The lawyer representing an overweight New Yorker in a court case
against four fast food chains has filed a second class action case
on behalf of overweight children, reports AdAge.com.
Confectionery maker Hershey Foods on Monday was downgraded to
"neutral" from "buy" by Merrill Lynch, which cited concern that a
sale of the company could prompt Hershey to give up powerful
licensed brands such...
Raw garlic consumption could help limit the damage done to the
heart after surgery because of its natural antioxidant properties,
according to a new study published this week.
Scientific research would suggest that the colorants called
anthocyanins in strong-coloured berries like red berries,
blueberries and blackcurrants may have a role in preventing heart
disease. A three-year European-funded collaborative...
Organic fruit sales continue to rise in France as consumer demand
for organic fresh produce remains buoyant, write market analysts
Organic Monitor this week. In spite of flagging growth in other
organic categories, organic fresh fruit...
Those European retailers with the biggest international spread -
Carrefour and Tesco - top the latest rankings, but the continued
downturn in the global economy means that this policy of expansion
is not without its risks, according...
Archer Daniels Midland, the leading US ethanol producer, on Friday
won conditional approval from US antitrust authorities to acquire
privately owned Minnesota Corn Processors LLC, a smaller rival.
Potential buyers for US confectionery giant Hershey are close to
putting their bids on the table, despite ongoing legal hitches,
sources familiar with the situation said on Sunday.
UK food, ingredients and retail group Associated British Foods
(ABF) announced on Friday that the minority shareholders of its
Australian subsidiary, George Weston Foods Limited, have voted in
favour of a proposal for a selective...
Following the concretisation of a European Directive for chocolate
regulations, due to come into force in Europe in the summer of
2003, the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) said this week that it is
to host a short seminar to discuss...
Swiss life science company Lonza has agreed to sell its fatty acid
and glycerine operation in Ohio, USA to oleochemical producers Twin
Rivers Technologies.
The creation of a new European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is a
major component of the legal and organisational reforms to tackle
food safety in Europe. When the Council of Ministers recently
announced the composition of the new...
A rumoured takeover bid for beleaguered food retailer Safeway by
larger rival Asda has been dismissed as speculation by both chains.
But Safeway's problems continue and an eventual buy out cannot be
ruled out entirely.
A proposal which would have meant an increase in beer and wine
duties in some EU countries and a sharp reduction in others has
been scrapped by the Commission in the face of fierce opposition.
British consumers are increasingly concerned about food safety, but
the government's efforts to get the message across are falling
largely on deaf ears. Instead, food manufacturers and,
increasingly, retailers are being called...
A campaign to urge all food premises to find out where their food
comes from has been launched by the Food Safety Authority of
Ireland. The FSAI says it wants food premises to buy products only
from suppliers who operate to the highest...
Chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as ME) may be caused by a
chemical imbalance in the brain, find doctors, who suggest that
taking daily fish oil supplements may help to alleviate some of the
symptoms associated with the condition
A recent survey carried out in the UK shows that food safety is
becoming an increasingly important part of consumers' habits,
according to a report by Mintel.
French starch and starch derivative company Cerestar, recently
taken over by US agribusiness Cargill, has launched a new
ingredient for gelatine-free dairy desserts. C*Delight from
Cerestar Food and PharmaSpecialities is a starch-based...
Food ingredient company Nutrinova has won a legal battle against
Zhangjiagang Hope Chemicals for infringement of it's European
patent for the manufacture of the high intensity sweetener
Acesulfame K (AcK).
All members of the board of Japanese company Duskin have tended
letters of resignation over the use of a banned additive in food
sold at Mister Donuts, a subsidiary, the firm said on Thursday,
reports the Daily Yomiuri.
Belgium's Interbrew has acquired the US rights to its Bass Ale
brand, bringing a premature end to an earlier agreement with
Diageo. The comapny also reported a slide in profits in the first
half, despite some good performances...
Shares in food giant Nestle jumped 2.8 per cent on Wednesday as
investors bet a US court would intervene in the sale of Hershey
Foods, reducing the odds that Nestle would overpay for the
chocolate icon.
A new energy bar with guarana has been launched by UK confectionery
group Cadbury Schweppes, the first 'mainstream' chocolate bar to
enter the energy market. Boost Guarana is said to offer as much
extra energy as an energy...
As research into the formation of acrylamide - a potentially cancer
causing chemical - in starchy fried or baked foods gains pace, a
new study released this week will do little to alleviate fears
linked to starch diets. Scientists...
Carbohydrate ingredients company Tate & Lyle on Wednesday
announced that despite expressions of interest from a number of
parties and several weeks of detailed negotiations, it has not
managed to sell its molasses and storage...
The Casino group has concluded the sale of 11 shopping malls
centred around its Geant hypermarkets in Poland. The deal, which
allows for the sale of two other malls, was valued at €163m.
Adding to the increasing body of evidence that suggests chocolate
may be beneficial to the health comes new research that reveals
this 'ultimate temptation' may help fight off cancer and heart
disease, and, with a certain...
Regulatory bodies in the US have given US oil processor Bunge the
go ahead to continue with its proposed acquisition of a 55 per cent
controlling stake in French oil seed company Cereol. Ingredients
company Central Soya, a subsidiary...
The ownership of two of the best-known vodkas from Eastern Europe
could be under threat. The Russian government has announced that it
plans to sell licences to produce Stolichnaya to the highest
bidders, while Poland is proposing...
Conflicting opinions relating to the benefits of dairy foods become
more vociferous each month. A striking study released this week
suggests that women who consume a large amount of dairy foods may
reduce their risk of ovarian cancer.
The UK joined the ongoing and heated debate about the meat
alternative product Quorn this week when the UK Food Standards
Agency (FSA) rejected claims by an American organisation that the
mycoprotein Quorn is unsafe.
A failed revamp of Dutch stores and poor results from Belgium and
Spain kept Dutch retailer Laurus firmly in the red in the first
half. But the recent acquisition of a stake by Casino, and cash
promised for restructuring, should aid...
The South Korean market is one of the largest in the world for
Scotch whisky, in particular deluxe blends. With this in mind, the
maker of Famous Grouse has created a new range of whiskies under
the Lancelot name in association with...
Disposal of various loss-making businesses has helped Portuguese
retailer Jeronimo Martins to reduce its debts in the first half,
but exposure to volatile economic conditions means a return to the
black could take some time yet.
The market for top-end Cognacs or Single Malt Scotch whiskies is
set to grow as consumers across Europe become wealthier. But too
much growth is a bad thing, warns market analyst Datamonitor, as
the products become less prestigious...
In Europe and the US consumer groups are keen to see food
manufacturers reduce the use of trans fatty acids in foods, a type
of fat linked to heart disease. A move this week by fast food giant
McDonalds is will be seen as a step in...
Food giant Nestle said on Monday that a closely watched court
hearing on delaying the planned sale of US chocolate maker Hershey
is unlikely to be the last word in the controversial transaction.
Bulk imports of Chinese honey contaminated with low levels of
chloramphenicol (CAP), a potentially harmful antibiotic and
unapproved food additive, have been discovered by US Customs and
the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this...
In June 2002, as compared to June 2001, the volume of retail trade
in the euro-zone decreased by 0.9 per cent but increased by 0.4 per
cent in the EU fifteen member state zone (EU15), estimated
Eurostat, the statistical office of...
Eurofins, a French company that supplies bioanalytical support
services to the food industry, witnessed a 23 per cent leap in
sales for the second quarter of 2002. This week the company
reported that consolidated sales reached € 39.4...
The European Commission said on Friday it would press ahead with
its proposals for radical reform of farm policy regardless of an
outburst of opposition by France's President Jacques Chirac.
The Australian federal government is to bailout the struggling
sugar industry in order to prop up towns along the Queensland and
northern NSW coast, Trade Minister Mark Vaile said on Sunday,
IndustrySearch.com reports.
Japanese seasoning producer Ajinomoto said on Monday that it is to
double its Brazilian unit's annual production of amino acid-based
Lysine for animal feed products by the end of 2004.
A chemical isolated from a weed that grows in mountain meadows in
the western United States kills the cells of an aggressive brain
cancer that affects some children, researchers at John Hopkins
university have found.
Nestle and Cadbury, the two European confectionery giants, are
reported to be discussing a joint bid for Hershey, the US chocolate
maker. But while a joint bid is unlikely, both firms could profit
from the sale.
The first half of the year was not a good one for Spar, the German
retail group, but it would have been even worse if the Netto hard
discount unit had not performed so well.
