A major packaging industry body in the UK has called for the
establishment of a Packaging Standards Council to deal with public
concerns over waste. In an interview with
FoodProductionDaily.com, the Industry Council for Packaging...
A new thermoplastic alloy, designed for use in large retort
packaging sterilisation trays, could help improve the productivity
for food processors, according to manufacturer GE Advanced
Materials. Noryl PPX 615 resin - an alloy of...
With the Commission proposal for changes to the EU sugar regime but
a few months away, Commissioner Franz Fischler explains why sugar
reform is 'unavoidable.'
A nano-composite coating process to improve food packaging has been
developed. This innovation, which is designed to interact with food
to reduce oxygen levels or add flavourings and preservatives, could
put European companies ahead...
A new range of polyurethane resin-based floor systems that combines
an antimicrobial layer has been launched. Manufacturer John Lord
claims that this new innovation can help food manufacturers fight
against microbes that cause food...
Although beef farmers in England are keen to bring their farms into
line with new environmental regulations, some are fearful that this
requirement could jeopardise their economic future, according to
the National Beef Association...
There has been a decrease in the occurrence of some foodborne
diseases in Ireland, according to the FSAI. In particular there has
been a marked decline in the occurrence of Salmonella in 2000 and
2001, and latest figures suggest that...
The largest sugar producer in Europe Südzucker has divested all
shares in the Spanish food group Ebro Puleva through the group's
subsidiary Saint Louis Sucre, providing it with breathing space to
concentrate on speciality ingredients.
Fears that declining poultry production in Asia could decimate the
grain export market remain unfounded, according to International
Grains Council assistant executive director Richard Woodhams. He
also told FoodProductionDaily.com...
UK ingredients and additives supplier S. Black has extended its
flavour range for Irish and UK food businesses announcing a new
distribution deal with private Swiss company Firmenich.
The European steel market seems to have gone crazy, according to
MEPS, a UK supplier of steel market information. The company says
that in 25 years of analysing steel prices, it has not seen
anything like the present mania.
Belgian group Cosucra Warcoing is significantly increasing its
inulin and oligofructose production capacity by converting a former
sugar plant to chicory processing, as it aims to meet growing
demand for the ingredients.
Two west European bakery groups are extending their presence in
eastern Europe in advance of the enlargement of the European Union
later this year. Sweden's Cerealia group is investing heavily in
its Polish business, while Luxembourg's...
Proof that soaring price rises are not only branded in the hard
pushed natural vanilla market with the news this week that
Norwegian ingredients company Borregaard Synthesis has hiked up the
price for its line of synthetic vanillin...
US federal investigators are investigating Coca-Cola's dealings
with Japanese company Takasago International in connection with
allegations of channel stuffing. It is alleged that the beverage
giant overstated financial results...
The EU could be about to consider legislation that would make the
down-chilling of some ambient food products during transportation
compulsory. Such a move would be eagerly supported by gas and
equipment suppliers, who believe that...
Australia has warned the EU that it may retaliate against recently
imposed subsidies on European pork exports. A formal complaint was
made this week by agriculture minister Warren Truss about the
reintroduction of export refunds.
Organisers of the international food fair Salima 2004 claim that
exhibitor numbers are up on for the bi-annual event, to be held in
Brno, southern Moravia, from 2-5 March
Food retailers in the UK this week committed to a programme aimed
at reducing salt levels in their own label processed foods such as
soups, pizzas and ready meals.
The bird flu outbreak in Texas is beginning to hurt poultry
producers. Shares in a number of US chicken processors have already
fallen, prompted by announcements by the European Union, Mexico and
South Korea that they are determined...
US alginate producer International Specialty Products (ISP) will
take on a new range of cellulose ingredients after shaking hands on
a deal with Tawainese manufacturer Mingtai Chemical.
A squeezed supply of refrigerated shipping containers in the US has
caused shipping rates to rise 10 per cent to 25 per cent since last
spring, helping to push up prices for frozen and chilled food.
Driving hard into value added ingredients has paid off for Irish
food group Kerry as the company faces off tougher currency exposure
in 2003 to see a steady rise in sales and operating profit.
European bottom line benefits from greater...
Equipment manufacturer CFS has come up with a novel way of
exhibiting its new products at the forthcoming IFFA 2004 show.
Instead of bringing all its machinery to Frankfurt, the company
plans to take event-goers to its production...
This week shows a real cross section of product launches in the
Eastern European region. Among the highlights from the Mintel
databases are two niche alcoholic beverage launches in Russia.
A new study has revealed that organic milk has more health benefits
than previously predicted. The findings show that organic milk has
higher Omega fatty acid content than conventional milk. Organic
farmers are calling for official...
Chemical manufacturer Rohm and Haas is launching what it claims is
an environmentally friendly range of adhesives for flexible
packaging. The product range will be launched at the Drupa
Exhibition in Dusseldorf, Germany in May 2004.
Countdown to the integration of 10 new member states in Europe this
April begins under the aegis of the Irish presidency. For
manufacturers, a clear understanding of the marketplace in these
countries will be vital to pitching the...
Optical testing technology is becoming increasingly widespread
among grain processors, with machines now able to check for a range
of defects such as discoloration, impurities or immature grains.
Drugs based on Australian scientific body CSIRO's research into the
influenza virus have been shown to be effective, in laboratory
tests, against a sample of an H5N1 influenza virus currently
infecting chickens in Asia.
Freezing technology that has advanced food convenience and quality
could also kill or reduce potentially harmful microbes more
strategically, according to a recent report from a US-based
scientist.
Britain's Tate & Lyle group and the US-based McNeil
Nutritionals are to change the way they handle production, sales
and marketing of sucralose, the sweetener developed jointly by the
two companies, following the recent opening...
Dutch food group Wessanen is already seen the benefits of its
far-reaching restructuring programme Operation Phoenix with a
significant recovery in profits at its cereal products division,
Dailycer.
A UK industry body is warning that eggs imported from Spain could
be increasing the risk of spreading Salmonella food poisoning for
food processors and caterers.
A new system designed to monitor product consistency and
potentially provide significant cost savings for cereal, snack and
pet food manufacturers has just been launched in Europe by British
group APV Baker.
Irish dairy firm Glanbia is to invest €15 million in a new
innovation centre to develop functional foods and health
ingredients, Ireland's Minister for Agriculture and Food Joe Walsh
revealed yesterday.
Rexam, the UK-based global consumer packaging company, has
confirmedthe acquisition from Dutch group Hunan of all of the
shares in Poland Glassworks Holding, the holding company of Polish
glassworks, Polglass.
Hilton Foods has invested €9.4 million in a start-up program that will see a new plant built in Drogheda in Ireland. The plant is expected to create 175 job opportunities and meat produced in the factory will be supplied to Tesco UK.
Eating more wholegrain foods could help people reduce their chances
of developing metabolic syndrome, say researchers, analysing the
role of carbohydrates on insulin resistance and the prevalence of
the metabolic syndrome in a large...
French yeast giant Lesaffre is driving deeper into the US market,
announcing a link up this week with crop processing titan Archer
Daniels Midland to break ground on a new yeast plant in the US.
Sourdough bread containing select bacteria may be tolerated by
patients with a rare digestive disease that causes gluten
intolerance, say Italian and Irish researchers. The new research
could provide new opportunities for food producers...
APV Baker says it has expanded the boundaries of product
possibilities available to the confectionery industry, through the
development of multi-colour and multi-component capability for
depositing systems.
Shell Lubricants has introduced Shell Grease FM 2, a lubricant
which aims at improving efficiencies and economies of scale for the
food and beverage processing industry.
Exalted of late for their antioxidant health benefits, fruit
berries continue to show growth in a range of food applications.
Fruit ingredients stalwart J.O. Sims has launched a new Canadian
produced berry onto the market marking...
Campbell Soup is the latest US group planning to cut trans fatty
acids from its products following last July's decision by the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) requiring that trans fats be labelled
from 2006.
The growing of cereal crops without recourse to chemical additives
and herbicides increases the production yield two-fold with respect
to the conventional mode of growing crops, says a university
research project.
Athens Re-packing, a unit of US-based snack food manufacturer
Keebler, has been sold to a company called Total Logistic Control
(TLC), itself a unit of the C2 group, for an undisclosed sum.
Sony Corp has announced the development of a flame-resistant
plastic made mainly of corn-based polylactide which it has jointly
developed with Mitsubishi Plastics in Japan.
The global threat posed by bird flu is still very much in evidence,
a point the FAO is emphasising as it urges countries to remain
vigilant in light of fresh outbreaks.
