According to DTM Print, the FDA- and EU-approved food printer – which prints full colour pics, logos, designs and text directly onto baked goods – is now capable of printing on even taller items, including doughnut, giant macaroons, bars, bagels and mini cakes up to 50.8mm in height.
The Eddie Platform Kit prints a dozen items from 63.5mm to 110mm in diameter and 19mm thick in just two minutes. The automated hands-free carousel rotates the cookies to the print position, then the printer pulls in the cookies one at a time, prints and sends them back to the carousel.
To print on taller, special shaped confections or multiple items in one run, Eddie’s manual feeding option combined with DTM Trays extends the width to 120mm and allows items up to a height of 27mm.
Now, the third option is to use the Eddie Platform Kit for items up to 50.8mm high and up to 114mm wide. Once installed the kit replaces the standard platform.
Printed images are bright and vibrant, and the edible ink is dry and immediately ready for sale after printing. There is no strange film or aftertaste and the ink meets all EU and FDA standards for use as a food additive, while the ink cartridge itself meets cGMP standards and the entire manufacturing and cartridge filling processes are FDA-compliant and cGMP certified. In addition, the edible ink is Kosher and Halal certified and suitable for vegans.
For these reasons and more, Eddie is a professional, edible ink printer that provides bakers and chefs alike with a fast and efficient way to produce bespoke products and open new profit streams.
The Eddie Platform Kit sells for €89.95 (MSRP) and is available now from DTM Print or through authorised DTM Print partners in Europe, Middle East and Africa.
Prompted in part by the current egg shortage and by the longer-term rising cost of eggs, the popularity of plant-based egg alternatives is on the rise.
OGGS Egg Alternative Aquafaba is one such option and the alternative bakery brand is currently in trials with two of the UK’s largest bakery manufacturers looking to replace liquid egg used in sponge cake production. It’s made using chickpea water and has been through a robust R&D process involving two universities in the UK and Portugal to develop a consistently performing plant-based egg alternative, which works effectively for large scale manufacturing.
“The manufacturers we are talking to use liquid egg primarily for sponge cakes,” said Hanna Carter, founder of OGGS.
“They have found that the biggest gain in swapping eggs for OGGS Egg Alternative Aquafaba is that it can be used as a direct swap into their current processes, as an ambient product.
“There are also considerable nutritional benefits: OGGS Egg Alternative Aquafaba significantly lowers saturated fat and calorie content with the final product scoring 10% reduction in saturated fats and 5% reduction in calories; this is a great result for HFSS guidelines. Finally, there are considerable carbon impact gains when compared with eggs: OGGS offers an 85% reduction in carbon impact.
“Recently, we’ve worked on a lemon sponge cake and the results have shown significant improvements in flavour in early testing.”
The figures speak for themselves:
- 85% fewer calories: 50ml of OGGS Egg Alternative Aquafaba contains just 18 calories compared with one egg containing 131 calories.
- 96% less saturated fat: 50ml of OGGS contains just 0.1g of saturated fat compared to one egg, which contains 2.5g of saturated fat.
- When used in a Lemon Sponge,comparing one egg for one equivalent amount of aquafaba in a 100g portion, there is a 10% reduction in saturated fats and a 5% reduction in calories.
- 85% reduction in carbon impact: The CO2e for every 1kg of liquid eggs is 4.67kg compared to 0.92kg of CO2e for OGGS Egg Alternative Aquafaba.
“We’re not wanting to ‘vegan-ise’ products; what we’re seeing is that even partial swaps such as 20% eggs for OGGS make a significant difference in terms of shifting the over reliance on animal products in manufacturing,” added Carter.
“We’re able provide a practical solution at this time and we’re focussed on investing in longer term partnerships with manufacturers to drive positive change. We are invested in future food technology and see it as part of our mission to create interesting, tasty plant-based alternative foods, which work just as well, taste just as good and require fewer resources from our planet to be created.”
OGGS Egg Alternative Aquafaba is available in a 950 litre Pallecon, which is the equivalent of 19,000 eggs, as well as a 10 litre bag-in-box.
General Mills has introduced its lineup of new and returning snacks to meet goals in the New Year, including blood sugar-friendly brand Good Measure, and new flavours from Fiber One and Lärabar.
Good Measure – the company that makes it easy to find snacks made with nutrient-rich ingredients that also have little impact on blood sugar – has launched Almond Crisps: crunchy almond-based crackers that pack a punch in two options, Sriracha and Cheddar
Available now online for an RRP of $17.99 for 10ct.
Fiber One and (WW) have partnered to create a snack that contains 6g of fibre, but only 2 Points and 70 calories each. Available in two new flavours Fudge Chocolate Cookie and Peanut Butter Cocoa Crumble. Rolling out in Kroger, Hyvee and Meijer this month, with an RRP of $7.99.
Lärabar Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar is made with just seven real ingredients and is the perfect pick-me-up. Available in Kroger for an RRP of $10.49.
Cascadian Farm On-the-Go Protein Granola is certified organic and Non-GMO, in a convenient snackable on-the-go pouch in two variants, Honey Cashew and Cocoa Almond. 10g of plant-based protein, and 4g of fibre in each pound. Available at Walmart, Kroger, Ahold and Weis Markets for an RRP of $7.99.
:ratio Chewy Bars are a thoughtful snack equation that includes a delicious combination of almonds and pumpkin seeds in two flavours, Chocolate Nut and Peanut Butter Almond. Available in Kroger and online for an RRP of $8.69.
One of Birmingham’s leading social enterprises has sealed a new deal with a high street retailer.
Miss Macaroon – which has made nearly 3 million macaroons for global brands, royalty and a host of celebrities – is now available in Selfridges’ Birmingham store.
Led by founder Rosie Ginday, the brand’s listing in Selfridges includes gift boxes of 10 and 20 macaroons in a range of flavours, including 53% dark chocolate, fresh raspberry, pistachio, fresh lemon, strawberry, rhubarb and custard, mango and cinnamon, passionfruit, salted caramel and tonka bean.
The introduction is part of the retailer’s Project Earth sustainability project and is already surpassing expectations, with shoppers keen to enjoy the lux treats that also help to give local people access to training and employment through its ‘Macaroons that make a Difference’ (MacsMAD) programme.
The MacsMAD initiative has been running for over 10 years and offers a 10 week course to people who are low in confidence, suffering mental health issues or have been unemployed for some time with access to its production kitchen, working alongside professional chefs.
At the heart of the approach is to give them skills in catering, retail and marketing, while also supporting their personal development through mentoring and access to a psychotherapist and counsellor.
Todate, 134 graduates have completed the programme, with 27 currently employed at Miss Macaroon. Last year’s profits have been reinvested into funding Dyslexia, ADHD and Autism diagnosis for MacsMAD graduates who needed it and couldn’t wait the two or more years it takes to receive one off the NHS.
“We’re expecting to train another 80 young people over the next 12 months, but that’s just the start,” said Ginday.
“There is also the possibility of creating a joint venture to deliver MacsMAD in conjunction with a partner organisation and to grow the co-delivery model so we can support even more people who need it.”
She added, “We’ve had a really strong start to sales in Selfridges. This mainstream retail exposure helps us grow our brand and, importantly, tell our unique story to a much bigger audience, leveraging much-needed funding in the process.”
The health and wellness brand co-founded by American football quarterback Tom Brady and his longtime Body Coach Alex Guerrero has introduced a line of Plant-Based Protein Bars.
Inspired by Brady’s favourite desserts and developed in cohoots with his personal chef, the bars are packed with nutrients and flavour, without sugar, dairy, gluten, and GMOs. Each TB12 Plant-Based Protein Bar is filled with natural, whole, TB12-approved ingredients, along with the perfect amount of protein and fibre to support workouts and recovery.
New flavours include Turmeric Cashew Honey (with ingredients such as bee pollen powder: filled with antioxidants, minerals and vitamins; and turmeric + black pepper: which work together to support mood and recovery) and Chocolate Cacao Crunch (12g of protein and 12g of fibre and no added sugar: cacao powder and cacao nibs are rich in antioxidants while hemp seeds and quinoa crisps act as superfoods that are high in protein and are gluten-free).
Both bars are available for purchase online and at TB12 Performance & Recovery Centres in the US, for an RRP of $40 for a 12-pack.
‘Food moods’ are real. In fact, according to the breakfast cereal giant, depending on the time of day, the weather and everything in between, what you have a taste for constantly changes.
That’s why it has crafted three all-new Special K variants – Oat Crunch Honey, High Protein and Zero – to satisfy your ever craving, no matter what food mood strikes you.
Fans of textured bites will love the multidimensional crunch that Oat Crunch Honey delivers from a combo of multigrain honey-flavoured flakes and vanilla-oat clusters. The High Protein offering – in Chocolate Almond – boasts the brand's highest protein content (20g) ever, with real almonds. It is also a good source of fibre and excellent source of seven vitamins and minerals.
As the name suggests, Zero cereal puffs – in Cinnamon flavour – contains 0g of sugar, but is packed with 18g of plant-based protein and with only 2 net carbs is even Keto-friendly.
“We know Special K fans trust us to deliver delicious food packed with flavor. We also know food moods are constantly changing, so we are thrilled to bring even more variety to the Special K line-up that'll meet whatever cravings or needs we all have,” said Sadie Garcia, brand director for Kellogg Company.
“With tasty new benefits like top-notch crunchy texture, our first-ever zero grams sugar cereal and our highest protein offering yet, you're sure to find something to satisfy your every need – and then some.”
Available at retailers across the US with a RRP between $4.99 and $8.49.
An employee-owned B Corp, Aloha was named one of the fastest growing brands on Instacart in 2022. Now, it’s gearing up to go even further in 2023 with a limited edition nut-free and guilt-free protein bar that is guaranteed to titillate tastebuds.
The Raspberry White Chocolate Protein Bar is made with sunflower butter, organic dried raspberries and white chocolate. 14g of brown rice and pumpkin seed plant-based protein, along with 10g of fibre, provides a 100% real, whole ingredients snack that contains nothing suspicious.
Aloha bars are also 100% free from gluten, dairy, soy, stevia and sugar alcohol sweeteners.
Raspberry White Chocolate is available online, as well as on Amazon and Thrive Market for an RRP of $32.99 per 12-count box.