected, with a crop of around 4,000 metric tons. On the other hand, due to the low domestic purchase prices for Japanese stone pine, and Chinese pine, which cannot cover the harvest cost, probably there will be no harvest for those varieties at all. In the far eastern region, crop was abundant in 2016, therefore 2017 is anticipated to be a relatively small production year. The production is expected to be 3,000 MT of red pine kernels from Russia, also 3,000 MT from North Korea and 2,000 MT from Mongolia.

Among the Mediterranean Pinus pinea, which represent a smaller quantity, Turkey is progressing pretty well, with a 69% rise foreseen for 2017/18 season, followed by Italy, increasing 50%, and Portugal and Spain with slight fluctuations, but basically in a stable position.

From 2016/17 season crop, special attention should be paid to Mongolia, where pine nut exports were not allowed in the past few years, but due to Mongolia’s big harvest, around 7,000 MT of pine nut kernels were exported to China last year. Afghanistan and Pakistan exported 90% of their production (estimated at 6,000 MT) to China. Russia exports to China reached about 11,000 MT of pine nuts raw basis, which represents around 3,500 MT kernel basis.

In the past, pine nut kernel was used as such, but now there are more usages. In-shell roasted and natural pine nuts consumption is increasing in China. There were 40,000 MT of in-shell pine nuts exported to China last year. Half of them were used domestically as roasted nuts and the other half was processed into kernels, that comes to about 4,500 MT of kernels for export. In Russia, the main usage for pine nut is snacking. It was historically and still used as a snack product. However, new products such as pine nut oil, flour, flakes or beverages are becoming more and more popular.

Estimated World Pine Nut Production. Kernel Basis · Metric Tons.

2016/2017 Country Beginning Stock

Crop

Total Supply

Ending Stock

2017/2018 Beginning stock

Crop

Total Supply

Ending Stock

FAR EAST CHINA AFGHANISTAN PAKISTAN RUSSIA NORTH KOREA MONGOLIA SUBTOTAL

2,650 100 100 50 200 0 3,100

3,000 3,000 3,000 9,000 4,500 7,000 29,500

5,650 3,100 3,100 9,050 4,700 7,000 32,600

7,000 100 100 500 150 0 7,850

7,000 100 100 500 150 0 7,850

4,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 2,000 18,000

11,000 3,100 3,100 3,500 3,150 2,000 25,850

500 100 100 50 50 200 1,000

100 100 40 0 0 240 3,340

650 600 700 375 100 2,425 31,925

750 700 740 375 100 2,665 35,265

100 100 40 55 0 295 8,145

100 100 40 55 0 295 8,145

1,100 900 525 300 100 2,925 20,925

1,200 1,000 565 355 100 3,220 29,070

100 50 40 40 n/a 230 1,230

MEDITERRANEAN (Pinus pinea) TURKEY ITALY PORTUGAL SPAIN OTHERS SUBTOTAL WORLD TOTAL

27,120

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

27,840

Source: China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Foodstuffs, Aegean Exporters Association and other INC sources.

13,444

China. Pine Nut Exports. Metric Tons.

11,579

9,948

9,633 7,873

7,862

10,683

13,770

11,428

7,026

4,194

2006

2007

2008

2009

Source: China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Foodstuffs.

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July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Statistical Review

PISTACHIOS

心果 / PISTACHO / PISTACHE / PISTACCHIO / PISTAZIE / ANTEP FISTIGI

IRAN. 2017/18 Iranian crop is expected to reach 250,000 MT, a 63% rise compared to the 2016/17 season. As usual, carry over from Iran is limited.

The main challenge that the Iranian pistachio faces is water shortage, that is why it was difficult to significantly increase productivity over the last years. Because of water scarcity, yields are around 1 to 2 tons per hectare, which is very low compared to USA levels that average 4 tons/ ha. Some farmers are moving to new areas with more water availability, but it will take at least 10 years for these new farms to start producing.

All in all, pistachio production in Iran is increasing and so are exports. There are more farms under production and there is a growing demand from overseas.

USA. This season 2017/18, world pistachio production is expected to decreased by 170,000 metric tons from last year. This is part due to USA experiencing an off year. US crop is forecasted at 237,000 MT, down 42% compared to the prior season. Anyhow, California

pistachio crop is back on a consistent growth trajectory after overcoming the drought. The acreage continues to grow 5-7% a year, which will translate on average growth in the resulting volume in the coming years.

Currently, main challenges in California for pistachio growers are the increasing production costs, essentially because of increasing labor costs and farm practices restrictions. Water availability is always a concern, although winter was wet this season, which is a very good start.

For the California industry, the crop year 2016 sales are estimated to be over 270,000 MT (600 million pounds). That represents a substantial increase, over double from the previous year.

Drivers for that were that the price level came down along with a larger crop. In crop year 2016, pistachio demand increased in response to these more attractive prices, indicating that the pistachio consumer is responsive to a slightly lower price and also to increased promotion.

TURKEY.

Turkey’s pistachio crop in 2017/18 season is foreseen to decrease, 33% down from the previous season. Also in Turkey, pistachio production is increasing year by year, and bearing acreages are raising as well.

For the Turkish pistachio industry, the main challenges are the agricultural practices. Traditional methods are still being used and mostly under rainfed systems, which affects tree productivity.

Pest control is also a struggle that requires some technology transfer. Currently there are 350,000 ha planted, from which around 200,000 ha are bearing. There is a significant nonbearing acreage to be supported with new technologies in order to improve efficiency per tree.

Domestic demand for pistachios remains strong, especially in the snack market; while exports are more limited and destined to the ingredient market.

CHINA.

The pistachio market in China is increasing year after year. In 2016 up to 104,000 MT of pistachios were imported, near the double of volume compared to that of 2015.

Estimated World Pistachio Production. In-shell Basis · Metric Tons.

Country

2016/2017 Beginning Stock

2017/2018

Crop

Total Supply

Ending Stock

Beginning stock

Crop

Total Supply

Ending Stock

IRAN

17,000

153,000

170,000

5,000

5,000

250,000

255,000

5,000

USA

46,528

409,429

455,957

101,714

101,714

236,735

338,449

53,061

TURKEY

40,000

135,000

175,000

50,000

50,000

90,000

140,000

30,000

SYRIA

0

20,000

20,000

0

0

17,000

17,000

n/a

AFGHANISTAN

0

5,000

5,000

0

0

10,000

10,000

n/a

GREECE

0

4,000

4,000

500

500

4,500

5,000

n/a

ITALY

0

2,500

2,500

0

0

2,250

2,250

n/a

AUSTRALIA

0

2,000

2,000

0

0

1,550

1,550

0

CHINA

210

4,200

4,410

220

220

1,200

1,420

0

TOTAL

103,738

735,129

838,867

157,434

157,434

613,235

770,669

88,061

CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

681,433

682,607

Source: Iran Pistachio Association, China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Foodstuffs, Greek Nut Association, Australian Pistachio Growers Association and other INC sources.

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

77

Statistical Review

WALNUTS 核桃

/ NUEZ / NOIX / NOCE / WALNUSS / CEVIZ

CHINA. At the time of writing this report, the 2017/2018 crop has been forecasted at 880,000 MT (in-shell basis), down by 7% from the 950,000 MT initially forecasted, due to a prolonged drought in some producing areas, as well as the nut bearing cycle per se. Production is projected to increase at least by 5% annually in the next 10 to 20 years. The seedling market is very firm, indicating substantial increase in cultivation.

Consumption increased significantly in the past 14 years and imports raised accordingly, from 2,216 MT in 2006 to 22,770 MT (in-shell) in 2015. In contrast, because of the high domestic consumption, exports of Chinese walnuts kernels dropped by 250% in 2016

compared to 2015. Due to the record crop in 2016, prices dropped by 30%, amounting around 3-3.5 dollars per pound.

Global demand keeps growing both in existing and emerging markets. India is growing 250-280% year over year. Domestic consumption has picked up as well.

USA. There were good rains in California during the first quarter of this year and although still early, a crop up to 636,000 MT is anticipated. Walnut is a growing industry in California, production increased about 200% from 1996 to 2016, shipments expanded by 50% in the past 5 years, up to 236,000 MT inshell equivalent and bearing acreage was raised by 30% from 2006 to 2016 up to 132,000 ha.

Old orchards are being pulled out and new trees are being planted at higher densities.

CHILE. The crop this year is expected to exceed the threshold of 100,000 MT, achieving 105,000 MT, definitely a significant milestone.

The walnut-growing area is about 44,000 ha. and in the next 5 years is expected to expand up to 55,000 ha to reach a crop of 180,000 MT. Chile exported 72,143 MT in-shell walnuts in 2016, with a good demand from Turkey, EU, India and South Korea.

Estimated World Walnut Production. In-shell Basis · Metric Tons.

Country

Beginning Stock

CHINA 40.000 USA 65.669 CHILE 3.000 UKRAINE 5.000 IRAN 0 FRANCE 0 INDIA 0 MOLDOVA 0 TURKEY 3.000 ROMANIA 0 ITALY 0 AUSTRALIA 0 HUNGARY 0 GEORGIA 0 OTHERS 0 WORLD TOTAL 116.669 CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

2016/2017 Crop Total Supply 900.000 618.000 90.000 80.000 90.000 36.000 36.000 34.000 20.000 30.000 15.000 6.500 11.000 5.500 30.000 2.002.000

940.000 683.669 93.000 85.000 90.000 36.000 36.000 34.000 23.000 30.000 15.000 6.500 11.000 5.500 30.000 2.118.669

Ending Stock 40.000 45.000 2.000 2.000 0 2.000 0 0 3.000 0 0 0 0 0 0 94.000 2.024.669

Beginning stock 40.000 45.000 2.000 2.000 0 2.000 0 0 3.000 0 0 0 0 0 0 94.000

2017/2018 Crop Total Supply 880.000 636.000 105.000 110.000 95.000 35.000 35.000 34.000 26.500 30.000 16.500 10.500 11.000 5.500 30.000 2.060.000

920.000 681.000 107.000 112.000 95.000 37.000 35.000 34.000 29.500 30.000 16.500 10.500 11.000 5.500 30.000 2.154.000

Ending Stock 45.540 40.000 1.200 5.000 0 2.000 5.000 0 0 0 0 200 0 0 0 98.940 2.055.060

Kernel Basis · Metric Tons.

Country

2016/2017 Beginning Stock

Crop

2017/2018

Total Supply

Ending Stock

Beginning stock

Crop

Total Supply

Ending Stock

CHINA

17.600

396.000

413.600

17.600

17.600

387.200

404.800

20.038

USA

28.894

271.900

300.794

19.800

19.800

280.000

299.800

17.600

CHILE

1.500

45.000

46.500

1.000

1.000

52.500

53.500

600

UKRAINE

1.667

27.000

28.667

680

680

40.000

40.680

1.786

IRAN

0

39.600

39.600

0

0

38.000

38.000

0

FRANCE

0

16.000

16.000

880

880

17.500

18.380

1.000

INDIA

0

16.000

16.000

0

0

12.000

12.000

1.700

MOLDOVA

0

12.000

12.000

0

0

12.000

12.000

0

1.304

8.800

10.104

1.320

1.320

11.660

12.980

0

ROMANIA

0

10.500

10.500

0

0

10.500

10.500

0

ITALY

0

7.000

7.000

0

0

8.250

8.250

0 100

TURKEY

AUSTRALIA

0

2.900

2.900

0

0

5.250

5.250

HUNGARY

0

3.900

3.900

0

0

3.900

3.900

0

GEORGIA

0

2.000

2.000

0

0

2.000

2.000

0

OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

0

12.000

12.000

0

0

12.000

12.000

0

50.965

870.600

921.565

41.280

41.280

892.760

934.040

42.823

CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

880.285

Source: China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Foodstuffs, California Walnut Board and Commission, ChileNut, Ukrainian Nut Growers Association and other INC sources.

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July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

891.217

Statistical Review

PEANUTS

花生 / CACAHUETE / CACAHUÈTE / ARACHIDE / ERDNUSS / YER FISTIGI

CHINA. 2017/2018 peanut crop in China

there is hardly any exportable peanut to supply to Europe until the end of September/ October when the new crop comes in.

Acreage was rather stable in the past years, but there was a 5% increase in 2017, although yields per acre were lower.

According to recent data presented at the World Nut and Dried Fruit Congress, India exported 725,000 MT of peanut in 2016, predominately to the Asian market, Vietnam, China, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Exports of processed peanuts (blanched peanut and peanut butter) to Europe have increased from 12,000 MT in 2014/15 to 18,000 MT the following year, and 24,000 MT the last financial year.

has been forecasted at 16.5 million metric tons, slightly down (5%) from the previous season. Since domestic demand remains strong, ending stocks are expected to be very low and imports to keep increasing.

INDIA. With very good rainfall so far, this season the crop is expected to increase up to 7.7 million MT, up 42% compared to the prior season. Crop is anticipated to further increase because of new areas of cultivation.

ARGENTINA. At the time of writing this report, the new crop was materializing.

Early forecasts predicted a very good crop, however April rains impacted the southern growing area and a dry period was needed to successfully complete the harvest.

USA. The expectation is that this year’s US crop is going to be 2.8 million MT. Currently,

Estimated World Peanut Production. In-shell Basis · 1000 Metric Tons.

2015/2016 Country Beginning Stock

CHINA INDIA NIGERIA USA INDONESIA ARGENTINA SENEGAL BRAZIL VIETNAM GHANA NICARAGUA MEXICO COTE D'IVOIRE SOUTH AFRICA OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

Crop

843 80 n/a 812 80 5 23 44 52 n/a 14 28 n/a 4 98 2,083

Total Supply

17,366 5,400 3,000 2,579 1,125 1,000 1,000 425 490 440 200 105 90 55 8,200 41,475

Ending Stock

18,209 5,480 3,000 3,391 1,205 1,005 1,023 469 542 440 214 133 90 59 8,298 43,558

2016/2017

Beginning stock

868 200 n/a 739 80 n/a 35 54 50 n/a 20 23 n/a 1 120 2,190

Crop

868 200 n/a 739 80 n/a 35 54 50 n/a 20 23 n/a 1 120 2,190

Total Supply

16,500 7,650 3,000 2,774 1,130 1,125 1,000 520 490 440 200 110 90 70 7,000 42,099

Ending Stock

17,368 7,850 3,000 3,513 1,210 1,125 1,035 574 540 440 220 133 90 71 7,120 44,289

27 300 0 760 85 120 47 159 48 0 26 23 0 13 0 1,608

41,368

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

42,681

Source: United States Department of Agriculture and other INC sources.

US Peanut Supply and Disappearance. 1000 Metric Tons Year Beg. Aug. 1 2014/15* 2015/16* 2016/17** 2017/18**

Beg Stocks 843 953 812 739

Supply Production 2,354 2,722 2,579 2,774

Imports 41 43 57 45

Total 3,237 3,718 3,448 3,558

Domestic Food 1,363 1,426 1,454 1,500

3,577 2,582

2,848 2,388

2,673

2,715

Crush 306 322 366 375

Disappearance Seed & Residual Exports 125 490 458 701 255 635 288 635

3,718 3,190

3,237

Total 2,284 2,906 2,709 2,798

Ending Stock 953 812 739 760

3,448

2,722

2,463

2,579

2,354

3,558 2,774

3,068 1,571

1,666

2,341

1,675

1,886

1,893

1,660

Production

Total Supply 2006/07 2007/08

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15*

2015/16*

2016/17** 2017/18**

(*) Estimated (**) Forecast. Sources: USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Crop Production and Peanut Stocks and Processing,and U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Statistics.

Last update: May 2017

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

79

Statistical Review

DATES / DÁTIL / DATTE / DATTERO / DATTEL / HURMA Total fresh date production for 2017/18 is forecasted at 8 million metric tons, while table date production is expected to reach 970,000 MT, meaning that only 12% of the bulk product will go through the sales market, which is still limited. Therefore, there is a high potential for increasing export volumes.

Asia is the biggest exporter and at the same time, the biggest importer. This, along with the fact that date demand is highly seasonal, is indicating that there is still room for improvement in dates promotion and

commercialization. Also, it is conveying a message that consumers in other regions are not yet well aware of the nutritional value of dates. Moreover, further usage (as dessert, sweet or a snack) is yet to be developed.

Dates offer competitive pricing, from very low to very high price range; are available in a wide variety for different usages and have a long shelf life. Besides, from the food industry stand point, date pieces are used in cereal and puddings; whole dates as a basic ingredient in sauces and vinegar, and date fructose as a sugar substitute.

Estimated World Table Date Production. Metric Tons.

2016/2017 Country Beginning Stock

SAUDI ARABIA IRAN UAE TUNISIA EGYPT ALGERIA IRAQ PAKISTAN ISRAEL OMAN USA MOROCCO SUDAN LIBYA OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

17,000 4,500 8,500 6,500 2,000 5,500 1,500 1,500 2,500 1,500 3,500 1,000 1,000 100 4,000 60,600

Production

Total Supply

200,000 150,000 120,000 100,000 82,000 80,000 45,000 30,000 29,000 20,000 18,000 15,000 9,000 1,000 30,000 929,000

217,000 154,500 128,500 106,500 84,000 85,500 46,500 31,500 31,500 21,500 21,500 16,000 10,000 1,100 34,000 989,600

2017/2018

Ending Stock

Beginning stock

18,000 7,000 6,000 5,000 5,500 6,000 1,500 1,500 4,000 1,500 4,000 1,000 500 100 4,000 65,600

18,000 7,000 6,000 5,000 5,500 6,000 1,500 1,500 4,000 1,500 4,000 1,000 500 100 4,000 65,600

Production

Total Supply

210,000 170,000 115,000 100,000 90,000 80,000 50,000 30,000 30,000 20,000 20,000 15,000 9,000 1,000 30,000 970,000

228,000 177,000 121,000 105,000 95,500 86,000 51,500 31,500 34,000 21,500 24,000 16,000 9,500 1,100 34,000 1,035,600

924,000

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

Ending Stock 20,000 10,000 10,000 5,000 5,000 6,000 3,000 2,000 4,000 1,500 4,000 1,000 500 100 5,000 77,100

958,500

Source: INC. These data concern only dates that have undergone a conditioning and are presented for sale as such. Dates for industrial use or presented for sale in bulk are excluded. Therefore, these data represent only about 12% of world gross production.

DRIED APRICOTS

杏 / OREJÓN / ABRICOT SEC / ALBICOCCA SECCA / GETROCKNETE APRIKOSE / KURU KAYISI

During the last seasons, global dried apricot production was fluctuating due to late spring frosts in the main production regions. However, there were no adverse weather conditions during the last spring, therefore a world production of around 229,500 metric tons is expected, representing a 35% increase from the previous season.

According to recent data presented at the World Nut and Dried Fruit Congress, 122,000 MT of dried apricots were exported in 2016.

Turkey, the major producer, exported 78,858 MT (64% share), followed

by Tajikistan and Uzbekistan with 16,758 MT (14%) and 6,590 MT (5%) respectively.

Estimated World Dried Apricot Production. Metric Tons.

2016/2017 Country Beginning Stock

TURKEY IRAN UZBEKISTAN CHINA AFGHANISTAN SOUTH AFRICA USA OTHERS WORLD TOTAL

5.000 1.000 0 200 0 0 0 2.000 8.200

Production

Total Supply

103.250 15.000 9.000 6.000 3.500 1.500 1.200 30.000 169.450

108.250 16.000 9.000 6.200 3.500 1.500 1.200 32.000 177.650

Ending Stock

WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock) Source: Aegean Exporters Association, Iran Dried Fruit Exporters Association and other INC sources.

80

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

15.000 1.000 0 250 0 0 0 1.500 17.750

159.900

2017/2018 Beginning stock 15.000 1.000 0 250 0 0 0 1.500 17.750

Production

Total Supply

145.000 32.000 10.000 6.000 3.500 1.500 1.500 30.000 229.500

160.000 33.000 10.000 6.250 3.500 1.500 1.500 31.500 247.250

Ending Stock 15.000 0 0 250 0 0 0 3.000 18.250

229.000

Statistical Review

DRIED CRANBERRIES 莓

/ ARÁNDANO / MIRTILLO ROSSO / KEÇIYEMISI

The world sweetened dried cranberries production has increased over the past years at a rate of approx. 9% per annum and is forecasted to reach 200,000 metric tons in 2017/2018 season, up 10% compared to the prior year. Summer is the season of growth; fall is when the berries ripen on the vine; and they will be ready to be picked in September; a more accurate production figure will be available then. Global consumption is expected to grow 8%.

There are about 24,300 ha (60,000 acres) planted worldwide that produce approximately 600,000 MT of raw cranberries.

Estimated World Sweetened Dried Cranberries Production. Metric Tons.

2016/2017 Country Beginning Stock

Production

USA 14,000 145,000 CANADA 2,500 28,000 CHILE 800 10,000 WORLD TOTAL 17,300 183,000 WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

Total Supply

Ending Stock

159,000 30,500 10,800 200,300

13,000 2,200 500 15,700

Beginning stock 13,000 2,200 500 15,700

2017/2018 Production

Total Supply

159,500 30,800 11,000 201,300

172,500 33,000 11,500 217,000

184,600

Ending Stock 14,300 2,420 550 17,270

199,730

Source: INC. The cranberry crop is harvested in the fall. End of year statistics are measured as of August, 31. 2016/17 represents the estimate of production and supply through August 31, 2017.

DRIED FIGS

花果 / HIGO SECO / FIGUE SEC / FICO SECCO / GETROCKNETE FEIGE / KURU INCIR

World dried fig production is foreseen to reach 128,000 MT, slightly down (3%) from the previous year’s. Since it depends on weather conditions during fruit maturity and ripening stage, production and quality could vary until August-early September.

Estimated World Dried Fig Production. Metric Tons.

2016/2017 Country Beginning Stock

Production

TURKEY 0 72,000 IRAN 3,000 22,000 AFGHANISTAN 0 7,000 USA 0 9,000 GREECE 0 7,500 SPAIN 0 5,500 ITALY 0 3,500 OTHERS 0 5,000 WORLD TOTAL 3,000 131,500 WORLD CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

Total Supply

According to data presented at the World Nut and Dried Fruit Congress, total exports amounted 134,148 MT in 2016 with Turkey accounting for 52% of the world share. Imports totaled 144,613 MT in 2016, from which 13% accounted for France and 10% for Germany.

2017/2018 Ending Stock

72,000 25,000 7,000 9,000 7,500 5,500 3,500 5,000 134,500

0 5,000 0 0 0 0 0 0 5,000

Beginning stock 0 5,000 0 0 0 0 0 0 5,000

Production

Total Supply

72,000 18,000 9,000 8,000 7,500 6,000 4,000 3,500 128,000

72,000 23,000 9,000 8,000 7,500 6,000 4,000 3,500 133,000

129,500

Ending Stock 0 1,500 0 0 0 0 0 0 1,500

131,500

Source: Aegean Exporters Association, Iran Dried Fruits Exporters Association and other INC sources.

PRUNES

/ CIRUELA SECA / PRUNEAU / PRUGNA SECCA / BACKPFLAUME / KURU ERIK / PRUNA SECA

As reported by the California Dried Plum Board, 2017/18 US production has been estimated at 95,200 metric tons, more than double from the prior season weather-related short crop. Acreage is in equilibrium, 2% below the previous year, has been estimated at 17,800 bearing hectares (44,000 acres) for 2017.

Estimated World Prune Production. Metric Tons.

2016/2017 Country Beginning Stock

USA 64,830 CHILE 17,853 FRANCE 19,700 ARGENTINA 15,000 SERBIA 4,000 AUSTRALIA 300 ITALY 430 SOUTH AFRICA 0 WORLD TOTAL 122,113 CONSUMPTION (T. Supply - End. Stock)

Production

Total Supply

46,000 70,000 45,000 41,029 9,000 2,600 1,580 1,000 216,209

110,830 87,853 64,700 56,029 13,000 2,900 2,010 1,000 338,322

Chilean production is expected to reach about 76,000 MT this season, with average size and good quality. Argentina’s forecast was drastically reduced to 10,000 MT compared to last crop because of hail and frost damage in January.

2017/2018 Ending Stock 42,000 10,559 11,900 20,829 420 210 315 0 86,233

252,089

Beginning stock 42,000 10,559 11,900 20,829 420 210 315 0 86,233

Production

Total Supply

95,254 76,176 38,000 10,000 8,500 2,750 1,400 1,000 233,080

137,254 86,735 49,900 30,829 8,920 2,960 1,715 1,000 319,313

Ending Stock 64,000 6,000 10,000 2,000 420 210 315 0 82,945

236,368

Source: International Prune Association, California Dried Plum Board, Chile Prunes Association and other INC sources.

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

81

Statistical Review

RAISINS, SULTANAS & CURRANTS

葡萄干 / UVA PASA / RAISIN SEC / UVETTA / ROSINE / KURU ÜZÜM

Forecasted at 1,239,500 metric tons, global production of raisins, sultanas and currants for 2017/18 is expected to remain nearly unchanged (only -3% from the prior season).

In spite of around 14% carry over, world total supply is also foreseen to decreased by 4% this season, down to 1,413,500 MT. World consumption is expected to remain at similar levels to those of the last season.

2017/18 Turkey’s production has been forecasted at 270,000 MT under favorable

weather conditions. According to the DESA/ UNSD United Nations Comtrade Database, Turkey was the world top exporter during 2016 accounting for 236,105 MT, up by 7% from the 220,925 MT exported in 2015. 63% of Turkish exports were destined to Europe.

US production is anticipated to amount 230,000 MT, very close to the previous season production. As reported by Comtrade, 2016 US shipments were registered at 118,785 MT, up by 4% from the 114,226 MT exported during

2015. US main destinations (55% of share) were Japan, Canada, UK, China and Germany.

Some producing countries are expected to significantly raise their production this season: Argentina by 86%, Australia by 42%, South Africa by 27%, China by 23% and Afghanistan by 11%. Argentina is overcoming a low production season in 2016/17 caused by unfavorable weather conditions; this season’s production has been provisionally forecasted between 32,000 and 35,000 MT.

Estimated World Raisin / Sultana / Currant Production. Metric Tons.

Estimated World Raisin/Sultana/Currant Production. Metric Tons.

Country

2016/2017 Beginning Stock

2017/2018

Production

Total Supply

15,000

313,000

328,000

20,000

20,000

270,000

290,000

20,000

145,000

243,000

388,000

100,000

100,000

230,000

330,000

90,000

C

CHINA

8,000

130,000

138,000

2,000

2,000

160,000

162,000

5,000

M

IRAN

10,000

200,000

210,000

40,000

40,000

150,000

190,000

n/a

Y

INDIA

0

135,000

135,000

0

0

135,000

135,000

n/a

CM

CHILE

6,000

60,000

66,000

6,000

6,000

60,000

66,000

6,000

MY

SOUTH AFRICA

0

45,000

45,000

0

0

57,000

57,000

n/a

CY

UZBEKISTAN

0

50,000

50,000

3,000

3,000

50,000

53,000

2,500

CMY

3,000

45,000

48,000

3,000

3,000

50,000

53,000

2,500

K

ARGENTINA

0

18,000

18,000

0

0

33,500

33,500

n/a

GREECE

0

27,000

27,000

0

0

27,000

27,000

n/a

TURKEY USA

AFGHANISTAN

AUSTRALIA TOTAL

Ending Stock

Beginning stock

Production

Total Supply

Ending Stock

0

12,000

12,000

0

0

17,000

17,000

n/a

187,000

1,278,000

1,465,000

174,000

174,000

1,239,500

1,413,500

126,000

1,291,000

CONSUMPTION (T,.Supply - End. Stock)

1,287,500

Source: Aegean Exporters Association, Iran Dried Fruit Exporters Association and other INC sources.

Turkey. 2016 Dried Grape Exports.

Metric Tons

U.S. 2016 Dried Grape Exports.

Metric Tons

15,796 19,669

86,742

23,943

8,650 UK 27%

53,390

9,647 JAPAN 22%

GERMANY 11%

10,301

NETHERLANDS 10%

UK 9%

ITALY 8% 27,148

CHINA 8%

FRANCE 7%

11,185

OTHERS 37% 62,807 Source: DESA/UNSD United Nations Comtrade Database

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July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

CANADA 9%

GERMANY 7% OTHERS 45%

25,614 Source: DESA/UNSD United Nations Comtrade Database

Statistical Review

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Farm to shelf from one quality assured source, there is simply no better way to purchase soft fruits for private label. Delicious as a cooking ingredient or eaten straight from the pack as a highly nutritious snack, our standard and organic apricots, figs, dates and prunes comply with the most stringent food safety standards and are very competitively priced. We also supply bulk dried apricots and figs.

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July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

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GROUNDWATER RECHARGE AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE Introduction Water not only covers 75% of the Earth’s surface, it is also present almost everywhere below ground. Groundwater is widely used in many countries.

It is often the primary source of drinking water, supplying half of the world’s population and contributes significantly to irrigation, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. These regions cover over 30% of the earth’s land surface, so recharging groundwater supplies is essential. This takes place naturally by rain and snow melt, but often this is not adequate. An appropriate analogy for groundwater is that of a savings account. During dry years, the water is withdrawn (pumped) and can be restored with deposits (recharge) during wet years to maintain sustainable groundwater basins. Irrigation has traditionally contributed to recharge; however the use of more precise irrigation methods that improve water use efficiency has reduced groundwater recharge. Artificial groundwater recharge has become increasingly important in some parts of the world (i.e. India) where over pumping by farmers has led to this underground resource becoming depleted1.

The use of more precise irrigation methods that improve water use efficiency has reduced groundwater recharge.

Artificial groundwater recharge has become increasingly important in some parts of the world, where over pumping by farmers has led to this underground resource becoming depleted.

Figure 1

Groundwater is a vital resource of California’s urban, rural and agricultural water users. In an average year, groundwater meets about 40% of the state’s water demand and up to 60% or more during droughts.

California agriculture produces over 30% of the vegetables and over 65% of the fruits and nuts in the US. Spurred by concern over declining aquifers as water users turned to groundwater during California’s most severe drought in history 2011-2016, the state legislature approved the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) in September 2014 to

References 1. Margat J and Van der Gun J (ed). Groundwater around the world. CRC Press 2013.

2. O’Geen AT et al. Soil suitability index identifies potential areas for groundwater banking on agricultural lands. CA Agr. 69(2) 2015.

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Industry News

developed in partnership with Land IQ, a Sacramento based agricultural and environmental research and consulting firm, constitute a highly accurate, orchard by orchard view of the industry. They can be accessed online at Almonds.com/Maps. For added value ABC requested that Land IQ overlay publicly available data publicly, including the Central Valley soil suitability data from U C Davis2 with their almond acreage mapping, in order to create a qualitative index that helps to define the best potential areas for almond groundwater recharge suitability (see Figure 1). They found that 675,000 acres of California almond orchards have moderately good or better soil suitability for groundwater recharge.

ABC then expanded its collaboration with the environmental organization Sustainable Conservation, University of California (Davis) and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab researchers to better understand water movement through the soil, and how floodwater can best be applied in almond orchards without negatively impacting orchard health, crop yields or groundwater quality. Using geophysical imaging Lawrence Berkeley Labs is working to understand subsurface water storage, quality and movement. Now that California has experienced the wettest winter on record (2016-2017) ABC is hopeful to be able to demonstrate, learn and promote recharge as much as we can.

Figure 2

protect water resources. SGMA requires the creation of local agencies by July 2017, based on consensus that management of groundwater is best achieved at the local level. Increasing recharge to aquifers will be critical in many agricultural areas.

What the California Almond Industry is Doing to Capture Excess Water for the Future Almond Board of California (ABC) had already invested in a comprehensive mapping analysis of California almond production. The spatial maps,

As part of the Almond Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategic efforts launched in late 2015, Sustainable Water Resources is an ongoing targeted initiative to explore how to best leverage almond acreage to accelerate natural groundwater recharge of aquifers.

As part of the Almond Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategic efforts launched in late 2015, Sustainable Water Resources is an ongoing targeted initiative to explore how to best leverage almond acreage to accelerate natural groundwater recharge of aquifers. Since these aquifers are the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest water storage system, water recharged through this program would benefit all Californians, not just farmers.

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Industry News

DOMESTIC MARKETING PROGRAM Walnuts are Among the Top Three Foods Consumers Are Most Excited to Try in Meatless Meals

A

ccording to a new U.S. consumer survey conducted by the California Walnut Board1, flavor and texture are the top reasons people enjoy cooking with meat, and the fear of missing that is a barrier to people following a plant-based diet. With rising concerns about nutrition and health, 83% of Americans are open to making meatless dishes, particularly if they have a similar taste or texture to meatcentric dishes. The simple solution is meatless meals that maintain the qualities they enjoy in meat. Consumers today are less interested in

tofu and soy products as plant-based options and instead turn to walnuts, legumes and mushrooms.

Walnuts are an appealing option for their texture (70%), flavor (65%) and nutrients (62%). The California Walnut Board has an assortment of plant-based recipes on walnuts.org to help people easily incorporate more meatless meals into their diet without sacrificing great flavor such as: California Walnut “Meat Free” Bolognese, Roasted Walnut and Cauliflower Tacos, Spinach Lasagna with Walnut Pesto, Walnut “Bean” Burger.

1. The California Walnuts Meat Alternative Survey was conducted by Kelton in April 2017 among a nationally representative sample of 1,048 Americans ages 18 and over.

Celebrating Med Diet Month with Walnuts

M

ay was International Mediterranean Diet Month, and California walnuts were celebrated for their role in this nutritious diet. In partnership with Oldways, a new resource was developed to show Americans how to makeover five traditional meals to follow principles of the Mediterranean diet. Examples include swapping spaghetti and meatballs for pasta puttanesca with mixed olives and walnuts and swapping scrambled eggs and sausage for a frittata with avocado toast. Consumers were also inspired to include walnuts in Mediterranean meals through the efforts of supermarket dietitians and bloggers.

California Walnuts Blogger Program - Fridge-A-Dare Challenge

T

his spring, six U.S. bloggers were challenged to create delicious recipes with walnuts and other items they already had in their fridge. The creativity of these bloggers in this “Fridge-A-Dare challenge” resulted in some innovative recipes including a Spring Mediterranean Couscous and Walnut Salad, Strawberry Milk and Walnut Smoothie, Carrot-Walnut Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting, Toasted Walnut Asian Chicken and Vegetables, Chicken Salad with Walnuts and Grapes, and a Glazed Walnut Butter Cake. Some of these recipes were posted on the U.S. social media channels to increase engagement and awareness of the challenge.

U.S. Advertising Making an Impact

T

he California Walnut Board’s advertising efforts in the U.S. continue working toward the goal of increasing domestic consumption.

These efforts include reaching out to light and nonusers, giving them a reason to purchase. The current advertising campaign is designed to inspire and show new and innovative ways to use walnuts. Building on last

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July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

year’s momentum, the ads focus on showing walnuts integrated into a variety of meal parts, from salads to side dishes to entrees. The advertising on television, online, and in print magazines, paired with our public relations efforts, has had a positive impact on website traffic, retail sales, and U.S. shipments.

Industry News

EXPORT MARKETING PROGRAM The Crunchtastic California Walnut Chocolate Candy 2017

W

ith the goal of increasing walnut use in chocolates, the second edition of our “The Crunchtastic Walnut Candy” competition accepted applications through June 23, 2017 from marketing experts, R&D managers and /or CEOs from chocolate companies, confectionaries

and candy manufacturers. Participants were able to enter their chocolate creations in two different categories: Premium and Retail. Aside from new compositions, it was also possible to adapt existing recipes adding CA walnuts to demonstrate their walnut chocolate candy has the special crunch factor.

Beer and Walnut Pairing at Seoul International Wine & Spirit Show

F

ifteen American Craft Beer Breweries & local agents participated at the 2017 Seoul Wine & Spirit Show (April 27th ~ 29th), the biggest wine/alcoholic beverage trade show in Korea. The California Walnut Commission provided three kinds of flavored walnuts to be paired with distinctive styles of craft beer. Flavors included: (1) Maple & Salt Walnut - suggested beer pairing with stout, dark ale to bring out the caramelized sweetness with a hint of delightful salt (2) "Diablo" Walnut - cayenne pepper, black pepper, and cinnamon have been used to emphasize complex spiciness and

suggested beer pairing with IPA (3) Spicy Cumin Walnut - exotic cumin added intense flavor and suggested beer pairing with Hefeweizen, lager.

Craft beers that were paired with the flavored California walnuts received a lot of interest and compliments from the visitors as well as local importers & distributors of craft beer. The U.S. Pavilion's craft beer and food pairing zone was one of the highest trafficked spots at the trade show, with the intention of inspiring snack manufacturers to consider new uses for walnuts – especially to complement the rapidly growing craft beer market in Korea.

UK California Walnut Website Debuts

I

n April, the CWC launched the official consumer-facing website for California walnuts in the UK – californiawalnuts.uk. The site includes information on the CWC, as well as key health & nutrition messaging, UK-specific recipes and a blog section to keep visitors updated on the latest news, trends and recipe inspiration.

Walnuts Are on the Move – in Bowls

O

n-the-go people need easy to prepare meals for all occasions.

The “take the walnuts in the bowl” recipes recently released in Spain provide easy to make video recipes featuring bright exotic flavors from around the world showing the versatility of walnuts in a variety of cuisines. This new collection of spiced bowls, presented by the California Walnut Commission, are filled with a host of necessary vitamins, minerals and protein to keep you satisfied throughout a hectic, on-the-go day.

Further than just satisfying your taste buds, these recipes are the solution to achieving a healthy, on-the-go lifestyle. With convenient and simple ingredients, these bowls make eating healthy attainable. In addition, curry, Cajun and rosemary California Walnuts will add extra flavor to these dishes with rich texture and flavor.

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

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Industry News

NEW RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS PISTACHIOS MULTIPLE BENEFITS ON HUMAN HEALTH

N

umerous studies have been conducted highlighting a multitude of health benefits from the consumption of pistachios. Here is a summary of studies recently conducted on pistachios:

• Researchers at the Universitat Rovira i Vigili, CIBERDEM, Barcelona Spain and Instituto de Salud Carlos III, in Madrid Spain discovered that pistachio consumption can modify the urinary profile of gut-microbiota related metabolites in subjects with pre diabetes. These changes were in the direction previously observed in studies on the beneficial effect of pistachio consumption on insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes.1 • Eating an additional 20% of energy in the form of pistachios does not contribute to weight gain, or body fat changes, according to a study conducted at the California State Polytechnic University on healthy college aged women. Blood lipids and blood pressure did not change and there was no interference in the absorption of dietary iron or zinc and dietary nutrient intake was significantly improved with the consumption of pistachios.2 • A study to evaluate whether polyphenols in pistachios can inhibit oxidative reactions in vitro and protect against acute inflammation in vivo discovered that pre-treatment with raw pistachios and roasted salted pistachios protected against induced inflammation and reduced markers of inflammation. Parallel evaluation in animals also showed a protection.3 • Studies on pistachios were presented at the Experimental Biology conference in Chicago by the Polyphenol and Health Research Interest Group (PhenHRIG).

»» The antioxidant properties of pistachios polyphenols in raw and roasted, salted pistachios were studied to observe the effect on reperfusion injury in an animal model with diabetes. (Reperfusion injury is the free radical damage to tissues throughout the body that can occur when blood flow is restored after a heart attack.)

The results suggest that pistachios may help to improve the inflammatory process associated with reperfusion injury. The data contribute to a better understanding of the benefits associated with pistachio consumption.”4 »» In an animal study, pistachio consumption alone or mixed with other nuts significantly decreased triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, oxidative stress, and increased total antioxidant capacity compared to the control group not consuming nuts.5 »» Consumption of nuts (pistachios, walnuts, almonds) increased some parameters of brain wellness (neuroelectrical activity, EEG brain state function modulation).6

References 1. Hernandez-Alonso P, Canueto D, Giardina S, Salas-Salvado J, Canellas N, Correig X and Bullo M., Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry 45 (2017). 2. Burns-Whitmore B, Bushnell AH, Towne AH, Roy S, Hall LM, Food Nutri J: 2017. 3. Paterniti I, Impellizzeri D, Cordaro M, Siracus R, Bisignano C, Gugliandolo E, Carughi A, Esposito E, Mandalari G, Nutrition 2017 4. Paola RA, Fusco R, Gugliandolo E, Coampolo M, Carughi A, Mandalari G, Cuaaocrea S, FASEB J April 2017. 5. Groven SL, Corwin C, Marx A et al. FASEB J April 2017. 6. Berk L, Lohman, Bains G et al. FASEB J April 2017

UNITED STATES PISTACHIO UPDATE

W

ith a record 2016 crop of 903,138,501 million pounds (410.518 metric tons), shipments have also been moving at a record level. Thus far, shipments since the beginning of the crop year, that started September 2016 through the end of April 2017 have been 449,913,220 million pounds (204.506 metric tons), which has set a new record. Nearly 71 percent of total shipments have been exported outside the United States. China and Hong Kong have taken over 169,389,000 million pounds, which represents 50 percent of the total amount of exports, which is also a new record.

With such a large crop produced in 2016, growers naturally expect a smaller crop to be produced in 2017. Typical “off” or low year production has averaged 65-75% of the “on” or high year crop. Therefore, just by doing the calculations, U.S. pistachio growers could expect a 2017 crop that could range between 587 to 677 million pounds (267.000-308.000

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July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

Richard Matoian American Pistachio Growers

metric tons). Of course, as we get closer to the nut fill period, growers will have a much better idea of whether the actual number of pistachios will be higher or lower.

Industry News

PISTACHIOS FUEL DIETITIANS AT CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF DIETETICS ANNUAL CONFERENCE

T

his past April, over 500 Registered Dietitian Nutritionists, Diet Technicians and nutrition students gathered in Sacramento, CA for the California Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Annual Conference (CANDAC.) Each year, CANDAC is an opportunity for nutrition professionals working in healthcare, universities, research, retail grocery and the food industry to discuss the science, policy, and best practices that promote healthy lifestyles through food and nutrition.

The Pistachio Health Institute (PHI) had a strong presence throughout the three-day event to provide support for the nutrition and health experts attending lectures, exhibits and information sessions that aligned with one central theme: shaping the future of a healthier California. By sharing culinary applications, the latest pistachio health research and nutrition resources, the PHI fueled the bellies and brains of CANDAC attendees and speakers.

Culinary Creativity

P

istachios were a welcomed snack in goodie bags which greeted the hungry health professionals on day one. The snacks served as the perfect appetizer to kick off the California Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Awards Ceremony farm-to-table style lunch. The ceremony recognized influential Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics leaders for their efforts in the nutrition and health community. The lunch closed with a vegan dark chocolate and pistachio layered pudding for dessert. The decadent yet healthy treat was made with avocado, cocoa and bananas layered with pistachios for a delicious and colorful crunch.

The PHI continued to provide culinary inspiration in the exhibit hall. Recipes such as pistachio basil pesto and penne with pistachio red pepper sauce were also shared, providing creative pistachio-centric takes on classic dishes.

Attendees commented that although they love pistachios as a favorite snack, they were excited to add pistachio recipes to their repertoire and they looked forward to creating more composed dishes with the green nut. The PHI demonstrated the various culinary uses of pistachios, which fits into the growing trend of incorporating cooking skills into nutrition practice.

Nuts for Nutrition

T

he overarching conference focus on building a healthier future provided the perfect platform for the Institute to share health messaging for pistachios including mindful eating and good nutrition. The PHI aimed to provide nutrition professionals and students with the knowledge, tools and resources they need to educate their clients, patients, consumers and peers.

The PHI was excited for the opportunity to support the influential nutrition professionals that make up the California Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. From research and recipes to sharing a snack, pistachios were a delicious and healthful contribution to this year’s CANDAC and one that will make a lasting impression on how we continue to shape a healthier California and beyond.

Pistachio Health Institute

P

istachioHealthInstitute.org is the leading online source of information on the health and nutrition benefits of pistachios for both consumers and health professionals. It houses a comprehensive research library, with research updates and information from leading experts in the field of health and nutrition, including the Health Nut blog, Ask Our Expert section, and educational materials. The Institute is committed to advancing

the understanding of the health benefits of pistachios, and continues to invest and support research at leading institutions around the world. “Like” Pistachio Health Institute on Facebook and follow @PistachioHealth on Twitter. For more information about the health benefits of pistachios, please visit www.PistachioHealthInstitute.org.

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

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Industry News

COMMERCIAL CHEFS BECOME IMMERSED INTO THE WORLD OF PECANS The National Pecan Shellers Association hosted multiple educational and interactive programs among renowned Research and Development chefs.

T

he Pecan Chefs Summit, a series committed to immersing Research and Development chefs into the world of pecans, was created and implemented by the National Pecan Shellers Association (NPSA). Chefs experienced the flavors, food pairings and uses of innovative pecan products such as pecan pieces and halves, meal, flour and oil in state-of-the-art facilities with the finest industry talent.

“The NPSA has taken the initiative to bring in some of the top chefs from around the United States to develop commercial applications for pecan products,” explains Bruce Caris, Chief Operating Officer of Green Valley Pecan Co. and President of the NPSA. Throughout the series, nationally acclaimed chefs and industry influencers participated in the pecan culinary events representing companies such as Aramark, Baskin Robbins, Bloomin’ Brands (Outback Steakhouse), Cinnabon, Sysco, US Foods, and more.

Through interactive cooking experiences and educational sessions, culinary experts learned to differentiate the texture and flavor profiles of various pecan products. Attendees gained valuable insights into preparing dishes with pecans through recipe development sessions, hands-on cooking challenges, and collaborating with like-minded chefs.

Veggie Burguer

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July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

From pecan pieces and halves, to pecan meal, flour and oil, the chefs created recipes that incorporated these ingredients into salads, soups, appetizers, entrees, sides and desserts. An assortment of these recipes can be found on the NPSA website at www.ilovepecans.org/recipes/ including appetizers (smoked trout, snack mix) salads (romaine, layered mason jar salad); soups (gumbo, Thai red curry); entrees (veggie burger, steak, salmon); sides (mac & cheese) and desserts (pecan pie – of course – cookies, chocolate mousse).

“The concept of the Pecan Chefs Summit is to bring together top chefs from nationally renowned brands representing food service companies, hotels, major chain restaurants and even bloggers to experience first-hand the versatile properties of pecans for recipe development and commercial applications,” explains Diane Jackson, Communications Director for Kellen, NPSA’s marketing and management firm. “We are pleased to leverage our firm’s 50-plus years of expertise and relationships in the food industry to bring together powerful brands such as Aramark, Cinnabon, and PeachDish (new home delivery meal kits),” Jackson said. “The Summit’s innovative approach to creating awareness and product development is sure to stimulate more interest and growth in the pecan market,” she added.

“The Pecan has a very special story in the fact that it is the highest of all the tree nuts in antioxidants.

Antioxidants are healthy nutrients that help us fight disease,” reports Carolyn O’Neil, M.S., R.D., noted nutrition expert, award winning food writer and author of Southern Living’s bestselling Slim Down South Cookbook: Eating Well and Living Healthy in the Land of Biscuits. Carolyn goes on to say “Save money with pieces. There’s absolutely no reason to buy the pretty, perfect pecan halves and then chop them up for a recipe. You can start with the pieces.

They are just as delicious, fresh and nutritious, and more economical.”

Adam Dolge, Test Kitchen Recipe Developer with Time Inc. Food Studios, the premiere location which hosted the 2017 event said, “Something I learned from this experience was some of the health benefits of pecans. I've always known that

they were considered a good source of protein in moderation, but I was interested to know that they have antioxidant qualities. My experience as a recipe developer here has been very interesting.

It's challenging because we are juggling 12 different brands so we can do anything from healthy cooking with Cooking Light or Health Magazine to more indulgent food with Southern Living and Coastal Living.”

Chef Josh Butler of US Foods describes, “I feel that by attending the Pecan Chefs Summit I was able to learn about the nutritious benefits, multiple varieties and the multitude of pack sizes of pecans. It was also great meeting other chefs in the corporate world who all shared the very unique experience. I will be sharing the amazing benefits and wide diversity of pecans with the US Foods team of chefs and developers.”

Chef Leif Benson, chef for Oregon’s Department of Agriculture, created a new recipe on behalf of the NPSA - the Ultimate Veggie Burger - using pecans, onions, garlic and mushrooms.

It has been very well received among top R&D professionals, who create new menu items for corporations and restaurants nationwide.

Seth Freedman, Culinary Director of PeachDish, voted by Forbes magazine as one of the Best Meal Kit Delivery Services in the United States, describes, “This has been an incredible experience. We've learned so much about pecans, all the versatile things that we can do with them in the kitchen. I've had a ton of fun playing with these recipes and trying to figure out new ways to incorporate pecans into my dishes.”

Ways to Incorporate Pecans into a Healthy Lifestyle Pecans are easy to add to your eating plan; simply grab a handful! Pecans are healthy and delicious, and just a one-ounce serving (15-20 pecan halves) packs more than 19 vitamins and minerals, fiber and protein to keep you going. They’re a perfect snack for both children and adults.

Industry News

WE ARE

PRUNES WALNUTS FROM CALIFORNIA GROWER OWNED COMPANIES

SINCE 1991

SINCE 1886

Sacramento Packing, Inc. 833 Tudor Road, Yuba City, CA 95991, USA (530) 671-4488 P | (530) 671-7841 F www.sacramentopacking.com

Valley View Packing 7547 Sawtelle Ave, Yuba City, CA 95991, USA (530) 673-7356 P | (530) 673-9432 F www.valleyviewpacking.com

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

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Industry News

NEWS FROM THE INC NUTRITION RESEARCH & EDUCATION FOUNDATION (INC NREF)

By Maureen Ternus, M.S., R.D. INC NREF Executive Director

N

ew research on the health benefits of nuts was highlighted at the recent Experimental Biology meeting held in Chicago, Illinois, April 22-26th. Over 20 abstracts on nut research were presented either orally or as posters. The abstracts represented various nuts including almonds, pecans, pistachios and walnuts. Some of the abstracts and references are listed below.

ALMONDS 12 Weeks of Eating Almonds on Cognitive Function and Cardiometabolic Biomarkers - A Study Protocol. A.M. Coates, S. Morgillo, C. Yandell, A. Scholey, J.D. Buckley, A.M. Hill; Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity, University of South Australia.

Background: It is widely accepted that mood and mental functioning is linked to nutritional status, with growing evidence to support a role for tree nuts improving cognitive function and/or limiting cognitive decline. Objective: To examine effects of eating almonds for 12 weeks compared with control snack foods on cognitive function and biomarkers of cardiovascular and metabolic health.

Experimental Design: Overweight/obese participants (target n=150) aged 50-80 years without mild cognitive impairment or depression will be recruited to participate in a randomized controlled parallel study. Habitual diets will have 15% of energy replaced with either almonds or energy matched snack foods (potato chips and cookies). At baseline and after 12 weeks, fasted assessments will be completed for multiple cognitive domains (memory, speed of processing, executive function), cardiovascular risk factors (blood pressure, arterial compliance, blood lipids) and metabolic biomarkers (body composition, glucose regulation and inflammation). Dietary compliance and weight stability will be assessed every 3 weeks and diet and activity profiles monitored through weighed foods diaries and activity diaries. Results: Sixty-one participants have enrolled to date (28M:33F) of whom 30% are on cholesterol lowering medication and 11% are on antihypertensive medication. The participants have a mean age 65± 8years, BMI 29.8 ± 3.6kg/m2, waist circumference 101 ± 11cm and SBP/DBP 132 ±14/ 76 ±8 mmHg. Participants have remained relatively weight stable (average change 0.4 ± 1.1 kg). Snack foods have been well tolerated with excellent compliance (>95%) in both groups. Discussion: The intervention has been well tolerated and will provide information on the potential benefits of almonds for cognitive function and cardiometabolic health. Funding from the Almond Board of California Effects of Almond and Cocoa/Dark Chocolate Consumption, Alone and in Combination, on 24-hr Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Normotensive Overweight and Obese Individuals, C.E.

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By Maureen Ternus, M.S., R.D., Executive Director

Berryman, Y. Lee, S.G. West, K.G. Lapsley, A.G. Preston, J.A. Fleming, P.M. Kris-Etherton, Penn State University, The Hershey Company, Hershey, PA; Partial funding from the Almond Board of California.

PECANS Eight Week Dietary Intervention of the Effect of Pecans on Cardio-Metabolic Parameters: Body Composition, G. Huebner, D. Swope, R. Brannan, S. McCormick, M. Morgan-Bathke, K. Gibson, Viterbo University, La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA. Funding by the Texas Pecan Growers.

PISTACHIOS The Antioxidant Activity of Pistachios Reduces Cardiac Tissue Injury of Acute Ischemia/Reperfusion (I/R) In Diabetic Streptozotocin (STZ)-Induced Hyperglycaemic Rats, R. Di Paola, R. Fusco, E. Gugliandolo, M. Campolo, A. Carughi, G. Mandalari, S. Cuzzocrea. Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.

Diabetes mellitus represents one of the most important risk factors for the development of heart pathology. By itself it represents a source of vascular and heart dysfunction through formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and can compromise the recovery from cardiovascular diseases. Myocardial infarction is the leading cause of death occurring after prolonged ischemia of the coronary arteries. Restoring blood flow is the first intervention after a heart attack, although the process of restoring blood flow to the ischemic myocardium could induce additional injury. This phenomenon, termed myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (MI-R) injury, is characterized by the formation of oxygen radicals. Pistachios are excellent sources of antioxidants, such as lutein, β-carotene, and γ-tocopherol in addition to selenium, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidins. Pistachios have important glucose- and insulin-lowering effects and can improve the inflammatory profile by downregulating both the expression and the circulating levels of several metabolic risk markers. The present study evaluates the antioxidant properties of pistachios treatment on the inflammatory process associated to myocardial ischemia/ reperfusion injury (I/R) in diabetic rats. Left anterior descending (LAD) ligation has been used to induced MI-R injury in diabetic rats.

Occlusion of coronary artery was prolonged for 30 min followed by 2

Industry News

h reperfusion. Rats were pre-treated with either raw or roasted salted pistachios (30 mg/kg) 18h prior to the experimental procedure.

Here we demonstrated that treatment with raw pistachios reduced myocardial tissue injury, neutrophil infiltration, adhesion molecules, P-selectin expression, pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-1β production, nitrotyrosine and PAR formation, NF-kB expression and apoptosis activation. The effect of raw pistachios was higher compared with roasted pistachios. This data clearly showed a modulation of the inflammatory process, associated with MI-R injury, following administration of pistachios. Funding by the American Pistachio Growers (CA, US).

WALNUTS Impact of walnut supplementation on dietary change for weight loss, E. Neale, L. Tapsell, M. Batterham, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia.

Background: Weight gain is a consequence of total energy intake, but at the population level, consuming foods, such as nuts appears inversely associated with increasing weight. The reasons for this are unclear, but they could be examined in the context of dietary advice for weight loss. In this study, we hypothesized that including walnuts in dietary advice influenced other food choices and overall weight loss. Objective: To examine the impact of consuming walnuts in a weight loss intervention on body weight and consumption of key foods. Methods: To examine the impact of actual walnut consumption, data from the intensive phase of the HealthTrack lifestyle intervention trial was analyzed. A per protocol analysis was conducted excluding non-compliers to supplementation.

Participants were overweight and obese adults (25-54yrs) from the Illawarra region of NSW, Australia. Participants were randomized to receive either general dietary advice (usual care, C), individualized dietary advice (intervention, I), or individualized advice including a supplement of 30g walnuts/day (IW). Changes in body weight, and intake of key foods were compared between study groups.

Results: Data was available on n=263 participants with n=74 who were compliant to the walnut supplementation. Walnut consumers achieved the greatest weight loss (IW: -2.45kg, I: -2.00kg, C: -1.60kg. Weight loss was significantly greater in the IW group than C. IW also reported significantly greater increases in intakes of fruit products and dishes and decreases in intakes of discretionary foods/ beverages than C. Conclusions: In addition to individualized dietary advice, consuming 30 grams walnuts/day may lead to greater weight loss and more favorable changes in food choice. Partial funding by the California Walnut Commission.

Walnut Phenolic Extracts Induced Metabolic Reprogramming in Colon Cancer Stem Cells by Reinforcing the Mitochondrial Function: From RNA-seq to Mitochondrial Stress Test, J. Choi, P.-K. Shin, Y. Kim, S.-W. Choi, CHA University.

Effects of Pre-dinner Snack on Cafeteria Meal Choice and Nutrition Quality in College Freshman, H.J. Scott, M.B. Hoppe, S.A. Schmitz, A.C. Eastep, P.L. Sebranek, S.E. Kern, I.E. Horwath, T. Wilson, Winona State University; Funding by the California Walnut Commission.

Daily Walnut Consumption Improves Metabolic Syndrome Status in Korean Adults, H. Park, E. Song, Y. Liu, Y. Song, H. Hwang, H.-S. Kim, ICAN Nutrition Education and Research.

A Year-long Trial to Examine the Effects of a Daily Dose of Walnuts on Cardiometabolic Risk Markers in an Elderly Population, A.A. Abdrabalnabi, E. Bitok, S. Rajaram, N. Rizzo, and J. SabatĂŠ, Loma Linda University.

Effect of a pre-dinner snack in buffet meal caloric consumption in college freshman, H.J. Scott, M.B. Hoppe, S.A. Schmitz, A.C. Eastep, P.L. Sebranek, S.E. Kern, I.E. Horwath, T. Wilson, Winona State University.

Once these studies are published the full abstracts will be available on the INC NREF website at nuthealth.org. For more information on any INC NREF project please contact Maureen Ternus at maureen. ternus@nuthealth.org.

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Industry News

CALIFORNIA PRUNES HELP JAPANESE FOOD AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY PREPARE FOR THE 2020 TOKYO OLYMPICS

T

he number of foreign visitors from around the world to Japan has been increasing at a rapid rate in recent years, exceeding 10 million in 2013, and reached 24 million in 2016, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. In addition, the Japanese government has set goals of "40 million international visitors in 2020” and “8 trillion yen in spending by these visitors.”

With just three years to achieve these goals, while international interest in Japan is expected to continue to grow leading up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Japan Tourism Agency says that the government is making efforts to establish Japan as “a world-class tourist destination,” by making the most of a diverse natural environment, a rich history and culture, seasonal diversity, and world-class cuisine.

Rachel Nelson, Director of the U.S. Agricultural Trade Office in Tokyo, produced the “Special Menus Guidebook”, introducing twelve types of special menus. California prunes are recommended as an ingredient in all twelve.

Link to the Guidebook: http://www.myfood.jp/book/special_ menus_guidebook.html

Rachel Nelson, Director of the U.S. Agricultural Trade Office in Tokyo, says, “Our research in 2015 shed light on concerns held

by Japanese hotels and restaurants for various

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special dietary needs of foreign visitors.” In an attempt to help these industries cope with their growing needs, they are utilizing expertise in diverse food styles their U.S. counterparts, being a nation of immigrants, have cultivated over the years. Director Nelson and her team produced a “Special Menus Guidebook”, introducing twelve types of special menus with detailed explanation on each specific requirement, recipes, and easy-to-use “pictograms” for communicating with nonJapanese speakers.

California prunes were one of the main items recommended as an ingredient for all twelve types of special menus in the Guidebook. At a seminar held in Tokyo to launch the Guidebook, more than 250 Japanese food and hospitality professionals learned new ways of using California prunes for special menus, and tasted “California Prune Energy Balls,” which qualified in ten special menu categories: Vegetarian, Kosher, Halal, Buddhist, Hindu, Raw Food, Gluten-Free, Low Carb, Paleo, and Low Sodium. Most participants responded positively to the seminar and said they would like to learn more, as good eating experience is no doubt crucial to their guests’ satisfaction, and thus success of their business nearing 2020 and beyond.

Reiko Hashimoto RD, is another person who felt the need for the Japanese to prepare special menu requirements leading up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. As a member of international associations of sports dietitians such as SCAN (Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition) and PINES (Professionals in Nutrition for Exercise & Sports), Ms. Hashimoto, who has experience in giving nutrition advice to a Japanese Olympian, admits that sufficient information on various dietary needs of athletes from participating countries has yet to be shared among those hosting athletes in Japan. Thus, she has started giving lectures and holding seminars on the dietary needs of foreign athletes for Japanese hospitality industry members, regional governments

(hosting pre-2020 Game training camps), and nutrition specialists, while serving as a nutrition advisor to top athletes in professional sports.

California prunes are one of the items Ms. Hashimoto recommends as a snacking choice for athletes. She says, “In addition to dietary styles, their religion, ethnicity, food culture, and eating habits, athletes need carbohydrates which provide an important supply to fuel their training program and optimize the recovery of muscle after workouts.

Nutrition Seminar for Top Athletes of the Future.

More than 180 towns, cities and prefectures across Japan have already registered to be included in the pre-2020 Game training sites. As members of the host country, Japanese athletes, their families, and other sports community members are, of course, busy preparing themselves for the 2020 Olympics and beyond. Considering the increased awareness of the importance of sports nutrition, the “Nutrition Seminar for Top Athletes of the Future,” a series of seminars that the Japan Dietetic Association held in 12 cities last year was flooded with applications.

The Association immediately expanded a capacity of 1,200 to accommodate a total of 1,700 participants, with 900 more on a waiting list. The California Prune Board supported the seminars and offered samples of prunes as a pre- and post-workout snack. The seminars will be held again this year in twelve Japanese cities, and California prunes will again be distributed as a healthy snacking choice for athletes.

Industry News

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Industry News

NUTS FOR LIFE INDUSTRY UPDATE Nuts for Life has had a busy first half of 2017 with our #nuts30days30ways social media campaign in March, ending with the Australian Nut Conference in Melbourne where Professor Jordi Salas-Salvadó presented on the PREDIMED Mediterranean diet. This was followed by a Nuts for Life trade exhibition at the 5 day World Congress of Public Health and The Storehouse Nuts for Life Nutrition Blogger awards concluding in April. #nuts30days30ways - A Nut Fest over March 2017

What better way to get Aussies to eat more nuts than running a month long social festival of nuts. Nuts for Life ran #nuts30days30ways for the second year over March 2017. Its aim was to inspire Aussies to eat at least 30grams of nuts a day, as a snack or as ingredients in meals, to kick start a daily nut eating habit and increase nut consumption.

This year we invited Libby Babet – the newest trainer on Channel Ten’s Biggest Loser TV program – to be our fitness professional ambassador. Libby provided regular blogs and social posts over the month. We also developed an animated video using Libby’s image on Nuts – the perfect training partner currently playing on www.nutsforlife.com.au home page.

Our 2017 branded collateral featured the seasons’ bright fitness fashion colours and included • An 8 page inspirational booklet, • A “build your own social post pack” with campaign logos/banners • A dedicated website page www.nutsforlife.com.au/media/nuts30days30ways Health media packs with nuts jars and materials were distributed to 30 key health media and a nut research media release distributed to another 100 on our media list. Regularly eDMs were distributed to our media list, Storehouse members list and NutENews email newsletter database of 3000 health professional subscribers.

Every day in March we tweeted and posted to our Nuts for Life socials (twitter, facebook and instagram) and shared all the posts generated by our target audiences.

We utilise our professional networks to garner support: seeking posts from Australian Nut Industry, other food industries and companies, health organisations, charities and health professional bodies as third party endorsers to help spread the word far and wide.

Overall this activity activated all our Nuts for Life target audiences from health professionals and health media to public health organisations, the Australian Nut Industry and other food industries including: • 18 Nuts for Life contributor companies and organisations including Almond Board of Australia, Australian Macadamia Society, Almond

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July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

Co, BrookFarm, Charlesworth Nuts, Chestnut Australia, Duck Creek Macadamias, JCs Quality Foods, Macadamia House, The Nut Shop, Paton’s Macadamias, Royal Nut Company, Select Harvest – Lucky Nuts, Stahmann Farms, Suncoast Gold Macadamias, Trumps – My Organics and Earth’s Bounty, Walnuts Australia.

• 15 other horticultural and food industries e.g. Australian Mushroom and Papaya Industries, Australian Eggs, Dairy Australia, Grains and Legumes Nutrition Council, Kellogg Australia, Edgells Australia, Carmen’s Kitchen to name a few.

• 10 Health and Community organisations e.g. Sports Dietitians Australia, Dietitians Association of Australia, Department of Health Western Australia, Diabetes Australia, Coeliac Australia, Country Women’s Association, Australian Traditional Medicine Society.

• Some 30 dietitians and other health professionals who regularly posted during March.

Overall together we generated 740 traditional and social media clips a total reach of 4.56 million over 30 days in March. That’s a whole lot of nut

Industry News

fun, information, myth busting, recipes and tips.

We use Klout Score to measure our total online influence and our Klout Score peaked at March 30th with 64.85 - the highest Klout Score we have ever achieved.

A big thanks to the Nuts for Life Contributor companies and organisations that supported the campaign via donating product for the nut hamper prizes, shared during our weekly photography competition. It was also great to see so many of our Nuts for Life contributors participating in the month generating social posts and sharing them. Thanks also to our international friends, including the INC, for getting involved and taking #nuts30days30ways global.

Image: Nut hamper prizes

Image: Winners

Australian Nut Conference Media Activity March 27-29 The last few days of #nuts30days30ways coincided with The Australian Nut Conference in Melbourne. With support from the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council we were able to bring to Australia Professor Jordi Salas Salvado, Principal Researcher of PREDIMED Mediterranean Diet study to present PREDIMED in the health session along with Professor Catherine Itsiopoulos from LaTrobe University speaking on her Australian Mediterranean diet research and Professor Katie Allen from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute on nut allergy.

Our media program with Professor Jordi was disrupted by the appearance of Cyclone Debbie in northern New South Wales and its media

coverage but we did generate 20 traditional and social media clips reaching 5.6 million.

This included radio stations 2SM and 2UE talk back radio, and Professor Jordi and Lisa Yates enjoyed a fun 25 minute radio interview with 3AW answering questions from callers. A news. com.au article was also syndicated to nine major metropolitan newspapers online.

The social media coverage of #AusNut2017 reached 197,852 people, more than tripling the 2015 Australian Nut Conference reach with 984,896 impressions.

General Level Health Launch At the Australian Nut Conference Nuts for Life, Chair Chris Joyce launched the general level health claim that nuts contribute to heart health without weight gain.

It has been a long term goal of Nuts for Life to develop a health claim for use on package and in other advertising forms so it is very exciting for Nuts for Life to finally see this come to fruition.

We utilised a Schedule of the Australian New Zealand Food Standard Code (ANZFSC) which allows for self substantiation of general level health claims using a FSANZ prescribed method for assessing research that uses Health Canada tools. We asked researchers affiliated with the University of Wollongong to conduct the Systematic Literature Review that underpins the claim. Then we worked with the NSW Food Authority, that is responsible for enforcing the ANZFSC, to ensure our documentation and wording conditions for the claim were acceptable.

We are currently finalising our licensing agreement so Nuts for Life contributors will be able to start using the claim on pack.

World Congress of Public Health Melbourne April 2-7 Following the Australian Nut Conference Nuts for Life remained in Melbourne for this large public health congress. This event attracted around 2700 delegates from all over the world. We distributed 2100 handfuls of nuts over 4.5 days.

Our goal was to get delegates thinking about “why don’t health professionals recommend nuts with the same enthusiasm as vegetables?” We shared this infographic and asked delegates to enter a competition and complete the answer. With 140

entries the top 4 reasons were: • Lack of knowledge/awareness/understanding

• Fat/calorie content/ causing weight gain • Nut allergy concerns • Cost/expense of nuts Our trade stand was perfectly situation in a sunny spot next door to the Australian Government Department of Health and we had several excellent conversations with the staff on the stand including the new Director Preventative Programs and the new Health Star Rating front of pack labelling Secretariat.

Storehouse Nuts for Life Nutrition Blogger Awards Over March and April we held the Storehouse Nuts for Life Nutrition Blogger awards with a specific Healthy Handful award to tie in with #nuts30days30ways. Nutrition bloggers could nominate their own Best Blog or Best Social Post and then a public vote was held. We had 27 entries overall which generated 1616 consumer votes. The winners were: • Nuts for Life Best Blog Post Award: Lana Hirth, a new graduate dietitian • Nuts for Life Best Social Media Post Award: Vicki Ma, Melbourne based dietitian • Nuts for Life Healthy Handful Award: Simone Austin, President of Sports Dietitians Australia For further information on these activities contact Nuts for Life on admin@nutsforlife.com.au.

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Industry News

NUTS: ITALY IS UP FOR IT AND AIMS TO GROW

W

hat is it that Italian consumers pick out when they are looking for something nice and tasty? What is the kind of snack they can’t resist? What ingredient do they want for their recipes?

And what do they eat to keep in shape? There is always only one answer: nuts and dried fruit, in their countless combinations. Tasty on one the hand, rich in precious elements (vitamins, fibres and “good” fats) on the other. The mix is unbeatable and Italian consumers have chosen their side.

Nuts have become a daily ingredient for all those who love to feel good – both physically and mentally – and behave accordingly by making responsible choices when they shop.

All these considerations are borne out by numbers, which tell of a nation that is very active in this sector, both at consumption and production level.

As concerns, for example, the sales in supermarket chains, in 2016 the value reached 653 million euros (over 54,000 tons in quantity): the evolution is extremely interesting, +41.1% in value and +14.1% in quantity since 2012. Which have been the best performing fruits in this time frame? Undoubtedly almonds (+169.9% value), even if the best sellers (in quantity) are walnuts and peanuts, followed by almonds (source: Nucis elaboration on IRI data).

Italy can also boast of a record of its own: it is in fact the world’s second producer of hazelnuts (130,000 tons, 15.49% of the entire world); (source: INC). Other products produce big numbers as well: in particular, always in reference to 2016, Italy put on the market 15,000 tons of walnuts, 7,500 tons of almonds, 2,500 tons of pistachios, and 600 tons of pine nuts.

It’s important to highlight the fact that although these numbers are still small, Italy means to grow and offer its citizens, and citizens around the world, nuts and dried fruit of the highest quality.

Many producers are networking to build a system whose goal is to form a substantial critical mass, able to compete on both the international and internal markets.

Think of the project Noci di Romagna which, having started in the northern, seaward regions of the country, is getting bigger and bigger, reaching national level. Its goal for the next few years is to increase the production of the Chandler, Howard and Lara varieties, so that nut consumption – about 50,000 tons per year – may finally become “homegrown”, based on fruits of exceptional quality.

Supermarket sales in Italy A.T. 2016 Evolution 2012-2016

Supermarket sales in Italy 2016 quantity (tons)

Evolution 2012-2016

Tot Ctg Nuts

€ 653,194,189

+ 41.1%

54,131

+14.1%

WALNUTS

€ 117,314,168

+39%

11,551

+22%

ALMONDS

€ 82,785,086

+169.6%

4,150

+123.3%

PEANUTS

€ 71,694,361

+20.6%

11,098

+18.3%

PISTACHIOS

€ 46,434,266

+7.9%

2,361

-21.3%

HAZELNUTS

€ 28,308,316

+123%

1,433

+73%

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July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

"In a few years 20,000 new hectares of hazelnuts should be added, spread across four regions: Piemonte, Toscana, Lazio and Basilicata" All these are just examples testifying to entrepreneurial vibrancy and the desire to stand out with products of excellence, which are sustainable, modern and capable of adding value to even the single producers.

The big wave behind the growth in the Italian nut sector was started by the work by Nucis Italia, through their project “Nuts are Wellbeing”.

The constant, widespread activity of communication and nutritional education that has been designed and implemented from 2008 on, has had as its main target final consumers, nutritionists, nutrition science experts and general practitioners. Thanks to the initiatives of Nucis Italia, nuts and dried fruits have become, in the Italians’ perception, a product that is incredibly beneficial to general health and which should be consumed every day, combined with the Mediterranean Diet and impossible to do without.

Nuts are now “proper” Italian food, and Italians expect them to be of good quality, controlled, safe, and are now looking for them in all kinds of outlets, from supermarkets to bars to vending machines.

PRODUCTION 2016 TONS

Supermarket sales in Italy 2016 value (Euros)

Source: NUCIS elaboration on IRI data

The Italian producers of almonds are also getting organized and networking to increase production and support almonds and their territory, the Sicily region, at the same time. 54 producers have already formed their own organization (Op La Mandorla), which wants to promote the use of this fruit both in the kitchen and in the cosmetology sector, while at the same time keeping an eye on exports.

Finally, the hazelnut, the crown jewel of all Italian nuts. The positive trend of its production is due to: virtuous, now established, agricultural practices; plants that have been re-popularized in the last few years; and most of all, the supply chain that is constantly monitored so that the fruits are better and healthier. However, since demand is much higher than supply (73,000 hectares cultivated where 190,000 would be required), producers are expanding the territories destined to cultivation, driven by the support they receive from the big processing industries. In a few years 20,000 new hectares should be added, spread across four regions: Piemonte, Toscana, Lazio and Basilicata.

Total World Production Tons

Total Italian Production Tons

Incidence on Total World Production

WALNUTS

1,961,813

15,000

0.76%

ALMONDS

1,124,860

7,500

0.67%

PEANUTS

33,275,000

0

0.00%

PISTACHIOS

735,129

2,500

0.34%

HAZELNUTS

839,300

130,000

15.49%

PINE NUTS

23,450

600

2.56%

Source: International Nut & Dried Fruit Council

Industry News

NUCIS GERMANY FOUNDATION: A SUCCESS STORY Looking back on the past years NUCIS has expanded its activities in various directions.

N

ucis has taken an active part in regional events, numerous national and international congresses and provided information about the health benefits of nuts at its information booths. Lectures were organized with prominent speakers e.g. Prof. Dr. H. Hauner at congresses in order to provide in-depth information that highlights the health benefits of nuts.

Health professionals received wellgrounded advice from our scientific staff and comprehensive brochures, developed by Nucis and our partners. The Nucis personnel also offered tips on how to communicate this message to patients and chefs.

The central aim of the direct contact with health professionals is to keep in close contact with them and be aware of possible questions and concerns, which may arise.

Direct and personal contact is an important element in the information process. It is usually easier to discuss in person the questions and needs of health professionals and the benefits of nuts. Through face-to-face communication, health professionals experience a personal appreciation and will come back to Nucis with any other questions.

Groups of dieticians and other nutrition experts invited Nucis on several occasions to deliver lectures to regional group meetings. As a trusted source of information, NUCIS is highly regarded by health professionals.

Nucis is in close contact with the German associations for health professionals, e.g. VDOE, VDD and VFED in order to monitor the kind of information about nuts they deliver to their members and also to ensure they have all the relevant information about nuts.

The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) is also important to Nucis as they influence health awareness by giving nutrition recommendations on the basis of scientific evaluation. The DGE standards for human nutrition and quality standards for Community catering are accepted in Germany. These standards recommend the consumption of nuts.

The “5-a-day” campaign in Germany included nuts in their recommendations.

Regarding their actual campaign, during a phone call to Nucis, Ms. Monika Becker emphasized that nuts are recommended as “brainfood” in the workplace.

Furthermore, NUCIS regularly publishes scientific reports on their homepage that summarize the latest findings concerning the various advantages of adding nuts to a wellbalanced diet.

The University of Jena, with whom Nucis conducted the research project, “Functional Effects of Nuts on Gut Health (hazelnuts, macadamia, almonds, pistachios and walnuts)”, is frequently invited onto TV shows to talk about the project and about nuts in general. On one of these shows, “Hauptsache gesund”, Prof. Dr. Michael Glei said of nutrient consumption: By the consumption of nuts, blood glucose and fat metabolism parameters are influenced favorably, which is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes but also for cardiovascular diseases, e.g. hypertension. Overall, we can assume that regular nut consumption might be associated with a reduced mortality risk.

Health professionals address the Nucis office with many questions. Of huge interest is always the nutritional value of the single nut variety. These questions are very welcome and Nucis takes the opportunity to explain the different nutrient compositions and what the nutrients are necessary for.

Nuts are even mentioned on Christmas greeting cards. Once, the president of the MRI institute wrote: Nuts - Nuts are not only delicious, but also healthy. As part of a balanced diet nuts have the potential to positively influence certain illnesses that are partly caused by nutrition.

Nuts reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases due to their ability to lower the level of cholesterol. The fat composition of nuts is especially responsible for this effect because of their high content of monounsaturated fats (e.g. oleic acid) and

polyunsaturated fats (e.g. linoleic acid). In addition, other nutritional components of nuts, such as phytochemicals, vitamin E, folate and fiber, can contribute to protection from cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, nuts are a good source of B-vitamins and minerals, such as magnesium and potassium.

Prof. Dr. Rechkemmer is a highlyrespected scientist and therefore his message was widely cited.

Prof. Dr. Michael Glei.

Nut consumption has become popular in German speaking countries and is growing continuously. Nuts are regarded as a valuable and desirable food and Nucis has played a huge part in creating that image. We look forward to the coming years and invite any company/ association in the nut field to join us in order to strengthen the Nucis initiative in German speaking Europe. For further questions please refer to nucis@nucis.de.

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

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Industry News

CHILE 100,000 OVERCOMING A PRODUCTION MILESTONE Andrés Rodríguez,

The walnut industry in Chile moves forward, setting new challenges throughout its entire production chain.

T

he Chilean walnut industry has grown strongly and consistently over the past 10 years, in terms of plantations, production and exports.

2016 closed with 44,000 hectares planted with walnut trees, the second largest planted surface area in Chile after table grapes. Over the past 5 years we have increased the planted surface area by around 3,000 hectares per year, although this number has now slowed and is closer to 1,000 hectares per year.

»»

“The Chilean walnut industry has grown strongly and consistently over the past 10 years, in terms of plantations, production and exports."

»»

Production also shows very healthy growth indexes, and this large number of hectares planted translates into the production of over 90,000 tons in 2017. Production has grown at a rate of approximately 20% per year, which is to say that we have doubled our production in the past 5 years, and we will double it again in the next five-year period.

The increasing number of hectares, along with an increase in the number of tons of walnuts produced and the worldwide recognition of the very high quality of Chilean walnuts, creates a correlation in exports. Chile is the number 1 exporter of walnuts in the Southern Hemisphere and the second worldwide, after the United States. We will export over US$ 400 million in 2017.

But I would like to return to production. The title of this note, in fact, refers to the milestone of passing the threshold of 100,00 tons of production of walnuts, a number that demonstrates the confidence that international markets have in the work we are doing and in the constant and methodical efforts made by Chilean companies in infrastructure and processing capacity.

This milestone of surpassing 100,000 tons will occur in 2018. This figure makes us proud, but also obligates us to redouble our efforts and set ourselves new challenges, which our country has been working on for some years now. I’d like to indicate some of these: »»

100

Opening markets: Chile has been laying the groundwork in terms of markets for larger volumes, in that over 95% of the production is exported. Chile participates strongly in markets such as the Middle East, Europe and Latin America and in the past 5 years we have focused on Asia, where markets such as Korea, China and India have opened. Our fundamental task in the future is to consolidate Chile’s position in all of these new markets.

July 2017 | NUTFRUIT

»»

»»

Executive Director of the Chilean Walnut Commission

Quality: In 2012 the Chilean Walnut Commission created a quality standard, which we have updated every year. Along with this, the national standard was updated in 2015, ensuring that we will be able to continue to grow without sacrificing the high quality for which Chilean walnuts are so well-known internationally.

Processing capacity: As an industry we have invested strongly in our capacity for harvesting, hulling, drying, halving and selection. We still lack capacity to absorb the entire volume of walnuts that will be generated in our country in the next 5 years.

Marketing: The sectorial brand “Walnuts from Chile” was created in 2012, with which promotion campaigns were carried out in Europe and Asia. For 2018, when we surpass 100,000 tons of production, we will carry out a campaign focused on Asia, mainly on India and Korea, with an investment of 3 million dollars, in a joint effort by producers, exporters and the Government.

Unison of the industry: These challenges can only be faced if we are united, so in 2017 the Chilean walnut industry, which has historically worked under 2 trade associations, began to work under a joint operating agreement, which in 2018 will merge completely into 1 single trade association.

On Tuesday, October 24, the Chilean Walnut Commission will hold a congress called Chile 100,000, which will focus on all of the significant challenges that the Chilean walnut industry must face when it surpasses the threshold of 100,000 tons of production.

You are, of course, all invited.

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Back Outside Cover

SETTON INTERNATIONAL FOODS, INC. Back Inside Cover

Edition 71. Nยบ 2

Edition 71. Nยบ 2 JULY 2017

COLORFUL INDIA SUCCESSFULLY HOSTS THE INC CONGRESS Page 46

JULY 2017

WATER IRRIGATION IMPROVEMENT TO MITIGATE DROUGHT Page 24

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