Breaking News on Food Processing & Packaging

Low risk of MRSA contamination from food, says EFSA

27-Mar-2009 - There is no evidence that humans can become infected with meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from eating contaminated food, or that this strain has caused food poisoning, claims the European assessor.

News in brief

WRAP offers free support for recycling in the supply chain

26-Mar-2009 - The UK's Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) announced this month that it has expanded its business development service to help small-medium (SME) recycling businesses across England to draw on local expertise through regionally placed business advisors.

Antibiotic bill would compromise food safety, say farmers

26-Mar-2009 - Legislation that aims to stop the nontherapeutic use of antibiotics in animals would impair the health of livestock and poultry as well as undermining the safety of the US food supply, claims the president of the largest US farm group.

Federal inefficiency fosters seafood fraud – GAO

25-Mar-2009 - Fraud is on the rise in the seafood supply chain due to in part the fact that the US federal agencies that oversee seafood do not collaborate, claims a newly released report from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO).

Fair trade certification for mint oils

25-Mar-2009 - The organic oil specialist, Earthoil, has achieved fair trade status for its Indian mint growing facility under an Institute for Marketecology (IMO) scheme in order to meet growing demand for ethical products.

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Canada demands South Korea accepts beef

23-Mar-2009 - South Korea must reopen its borders to Canadian beef or face a challenge from the WTO, says Canada Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz.

Standards urged for green labelling

23-Mar-2009 - The UK government needs to put more resources into promoting better environmental labelling on products and push harder on setting the standards for labelling schemes, claims a all-party group of politicians.

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Easter bunny brings less confectionery

23-Mar-2009 - Signs that even the Easter bunny is cutting back, with research conducted by BIGresearch for the US National Retail Federation finding Americans will spend less this year on their Easter confectionery and gifts.

Weekly comment

Omega-3: Fishing for alternatives

23-Mar-2009 - Short of an earth-bound deity walking amongst us and miraculously multiplying our fish stocks, industry must invest more in alternative sources of omega-3 to meet nutritional needs.

Food sector again seeks UK exemption to EU hours curb

19-Mar-2009 - The UK food and drink sector has today reiterated its stance that an opt-out clause in the European Union curb on working hours is crucial for industry survival as EU economies contract.

The cost and carbon savings of solar installation for food firms

17-Mar-2009 - Food and supplement manufacturing firms in the US are set to benefit more than ever before by installing solar panel energy systems at their facilities, as the benefits of tax cuts and grant programs start to take effect.

Snack makers to seize green business opportunities

16-Mar-2009 - Baker and snack makers should grab the opportunity to leverage their business through green credentials as demand prevails, says the UK's Carbon Trust.

Weekly comment

Cargill vs Chavez: Clash of the rice titans

09-Mar-2009 - Clutched to the president’s chest like a medal of nationalisation, Cargill Venezuela cannot be sitting very comfortably this week as it awaits the fate of its rice plant.

Grocers pledge to cut UK food waste

09-Mar-2009 - Grocery retailers and manufacturers have pledged to work together to cut UK household food waste by 155,000t or 2.5 per cent of total waste before the end of next year.

News in brief

Chávez seizes Cargill rice plant

05-Mar-2009 - Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez has taken control of a rice plant owned by a subsidiary of Cargill, according to reports, on the grounds that it does not produce price-controlled basic rice.

New code proposed for retailer-supplier deals

05-Mar-2009 - The rules that govern agreements between retailers and suppliers could be strengthened under a new proposal by the UK’s Competition Commission (CC) to protect manufacturers and others from restrictive practices.

PepsiCo slashes costs along with carbon

03-Mar-2009 - PepsiCo’s energy efficiency initiatives have resulted in a massive reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and slashed the firm’s costs by $90m last year alone.

News in brief

Chicken processor in bid to exit bankruptcy

02-Mar-2009 - Pilgrim's Pride Corporation has announced that it is to idle three of its 32 US chicken processing plants in a bid to exit bankruptcy by the end of the year.

News in brief

Mexican move for confectionery firms saves labour and sugar costs

02-Mar-2009 - Confectionery firms are moving to Mexico and Canada to save on labour and sugar costs, reports US paper, York Daily Record.

Cadbury tackles burping cows to reduce milk chocolate carbon footprint

02-Mar-2009 - Chocolate maker Cadbury will work closely with UK dairy farmers in an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of its iconic milk chocolate bar.

Eye on carbon intensity in supply chain brings cost savings to snack firms

27-Feb-2009 - Food firms are increasingly working to reduce their carbon footprint, reaping cost savings in the process and plugging into new business opportunities, says the UK's Carbon Trust.

Product recall insurance on the up

24-Feb-2009 - The popularity of specialist insurance to protect against the effects of product recalls is on the rise in the wake of the current salmonella scandal, says Mikel Fitzgerald of Wortham Insurance. He told FoodNavigator-USA.com how it can help minimize damage, both to company reputation, as well as the bottom line.

US beef acquisition off the cards

23-Feb-2009 - Brazil's JBS, the world's largest beef producer, has abandoned its efforts to acquire US meat company National Beef Packing Company.

Stricter meat labelling urged in US

23-Feb-2009 - US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is requesting that US meatpackers voluntarily impose a stricter regime of country-of-origin labelling (COOL) for meat than that required under the Bush administration ruling.