The EU has been urged to subsidise patent applications for young
innovative companies in order to ensure that Europe's biotech and
agricultural sectors remain competitive.
One of the UK's leading crisp manufacturers, Walkers, has been
reprimanded by an advertising authority for 'misleading' adverts
detailing the reduced salt content in its crisp brands.
British sugar growers can breathe a sigh of relief after learning
that one of the country's foremost beet producers will not be
closing facilities as originally thought.
MGP Ingredients (MGPI) is set for a major overhaul in its
ingredients operations, after disappointing results in the segment
for the company's fiscal year prompted it to announce that it will
review its entire ingredients business.
Scientists at Cornell University have created an environmentally
friendly, non-toxic, removable, edible paint that could be used in
candy and dietary supplements.
T.D. Sawvel has introduced a low-cost scale-filler kit for liquid
food packers, bringing fast, accurate liquid measurements to
low-budget operations, says the company.
Last week's comment on the food industry's role in the rising
obesity epidemic has generated a flood of responses from readers
agreeing with or disputing our position that the industry deserves
a break. Some of the comments...
By Kent D. Messer, Harry H. Kaiser, Collin Payne and Brian Wansink
Advertising could play an important role in reducing consumer fears
when a product is linked to food safety concerns, write a team of
economists and psychologists at Cornell University.
This years European crop production has been significantly affected
by last months heat waves, according to the European Commission,
which expects decreased yields of commodities including soft wheat,
winter barley and grain maize.
Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) are showing promise improving
insulin action, and decreasing circulating glucose levels, with rat
and human studies both reporting significant benefits.
A US paediatrician has said that childhood obesity is due to the
high-calorie, low-fibre Western diets that cause hormonal
imbalances that encourage children to overeat.
Britain is failing to recruit enough world-class scientists because
the country's education system is not up to the job, the UK's
Confederation of British Industry has warned.
Dutch dairy firm Campina is aiming to reach critical mass in its
penetration of the North American functional and nutritional
ingredients sector, entering into a joint venture with Canada-based
Vitalus.
Danisco Cultures is ploughing research and innovation efforts into
studying the health promoting properties of its strains - a shrewd
move not only because of the impending EU health and nutrition
claims regulation but also since...
A recent study into public attitudes towards genetically modified
foods has confirmed that attitudes change significantly depending
on the type of food being considered.
US researchers have investigated how quickly mammals evaluate
odours, pushing back the boundaries of understanding smell, and
having implications for the food industry.
Canada's Technologie Biolactis is introducing a new ingredient from
pasturized fermented whey that can be used as a healthier
alternative to fat in dairy and other foods - and the same platform
is also being researched for the...
The flesh of grapes is just as heart healthy as the skin, says a
laboratory study by Italian and US researchers, a result that may
challenge the idea that red wine offers better cardiovascular
protection than white.
Laying the blame for a fatter world at the feet of the food
industry has become a convenient mistake, and until this is
recognized there is little chance of controlling the growing
obesity epidemic.
Enzyme giant Novozymes has maintained a high earnings level
throughout the first half of 2006, with growth in sales and
operating profit of 8 per cent and 10 per cent respectively.
A diet rich in certain flavonoids, from eating plenty of fruit and
vegetables, could reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by over 40
per cent, says a large observational study from Italy.
The US government has proposed that its Women, Infants and Children
(WIC) nutritional program should be revised for the first time in
over 25 years in order to better reflect the Dietary Guidelines for
Americans.
US-based scientists say they have identified two proteins
responsible for the perception of sourness, a taste that up until
now has been poorly understood.
The Doha Round of global agriculture negotiations collapsed mainly
because of infighting between large and powerful countries,
corporations and lobbies, said the FAO this week.
Cargill has taken full control of its xanthan gum joint venture in
China, opening the way for it to take a bigger share of the
competitive gums market.
Italy's vigorous application of EC food safety regulation 178/02
could be hampered by the country's legislative framework, according
to an Italian lawyer.
In July the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released its most
comprehensive report on acrylamide, posting a database of 2,500
foods and their acrylamide content.
Eating a meal rich in saturated fats inhibits the activity of
so-called 'good' cholesterol to protect against inflammation, but a
meal rich in polyunsaturated fats boosts its action, says a study
from Australia.
Russian traders are buying stocks of wheat at well above export
prices in a bid to capitalise on a potential surge in prices,
following a difficult summer for European grain production.
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) meets this month to
discuss the critical issue of moving from a definition of
'sustainable palm oil' to defining its uptake and use in the
market.
Swiss flavour giant Givaudan has reported growth in the first of
2006, despite the ongoing streamlining of commodity ingredients in
both flavour and fragrance divisions.
Research into the ways in which crops derive micronutrients from
the soil could make it possibly to engineer higher-yield,
nutrient-rich crops in poor quality soils and increase biomass in
soils currently under cultivations, claim...
Banana supplier Chiquita has reported a sharp fall in profits after
new European tariffs on bananas forced the company to slash its
prices in the region and increase its prices in North America in an
attempt to offset losses.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is under-resourced,
under-staffed, and essentially incapable of overseeing potential
threats to the US food supply, according to a former FDA official
who last week opposed the National Uniformity...