A series of final regulations and implementing procedures published
by the European Commission yesterday will bring into force the
bloc's new hygiene rules for food companies on 1 January 2005.
UK-based AMC Chemicals says a new rice protein concentrate can
offer food makers a non-allergenic alternative to soy and whey that
is better absorbed by the body than other vegetable-derived
proteins.
Dutch bakery ingredients firm Unifine used the recent FiE
exhibition in Paris as a platform to launch the latest additions to
its portfolio, including a new concept to eliminate gaps between
filling and dough in puffed pastry products.
The oft-said adage that there are two things people don't want to
see being made - sausage and legislation - falls apart at the doors
of the EU's parliament.
Russian scientists claim they have devised a method of keeping meat
fresh for up to three months using additives found naturally in
living cells, says report.
Carbery believes that its new corporate structure will enable the
dairy ingredients giant to tap growing demand for added value
products and provide a one-stop-shop for manufacturers.
A petition filed by General Mills requesting the development of
definitions for 'excellent source,' 'good source' and 'made with'
whole grains has been denied by the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA).
US agribusiness giant Cargill was garnering early interest in its
Barliv barley beta glucan at FiE in Paris this week, following the
presentation of a study highlighting its cholesterol-lowering
benefits in November.
Tate & Lyle believes that developing a better understanding of
food manufacturing concerns will enable the company to deliver
better ingredient solutions.
Unless the food industry accepts that emotional connections drive
consumer decisions about what is and what is not acceptable, full
public confidence will be hard to restore.
The battle in the UK over where Melton Mowbray pork pies can be
made wrapped up yesterday after two days of arguments in a UK
court, with the judge hearing the case saying he would hand down
his decision at a later date.
Higher minimum targets on packaging announced by the UK's
environmentalregulator will put greater pressure on food processors
to ship their products in environmentally-friendly materials.
Companies are calling for longer term certainty on what targets
they must meet to comply with the EU's greenhouse gas emissions
trading scheme, according to a report by the European Commission.
Keeping pests at bay in food processing plants and warehouses could
becomeeasier with a new trapping and computer monitoring method
developed by the USagricultural research service (ARP).
UK research will be directed to studying the potential risks posed
by nanotechnology, including its effects on health from its use by
the food industry, according to a report released yesterday.
A EU food safety committee is meeting in Brussels today to discuss
the contamination of milk and other products with a chemical used
by Tetra Pak in its packaging process.
The world's leading cocoa processor Barry Callebaut said yesterday
that it had new evidence to support the anti-cancer and anti-ageing
benefits of its healthy chocolate Acticoa.
EU processors will have to wait longer to find out if they can
continue to use aspartame, after the EU's food safety regulator
said it had still not received evidence from an Italian research
centre indicating that the artificial...
From 25 November, the new rules, introduced by EC Directive
89/2003, will require pre-packed foods sold in the European Union
to show clearly on the label if they contain any of 12 listed
allergenic foods as an ingredient.
From gleaming stainless steel valves to industrial scale kettles,
the guts of Winn-Dixie's failed food business are displayed on the
Internet as equipment from two of the company's plants are put up
for auction.
A method of enriching milk with Omega 3 will result in products
without the fishy taste associated with the oil, Tetra Pak says in
marketing a dosing machine for the nutrient.
The European Commission's criticism of members states for being
slow to follow a key industrial pollution law could spur a
crackdown on companies that have so far not felt thepressure to
make their plants and production processes...
If the EU keeps hiding its agriculture sector behind huge pay
cheques instead of devoting more time to food research funding, the
bloc's whimpering and wailing will only get worse.
APV Baker has developed a new co-extrusion technology that will
enable food makers in the cereal and snack market to add value to
their products in a number of ways including a larger variety of
shapes and an even wider range of fillings.
Cargill Juice Beverage Applications believes it can help beverage
companies capture new trends and develop products in categories
they may not have tackled before.
The EU is confident that the sugar reforms announced last week give
producers a long-term competitive future, though firms such as Tate
& Lyle remain cautious.
Safefood, the food safety promotion board of Ireland, has launched
a campaign aimed at encouraging parents to allow their children to
eat snack foods as treats only, and not as part of an everyday
diet.
Wheat breeders in recent years have been increasingly working on
the development of waxy wheat varieties. Yet the commodity has not
yet hit the mainstream market as no one seems to know what to do
with it. FoodNavigator-USA speaks...
Using a modular system of radio frequency identification (RFID)
tags and a new set of software Escort Memory Systems says it has
developed a faster way to ensure automated tasks are triggered
quicker on fast moving production lines.
Manufacturers of food and beverage products that contain sugar are
calling on the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to allow for
more sugar imports in order to top up the nation's reduced sugar
production and prevent a shortage...
Chip maker McCain has shut down its recently opened plant in
Harbin, northeast China, after authorities cut off the water supply
due to fears of contamination.
A UK-based company has made inroads in the Americas with its sonic
wave propulsion system that can mix, cook, pump, emulsify and
homogenize liquid foods and drinks.
Diamant Art has opened choices on the market for biodegradable
packaging by expanding its range of recyclable stretch film to
include a pallet wrap based on polystyrene.
The soluble fibre inulin, best known for its beneficial effects on
the gut, also lowers the glycaemic index of dark chocolate,
according to a new study, suggesting the ingredient could be used
in products targeted at blood sugar control.
An infrared camera can monitor food processing lines in four
temperature bands and at a fraction of the cost of commonly used
cryogenic cameras, its manufacturer claims.
PepsiCo has announced two acquisitions to bolster its snack food
portfolio: Sara Lee's European nut business and Stacy's Pita Chip
Co, the biggest pita chip maker in the US.
Marks & Spencer's commitment to remove all hydrogenated fats
from its entire food range by mid 2006 suggests that awareness of
trans fats has now fully hit Europe.
Estimates for world durum wheat and corn output are down sharply
from last year's record harvests, indicating processors might face
a price hike for the commodities depending on the demand.
Self-adhesive temperature labels can help food processors ensure
that their products remain under optimal conditions in the factory
and throughout the supply chain.