Brazil, one of the world's largest soy producers, could soon
legalise the use of controversial gene-modified soybeans after a
five year ban, writes the American Soybean Association (ASA) this
week.
Oxysense, the world leader in non-invasive oxygen measurement
systemsfor the food and beverage industry, is to showcase a number
of new technologies at the forthcoming Pack Expo.
Somerfield, the UK supermarket group, is pleased with its recovery
but wants to increase the pace of development for its new store
formats to consolidate its position in the convenience store
segment.
Bone health beverages and fitness waters are at the core of new
product concepts highlighted by the health unit of agri-giant
Cargill at the upcoming Institute of Food Technologists' exhibition
this month in Chicago.
A recently published report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food
Chemistry highlights how the herb basil, when incorporated into
plastic wrapping, can enhance food safety.
Not content with criticising UK market leader Tesco at every turn,
Friends of the Earth is now gunning for world number one Wal-Mart,
accusing it of exploiting planning loopholes to extend floorspace
at 40 Asda stores. But Asda has...
Representatives from 169 countries gathered in Rome yesterday for a
week of talks led by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. High on the
agenda, food safety, biotechnology, food irradiation and an
overhaul of the Codex structure.
Last week's agreement on reform of the Common Agricultural Policy -
even watered down as it was - has been welcomed by the EU's food
and drink manufacturers as a step in the right direction.
Today strict EU rules on the labelling of meat-based products enter
into force. Their aim? To provide consumers with clearer
information on the meat products they eat.
US spice maker McCormick & Company saw profits in the
second-quarter climb 19 per cent, helped by solid sales growth and
interest income from a purchase-price adjustment.
Belgian retail group Colruyt has reported profits up 22 per cent
for 2002/03, well ahead of analysts expectations and despite
continued troubles at its computer retailing arm.
Basque retailer Eroski remains committed to expanding its business
this year, despite the increasing levels of red tape which are
slowing down new store development.
Agilent Technologies has launched a new method for testing
Nitrofuran Metabolites in food animal products, said to be the
fastest and most effective of its kind.
Imagine eating purple bread, purple vinegar or blue noodles. Now
imagine that they are good for you. Food scientists in Australia
have come up with natural food colours that also give a boost to
the health.
The Oxoid Awards for Beer Quality and Brewery Hygiene have
recognised a number of innovative moves in the field, with the
first prize given to a comprehensive training package to promote
hygiene.
Could a fruit bar a day be the answer to osteoporosis? Trials of a
new food product enriched with phytoestrogens could provide women
with a tasty alternative to HRT.
Bill Grimsey, chief executive of the Big Food Group which owns the
Iceland retail chain, has welcomed the suggestion that Morrisons is
leading the bidders for Safeway, but repeated calls for a more
intelligent assessment of the UK...
As the Greek EU Presidency comes to a close, the General
Secretariat for Research and Technology has published a report
outlining a series of guidelines to further the implementation of a
European Research and Innovation Area (ERIA),...
Investigations into the levels of the carcinogenic PAH compounds in
margarines find that all are within recommended limits, challenging
earlier findings from a Swedish consumer organisation.
The beginning of a new era? An historic moment? Or a plain old
compromise? All have been used to describe yesterday's agreement by
EU farm ministers to approve hotly disputed reforms to the Common
Agricultural Policy.
On the second day of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)
Annual 2001 meeting in New Orleans, US nutrient systems company
Fortitech and chemicals...
Glanbia Meats Ireland has announced that it is to spend €27 million expanding its two production facilities in Edenderry, county Offaly and Roscrea, county Tipperary.
Unilever Bestfoods, the Anglo-Dutch consumer goods producer, is
unlikely to win many new followers for its Marmite brand with its
latest advertising campaign - but then, as market analysts
Datamonitor point out, that is not really...
Frank Curci, head of the Tops Markets supermarket group in the US
has carried the can for the $29 million in accounting
irregularities recently uncovered at the Ahold unit - the latest in
the ongoing saga which has seen the rapid...
Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) is one of many industry bodies to have
urged the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to exercise caution over the
cessation of the Over 30 Months Scheme (OTMS).
The Swiss Parliament has rejected a moratorium on GM crops. The
Lower House voted to reject the moratorium by 77:70, reflecting an
about-turn by the Lower House to support the Upper House, which at
the beginning of June voted overwhelmingly...
The EU and Canada have reached an agreement on the protection of a
number of wine and spirit terms, including Bordeaux, Champagne and
Grappa. But the EU's fight for protection of these names is likely
to be much harder when it...
The UK Food and Drink Federation (FDF), the self-styled voice of the UK food and
drink manufacturing industry, has launched a new website dedicated
to providing information for food manufacturers about the out of
home and foodservice...
Telepizza, the Spanish fast food pizza producer, has decided to
play to its strengths and focus on its takeaway business, the
company announced yesterday. Its plans to open a 120-strong chain
of La Piazza pizza restaurants have been...
Nestlé's strategy for exploiting the functional food opportunity
seems to rest in careful partnerships with other top FMCG
companies. By aligning its interests in nutraceuticals with other
partners it can spread risk, speed up...
Rhodia Food, a subsidiary of French company Rhodia, has
strengthened its position in Australia with the signature of a
distribution agreement with Australian chemical giant Orica.
The battle to buy up UK supermarket retailer Safeway is still very
much on, as the Competition Commission announces that its enquiries
are ongoing and that the final decision on the four main rival
bidders is still some way off.
DuPont Qualicon has a new addition to its BAX system line of
diagnostic tests - the BAX system PCR assay for detecting
Enterobacter sakazakii in infant formula, dry dairy and soy
ingredients.
As the debate hots up over genetically modified foodstuffs, a
report published in the latest issue of Nature suggests
that, thanks to the tinkering of genes, decaffeinated coffee could
be grown on bushes.
Dutch company DSM continues its strategy to develop activities in
the field of life sciences with the announcement this week that it
has acquired Plasticoat, the cheese coating business with an annual
turnover of €10 million, from...
Agriculture ministers from around the world are gathering in
Sacramento, California today for the start of a three-day
conference on genetically engineered food and farming. With the
breakdown of discussions last week between the...
Gordon's, currently the biggest gin brand in the UK, has launched a
£5m advertising campaign designed not only to boost sales of the
brand but also to reinvigorate the UK gin market as a whole,
according to brand owner Diageo.
The UK Food Standards Agency has made recommendations to the
European Commission pushing for new measures to prevent very high
levels of unnecessary water being added to chicken and an end to
'ripping the consumer off'.
