UK spearheads €12M EU food fraud project
An EU-wide initiative targeting food fraud, costing €12M, has been announced, spearheaded by the UK’s Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA).
Archives for February 26, 2014
Trace One launches T Transparency for supply chain visibility
Horsemeat: It’s not ‘if’ but ‘when’ the next food scandal strikes
Trace One, a private label and product lifecycle management (PLM) organisation, has launched T Transparency, a cloud-based platform for improving supply chain visibility across the food sector.
Sustainable cocoa supply
‘If I die, I will produce no more cocoa. You will not have any more,' warns Ivorian farmer
The chocolate industry should embrace certification to improve the livelihoods of farmers or risk losing a generation of cocoa growers, according to the head of a Fairtrade cocoa cooperative in the Ivory Coast.
Spain buys 1.5m vaccine doses for bluetongue
Spain’s veterinary organisation is promising a tough response to a fresh outbreak of bluetongue disease in Spanish livestock.
National Beef to close Californian site
The National Beef Packing Company is to close its Californian processing facility in April.
PopChips agrees $2.4m ‘all-natural’ lawsuit settlement; settlements also likely in Kashi and Bear Naked cases
Snack maker PopChips looks set to become the latest firm to stop using the term ‘all-natural’ to describe its products after agreeing to settle a lawsuit alleging it misled consumers by using the controversial term.
Frutarom acquires Florida citrus specialist CitraSource
Frutarom has acquired Florida-based citrus specialist CitraSource for about $7.5m, in an effort to increase its control over the sourcing of raw materials, the company has said.
Oxfam sustainability scorecard reveals ‘leaders and laggards’
Leading food and drink makers including Nestlé, Unilever and Coca-Cola have made good progress in the year since Oxfam released its first Behind the Brands sustainability scorecard – and only one company made no progress, according to the NGO.
Customers with smartphones increase the risk of grocery theft
A report released by Australian supply chain industry body Efficient Consumer Response Australasia (ECRA) has highlighted the significant security challenges for the grocery industry stemming from smartphone technology.
China’s growing appetite fuelling Australian red meat exports
China’s consumption of lamb and beef has grown explosively over the last 12 months, making it one of Australia’s top red meat markets, an industry official said.
WHO decries ‘deadly’ promotion of cheap, convenient food
Being overweight risks becoming the norm in Europe, says a new report from the World Health Organisation (WHO), which blames widespread promotion of unhealthy foods and inactivity.
African swine fever to impact 2014 pig prices
The EU pigmeat market is likely to have seen "significant downwards demand", following Russia’s ban on imports after African swine fever (ASF) was discovered in Lithuania, according to a leading industry analyst.
EU Commission delays Crown Holdings Mivisa takeover
The EU Commission has delayed the deadline for Crown Holdings acquisition of Mivisa, from February 28 to March 14, according to reports in the Official journal for the European Union.
Food and drink marketing to kids under spotlight
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is reviewing online food and drink marketing, especially to children, amid concerns about the rising incidence of obesity among young people.
US study links meat and Alzheimer’s
A US study using mice claims barbecued, grilled or fried meat can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, despite conflicting evidence among experts.
Which profession is the worst offender for snacking ‘al desko’?
A third of all snacking takes place at our desks and marketing professionals top the unhealthy table, with lawyers at the bottom, according to UK research from yogurt brand Fruyo.
Special edition: Gluten-free
Pulses for gluten-free: ‘We are what they need,’ says Best Cooking Pulses
From ready meals to breakfast bars, lots of pulse flour-based gluten-free products are coming on stream, says Margaret Hughes from Best Cooking Pulses, Inc., with the favorable nutritional profiles and moderate costs gaining traction with manufacturers...
Purchasing departments can drive innovation while delivering on sustainability goals, expert says
Sustainable sourcing is a big buzzword these days, and companies have different methods for achieving that goal. One way to boost a company’s sustainability profile is to tap into a hidden pool of talent, namely the people who actually buy the stuff: the...
RPA strengthening sanitation for reusable plastic containers
The Reusable Packaging Association is bringing together industry members to hammer out stronger sanitation guidelines for reusable food containers.
Nutrition label update: A tweak or an overhaul?
On Thursday the Obama administration unveiled the changes that the Food and Drug Administration drafted to the nutrition facts panel (see what the FDA is proposing here). In anticipation of the announcement, the Center for Science in the Public Interest...
Exotic snack flavor innovation must go beyond heat, says Snyder’s Lance
The American palate is more welcoming of exotic, ethnic flavors but snack innovation must go beyond just hot and spicy, says Snyder’s-Lance innovation head.
Vita Coco to enter the Middle East beverage market
Vita Coco, the top-selling coconut water brand in the US and UK, is now entering the high-potential Middle East beverage market, one of its key executives has revealed.
Special Edition: Gluten-free
Could oats be the next gluten-free star?
Oats, when the supply chain ensures no cross-contamination, are a gluten-free cereal grain. So why haven’t we seen a flurry of oat-based gluten-free options in the global bakery sector? Are they a missed golden opportunity for gluten-free bakery?
Indian business and Saudi prince to control basmati distribution in ME
An Indian conglomerate and a Saudi prince have teamed up with plans to make Dubai a regional hub for basmati rice—the leading food imports from the subcontinent to the Middle East.
Special Edition: Gluten-free
Riches in niches? The retail future of gluten-free
Should manufacturers look to move gluten-free products into the retail mainstream or does the segment’s future lie in its niche positioning?
GLOBAL FOOD SAFETY CONFERENCE 2014
Diversey Consulting: How fit is your safety program?
Manufacturing safety/sanitation outfit Diversey Consulting says an effective food safety program requires going beyond documents in a binder and occasional classes.
Milk Life replacing, not retiring got milk? campaign: MilkPEP
The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) has signaled its latest move away from its celebrity-driven 20-year old got milk? campaign, but insists that the iconic marketing program is not being dumped.
Copper Moon launches first probiotic in a K-Cup with Ganeden BC30
Ganeden Biotech - the Ohio-based company behind ultra-resilient probiotic BC30 (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086) - has scored another industry first after teaming up with coffee firm Copper Moon to launch the first K-Cups with probiotics.