UK publishes 1000 datasets
‘Open data’ release to boost food & farming
The UK government is ‘unleashing’ 1000 farming datasets in a bid to boost the productivity of its farmers and food industry – and help business and consumer decision-making.
Archives for December 15, 2015
1100 foods, 113 nutrient values
Danes launch vast food database
Denmark has debuted a vast food database covering energy, fat, carbohydrates and proteins, dietary fibres, alcohol, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fatty acids.
Not just fun & games: mobile apps get serious about obesity
Smart phone apps could play a role in tackling the obesity crisis, although there needs to be more clarity around the way values and results are calculated, says a nutrition academic.
Poland’s Konspol plans €46m meat processing investment
Polish poultry meat processor Konspol is planning to invest up to PLN200 million (€46m) with the aim of significantly increasing its meat processing capacity and financing acquisitions of competitors in Poland and other European countries, according to...
Sustainable palm-oil body slammed over slave labour auditing
A coalition of international labour rights and environmental groups has questioned whether audits carried out by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) were robust enough to root out members that used slave labour.
Milk preserving technology trialled ahead of 2016 launch
Wisconsin-based Dairyvative’s milk concentrate has hit the consumer trial stage, and it’s ready to enter the market in January. The concentrate has a consistency similar to honey, and it can be packaged and reconstituted.
Beverage developers feed the trend of alternative energy drinks
As consumers are increasingly aware of the health problems associated with energy drinks, a Californian brand has spotted an opportunity for alternative energy products as mixers with juice, smoothies or cocktails.
3M aerobic bacteria test backed by AOAC
3M Food Safety’s Petrifilm rapid aerobic count plate has been granted Official Method of Analysis status by AOAC.
CSPI calls for better outbreak surveillance system
Improvements in surveillance systems are being undermined by developments in disease diagnosis and inconsistent reporting by state public health departments, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).
Investment capital continues to chase protein plays, experts say
Protein via nutrition bars and other delivery modes has driven much of the recent M&A activity in the dietary supplement and functional foods space, experts say.
Novel foods changes will speed launches
The EU’s decision to streamline the way it regulates novel foods and ingredients has received broad support from the food industry.
PepsiCo on healthy vending and 2016 launch of organic Gatorade
PepsiCo is looking to drive a healthier portfolio via new health-friendly vending machines and a 2016 launch of organic Gatorade.
Packaged foods growth driving Indian ready-to-eat innovation
The perceived convenience associated with packaged food has been driving lightning growth in the segment, according to an Assocham report.
South Asia radius
Coca-Cola could close Indian plants if ‘sin tax’ goes ahead
Coca-Cola would have “no option” but to consider shutting down some of its Indian factories if the government accepted a recommendation to place a significantly higher GST rate on aerated drinks.
Burgeoning paleo product development spreading out from US, finds Innova
Development of products tapping the paleo diet trend has spread out from the US to other parts of the globe in the past year, according to new research.
Avantium & Mitsui to launch 100% biobased packaging in Japan to coincide with Tokyo Olympics
Avantium has signed an agreement with Mitsui & Co. (Mitsui), to commercialize 100% biobased chemicals FDCA (Furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid) and PEF (polyethylene furanoate) in Asia.
EU urged to set date for organic farming review
EU farm ministers have been urged to get a date sorted for a review on organic farming to ensure producers have clarity on new rules.
Research ‘spin’ has policymakers going round in circles
Scientists and the media have long been uneasy bedfellows, but when it comes to research on nutrition they have become unlikely sweethearts.
Bioscience firm lands €75m fund to develop advanced meat cultures
Danish bioscience company Chr. Hansen has won a staggering €75m fund from the European Investment Bank to kick-start a deep-dive research project into the development of innovative bacterial solutions for the food industry, including meat products.
Agilent: Contaminant testing driven mass spec demand
Mass spectrometry has broken through in food more than other sectors primarily because contaminant testing depends on trace analysis, says Agilent.
USDA report outlines climate change impact on global food security
Though the direct impact of rising temperatures on agricultural yields is widely known, researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) press that the processing and packaging steps of the global food system are crucial intervention points to...
The Greek yogurt category is heating up again, says Chobani, citing latest Nielsen data
US retail sales of Greek yogurt have been picking up strongly over the past year, according to the latest Nielsen data*, with year-on-year (YoY) percentage growth up from 4.6% in the latest 52 weeks, to 6.1% in the latest 26 weeks, 7.4% in the latest 13...
Aus' and Brazil the beef exporters ‘to watch’ in 2016
Beef exporters tipped for success in 2016 include Australia, Brazil, India and the US, according to Rabobank’s global quarterly review on the beef industry.
Both short- and long-term trends to boost demand for plant proteins, DuPont experts say
This is the season of repetitive themes: Christmas carols, holly garlands, inflatable Santas. So it comes as no surprise that DuPont protein experts sound a familiar strain, too: Plant proteins were big in 2015 and they’re going to be even bigger in 2016.
Was the Maggi “ban” in fact a ban? FSSAI says not
India’s food regulator never “banned” Maggi noodles but instead issued a show-cause notice to Nestlé for an explanation about lead levels and product labelling, a court has heard.