All news articles for March 2016

France gets green light on meat & dairy origin labels

France gets green light on meat & dairy origin labels

By Niamh Michail

The European Commission has given the green light "in principle" for mandatory origin labelling for meat and dairy in processed foods in France, according to the French Ministry of Agriculture.

The pig farmer has lost his entire pork livestock to African swine fever, according to the OIE

Ukraine hit with African swine fever

By Oscar Rousseau

A farm in the Kirovograd region of Ukraine has had to slaughter more than a dozen pigs after the African swine fever (ASF) disease was detected by health officials this week. 

Ceva: antibiotic free push has thrown up lots of

Poultry vaccines nullify antibiotic need

By Oscar Rousseau

The Ceva Poultry Vaccinology Summit in Barcelona has said vaccines, not antibiotics, are the long-term solution to the prevention of dangerous poultry diseases like avian influenza (AI).

Nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics hold much promise for providing better nutritional advice to genetic subgroups, individuals and the consumer. (© iStock.com)

DISPATCHES FROM FOOD VISION 2016

Gene-diet insights key to personalised nutrition success

By Will Chu

Separating fact from fiction will be one of the main challenges for the food industry when it assesses personalised nutrition from the wealth of research that looks into gene-diet interactions.  

Pic: iStock / piotr_malczk

What is the beverage industry doing to cut calories?

By Rachel Arthur

From reformulation to nutritional labeling, the non-alcoholic beverage industry has adopted a variety of strategies to reduce the calorie content of drinks. We look at how different strategies from around the world are being implemented. 

The sugar shock budget announcement has dismayed and delighted in equal measure

Sugar tax

Budget shock: sugar tax on soft drinks

By Michael Stones

A surprise tax on sugary soft drinks to tackle childhood obesity, unveiled in Chancellor George Osborne’s budget, has dismayed manufacturers but delighted campaigners, including celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.

In a keynote speech at World Food Innovate this week, Danone’s Christophe Perthuisot introduced the concept of 'Friday Tinkering' to foster innovation and build a sustainable product pipeline.

Danone ‘tinkers’ with company culture to innovate

By Will Chu

In a keynote speech at World Food Innovate this week, Danone’s Christophe Perthuisot gave a revealing insight into how the company’s Friday afternoons are devoted to idea generation, where innovative concepts are explored and developed into a sustainable...

Xylitol is a polyol sweetener commonly used in chewing gum. © iStock / Elmik

Polyols offer potential to plug the sugar gap - but problems remain

By David Burrows

The focus on sugar intensified yesterday with news of a tax on soft drinks in the UK. But assuming a shift to low or no-sugar foods and drinks will lead to a boost in low-calorie speciality sweeteners is probably wide of the mark, unless they are natural.

The new Eatwell Guide (left), which replaces the Eatwell Plate (right), reduces the recommended amount of dairy in the diet from 15% to 8%.

Anger as new Eatwell Guide slashes dairy

By Jim Cornall

Public Health England’s (PHE) launch of the new Eatwell Guide, which promotes more fruit, vegetables and starchy carbohydrates, and almost halves the amount of dairy in the diet, has drawn ire from various industry sources.

Linpac's investment in the Pravia factory could help increase production by 80 million units

Linpac invests millions to become 'leading innovator'

By Oscar Rousseau

Linpac has announced a multi-million euro investment to help the business deliver cost-effective and  sustainable plastic packaging products which, it claims, will firm up its position at the top of Europe’s food packaging pile.

Last year, Corbion reported annual sales of €918.3m ($1.16bn)

Corbion creates Dutch R&D lab

By Oscar Rousseau

Science-based food ingredients manufacturer Corbion has opened a new research and development laboratory in Gorinchem, the Netherlands, which it said would help the business accelerate innovation.

Plans for new measures to get pork back on its feet include reopening Russia's market

EU ministers rally to help 'bleeding' pork business

By Kitty So

EU ministers have told the European Commission to devise detailed assistance measures to help European pigmeat producers, following a debate at the EU Council of Ministers for agriculture on 14 March.

The announcement of a levy has come as a surprise to many. Pic: iStock

UK sugar tax on soft drinks: The industry's reaction

By Rachel Arthur

The UK government has announced a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. But the industry has slammed the levy, saying soft drinks have been ‘singled out’ despite manufacturers’ existing efforts to reduce calories.  

Stefan Catsicas, chief technical officer of Nestlé speaking at the World Food Innovate conference in London

Nestlé chief: Reduce sugar now before it’s mandatory

By Will Chu

At the World Food Innovate conference in London, Stefan Catsicas, chief technical officer of Nestlé described how the food giant is meeting the challenge of making foods healthier without causing a drop in sales.

Eurogroup for Animals: time for the EU to

Europeans want farm animal welfare

By Oscar Rousseau

An overwhelming majority of European citizens want the political establishment to do more to improve the welfare of animals slaughtered for human consumption, according to a public opinion survey by Eurobarometer. 

Russia’s watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor says it sees no big safety issues in the market

Russian body expresses alarm over safety of sausages

By Vladislav Vorotnikov

About 75% of sausage products on Russia’s grocery shelves not only fail to meet quality standards, but could be dangerous to public health, according to a study by consumer protection organisation Roscontrol.

Dr Ron Wacker at the Global Food Safety Conference

Dispatches from GFSC 2016 in Berlin

TÜV SÜD: There should be harmonisation of results

By Joseph James Whitworth

Many standards and regulations go in the same direction even if they use different ways but there should be harmonisation on the results, according to TÜV SÜD.

The EU's exceptional measures to help the crisis-hit industry do not include additional funds

Commission aims at emergency aid for meat sector

By Oscar Rousseau

The EU has said the agriculture industry is in a “state of crisis” and aims to roll out an emergency aid package to rescue the beleaguered sector from further turmoil.

Professional tasters provide the most accurate answers but are expensive and time-consuming for small companies developing new products for the market. © iStock

Sensory profiling just got simpler, faster and cheaper: Nofima

By Niamh Michail

Sensory profiling and product testing can be complicated, but Norwegian researchers have developed methods that are simpler, faster and cheaper, allowing smaller companies to carry out their own new product development, they say.

The Institute of Fiscal Studies included a section on a sugary drink tax in its annual budget report for the first time. © iStock

Sugar tax on drinks: Yes, but, no, but... UK debate rages on

By David Burrows

The UK's Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has taken an over-simplified approach to its analysis on the pros and cons of a sugary drink tax by not looking at evidence from similar policies in Europe, the US and Mexico, say researchers.

EU healthy eating funding discriminates against plant proteins: ENSA

By Niamh Michail

The EU is discriminating against soy and plant-based proteins that are nutritionally similar – or even healthier – than the sugary dairy products it has pledged to subsidise, says the European Natural Soy and Plant-Based Foods Manufacturers Association...

Clean-label: bakery purchasers are influenced by such claims (credit: Peter Booth)

Consumers ‘actively seek’ clean-label alternatives

By Noli Dinkovski

Almost a third of consumers actively seek products with some form of clean-label claim, while 70% of those purchasing dairy and bakery products say such claims influence their buying decisions, research by Ingredion has found.

France to vote on palm oil tax

By Niamh Michail

A tax on palm oil destined for food could be on the cards in France as the government votes on its Biodiversity Bill this week.

Analysts question how badly the meat safety row will hit Auchan's Russian sales

Auchan faces Russian complaints over meat quality

By Vladislav Vorotnikov

Meat products samples, found in five Auchan outlets in Moscow and Moscow Oblast, contain excessive levels of E.coli, S.aureus, as well as tetracycline antibiotics, according to an investigation by Russian veterinary body Rosselkhoznadzor. 

The report said it was 'reassuring' given Ireland’s important role as a beef producing nation, the first evidence in relation to concerns on integrity of beef products emerged as a result of Irish official controls

Ireland’s food safety system praised

By Joseph James Whitworth

Ireland has a well-established food safety control system where responsibilities are defined and organised to avoid duplication or gaps, according to a study.

©iStock

DISPATCHES FROM FOOD VISION 2016

‘Demand-creation’ business model key to sustainability

By Will Chu

How to create a new high-value, sustainable business model for African ingredients? By focusing on demand-creation first, production second and engagement with communities, says the founder of baobab start-up Aduna. 

© iStock

GreenPalm palm oil goes greener – or does it?

By Niamh Michail

GreenPalm sustainable palm oil certificates will now offer buyers traceability back to the mill, meaning it is now the only fully inclusive supply chain open to all growers, says the trading platform. But campaigners are still calling it a "false...

Devro CEO Peter Page: We expect some

Devro entering tough period

By Oscar Rousseau

Scottish manufacturer of sausage casings, Devro, is entering a period of “greatest operational risk”, according to the investment management firm Shore Capital.

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