Some of the world's largest coffee firms have been unwittingly
sourcing beans from illegal plantations inside one of the world's
most important wildlife sanctuaries, a new report says.
Using simple brewers yeast to encapsulate polyphenols could mask
the unpleasant flavour and boost stability of water-soluble
antioxidants, says new research.
Scientists from Brazil and France have moved a step closer to
creating the perfect cup of coffee after identifying key genes that
can affect flavour in the beans.
A new gas flow controller can help processors save on costs by
accurately adjusting oxygen levels in packaging or at produce
storage facilities, its manufacturer claims.
More cattle-derived materials used in the production of medical
products are due to be banned in the US Food and Drug
Administration's (FDA) latest steps to protect against mad cow
disease.
US agri firm ADM is to expand production at its rapeseed crushing
facility in Germany, which will be converted to a multi-seed
crushing facility, it emerged yesterday.
Market research group TNS Worldpanel report that the British
grocery market grew at 11 per cent on last year, in what was a
successful Christmas for supermarkets.
Cuts in funding and a plan by UK regulators to publish details of
its testing regime for imports, could lead to toxic foods ending up
on the shelves, an organic industry association claimed yesterday.
Suppliers of private label food and drink to multiple retailers may
be given 'traffic light' ratings to show their attention to food
safety and risk management, under a new project,
BeverageDaily.com can reveal.
Using the common food additive calcium chloride could reduce the
formation of acrylamide in potato chips and French fries by about
95 per cent, according to a new study.
Soybean production in the US last year was the highest on record,
although production of corn, sorghum and rice decreased from the
previous year, according to the US Department of Agriculture
(USDA).
Toxin levels in Irish fresh and processed fish are "well below"
legal limits and are unlikely to present a risk human heath, the
Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) said yesterday.
Interesterified fats, seen by some as alternatives to unhealthy
trans fats, may also raise blood sugar levels and decrease insulin
levels, as well as adversely affecting so-called 'good' cholesterol
levels, says a new US-Malaysian...
Leading US peanut supplier Golden Peanut Company is expanding into
the peanut oil market, with the start up this month of a new multi
million-dollar oil refinery.
Marks and Spencer is the latest British supermarket out to catch
the ethical shopper, this week announcing a new £200m (€304)
eco-plan, including a change to sustainable packaging.
There will be no special measures to cover food products from
cloned animals in the EU, member states have agreed, following news
the offspring of a cloned cow was growing up in the UK.
High consumption of red meat and heme iron from the diet may the
risk of coronary heart disease amongst diabetics by 50 per cent,
says new research from Harvard.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has launched its consultation
regarding the implementation of EU directives in England on food
additives other than colours and sweeteners and sweeteners for use
in foodstuffs.
Scientists in the US have found that a flour made from rice and
sweet potatoes is a "superior substitute" to wheat in
pancakes, suggesting a possible alternative for products targeting
celiac sufferers.
A major meat distributor and two processor are under judicial
investigation in France, after foodregulatory authorities accused
the companies of using spoiled meat in a canned corn beef product.
The European Commission has lifted extra controls on imports of US
corn products for unauthorised genetically modified material,
claiming that these are no longer necessary.
Infusion of flavours into empty yeast cells improves stability and
flavour release, compared to traditional spray dry powders,
researchers form Firmenich have reported.
The application of vinasse, a fermented waste product obtained from
sugar processing, could help the organic apple industry eradicate a
major source of disease.
A number of convenience meal products will now be able to carry a
'lean' nutritional claim, after the US Food and Drug Administration
expanded the use of the term.
US based ingredients company Savoury Systems International (SSI)
has expanded its range of salt replacers - helping bakers appeal to
the growing number of consumers seeking to cut salt from their
diet.
Innovation in fruit products has topped Datamonitor's list of most
original new product introductions last year, revealing an emerging
attempt to promote fruit consumption through fun.
US president George W Bush and commission president Jose Manuel
Barroso have reaffirmed their commitment to breaking the deadlock
in the Doha round of WTO trade talks.
Carrefour's end of year results reveals mixed messages for the
French retailer, with like for like sales dropping by 4.9 per cent
in the fourth quarter.
As a youngster I was brought up on a healthy diet of tuna fish
sandwiches and Disney - making my new year's resolution for 2007
the toughest yet. That's right, I'm giving up tuna and who knows,
even cod.
FoodandDrinkEurope.com takes a look at what we can expect to see on
supermarket shelves this year as food retailers race to keep ahead
of growing trends.
Replacing fat with orange fibre to improve the nutritional quality
of the banger does not affect the sensorial nature of the product,
Spanish researchers have reported.
A new round of court hearings against two processors, and the
possible consideration of chargesagainst a third, indicates that
the UK regulator is taking a tougher approach to breaches of
foodsafety law.
The US food and beverage industry last week launched a new
initiative to support the government's dietary guidelines, while at
the same time promoting products that meet certain nutrition
criteria.
The European Commission has used its latest Monitoring Agri-trade
Policy (MAP) report to assess the current debate on the potential
impact of agricultural trade liberalisation in the context of the
Doha Development Agenda.
An independent evaluation of front of pack nutritional labelling in
the UK could help break the deadlock over which labelling system is
most effective.
Encapsulating fats and fat-soluble ingredients with chitosan to
protect them during processing does not affect their availability
in the body, says new research that highlights the vast potential
of this technique.