SA scores seven spots in Global Food Award finals

With more than a third of the finalist products from South Africa, these nominations acknowledge the high level of innovation in this country, clearly showing local products are among the best in the world.

Only four nominations per category were allowed from each country and local submissions were selected by the South African Association for Food Science and Technology (SAAFoST) from over 35 entries.

The South African finalists, in each category, are:

Product/process innovation including industrialisation of traditional foods:

1. Dynamic Commodities' Bits o' Juice, frozen lemon pods used as "flavour bursts" in a wide range of applications.
   
2. Pioneer Foods' Werda to-go Salad Range, a shelf-stable salad meal option.
   

Packaging innovation, with specifics on the innovative part of the packaging and why it is important:

1. Nestlé's Cremora dual tamper-evident closure and jar.
   
2. Nouvelle Mushrooms' macro-permeable, blockbottom FreshWorks film bag.
   
3. Woolworths' Long Life Milk, the first long-life milk in plastic bottles in South Africa.
   

Communication of science-related knowledge to consumers:

1. Unilever's Flora Test the Nation which offered a free cholesterol test with every tub of Flora purchased.
   
2. Unilever's Rama Spread for Bread whose education promotion targeted the lower LSM consumer.
   

Selecting local entries

"South African food companies are justifiably proud of their innovations and value the opportunity to showcase their products in the global arena. The close relationship that SAAFoST enjoys with industry facilitated our nominating world-class products for the awards. Our entries were selected on the basis of scientific content as well as degree of innovation and this has been recognised by the team of international judges. We are quietly optimistic that South Africa will be amongst the final winners," comments Rosie Maguire, SAAFoST president.

Local entries in the packaging innovation category were particularly strong, with South Africa holding three of the five finalist places.

"This shows that local companies are addressing the major trends of convenience, aesthetics and functionality, while incorporating unique features. Food security is a current buzzword and packaging that significantly increases the shelf life of a perishable product (thereby reducing wastage) is of particular interest to food professionals worldwide. Recyclable packaging is also high on the agenda in the food industry to limit negative effects on the environment," she adds.

Awarded in Shanghai

At the 2008 ceremony in Shanghai, China, South Africa walked away with three Global Food Awards; the winners being rooibos company, Red Espresso; Mars Africa's Royco Pour Over Sauces and Woolworths' Really Good Food for Babies.

This year's finalists will be judged by a global panel that includes a South African, with winners to be announced in Cape Town at the 15th IUFoST World Food Congress on Monday, 23 August 2010.