Danish Firm Invests in Lab to Improve Middle Eastern Flatbread Shelf Life

A Jordanian worker packages bread at a bakery in the Jordanian capital Amman on January 27, 2018. (AFP)
A Jordanian worker packages bread at a bakery in the Jordanian capital Amman on January 27, 2018. (AFP)
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Danish Firm Invests in Lab to Improve Middle Eastern Flatbread Shelf Life

A Jordanian worker packages bread at a bakery in the Jordanian capital Amman on January 27, 2018. (AFP)
A Jordanian worker packages bread at a bakery in the Jordanian capital Amman on January 27, 2018. (AFP)

Danish enzymes maker Novozymes has invested in a new lab in Turkey to develop baking enzymes that help to prevent flatbreads traditionally eaten across the Middle East and Africa from going stale, said a Reuters report on Wednesday.

"If you buy a pita bread or tortilla, these breads they go stale quite quickly," Andrew Fordyce, head of Novozymes food and beverage division, told Reuters. "We can improve the shelf life so that they're softer for a longer period of time."

This type of bread goes stale when starch crystals begin to form, making it feel inelastic and hard. Novozymes will counter this with enzymes that produces a type of starch that is less likely to crystallize.

Fordyce said 20 percent of the bread in the Middle East and Africa region is actually thrown away due to its low shelf life.

Food waste is an issue globally, with the United Nations estimating that a third of food produced is not eaten, said Reuters.

The company is also exploring concepts to reduce the amount of sugar used in baking in emerging market countries in response to demand from their growing middle-classes for healthier options.

Novozymes will also expand its sales force in emerging markets, where the Danish company is seeking to boost sales to counter slower growth in its mature US and Europe baking enzymes business.

"We see a lot of opportunities especially in the emerging markets where economies are rapidly growing, people's wealth is increasing and they're starting to expect higher standards," Fordyce said.

Novozymes said on its website that for all relevant markets and applications it has products complying with kosher and halal requirements. Compliance with these requirements is certified by internationally recognized certification bodies.

The lab will open later this week. Novozymes did not give any financial details on the investment in the project.

Novozymes' biggest rivals within baking enzymes are Dutch chemicals company DSM and DowDupont's Danisco business.



Solar Becomes Europe's Main Energy Source in June

Solar had never before been Europe's top energy source, consultants say. Damien MEYER / AFP/File
Solar had never before been Europe's top energy source, consultants say. Damien MEYER / AFP/File
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Solar Becomes Europe's Main Energy Source in June

Solar had never before been Europe's top energy source, consultants say. Damien MEYER / AFP/File
Solar had never before been Europe's top energy source, consultants say. Damien MEYER / AFP/File

Solar power became the European Union's biggest single energy source for the first time in June, an energy think tank said Thursday.

The Ember group that researches the clean energy transition said that 22.1 percent of Europe's power in June came from solar panels, reported AFP.

That came ahead of nuclear power on 21.8 percent and wind turbines on 15.8 percent, according to the British-based institution. Gas accounted for 14.4 percent and hydropower 12.8 percent.

Ember said that at least 13 countries beat their national record for solar power production.

Wind power production also hit a new record for Europe and coal has never accounted for such a low proportion of Europe's electricity output -- Ember estimated it at 6.1 percent across the continent, down from 8.8 percent in 2024.

But with demand for electricity rising, the use of coal in the first half of 2025 was still higher than the same period in 2024, Ember said. Electricity demand in the first six months was more than two percent higher than last year.