Public concern over BSE outbreaks is set to boost sales of organic
meat products in North America, according to a new report. But
North Americans have not historically been as influenced by food
scares as their European counterparts.
Britain's number one food retail group Tesco surged further ahead
of its rivals in fiscal 2004 with double-digit increases in both
sales and profits. Performances improved in all four of Tesco's key
growth sectors, and with...
Britain's Co-op group has laid down a challenge to larger rivals
Tesco and Sainsbury, highlighting its "determination to
grow" in the convenience store sector after the successful
integration of two recent acquisitions,...
A new initiative has been launched this month in the UK to assess
the levels of product availability in a number of supermarket
chains. But unlike previous assessments, the latest survey will
focus on consumers' perception of...
Packaging plays an increasingly important role in the marketing of
new - and existing - food and beverage brands, but few companies
consider the benefits of keeping ahead of the competition in the
anything other than the short term,...
An increase in sales volumes, favourable currency conversions and
improved pricing helped the US maker of syrups for soft drinks,
Corn Products International, offset the rising price of corn in the
first quarter. But as global corn...
Lycopene, the tomato-derived antioxidant thought to fight prostate
cancer, may also help to inhibit benign tumours of the uterus,
which cause painful symptoms for millions of women, say
researchers, reports Dominique Patton.
From health to weight-loss, following findings from a small study,
US soy food maker Revival Soy claims its soy chips snack can be
used in combination with a healthy diet to shed the pounds.
Delving into the mechanism behind the potentially fatal foodborne
disease Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes), French
scientists report their findings this week on how two mammalian
proteins are 'hijacked' by the disease.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has launched the first
food safety training programme specifically tailored to the needs
of Ireland's Chinese food sector, which comprises almost 6,000
restaurants and takeaways. The...
New evidence to suggest that a diet high in artery-clogging trans
fats could accelerate the development of cardiovascular disease
comes from a recent study in the US.
The Bulgarian meat processing sector still has a long way to go if
it is to meet EU standards by the country's 2007 target entry date,
say industry experts.
French dairy giant Yoplait and its Israeli partner Tnuva are said
to be in advanced negotiations to establish a dairy venture in
Romania, according to reports.
US colours and flavours group Sensient continues to feel the impact
of soft markets in North American food and beverage segments,
particularly synthetic colours, posting a further drop in income
for the first quarter of 2004. Pressure...
Curcumin, the spice that gives curry its yellow colour, may
activate a key enzyme that protects the brain against oxidation,
thought to be a major factor in ageing and responsible for
neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's...
Brain circuits involved in drug addiction are also activated by the
desire for food, say researchers this week, claiming that the mere
display of food - the smelling and tasting of favourite foods
without actually eating them - causes...
Savings on milk ingredients are slated for Nestle as the Swiss
giant expands its South American agreement with New Zealand's milk
group the Fonterra Co-operative. In the second phase of a joint
venture alliance, the two titans...
The EU health commissioner David Byrne has urged food processors in
the United States to give Europe's new imposed GM traceability
regulations time to work. The move comes in response to widespread
opposition to the new regime...
Europe's food watchdog gives the green light to a genetically
modified maize designed by US firm Monsanto, but fails to reach a
conclusion on the safety of a second GM hybrid maize application
from the biotech giant. The risk...
Troubled Dutch retailer Ahold ended 2003 with losses of €1 million
- a major improvement on the €2.1 billion losses a year earlier -
but stressed that there would be further hardship ahead in 2004
before the real benefits of its Road...
An electronic nose could sniff out considerable savings for food
manufacturers as researchers use the latest technology for the
early detection of 'undesirable off-odours and microbial
contaminants' in dairy and bakery products.
Sweden's Vin & Sprit (V&S) is to launch the first
ready-to-drink variant of its popular Absolut vodka brand in the
Canadian market. The launch comes at a time when global RTD sales
are on the decline, but the company...
Guyenne & Gascogne, the French retail group which operates a
number of stores under the Carrefour banner, suffered the same
downturn in sales at its French outlets in 2003 as the larger group
under whose fascia it trades - and...
International Swiss trading company Glencore has plans to invest up
to €80 million in an effort to establish a Russian grain business,
which according to press reports will be called International Grain
Company.
UK food watchdog will inject thousands of pounds into a new study
seeking to investigate the role diet plays in our formative years.
The findings could open up new opportunities for food and beverage
manufacturers targeting the younger...
Cargill is adding to its growing investment portfolio in Russia
with the announcement that it is to build an edible oil extraction
plant in the Voronezh region, according to regional director Semyon
Khariton.
The European Commission this week granted approval for several new
foods with added phytosterols, set to significantly expand the
number of cholesterol-lowering foods available in Europe.
African gum stocks dropped off at the end of 2003 driving up prices
for acacia gum - a natural emulsifier used extensively in food and
beverage applications - squeezing margins for manufacturers. French
hydrocolloid firm Colloides...
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reviewing a new petition
for a health claim that suggests the consumption of soy
protein-based foods may reduce the risk of certain types of cancer
including breast, prostate and colon cancer....
The toughest rules on GM labelling in the world entered into force
yesterday in Europe, extending the mandatory labelling to countless
food products in the supermarkets and heralding in an extensive
paper trail for the food industry.
A new system has been launched on the Internet to help food
producers cope with the complications of new EU meat labelling
regulations. The system provides manufacturers with the
Quantitative Ingredient Declaration (QUID) percentage,...
In a new move to drive sales and carve a position in the growing
health foods market, US supplier of ingredients to the bakery
industry FACT corporation will directly target the consumer through
a line of bakery mixes.
The 10 new Member States due to join the EU are on course to meet
the EU's food safety standards, said Commissioner David Byrne, on
the same day the EU's sugar confectionery body predicts soaring
sugar rises in the zone.
RFID has the potential to provide customers with more product
information than ever. But a new report claims that food
manufacturers and retailers will have to be careful that the
technology is not used against them, writes Anthony...
Sugar prices look set to rise in the accession countries by up to
60 per cent, warns the European chocolate and confectionery body
CAOBISCO this week, predicting major set backs for food
manufacturers installed in the zone. The warning...
Risk management helped US firm Cargill achieve a 7 per cent rise in
profit for the three months to February this year despite tougher
trading conditions that saw raw material prices rising, a knock in
demand for soy through Asian...
Lycopene, the carotenoid found in tomatoes, may reduce the risk of
prostate cancer by inhibiting the male hormone's effect on the
prostate, report researchers from DSM this week, writes
Dominique Patton.
The European Commission has introduced TRACES, a new IT system
designed to improve the management of animal movements both from
outside the EU and within the EU. The system is designed to
simplify existing systems and create better...
One of China's leading producers of milk powder and soybean
products, American Dairy, has got off to a strong start following
its formation in May 2003 and subsequent acquisition of Beibei
Foodstuff in November.
Green members of parliament in Europe have laid out a ten point
plan to tackle the causes of food scares such as BSE, salmonella
and toxic residues in farmed salmon to 'restore consumer confidence
in the way food is produced,'...
Having announced strong half-yearly results, Malaysian Palm Oil
producer Golden Hope says that it will be looking to markets such
as China to exploit its growing oleochemicals division in an effort
to increase its presence in the...
Quarterly figures from both Marks & Spencer and Iceland
released this week show that high street retailers are coming under
increasing pressure from the leading players, not only because of
the latter's relentless move into...
The US grocery market is currently undergoing something of a
technological revolution, with Wal-Mart requiring all its main
suppliers to use radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to keep
track of deliveries throughout the supply...
The uncertain economic and political conditions in 2003 put a major
brake on international retail growth, with relatively few mergers
and acquisitions in the global market. But 2004 should see
something of an upturn, driven by the...
Coop Suisse benefited from the consolidation of two recent
acquisitions to steal market share from its rivals in 2003. Despite
a continued downturn in consumer spending, organic and ethical
products performed particularly well during...
A cauliflower with 25 times more vitamin A than its 'regular'
sister could meet the daily needs of consumers with the new
vegetable now available on the market.
Japan may be about to review its policy of testing all slaughtered
cattle for mad cow disease, a practice Tokyo has asked Washington
to adopt as a condition for resuming US beef imports. This is
encouraging news for US meat processors,...
Scientists from the Institute of Food Research (IFR), UK, have
found that specific probiotics - beneficial bacteria - can destroy
pathogenic bacteria living in the gut of poultry. The discovery
could help remove the threat of bacterial...
Sugar giant British Sugar helped boost six month results for its
parent, food and ingredients firm Associated British Foods, which
this week reported double-digit growth in profits. But
international agency Oxfam has criticised the...
