China direct
Feelings of inferiority and over-eating linked for first time
People who feel socially inferior eat more, a Hong Kong-Singapore study has found, suggesting that feeling poor is enough to trigger over-eating.
Archives for January 16, 2017
Probiotics and Alzheimer’s: Personalised nutrition tipped to become crucial area of treatment research
Modulation of gut microbiota through personalised diet or probiotic intervention will increasingly become a key focus for treating brain disorders including Alzheimer’s Disease, Chinese academics have concluded in a new review.
Greenpeace calls for ban on neonicotinoids after publishing new study
Greenpeace is calling on EU policy makers for a complete ban on neonicotinoid pesticides as its latest report shows the harmful effects on pollinators.
‘Striking’ rise in consumption of no- and low-calorie sweeteners stokes debate about their health impact
A “striking” increase in the consumption of no- and low-calorie sweeteners over 13 years combined with conflicting data on their connection to obesity, diabetes and other health issues escalates the need for more research on their chronic health effects,...
Jobs at risk as HKScan issues second profit warning
Finnish meat processor HKScan has lowered its 2016 operating profit forecast for the second time in a matter of months, with at least 35 jobs set to be axed.
Takeaway fined over mislabelled meat and nut dishes
A UK takeaway owner has been fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £200 in costs after admitting selling dishes labelled as containing lamb and almonds which were actually mutton and peanuts.
Canada investigating source of E. coli outbreak
Canadian officials are investigating an outbreak of E. coli O121 which has sickened 12 people.
Beans, chickpeas, lentils, key to next-generation of plant-based dairy
Fava bean yogurt? General Mills patents process to create range of dairy-alternatives from legumes
A patent application from General Mills shows it is experimenting with legumes such as chickpeas, adzuki beans, fava beans and lentils to create non-dairy ‘milks;' eggless mayonnaise and dips; and cultured legume based products such as cheeses, yogurts,...
News in brief
‘Tastes more like Coke’: Coca-Cola’s £4.5m advertising campaign for Coca-Cola Zero Sugar
Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) has today launched a new advertising campaign for Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, emphasizing the similarities in taste with the flagship Coca-Cola Classic brand.
Listeria monocytogenes literature search ahead of risk assessment
Risk factors of Listeria monocytogenes contamination in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods have been described by researchers.
Can a soda tax discourage ‘go large’?
Discouraging the sale of ‘jumbo sized’ sugary drinks would have both economic and health benefits, according to a UK study led by the University of East Anglia. Policy interventions – such as soda taxes and portion cap rules – must be carefully designed...
Can ‘happy’ pizza make sad days go away?
Food marketers claim pizza and puppies can bring happiness, but bad marketing and dodgy pseudoscience won't make the January blues go away.
New Australian lamb promotional campaign launched
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has launched its new lamb marketing campaign.
Kashmiri taste for lamb and goat prompts robust meat trade in India
The predominantly meat-eating communities in the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir has become a significant market for Indian meat and livestock producers from outside the region.
$2.5M from Aqua-Spark will help Love The Wild transition to 100% aquaculture farmed fish
With an investment of $2.5 million from Aqua-Spark, startup seafood meal kit maker Love The Wild hopes to change the way Americans eat fish and perceive aquaculture farming, which has a notoriously bad reputation.
Behaviour change focus for Consumer Food Safety Education Conference
More than 400 people are expected to attend the 2017 Consumer Food Safety Education (CFSE) Conference.
EU awards €10.4m to regrow British and Danish organic sectors
The European Commission has dished out €10.4m to the UK and Denmark’s organic associations to promote the organic industry in both countries.
From wheat to meat: Seaweed start-up launches vegan bacon after pasta success
Following the success of I Sea Pasta, seaweed specialist Seamore, has launched a vegan bacon made entirely from seaweed and has further plans to expand its market.
Crikey! Fruit fly flour beats crickets for cost, says Israeli start-up
Move over crickets and mealworms - Israeli start-up Flying Spark is farming and processing fruit fly powders and oils that are cheaper than other insect ingredients but with a similar nutritional and taste profile.
New Zealand
Study lifts lid on how much alcohol branding kids see on sports TV
Kiwi viewers can be exposed to four alcoholic drinks brands every minute as they watch sport on the television, leading some children to assume that drinking alcohol was “part of being a good New Zealander”.
El Niño disruption causes palm kernel prices to double
Palm kernel oil prices have almost doubled in the last year to their highest levels in over five years due to the impact of the El Niño weather phenomenon in the Pacific ocean, which slashed availability throughout the 2015-16 season.
Australia invests $5.3m in R&D projects on Shiraz terroir
Wine Australia has today announced a six year, $5.3m AUD ($4m USD) R&D investment that will look at Australia’s unique terroirs and how they influence wine style and quality.