The Internet is offering a wealth of information to more and more
people, but also an avenue for irresponsible businesses to exploit
consumer health concerns.
A new bacon-processing factory has started operating in BurySt
Edmunds, Suffolk, providing an example of what processors can
achieve when given a chance to design from the ground up.
The effects of avian influenza on Romania's poultry sectorprovides
a high-profile case study for the rest of Europe on how the
viruscould affect both the supply of the meat and consumers'
demand.
A group of scientists has claimed that Unilever's genetically
modified (GM) fish antifreeze protein for ice cream should not be
approved without further comprehensive tests.
The general trend towards healthier eating has resulted in American
consumers turning away from carefree snacks, and opting instead for
healthier products, according to Snack Food Trends in the US, a new
report by Packaged Facts.
UK cake and bread manufacturer, Finsbury Foods, has announced its
yearly profits will be in excess of company predictions, cementing
its position in the speciality bakery sector.
Premier Foods has today announced its purchase of Campbell's UK and
Irish businesses for £450m (€651m), marking the firm's sixth
acquisition in under four years.
Nottingham University researchers have reported improvements to the
method of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the brain
to give scientists a more "natural" insight into the perception of
taste and aroma.
The UK's Home Grown Cereals Association (HGCA) have announced that
cereal plantings in Great Britain have grown, in a report that
spells good news for UK bread wheat exporters.
University of Birmingham researchers have reported that caffeine
can boost nerve cell activity in the brain, potentially protecting
against memory loss.
Recycled packaging has become a more viable option in the UK,
according to three leading firms spanning soft drinks, food
retailing and cosmetics, who have been trialling products and
gauging consumer opinion.
Kellogg, the world's biggest breakfast cereal maker, is in talks to
buy a Chinese food company as part of its plans to boost sales in
Asia, according to a report.
UK sales of organic food have risen by 30 per cent this year to
almost £1.6bn (€2.3bn) according to a new report from the Soil
Association - and bakery manufacturers are catching the trend.
Adding soluble fibres, guar gum and pectin, to skimmed milk could
speed up the coagulation time, improving cost efficiency, and
impart nutritional benefits, say Irish researchers.
In the wake of UK government concerns over childhood obesity and
pressure from health watchdogs, crisp manufacturers have been
pursuing healthier alternatives to kid-friendly brands.
Scientists at the University of Kent in the UK have
received€800,000 to study ways nanotechnology can improve the
safety and quality ofchilled and frozen foods.
Leading food manufacturer Kraft has paid £575m (€829.6m) for United
Biscuit's southern European snack business. The deal was signed off
over the weekend, said British daily The Financial Times.
Which? consumer watchdog is calling for standardised food labelling
legislation to iron out consumer confusion, as many retailers and
manufacturers reject the recommended FSA traffic light system in
favour over their own labelling...
The rise of organic food is a knee-jerk reaction to consumer health
fears, and threatens to unhelpfully steer us away from improving
the quality of food generally.
Drinking at least one cup of tea a day could cut the risk of cancer
in the gallbladder and bile ducts by about 40 per cent, suggests a
population-based study from China.
With the EU's fish stocks under threat of depletion, the European
Commission this week said it will propose reducing catches in a bid
to restore supplies to sustainable levels.
The UK's Competition Commission will investigate the proposed
acquisition by Pan Fish of Marine Harvest, due to concerns that the
creation of the world's largest producer of farmed salmon may
result in increased prices.
China's biggest domestic cheese producer, Bright Dairy, has
invested in a new production line for sliced cheese to increase its
profits from this growing, niche market.
The US cattle association is calling for further restrictions on
beef from Canada, after regulators there confirmed a testing
program had found the country's eight case of bovine spongiform
encephalopathy (BSE).
In a move to safeguard their position in the Irish market, Largo
Foods, the country's largest snack food manufacturer has added the
iconic Tayto crisp brand to its portfolio for €62.3m.
UK food manufacturer RHM remains undeterred by last year's slump in
Mr Kipling cake sales - their financial second half results show
business is improving with the aid of healthy Hovis products.
Eating a Mediterranean diet with extra nuts or olive oil is
significantly better for heart health than a low-fat diet, says a
"landmark" clinical trial from Spain.
Europe's savoury snacks industry last week pledged its commitment
to nutrition and health and tackling obesity - but switching off
advertising is not seen as an effective solution to driving change
in the market.
DSM has launched a new clarification pectinase for the apple and
pear juice industry, which it claims promises a faster and more
complete soluble pectin breakdown.
Italy's bid to prop up its ailing poultry sector, hit by a drop in
demand due to avian influenza, may have gone too far, the European
Commission said yesterday.
Cadbury Schweppes has come under renewed criticism following a
regulatory finding that it did not adhere to EU safety measures at
its Herefordshire plant, where salmonella was discovered earlier
this year.
Fonterra, the New Zealand dairy co-operative, said it sold more
dairy ingredients this May than in any other month ever, as it
continues to expand on the world dairy market.