Alcoa has announced a significant jump in sales and profit for it
first quarter on the back of strong steel prices, a sign that
packaging costs will continue to impact many food and beverage
producers, reports Simon Pitman.
Irish Consumers are still eating twice as much salt as they should
be and bread is one of the biggest culprits, according to a new
scientific report that recommends a UK-style labelling format and
that food firms spend more money...
An analysis of the plastics industry suggests that the versatility
and flexibility of the material is still of great benefit to
packaging firms despite high raw material costs.
Russian natural sauce producer Sostra believes a high quality
production technique called 'hot bottling' has led directly to the
success of its expanded premium product range, yet high pricing may
still deter consumers,...
ICI subsidiary National Starch is the latest ingredients firm to
drive into the soaring Chinese food market, unveiling a new
technical centre adjacent to its recently opened production plant,
writes Lindsey Partos.
Evidence backing the antioxidant powers of natural cocoa could
bring new opportunities for confectionery firms looking to boost
slacking sales in a saturated market, reports Lindsey Partos
.
Cereal makers have a major hold on the heart health foods market
but new ingredients will help other sectors tap into strong
consumer demand for these products, writes Dominique Patton.
Supply chain optimisation supplier Logility has launched Logility
Voyager Solutions 7.5, designed to help distribution-intensive
companies use the Internet to gain visibility of key metrics;
manage dynamic global supply chain activities;...
The Krispy Kreme doughnut company has pulled itself back from the
abyss by successfully negotiating a new loan deal, yet financial
pressure on the firm remains intense with analysts sceptical about
its future expansion strategy, reports...
Scientists have successfully developed and tested a hybrid wheat
breed that could at least double China's present per-hectare yield,
according to the China Daily.
New miniature sensors for analysing DNA have been developed,
opening the possibility of accurately and quickly identifying
bacterial strains in foodborne illnesses and saving manufacturers
millions in product recalls and possible...
Global labelling rules for genetically modified food ingredients as
well as trans fatty acid labels are on the agenda at an upcoming
Codex meeting in Malaysia.
Sherwood Technology is working with Siegwerk Group in order to
market a new range of inks produced using the coding, marking and
printing solution DataLase.
British food group RHM has confirmed it is in advanced talks to
sell its Golden West bakery, ending a troublesome supplier
relationship with fast-food giant McDonald's and streamlining the
company's focus in preparation...
An innovative 'bag in box' solution has been developed for a Danish
sauce manufacturer to ensure that customers enjoy maximum yield
with the minimum amount of wastage.
Spearing opportunities in the emerging Russian oil market, US
edible oils giant Bunge has signed off €54 million to build its
first sunflower seed crushing and refining plant in Russia,
writes Lindsey Partos.
Norwegian researchers have developed a new dehydration method that
produces granulated food of the quality of vacuum freezing-dying at
a fraction of the cost, writes Anthony Fletcher.
The UK government is seeking views on proposals to amend the
regulations that require businesses to recycle and recover target
levels of packaging waste each year.
A new method that uses powerful enzymes to convert fructose and
sucrose into the low calorie sugar alcohol mannitol receives patent
protection, opening up cheaper sources for this chewing gum
ingredient, reports Lindsey Partos.
Japanese vegetable oil producer Nisshin OilliO announced yesterday
that it has completed the construction of its factory in the Liao
Ning Province of China.
Member states have called for more information and full
presentation of findings on acrylamide, a harmful chemical
identified in baked and fried foods, reports Lindsey Partos.
GM ingredients highlighted again on the Brussels agenda with the
Commission calling for a risk assessment of the impact genetically
modified foodstuffs might have on human health.
Russian canned food firm Saga has helped to revolutionise the
domestic canned vegetable sector by starting up production of
European quality products inside Russia with the ability to
undercut some of the more established importers...
A Japanese food safety panel has said that relaxing domestic cattle
testing standards for BSE won't put consumers at risk, raising the
possibility of Japan reopening its borders to US beef.
An American woman has launched a lawsuit aimed at food companies
including Kraft Foods, General Mills and Kellogg alleging that "low
sugar" breakfast cereals are leading the customer astray.
A newly opened malting facility in the Netherlands has installed a
Buhler high-capacity cleaner in order to achieve safety without
compromising processing efficiency.
Speciality ingredients group Cerestar has launched a range of
functional soy products across Europe aimed specifically at the
baking industry, believing demand for this practical and healthy
ingredient will offset rising soybean prices,...
Tate and Lyle said today that overall trading had continued to be
strong during the last three months boosted by demand for its high
intensity sweetener Splenda.
A dip in profits for US cereal giant General Mills highlights the
rising threat of private label competition on the cereal market,
making branded players work harder to justify higher prices to
consumers, writes Chris Mercer.
Complex sugars found naturally in a New Zealand variety of honey
appear to have prebiotic effects, offering food makers a natural
gut health ingredient.
A bumper harvest across Eastern Europe has forced the European
Commission to intervene, buying up and moving large amounts of
surplus stocks to prevent Europe-wide market disturbance,
reports Chris Mercer.
Atkins Nutritionals is hoping to offset the consumer drift away
from the low carb lifestyle by incorporating a glycemic measurement
into its programme which indicates the immediate effect different
types of carbohydrates have on a...
Dr Gerd Wolfram, the executive project manager of the Metro Group
Future Store Initiative, the Metro Group's innovative RFID project,
is set to receive a prestigious award from AIM Global.
Leading RFID supply chain solutions provider Savi Technology has
joined up with GPS provider Comtech Mobile Datacom to develop an
integrated tracker that identifies cargo while in-transit and
on-the-move.
Not all strains of bacteria used in probiotic products on the UK
market survive through the entire digestive system, conclude study
results published this week by the Food Standards Agency, although
at least one strain in each of...
Environmental organisations have urged the EU to make Europe the
most resource and energy efficient economy in the world, while
across the Atlantic, the USDA has established new accounting rules
and guidelines for reporting greenhouse...
The food code in Australia is under review as food maker Unilever
Australia calls for approval of an ice structuring protein (ISP)
used to make ice cream and edible ices.
GM ingredients are here to stay as Brussels confirms 'full
confidence' in the regulatory framework that controls the entry of
biotech foodstuffs into the European food chain, reports Lindsey
Partos.
Coke war drives innovation in diet drink sweetener formulations
with the number one soft drinks player Coca-Cola rolling out a new
aspartame and acesulfame potassium based cola onto the market,
writes Lindsey Partos.
UK speciality cake and bread maker Finsbury Foods has recovered
well from a rocky 2003, showing just how quickly a company can
progress by focusing on premium and indulgence trends across both
branded and private label sectors, writes...
Leading merchant of cocoa, sugar and coffee ED&F Man has
launched Corigins, a US-based supplier offering traceable, quality
sugar and cocoa ingredients, Philippa Nuttall reports.
The EU has put pressure on Polish industries, including the food
industry, by reducing the country's proposed allowance for carbon
dioxide emissions. Yet one food sector representative believes many
'rogue' firms across...
A Cadbury Trebor Bassett division in the UK has installed a package
coding management system (PCMS) to accurately control pack coding
at two production sites.
Chr Hansen last week launched an ingredient aimed at meat producers
whose foods suffer from a lack of flavor after functional blends
and water are added to optimize their recipes, writes Philippa
Nuttall.