Work on the UK's first factory able to recycle HDPE resin from
plastic milk bottles for re-use in food packaging could start
within a year, according to a government-funded recycling agency.
The £1.7bn (€2.5bn) struggle to acquire British bakery group United
Biscuits has intensified with US buyout firm Blackstone set to
table a bid for the company at Thursday's auction.
Soaring obesity rates are creating opportunities for food and
beverage manufacturers to expand the number of products that
contain sugar substitutes, according to a new market report.
A "tasting" robot that can identify foods, drinks and their
ingredients through the packaging provides a glimpse into the
future direction of safety and quality control in manufacturing
plants.
Food can polarise opinion more than most issues, but can we please
have some balance and debate, rather than mudslinging and crop
burning to get to the truth?
H.J. Heinz strategy to raise prices and cut costs has paid off in
profit margins increasing to 15.5 per cent in the second quarter of
2006, two percentage points higher than the comparable period last
year.
Donkey milk has been hailed as the secret of long life by a family in Ecuador, but is there any science behind claims for milk that is supposedly the closest thing to human milk?
Drinking three glasses of fruit or vegetable juice a week could cut
the risk of Alzheimer's disease by a whopping 75 per cent,
according to a population based study from the US.
The demand for produce packaging is expected to surpass $4.3bn by
2010 fuelled by shifting consumer trends and hikes in material
costs, says a new report.
After a recent boost in French walnut production, combined with the
growing popularity of the nut among consumers, producers should be
celebrating - but bad news came this week in the form of a
government report indicating supply...
British farmers and bakery firms can breathe a sigh of relief as
the risk of crop contamination from mycotoxins is low this year,
according to an industry organisation.
European ingredients group Cognis has developed a baking agent
which claims to lower costs and improve performance in the baking
of all yeast-based products such as croissants and buns.
UK-based Stanelco will begin testing the use of its radio frequency
technology heat sealing method with a food packaging company within
the next two months, according to a company spokesperson.
EU broiler production in 2006 is forecast to be four per cent lower
than last year due to the outbreaks of avian influenza (AI), but
looks set to rebound in 2007, according to a new report.
The growing use of membrane filtration technologies for water
purification and recycling is being driven in part by the dramatic
reductions in cost, according to study by Frost & Sullivan.
The International Grains Council (IGC) has been forced to lower
grain estimates announced last month as conditions in the worldwide
grain market worsen.
An automated carton end-loader will bridge the gap between large
production lines and small-scale operations, giving quick
labour-saving options for medium-sized manufacturers, says its
developer.
Nanocantilevers could be crucial in designing a new class of
ultra-small sensors for the quick detection of viruses, bacteria
and other pathogens, say researchers at Purdue University.
American-owned food group Sara Lee is going back to basics with a
new marketing campaign designed to remind food lovers of the joys
of eating - shirking the trend towards functional foods.
Scientists have called on Britain's food safety authorities to
recognise the superior health qualities of organic milk, after a
new study showed it contained higher levels of omega-3 than
conventional milk.
A new Israeli study suggests that pomegranate juice could offer
health benefits for diabetics, despite the juice containing
significant sugar concentrations.
As food manufacturers inch closer to the holy grail of low-calorie,
trans-fat free flavor-fantastic products one has to ask how we
veered so far from the common sense of fresh home-cooked meals.
The discovery of mouldy coffee beans at a port in Italy has put
further pressure on an already tight market this month, with prices
expected to continue rising.
British researchers are starting a small trial to investigate if
the antioxidant benefits of apples are passed on to cider drinkers,
and could possibly lead to "functional" ciders.
Global logistics company Schenker is testing the use of radio
frequency identification (RFID) technology to track containers used
for overseas shipments.
The antioxidant content of tea could mean that drinking three or
more cups a day could reduce the risk of a wide range of health
problems, ranging from cancer to heart disease, and may even be
healthier than water, says a review from...
As part of a bid to shed low margin operations, Unilever today
reached a deal to sell most of its European frozen foods business
to a private equity firm for €1.73bn.
Leading US ingredient firm Cargill last week reported strong fiscal
year earnings, although the performance of the firm's food
ingredients business lagged the year-ago level.
Global packaging provider Rexam says it will begin renegotiating
contracts with its European clients later this year in a bid to
recover some of the rising costs of the aluminum used in its
beverage cans.
A Switzerland-based company has developed radio frequency
identification (RFID) tags designed to withstand the high heat used
in food manufacturing processes.
The world's foremost chewing gum producer, the Wm Wrigley Jr
Company, is set to make inroads into the growing functional
confectionery market with a new gum to combat bad breath.
Quest has developed what it calls its '3-D approach' to snack
flavour development in order to offer customers greater flexibility
and identify key trends earlier.
The iconic UK cereal brand Weetabix has added a new oat variety to
its portfolio in a bid to attract health-conscious consumers
seeking to benefit from its cholesterol-lowering properties.
