Breaking News on Dairy Processing & Markets

New genome collaboration could boost Arla Foods' probiotic range

Arla Foods, Europe's second largest dairy company, has signed an agreement with US-based Integrated Genomics for access to the ERGO database and genomic discovery system to enhance the company's probiotic understanding.

Salt Awareness Week: has progress been made?

Salt Awareness Week has reignited debate in the UK over how much success the food industry has had in reducing salt in processed food.

Petition keeps UK dairy farmers in the spotlight

Public pressure on UK supermarkets and dairy firms over farmgate milk prices grew this week when a consumer group handed a petition to Parliament, calling for government action.

Whey protein gel particles - the future of probiotic encapsulation?

Encapsulation of probiotics in whey protein gel particles could offer protection during processing and storage, as well as extending the food applications of the bacteria to biscuits, vegetable and frozen cranberry juice, indicates research from Canada.

Tamper-evident tub targets ice cream market

A new ice cream tub on the market comes with a security tamper-evidence feature that allowsworkers to detect when it has been opened before use.

Filling machine boosts dessert making

Confectionery equipment supplier Packaging Automation has seen its latest enhanced filling and sealing machine upping factory output and improving performance, according to customers.

Weekly comment

Deja Moo: Are we ready for cloned cattle?

Here we go again. Yet another technology in its infancy is likely to be introduced into the food supply, while industry remains cautious and consumers divided.

EU agency sets maximum limit for bisphenol A

The EU's food agency today set a maximum limit for human daily intakes of bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical implicated as a potential carcinogen and widely used in plastic food packaging and cans.

Friesland takes spray drying to Asia

Friesland Foods is expanding its spray drying operations within Indonesia, as it looks to capture growing demand for powdered ingredient ranges in the region.

Scientists target probiotic potential

University of Leeds scientists are giving an insight into a possible future of pro and prebiotics with GM probiotic bacteria that can stimulate the immune system when 'switched on' by specific prebiotic sugar.

Yoghurt drinks lead food market growth

Drinkable yoghurt is the world's fastest growing food and beverage product, ACNielsen reports, suggesting manufacturers should target this sector more aggressively.

Scottish research unit launched to help small processors

Scotland's University of Abertay Dundee yesterday launched a new food research unit aimed athelping small and medium sized manufacturers develop new products and processes.

Strong commodities market aids Fonterra

Fonterra, New Zealand's largest dairy co-operative, predicted world commodity prices would continue rebounding strongly over the next few months as supply and demand tightened.

Fischer Boel rejects EU milk quotas

Signs that EU milk quotas have outlived their usefulness grew stronger this week after the bloc's agriculture commissioner openly criticised the system in front of industry officials.

Danone announces Thailand cooperation

Danone, the world's leading dairy producer, has announced plans to work alongside a local counterpart Dutch Mill Co. to distribute and manufacture a range of fresh dairy products within Thailand.

CPS stay independent following acquisition

One of the UK's largest dairy machine manufacturers will continue to operate as an independent company following its acquisition by Tetra Laval this month.

Organic will lead the food revolution, says Melchett

The days of industrial farming and food production are coming to an end as we turn to fresh, healthy and environmentally sustainable products, the head of the UK Soil Association told food and drink industry leaders last night.

Danisco gets fruity with yoghurt candy flavours

Danish ingredients giant Danisco has launched a new range of flavourings designed for yoghurt candies - allowing confectioners to give boiled sweets a healthier image.

Arla seals UK buyout deal

Arla Foods, the Scandinavian dairy group, has signed a deal to buyout its UK subsidiary for nearly £213m, following concerns about the firm's performance last year.

UK survey targets food allergy awareness

Allergy UK has come out fighting against claims that food allergy and intolerance are "all in the mind".

Supplier complaints lack evidence, says UK grocery probe

Complaints by food suppliers and producers about mistreatment at the hands of large retailers have still not been backed up, says a report on the UK grocery chain probe.

Glossy polyethylene offers alternative to PET

Moulded packaging made from a combination of new high density polyethylene (HDPE) and a colour masterbatch boosts glossiness by 200 per cent compared to competing products, the manufacturer claims.

Weekly Comment

Death to the industry conspiracy theories!

Here we go again. Industry-sponsored studies into the nutritional benefits of food and drink products are biased. Don't believe anything that has an industry sponsor.

EC approves Arla dairy acquisition

The EC has finally approved Arla's proposed acquisition of Finnish firm Ingman Foods.

Food firms to get traffic light risk rating

Suppliers of private label food and drink to multiple retailers may be given 'traffic light' ratings to show their attention to food safety and risk management, under a new project, a DairyReporter.com sister site can reveal.

2007 a good year for dairy, says EU

Confidence rippled through the UK dairy industry this week after EU officials said they expected rising demand and higher market prices both in and out of Europe this year.

Association issues warning about toxic imports into UK

Cuts in funding and a plan by UK regulators to publish details of its testing regime for imports, could lead to toxic foods ending up on the shelves, an organic industry association claimed yesterday.

Liquid dispenser pumps thick and thin

Rieke Packaging Systems has launched a new pump, which can dispense a variety of liquid products from free-flowing sauces to highly viscous creams as well as those containing small particulates.

FSA launches traffic light labelling ads

The FSA is pushing on with its traffic light labelling system for consumers with TV advertisements, poster campaigns, and ads in the national press.

EU states agree on clone food plan

There will be no special measures to cover food products from cloned animals in the EU, member states have agreed, following news the offspring of a cloned cow was growing up in the UK.

French milk producers pile on pressure

Milk producers in France have used an industry meeting to call for higher farmgate prices and again condemn cuts over the last five years, revealing ongoing tension between farmers and dairy firms in the EU.

Wild labs approved for independent testing

Labs owned by German flavours firm Wild have been certified to perform independent testing, offering its customers in the food and drink industry an easier way to analyse new product concepts.

Arla closes in on UK subsidiary, as shares leap

Talks that could see Scandinavian dairy group Arla Foods buy out its UK subsidiary were at an advanced stage Monday, the firm reported, as investors appeared to back the move.

Pre-wash system improves bottle cleaning

A pre-wash system significantly improves the cleaning performance of bottle washers, its manufacturer claims.

Parmalat settles with Deloitte

Parmalat has reached a settlement with Deloitte & Touche and Dianthus over their role in the accounting scandal of 2003.

Weekly Comment

There aren't plenty more fish in the sea

As a youngster I was brought up on a healthy diet of tuna fish sandwiches and Disney - making my new year's resolution for 2007 the toughest yet. That's right, I'm giving up tuna and who knows, even cod.

UK consumers shun slimming foods

People in Britain may be getting bigger, but the market for slimming foods is shrinking as consumers look for more natural and long-term solutions to lose weight, new research shows.

Fementation may yield allergen-free dairy

Fermentation of dairy with a mix of lactic acid bacteria and a Streptococcus strain could selectively reduce the protein responsible for cows milk allergy, researchers have reported.

Givaudan launches 'mega-trend' flavour programme

Givaudan has launched FlavourVision, an initiative designed to consolidate information from a number of internal research programmes.

EU to debate UK cloned cow case

EU food safety officials will hold urgent talks to thrash out a strategy on food from cloned animals, after it emerged the calf of a cloned cow was being raised on a UK farm.

EU to review food hygiene laws

The European Commission plans to review the EU's new hygiene laws to determine whether further amendments are needed to strengthen provisions related to meat inspection, gelatine, good food safety practices and cold stores.

Cloned cow offspring on UK farm

Dairy and farming groups were holding urgent meetings Wednesday after claims the offspring of a cloned cow was growing up on a UK farm, sparking fears its produce may enter the food chain.

Fonterra appoints European dairy distributor

Univar food ingredient brand Fiske has been appointed the European distributor for international dairy giant Fonterra.

EU, New Zealand agree food safety deal

Officials in the EU and New Zealand have agreed on a common strategy for maintaining meat and dairy exports in the event of a serious animal disease outbreak.

Organic food row sweeps UK

Rows over the possible superior health benefits of organic food have swamped the headlines in the UK, as new figures show organic milk sales again rose strongly in 2006.

Lycopene protects vitamins in milk, study

Lycopene, microencapsulated in gum arabic-sucrose capsules, slowed the degradation of vitamins A and D3 in skimmed milk by 45 per cent, says new research.

Antimicrobial paper extends shelf life, claims manufacturer

MicrobeGuard today announced the launch of a lining paper liner that will feature AgION antimicrobial technology.

Weekly comment

FSA rules ok? The labelling rebellion

The battle of wills between the UK food watchdog and industry heavyweights over nutrition labelling threatens to destabilise the balance of power between industry and government.

Drought blights Australian dairy exports

Australia's dairy industry may see export earnings drop by more than 24 per cent to under A$2 billion (€1.2bn) in 2006-07 because of drought, potentially causing global prices to rise.

Live webcam puts cheddar in every home

Less than a week into 2007 and already there is a contender for the year's most bizarre story: a webcam that allows consumers to watch a block of cheddar cheese ripen in real time.

EU food and drink industry trends review

The CIAA end of year review of the European food and drink industry's performance underlines again how significant the industry is to the EU economy.

Milk Link buys out Glanbia to lead UK cheese

UK dairy co-operative Milk Link has consolidated its position in the country's cheese market after buying out partner firm Glanbia from The Cheese Company.

Book review

Pasteurisation guide provides practical advice on standards

An updated guide on pasteurisation aims to help processors set manufacturing standards that allow for the consistent production of safe foods.

Whole fat milk linked to lower weight gain

Women who regularly consumed at least one serving of full-fat diary every day gained about 30 per cent less weight than women who didn't, says a study from Sweden.

Western foods driving demand for cheese in Korea

South Koreans are consuming greater quantities of cheese as foods like pizza, cheeseburgers and sandwiches become more popular among the younger generation.

Parmalat reaches 'satisfactory' settlement

Parmalat has reached settlements with a number of European financial institutions in its ongoing fight to recoup the billions lost in 2003.

US seeks views on milk from cloned cows

Plans to allow milk and meat from cloned cows to enter the food chain have moved a step closer in the US after the country's food safety watchdog issued draft guidance for the industry and opened a formal consultation.