German speciality chemicals company Degussa sees a downturn in
profits and sales as it fails to realise the potential of its
restructured activities in the current economic climate.
Hypermarkets account for the biggest share of retail revenues in
Poland, despite the fact that there are relatively few stores. But
while the format remains popular, smaller outlets, such as
supermarkets and discount stores, are likely...
Denmark-based ingredients supplier Danisco has developed a low-dust
powder technology for food manufacturers aiming for an improved
factory environment.
With just three weeks remaining until the Cancun meetings, the EU
and the US yesterday presented a joint framework to relaunch
agricultural negotiations. Focusing on three areas, domestic
support, market access and export competition,...
Sustainability leaders substantially outperform industry
competitors by up to 23 per cent and are set to continue to do so,
suggests a recent report on the global food retail industry by
Innovest Strategic Value Advisors.
The European Commission has announced a new set of measures to
limit the presence of the mycotoxin 'patulin' in fruit juices,
particularly apple juice, and other foods containing or derived
from apples.
As global warming appears to be taking its toll and with German
farmers alone predicted to lose up to 80 per cent of their crops
due to the Europe-wide heatwave this summer, scientists from the
University of Bonn in Germany claim...
Both Brazil and Argentina continue to increase their production and
export figures this year, reports the American Soybean Association,
news which falls in line with forecasts that South America will
become the world's main soybean...
A last minute move by one of the potentials in the Safeway bidding
race has led the UK competition body to delay its recommendations,
which were to be handed to the Government today.
Russia's largest brewer, Baltika Brewery, has said that it expects
beer exports to Germany this year to far exceed the 1.25 million
litres that it exported to the country in 2002.
An agricultural scientist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
claims to have developed a less fattening variety of watermelon
which still tastes just as sweet.
The recently published results of the Finnish national residue
control programme for 2002 indicate thatfoodstuffs of animal origin
produced in Finland contain very low levels ofmedicinal agent
residues and other contaminants.
A team of onion growers in the US claims to have created a new
variety of sweet onion which is not only said to be crisper and
sweeter than any others but also lasts up to eight months.
The UK retailing industry is bracing itself for perhaps the biggest
event of the year, as it awaits the results of the Competition
Commission's report on who can bid for Safeway. The decision is
likely to reshape Britain's...
Agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland yesterday announced it
will increase its liquid sorbitol capacity at its Decatur plant in
the US by 60 per cent by the end of 2003 in order to meet increased
demand.
Petrol station shops are becoming a progressively more important
outlet within a growing and increasingly consolidated convenience
retail market, according to the latest report from Datamonitor.
The US Department of Agriculture says it is seeking to patent a
biocontrol yeast that fights the apple nemesis 'blue mould', a
fungus which leaves a telltale sign of soft, watery, light-brown
rot.
Syscan International is about to launch its newly developed
RFID-based integrated solution, Tempasure, for monitoring shipments
of temperature sensitive products.
A robust second quarter for flavour and fragrances multinational
Frutarom, announcing a rise for both sales and profits and
completion of its acquisition of the Swiss natural extracts company
Emil Flachsmann.
The CVUA Sigmaringen Institute in Germany has installed a new API
4000 LC-MS/MS system from Applied Biosystems in an effort to speed
up and improve its food safety testing capabilities.
Increasing intake of polyphenols, by eating more fruits and
vegetables such as apricots or onions, or taking supplements, may
help to prevent intestinal cancer, reports a European research
group
The UK's National Beef Association (NBA) has demanded that the Livestock and Meat Commission for Northern Ireland (MLC) act to reverse low cattle prices affecting farmers in the province.
Dutch-based health and food ingredients company Acatris Group is
set to expand its sales network for health ingredients in the UK.
In a statement this week, the company claimed that the UK is among
the top three countries in Europe...
Newly-formed Acatris is planning a major assault on the UK market
and has predicted that Britain will be among the top three growth
markets for its health ingredients.
With virtually all of the world's new soybean production expected
to come from increased plantings in South America over the next
five to ten years, organisers of an international conference on
soyfoods have chosen Brazil...
The EC has reviewed the measures taken to ensure
aflatoxin-contaminated Chinese peanuts, Iranian pistachios and
Turkish figs, pistachios and hazelnuts do not enter the European
Union.
The UK Consumers' Association (CA)'s honest food labelling campaign
has revealed a range of confusing, and sometimes misleading labels
on summer food products. The organisation claims that many food
manufacturers have made...
The UK's FSA has published guidance notes to accompany the new
cocoa and chocolate product regulations in an effort to achieve a
'more consistent application and enforcement of the regulations'.
Cereal manufacturers could see growing sales in our
weight-conscious times as a new study shows that people who eat
cereal are less likely to be obese than those who skip breakfast or
choose a traditional English start to the day.
Sensor Wireless of Canada is to release its newest wireless real
time monitoring system, DTS, as an additional feature for its Smart
Bottle, Smart Can, and Universal PD sensor systems.
Doughnut maker and retailer Krispy Kreme has finally unveiled the
location of its first European outlet - and it has set its sights
high indeed. The outlet will open in October in the famous London
department store Harrods - but will...
US department of agriculture sugar-market economist John Love has
predicted that producer prices for sugar for 2002/03 will be 5 per
cent higher than last year's.
Lingering consumer suspicion of synthetic colours, coupled with the
rising preference for all-natural products, is driving uptake of
natural food colours within Australia and New Zealand, report
market analysts Frost & Sullivan....
The European Commission has decided to lift the last remaining restrictions imposed on meat imports from Swaziland and Botswana. The ban was imposed following outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).
Increasing intake of vitamin C may be able to help prevent stomach
cancer, report researchers. A study found low levels of the vitamin
in blood samples to be associated with higher chances of
Helicobacter pylori infection, the bacteria...
A mother's diet can alter her offspring's development to such an
extent that it changes the baby's characteristics for life, and
potentially that of future generations, say researchers who have
found that nutrition...
Aircraft and ships will shortly be required to maintain the same
levels of hygiene and food safety as other food premises, following
the recent passing of a new government order to come into force as
of the 18 August 2003.
The US Food and Drug Administration has given the Procter &
Gamble fat replacer olestra the all-clear, after new scientific
evidence found there was no need to warn consumers of side effects.
A new report suggests that the pressure on Europe's food supply
chain could soon become too great for it to bear, leaving the
continent facing severe ecological problems such as
desertification.
Carrefour's stores in nine of Spain's autonomous regions have been
accused of selling a range of wine, beer and spirits at less than
cost price, a practice which is illegal under Spanish competition
rules.
Continuing uncertainty and senior management turmoil at cranberry
supplier Ocean Spray has led Moody's to downgrade the firm's
short-term and preferred stock ratings, with further downgrade
possible in the near future.
Ahold has completed the sale of its Chilean unit Santa Isabel to
local retailer Cencosud for $77m, much-needed cash at a time when
the Dutch group is facing reduced profits as a result of its
accounting irregularities.
The theme of this year's World Food Day will be 'International
Alliance Against Hunger,' emphasising the need for global
mobilisation to create the political will to eradicate hunger, the
United Nations Food and Agriculture...
The Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council
met in Perth on Friday, resulting in a number of important policy
decisions concerning maximum residue levels, ethylene oxide, GM
food labelling and iodine deficiency.
Belgian retailer Delhaize is improving slowly, but its business
continues to be affected by the weakening of the US dollar against
the euro. Nonetheless, the company is hopeful of a
better-than-expected performance for the year as...
The European Commission on Friday approved plans by US company
Archer Daniels Midland to purchase food giant Unilever's edible oil
refining subsidiary VDBO.
