The number of deaths from stroke in North America has dropped by
five per cent since the introduction of folic acid fortification,
while figures in the non-fortifying UK have not changed.
The EU's food industry yesterday called on political leaders to get
behind a proposed economic growth programme for the bloc,
especially in relation research, small and medium-sized businesses,
energy policy and social reform.
The European Commission has rejected a notification by Cyprus that
required genetically modified foods to be displayed separately from
non-GM foods in supermarkets.
A low-sodium, high-potassium salt substitute formulated to be
flavourful and effective has significantly reduced blood pressure
among high-risk subjects, scientists reported yesterday.
Italy has made country-of-origin labelling mandatory on some tomato
products, another indication of the country's increasing trend
towards making it harder for foreign food products to enter its
market.
Nutrient levels in fruits, vegetables and some food crops have
dramatically declined in the past 50 years, something that could
further push consumers to opting for more nutritious organic goods.
Waste products from processing of fruit and vegetables offer a
practical and economic source of potent antioxidants that could
replace synthetic preservatives, says a Spanish-German study.
New fire safety rules affecting all businesses in England and Wales
will come into force in October, placing greater responsibilities
on plant managers.
Leading agribusiness Syngenta could be set to introduce the world's
first genetically modified wheat seed by early next decade, a move
fully supported by American wheat industry organizations.
Consumer confidence in food safety in the UK is recovering from the
low levels it had reached last year after the Sudan 1 food scare,
according to a new survey.
Following the death of a young boy due to a suspected E. coli
outbreak in Norway, discounter Lidl has halted sales of ground beef
produced in the country.
Like other convenience food producers in the UK, Northern Foods is
struggling amidst sliding sales - issuing its second profit warning
in two months as consumers shun biscuits, pastries and pizza.
The development of EU-wide legislation on the co-existence of
genetically modified crops with conventional and organic farming is
not currently justified, according to a new report from the
European Commission.
More attention should be paid to taste and sensory qualities of
vegetables if consumers are to increase their intake and meet diet
recommendations, researchers say.
An EU-funded project is going a step beyond existing radio
frequency identification (RFID) systems by developing a sensor
network that will allow items to communicate more information about
their surroundings.
Tate & Lyle's US food ingredients team has developed a new
crunchy snack coating for products including fruits and nuts, which
claims to produce snacks that are soft on the inside and crispy on
the outside.
UK company Multiple Marketing has developed a new range of
functional cereal bars in an attempt to cash in on the increasing
demand for nutritionally beneficial and innovative wellness
products that deliver functional health benefits.
French food giant Danone is set to announce plans for a new dairy
plant in Bangladesh to provide nutritious foods to low-income
consumers, following successful entry into a number of similar
emerging markets.
The world's second largest supermarket has announced disappointing
year-end results amid restructuring and an ambitious growth
strategy - causing the firm's retail ratings to tumble.
The European Commission has reopened debate on harmonising and
increasing legislation on food labelling across the bloc, a move
that could potentially lead to greater costs for businesses.
Adjusting the diet of a mother during pregnancy could reduce a
child's later risk of developing obesity, diabetes and heart
disease, according to University of Nottingham scientists working
on a five-year early nutrition programme.
An independent panel of scientists is to meet this week to review
recent scientific data on the soy compound genistein. The
scientists expect to reach conclusions as to whether or not the
consumption of genistein could have a negative...
National Starch Food Innovation has introduced a range of natural,
grain-based ingredients, which it claims maintain the positive
attributes of traditional flours while expanding and improving the
ways they can be used in packaged...
Like its counterparts across the EU, the UK's food regulator has
started inspecting meat plants, threatening to close those that do
not comply with the bloc's new hygiene laws.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a bill that
would standardize food safety labeling requirements throughout the
US, a move that would bring significant benefits to the food
industry.
Marks & Spencer has announced it is converting all its coffee
and tea to Fairtrade, a decision that again underlines the growing
significance of the ethical consumer.
Greenpeace has called for the urgent adoption of international
biosafety standards after the publication of a report that claims
to reveal the extent of GM contamination.
Trade negotiators from the EU, the US, Brazil, India, Japan and
Australia are meeting in London this week for talks intended to
move forward the stalling WTO Doha negotiations on agricultural
tariffs.
A combination of foods like soy, plant sterols, almonds and viscous
fibres, could reduce LDL-cholesterol levels by 20 per cent, and
work better together than independently, says a new study.
Olive oil prices in Spain rose by 6.8 per cent between January and
February 2006 and increased by 37.2 per cent during the last 12
months, as a result of the shortfall in the country's production.
The European Commission has issued a series of comments on proposed
changes to the UN's international food safety standards on such
issues as labelling and microbiological risk.
Tate & Lyle has formed a joint venture to build and operate a
sugar plant in Israel, a move that will partially replace
traditional sugar imports from the European Union.
Brain-power foods, portion control and products targeting the
senior population are likely to be the food sectors to look out for
in 2006, according to Mintel.
A diet rich in sources of vitamin C could cut the level of markers
for inflammation by 45 per cent, a result that needs verifying by
supplementation studies, says a new study.
A new soybean variety claims to allow food manufacturers to develop
products that have all the health benefits of soybeans but less of
the beany taste.
The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA)'s proposed Multiple Traffic
Light system is 'too simplistic, twenty years out of date, dreamt
up by administrators rather than nutritionists and likely to
confuse consumers', according...
Danisco says that the finalisation of the new EU sugar regime and
the recently announced transitional measures will not affect the
firm's planned efficiency drive.
Coating fish with alginate, pectin, gellan gum or even water
markedly reduces fat absorbtion in the final production of
par-fried fish fillets, researchers have discovered.