Mühlenchemie eyes improved pasta from low quality wheat
Flour improvement specialist Mühlenchemie has introduced a new enzyme compound to improve the quality of pasta made from both hard and soft wheat.
Archives for November 20, 2012
High sugar diet could speed up tumour growth: Animal data
High intake of dietary glucose could increase the expression of specific genes that promote tumour growth, according to new research in mice.
Oz, NZ get first-step approval for hemp in food
The decision by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to approve the use of hemp products containing low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the production of food has received widespread approval since its announcement earlier this month.
Groceries will thrive even with FDI
According to a new study in India, 800,000 people are employed directly by organised retail in India, and even without FDI, this number would grow to 2m by 2016—and double that when indirect employment is considered.
Croatian functional foods and supplements maker wins €300m development loan
Croatian food company Atlantic Grupa has won a €307m finance package from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for new energy systems, sustainability certifications and working capital financing.
Do consumers understand and trust functional foods? Not really, say experts
While EFSA’s health claims dossier may pave the way towards tighter regulations on what can and cannot be said about a food's potential benefit, the way that consumers understand and interact with functional foods seems to remain mainly unchanged. For...
Cargill division cited for exposing workers to hazardous energy
Cargill Meat Solutions has been hit with $114,000 in proposed fines after failing to protect workers from unexpected start-up of machines at its Beardstown pork processing facility in Illinois.
Balance Bar launches Rainforest Alliance Certified nutrition bars
US nutrition bar specialist Balance Bar has launched a dark chocolate line using cocoa sourced from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms.
Massey planning agri-research in new Sino-NZ business park
A delegation of municipal staff from south Beijing have returned home after seeking New Zealand’s expertise in food production ahead of the completion of a Sino-Kiwi agricultural park in the Chinese capital.
No health risk from candelilla wax, says EFSA
Confectionery glazing agent candelilla wax (E 902) has been deemed safe to use in Europe after a reevaluation from the European Food Safety Authority.
Premier Foods: Catalysts, closures and consolidation…
Premier Foods will shut two bakery sites and remove 130 distribution routes at a cost of £28m ($44.5m); a move sparked by its lost Co-op bread contract.
‘Innovation is the life lead of snacks’, says Kellogg as it looks to 2013
Innovation is the ‘life lead’ of Kellogg’s snacks arm and efforts will be pumped into new product development and flavor additions to set the segment soaring in 2013, the president of its US snacks division says.
Chewing gum tax calls in Northern Ireland
A political party in Northern Ireland is pressing for a domestic chewing gum tax to pay for clean-up costs on streets.
RAN urges Cargill to take stronger action on palm oil sustainability
The Rainforest Action Network (RAN) has urged Cargill to take clear, decisive action to ensure its palm oil suppliers commit to sustainable production, while Cargill has said that RAN allegations of malpractice are unfounded and untrue.
Sensient receives halal certification for German natural colours
Sensient Food Colors has received halal certification for natural colours from its Geesthacht facility in Germany, the company has said.
Sugar Update
EU greets added sugar supplies as US confectioners row with producers
Sugar users in the EU have welcomed plans to release more sugar to the market, while counterparts in the US have condemned the sugar lobby for allegedly exaggerating available supplies.
PARNUTS update: Specialist foods reforms due for EU lawbooks
Revision of the laws governing specialist food products like sports foods, infant foods and gluten-free foods is set for a final vote in the European Parliament in December or January, 2013, with the leading industry group broadly welcoming the passage.
'You can feel the difference in half an hour...' PLT on why Zembrin could be a blockbuster
One of the most interesting new product launches at Supply Side West last week was stress-buster Zembrin, the first patented, standardized and clinically studied extract of Sceletium tortuosum, a succulent plant known by the San people of South Africa as...
Response to GRAS self-determination inventory database (GSID) is ‘overwhelmingly positive’
The response to the new GRAS Self-Determination Inventory Database (GSID) has been “overwhelmingly positive and supportive”, according to its creator AIBMR Life Sciences, which has helped dozens of firms prepare for GRAS determinations.
Infant formula manufacturers opposing proposed Hong Kong promotion ban
Six of the world’s leading infant formula manufacturers are opposing a Hong Kong government proposal to ban the promotion of baby food products for children under the age of three.
E.coli infection led to no elevated risk of heart disease, says study
An outbreak of E.coli did not lead to greater risk of heart disease or stroke 10 years later, a Canadian study has found.