Scientists have moved one step closer to understanding how the
world could cut mounting obesity levels, charting a map of how the
'fat' hormone leptin travels through the body.
Poultry producer Pilgrim's Pride, the supplier at the centre of
animal abuse allegations, has seen its shares fall by 10.4 per cent
since a video depicting horrific cruelty was released earler this
month writes Anthony Fletcher.
Flavour firms operating on the global scene will turn their sights
to Asia to up returns as evidence suggests new flavours are
emerging in China in the brand war between foreign and domestic
food makers.
Family-owned US firm JM Huber has become the number one pectin,
xanthan gum and CMC supplier after yesterday agreeing to buy
leading hydrocolloid firm CP Kelco from merchant bank Lehman
Brothers, reports Lindsey Partos.
Food makers working on the European stage today are matching
consumer concerns over genetically modified organisms, largely
selecting non-GMO ingredients for their food formulations,
highlights a new survey.
Health concerns continue to drive market growth for soy ingredients
but prices have risen over the past year due to a squeeze in
supplies. However, favourable weather conditions for soybean crops
in the US could offer some relief...
Leading Spanish food group Ebro Puleva, whose revenues broke the
billion euro barrier last week, has agreed to buy Riviana Foods,
the largest rice processor in the US.
Good news for players in the dairy industry as a new report claims
thevolume of dairy trade is growing at a faster pace than global
milk production. But Europe is outstripped by Australia and New
Zealand on the global stage.
US cranberry co-operative Ocean Spray will roll out a plumper
version of its health ingredient for use in bakery products onto
the European food market in the next few months, hoping to see
value-added ingredients boost a bottom line...
An Australian firm, which yesterday received a food industry award
for its range of heart healthy grape extracts, is looking into
export opportunities on the European market. But health claims
regulations may increase the challenges...
The popularity of food products formulated with ethnic ingredients
is far from waning in the UK, and Thai cuisine continues to hold
the number one slot in emerging cuisine with food makers such as
Jacob's rolling out finished...
Europe's retailers are among the most international in the world,
but one market where they are still under-represented is Latin
America. Yet as the region's economies begin to strengthen after
several difficult years, the...
With Europe now enforcing some of the strictest rules in the world
on the traceability of genetically modified ingredients, companies
that can offer a tracked identity preservation system are likely to
gain from demand by food makers...
Confirming market opportunities for suppliers and users of fibre
ingredients, a review from the UK suggests that cancer of the gut -
one of the major causes of death from cancer - might be prevented
through a change in diet.
Slim-Fast, the weight loss brand owned by Unilever, has been one of
the hardest hit by the low-card dieting fad which has swept the US
and now Europe. But the company will hope that a new formulation
for the brand will restore some...
Soy-based formulas are often recommended for infants with food
allergies, but a review of past studies suggests they should not be
recommended for the prevention of allergies or food intolerance in
infants at high risk.
Britain's TV advertising watchdog Ofcom has given a boost to
beleaguered food companies by stating that there is no need for
tighter regulations on the way in which they advertise food
products to children. But childhood obesity...
Dutch supplier of palm oil-sourced food products Loders Croklaan
has consolidated its position in the growing palm ingredients
market, agreeing this week to buy Malaysian palm oil specialities
company Soctek.
There could be growing opportunities for makers of chocolate milk
in health positionings, in particular in the Nordic countries.
Danes, for example, are consuming more of this product than ever
before, and new product introductions...
Frozen food may not have the sexiest of images, but growing
consumer demand for convenient, healthy and, above all, safe food
has led to something of a revival in the fortunes of frozen
products across Europe. But this could also...
Openings for low-fat, weight-conscious foods are growing with new
findings suggesting US consumers believe they are to blame for
being obese. While confusion exists over artery-clogging trans
fatty acid, soy foods come out on top...
The Australian food watchdog has issued a warning over a low-cal
sweetener that could harm consumers who are intolerant to the fruit
sugar fructose, advising these people to avoid the novel food
ingredient tagatose, produced by Arla...
Germans have a reputation as Europe's beer-drinking heavyweights,
but an increasing lack of interest in beer among young consumers
there means that German brewers may have to look to other western
European nations such as Italy...
Spanish ready meal sales grew by 7.5 per cent in 2003, another
clear example of how Spaniards are rapidly embracing modern
culinary trends and shedding the tapas image. And with the
category still relatively underdeveloped compared...
German discount store Lidl is hoping to steal a march on arch rival
Aldi by rolling out stores in 15 European countries where the
latter has no presence - a move which should also turn it into
Europe's biggest discount store...
For the past 13 years, Proliant Dairy Ingredients and Hilmar Cheese
have worked together to develop whey protein and lactose products.
Hilmar now hopes to increase its presence in the functional foods
field by purchasing Proliant...
A leading UK newspaper has dubbed Kentucky Fried Chicken 'Kentucky
Fried Carnage' following the release of a shocking video taken
secretly by an animal rights activist, writes Anthony Fletcher.
Fibre suppliers are hoping to benefit from sustained interest in
carbohydrate intake among European and US consumers, which is
currently driving leading food makers to reformulate a wide range
of their product lines.
With impending sugar reform set to slash the bottom line for the
owner of British Sugar, UK food and ingredient group Associated
British Foods, the company is driving further into the ingredients
business with the decision to buy...
The price war in the Dutch retail market continues to impact retail
businesses there, none more so than Laurus which is also trying to
revamp its business at the same time.
Just as sales of Polish meat and dairy products have boomed
following the country's accession to Europe, fruit producers are
also reporting booming sales of apples, cherries, raspberries and
strawberries to the rest of the European.
Baltika has reported that its sales for the quarter April to June
have improved by a healthy 61 per cent, to 5.5 million hecolitres.
This led to a jump in revenue to RUR 7.5 billion (€210m) for the
same period, although the company...
The Alfa Group says that its holding company Alfa-Eco has increased
its stake in the Sun Interbrew company by increasing the number of
shares it holds in the company to 15 per cent - a move that could
set the Moscow-based investment...
A number of the leading players from the bakery sectors in the
Baltic States have announced strong first half results in the past
week. The results for Latvia's Hanzas Maisnica, together with
Lithuanian players Vilniaus Duona...
Russian food retailing is continuing its dynamic performance of the
last five years, but alongside the development of the Moscow and
St. Petersburg markets, other provincial capitals are now proving
to be targets, according to a recent...
Food manufacturers might wish to include green leafy vegetables in
their new product formulations as new research reveals women who
eat healthy amounts of spinach and broccoli could be helping to
delay the onset of dementia in later...
Food safety scares in China have opened up opportunities for food
makers looking to pierce this growing market with imported brands.
Raw materials and food ingredients products with the most potential
include tree nuts, dried fruits,...
Researchers in Japan investigating whether vitamin K could prevent
bone loss in women with liver disease have uncovered a surprising,
secondary benefit - the vitamin also helped to prevent liver cancer
in the patients.
Food makers operating in Europe shortly face new labelling rules
for food allergens on food labels, and as the US cleared its own
new rules yesterday, manufacturers present in the US market will
see parallel changes.
The roll call of potential health benefits of a key ingredient
found in a regular cup of coffee keeps on growing with new research
building on findings that caffeine can help a major sleep disorder
occurring in newly born babies.
Stricken Italian dairy giant Parmalat, which has operations in
Romania, Hungary and Russia, has come up with a plan that will see
the many creditors offered stock.
Guyenne & Gascogne has by and large benefited from its alliance
with larger counterpart Carrefour over the years, but in today's
climate of weak consumer spending, the French company is suffering
a result of its focus on...
The risks posed by pathogens on fresh produce are the subject of an
extensive new review from UK-based food research group CCFRA,
reports Anthony Fletcher.
Ahold has reached an agreement with its Scandinavian joint venture
partner ICA Förbundet over the acquisition of a 20 per cent stake
in the ICA AB retail unit previously owned by the Norwegian firm
Canica.
European legislation on health claims could take a significant leap
forward under the new Dutch presidency of the European Union, which
appears to be aiming for the regulation to get its first reading in
the European parliament by...
The FAO has cited poultry producers as the primary cause for the
spread of the disease, undermining industry's assertions that it is
mainly wild birds that spread the disease.