Breaking News on Food & Beverage Development - Europe

ABF ready to buy Ebro’s sugar business – in principle

21-Nov-2008 - Associated British Foods has reached an agreement in principle to acquire Ebro Puleva’s sugar business for €385m – a deal that would further fortify the world’s second biggest sugar firm.

Arla introduces new generation of whey permeate

20-Nov-2008 - Arla is raising the bar on whey permeate functionality with a new range said to have flavour profile and low hygroscopy, attributes that will make it easier to use in a range of applications.

Frutarom eyes opportunities thrown up by financial turmoil

20-Nov-2008 - The global economic crisis will yield rich pickings for food firms with a strong capital structure. So believes Frutarom, which has reported another quarter of impressive growth figures on the back of its most recent acquisitions splurge.

Global food markets ‘neither secure nor resilient’

19-Nov-2008 - The UK has become increasingly reliant on imported food and its faith in the long-term surety of the global market is misplaced, according to research released by the Soil Association.

News in brief

Glanbia expects dairy to hit Irish ingredients performance

19-Nov-2008 - Glanbia has signaled that its Food Ingredients Ireland business is seeing the effects of the decline in dairy prices from last year, but the overall impact will be offset by the US and nutritionals business.

Baobab: Sustainable and in-demand

18-Nov-2008 - After gaining novel foods approval in the EU, baobab is tipped to become a billion dollar industry. Stephen Daniells speaks to William Smith from Afriplex to find out what foods baobab fruit pulp is turning up in, and whether supply can match the demand.

Dairy price won’t settle soon, says Fonterra

18-Nov-2008 - Volatile dairy prices are likely to continue in the mid term at least, New Zealand Fonterra has warned, signaling a need for on-going margin vigilance for food makers using dairy derivatives.

Chr Hansen aims for bulk efficiency in Euro cheese

18-Nov-2008 - Chr Hansen is set to extend a US culture system across Europe to balance demand for bulk production of more complex continental cheeses, which it says can ensure both product consistency and cost efficiency.

Boost to sunflower lecithin use expected with Cargill entry

18-Nov-2008 - Cargill is launching its first ever lecithin from sunflower, which it expects to attract interest from manufacturers pursuing allergen-free claims and to prove particularly popular for confectionery.

DSM fast-tracks yeast expansion to meet demand

17-Nov-2008 -  DSM Food Specialities has announced a 35 per cent increase in its yeast production capacity in The Netherlands, citing demand from processed foods, salt reduction technologies, and the natural trend.

Weekly comment

Tackling obesity is no fair-weather game

17-Nov-2008 - The long shadow cast by obesity over public health means that encouraging healthier eating should be high on the agenda of every food firm, come financial rain or shine.

FSA launches food fraud hotline

17-Nov-2008 - The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has set up a new hotline to allow individuals and businesses to report fraudulent activity in food sales and marketing in a much quicker and easier way than previously.

Website aims to solve food labelling confusion

14-Nov-2008 - A new website due to launch in the UK next year aims to reduce consumer confusion over food labelling and ingredients, and enable tailored searching for products that meet specific needs.

New texturising system promises crispier wafers

14-Nov-2008 - Ingredients manufacturer National Starch Food Innovation claims that its new texturising system will enable food producers to improve the texture and crispiness of wafer-style products.

Symrise opens Brazilian centre close to citrus sources

14-Nov-2008 - Symrise is marking the official opening of its Global Citrus Center in Brazil, which represents a major expansion of its existing set-up to take advantage of proximity to prime fruit sources and is claimed to solidify its position as a leader in the citrus world.

New fat replacer aims at lower fat sauces

13-Nov-2008 - Ulrick & Short is launching an addition to its Delyte range of fat replacers, this time targeting savoury sauces such as carbonara and béchamel.

News in brief

Barentz opens Baltic office

13-Nov-2008 - Ingredients distributor Barentz Europe is opening a new office in Riga, Latvia, in a bid to grow its business in the Baltic states and Eastern Europe.

News in brief

Corner shops to peddle more veg

13-Nov-2008 - Local shops in the northeast of England are to receive a total of £500,000 from the Department of Health over the next three years to help them promote more fruit and vegetables to consumers.

Certificate system enables more support for sustainable palm oil

13-Nov-2008 - The first shipment of sustainable palm oil is set to arrive in Europe next week; but even if manufacturers do not use the oil directly they can still buy into the movement with certificates that allow them to state their support, explained the RSPO president.

The wrong time for another healthy eating campaign?

12-Nov-2008 - The UK’s DoH should have waited to launch its new anti-obesity initiative until the economic situation has improved, as many small food businesses are already busy enough coping with the recession, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

News in brief

Ministers rapped over food aid reticence

12-Nov-2008 - EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel has criticised ministers for their unwillingness to deliver a food aid package to aid African farmers.

News in brief

DD Williamson cheers caramel chair appointment

12-Nov-2008 - DD Williamson’s technical manager Barry Foley has been elected chair of the European Technical Caramel Association (EUTECA) – an appointment expected to help propel knowledge of caramel colour.

News in brief

Danisco welcomes Indian delegation

12-Nov-2008 - Danish ingredients firm Danisco this week welcomed a research and business delegation from India, as part of a programme to build R&D collaborations between the two countries.

Vitiva pitches rosemary extract to counter rancid fish

12-Nov-2008 - Vitiva is introducing a new grade of its Inolens 4 rosemary extract which it says can be used as a natural preservative in fish products, which are at high risk of being affected by rancidity.