A multi-functional beverage wet laboratory and an in-house data
system are two of the final touches to the new flavour Creative
Centre of the Quest Flavour business, based at the company's
international headquarters in Naarden,...
Folic acid - the B vitamin found commonly in supplements and
increasingly in a wide range of bread products - is already known
to prevent severe birth defects and to lower risk of death from
heart disease. But it could also help to...
Auchan, the French retail group, has reported remarkably good
figures for 2003 despite its reliance on its home market, where low
levels of consumer spending have impacted sales at a number of its
rivals.
Abbott Laboratories, a major infant formula manufacturer in
Ireland, has expanded its production potential through the
integration of new robotic technology. The concept enables the
manufacturer to pick and place items such as scoops,...
At least 155 million school-age children worldwide are overweight
or obese, a growing problem which needs to be tackled now if more
serious ailments such as type 2 diabetes or heart disease are to be
avoided, according to the International...
Central European Distribution Corporation, which is rapidly
becoming one of the biggest distributors of alcohol in the Polish
market, has announced that it has completed its eleventh
acquisition with the purchase of Miro, a strategic...
Migros Turk AS, the largest food retailer in Turkey, is to expand
its business operations in the central European region, with the
announcement that it is to open up further retail outlets in FYR
Macedonia through a loan from the...
Non-alcoholic beer may impart the same cardiovascular benefits as
its traditional counterpart but without the potential negative
impact of excessive consumption, according to new research from
Germany.
Claims by anti-GM groups that genetically modified crops cannot
co-exist with 'normal' ones without causing contamination have been
exaggerated, and increasing the regulatory burden on GM crops in
Europe would be inequitable...
Ajinomoto, the Japanese seasonings company, is to reorganise its
European ingredients operations in a move designed to improve
operational efficiency and to accelerate growth.
British retailer Sainsbury has acquired 14 supermarkets from
compatriot Morrisons - including the original Morrisons store in
the Yorkshire town of Ripon. But the group still lags behind rival
Asda, which also announced expansion...
Troubled Dutch retailer Laurus is to restructure its business in a
bid to make its three formats - Edah, Konmar and Super De Boer -
more competitive, the company announced this week.
Food makers are criticised again for the high salt content in food
products as campaign group CASH (Consensus Action on Salt and
Health) publishes new survey saying sandwiches on sale at retail
outlets are so salty they should carry...
Fall out from the BSE crisis that hit the UK meat industry in the
1990s could be nearly over as the EU's food safety body paves the
way for British beef to move down from its 'high risk'
classification.
After months of political wranglings GM sweetcorn could be on the
supermarket shelves by the end of the year with the European
Commission poised to end the five year unofficial ban on
genetically modified foods, writes Lindsey Partos.
The British are the biggest consumers of instant coffee in Europe,
driven by the desire for speed and convenience. But new research
from Mintel shows that many of the new instant coffee products
launched over the last year were not...
British Retail Consortium dismisses protests made by the campaign
group Greenpeace over "GM milk". The campaign group has
staged a number of protests over the use of GM feed for dairy cows,
but the retail consortium said...
A substance found in soybeans may reduce the risk of colon cancer,
the third most common form of cancer in the world. Soy
glucosylceramide has been found to be effective in reducing the
formation and growth of tumour cells in the...
In what could be seen as a blow to the fast-growing market for soy
products, a new study from the US suggests that processing soy for
use in supplements and food products could seriously reduce its
cancer-fighting ability.
A food product on the shelf must satisfy a range of senses to earn
consumer appeal. But US scientists claim that little understood
contextual cues - food display, colours - can lead to people eating
much more than they need.
US biotech crop pioneer Monsanto is to suspend the introduction of
the world's first biotech wheat, amid public outcry at the possible
risks of genetically modified crops and at Monsanto's aggressive
marketing tactics, writes...
Top ingredients supplier Danisco will phase out its activities in
oil and protein crops in order to focus on sugar beet seed, said
the Danish firm this week, in a move reflecting changes to the
European sugar regime in 2006 that will...
A laser transmitter has been developed that can measure dry bulk
solids and opaque liquids at penetrations of up to an incredible 60
metres. By using an extremely small wavelength, the unit offers
manufacturers virtually no angle...
With shortfalls in grain harvests progressively worsening over the
past four years, closing the gap will not be easy, says Lester
Brown at the Earth Policy Institute. He predicts this year may
witness another shortfall, bad news for...
The UK's food watchdog will inject millions of pounds into a new
landmark study that aims to shed light on specific foods that could
reduce heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. The findings could pave
the way for a raft of new...
Narzan, one of Russia's best-known mineral water companies, has
received a loan for $12.25 million from the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development as part of a combined equity
investment scheme.
Leading Ukrainian poultry processor CJSC Myronivsky Khliboproduct
has confirmed the lauch of a new oilseed processing plant, in a
move which the company says will help it to save costs at its
poultry processing division.
British retailers are widely regarded as some of the best in the
world, leading the way in areas such as own labels, loyalty cards
and retail services. But many of them are, it seems, failing to
perform to the best of their ability...
Poor first quarter figures from two of Europe's leading food retail
groups were attributed to both companies' exposure to the US
market, where the weak dollar has significantly impacted
euro-denominated sales. But neither...
Luc Vandevelde, the man credited with bringing British retailer
Marks & Spencer out of the doldrums, has parted company with
the group four years after taking over as chairman. But as he
leaves, there are signs that all his good...
Nestlé has launched a new ice cream production line at its Namyslów
facility in south-east Poland. The extension aims to meet an
extensive broadening of its ice cream product portfolio in an
effort to keep up with increasing demand...
A highly complex web of signals in the brain that are vulnerable to
a single error could explain why some overweight people cannot shed
the kilos through simple diet and exercise. This is what UK
scientists said as they unveiled brand...
Fish oil is perhaps the most widely used source of omega-3 fatty
acids but it is by no means the only source. Firms providing
alternative sources to fish oil omega-3 need must boost consumer
awareness to up sales as new research from...
The recent escalation of raw material, manufacturing, energy and
packaging costs will result in an increase in price for soy protein
ingredients, says the Solae company, as soybean prices hit 15 year
highs and the firm passes rises...
Last year Denmark became the first country in the world to ban
trans fats from food products over fears these hydrogenated fats
could contribute to heart disease. While the EU has yet to reach a
position on the labelling of these...
People who shift their caffeine 'buzz' from a morning dose to small
amounts consumed throughout the day could avoid falling asleep, may
perform well on cognitive tests, and sleep soundly at night.
The benefits of including fruit in a daily dietary regime have been
given greater support with US researchers suggesting that natural
compounds found in fresh Bing cherries could help people who suffer
from gout or other forms of...
The dynamic performance of the Romanian chocolate sector continues
to gather pace with the announcement from Supreme Chocolat that it
has increased its sales in the first quarter by an impressive 120
per cent.
The European Union is ready to cut generous, and much criticised,
subsidies on farm exports to jump start troubled world trade talks,
said EU trade chief Pascal Lamy on Monday.
Acquisitive ingredients firm Kerry will spend €170 million on four
bolt-on flavour acquisitions announced yesterday as the €3.7
billion Irish company continues to consolidate its position in the
highly competitive flavours market....
On the back of rising sales for frozen fruits UK ingredients firm
J.O.Sims has linked up with German supplier Dinter Trading, which
will provide the UK firm with a range of fruit berries from eastern
Europe. Fruit ingredients firms...
Breakfast cereals fortified with folic acid and other B vitamins
could help consumers protect against heart disease by lowering
levels of homocysteine, suggests new research. The amino acid
homocysteine is increasingly accepted as...
The all-important market for caramels in Russia continues to be
encroached upon by cheaper imports from Ukraine helped by good
sugar supplies, according to findings from a recent market report.
Lithuanian grain producer Malsena says that its move towards
multi-functional food manufacturing has meant challenges finding
skilled staff to operate its new pasta line. In its quest the
company says that it will have to turn towards...
SABMiller, one of the world's largest brewery groups, has increased
its presence in the Romanian market after announcing the
acquisition of a controlling stake in leading local brewer Aurora.
Glanbia Nutritional Products is hoping to build on growing consumer
awareness of the link between dairy foods and weight loss, with a
new ingredient specifically designed to add the beneficial
components of milk products to other...
Specific functional and nutritional benefits have boosted sales in
recent years for the fast growing, EU-subsidised milk protein
concentrate market. With export markets continuing to grow French
ingredients group Ingredia has linked...
An industry drive to push the nutritional benefits of flour could
lead to increased sales for the £3 billion UK bread market.
Farmer's in the UK last week met with the National Association of
British and Irish Millers (NABIM)...
The US food watchdog had made steps to find out more about the
potential carcinogen furan after a new technology detected very low
levels of furan in a wider range of foods larger than previously
thought.
Spain's soft drinks market is expected to grow by around 7 per cent
this year, a slight slowdown compared to 2003's heatwave-boosted
performance but nonetheless healthy growth driven by premium and
functional products.