An editorial in the British Medical Journal this month that
concludes criticisms of aspartame are 'unfounded' adds fuel to the
ongoing debate surrounding this popular sweetener used widely in
food and beverage applications.
NDC Infrared Engineering has launched an updated version of its
at-line analyser Infralab 710, designed to achieve accurate
measurement of multi-component food parameters.
Double-digit growth rates are expected in the beverage sector
throughout central and eastern Europe over the next decade, fuelled
by growing consumer spending power and the arrival en masse
of major western drinks groups. But it is...
Hungary's accession to the European Union has already led to
increased competition in the food industry there, prompting one of
the country's leading food manufacturers, Pick Szeged, to embark
upon a two-year restructuring...
Food manufacturers offering products with a low glycaemic value
will help generate the necessary evidence to convince sceptics of
the merits of the nutritional strategy, suggests an industry
expert, even if they cannot carry a health...
A scientist from China has been awarded first prize in the
International Year of Rice (IYR) global scientific contest for his
work on genetic diversity and disease control, the UN's FAO
announced this week.
The need of ingredients and equipment suppliers to reach Russian
food manufacturers is becoming increasingly urgent, but in the
absence of established B2B advertising channels, few avenues have
been open. Now a new alliance between...
Steep declines in the number of milk cattle in Russia is having
knock-on effect on the country's dairy industry, which is being
forced to import increasing amounts of milk from other, more
expensive sources. But calls for greater...
A new bakehouse to be used exclusively to make gluten-free products
for those with special dietary needs has been opened by US-based
natural and organic supermarket Whole Foods Market, giving the
company a lead in providing fresh...
A public complaint and a rap on the knuckles from the UK
Advertising Standards Authority has left the Kellogg company
red-faced over its recent Frosties cereal advert, and again thrust
children's advertising into the health spotlight....
Perfetti Van Melle (PVM), the Dutch-Italian confectionery producer,
is to open a new production facility in the Moscow region as it
seeks to exploit market growth and narrow the gap with rival
producers already established there,...
Finnish dairy products company Valio is to acquire Norwegian firm
Synnöve Finden's 42 per cent holding in Estonian cheese producer
Võru Juust, leaving Valio with a 99 per cent stake in Võru Juust.
Russia has banned all imports of meat from Brazil following an
outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease late last month. But Russian
importers of Brazilian pork have complained that the ban will hurt
them the hardest - and that it is being...
Dutch brewing giant Heineken has increased its stake in Russia's
rapidly growing beer market for the second time in three months,
underlining the competition among big brewers to exploit the
potential of this newly crowned nation...
A boost from EU exports and a solid home market performance have
helped Polish meat processing company Sokolów to achieve bumper net
profits for the first half of 2004, but this is all part of the
plan, according to a company quietly...
UK beverage group Diageo has sold 49.9 million shares in US company
General Mills to reduce debt, while US-based Sara Lee is to shed 60
of its smallest businesses to invest in its leading brands.
Elsewhere, Spain has instigated a...
The UK's booming sandwich industry has come in for criticism after
a survey found that some of their products contain around
two-thirds of the whole day's recommended fat intake for women.
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety
and Energy Technology in Germany are developing a compostable
packaging tape that can be disposed of cheaply and creates less
waste.
European packaging giant Tetra Pak has opened a new liquid food
packaging plant in Beijing, the latest step in its bid to profit
from the rising Chinese interest in dairy products.
In a bid to help food makers correctly label their food products,
Australia and New Zealand's independent statutory authority this
week underlines the legal requirements for flavours used in foods.
Number two pectin player Danisco rolls out a line extension for new
gains from its Grinsted pectin range that targets food and beverage
makers looking to spear the growing sports nutrition and functional
food markets, reports Lindsey...
The last 18 months or so have been tough for Cerealia, with
profitability well down on previous years as a result of a number
of disposals designed to refocus the group on a smaller number of
business units. But replacing disposed...
Philippines-based company PCI Worldwide is investing P27.6 million
(€400,000) into the production and export of carrageenan, a gum
that is derived from red seaweed and is commonly used as an
additive in the food industry.
This week has seen more trials and tribulations in the Atkins diet
saga with the Partnership for Essential Nutrition launching a
campaign to prevent marketers of low-carb diets from distributing
information through the nation's...
Tetra Pak, the European packaging giant, has inaugurated a new
liquid food packaging plant in Beijing this week, the latest step
in its bid to profit from the rising Chinese interest in dairy
products.
UK wheat quality has been pushed even further below the national
three-year average, according to the first survey of wheat
harvested during the worst period of the UK's summer rain,
confirming fears that bad weather will place...
Processing equipment provider Thermo Electron has developed a
number of new monitoring systems design to help manufacturers cut
costs and increase product safety.
Eastman Chemical Company claims that its new 'microvoided'
copolyester shrink-label resin, Embrace High Yield, can increase
label yields up to 40 per cent compared to other high shrink
resins.
Three major European brewing companies are competing to purchase a
small brewery in the previously unexplored region of Russia's far
east, as the scrap to profit from one of the world's
fastest-growing beer markets hots...
A re-vamped, state-of-the-art factory, which can produce 50,000
bottles of soft drinks every hour, has just been opened by Polish
soft drinks company Hoop, giving the company the perfect platform
to penetrate European markets, writes...
Russian dairy giant Wimm-Bill-Dann is looking to increase its hold
on the country's dairy market by tapping into the under-exploited
Urals region. But after a year of falling profit margins, is the
company biting off more than...
Artificial sweeteners will lead the growth in the food additives
market on the back of rising consumer demand for functional foods,
closely followed by nutraceuticals and food preservatives, but
flavours will remain, by far, the largest...
US-based packaging distributor Hughes Enterprises argues that
attention to packaging is vital in ensuring total supply chain
safety, reports Anthony Fletcher.
A new canola oil created by Dow AgroSciences and sourced from a
seed with a low saturated fat content could be the latest
alternative for biscuit and confectionery manufacturers looking to
eliminate trans fatty acids from their products.
A new infrared scanner capable of telling bakers exactly when their
dough will be perfect for making bread, cakes and other baked goods
has been developed by the UK's largest independent food and drink
research group, writes...
Ishida Europe has devised a fully automated solution for packing
fresh produce, meat and fish into trays that it claims maximises
production efficiency, provides comprehensive quality control and
offers a reduction in waste.
Starbucks Coffee has formed a partnership with a US development
agency and environmental conservationists to help ensure a
sustainable supply of high quality coffee from Latin America.
Microsoft Business Solutions is working with a small US food
manufacturer on an RFID scheme designed to help small and midmarket
segment businesses meet RFID mandates and drive efficiencies in
internal operations.
Croatian food group Podravka says it is looking to expand
production at its Polish production facility to keep up with
demands in the Polish market and to increase exports to other EU
countries.
Number one natural colours firm Chr Hansen builds on ambitions to
penetrate deeper into this growing market with the launch of a new
range of natural reds that tackle stability for beverage
formulations, reports Lindsey Partos.
After rejecting an $800 million offer for its juice business from
Northland Cranberries early last year, US co-operative Ocean Spray
has decided the time is right to enter into an agreement with its
rival.
The big news within the radio frequency identification (RFID)
sector is the fact that labelling giant Avery Dennison has decided
to form a new business unit to manufacture and sell low-cost RFID
inlays and tags.