Sweetener producer NutraSweet has said it will take legal action
against counterfeiters in China who, it alleges, are infringing its
intellectual property rights.
The UK Gangmaster Licensing Authority (GLA) this week alleged that
a gangmaster was exploiting workers he supplied to three UK food
firms - British Bakeries, Thorntons and Florette.
Gleditsia triacanthos seeds from the Americas could present a new
source of hydrocolloids for the food industry, says a new study
that investigated their functional properties depending on
extraction methods.
Changes in industry conditions and challenges, coupled with
emerging trends, can open up opportunities for manufacturers to
breathe new life into old ingredients.
Friesland Foods has formed a new research and development division
for encapsulated products that can serve processor demand for new
methods of delivering typically unstable functional ingredients.
Solae has announced price increases for a broad range of its
soy lecithin products from April 1 - just days after warning
of the need for ingredients firms to pass on higher input costs.
The CIAA has highlighted several important areas of debate and
strategic consideration for food manufacturers, which it is
planning to address at its annual conference in November.
The UK Food Standards Agency has reported the Yo! Sushi will be the
restaurants to use its traffic light scheme - intended for food
manufacturers - on menus, indicating progress in raising awareness
for the healthier eating message.
Dairy company Campina said it will increase investments into
products geared towards the growing health and wellbeing trend on
the back of significant success of its low fat products in 2007.
DSM has launched a new resveratrol product, which it claims plugs a market need for a high potency ingredient supported by an extensive safety package.
Applied Biosystems is to start supplying its pathogen testing kits
directly to the food processors and testing laboratories, a move
the company says is part of its commitment to ensuring food safety.
Cognis Nutrition and Health is combining three of its ingredients
in a novel way to target the European skin care market with,
initially, functional beverages.
Bakers in New Zealand will now by law have to fortify
bread products with iodine, as regulators in the country attempt to
boost consumption of the essential nutrient.
Tate & Lyle is launching two new additions to its Merigel line
of starches which enable snack products to be oven-baked instead of
fried, thus reducing fat content without compromising taste or
texture.
A new soybean oil trait that can deliver improved nutritional
benefits and is more versatile than tradition soybean oil products
has been created by DuPont's Pioneer Hi-Bred unit.
A new study suggests a dairy beverage fermented with propionic acid
may boost feelings of satiety, but work will be needed on optimal
dose and palatability of market-viable food concepts.
Danisco has invested in pilot low temperature extrusion technology
to produce high-quality, low-fat ice-cream, to enable testing of
ingredients using the same systems as its customers use.
A new study has reported that probiotic bacteria used in synbiotic
ice cream had 30 per cent higher survivability in storage when
encapsulated in calcium alginate than 'free' probiotics.
The identification of a gene that controls the shape of tomatoes
provides new insights into the mechanisms of plant development,
offering future opportunities for altering the size and shape of
fruits.
As health, wellness and sustainability in the food sector continue
to move into the mainstream, market research firm Natural Marketing
Institute (NMI) has identified eight major trends it expects will
drive these sectors.
BASF has developed a tool for its customers in the food industry
which affords detailed information on the composition of products
and manufacturing methods, including levels of sustainability
achieved in production.
Higher prices for eggs - both real ones and those made from
chocolate - are unlikely to deter US shoppers from celebrating
Easter as they always have done, according to research from
Nielsen.
Claiming 'free from' is not a light statement to make. Lives depend
on it. As scientific progress questions the validity of such
claims, it is time to establish exact guidelines and communicate
these to people for whom ingredients...
Four hybrid cocoa species developed in Ghana to have improved
resistance to pest damage during storage have similar nutritional
properties to conventional cocoa, says a study that topples a
barrier to commercial trade.
A new code that would restrict the marketing of unhealthy foods to
children has been proposed by two international lobby groups who
claim the food industry is failing to self-regulate, especially in
developing countries.
Foods produced using emerging nanotechnology are less likely to
come up against consumer hurdles than genetically modified foods
since they do not involve tinkering with genes, and therefore have
a greater perception of naturalness,...
Although Arla Foods halted production of the sweetener tagatose in
2006, the low-calorie, low-GI sugar replacer has not died a death.
Rather Nutrilab sees a strong future and is working up to full
scale production.
Israel export values are growing in line with an increasing global
demand for kosher food, fuelled by consumer preference for its
clear labelling and rigorous requirements.
The European Commission's ambassador to the United States, John
Bruton, has strongly criticized proposals that would tax imported
dairy products to pay for US promotional programs.
The recall of over 143,000,000 pounds of raw and frozen meat
products by a California meat processor in February is forcing the
US regulatory authorities to act and reassure the public about the
safety of the US food supply.
A year after signing a R&D deal with Givaudan, RedPoint Bio has
patented the use of its technology for discovering ways to modulate
the way the human body detects taste.
The Codex Committee on Food Labeling (CCFL) will discuss
international labeling guidelines amid increasing consumer
awareness of the food they eat, a trend that mounts pressure on the
industry.
The European Food Safety Authority has concluded that the
Southampton study gives no basis for changing acceptable daily
intakes (ADI) of food additives, due to inconsistencies and the
inability to attribute the effect to any additives...
Finnish feed, food and ingredients giant Raisio Group has reported
a return to the black and increased turnover in a year of change
that saw it gain greater control over its activities - particularly
in its ingredients division.
In these uncertain times for the bakery business the Finsbury Food
Group's profits have soared by giving people what they want, says
Chief Executive Dave Brooks.
SunOpta is set to complete its acquisition of Tradin Organic
Agriculture in the next few weeks having faced delays due
to the internal financial issues.
The use of biomass for fuel should not jeopardise the food supply,
EuropaBio has proclaimed, but more European investment is needed in
second generation technology that does not compete with food
sources.
Citrus oils - particularly those already used as flavourings -
could be an ideal alternative to chemical-based antimicrobials for
food applications, says a new paper.
Researchers from Unilever have reported breakthrough results that
proteins from fungus could produce food foams with stability that
exceeds anything currently available.
Environmental group Friends of the Earth (FOE) has called for a
moratorium on the use of nanotechnology in the food chain, claiming
insufficient research has been carried out into its effect on human
health and the environment.
A law implemented in the state of Ohio last month that seeks to set
a level playing field on milk labeling, whether or not it comes
from cows supplemented with recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST),
is causing fears that it could...
An ultra-rapid multiplex food pathogen test being developed for
meat producers by RnA Assays and UK-based Alaska Food Diagnostics
has been awarded EUREKA status.