Smithfield Foods announces restructure
US-based Smithfield Foods, part of WH Group, has announced it will be restructuring the company, in order to try and accelerate growth.
Archives for February 17, 2015
Western diet is ‘incompatible’ with targets to avoid climate disaster
Too little is being done to limit global meat and dairy consumption in light of its impact on climate change, says UK think tank Chatham House.
Allergy alert widens as undeclared almond found in paprika
A recall in the UK due to paprika containing undeclared almond has widened an investigation into substitution with nut proteins as several EU nations have also warned consumers.
Norwegian company to launch pig farm in Russia
Norwegian-based company Russian Baltic Pork Invest (RBPI) will open a large pig farm in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, with a major investment in biosecurity at the new facility, according to company representatives and regional officials.
Red wine compound may help prevent memory loss
A compound found in red wine could help prevent age-related decline in memory, according to a study in the journal Scientific Reports.
Chilli sauce market heats up
The popularity of street food, increased willingness to try new flavours, and more sophisticated tastes have led to a sales spike for spicy chilli sauces, says Euromonitor International.
Yakult at Probiota 2015: “We want to be clear that before we invest we need to have some dialogue with EFSA...”
6 years of hurt: Probiotic heavyweights debate the EU’s health claim blockade
Yakult and leading academics expressed frustration at what they see as unfair and opaque scientific requirements around probiotic health claims in the European Union – but how much is industry to blame and could social media be a data-sharing saviour?
We’re not trying to hide the fact that we’re using genetic engineering
Arctic Apples creator Neal Carter: We really think this will be a game changer
While anti-GMO activists warn that the technology behind non-browning ‘Arctic apples’ is untested, unnecessary, and "dangerously imprecise", the grower behind them says he’s confident that the food industry and the American public will come to their own...
‘You’re giving us one hell of a corporate wedgie!’ Virginia craft brewer slams 'bullying' Red Bull
Virginia craft brewery Old Ox Brewery has accused Red Bull of bully boy tactics as the energy drinks giant presses on with a trademark action to try and force it to change its name and logo.
Operation Opson IV was a joint Interpol and Europol investigation
Thousands of tonnes of fake food and drink seized
More than 2,500 tonnes of counterfeit and illicit food have been seized in 47 countries as part of a joint Interpol and Europol operation.
Using WGS requires ‘paradigm change’ in data processing
Using whole genome sequencing (WGS) for food safety and public health requires a ‘paradigm change’, according to a report.
Coca-Cola Amatil invests in 'exciting' Indonesia as group predicts return to growth
Coca-Cola Amatil will devote more energy to its Indonesian business - a bright spot in its 2014 full year results - hoping strengthened market leadership in the country will help the group return to growth.
Australia
Hep. A Chinese berry outbreak turns political with gov’t called to act
Consumer watchdog Choice Australia has called on the federal government to take action on country-of-origin food labelling in the wake of a recall of frozen mixed fruit linked to a hepatitis A outbreak.
Raaka’s “virgin chocolate” tests the limits of where the confection can go
Brooklyn start-up Raaka is carving out space in the crowded chocolate category by skipping the traditional step of roasting the cocoa bean to create “virgin chocolate” that highlights the “true flavors” of the beans, according to a company representative.
The meat market must address price, safety & health concerns to grow
The U.S. meat market is projected to grow 1.7% annually to $84 billion in 2018, but to reach its full potential it must overcome challenges, including concerns about price and safety and increasing consumer interest in plant-based foods, according to a...
General Mills sees ‘no merit’ in age discrimination lawsuit
General Mills has been sued by a number of former employees over alleged age discrimination, but the cereal giant says the claims have no merit.
Meet the CEOs of KRAVE, Health Warrior, Fruigees, HUMAN and Barnana
What are the hottest snacking trends – and companies - to watch in 2015?
With the percentage of energy derived from snacks in the American diet doubling since the late 1970s, the pressure is on to make those snacking calories count. But what is a healthy snack, and are the boundaries between snacks and meals blurring as...
Coca-Cola Enterprises boss: ‘Detractors don’t understand how safe aspartame is’
Coca-Coca Enterprises boss John Brock says detractors ‘don’t understand’ how safe aspartame is, and insists that diet soda sales remain strong – growth for Coke Zero offset a 5.5% full year volume slide for Diet Coke.
FIC regs ‘missed opportunity’ for mandatory front of pack labelling
An EU-wide revamp of on-pack nutrition information is a missed opportunity to make front of pack labelling compulsory, says the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC).
Segmentation by occasion: can it reverse processed meat slowdown in Europe?
Processed meat has reached saturation point in developed markets, with Europe seeing a stagnant value compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over 2009-2014, according to Euromonitor International, a trend further exacerbated by slow population and economic...
Focus on protecting susceptible populations
Toxicology testing changes prompt FDA shift in foodborne chemical risk assessment
A “paradigm shift” in toxicology testing is changing the way scientists at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other federal agencies assess the risks people face from chemical contaminants in food.
Unitherm reveals planned EU acquisitions for growth
Unitherm Food Systems has revealed it has two acquisitions lined up in Europe as it continues to target market growth.