SureBeam has been awarded a US patent on an in-line processing
system that is said to form food products, such as ground beef,
into optimal configurations for irradiation processing.
The European Union has confirmed that it is to fund 24 food quality
and safety research projects and 12 support actions with an initial
contribution of €166 million in the first year of the EU 6th
Research Framework Programme (FP6).
Radioactivity checks on farmed salmon from Scotland and Northern
Ireland exposed to Sellafield radiation show that there is no cause
for concern from eating these fish, according to the results of
work undertaken by both the Food...
DeltaTrak, a leader in the manufacture of portable test instruments
for a host of industries including food, has launched a family of
Pocket ThermoTrace Infrared Thermometers.
Metro, the German retail group, has reported sales growth in the
first six months of the year and is predicting further gains for
the full-year. Signs, perhaps, that the German recovery may be on
the way?
Irish dairy group Glanbia has reached a settlement with the Irish
competition authority over allegations concerning the fixing of the
retail price of milk.
The Canadian government took a further step towards reducing the
risk of Canadians becoming exposed to the agent that may transmit
BSE with new rules that prevent specified risk material (SRM) from
entering the human food supply.
Sainsbury has been dealt a double blow this week, with the news
that its hostile bid for 171 Somerfield stores is likely to come a
cropper at the hands of the regulators followed by the even more
devastating evidence that it has been...
One century on and millions of ice cream tubs later the US 'food
police' are out in force calling on ice cream retailers to tell the
full story about saturated fat and calorific content.
Swiss Delice, the confectionery manufacturing arm of Swiss group
Migros, is to fast track sales of its products to China after a
successful launch last year in Hong Kong.
Qibla Cola, the 'alternative' soft drink which gives 10 per cent of
its profits to worthwhile causes, is to enter the Canadian market
via an agreement with local distributor Bimex. The staunchly
anti-American brand is popular...
The volatile vanilla market has seen food manufacturers turning to
synthetic substitutes as prices per kilo soar from double to treble
figures in recent years. Danish ingredients giant Danisco - a
leading extractor of vanilla in the...
As Ireland prepares to take over the EU Presidency from Italy at
the start of 2004, Food safety promises to be a major issue with an
international conference organised by the Food Safety Authority of
Ireland scheduled for March.
The European Food Safety Authority has said that scientific
analysis indicates that semicarbazide may have been found in some
plastic sealing gaskets used in lids of glass jars and in some
packaged foods.
US firm Technology Flavors & Fragrances continues to falter in
2003 with a 70 per cent decrease in net income for the second
quarter, a decrease in net sales of 5.7 per cent and rising
operating costs.
Wal-Mart could be lining up a bid for Ahold's operations in Brazil,
Argentina and Peru as it seeks to push into markets with greater
growth potential than the US.
By all accounts, the new European proposals on nutrition and health
claims have provoked a mixed reaction across the board. Raymond
O'Rourke, a food lawyer at Mason Hayes & Curran, Solicitors in
Dublin shares his opinion...
The body providing scientific advice to the UK government will be
reorganised in order to make clearer its role in relation to
government priorities and in sustaining and developing science.
Lloyd Instruments has developed a texture profiling system designed
to help the baking industry ensure end-product quality. The
product, called the TAPlus, is the company's latest texture
analyser to hit the market.
The British company best known for its Cream Crackers, has entered
the fast-growing snack market with the launch of a new cracker
brand, JacoBites. The group will invest £5m in promoting the new
crackers, which come in three different...
Dutch life science company DSM today posted a net profit of €959
million. Although DSM Fine Chemicals posted slightly lower sales
and a lower operating profit, attributable to the pharma products
and aspartame businesses, DSM Food...
With Europe's population getting steadily older - and wealthier -
food companies should do more to target Senior consumers across the
continent, claims Datamonitor. But getting the right message across
in the right way is not...
The World Health Organisation continues on its mission to reduce
global obesity, hosting further meetings with food manufacturers
from around the world to discuss the role the trade can play in
tackling the problem.
The actual feasibility of linking consumption data to health
outcomes came to light this week following investigations into the
buying and eating of novel - to include genetically modified -
foods.
A sustained marketing effort which helped add more than 60,000
customers over the last year is beginning to pay off for Toupargel,
the French frozen food retailer. And the fresh food arm is finally
beginning to make headway as well.
The 21st century must rebalance the excesses of the 20th century -
from pollution to food. This month there were visible signs that
Europe is trying to get to grips with the labelling of
health-related products with the Commission...
By all accounts DSM presented a less than rosy set of second
quarterly figures this week with sales and operating profit figures
both plummeting. The company predicts a further downward trend in
the third quarter but should rebound...
Food manufacturers are failing to cash in on the 'new-age of senior
consumerism', overlooking the highly disposable incomes of the
third generation when it comes to product, marketing and
advertising.
The €435 billion US food industry has welcomed a move by the Bush
administration to inject more cash into food security. "Both
Secretary Thompson and FDA Commissioner McClellan emphasised that
the focus of this new food security...
Underlying growth in both Casino's French and foreign operations
was not enough to offset the ongoing negative impact of exchange
rates in the first half, the retailer announced yesterday.
The European Union is considering blocking imports of Polish meat products because many of the country's processing plants are likely to miss agreed deadlines to improve hygiene standards.
Allied Domecq, the world's second largest spirits producer, has
teamed up with Parmalat UK to launch a range of premium dairy
desserts featuring three of its brands - Malibu, Tia Maria and
Harveys Bristol Cream.
Higher raw material and energy costs, matched against a weak US
currency, sent sales for Swiss fine chemicals producer down 3.7 per
cent with operating profit plunging by 16.5 per cent.
Innovation continues to drive new product development. Recent
highlights from Mintel’s GNPD (Global New Products Database) reveal
a pint of ale ice-cream, rice-based FABs and bubble-gum tea.
Environmental campaigners yesterday condemned the European
Commission's recommendation on co-existence between genetically
modified (GM) and non-GM crops, claiming it 'could lead to the
death of organic food and farming.'
Agribusiness giant ADM will dissolve a joint venture with US corn
sweetener company after the two companies stuck an agreement under
the auspices of a federal judge, reports the Washington
Post.
US food manufacturers this week spoke out against new European
rules on the labelling and traceability of GMOs, describing the
legislation as "a brick wall blocking international trade".
The Agriculture Council yesterday decided on new official controls
to ensure the hygiene of food of animal origin destined for human
consumption within the European Union.
Funds topping €17,5 billion will be poured into food-related
research as the European Commission announces first slice of
investment in the first year of the EU 6th Research Framework
Programme (FP6).
Lock Inspection Systems is to preview its Compact Vertical Fall
metal detector for the first time at the forthcoming PPMA, to be
held in the NEC, Birmingham, UK this September.
Sainsbury has been investing heavily in revamping its business for
the last two years, but its latest quarterly results show that
there is still an immense task ahead of the UK's number two
supermarket group. So much so that...
The retail price war currently being waged by the major Swiss
retail groups has hit sales at the convenience store operations
owned by the Bon appétit group.
