FoodNavigator RSS

222 EU health claims become law; experts predict “tsunami of cheap innovation”

Shane.STARLING@wrbm.com (Shane STARLING) — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:18:24 +0200

It’s official. Companies have six months – until December – to comply with the controversial European Union article 13, general function health claims register which today won final approval from the European Commission.

Wild targets regional tastes with strawberry launch

Rod.Addy@wrbm.com (Rod ADDY) — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:24:40 +0200

Manufacturers of fruit gums, milk cream fillings and ice cream can now benefit from a range of natural strawberry flavours that has just been launched by flavours firm Wild in Germany.

'Sin taxes' must raise food prices by 20% for any effect, argue experts

Nathan.GRAY@wrbm.com (Nathan GRAY) — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:17:11 +0200

In order to have any effect on population health, fat taxes must raise food prices by 20% and should be combined with subsidies on healthy foods, say UK-based experts. However industry leaders have branded the calls as ‘irresponsible.’

FoodDrinkEurope tackles trade barriers in US

Rod.Addy@wrbm.com (Rod ADDY) — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:36:11 +0200

EU trade group FoodDrinkEurope teamed up with the European Commission (EC) on a delegation to the US at the end of last week aimed at building stronger export links.

Cider drives profits for C&C

Rod.Addy@wrbm.com (Rod ADDY) — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:33:11 +0200

C&C Group has posted annual profit growth in its global alcoholic drinks business, driven by robust growth in cider.

Carbery explores flavours for ageing consumers

Rod.Addy@wrbm.com (Rod ADDY) — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:54:54 +0200

Carbery is exploring the potential of flavours to make protein-fortified products more palatable to ageing consumers, according to head of research and development Aine Hallihan.

Vitafoods: EU nutra space wriggles into new health claims clothes

Shane.STARLING@wrbm.com (Shane STARLING) — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:42:17 +0200

Vitafoods celebrates its 15^th birthday next week. It’ll be my 11^th consecutive May visit to Geneva for the jamboree and promises to be one of the most intriguing chapters with the (partial and belated) resolution of years of ambiguity regarding health claims in Europe.

Researchers explore relationship between taste and temperature

Nathan.GRAY@wrbm.com (Nathan GRAY) — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:32:08 +0200

The temperature of food can affect the way in which we perceive the intensity and profile of certain flavour, according to new research.

C&C ripe for acquisition, says analyst

Rod.Addy@wrbm.com (Rod ADDY) — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:00:01 +0200

Drinks group C&C is ripe for acquisition, according to Phil Carroll, equity analyst at Shore Capital.

Zetar’s nuts hit by raw material price inflation

Rod.Addy@wrbm.com (Rod ADDY) — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:09:38 +0200

Zetar took a 5% hit in annual group revenue after exiting from low margin core commodity sales, particularly in processed and packed nuts, at the beginning of 2012.

UK to begin consultation on food labelling

Nathan.GRAY@wrbm.com (Nathan GRAY) — Mon, 14 May 2012 01:48:15 +0200

The UK government today launches fresh talks which could lead to a new universal way to label the nutritional content of food.

Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil welcomes WWF review

Rod.Addy@wrbm.com (Rod ADDY) — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:08:14 +0200

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has lent its backing to the WWF's Palm Oil Investor Review 2012.

Lobbyists predict UK government ‘greenwash’

Rod.Addy@wrbm.com (Rod ADDY) — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:52:25 +0200

Pressure group Sustain has reacted with scepticism to the publication of the UK’s Parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee’s Sustainable Food report.

Thai firm implicated in Birds Eye bid

Rod.Addy@wrbm.com (Rod ADDY) — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:18:26 +0200

Thai food processor Charoen Pokphand Foods (CP Foods) has been reported as a bidder for Europe’s Iglo Foods, which owns the Birds Eye brand.

Ireland launches technology transfer strategy for food firms

Rod.Addy@wrbm.com (Rod ADDY) — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:22:23 +0200

Ireland has launched a technology transfer strategy to support the development of its food and drink industry.

Peanut protein may provide novel umami flavour, suggest researchers

Nathan.GRAY@wrbm.com (Nathan GRAY) — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:37:18 +0200

Two novel peptides identified in peanut protein could produce strong umami flavor and umami flavor enhancing abilities, according to researchers.

Progress made on nanoparticle detection

Rod.Addy@wrbm.com (Rod ADDY) — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:02:25 +0200

UK researchers have developed a way to detect and characterise inorganic nanomaterials, bringing scientists a step closer to determining their effects in food and drink.

MEPs delay EFSA budget approval over conflict of interest and spending concerns

Rory.HARRINGTON@wrbm.com (Rory HARRINGTON) — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:58:10 +0200

MEPs have voted to delay approving the way in which the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) spent EU funds in 2010 over concerns about possible conflicts of interest within the body and the high costs of its management board meetings.

Blommer predicts looming cocoa supply crisis

Oliver.NIEBURG@wrbm.com (Oliver NIEBURG) — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:56:21 +0200

Demand for cocoa is expected to climb 30% in the next 10 years creating a 25% shortage of current supply, according to North American cocoa processor and chocolate ingredients supplier Blommer Chocolate Company.

Glanbia dismisses Dairy Ireland spin-off ‘speculation’

Ben.BOUCKLEY@wrbm.com (Ben BOUCKLEY) — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:06:10 +0200

Demand for whey products underpinned a strong first quarter for Glanbia with analysts hailing an ‘encouraging start’ to the year, but the firm has dismissed talk that it plans to spin-off its Dairy Ireland business as 'speculation'.