Britain might not have the best reputation when it comes to
upmarket cuisine, but a new report from market analysts
Datamonitor shows that UK consumers are becoming
increasingly more sophisticated in their eating habits - and
Supermarkets in the UK come in for a lot of criticism about their
business practices, with the pressure exerted on suppliers in order
to boost retailers' margins the most recent flashpoint.
In a bid to reassure the European Parliament after a recent study
alerted the world to levels of cancer-causing toxins present in
farmed salmon, Europe's head of consumer safety stressed to
politicians that Europe's food...
Traditional breeding methods have come up with a new soybean oil to
beat the darling of the Mediterranean cuisine - olive oil - on the
heart healthy stakes of monounsaturated fats.
Food risk will be a defining issue of a 21st century marked by
globalisation and foodborne illness. Safety experts gathered at the
weekend in the US to examine new methods to minimise risk.
Hyparlo, the French retail group which operates a number of
franchised Carrefour outlets, reaped the benefits of a new focus on
just two markets last year - and benefited from the extraordinary
gain from the sale of its Italian business.
In a classic case of closing the stable doors after the horse has
bolted, Dutch retail group Ahold has today announced that it is to
introduce strict new rules on corporate governance a year after the
discovery of a €1 billion hole...
It is now two years since the publication of the so-called Curry
Report on the future of the British farm and food industry, but
many of the recommendations in the report - notably those
concerning the power of the major supermarket...
Muscle fatigue is one of the most common symptoms for food
processing machinery operators. Rubber matting has been one
solution but with that comes bacteria problems. A US company
believes it has the solution.
A polyphenol extract made from selected red grapes from the south
of France has been shown to signficantly reduce lipid deposits in
arteries, and produced a greater effect than red wine, reports its
manufacturer.
A report into the benefits of assurance for the UK meat and
livestock sector suggests that there is a need to increase the
momentum of assurance as a means of protection.
If you want a short sharp shot of coffee with an added antioxidant
boost the torrefacto roast is the answer, according to scientists
in Spain who set to work on the art of making a simple expresso
cup.
The European Commission has announced a number of initiatives to
help developing countries enhance their export performance and
reduce their vulnerability from price fluctuations of major
international agricultural commodities such...
Merkur, the Austrian supermarket group owned by Germany's Rewe
group, has just signed a new agreement with the UK-based
international logistics service provider Tibbett &
Britten assuring the long-term supply of chilled foods...
Fine foods are flourishing across Europe as consumers become
increasingly uninspired by mass-produced food, finds a new report,
that also confirms growth opportunities in the organic and natural
foods domaine.
The challenge of preventing the harmful impact from UV light should
not be ignored by makers of beverages and food products packaged in
PET according to research studies by the Belgium-based Milliken
& Company.
Ingredients giant Danisco leapfrogs into the second global position
for cultures as the Danish firm acquires the food ingredients arm
of ailing French chemical business Rhodia.
A small Canadian milling company has found a novel way of creating
more value from its by-products ?by tapping into the growing craze
for low carbohydrate products made popular by the Atkins Diet.
The market for functional food products has grown steadily for
several years now, focusing primarily on the dairy sector. But
other sectors of the food industry, such as bakery and snacks, are
beginning to see more functional products...
Prodravka, one of the leading food processors in the Central
European region, has confirmed that it has conducted a market
analysis which will lead to the closure of plants in accession
countries.
The Romanian chocolate sector looks set to become increasingly
competitive as the third largest player, Kandia, prepares to
finalise a merger with Excelent - a move that will create the
leading producer on the market.
Russia's food processing sector is still burgeoning, with a
recently published report from the USDA's agricultural service
indicating that in 2002 it grew an estimated 14 per cent to reach a
total value of $25.9 billion....
The majority of chilled food products sold in the French
supermarket sector are kept at the optimal temperature, but there
is still plenty of room for improvement compared to the rest of the
chill chain.
Baltic Beverages Holding has revealed its full year 2003 and fourth
quarter results, showing the company has continued to maintain its
growth in the maturing beer market.
Confirmation of growing opportunities for health and nutrition
businesses that target the slimming and weight loss market comes
from a new study that reveals the American consumer 'is open to
help in dealing with obesity'.
The food industry had its knuckles wrapped again this week, this
time by the UK's food watchdog that accused it of misleading the
consumer when using the terms 'fresh?and 'natural?on food labels.
Intitiatives by the food industry and governments to bring the
five-a-day phenomenon to the consumer gained further credence this
week with a new study showing fruit and vegetable consumption can
cut 'bad?cholesterol.
The tide is turning down under with a new poll showing Australians
are increasingly worried about genetically modified foods and the
risk they could pose to human health and the environment.
It was in January 2003 that Yorkshire-based food retailer Wm
Morrison surprised the British supermarket sector with the
announcement of a £2.9 billion takeover bid for larger rival
Safeway. Now, more than a year later, the finishing...
At a time when most of its major international rivals are busy
expanding their businesses in both new and existing markets, Dutch
food retail group Ahold is continuing to sell off a number of
business units in an attempt to revitalise...
The UK government has been forced to postpone plans to give the
green light for a GM crop after the devolved assembly of Wales and
the Scottish Parliament refused to cooperate. The Welsh executive
is vociferous in its support of organic...
The European Parliament has voted to create a European Centre for
Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), following growing concern
over animal disease epidemics. "Outbreaks like SARS in 2003 and
bird flu this year have been a...
Plant closures and 'competitive pressures?saw profits slide for US
sugar giant Imperial Sugar despite a rise in operating income for
the first quarter. Global sugar surplus keeps the prices down and
competition up.
The female hormone estrogen has been shown for the first time to
potentially protect against colon cancer. The new research also
found that soy protein may help reduce the number and size of
tumors that do occur.
Parmalat representatives from across Europe will meet today to
discuss the measures that the new management will take to help its
distressed units. Trade union leaders in Hungary claim that the
Eastern European country's unit...
The impact of vegetables, fruits and fibre on rectal cancer have a
role to play in reducing rectal cancer risk with findings from new
study suggesting high intakes could cut risk by up to a third with
whole grain foods as a particularly...
War and disease have marked volatile prices for cocoa in the past
three years, peaking at 17 year highs in 2002 when the Ivory Coast
?source of two fifths of the world cocoa crop ?endured civil war.
Research into genomes could contribute...
As avian influenza continues to sweep across Asian poultry flocks
the global soybean market seeks to assess the fallout, estimating
up to 3 million tonnes of soybean in lost business. Currently
driving the international market for...
Peanut allergies might be on the rise in consumers, but a new study
concludes that a weight loss diet rich in peanuts is better for
heart health than a low fat alternative.
David Byrne, the European Commissioner for health and consumer
protection, has outlined the measures that have been taken to
protect Europe's poultry industry. Speaking at the European
Parliament yesterday, he claimed that safeguards...
Lawmakers in the US have proposed a mandatory livestock
identification system to combat outbreaks of food borne disease
such as mad cow or foot and mouth disease. The system would work by
keeping track of herd movements and being...
In a move to protect home markets Chinese corn processor Global
Bio-chem will link up with Japan's Mitsui & Co to develop,
manufacture and sell the bulk reduced calorie sweetener sorbitol in
China under a new joint venture...
German sugar giant Suedzucker willl break ground on a new plant to
produce bioethanol fuel from wheat at Zeitz in East Germany.
Earmarked for completion by 2005, the plant will operate in
conjunction with the local sugar factory.
Tesco, the UK's leading food retail group, is one of a number of
leading companies in the food industry criticised this week for
"driving down employment conditions for millions of women
workers around the world" by...
Gostomel Glass Factory, Ukraine's largest glass-bottle producer, is
borrowing €13.3 million from the EBRD to build a new facility that
will enable it to produce 600,000 beer bottles a day.
Red clover isoflavones may help to protect women, recently advised
to stop using HRT, from the risk of osteoporosis, suggests new
research that shows a protective effect of the supplement on the
lumbar spine.
Consumers in the UK can eat their porridge safe in the knowledge
that their oat products are free from harmful toxins - mycotoxins -
after an extensive survey in the UK found very low traces, if none
at all, of the contaminant in...
Beneficial knock-on effects of the Avian Influenza and BSE crises
could soon be felt within Denmark's pork industry, according to
some industry experts. Denmark's Bacon and Meat Council believes
that after months of historically...