Breaking News on Food Processing & Packaging

Honed cheese flavours point the way to low-fat options

10-Jun-2008 - The trend towards low and reduced-fat food is creating opportunities for enzyme-modified cheese flavours to create intense cheese-tasting food without the calories.

News briefs: Kraft, bread price crunch, and bakery closures

10-Jun-2008 - US food giant Kraft has set up a new Spanish and Portuguese Kraft subsidiary following the purchase of Groupe Danone's global biscuit business, including LU Iberia, in November 2007.

Weekly comment

Food crisis: Time to stop the squabbling

09-Jun-2008 - Bickering gets you nowhere. It's a lesson to be learned early in life, but which seems easily forgotten when it comes to tough political issues like measures to curb the food crisis.

Microbubbles could extend shelf-life on food foams

06-Jun-2008 - Microscale bubbles could whip up a range of long-lived, stable foam products whilst giving formulations interesting sensory properties, according to research published in Science.

Farmers claim milk-battle victory

06-Jun-2008 - Dairy farmers across Europe say they are temporarily calling for an end to ongoing strikes that have threatened milk supply in the bloc, after industry players agreed to enter talks over the pricing for their products.

Rome Food Security Summit

Boost production to ease the food crisis, says UN chief

04-Jun-2008 - Stepping up food production and ending trade restrictions could lift millions out of poverty while helping bring down soaring prices, said UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon.

Mars highlights cocoa biodiversity at UN conference

03-Jun-2008 - Protecting cocoa's biodiversity and sustainability are critical, said Mars at the recent United Nations Biodiversity conference held in Bonn, Germany.

Weekly comment

Yesterday's food complacency proves hard to swallow

02-Jun-2008 - For too long, the developed world has taken food for granted. For years, ample food stocks, a well-supplied export trade and rapidly rising agricultural productivity have confined food fears, in the west at least, to history and the memories of older generations.

Fairtrade Foundation aims to boost bakery market share

02-Jun-2008 - The Fairtrade Foundation wants the UK market for Fairtrade products to reach £2bn a year, four times the current level, by 2012, according to its recent report Tipping the Balance.

Processor installs whey testing to aid customer development

30-May-2008 - Niro has installed it latest whey ingredient technology at its Copenhagen testing site in a bid to aid manufacturer development and marketing of new product compositions from the protein.

Study links milk farm chemical input to nutrient kick

30-May-2008 - Lower input non-organic and organically produced milk has been found to contain significantly higher levels of beneficial fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants compared to higher chemical use sources, a new UK study claims.

Fuel costs must be swallowed by manufacturers - hauliers

30-May-2008 - As truck drivers from around the UK gathered in London to protest against rising fuel prices this week, a leading haulage group claims that food manufacturers, and consumers should bare the brunt of rising costs.

Food prices will fall but remain above average, OECD/FAO

29-May-2008 - The OECD and FAO have today released their Agricultural Outlook for 2008 to 2017: Food prices will come down as temporary factors are resolved, but longer-term factors will cause them to settle above past averages.

Bottled water brands face point-of-use pressure

29-May-2008 - Despite their dominance within the market, Bottled water manufacturers are coming increasingly under pressure from point-of-use (POU) water suppliers amidst recent environmental criticism of the industry, according to a new report.

Heavy borrowing and investment hurting UK firms, says study

28-May-2008 - Heavy borrowing linked to an ambitious investment strategy has left some of the largest UK food processors in severe financial difficulty, claims a new report.

New yeast extract helps cut salt in non-cheesy sauces

28-May-2008 - Synergy is introducing a new variant of its Saporesse lactic yeast extract, which is said to extend salt reduction possibilities to a broader range of food categories.

Further uncertainty predicted for dairy markets

28-May-2008 - Global uncertainty over the price of milk and other dairy ingredients looks set to continue to compound processor fears, according to new findings published this week by UK association DairyCo.

Wrigley takeover renews pressure on Hershey

28-May-2008 - Last month's surprise takeover of gum maker Wrigley by confectionery giant Mars has led to renewed speculation over the future of arch rival Hershey.

New sucralose supplier enters European market today

27-May-2008 - Food makers to see alternative supplies for sucralose as new manufacturer for this booming sweetener hits European markets for the first time, launching today in Amsterdam.

Sodium benzoate removed from Diet Coke

27-May-2008 - Coca-Cola is phasing out the use of the controversial additive sodium benzoate in Diet Coke on the back of consumer demand for more natural products.

Weekly comment

The GSK weight loss wake-up call

26-May-2008 - GlaxoSmithKline's petition to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban dietary supplements from making weight loss claims, has opened a cupboard and only the deluded would deny the presence of one or two skeletons rattling around in there.

DMV makes global launch of non-HVO topping

26-May-2008 - DMV is formally launching its new vegetable-derived base for toppings, Aerion DP 90, on a global basis, billed it as a healthy alternative for dairy cream toppings that does not come with a compromise on taste and texture compromise.

Exter eyes geographical, product expansion in the mid-term

26-May-2008 - Dutch flavour firm Exter is considering investing in new production facilities in the US or Asia in the years to come, and may also expand its product offering to other ingredients that impact on savoury flavour.

Make additive removal usual for hyperactive kids, says professor

23-May-2008 - Cutting out colours and preservatives from the diets of hyperactive children should be standard part of dealing with the disorder, says a professor who takes a more stringent view than the FSA following the Southampton study publication.