European food scientists warn that a host of illegal dyes
pinpointed in foods on the supermarket shelves may pose a genotoxic
and carcinogenic risk, a conclusion reached despite insufficient
data to perform a full risk assessment.
New Zealand dairy group Fonterra will today unveil a range of dairy
protein crisps with up to 80 per cent protein content for use by
makers of energy and sports bars as well as healthy and slimming
snack foods.
A joint effort between government and industry is ensuring that
normal levels of grain export movement along the lower Mississippi
river are resumed as quickly as possible.
Oversupply of sugar in the EU and higher energy costs combine to
knock profits for the year at British Sugar, its owner Associated
British Foods warned today.
Food giant Kraft Foods, the maker of Maxwell House coffee and
Nabisco cookies, will push funds behind 'fewer, bigger and better
new product ideas' to fuel sustainable growth.
A new meta-analysis of scientific evidence for nuts' ability to
lower cholesterol levels confirms that almonds, peanuts, walnuts
and pecans could be useful as part of an overall heart-healthy
diet.
Leading vitamin and specialty chemicals maker DSM opened its first
research and development centre in China today, designed to help it
achieve strong sales growth from this market in the next three
years.
The competition in the European cheese market just increased as a
Latvian producer has ramped up production with the installation of
a modern processing line.
Europe's food risk assessment body has issued its opinion on
nutrition claims for products containing omega-3 fatty acids, which
will be used in forthcoming laws on nutrition and health claims.
Biodegradable and recycled packaging may soon become viable
alternatives for more food companies as the increasing price of
plastics begins to be passed on by suppliers, KPMG states in a
report.
Allowing employees to keep more flexible working times has resulted
in better relationships between employer and staff and in some
cases increased operational efficiency according to a new report.
Opportunities in the mature enzyme market lie in developments,
driven by biotechnology, that provide food and beverage makers with
the right tools to meet consumer trends, claims a new report.
Dutch company Impress Holdings said its acquisition of Alcan's can
making and decorative tinplate container facility will give it a
strategic foothold in the UK food can market.
Rexam is expanding its plastics packaging business in a tough
market, announcing today it has agreed to purchase a US maker of
injection-moulded jars and closures for £83m (€123m).
Cognis has launched a new enzyme range that promises to improve the
production of short-shelf-life yeast-raised baked goods and save
food makers money.
Cash, cash, cash. Castigated as simple asset-strippers out to make
a quick buck, the entrance of private equity onto the food industry
stage has participants chattering in the wings.
Consumers opt to buy organic food because it tastes better, so
claims a recent survey from the UK's organic body the Soil
Association, putting increasing pressure on the food makers to
perfect their formulations.
The UK marketer of Shreddies breakfast cereal can continue to make
claims that the product helps boost children's concentration in
school but it must make their evidence clearer to viewers of their
ad, said authorities last week.
Royal Ahold's sale of Deli XL to South Africa-based Bidvest of
South Africa was cleared yesterday by the European Commission,
serving as a sign another investment company sees opportunity in
Europe's stagnant food marketplace.
With wholegrains fast becoming the new health trend, food and
ingredients companies are tripping over each other to launch new
products and marketing strategies in order to cash in on the craze
while interest is high.
Danish company Chr Hansen has shored up its lead in the dairy
cultures business after doubling capacity at its plant in France,
now said to be the world's largest.
Concentrations of harmful moulds called fumonisins were higher in
organic samples of cornflakes, finds an investigative study on over
200 samples of this popular breakfast cereal.
Irish dairy group Glanbia will be wishing it made a bigger
investment in nutritional ingredients sooner than it did, as it
revealed a 13 per cent drop in half year operating profits
yesterday owing to difficult conditions in chilled...
UK bakery ingredients BakeMark UK firm rolls out a trans fat-free
margarine for cake makers, the latest in a series of launches as
the firm sets to phase out hydrogenated fats from its entire
manufactured product range by the end...
Health-promoting cereal foods and ingredients aimed at fighting
metabolic syndrome are to be developed in a five-year project
involving 43 partners from 15 European countries.
As part of its programme to develop a seamless system for tracking
goods through the supply chain, MIT's Auto-ID Laboratory is in the
process of building a software simulation to study how data will
flow to global trading partners...
Spanish scientists are carrying out further investigation into the
nutrient content of bread in an attempt to persuade consumers to
eat more of the fibre-rich food.
The state of California is suing nine top food manufacturers over
their reluctance to issue warnings that some popular snacks could
contain a potential cancer-causing chemical.
Allied Starch & Chemical (ASC) has acquired Californian-based
firm Ingredients Unlimited as part of its plan to capitalize on the
lucrative North American tortilla market.
While Graham Packaging reported sales and operating income rose in
the second quarter due to the purchase of Owens-Illinois' plastics
unit, the company has still not been able to bring its costs under
control.
Praise where praise is due. And it is certainly due for one
small-time drinks firm in southern Britain, which is spear-heading
answers to global water shortages that threaten to wreak havoc on
food producers everywhere.
Strenghtening supply chain number one enzyme supplier Novozymes
will consolidate its numerous distributor agreements in Europe
under one firm, ingredients and additive distributor Fiske.
As prices for hazelnuts, two-thirds of which are sourced from
Turkey, slowly start to recover following global shortages,
pistachio production also shows signs of improvement following last
year's frosts.
The merger of Ireland-based Jefferson Smurfit and Dutch firm Kappa
Packaging, two of Europe's largest paper packaging companies, is
nearing its conclusion, the Irish Times reported.
Agricultural exports are forecast at $63.5 billion for 2006, up
$1.5 billion from the revised 2005 estimate, says new report from
US department of agriculture.
People following advice to cut calories and increase physical
activity to lose weight will see greater benefits if their diet is
rich in protein, reveals a new study.
A pilot project featuring radio frequency identification (RFID)
technology and a global network-based information exchange system
could help improve the efficiency of distributing fresh produce
throughout the supply chain.
German-based ingredients firm Nutrinova passes raw material and
energy price rises onto the market, announcing double-digit price
hike for its sorbate products, used increasingly by food
manufacturers to preserve baked goods.
Hazelnut prices remain at all time highs but the imminent crop from
key producer Turkey could offer some stability to snack makers and
confectioners impacted by the record highs.
Improving the flavour of thawed and re-heated frozen baked goods,
food scientists in the US have designed a release mechanism that
delays odour release until the product is cooked.