New flavour tool from Symrise opens up opportunities in product development

Number four flavour house Symrise builds a tool that brings new opportunities in product development for food technologists through a stronger understanding of the complex nature of foodstuffs, writes Lindsey...

Gorgonzola gets a safety check

A system that can rapidly detect pathogens within 48 hours has gone into full implementation at a gorgonzola production plant in Italy.

FAO forecasts cereal output to fall 2.8 per cent

Tighter supplies will lead to rises in prices for maize and coffee, while the cost for rice, wheat, milk, oilcrops and milk will remain stable or fall, according to the...

Scientist studies use of bacteria to improve food taste

Scientist Michael Gaenzle believes injections of bacteria and enzymes can help improve the taste of food, giving processors a way of enhancing the flavour and nutrition of their products.

EU favours setting standards for fish eco-labelling

The European Commission does not favour setting up a single system for the eco-labelling of fish and fish products, according to a consultation document issued yesterday.

Portable water content reader gives results in five minutes

UK-based Labcell has launched a meter that can determine the shelf-life of a food product in under five minutes, according to the company, reports Ahmed ElAmin.

Internet system locates food handlers along supply chain

ScoringSystem has launched an Internet-based record keeping system and database to allow companies to track their food products throughout the supply chain using radio frequency identification (RFID) and a new...

Food allergy scientists to improve food formulations

Food makers using potential food allergens in their formulations will benefit from the findings of a new food consortium, reports Lindsey Partos.

Shelf life of de-salted cod products limited

The use of desalted cod in the preparation of ready made meals could lead to an increased incidences of food poisoning unless measures are taken to limit its shelf life...

Cleaning wash approved for fruit and vegetables

An industrial cleaning wash for fruits and vegetables uses a chlorine dioxide solution to reduce harmful bacteria and extend shelf life, according to the product's manufacturer.

Consultation begins on environmental reporting

Consultation started in the UK yesterday on a new set of guidelines for all companies, including food processors, on the requirements they need to follow on reporting the impact their...

Soy prices to fall for food makers?

Ingredients players and food makers could expect some relief in soy ingredients prices as soybean futures on the Chicago Board of Trade fell yesterday, reports Lindsey Partos.

Study forecasts consolidation in plastic closure market

While the Western European market for plastic caps and closures may be growing, food and drink processors will have to be less choosy when picking their supplier, reports Ahmed ElAmin.

Food industry gears up for new ISO safety standard

With the deadline approaching for a new global standard on managing food safety in plants, the industry is gearing up to train employees on how to keep contaminants out of...

Monday comment

Claims, claims, claims

As lawyers circle the food and drink industry like a fatted calf, the first lesson for those preparing for defence is that it is not so much what you sell...

Finland's lockout could affect paper, packaging prices

With the lockout of 25,000 workers at Finland's pulp and paper mills set to continue into July, fears arise of similar problems in Sweden and Germany and a hike in...

New biosensor designed for poultry industry

Georgia Research Tech Institute is developing a new pathogen biosensor for the poultry industry as part of its work to extend the use of such devices to the food industry.

New BSE case could hurt US beef market

The confirmation of a second case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in the US has set of a chain reaction as farmers, meat packers and governments respond to the announcement...

EU ministers reject Brussels move on GM foods

Ongoing divisions over GM ingredients once again evident in Europe as EU ministers throw out an attempt by the Commission to overturn bans on growing legal GM crops currently in...

Health effects of GM foods need further study, WHO says

A call by the World Health Organisation for further safety assessments on using genetically modified (GM) foods should give governments pause for thought before giving their approval for their wider...

Packager strategies: purchases and sales

Graham Packaging has bought a container manufacturing company in Kansas in the latest move by the company to get closer to its customers.

Authorities publish fresh food product data on acrylamide

Food makers to gain from new data on presence of the potential carcinogen acrylamide in a wide range of food products as US authorities release fresh data.

Alcoa concentrates on raising aluminium production

Alcoa said yesterday it will close a number of plants, including a smelter in Hamburg, Germany, as part of the company long range plans to cut costs but increase aluminium...

Cool pigs lead to fat pigs

Keeping pigs cool will help them grow fatter according to research sponsored by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research.

Europe's food agency confirms excess salt risk

Joining the lively salt debate scientists at Europe's food watchdog today issues an opinion concerning the upper limit for sodium intake and confirm current consumption levels are a risk factor...

EU funds new RFID technology to track meat products

Collaboration between a EU funded body and private companies has resulted in an integrated method for tracking meat products from slaughterhouse to supermarket using radio frequency identification(RFID) technology.

OECD projects price increases for agricultural products

Stiffer competition between countries exporting wheat, oilseeds, sugar and livestock will intensify over the next ten years, bringing down prices, according to forecasts by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and...

Equipment cleaning system uses ozone gas

A high pressure system using ozone gas would eliminate the use hot water and chemicals when cleaning equipment at food processing plants, according to the product's inventor, US-based eFoodSafety.com.

Steel prices will affect equipment costs says manufacturer

The rising cost of stainless steel has led one food equipment manufacturer to warn customers it will soon be increasing prices for its products.

New dicer adds crinkle to fruits and vegetables

Urschel's has released a new dicer for fruits and vegetables and added a deeper crinkle cut feature to its existing Quanticut machine.

Tray machine provides all-in-one package

Multivac's Traysealer T350 WL is a new version of the company's T 350 model, which automates packaging, weighing and labeling in the same machine.

Sugar reform: food makers to enjoy cheaper sugar ingredients?

Food and drink makers could soon expect cheaper sugar ingredients with Brussels expected to publish its proposals on EU sugar reform today, writes Lindsey Partos.

Brits turn toward premium foods

An increasing British indulgence for premium food, drink and personal care items means manufacturers should concentrate on new product development and marketing the luxurious aspects of products, according to a...

Device packs cheese with thin, tough wrap

Under an agreement with Aviso Packaging, Outlook Group will market a new technology designed for the wrapping of cheese with a thinner, tougher material, the company claims.

New conveyer belt targeted at small food products

Intralox's new Spiralox 2700 conveyer belt features smaller surface openings for conveying small food products, including fajita meat, popcorn-style shrimp, chicken nuggets, cookies, other smallbaked goods and small containers.

Electronic Sensor smells a new market in food sector

Electronic Sensor Technology's gas sniffer is undergoing trials in the agricultural sector as a food quality tester, to see whether it can detect the gasses of bug infestation in plants...

Intelligent system locates best spot for RFID tags

Intelligent Systems said it has released a suite of networking hardware and software that reduces the chance of radio frequency identification (RFID) detectors misreading tags on the production line.

SunOpta acquires organic fruit processor

Toronto based SunOpta said yesterday it had acquired all of Cleugh's Frozen Foods, a processor of natural and organic frozen fruits and vegetables, for an undisclosed sum.

Pumpable sugar targets industrial bakers

Industrial bakers on the hunt for a pumpable invert syrup to ease production will welcome a new launch from UK sugar firm British Sugar.

Monday Comment

The Age of Consent for RFID

The image of secret radio chips planted inside the home from larder to bathroom, transmitting data freely to Corporation Inc, is enough to curl the toes of more than anti-capitalism...

Frozen seafood set to storm Russia

Demand for frozen seafood is growing rapidly in Russia backed by health claims on packs, but the dominance of selling from loose remains a big challenge, reports Angela Drujinina.

Russian ingredients gain credibility

Russian confectionery firm Samoilova will buy more of its ingredients from domestic producers, in a move that signals the growing quality of the Russian ingredients market, reports Angela Drujinina.

DynaCon updates modular conveyor

Dynamic Conveyor (DynaCon) has updated its modular conveyor system with snap-in attachments and a range of accessory devices.

Weider sells Haleko to Croatian group

US-based Weider Nutrition has sold Haleko, Europe's biggest sports nutrition business, to Croatian holding company Atlantic Grupa for around $15 million (€12.3m), the firm said on Friday, reports Dominique Patton.

Landec says banana packaging tests successful

Initial market tests of Landec's Intelimer temperature-sensitive packaging helps extend the shelf-life of bananas, according to the company.

Leading UK sauce brands sold to Heinz

Ketchup giant HJ Heinz will become the number one sauce leader in the UK as the US firm announces an agreement to acquire a raft of leading sauce brands from...

New sensors measure liquid levels during processing

Ametek Drexelbrook's has released its DR7000 series and DR7100 series of instruments for the continuous measuring of liquid levels during processing or storage.

Industry briefs: acquisitions and mergers

German-based Siegwerk said it will acquire SICPA's packaging ink division for an undisclosed sum to become the world's secondlargest manufacturer of packaging ink.

New gum arabic strategy to nurture buffer stocks for price stability

Buffer stocks are the cornerstone of a new strategy unveiled to stabilise price and sustain permanent supplies for gum arabic in the world's top three producing countries, writes Lindsey Partos.

Industry meets academia to discuss nanofoods

Nanotechnology researchers and food industry representatives are meeting in the Netherlands next week to discuss how to the technology may apply to processing operations, reports Ahmed ElAmin.

Milk processing unit has hibernation mode

Tetra Pak is marketing its new Therm Lacta 10 as an energy-saving pasteurisation unit designed for the automated processing of market milk, cheese milk, yoghurt milk, cream, ice cream mix...

Precision balance built for food processing plants

Mettler Toledo's Xpress Bench Scale is a high capacity precision balance built for food processing operations and laboratories, reports Ahmed ElAmin.

Public R&D funding pays off for Ireland's food sector

Ireland's public investment in R&D is beginning to pay off, with the launch of such products as a new form of bio-cheese and a low-fat snack food. The government has...

VIP's steam packages used for organic vegetables

VIP Foods has introduced a new organic line of frozen vegetables using its patented SteamWorks packaging process, which allows customers to steam cook the food directly in a microwave.

Added-calcium drinks go under trial

Making a calcium-fortified drink could get easier for companies participating in a new study designed to investigate which of the numerous types of calcium ingredients perform best in which application,...

Tasker expands use of its anti-pathogen technology

US-based Tasker Capital, which is attempting to expand its reach into the food market, will test its anti-pathogen pHarlo technology at a commercial poultry processor after it received authorisation this...

EU to seek prior approval for food enzymes

A European regulation on food enzymes, which would demand dossiers of safety and technical information on each enzyme prior to their approval on the market, could be published by the...

New bag inserter saves time for industrial bakeries

A new bag inserter designed for use in industrial bakeries will reduce time and labour, leading to increased efficiency and lower costs, claims its manufacturer, Pattyn Packing Lines.

Solved: The fishy brown egg problem

One of the world's largest chicken breeding companies says it will begin selling stock that does not lay fishy smelling brown eggs, reports Ahmed ElAmin.

Premier sees growth opportunity in meat-alternatives

UK-based Premier Foods will add Quorn, a meat alternative, to its product lineup with an agreement to acquire Marlow Foods from Montagu Private Equity for £172m (€258m).

Potential BSE case found in US

The US beef industry is waiting with baited breath while the Department of Agriculture (USDA) retests a sample suspected of being from a cow infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

Software helps labs manage data

Dublin-based Amartus has released an updated version of its TargetWatch SDMS software, an Internet-based data management system for coordinating and securing global research work, reports Ahmed ElAmin.

Campina sets new standards for animal feed

Dairy company Campina will require its member farmers to use a higher quality of feed for their cattle than is currently required in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, reports Ahmed...

Demand for flashier packaging drives machinery market

The demand for newer, flashier packaging, especially for foodstuffs, has spurred the demand for the services of contract packagers, said Frost & Sullivan in a new analysis of the North...

Bosch updates Varioflow conveyor

Bosch Rexroth's latest version of its Varioflow conveyor provides a system for channelling product between machines in food processing and food packaging plants.

Food processors adopt new packaging strategies

In an interview with FoodProductionDaily.com (FPD), Frost & Sullivan packaging machinery specialist Kallol Bagchi talks about the strategies food processors are using when sourcing their equipment. He identifies 'one-stop' shopping,...

Portion sizes of prepared foods to fight obesity?

Good news for prepared meal manufacturers with a recent study concluding consumption of convenient, nutritious frozen dinners could help dieters control portion size, reports Lindsey Partos.

Comment

Highway to health

Parked on the hot coals of public opinion, the food industry can lose no time in proving how healthy its products are.

Volshebnyi Kray oil kosher, says Israeli trade delegation

Israel has issued a kosher certificate to the Volshebnyi Kray company, making it one of the first Russian vegetable oil suppliers to have access to the internal Israeli market, Angela...

Kazan plans to dominate mayo market

Kazan Fat Factory (KFF) has been producing mayonnaise for the Tatarstan market for just over a year, and it is already becoming a major influence, Angela Drujinina reports.

Russian dairies see profits in drinking yoghurt

Dairies not manufacturing premium-range yoghurt are missing out, with new products hitting this lucrative market every month, reports Angela Drujinina.

Two machines aim to speed up chicken deboning, cutting

Meyn Food Processing Technology in Holland has released two new poultry processing machines for sale, one to debone breasts, the other to cut up bird parts.

Bisphenol-A linked to recurrent miscarriages

Scientists in Japan said a small sample study indicates a link between recurrent miscarriages and Bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical that has been previously fingered as a possibly cause of breast...

Morrisons issues warning; M&S to deliver groceries

While William Morrison Supermarkets is reportedly on the hunt for a new chief executive, it has issued another warning that it is having a hard time digesting its £3.35bn (€5bn)...

Packaging industry update

Innovene, a BP subsidiary, has signed a $2bn (€1.6bn) agreement with Delta International to build a plastics manufacturing plants in Saudi Arabia targeting the Asian markets, including the food and...

Sudan 1 turns up in EU recall tracking system

Illegal colours continue to crop up in European food products with the EU's tracking system highlighting banned Sudan 1 and Para Red contaminants in a range of foods this week,...

Software pinpoints location for RFID tags

Cape Systems Group announced yesterday it is entering the emerging radio frequency identification (RFID) market with the introduction of software designed to help companies place their tags in the best...

Food industry update

As part of a strategy to withdraw from basic commodity processing, Nestlé announced this week it will sell its Australian milk power business.

Chiquita issues earnings warning over bananas

A price-fixing investigation, an attempt to diversify its business, a 33 per cent cut in orders from Wal-Mart and changes in the European banana regime has led to Chiquita issuing...

ConAgra restructures meat processing division

ConAgra Foods has blamed higher pork and beef costs and the company's failure to compensate by raising prices sufficiently as the main reasons for lowering its profits forecast by about...

Quinine-containing drinks: agency warns pregnant women over levels

Germany's risk assessment agency warns pregnant women about the consumption of quinine-containing beverages, and at the same time calls for better labelling of these beverages, reports Lindsey Partos.

New system measures waste water flow

A new flow meter system aims to help dairies, farms and food processing operations be more efficient in measuring the amount of waste water they discharge from their activities.

Survey supports move to improve animal welfare

A new EU survey on consumer attitudes supports proposed legislation on improving the treatment of farm animals and the need for better labelling, according to the European Commission.

Aluminium foil exports rise as downgauging continues

While exports of aluminium foil from Europe rose 11 per cent at the start of this year, internal demand decreased by 1.9 per cent, according to statistics released yesterday by...

Snack sales eroding on market alternatives

Makers of snacks and crisps need new ways to tempt consumers as competition from alternative healthier snack products start to erode sales in Europe's biggest market, the UK.

UK wants more flexibility on food waste disposal

The UK will ask the European Commission to extend a concession on the implementation next year of a directive banning manufacturers and retailers from disposing food of animal origin in...

Court to decide fine for price fixing; on food classification

In a dispute with implications for multinational companies operating in the EU, a legal advisor to the European Court of Justice called on judges yesterday to uphold a €43.9m fine...

Rock-Tenn buys carton plants in North America

Rock-Tenn has completed the acquisition of the assets of Gulf States' Paperboard and Packaging, including 11 folding carton plants that primarily serve the food packaging, food service and pharmaceutical and...

EU manufacturers debate ways to improve animal feed

In a bid to meet a new EU regulation that comes into effect next year, European feed manufacturers are meeting today in Brussels to focus on identifying ways to improve...

UK union threatens action over use of electronic tagging

Warehouses supplying supermarkets across the UK must change the way they use electronic tags to track their employees' movements so as not to create "battery farm" style workplaces, the GMB...

Packager moves: Stanelco buys Biotec; Berry buys Kerr

UK-based Stanelco said yesterday it has acquired Biotec, a company based in Germany that makes starch-based polymer packaging for the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Fermentation method cuts peanut allergens?

As Europe prepares for tougher rules on allergen labelling, a new study could help food makers by slicing away the allergenicity of peanut products, reports Lindsey Partos.

US caps and closures market in growth phase

The US caps and closures market is forecast to grow to $676m (€551m) in 2011 from revenues of $598m (€488m) in 2004 with consumer preference forcing the industry to switch...

Asda buys into Northern Ireland

Asda, the UK subsidiary of Wal-Mart, said yesterday it will buy 12 Safeway stores in Northern Ireland from Wm Morrison for £73.6m (€109m), giving it a foothold on the island.

Industry comment

Who is afraid of GMOs?

It is a perversion of the 21st century that while affluent societies continue the quest to slice the fat from their increasingly obese populations, five million children die from hunger...

EU examines price fixing among fruit distributors

In response to regulatory raids last week on fruit suppliers across Europe, Chiquita has blamed some of its employees for sharing pricing and volume information with its competitors on the...

EU proposes new law on broiler chicken welfare

The EU's farmers will have to take better care of their broiler chickens under a proposed directive the European Commission has adopted for submission to the bloc's Parliament.

EU scientists conclude food additive used for binding meat is safe

A panel of scientific experts at Europe's food agency concludes an enzyme preparation used as a food additive for binding reconstituted food is safe, and 'not likely' to raise the...

EU loses WTO battle over frozen chicken imports

The EU has lost a battle at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to restrict the import of cheap frozen, salted chicken cuts from Thailand and Brazil through punitive tarrifs.

EBRD loan targets Russian glass bottling

Turkey's Anadolu Cam group will get a €26.5m loan to build a new bottling plant in central Russia, yet the firm's biggest challenge will be to address declines in glass...

Food regulator proposes raising age for parts removal

The minimum age when the EU's butchers must remove the brain and spinal cord from cattle could be raised to 21 months from the current 12 months if the European...

Claricom creates new coding advisory unit

Claricom, a provider of coding software for food processors and packers, has created a new consultancy unit to help companies to mark, manage and track their goods from the factory...

New lactic acid product helps sausage makers fight listeria

Number one culture maker Chr Hansen launches new product based on lactic acid to help salami and fermented sausage makers fight the common food pathogen listeria, reports Lindsey Partos.

Microtrace launches new security inks for tags

Microtrace and XSYS Print Solutions are teaming up to market a variety of traceable, anti-counterfeit inks to food processors and the tag and label industry, reports Ahmed ElAmin.

Machine maker sales are turbo charged

Business is booming for UK-based Turbo Systems, which makes machinery mainly for bakery, ready meal and dairy processors in UK and across Europe, reports Ahmed ElAmin.

Cargill bolsters EU chocolate position on new German deal

US ingredients player reaches deeper into Europe, clearing a deal this week to buy industrial chocolate facility Schierstedter Schokoladefabrik from existing customer, Ludwig Schokolade, writes Lindsey Partos.

Graphic Packing to close lamination plant

Faced with tough market conditions and mounting losses, Graphic Packaging said yesterday it will close its Centralia, Illinois laminations plant in the third quarter of 2005 and raise prices for...

InkSure patents technology for chipless RFID tags

InkSure Technologies announced yesterday it has been awarded two key US patents related to the company's ongoing development of chipless radio frequency tags that can be printed on a product,...

Committee recommends limiting bovine TB testing

The process in Britain to introduce mandatory testing for bovine tuberculosis (TB) is bound to generate more heated debate with the release yesterday of a report recommending limiting the programme...

Lab imager packs the power of a digital telescope

Need the perfect image of that rat in your food lab to show your favourite regulator?

New process speeds up RFID tag production Avery says

US-based Avery Dennison is now producing radio frequency identification (RFID) inlays using a new high-speed manufacturing process to meet what the company believes will be a booming demand for clients...

Trade rules on GMOs cornerstone of international meeting

Representatives of 119 governments are expected to adopt binding rules on papers required to accompany genetically modified agricultural commodities, such as wheat, maize and soya, when they are transported across borders.

Californian food sector demands acrylamide labeling exemption

The Californian food industry is on a collision course with consumer groups over the proposed introduction of acrylamide warning labels on food products, writes Anthony Fletcher.

UK supermarket suppliers fail to complain regulator says

The UK's Office of Fair Trading (OFT) says it has not uncovered any major fresh evidence of supermarket malpractice during an extended consultation with suppliers and food producers, a spokesperson...

Finland's packaging mills resume production

Finland's packaging mills are back in production today (1 June) after a two-week strike, while the rest of the country's pulp and paper sector remains in an extended lockout, reports...