The flesh of grapes is just as heart healthy as the skin, says a
laboratory study by Italian and US researchers, a result that may
challenge the idea that red wine offers better cardiovascular
protection than white.
Laying the blame for a fatter world at the feet of the food
industry has become a convenient mistake, and until this is
recognized there is little chance of controlling the growing
obesity epidemic.
Enzyme giant Novozymes has maintained a high earnings level
throughout the first half of 2006, with growth in sales and
operating profit of 8 per cent and 10 per cent respectively.
A diet rich in certain flavonoids, from eating plenty of fruit and
vegetables, could reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by over 40
per cent, says a large observational study from Italy.
The US government has proposed that its Women, Infants and Children
(WIC) nutritional program should be revised for the first time in
over 25 years in order to better reflect the Dietary Guidelines for
Americans.
US-based scientists say they have identified two proteins
responsible for the perception of sourness, a taste that up until
now has been poorly understood.
The Doha Round of global agriculture negotiations collapsed mainly
because of infighting between large and powerful countries,
corporations and lobbies, said the FAO this week.
Cargill has taken full control of its xanthan gum joint venture in
China, opening the way for it to take a bigger share of the
competitive gums market.
Italy's vigorous application of EC food safety regulation 178/02
could be hampered by the country's legislative framework, according
to an Italian lawyer.
In July the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released its most
comprehensive report on acrylamide, posting a database of 2,500
foods and their acrylamide content.
Eating a meal rich in saturated fats inhibits the activity of
so-called 'good' cholesterol to protect against inflammation, but a
meal rich in polyunsaturated fats boosts its action, says a study
from Australia.
Russian traders are buying stocks of wheat at well above export
prices in a bid to capitalise on a potential surge in prices,
following a difficult summer for European grain production.
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) meets this month to
discuss the critical issue of moving from a definition of
'sustainable palm oil' to defining its uptake and use in the
market.
Swiss flavour giant Givaudan has reported growth in the first of
2006, despite the ongoing streamlining of commodity ingredients in
both flavour and fragrance divisions.
Research into the ways in which crops derive micronutrients from
the soil could make it possibly to engineer higher-yield,
nutrient-rich crops in poor quality soils and increase biomass in
soils currently under cultivations, claim...
Banana supplier Chiquita has reported a sharp fall in profits after
new European tariffs on bananas forced the company to slash its
prices in the region and increase its prices in North America in an
attempt to offset losses.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is under-resourced,
under-staffed, and essentially incapable of overseeing potential
threats to the US food supply, according to a former FDA official
who last week opposed the National Uniformity...
The UK's 2007 City Food Lecture, sponsored for the first time by
the FSA, will be given by Lord Peter Melchett of the Soil
Association and will be on the subject of organic food.
Milk produced by transgenic goats is seen to shore up protective
intestinal bacteria against illness, thanks to the antibacterial
action of an enzyme found in human breast milk; if the findings
hold true for humans it could help prevent...
Cognis has refused to confirm reports in the German press that it
is in advanced discussions with three potential purchasers, but the
outcome of a strategic review will be made public before the end of
the year.
New powers that will enable the European Parliament (EP) to block
Commission decisions will have serious implications for the food
industry, warns a USDA study.
Danisco's takeover of Genencor International, the EU sugar reform
and rising raw material prices feature prominently in the group's
recently published annual report.
Adding flour from pigeon peas, one of the world's oldest food
crops, could lead to nutritionally enhanced pasta, with quicker
cooking times, as well as boosting flavour, according to a joint
Spanish-Venezuelan study.
The heart health of the baby-boom generation could benefit from
flavanol-rich cocoa, reports a study co-funded by Mars, but
independent experts warn against confusion with commercial
chocolate snacks.
European sugar giant Suedzucker expects a revenue increase of 5 per
cent in 2006 / 07, underlining the group's confidence in the future
of the EU sugar sector.
The food industry must face up to the challenges of modern
communication if consumer confidence is to be regained - and costly
mistakes are to be avoided, writes Keith Taylor.
Different standards and warnings imposed on food in one state but
not in others impede commerce, confuse consumers, and increase the
cost of food without commensurate benefit, according to an
authority on food law.
Eating snacks outside of set meal times may be due to irregular
switching on of genes in brain that 'expect' food at irregular
hours, a result that has implications for obesity.
Quercetin and curcumin, compounds found naturally in onions and
curry, could reduce the risk of colon cancer, suggests a small
clinical trial from the US.
Part of the reason why the French weigh less than Americans is that
their culture dictates smaller portion sizes as the appropriate
food unit, discouraging them from consuming more, according to a
recent study.
The European Commission yesterday set targets for member states to
meet in reducing the presence of Salmonella in poultry, and has
proposed trade bans on eggs from flocks with persistent high levels
of the pathogen.
Industry giants are locked in a "fish oil arms race" to develop genetically modified crops that could challenge the supremacy of fish as the best source of omega-3 fatty acid, with both BASF and DuPont reporting progress in the field.
Swiss biotech giant Syngenta has reported overall decreased sales
for the first half of the year, but is confident that growth will
come on the back of newly launched products.
The latest draft of a proposed EU amendment to the bloc's
regulation on contaminants widens the scope of limits on heavy
metals and mycotoxins in foods, as part of the changes.