Another petition has been filed in recent weeks requesting
immediate action to protect popcorn factory workers from the
lung-disease causing butter flavour diacetyl.
EFSA renewed its mandate of the Stakeholder Consultative Platform
and discussed future strategic priorities at its inaugural new
management board meeting this week.
Most consumers prefer an energy-based approach to nutrition
information on food labels, according to new research conducted by
the European Food Information Council (EUFIC).
The Ireland-based Kerry Group says difficulties in raising prices
to recover the increased cost of energy slowed its growth during
the first six months of the year.
Novozymes has taken the top position in Dow Jones Sustainability
Group Index's biotech category, while DSM tops the list for the
Chemical Industry sector.
Slovenia's Vitiva has reported sales growth in excess of 200 per
cent for the first half the year, as it continues to implement its
rapid growth strategy and reach out into new business sectors.
Soaring obesity rates are creating opportunities for food and
beverage manufacturers to expand the number of products that
contain sugar substitutes, according to a new market report.
The UK's Food Standards Agency has taken action to ensure that
testing and monitoring is carried out on consignments of American
long grain rice in the UK.
As food manufacturers inch closer to the holy grail of low-calorie,
trans-fat free flavor-fantastic products one has to ask how we
veered so far from the common sense of fresh home-cooked meals.
Danisco, the world's biggest ingredients company, will start
supplying the texturising agent CMC to customers, after acquiring
one of Chinas leading producers for an undisclosed sum.
Two soft drink firms accused of using ingredients that could mix to
form a cancer-causing chemical in drinks plan to sign a settlement
with lawyers today, agreeing to change formulas and offer refunds.
Danisco division Genencor has voluntarily decided to withdraw its
Spezyme Ethyl product from the market following a patent
infringement ruling in a Delaware US court.
German chemical giant BASF is set to start field testing of its
blight-resistant GM potatoes in Britain next year, a move that
could open the way to more GM crop tests in the traditionally
anti-GM country.
Food and beverage makers could soon tap into a range of new
ingredients with a healthy twist as sugar and sweetener firm Tate
& Lyle launches a new venture capital arm to focus on
next-generation ingredients.
Israeli flavours and ingredients supplier Frutarom has reported
sales growth in Q2 2006 to US$72.3m. Although profits were impacted
by price drops in natural raw materials and energy price hikes, new
acquisitions are still on the...
Savoury ingredients supplier Synergy has launched a line of cheese
ingredients designed to enhance flavour and mouthfeel while also
providing manufacturers with some cost benefits.
Food scientists are becoming a rare species in Britain, and things
won't change unless schools and food firms start telling young
people there is more to food than a supermarket depot.
A UK Government forecast is to predict that almost one third of the
British population will be dangerously fat, with junk food and lack
of exercise to blame, according to reports in The Independent.
One of the UK's leading crisp manufacturers, Walkers, has been
reprimanded by an advertising authority for 'misleading' adverts
detailing the reduced salt content in its crisp brands.
British sugar growers can breathe a sigh of relief after learning
that one of the country's foremost beet producers will not be
closing facilities as originally thought.
Last week's comment on the food industry's role in the rising
obesity epidemic has generated a flood of responses from readers
agreeing with or disputing our position that the industry deserves
a break. Some of the comments...
This years European crop production has been significantly affected
by last months heat waves, according to the European Commission,
which expects decreased yields of commodities including soft wheat,
winter barley and grain maize.
Danisco Cultures is ploughing research and innovation efforts into
studying the health promoting properties of its strains - a shrewd
move not only because of the impending EU health and nutrition
claims regulation but also since...
A recent study into public attitudes towards genetically modified
foods has confirmed that attitudes change significantly depending
on the type of food being considered.
Laying the blame for a fatter world at the feet of the food
industry has become a convenient mistake, and until this is
recognized there is little chance of controlling the growing
obesity epidemic.
Enzyme giant Novozymes has maintained a high earnings level
throughout the first half of 2006, with growth in sales and
operating profit of 8 per cent and 10 per cent respectively.
Cargill has taken full control of its xanthan gum joint venture in
China, opening the way for it to take a bigger share of the
competitive gums market.
Russian traders are buying stocks of wheat at well above export
prices in a bid to capitalise on a potential surge in prices,
following a difficult summer for European grain production.
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) meets this month to
discuss the critical issue of moving from a definition of
'sustainable palm oil' to defining its uptake and use in the
market.
Swiss flavour giant Givaudan has reported growth in the first of
2006, despite the ongoing streamlining of commodity ingredients in
both flavour and fragrance divisions.
The UK's 2007 City Food Lecture, sponsored for the first time by
the FSA, will be given by Lord Peter Melchett of the Soil
Association and will be on the subject of organic food.