Australia's food regulator, one of the toughest on fortification,
looks set to open up the market for calcium and vitamin-enriched
cereal beverages, and is also looking at sterols in juices,
writes Dominique Patton.
A high-fat diet may lead to over-consumption of tasty snacks, say
researchers involved in a rat study. They believe that regular
eating habits could affect sensitivity to a hormone that tells us
when to stop eating.
The UK's consumer watchdog has found that the country's major
supermarkets are observing an industry code of practice but that
suppliers are not making use of it.
Fortifying milk with folic acid offers an accessible source of the
vitamin, report Dutch researchers who tested bioavailability of the
nutrient in a clinical trial.
The WTO has declined to endorse the EU's tariff level of 230
EUR/tonne for banana imports, forcing the Commission to initiate a
new consultation process, writes Anthony Fletcher.
Raisio's Benecol products are emerging as the major driver of
profits at the firm, following many years as a loss-making
activity, reports Dominique Patton.
Kraft Foods Global has extended its collaborative research
programme with Senomyx on novel flavour modifiers for a further two
years, underlining the flavour technology firm's success in working
with the biggest food manufacturers.
The British use food treats to stave off feelings of insecurity,
according to a new survey whose findings that may go some way
towards explaining the UK's high obesity rate.
A study of how genes vary between individuals could help determine
how to adjust the nutritional content of foods to suit individual
diets, according to UK scientists.
Whether it is a pork pie from Melton Mowbray or olive oil from
Nimes, every Tom, Denis and Haemon seems to believe their local
food deserves the EU's protection from big, bad corporations.
AB Enzymes will launch a new product to replace potassium bromate
in time to cash in on an increased Asian demand for substitutes,
after the substance was banned in China early this month.
The UK's Food Standard Agency announced the withdrawal of three
food products last week due to the presence of Sudan I, undeclared
irradiation and contamination.
The rising success of low-GI foods may be down to their promise of
longer lasting satisfaction compared with the deprivation
associated with low-calorie or reduced fat foods, reports
Dominique Patton.
In a bid to meet the skill shortage in the food and drink industry
the UK has set up a system to provide employers with an accredited
system for checking the qualifications of potential employees.
EFSA executive director Geoffrey Podger is stepping down to take up
a new post as chief executive of the British Health and Safety
Executive (HSE) on 28 November 2005, writes Anthony
Fletcher.
Although Russia's food retail market is set to become the largest
on the continent, it will be a tough market for western European
food processors to crack.
Europeans in 39 countries spent a combined total of €1,363bn on
food and groceries in 2004, with Germany as the largest market, to
be overtaken by Russia in 2020, according to IGD Services.
National Starch has rolled out a range of natural ingredients
designed to help food makers appeal to health conscious consumers
by keeping their labels as 'clean' as possible.
European mistrust of GM ingredients is creating strong demand for
Chinese plant sterols and natural vitamin E, increasingly backed by
third-party certification, writes Dominique Patton.
Tate & Lyle has vowed to continue to pursue its ambitious
expansion plans despite warnings that proposed changes to the sugar
regime could begin to affect business as soon as 2007, writes
Anthony Fletcher.
Food officials in the UK have developed a model that ranks the
health status of foods according to the sum of their nutrients,
reports Dominique Patton.
Half the world's consumers understand the nutritional labels on
food packaging only 'in part', although two in 10 'always' check
grocery labels, according to a new study from ACNielsen.
Australian CSIRO has designed Moisture Control Technology (MCT) to
control free moisture found in stored or transported fresh food,
enabling food to stay fresher for longer.
The €3.77 billion European proteins industry must overcome consumer
health concerns if it is to capitalise on opportunities presented
by new functional products, claims a new report.
Novis seeks a bright, driven food scientist for a reporter's post
in southern France. The main mission is to deepen coverage of
scientific breakthroughs in food techniques and nutritional
understanding on flagship websites, FoodNavigator.com...
Five months after the illegal red colour Sudan 1 sparked the
biggest food product recall in the UK's history, the country's food
agency detects the colour in a batch of curry powders, reports
Lindsey Partos.
A new report that shows that whole grain consumption can slow the
progression of heart disease has strengthened interest in
whole-grain products that do not compromise taste, writes
Anthony Fletcher.
New study takes a fresh look at alternative emulsifiers, as
consumer suspicions of GM foods push food makers to source non-GM
versions of the popular emulsifier soya lecithin, and supply and
demand issues for the ingredient rise to...
With the rise in organic processed food comes a leap in demand for
organic ingredients, but is it still early days for local
ingredients sourcing, asks Lindsey Partos.
Edible food wraps made from fruit and vegetable ingredients could
appeal to food makers looking for nutritious, colourful and
eye-catching films for convenience foods, reports Lindsey
Partos.
Growth areas for the polyol sweetener xylitol highlighted, as
leading ingredients firm Danisco claims new health guidelines
recommend xylitol to prevent dental caries, reports Lindsey
Partos.
Number one food enzyme supplier Novozymes likely to move production
to the US and China as a result of the new EU sugar reform, the
daily Berlingske Tidende reports.
A prototype of electronic-paper could be the future for radio
frequency identification (RFID) tags and for intelligent packaging,
according to the company developing the technology.
It looks likely that Somerfield might be forced by the UK's
competition regulator to sell 14 of the 100 former Safeway stores
it purchased from Wm Morrison, a move that might provide a modicum
of relief to food processors under...
Driven by the EU's food regulations, more and more companies are
buying integrated software to manage and track products through
their supply chain, reports Ahmed ElAmin.
ConAgra Ingredients has streamlined its business in order to better
address the needs of its customers, and was at the IFT conference
last week to show off its potential, writes Anthony
Fletcher.
A company's ability to communicate the advantages of a product can
be critical to its eventual success, a lesson that DSM Food
Specialties has clearly taken to heart.
Suppliers to Carrefour will continue to be limited on what they can
charge for their products as the world's second largest retailer
fights to boost flagging sales across most of Europe.
High quality ingredients are the single most important factor in
making a product premium, concludes a new report from UK market
analysts IGD, writes Lindsey Partos.
Cocoa compounds can be extracted and marketed as functional food
ingredients, or even synthesised for use in pharmaceuticals, said
confectionery giant Mars this week, reports Dominique
Patton.
One starch for all temperatures that behaves as an instant,
lump-free thickener hits the market, as Dutch co-operative Avebe
extends its line of Paselli EZ potato starches, reports Lindsey
Partos.
French food and drink giant, Groupe Danone, has acknowledged US
PepsiCo's denial of takeover plans, as the French government
threatens to do everything in its power to stop such a bid from
ever taking place, writes Claire Johnston.