US moves into the emerging East European organic market were
highlighted this week in a new report from the US government that
reveals the market potential for US organic products in the Czech
Republic.
The recent announcement of a first confirmed case of BSE in the US
shows that concern about the safety of meat and meat products is
far from over, and that consumer demands for meat whose source is
traceable and quality unimpeachable...
Forthcoming European legislation on health claims could pose a
roadblock to rapid market expansion of polyphenols, the plant-based
antioxidants gaining increasing attention for their
disease-fighting actions, warns a new report.
What started out as a simple takeover of the UK-based convenience
store group Londis by Irish counterpart Musgrave now looks set to
become this year's equivalent of the Safeway affair, with a number
of rival bids thought to be...
Europe's largest food retailer Carrefour has followed its decision to withdraw
from the race to acquire Ahold's Brazilian assets with a further
reduction in its presence in Latin America.
Investment fund Russia Partners II has acquired the Moscow-based
Ice-Fili ice cream producer and confectionery group Zvezdny,
according to a report in the Vedomosti newspaper.
Japan looks set to regain its crown as the leading market for
flavoured alcoholic beverages (FABs), despite continued strong
growth in the market which usurped its position, the US.
New tests that slice off the time taken to identify dangerous
strains of the harmful bacteria Escherichia coli are the
focus of new research from US government scientists.
The hypermarket store format is expected to take an ever increasing
share of Hungarian food and drink retail sales over the next few
years, according to a report in Menedzsmentforum.
Bunge, the world's top oilseed processor, last week said it was
looking to cream off a gain of about $2 million, or 2 cents per
share, on the sale of its US bakery business to privately-held Dawn
Food Products.
Soy isoflavones may not offer the benefits to heart health often
attributed to soyfoods, finds a new study that suggests that
another part of the plant could be responsible for its
cholesterol-lowering ability.
Raising a hand for the pro-GM camp, UK scientists assert that there
is an ethical obligation to explore the benefits that genetically
modified crops could offer people in developing countries.
US-based Orbid Corporation, a developer of secure track and trace
systems used in the identification and protection of products, has
announced a partnership with CCL Label, the company responsible for
packaging and labelling many...
A diet high in magnesium may help prevent the development of type 2
diabetes, especially in people who are overweight, suggests
evidence reported in two new studies out this month. The findings
add weight to theories that vitamins...
Moscow-based snack food company Bridgetown Foods has said that it
expects its trade turnover to double in 2004 compared to the US $65
million that the company is estimated to earn this year, according
to general director Dmitry Vasilyev.
MEPs last week voted to adopt a contentious report calling for
rules to be established at the community level on the coexistence
of genetically modified (GM) crops with ordinary crops. A move that
squares up against the Commission...
German firm Loryma has been awarded distribution rights within
Europe for MGP Ingredients' food proteins and starches. The
agreement does not include the United Kingdom or Ireland, but does
extend to other countries such as Turkey,...
Hot on the heels of disappointing third quarter results, notably in
the colours division hit by weaker sales in the US, Sensient
Technologies has announced a round of cost cutting measures which
will include job losses.
The movement of foodstuffs within the European boundaries will be
changed forever once the next step towards an enlarged Europe takes
place. Food and Life Sciences lawyer Raymond O’Rourke takes us
through a detailed look at some of...
With tight new rules on traceability soon to hit European food
manufacturers and retailers, European food lawyer Raymond O'Rourke
examines the new legislation and the impact this will have on
industry. Of concern, O'Rourke...
Obese men with prostate cancer are more likely to have aggressive
tumors and to experience cancer recurrence after surgery compared
to men of normal weight or those who are overweight but not obese,
according to two new studies.
Sales of cava, the Spanish sparkling wine, are likely to grow
substantially this Christmas as consumers across Spain raise a
glass to their loved ones, according to the head of the Consejo
Regulador del Cava, the body which regulates...
A new food safety technique coming out of the UK that uses a virus
is set to win an exclusive worldwide licence. The move marks the
first step towards the commercialisation of the technique that can
'explode' deadly food-poisoning...
Europe's first international conference on folates, taking place in
Poland early next year, is expected to shed new light on folate
bioavailability in foods and help understand how to boost
consumption of this essential vitamin
Czech food and cosmetics giant Setuza has said that it is gearing
up to spend a total of CZK 150 million (€4.6m) by the end of April
2004 on the reconstruction and modernisation of its plants in Usti
nad Labem and Olomouc.
Two of Scandinavia's leading retail groups announced last week that
they were to form a new joint venture in Latvia, Lithuania and
Estonia prior to those three countries joining the EU in May next
year.
Tetra Pak has been a pioneering force in the central and eastern
European food and beverage packaging sector. However, with
accession just around the corner a series of new challenges are
about to present themselves. We spoke to a...
Spain might well have a culinary heritage to rival that of France,
but like it trans-Pyrenean neighbour, consumption patterns have
been changing over the last few years, with more hectic lifestyles
(even in the land of the siesta)...
An innovative new food safety technique using a virus is set to win
an exclusive worldwide licence. This marks the first step towards
the commercialisation of this unusual process, a technique that a
UK scientist claims can explode...
Parliament adopts contentious report calling for rules to be
established at Community level on the coexistence of genetically
modified (GM) crops with ordinary crops 'without delay'.
The launch of a new low-fat version of Unilever Bestfood's
Hellmann's mayonnaise brand in the UK is the first step in the
company's bid to turn Hellman's into a 'master brand' over the next
five years...
The British are the biggest consumers of chocolate in Europe,
munching their way through more than 10 kg each every year. A
reflection of Britain's ongoing love affair with snacking - and
consumers' reluctance to choose...
The rye grain, and rye bran in particular, is rich in dietary fibre
and also contains a significant fructan concentration, which may
have important prebiotic properties, suggests a new publication.
Public health and safety company NSF International (NSF) has
announced a new alliance with the STAR-K Kosher Certification
organisation. The purpose is to meet the growing kosher food
certification demands of consumers and businesses...
In a bid to reinforce customer relations in Latin America, the
dairy ingredients business unit of DSM Food Specialties' has
expanded its presence in Latin America with the opening of a new
sales and customer services office in...
Ahold's worries
have hit the headlines throughout 2003, and while it now appears to
be on the road to recovery after revelations of fraud and losses of
€1 billion, it is still not all plain sailing for the Dutch
retailer.
Slovakia's sole salt producer Solivary, which is based in Presov,
in eastern Slovakia, has confirmed that it is to invest Slovak
crowns 700 million (€17 mn) in a new salt plant in Zbudza, near
Michalovce in eastern Slovakia.
Last week's dismissal of three executive board members at leading
Slovenian food manufacturer Droga has caused some degree of
consternation amongst the company's workers.
As the European Parliament delivers slices of the €99 billion
budget pie for next year, €45 bn earmarked for CAP and €400 million
for health and consumer protection, funding for science projects
confirmed.
An attempt by US-based brewing giant Anheuser-Busch
to keep Czech brewer Budejovicky Budvar from registering its name as a
European Community trademark was foiled by the Office for
Harmonisation in the Internal Market of the European...
The EU Council of Ministers has adopted a regulation on the
identification and registration of sheep and goats as part of its
ongoing efforts to prevent the spread of animal diseases. The body
believes that stopping animal disease...
Lactimilk, the subsidiary of Spanish group Ebro Puleva which
produces the Leyma, Ram and El Castillo brands, is to invest
between €36 and €45 million over the next three years in
relaunching all three brands.
Food products made with GM maize could soon be on the European
supermarket shelves despite the cynical consumer if policy-makers,
soon to take a decision on the sale of Syngenta's Bt11 GM maize ,
take a yes vote. A recent breakthrough...
Potatoes with low levels of reducing sugars could be the answer to
fighting the formation of the potentially carcinogenic compound
acrylamide in foods.
Scientists warn this week that our traditional christmas snack of
brazil nuts might not be for much longer if intensive harvesting
practices continue in 'persistently exploited' areas.
In response to an increasing worldwide demand for pectin, Danish
ingredients company Danisco is to expand its Czech production
capacity by 40 per cent to accommodate an expected growth rate of
5-6 per cent on the world market.
Calls by a number of consumer bodies tougher labelling on alcoholic
beverages have not fallen on deaf ears. No sooner had the National
Consumers League (NCL), the Center for Science in the Public
Interest (CSPI), and 67 other consumer...