Nestle, Mars and Kraft: Signatories to UK calorie cap
Leading confectioners Nestle, Mars and Kraft are among the signatories to a UK government pledge to cut five billion calories from the nation’s daily diet.
Archives for April 1, 2012
Slovenian herbal extracts specialist expands into Poland
Botanicals and natural flavours supplier, Vitiva, has opened a Polish office to meet rising demand there for food, nutraceutical, cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications.
Callebaut outpaces market but profits hit by partnership and supply chain costs
Barry Callebaut has outshone the global chocolate market in its six month results, but profits were stunted by recent partnership-related costs and supply chain investments.
China’s sweet tooth drives TIC Gums innovation
Food technologist, TIC Gums, has launched a candy coating technology in China in the wake of a stark surge in the consumption of sweets across the country, fuelled by rising incomes and increasingly Westernised palates.
Growth opportunities in dairy derivatives: Australia, New Zealand
Dairy-derived ingredients are in strong demand across Australia and New Zealand, with cheese powder and whey proteins forecast a CAGR of 3% between 2010 and 2015, according to Euromonitor.
Ripeness-varying Salmonella behaviour could lead to produce food safety boost
The changing behaviour of Salmonella on ripe and unripe tomatoes could lead to the improvement of measures against the attachment and survival of the pathogen on tomatoes, UK researchers have claimed.
Packaging chemicals get EFSA backing after “no safety concerns” assessment
The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) has given food packagers the go-ahead for use of sodium borohydride and palladium acetate after establishing they present “no safety concerns.”
‘Pink slime’ processor files for bankruptcy
US ground beef processor AFA Foods has filed a bankruptcy petition, citing the ‘pink slime’ scandal that has been shaking the American meat industry for months.
Carbon dioxide leak at US factory
Around 90 people were treated for carbon dioxide exposure following a leak at a US food processing plant last week.
PepsiCo strikes innovation alliance with Chinese beverage firm
PepsiCo has formed an alliance with local beverage giant, Tingyi-Asahi Beverages, in a bid to extend its reach and increase traction in China.
Slimeageddon 2012: Who is really to blame for the pink slime debacle?
With lean finely textured beef (LFTB) now off the menu at some of the nation’s biggest retailers and fast food chains, recriminations are flying thick and fast over who is to blame for the whole sorry, pink, slimy mess currently engulfing the food industry.
DISPATCHES FROM ANUGA FOODTEC 2012
Fraunhofer goes 'wild' with new sensor to help winemakers detect bad yeasts
Researchers at Germany's Fraunhofer IME are close to commercialising an inexpensive detector that they claim could save wine producers significant amounts of money and time by detecting 'bad' yeasts within grape must, as Cecilia Diaz from the institute...
75% of breakfast cereals face kids TV ad ban in Ireland, says IBCA
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) is considering implementing rules that will see three quarters of breakfast cereals banned from advertising on children’s television programmes, according to the Irish Breakfast Cereal Association (IBCA).
Starch boosts sales at Tate & Lyle
Stronger industrial starch margins in Europe have boosted sales at sweeteners manufacturer Tate & Lyle following the announcement of the firm’s full year results.
Premier Foods’ brands sought by private equity firms
The acquisition of up-for-sale Ragu manufacturer Symington’s could be the key to unlocking the success of Premier Food’s non-core brands, according to city analysts, after reports of private equity interest in the businesses.
Kerry Foods' mooted Durham closure forced by meaty competition
Kerry Foods has been forced to consider closure of its meats and home baking factory in Durham, amid bullish competition in the cooked meats sector from larger UK players.
Brazil defends commitment to cut deforestation
Brazilian meat industry and government representatives have defended the country’s efforts to reduce deforestation, regretting the “misinformation” spread by the European media.
WTO accession could cost Russian pork sector US$68.9m per year
Russian pig farmers estimate that accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) will cost the pork industry US$68.9m a year, as the country starts cutting Customs duties for pig and pork imports.
Research casts doubt on benefit of nutritional labelling
Knowing more about the nutritional value of foods does not equate to increases in healthy eating and reductions in obesity, according to the findings of new research.
Meat production can be sustainable, says WWF
Meeting growing world demand for meat while preserving the environment is achievable with improved management practices and efficiency, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Dispatches from IFT Wellness 2012
What do antioxidants do? Absolutely no idea, says IFT consumer panel
Baffled by ‘pink slime’, confused by probiotics and antioxidants and suspicious of anything with a name that they can’t pronounce on the ingredients list…
FDA rejects call to ban bisphenol A but continues safety research
US federal authorities said they dismissed a call from the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) Friday to ban bisphenol A (BPA) in food packaging because the petition failed to provide concrete scientific evidence the chemical posed a health risk.
Indian state charges Red Bull over caffeine content; court battle looms
Austrian energy drink leader Red Bull Gmbh has run into rough weather in India with a state level food regulator, which claims to have confiscated 1.6 million cans of the drink over caffeine content.
EPHA on food industry taxation: “The time for a free-for-all is finished”
Last week, Monika Kosinska, the secretary general of the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), engaged industry in a debate about the worthiness and effectiveness of taxes on unhealthier foods to spur reformulation and healthier eating.