Improving the food industry's understanding of the potentially
deadly food pathogen E coli, scientists in the UK identify the key
event that originally transformed a harmless bacteria into a
transporter of foodborne infection.
As the Indian processed food market soars with high double digit
growth across convenience and health positioned products, the
Indian government will pour millions of rupees into improving food
laboratories to sharpen food safety.
Scientists in the UK have developed a method of determining whether
eggs labelled as free-range or barn have in fact been laid under
battery conditions, suggesting eggs could be tested without the
need to visit farms.
A harbinger of potential costs for the food industry, UK members of
parliament have called for a 'speedy' investigation into events
that led to the contamination of the food chain by the carcinogenic
dye sudan 1, writes...
A £3.5 million grant for a new state-of-the-art nanotech research
centre in the UK underlines the potential of this brave new
technology for the food industry, writes Anthony Fletcher.
A new study suggests that the transfer of parasitic sea lice from
salmon farms to wild salmon populations is much larger and more
extensive than previously believed.
Shell has developed a lubricant that it claims poses no threat to
human health and will not affect product odour and taste should it
come into contact with food.
An upcoming global conference on brand protection, product
authentication, document security and RFID industries should
provide the food industry with plenty of food for thought.
With largeness comes a greater exposure to risk and wineries are no
exception: aiming to help producers achieve greater consistency,
Danish ingredients firm Chr Hansen has created blended yeasts,
writes Philippa Nuttall.
Looking for growth through anti-microbial solutions in light of
incoming EU rules, the venture capital arm of Danish ingredients
firm Danisco will invest in French food safety company TMI Europe.
Ongoing steps to reduce the risk of foodborne illness in the
European food chain sees the region's umbrella food agency calling
for scientists to contribute to solutions.
Scientists in the US have successfully used single bacterial cells
to make tiny bio-electronic circuits, which could in the future be
used to detect bacteria, toxins and proteins.
Scientists in the US have found that spinach stored for a long time
loses much of its nutrient content, a discovery that has
implications for the shipping of fresh food.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has launched a new online
global standards directory that provides details of BRC-certified
food, packaging and consumer product suppliers.
The presence of drug-resistant, pathogenic bacteria on uncooked
poultry products varies by commercial brand and is likely related
to antibiotic use in production, according to researchers at the
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public...
Hanovia has just launched its new Quantum in-line medium pressure
UV system, a low-cost device designed specifically for small-flow
industrial process and water applications (up to 120 m3/hr) in the
food and beverage industries.
The Nordic Committee on Food Analysis (NMKL) has identified flame
atomic absorption spectrometry after microwave digestion as a
viable means of determining sodium content in foodstuffs.
Developing food and non-food products from under-utilised
agricultural materials such as cheese whey is the goal of a new
centre opened recently by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS).
Ishida Europe is about to unveil a range of multihead weighers
specially designed for wet or sticky foods and claimed to be the
fastest and most accurate available, Simon Pitman reports.
The UK food watchdog has extended the already massive recall of
food products contaminated by the harmful, and illegal, red food
dye sudan 1: but the tailing off of figures suggests the recall may
have reached its peak, reports Lindsey...
In the wake of the sudan 1 crisis that led to nearly 600 food
product recalls in the UK in recent weeks, Brussels gives a helping
hand to the food industry, publishing a guidance document to assist
all players in the food chain to...
Foss has launched four new analysing solutions for food production
applications, each harnessing the company's NIR-based technology
aimed at providing more accurate feed-back for various processing
techniques.
Equipment giant Buhler is set to demonstrate how nanotechnology
could lead to complete contamination-free food processing and
superior printing, writes Anthony Fletcher.
The UK has the second largest organic meat market in the world,
though processors need to step up their marketing activities if
they are to fully capitalise, writes Anthony Fletcher.
Industrial food processing systems provider FMC FoodTech has
launched a new batter mixer that offers greater capacity, easy
maintenance and improved hygiene resulting in increased
productivity and lower costs.
In addition to evident best practice in food safety across the food
chain, the food industry needs to establish better channels of
communication to tackle food recalls and avoid a blow to consumer
confidence, conclude the authors...
SteriFx has developed an antimicrobial solution that it claims is
proven to be effective against Campylobacter jejuni, a major cause
of food poisoning in meat and poultry products.
US-based Carbon Nanotechnologies (CNI) has issued 30 patents
related to the use of small diameter carbon nanotubes, or
fullerenes, which could revolutionise the way materials are made in
the future.
AIM Global has developed a draft standard for RFID for food animals
to address growing concerns about the threat of terrorist attacks
and the recent outbreaks of both BSE and hoof-and-mouth disease in
different parts of the world.
Despite firm traceability rules and constantly improved food safety
systems the threat of litigation hangs in the air for the food
industry: in the UK a prepared foods firm faces up to €1.4 million
to settle a food poisoning court...
CCL Container has developed packaging that it claims is virtually
impossible to replicate - an important consideration given concerns
about food safety.
Rexnord is using the up-coming Interpack 2005 event to display the
latest developments in conveying technology, including
wear-resistant belts and high-speed applications for PET bottles.
The practice of partnering computer simulations with real-world
experiments is becoming more vital as scientists delve deeper into
the potential of nantechnology, according to a US scientist.
Anthony Fletcher reports.
GM food ingredients under attack, again, this week as environmental
group accuses Brussels of 'exposing EU states' to risk from
genetically modified corn.
Food is the most common source of zoonotic infections in humans,
suggesting that tightening biosecurity measures at the beginning of
the food supply chain is vital.
Around one in ten supermarket bakery workers risk developing asthma
by breathing in dust from flour and bread mixes, according to a new
study which calls for greater awareness among retailers as the
number of in-store bakeries grows,...
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has been asked by the
Health and Consumer Protection Directorate General (DG SANCO) of
the European Commission to provide scientific advice on the human
health risks related to the consumption...
Fortitech Europe, part of the global network of international
companies of Fortitech, has begun transferring production
operations from its facility in Niløse, Denmark, to its new
facility in Gadstrup, outside of Copenhagen.
Divisions in Europe over allowing imports of genetically modified
food ingredients clearly in evidence earlier this week when an EU
regulatory committee postponed a vote on the entry of a Monsanto
crop.
A joint development with O-ring specialist Eriks and Milliken
Chemical has come up with a range of sealing rings for the dairy
industry that aim to minimise the presence and effects of bacteria
and microbes.
Lock Inspection Systems has supplied a UK food company with a
custom made metal detector for its two production facilities, in an
effort to help maintain food quality in the face of growing demand.
Rexam, the global consumer packaging company has published an
updated Environmental and Social report outlining environmental and
social issues that are relevant to the company and the strategies
in place to manage corporate responsibility.