The next Big Things
McNair leads CadSchweppes science
SIG continues streamlining
Aussies sweeten tagalose results
Spray-on pantyhose?
Sweet potatoes smooth blood flow

The next Big Things

Management consultancy Cap Gemini Ernst & Young has put together a trendwatching consortium to spot up and coming events and technologies. These New Big Things may have a potentially disruptive effect on business and other forms of life.

In a modified Delphi opinion-gathering process that looks for highly probable events within two years, it naturally picks up a lot of static. Refining the noise yields the CapGemEY guys call “weak signals”.

Here are the results of their latest peeks into the crystal ball. For the whole horror of 24-Month Future Scan contact Erika Toomey at erika.toomey@cgey.com.

People

McNair leads CadSchweppes science

Cadbury Schweppes has appointed David Macnair chief science & technology officer to lead the Group's science and technology organisation and agenda. Based in London, he reports to Cadbury Schweppes CEO Todd Stitzer.

Macnair was chief research officer and senior vice president global research & development and quality assurance at Campbell Soup, and before that manufacturing development director for M&M Mars. He holds a PhD from the University of Leeds.

M&A

SIG continues streamlining

Swiss beverage packaging group SIG has sold two non-core units, SIG Hamba Filltec and SIG Elettric 80. The two firms made yoghurt-fillers and laser-guided vehicles respectively, and contributed net sales of 20m and 30m euros respectively. Bavaria Industriekapital bought SIG Hamba Filltec, while SIG Elettric 80 went to the previous owners.

Research

Aussies sweeten tagalose results

Australian researchers have confirmed the low carb value of Gaio tagatose, Spherix's new artificial sweetener.

Sydney University's Glycaemic Index Research Service (SUGiRS). Found that, compared to glucose, which had glycaemic and insulinaemic responses of 100%, tagatose produced glycaemic and insulinaemic responses of only 3%.

Tagatose is a natural low-calorie sweetener patented by Spherix Incorporated. Arla Foods Ingredients makes and sells it under license under the Gaio brand for food and beverage uses. Tagatose tastes and acts like table sugar, and sweetens foods and beverages either by itself or with high intensity synthetic sweeteners.

It is now being used in 7-Eleven's Diet Pepsi Slurpee, and in Pasco Brands' Light and Tasty frozen juices for the low-calorie, low-carb market. Arla says it expects a range of new products using tagatose to reach the market in 2004.

NPD

Spray-on pantyhose?

Just in time for summer comes spray-on tights which the makers say look and feel like the real thing. Nyce Legs, distributed by Laguna Beach-based SWE, “are spray-on instant nylons in a five-ounce can.” They are available in three shades of beige, and they won't rub off or streak when wet from swimming, rain or sweat.

You need soap and water to remove the breathable, non-toxic application, and it won't rub-off on sheets, towels, or other clothing, they say. But the stuff covers spider veins, permanent scars, and skin blemishes.

Research

Sweet potatoes smooth blood flow

Japan’s National Agricultural Research Center for Kyusyu Okinawa Region (KONARC) says anthocyanin, a purple pigment derived from purple sweet potatoes, can make blood flow smoothly and hence lower blood pressure.

It will present detailed research results at the 2004 Annual Meeting of Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology and Agrochemistry in Hiroshima on 30 March.