Breaking News on Dairy Processing & Markets

Arla dairy sales crippled by Middle East boycott

Danish dairy group Arla Foods said sales had come to a standstill in the firm's key Middle East region as Muslim consumers in several countries boycotted Danish products.

Campina signs dairy joint-venture in Thailand

Campina, the Dutch dairy co-operative, will target rapidly growing demand for dairy drinks in Thailand after signing a joint-venture deal with local firm Thai Dairy Industries.

Weekly Comment

Time to ditch the FFQ

Little wonder consumers are confused about which foods are good for them, and which bad, when scientists use methods with almost no chance of meaningful results.

UK's shortage of scientists, technologists hurts industry

A shortage of food scientists and technologists in the UK has left about 25 per cent of the positions in the industry unfilled, according to a survey.

MEPs expected to pass EU packaging laws

The British pint of milk is unlikely to be at risk when the European Parliament votes on proposals to change EU packaging laws for consumer goods this week, says a spokesperson to www.DairyReporter.com.

Company develops spray to light up pathogens

AgroMicron is developing a spray that lights up pathogens, providing a way for companies to quickly detect contamination in foods and drinks.

Dairy Crest launches first blended cheese brand

Britain's blended cheese sector has seen a flutter of activity from big dairy processors this January as they attempt to lure consumers increasingly willing to trade up for their dairy.

Kraft set for major reshuffle

Kraft Foods has announced plans for a major European reshuffle and a string of acquisitions, as US parent company Altria segregates the food producer from its ailing tobacco subsidiary.

Cost cuts to balance high input prices, Nestlé says

Prices for raw materials and energy are forecast to rise by around five to 10 per cent this year, but Nestlé believes cost cuts will balance the equation out, the company's chief executive said yesterday.

Food allergies still ignored, says group

A pressure group in the UK is using food allergy and intolerance week to highlight what they see as a serious lack of understanding of the condition.

Rising production costs causing UK job losses

Manufacturers in Britain are cutting more and more jobs as rising raw material costs and difficulties passing these on through the supply chain continue to squeeze profit margins, says a new report.

Weekly Comment

Food miles leave a bitter taste

The organic food movement has been hijacked by supermarkets intent on being seen to be green, but their disrespect of food miles shows they are anything but.

Probiotic dairy could help block HIV

Scientists have devised a way of using 'live' bacteria in yoghurt to deliver medicine that can prevent HIV infection, potentially opening up a new avenue for probiotic dairy development.

EU council meeting sets agenda for 2006

The first agriculture and fisheries council meeting under the Austrian presidency of the EU, held today in Brussels, will set the agenda for food industry reform in 2006.

Parmalat scandal hearing scheduled for March

A court hearing on 1 March will decide whether 13 bank executives and four global banks should be sent to trial over the collapse of Parmalat.

New PCR method to detect Campylobacter jejuni.

A highly specific, fast and sensitive PCR based method to detect C. jejuni has been developed by researchers in China.

UK dairy supports extension of school milk subsidy

Britain's dairy industry wants the government to extend its school milk subsidy to secondary schools, after it emerged an extra €11m in funding might still be available from the European Union.

Danisco taps growth in value added cheese cultures

Danisco's latest product launch is designed to build on strong growth in the cheese cultures sector.

Scientists triple CLA content in milk

Milk from cows fed on soybeans and fish oils contained up to three times more conjugated linoleic acids (CLA), says a US study, suggesting new opportunities for functional dairy development.

Nestlé takes global ice cream lead

Nestlé says it has opened up a clear lead on the global ice cream market after getting full ownership of US firm Dreyer's and successfully tapping into health and convenience trends.

Arla launches Mini30 milk in battle for Danish dairy

The dairy group's new, lower calorie milk technology may help it re-gain ground on its home Danish milk market, after dropping almost 10 per cent in market share and losing another supply contract to a smaller rival.

A decade on: is GM winning hearts and minds?

It is ten years since the first large-scale planting of genetically modified (GM) crops. Food Navigator looks at both sides of the argument to assess the future of the technology and its implications for the European food industry.

Straw war: company launches suit against Nestlé

An Australian company has taken Nestlé to court in the UK over the rights to a flavouring beverage straw.

Funding directed at new foods and processing techniques

Designated food "clusters" in the EU will receive a boost in funding to help the bloc's researchers develop innovative foods and processing techniques.

Danone to launch Senjà soy yoghurts

Danone will launch its newly developed, 100 per cent soy dairy brand 'Senjà' in France this February, giving new recognition to dairy alternatives.

Fonterra eyes dairy venture in Poland

Two of the world's largest dairy firms, New Zealand's Fonterra and Europe's Arla, are looking to increase their operations in the Polish dairy industry, according to a recent report.

Weekly comment

Some news is good news

I am beginning to feel like a freak among journalists. Good or bad, my reporting is the product of hours of questions, fact-hunting and often-times editorial debate. Yet, despite this rigour, every day we receive emails from people asking, or even instructing, us to publish their press release on our sites.

Lactalis buys Galbani for Italian cheese

Lactalis, France's largest dairy processor, has carried its wheeling and dealing on into 2006 after signing a deal to buy Italian cheese producer Galbani.

Chr Hansen sales bucks Italian cultures trend

Chr Hansen is enjoying success in the Italian cultures market, bucking the general trend of slow growth and stagnation.

UK government to keep school milk subsidy

Britain's government has announced it will carry on paying the school milk subsidy, following a huge show of support for the scheme from the country's dairy industry.

Which? questions probiotics proof

Consumer watchdog Which? has questioned the efficacy of probiotic products, claiming that there is no reliable research to prove that they can help general well-being.

UK dairy industry unites behind school milk subsidy

Britain's dairy sector will hold a special, industry-wide meeting to discuss how it can defend school milk subsidies, after a report commissioned by the government said they should be scrapped.

Software provides records for regulatory audits

Software for tracking, tracing and analysing manufacturing processes provides auditable records to help food companies meet regulatory requirements.

Calcium supplements seen to have no effect on body fat

Eating more dairy foods, but not calcium supplements, could reduce body weight and body mass, claim researchers from Denmark.

UK milk campaign targets health workers

Britain's Milk Development Council said it plans to start a new health campaign for milk targeted at health professionals and the media as well as consumers.

EU milk quota harming Polish dairy sector

Joining the European Union may have created as many pitfalls as opportunities for Poland's dairy industry, says a new report, warning the sector may struggle to deal with production quotas.

Food association sets out 'wish list' of regulatory change

The EU's food industry association is calling for a raft of changes to proposed laws, calling some of them unworkable and misleading, including those that would regulate additives and enzymes, flavourings, additives, chemicals and health claims.

Promotion push targets UK territorial cheese trend

Lancashire will soon become the latest British cheese to get a marketing makeover as Britons renew their interest in regional cheeses and trade up for variety.

New rules ease foreign access to protected name status

In a bid to meet World Trade Organisation demands, the European Commission plans to make it easier for non-EU companies to gain geographical indications (GI) protection for speciality brand names.

EU budget will damage UK interests, says NFU

The UK's National Farmer's Union (NFU) believes that the EU budget settlement could damage the nation's food production.

UK government could scrap school milk subsidies

The UK dairy industry has leapt to the defence of school milk subsidies in Britain after a report commissioned by the government said they were wasting money and should be scrapped.

Dairy price rises forecast to moderate as demand eases

The international demand for dairy products has eased slightly and prices for supplies are likely to moderate in the next several months, according to a new report.

Palsgaard launches emulsifiers for very low fat spreads

Danish firm Palsgaard has launched a new emulsifier combination for very low fat spreads and butter with a fat content of between 10 and 15 per cent.

Arla UK to battle soft drinks with One Shot milk

Dairy group Arla UK is set to launch Cravendale One Shot milk drinks this month to compete directly with soft drinks and begin making use of the firm's record investment in 2005.

Kraft to scrap GM ingredients in China

Kraft Foods, the US snack and dairy firm, has agreed to remove all genetically modified ingredients from its products in China, in a sign anti-GM attitudes are on the increase.

New year ushers in tougher food safety laws

With the ushering in of new hygiene laws at the start of this year, food companies are now under tougher regulatory scrutiny to ensure they do not send out poisonous products from their plants.