Almarai in $1.5bn NFPC possible purchase
Saudi food giant Almarai may buy a US$1.5bn stake in the UAE’s National Food Products Company (NFPC), as the Saudi firm ups its dividend payment and plans to boost its equity.
Archives for January 7, 2016
Meat packaging to enjoy near-decade of growth, report says
A report by marketing intelligence consultancy Future Market Insight (FMI) says meat packaging sales will achieve single-digit growth between now and 2025.
Could chicken movement indicate Campylobacter infection risk?
Monitoring chicken behavior can give an indication of which flocks are likely to become Campylobacter positive within seven to 10 days of life, according to a study.
Are manufacturers losing market share by playing it too safe with allergen labelling?
Allergen Safe is an independently-audited accreditation initiative proposed by organisation FreeFrom that allows manufacturers to respond to increasing consumer worries about allergens. But by playing it too safe, do they risk losing market share?
BfR drives home hygiene message when handling raw food
The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has urged consumers to pay attention to hygiene to avoid foodborne illness.
Post-meal blood sugar levels promote heart attack complications
The level of sugar in your blood can affect the contraction of blood vessels, with potentially dangerous effects on the heart and blood pressure, a recent study has shown, highlighting the potential risks of regularly consuming rich, sugary foods.
SGS partners with Biopremier to grow NGS availability
SGS has partnered with Biopremier to deliver next generation sequencing (NGS) to the global food supply chain.
Extreme weather may bring change in baking practices, claim crop researchers
Bakers may need to alter production techniques in the face of climate change, according to the authors of a new study on the impact of drought on cereal production.
South African bodies lock horns on US poultry
South Africa’s Poultry Association (SAPA) has said it will not lower poultry testing standards to accommodate US imports, after an industry body criticised it for “stubborn protectionism” over the country’s poultry market.
Global food prices plunged by nearly 20% in 2015
In 2015 prices of the world’s major commodities fell for the fourth year in a row, averaging nearly one fifth (19.1%) lower than in 2014, says the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
What works for cigarettes may not work for food: Plain packaging increases snacking
The use of plain packaging on unhealthy food as an obesity prevention measure may have the opposite effect by increasing snack intake among men, a study has found.
Jet-fuel fish farm gets UAE ministry blessing
A UAE government ministry has given a boost to a pilot scheme to combine aquaculture with biofuel production, as it pledges its support and collaboration.
Cutting sugar in soft drinks by 40% could prevent 300,000 cases of diabetes: Study
Reducing the amount of sugar in sugar-sweetened beverages by 40% over five years could prevent 300,000 cases of type 2 diabetes in the UK over the next two decades, according to a study in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.