Palm oil producer launches peatland protection project in Indonesia
A palm oil producer’s pledge to rehabilitate peatland in Indonesia will provide momentum for industry-wide change, it says.
Archives for November 23, 2015
Corn and sugar lobbies bury the hatchet, settle 'corn sugar' lawsuit
After almost five years of bitter legal wrangling, the corn and sugar lobbies have buried the hatchet and settled their legal dispute – mid-trial – over the marketing of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).
Soapbox - Guest column
Is complementary medicine shackled by a nanny state?
There is still an Australian self-view involving reckless abandon, a laissez-faire approach to rules and an attitude toward life that involves doing what we want, when we want. Ours is a land where personal choice rules, we believe.
Calls for culls of boar and deer EU
A senior meat industry official has backed calls for the sustainable culling of wild boar and red deer in Europe, made at a meeting of the European Union (EU) Council of Ministers.
ECDC reveals Salmonella typing assessment findings
There were mixed findings from an analysis of Salmonella typing methods and subsequent data analysis, said the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
Kizad sees BRF upgrade and $40m Binghatti deal
BRF will upgrade its factory in Kizad by 28,000 tonnes next year, four years ahead of schedule, as Binghatti Holding announces plans to build a US$40.8m food facility in Kizad.
Russian chocolatier Goldberg plans UAE factory
Russian chocolate-maker Goldberg is planning to establish a factory in the UAE, as it targets the Middle East and North Africa as its first major export market.
Navigating global differences in food regulation
The EU's work to help countries benchmark and harmonise regulation is worth its weight in gold, says regulatory attorney Kevin Kenny, but it's still a confusing landscape for food manufacturers.
Syria crisis hits Jordanian meat market
The demand for meat in Jordan has been weakened by the conflict in its troubled neighbour Syria, with the Jordanian economy slowing down due to regional instability, impacting consumer purchasing power. However, at the same time, demand for meat is being...
Egyptian gov’t plans wider food imports, as food prices drive up inflation
Egypt’s government said it would widen the range of food products it imports, as food price rises push the country’s inflation to 9.7% in October, partly due to a chronic dollar shortage.
Oman and Japan create $400m food investment fund
Oman and Japan have agreed to form a US$400m investment fund focused on food and agribusiness, aimed at boosting the industry in Oman as well as Japanese exports.
dispatches from RAFA 2015, Prague
HRAM mass spec can take testing to another level – Thermo Scientific
High-resolution accurate mass mass spectrometry capabilities can take food safety testing to ‘another level’, according to Thermo Scientific.
ASF concern strikes Finland
Pig producers in Finland fear the spread of African swine fever (ASF) from Eastern Europe to the Scandinavian peninsula, according to a report by the European office of environmental protection agency Green Front.
Diet soda: A key to weight loss?
Low energy sweeteners commonly used in diet sodas may help with weight loss, says a University of Bristol study, adding that confusion among consumers between sweeteners and sugar needs to be addressed.
Healthy innovation from British start-ups: Cauliflower porridge, cinnamon water and quark
Is cinnamon water set to steal coconut water's crown, can quark ever rival Greek yoghurt and will cauliflower rice really replace oats for a healthy breakfast porridge? FoodNavigator met up with the product developers who think so.
Discovery
Unraveling the cocoa code: Barry Callebaut discovers undetected polyphenols as it develops ‘cocoa atlas’
Barry Callebaut has found previously undiscovered cocoa polyphenols as it works with Bremen-based Jacobs University to crack the commodity’s molecular code.
Gelatine is more than just a texturiser: Rousselot
Gelatine should be seen as a functional ingredient for use in ‘better for you’ products, according to gelatine supplier Rousselot.
Patent Watch
Goodbye scuff marks: Mars heat treats chocolate after tempering to avoid unwanted marks
A short burst of hot air or incubation can prevent unsightly white marks on chocolate obtained via friction during production and packing, according to a patent application from Mars.
Pasture-raised eggs help fuel industry “renaissance,” Handsome Brook Farm co-founder says
The egg industry is undergoing a “renaissance” as consumers increasingly turn their backs to conventional eggs from caged hens and reach instead for those from chickens raised with space to move and access to outdoors, claims the co-owner of Handsome...
Far East digest
Wide-ranging B. longum BB536 study shows multiple benefits for elderly
A nationwide survey of middle-aged and elderly Japanese consumers has found that those who take probiotic milk have better bone health, are less prone to some diseases and remember more than those who choose regular milk.
Danish probiotics major signs JV in Korea
Biocare Copenhagen, a Danish probiotics company, will enter the Korean market through a partnership with local health food manufacturer and distributor Health Balance.
#Probiota16 : Amsterdam February 2-4, 2016
Probiota 2016 is go!...call for scientific abstracts extended until December 14
Probiota 2016 in Amsterdam is extending the deadline to submit abstracts for the Scientific Frontiers competition to December 14. We've had 15 entries but our scientific panel wants to see more...
Small suppliers ‘main casualties’ of price war
The supermarket price war has hit small food manufacturers hardest, squeezing profit margins by more than a third, according to law firm EMW.
Salmonella outbreak from cucumbers passes 800 illnesses
The number of people sickened by Salmonella from cucumbers has risen again to 838 illnesses from 38 states.
Ishida bags Almarai poultry project, makes sales at GFM
Almarai has installed a 37,000 bird-per-hour poultry processing line from Ishida, the Japanese firm announced, as it revealed it also made an on-floor sale at Gulfood Manufacturing.
Ozone Purification secures investment to accelerate market launch
Ozone Purification (OZO) has secured an undisclosed investment from Astia Angels and Wheatsheaf Group.
New regional investments on hold, says Jaffan Trading
Regional food producers are holding back on new investments, but those who are spending are looking for novelty in chocolate and dates products, according to Jaffan Trading and Marketing.
Companies, producers rise to meet consumer demand for animal welfare
Food and beverage manufacturers and suppliers are rising to meet the increasing consumer demand for humanely produced animal products – a trend which the American Humane Association celebrated last week on Capitol Hill in Washington.
The rise and rise of REBBL (Roots + Extracts + Berries + Bark + Leaves): ‘I saw magic in this company’ says new CEO
Not so long ago, an organic beverage brand boasting ‘adaptogenic super-herbs’ would have had a fairly niche audience. Today, it’s a very different story, says Sheryl O’Loughlin, former CEO of Clif Bar and co-founder of Plum Organics, who has just moved...
FDA denies GMO labeling petition: What matters is the characteristics of the food itself, not the process by which it was made
The FDA has rejected a citizen’s petition calling for mandatory labeling of foods from genetically engineered crops, arguing that labels are not warranted unless there is a material difference in the safety or nutritional profile of the foods in question.
Australia blocks farmland sale to foreign investors
The sale of Australia’s largest cattle property portfolio by S Kidman & Co to a foreign investor has been blocked by Australia’s Treasurer - finance minister Scott Morrison.