The world's leading chocolate producers have joined forces with
international labour organisations to promote ethical production
practices in West Africa, the main cocoa-growing area. Child labour
is top of the list of current...
Cargill Sweeteners North America forms marketing alliance with
sugar beet cooperative to sell and distribute its sugar products to
food and beverage manufacturers. Both companies hope the agreement
will lead to the development of...
The United Food and Commercial Workers Local has called for the
Pennsylvania General Assembly to let the Food Employees
Certification Act of 1994, a voluntary measure designed to train
and certify food workers and ensure food safety,...
Folic acid could dramatically reduce the risk of heart disease,
deep vein thrombosis and stroke according to researchers in this
week's British Medical Journal. Scientists report that the
vitamin can reduce levels of homocysteine...
Five former officials at the now-defunct Japanese company Snow
Brand Foods conspired to falsely label imported beef products as
domestic beef and swindled an industry body out of millions of yen
in a government buyback scheme, so...
Finlandia, the Finnish vodka produced by Altia, is already the
world's third-largest premium imported vodka brand, but it is set
to improve its position even further following the transfer of the
brand's marketing to Brown-Forman,...
Christmas in the UK is a time of tradition - turkey, mince pies,
carol singing... and huge amounts of over-spending. The latest
report from market analysts Mintel reveals that Britons are
likely to continue this last tradition this...
More research to suggest that chocolate could be of benefit arrived
this week with scientists in the US suggesting that dietary
flavonols found in certain chocolates and cocoa could improve blood
vessel function.
The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture has this week presented its
second annual food industry awards, recognising the achievements of
companies in the fields of export, innovation, technology, the
environment and rural development.
A report from the US-based Institute of Food Technologists
highlights a series of methods to control food bacteria using
antimicrobial food preservatives and sanitisers.
Anglo-Dutch group Unilever has sold its US-based distributor Iberia
Foods to the Brooklyn Bottling Group for an undisclosed sum. The
unit distributes and markets a wide of Unilever and other branded
products to the Hispanic American...
International BioChemical Industries has said that it has moved
into the second round of testing in a cooperative effort with a
global food and beverage company after initial testing for its
antimicrobial agents proved effective.
US agri-giant Cargill, the new owner of French starch company
Cerestar, made further steps to increasing its texturiser business
when the company announced this week its intention to form a 50/50
joint venture with Chinese company...
The 'caffeine' buzz we get from our regular cups of coffee might
not actually be caffeine after all. Researchers in Switzerland
reporting on a recent study found that when occasional coffee
drinkers drank a triple espresso,...
UK sugar group Tate & Lyle continues to divest itself of
non-core or under-performing assets with the announcement this
morning that it has entered into an agreement for the sale of its
monosodium glutamate (MSG)production unit...
The European Commission's Standing Committee on the Food Chain and
Animal Health (SCFCAH) this week voted in favour of a European
Commission proposal to allow the resumption of imports of certain
fishery products (crayfish and...
Switzerland's Coop group is to buy the Waro supermarket chain for
an undisclosed sum, a move which will enable it to meet its target
for expanding the size of its stores and product range without the
lengthy approval procedure...
Safeway, the oft-maligned UK retailer, has posted a good set of
interim results, an indication, it claims, that its much-needed
revitalisation programme is paying off. This programme will
continue in the second half, with more new...
European companies continue to make inroads into South America as
German-based GeneScan Europe announced this week that it has opened
a new laboratory in Brazil to test for the presence of genetically
modified organisms in food products...
Double-digit growth in underlying profits in the first half have
left the UK's number two food retailer Sainsbury bullish about its
prospects for full-year growth. And new store formats, an increase
in the range of non-food items...
The decision to focus on franchised outlets, and to close two
overseas operations, took its toll on nine month results at Spanish
fast food chain Telepizza. But the worst may now be over for the
troubled company.
In light of the 18th session of the Codex Committee on Fats and
Oils to be held in London, UK on 3-7 February 2003, the US
Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration said
this week that they are to sponsor a public...
In the second story of the day on herbal products, we report that
the US American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), in a bid to
curtail all deceptive advertising, has unveiled a draft framework
for voluntary advertising practices...
The UK Food Standards Agency last week held its first open board
meeting in the heart European bureaucracy, Brussels. On the agenda?
An action plan on food labelling, GM labelling, and consumer
involvement in policy making. Commission...
As the EU discusses new, much tougher, legislation on the labelling
of potential allergens on food products, a new study from the Isle
of Wight, UK, substantiates current fears over the mounting cases
of allergic reactions.
Budgens, the UK convenience store operator, has called on the
regulators to investigate Tesco's proposed takeover of T&S on
the grounds of its affect on sales rather than simply marekt share
- an analysis which it claims...
More news to suggest that governments in Europe must continue to
curb the growing tide of obesity as the burden of heart disease,
long linked to obesity, weighs heavily on the purse-strings of
treasuries. A new study reveals previous...
This year has been something of an annus horribilis for
Dutch retail group Ahold, with the weakness of the economies in the
Americas taking a particularly heavy toll on profits. With third
quarter results falling heavily compared...
Many people recognise the dangers of binge and heavy consumption of
alcohol during pregnancy but new research suggests even moderate
drinking during pregnancy is harmful as it can cause both
behavioural and physiological deficits...
The Board of the Academy of Finland announced this week that it has
taken the decision to launch seven new research programmes in 2003
- one of which will focus on the societal and health effects of
genetically modified organisms.
Danish enzymes company Novozymes has linked up with a major
breeding ground for food scientists, the Technical University of
Denmark, to set up the 'Novozymes Bioprocess Academy'. The move is
a bid to enhance chemical engineering...
The consolidation of the German beer market continued this week
with Belgium's Interbrew strengthening its position as the
country's leading foreign player, adding the Hannover-based Gilde
brewery to its Beck's and...
In light of recent proposals from the European Commission to
establish pan-European regulations for the use of health claims on
food products, the UK Food Standards Agency this week published a
new report that examines the impact...
The different characteristics of grapes and the soil they are grown
in help give wines their character, but according to Sri Lankan
firm Dilmah, the same is true of tea. The company has launched a
new range of teas under the Watte...
In a bid to compete on a more even footing with their larger rivals
on the international stage, Auchan and Casino have formed a new
company which will negotiate with both major brand owners and small
and medium-sized companies on...
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week re-launched the
thorny debate on the use of trans fatty acids in food processing,
and the labelling thereof, when it reopened the comment period for
a proposed rule first published...
European food manufacturers will soon have to label the complete
content of all foodstuffs as the European Commission's proposal for
an end to the '25 per cent' rule was endorsed yesterday by the
European Council.
Green Apple is the latest flavour variant to join the Smirnoff
vodka range from Britain's biggest drinks group, Diageo. The vodka
is being launched this month in the key US market, and is the fifth
flavoured variant of the Smirnoff...
Food additives will come under the spotlight in December in the UK
as food industry representatives meet to analyse the development of
this massive business - forecast to be worth €25bn by 2010.
Cargill Dry Corn Ingredients, a subsidiary of privately-owned US
agribusiness giant Cargill, continues to make inroads into Europe
with the announcement this week that its €6.05m state-of-the-art
masa flour plant is officially up...
Recent research work carried out at the Trollhättan/Uddevalla
University College in Sweden suggests that, although consumers feel
a commitment towards the environment, this is not enough to make
them choose eco-labelled food products.
Products made by small and medium-sized food producers will form
the backbone of Systeme U's ongoing development following the
signing of an agreement with FEEF.
Krispy Kreme, the US doughnut manufacturer and retailer is heading
to Europe with 25 stores planned in the UK over the next five
years. Spain is also on its hit list, but cracking the rest of
Europe may prove a tough task.
Convincing our taste buds that summer is, in fact, an all year
event has long been the challenge of food scientists. A new range
from flavour manufacturers Ungerer seeks to do just that.
The thorny issue of 'health' claims on consumer food products
continued this week with the publication of a new report from the
UK Food Standards Agency. The findings, that consumers are confused
or unclear about the properties...
Netherlands-based edible oils company Loders Croklaan Lipid
Nutrition announced this week that the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has confirmed GRAS status for its omega-3
fatty acid product Marinol C-38.
Britain's leading supermarket group Tesco opened a store geared
solely to health and natural alternative products in London last
week. The Nutri Centre chain, in which Tesco has a majority share,
is designed to meet growing consumer...
US ingredients company MGP Ingredients suffers a net loss for the
current year's first quarter as higher grain prices and reduced
sales in distillery products take their toll - but speciality
ingredients witness strong growth.
The American arm of Danish ingredients company Danisco announced
this week that in order to capitalise on the most influential
segment of US shoppers in America - women - the company has
launched a new juice bar novelty idea, Elevations...
