The UK's 2007 City Food Lecture, sponsored for the first time by
the FSA, will be given by Lord Peter Melchett of the Soil
Association and will be on the subject of organic food.
Milk produced by transgenic goats is seen to shore up protective
intestinal bacteria against illness, thanks to the antibacterial
action of an enzyme found in human breast milk; if the findings
hold true for humans it could help prevent...
Cognis has refused to confirm reports in the German press that it
is in advanced discussions with three potential purchasers, but the
outcome of a strategic review will be made public before the end of
the year.
New powers that will enable the European Parliament (EP) to block
Commission decisions will have serious implications for the food
industry, warns a USDA study.
Danisco's takeover of Genencor International, the EU sugar reform
and rising raw material prices feature prominently in the group's
recently published annual report.
Adding flour from pigeon peas, one of the world's oldest food
crops, could lead to nutritionally enhanced pasta, with quicker
cooking times, as well as boosting flavour, according to a joint
Spanish-Venezuelan study.
The heart health of the baby-boom generation could benefit from
flavanol-rich cocoa, reports a study co-funded by Mars, but
independent experts warn against confusion with commercial
chocolate snacks.
European sugar giant Suedzucker expects a revenue increase of 5 per
cent in 2006 / 07, underlining the group's confidence in the future
of the EU sugar sector.
The food industry must face up to the challenges of modern
communication if consumer confidence is to be regained - and costly
mistakes are to be avoided, writes Keith Taylor.
Different standards and warnings imposed on food in one state but
not in others impede commerce, confuse consumers, and increase the
cost of food without commensurate benefit, according to an
authority on food law.
Eating snacks outside of set meal times may be due to irregular
switching on of genes in brain that 'expect' food at irregular
hours, a result that has implications for obesity.
Quercetin and curcumin, compounds found naturally in onions and
curry, could reduce the risk of colon cancer, suggests a small
clinical trial from the US.
Part of the reason why the French weigh less than Americans is that
their culture dictates smaller portion sizes as the appropriate
food unit, discouraging them from consuming more, according to a
recent study.
The European Commission yesterday set targets for member states to
meet in reducing the presence of Salmonella in poultry, and has
proposed trade bans on eggs from flocks with persistent high levels
of the pathogen.
Industry giants are locked in a "fish oil arms race" to develop genetically modified crops that could challenge the supremacy of fish as the best source of omega-3 fatty acid, with both BASF and DuPont reporting progress in the field.
Swiss biotech giant Syngenta has reported overall decreased sales
for the first half of the year, but is confident that growth will
come on the back of newly launched products.
The latest draft of a proposed EU amendment to the bloc's
regulation on contaminants widens the scope of limits on heavy
metals and mycotoxins in foods, as part of the changes.
A Unilever scientist has called for a re-evaluation of the link
between over-eating and obesity by challenging the traditional view
that the pleasure of taste is the driver for
over-consumption.
The short sighted failure of greedy WTO trading partners to achieve
any sort of meaningful agreement on global agricultural tariffs is
bad for Europe's food industry.
An Ohio-based cereal manufacturer is to face a lawsuit under
California's Proposition 65 because its cereal product contains
acrylamide, even though the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
does not require warning labels on...
Spices have benefits beyond giving flavour to foods and drinks, say
scientists from Holland and Canada, and could be considered as
'functional' ingredients in the struggle against obesity.
Lifeway Foods is acquiring Helios Nutrition, its main competitor in
cultured dairy beverages in a bid to increase its organic presence
and reinforce its position at the top of the sector.
The nation's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been accused of
misleading Congress by ignoring the enforcement of key regulatory
provisions intended to provide accurate food labeling.
The US and Mexico have concluded an agreement under which access
will be granted for US high fructose corn syrup exports to Mexico,
a move that begins to address the decade long dispute between the
two countries.
Senators and prominent industry figures yesterday addressed a
Senate committee on the National Uniformity for Food Act,
expressing both support and contempt for a bill that could
standardize food safety requirements and warning labels...
Discount retailing is still on the rise in Europe, as international
expansion and increasing consumer acceptance are set to push sales
up 36 per cent by 2010.
The world's leading cereal producer Kellogg's has posted a three
per cent rise in second quarter net earnings, as strong sales in
the Americas help compensate for rising commodity costs.
Leading oilseed processor Bunge has reported a sharp fall in second
quarter profit after farmer protests in Brazil caused a significant
disruption in the company's business.
The only way to convince European governments on the safety and
efficacy of kava kava and to restore the industry in the South
Pacific is to conduct clinical studies and look further into the
mechanism, says expert on herbal safety...
Corn Products International has reported good second quarter
results, with a strong performance from the company's North
American operations offsetting a decline in its South American
business.
Lard, the animal fat with a poor health image, could be stabilised
by adding antioxidants from olive oil milling waste, boosting the
shelf-life and adding nutritional value, says a study from Italy.
US packaged meat processor Tyson Foods has been downgraded by
Moody's Investors Service, following concerns the firm cannot cope
with the current slump in global meat sales.