Validactor looks to combat counterfeiting
No company should be left without the possibility to prove its products are safe and original, according to one of the co-founders of Validactor.
Archives for August 15, 2017
Swiss start-up’s insect-derived food intent on overcoming consumer bugbear
Swiss start-up Essento will make its range of insect burgers and meatballs available in supermarkets after a recent shake-up of the country’s food safety laws.
Zoonoses more sensitive to climate than solely human or animal pathogens
The impact of climate change on emergence and spread of infectious diseases could be greater than previously thought, according to University of Liverpool research.
Booming Asian mega farms are an ‘economic risk’
Investors should not get overexcited by the risky Asian meat industry as booming production may not translate to soaring profits, a FAIRR (Farm Animal Investment Risk & Return) Initiative report has claimed.
RXBAR extends minimalist philosophy to school lunchboxes with new kids line
Chicago-based RXBAR’s new kid’s line is now available in 3,000 stores nationwide, providing a smaller version of the fastest growing bar by dollar growth in the natural and conventional channels, per measurement by market analytics firm Nielsen.
Amazon Instant Pickup and Aldi’s partnership with Instacart illustrate gains of online grocery shopping
The launch of Amazon Instant Pickup and Aldi’s new partnership with Instacart, both announced this week, propel forward online grocery shopping, which according to industry analysts is quickly gaining momentum despite significant lingering challenges.
Australia
Toy tie-ins make kids pester for healthy food as much as for junk food
Campaigners have been putting pressure on brands that use toys to sell unhealthy foods after an Australian study revealed the scale of the impact they have on what kids want to eat.
CO2 rises could plunge millions into protein deficiency
Researchers claim that almost 150 million people (1.57% of the world’s population) may be placed at risk of protein deficiency by 2050 if levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere continue to rise.
Heart disease, stroke present highest mortality risk for elderly with high BMI: Singapore study
Cardiovascular disease and stroke are the two main causes of mortality in overweight and obese individuals aged 65 and above, according to a study led by the National University of Singapore (NUS).
Australia
Arnott’s ends relocation rumours at opening of A$22m packaging plant
Australian bakery major Arnott’s opened a A$22m (US$17.5m) packaging plant in its traditional heartland of Sydney’s western suburbs.
Cobb-Vantress expands sales and technical teams
US poultry processor Cobb-Vantress has made appointments to its sales and technical teams.
Global ID acquires Brazilian testing lab
The Global ID Group (Global ID) has acquired a food safety testing lab in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Brazilian beef giant Marfrig to hire 4,500 new staff
Brazilian meatpacker Marfrig will create thousands of new jobs by reopening five slaughterhouses and scaling up production this year.
Food industry gives cautious reception to UK-EU customs plan
The UK government’s approach for an interim Customs Union to protect business from a 'cliff edge' post-Brexit has been given a warm, if cautious, reception from food industry representatives.
Danone pressured to strengthen margins as activists strike
French dairy giant Danone has become the latest European target of activist investors, with New York hedge fund Corvex Management taking a €340m stake in the group.
This week Down Under
Cadbury vows to ‘secure' jobs while announcing 50 redundancies
Though Mondelēz has billed its new plans to invest A$75m (US$60m) into upgrading its Hobart Cadbury factory as a move to “secure local jobs”, it has at the same time revealed that nearly 10% of jobs will be shed in the process.
Study on choline intakes suggests eggs or supplements are only way to get enough
A study published this month using NHANES data reinforces that choline is an underconsumed nutrient, and concludes that it is very difficult to get enough in the diet without eating eggs or using a dietary supplement.
Almost 150 sick by Salmonella from papayas
Three more states have illnesses as part of an outbreak of Salmonella linked to Maradol papayas from a Mexican farm.
FDF, BRC back ‘coordinated’ approach to sugar reduction
Industry bodies representing the UK’s food and drink sector are backing a “coordinated” drive to reduce the amount of sugar in products.
$16.8 million in government grants aim to encourage SNAP spending on more produce
After efforts earlier this year to use a stick to discourage SNAP beneficiaries from buying unhealthy products was met with resistance and doubt, the government is trying another approach – a carrot in the form of $16.8 million in grants to boost...
Barnana rolls out to 8,000 Starbucks stores
Banana-fueled snack Barnana is rolling out to 8,000 Starbucks stores nationwide in chocolate, and chocolate and peanut butter flavors in single serve bags with customized brown and gold packaging.
Kane Beef creates jobs after unlocking China
Kane Beef plans to increase its workforce after it became the first meat processor in the state of Texas, US, to start selling beef to China.
Door to Door Organics CEO: Amazon/Whole Foods deal a ‘huge wake-up call’
Americans buy everything online, from books to vacations. But when it comes to groceries, bricks, not clicks, still rule. That was until Amazon struck a deal to buy Whole Foods, and gave everyone a “huge wake up call,” says Door to Door Organics CEO Mike...
Food delivery apps record fastest growth in China’s online market
Heavy discounting by start-ups backed by internet majors Tencent and Alibaba have made online food delivery the fastest-growing online segment in China.
Probiotics a possible treatment for jaundice in newborn babies: Chinese meta-analysis
Probiotic supplementation might be able to safely and effectively treat jaundice in babies, a Chinese systematic review and meta-analysis found, but researchers say better quality data is required.