Many Britons are earning more money than ever before - which means
they generally work longer hours but also spend more time on
leisure activities. All of which has altered the food and drink
consumption patterns in the UK, and had...
The European Commission has given the thumbs up to a joint venture
between Danish/Swedish company Arla Foods Ingredients and German
sugar giant Nordzucker.
Members of the National Farmers Union in the UK this week
demonstrated outside Dairy Crest cheese manufacturing and
distribution sites to call for a 2p per litre rise in the price
producers receive.
Research in Conneticut finds that three servings of milk a day
combined with a strength training programme helps adolescent boys
build greater bond density compared to those who simply drank
juice.
With all the sound of fury over the Safeway takeover last week, an
excellent first half performance from the Co-op Group was all but
overlooked. But the group's highly successful focus on the
convenience store sector is a warning...
Precautionary principle expert Professor Ortwin Renn tells
participants in a lunch debate this week that policy makers and
scientists should use one of five risk management regimes to deal
with scientific risk, reports CORDIS.
Two of the supermarket groups which were blocked from bidding for
the Safeway chain in the UK are considering taking legal action
against the draconian ruling which prevents them from bidding for
more than just a handful of the company's...
Having just published its annual report for 2002, the Food Safety
Authority of Ireland has outlined acrylamide and food chain safety
as the key issues it hopes to concentrate on in the 2003/2004
period.
Genomics, a growing area of the biotech landscape, is already
starting to bear fruits for the food industry with the news that
Dutch enzyme company DSM Food Specialities has successfully
designed a way to eliminate the bitter taste...
Freshly formed Bunge-Dupont soy ingredient joint venture, The Solae
Company, is to plunge into flavors and to work on the taste of soy
protein through a new collaboration with flavor scientists at the
Linguagen corporation.
Millions of animals could be needlessly slaughtered and billions of
dollars lost unless the world backs an international science team
to develop new tools to fight foot-and-mouth disease.
Two studies sponsored by Solbar, the Israeli company which makes
the Solgen soy isoflavone supplement, add further evidence to show
the benefits of such supplements on diabetes and memory in
post-menopausal women.
Fresh from acquiring starch derivatives company Cerestar,
privately-held US company Cargill throws another European
ingredients company into its shopping trolley with the purchase of
French cocoa and chocolate ingredients company...
Manufacturers on the quest for the perfect biscuit will find
comfort in a discovery coming out of the UK this week that explains
exactly why biscuits crumble.
Girls need a more satisfying breakfast than boys if they are to
perform at their best in the classroom, according to a new
university of Ulster study, while a carbohydrate/protein mix meal
increased performance all-round compared...
Ten maize meal products have been voluntarily withdrawn from sale
in the UK after tests showed that they contained high levels of
toxins called fumonisins.
Embattled Dutch retailer Ahold has finally published its
long-awaited audited results for 2002, revealing the full effect of
the widespread accounting fraud unearthed earlier this year - a
loss of over €1bn.
Millions of animals could be needlessly slaughtered and billions of
euros lost from economies, unless the world backs an international
science team to develop new tools to fight foot-and-mouth disease,
claims a network of scientists...
European Commissioner David Byrne welcomed the Agriculture
Council's decision this week on new rules to cut the incidence of
foodborne diseases in the European Union. Salmonella alone costs
the EU an estimated €2.8bn.
Former UK environment minister Michael Meacher is urging consumers
to oppose US plans to use World Trade Organisation rules to force
GM food and crops into the UK.
The one-off gain from the sale of its Italian stores to Carrefour
has helped French retail operator Hyparlo to a significant
improvement in profits in the first half. The company will now
focus on its domestic and Romanian businesses,...
Delhaize is to roll out its City convenience store format in a
number of European markets, tapping into the trend towards town
centre outlets offering a range of essential grocery items. The
company will focus on Germany, Greece,...
Tesco is set to benefit as much from the Safeway takeover as
Morrisons, the company which is actually buying the chain, snapping
up a number of unwanted stores, according to analysts at Goldman
Sachs. But the likely price war caused...
A UK subsidiary of bakery ingredients giant CSM takes the first
steps on the road to 'sweet treat' growth through the integration
of its latest acquisition, the cookie supplier Readi-Bake,
reflecting CSM's strategy...
The increasing use of plastic packaging in the beer sector - as
well as the versatility of the material - is helping to drive
growth of PET and other plastics in the drinks sector. But cans,
glass and laminates still have important...
The draconian measures introduced to reduce the use of one-way
packaging in Germany could still incur the wrath of the European
Commission, despite concessions by Berlin. But even if Brussels is
satisfied, German retailers, drinks...
Scanvaegt has launched a new system aimed at reducing give-away in
poultry processing. The DreamBatcher is said to substantially
reduce wastage by enhancing the efficiency of the packaging
processing.
Energy drinks are adding a touch of zest to the European soft
drinks market, with Mintel's Global New Products Database revealing
an array of weird and wonderful names, ingredients and marketing
ploys designed to entice consumers...
Reading Scientific Services Ltd (RSSL) is to launch a new pesticide
detection service for the food industry. The new service is being
offered in partnership with an approved third party laboratory.
Product innovation continues in the Scandinavian non-dairy sector
with a new line of organic cereal drinks launched this month to
meet the growing tide for milk substitute products. New kid on the
block? Spelt drinks.
Ahold is to publish its audited results for 2002 on Thursday -
restated following the revelation of accounting fraud earlier in
the year. The figures are unlikely to make encouraging reading, and
shareholders and investors alike will...
Environmentalists took to the streets in Brazil last week in
protest after the country's vice president said he would lift a ban
on genetically modified soy crops.
US soybean processor ADM is launching its organic whole soybean
powder NutriSoy on the European market at next month's Food
Ingredients Europe. The product has been nominated for the 'most
innovative ingredient' award.
A new spectrophotometer called 'Chameleon' has been launched by
Spectroscopic and Analytical Developments, designed to analyse the
contents of finished food and beverage products.
Rising sales channelled through a long-standing relationship with
Treatt have opened the way for UK-based Endeavour Speciality
Chemicals to step into larger premises.
In the space of seven days US agri-giant Bunge has not only plunged
deeper into Far Eastern oils but also shed the private label retail
bottled oil business of its edible oil division.
As expected, Morrisons is the only retailer allowed to bid for the
Safeway chain, with rival offers from Tesco, Sainsbury and Asda all
blocked by the UK government. But Morrisons' bid is unlikely to be
as high as it was in January,...
Asda, the American-owned supermarket chain, is continuing with its
campaign to increase sales of British food and drink products, with
50 new UK-made items set to hit the shelves in 2003. Clearer
labelling and in-store promotions...
Next month two subsidiaries of the Denmark based Foss Group - Foss
Electric and Foss Tecator, will be merged in an effort to maintain
future growth for the food analysis company.
Parties interested in forging ahead with GM foodstuffs in the UK
have a battle on their hands as the widest public debate ever held
in Britain finds an overwhelming percentage of people uneasy.
Bord Bia - the Irish Food Board - hosted a consumer food and drinks
industry day this week in Dublin. Entitled 'Paths to Growth', the
conference was attended by representatives from more than 100 Irish
food, drink and ingredients...
In the same week that the European Commission tables proposals to
overhaul the EU sugar regime, Belgian company Cosucra Groupe
Warcoing announces that its days of sugar beet processing are over,
opting instead to focus business entirely...
