JEM Raw sprouted nut butter spread outbreak over
An outbreak of Salmonella linked to nut butter spreads has ended, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Archives for January 18, 2016
Sesame oil reduces TAG, but not cholesterol: Review
Sesame significantly reduces triacylglycerol (TAG) levels, but does not affect cholesterol, according to a review.
Moulded-fibre packaging for eggs & fruit
Hartmann to close German factory in ‘increasingly competitive European market’
Hartmann, which makes moulded-fibre packaging for eggs, will close one of its factory’s in Schwedt, Germany, at the end of Q2, 2016, axing 77 jobs.
Italian health ministry strengthens legal foundation of charcoal bread ban
Italian health chiefs have updated the wording of a ban on the use of activated charcoal in bread – giving it a stronger legal foundation.
Heateflex launches automated media preparation system
Heateflex Corporation has launched a product designed to streamline the media preparation process in food testing labs.
Why did Walmart’s Express small-store experiment end in failure?
Five years ago, Walmart unveiled “a pretty aggressive plan” to open more Express small stores, which gave it “access to places we aren’t in”. On Friday, it admitted the plan had failed, and said it would shutter all 102 Express stores. So what went wrong?
Sales of sweet baked snacks slow, but single-serve holds promise, Packaged Facts finds
Sales of single-serve packages is a rare bright spot in the otherwise beleaguered sweet baked snack category, sales of which are slowing dramatically as consumers reach for healthier options or freshly baked goods when they do indulge, according to...
China
Starbucks unveils benefits plans, e-strategy and increased store count
The chief executive of Starbucks has said the Chinese market is shaping the future of the chain after the opening of its 2,000th store in the country.
No plastic: Simply Gum gains Vitamin Shoppe listing for all natural gum range
Simply Gum has gained distribution for its premium chewing gum line that’s made with a biodegradable chicle gum base in Vitamin Shoppe stores across the US.
McDonald’s loses branches in Finland as rivals push for market share
Competing fast-food chains are snapping at McDonald’s heels in Finland as the global player closes branches.
Cocoa processing rises 2% in Europe for 2015, finds ECA
Europe’s cocoa grind climbed 6% in the fourth quarter and 2% for the full year 2015, according to figures from the European Cocoa Association.
SCIEX inks licensing agreement to help expand mass spectrometry adoption
SCIEX and the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have signed a licensing agreement for technologies around analytical chemistry equipment.
US cattlemen: TPP vital to reach world’s middle class
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) has said the swift implementation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal is crucial to help American beef reach the world’s growing middle class.
USDA announces Howard Buffett as keynote speaker for industry panel
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed that farmer Howard Buffet, son of the billionaire investor Warren Buffet, will speak at its Agriculture Outlook panel in February.
Traditional fats and French cuisine: Campbell predicts trends for the food industry in 2016
Campbell Soup recently released its Culinary TrendScape report for 2016, an annual effort that started in 2014, which lists the top 10 influential food themes researched by chefs, bakers, and culinary professionals.
Can “green” claims turn the GMO debate around in 2016, analysts ask
Growing consumer concern about food waste and the environmental impact of food production could be a “conversation starter” for food manufacturers to shift consumers’ focus on genetically modified organisms away from the perceived negative impact to the...
The money diet: Spend more on food to be healthier, says 2000-strong study
People who increased the amount they spent on food made healthier choices, ate less energy-dense food and lost weight, which has implications for food taxes and consumer subsidies, say the authors of the long-term Spanish study.
Insects on a plate at food innovation conference
Edible insects, 3D printing and personalised nutrition are just three of the topics under discussion at Food Manufacture’s one-day innovation conference – New Frontiers in Food and Drink 2016 – in central London on Thursday March 17.
Denmark lowers indicative levels for acrylamide
EU guidance levels for acrylamide do not protect consumers enough, according to the Danish minister for environment and food, as it sets lower indicative levels for Danish manufacturers.
Obesity places children at higher risk of blood clots, say researchers
A link between obesity and the formation of blood clots in the veins of children and adolescents has been established by researchers for the first time.
Dairy sales grow as Almarai announces 2015 financial results
Almarai Company, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has announced its annual consolidated financial results for the year ending December 31, 2015.
ICL buys into Chinese phosphates major
Global speciality fertiliser manufacturer ICL has completed a 15% investment in China’s leading phosphate producer and the parent company of its partner in a joint-venture in China.
China's options to tackle stock shortages caused by bird flu in Europe
Trade bans following recent bird flu outbreaks in France will not just affect China’s white bird breeding stock imports over the coming months, but also the global market structure.
China direct
Are China’s food woes caused by its wretched environment?
China’s worsening environmental problems have garnered massive attention from the international community (writes Paul O’Brien of Chemlinked).
New Jersey sports drink company learns from its mistakes
After some false starts, Jersey Pump CEO Dany Nohra believes his company is on the right track in the growing sports and energy drink market.
For the love of beets: Love Beets opens new facility to meet demand
Marinated and vacuum packed, juiced, or turned into a bar, Love Beets is reinventing ways to make the healthy beetroot vegetable more adaptable to a busy lifestyle.