Breaking News on Dairy Processing & Markets

Tetra Pak calls for further emissions solutions

Packagers and governments alone cannot successfully drive reductions in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions with a concerted joint approach the best way to succeed, packaging firm Tetra Pak has said today.

Dairy Crest defies costs in profit drive

UK-based Dairy Crest says that is full year financial expectations remain unchanged following its third fiscal quarter despite increased milk costs and a £9.4m (€12.6m) fine for alleged anti-competitive practices.

Deadline for health claims looms

Member states have until tomorrow to pass health claims dossiers submitted by industry to the European Commission to gain approval under new legislation on what can be said about products and ingredients.

Fonterra expects full year growth ahead

New Zealand-based dairy cooperative Fonterra says it has benefited from both its raw dairy and processing businesses as revenues rose NZ$853m (€449m) to NZ$7.3bn (€3.8bn) over the first half of the year.

Mainland Europe oblivious to UK cheddar boom

British cheese tastes have continued to mature during 2007, particularly for their beloved cheddar, but continental Europeans remain generally unaware of the product, an industry expert has said.

New SIG Combibloc machine speeds up filling

A new filling machine designed by SIG Combibloc can fill cartons 20 per cent faster than its predecessor, says the Swiss company.

Weekly comment

Probiotics, friend or foe?

The headlines are sensationalist: twenty-four people have died in a probiotic trial. Therefore, probiotics may be fatal. Throw those yoghurt shots away!

News briefs: Friesland Foods, Parmalat, ice cream recalls

This week, Friesland Foods appoints a new executive to steer operations ahead of a possible merger plan, Parmalat sets its sights at four global banks in a new court case and Dreyer's recalls some ice cream brands.

Dairy industry welcomes UK obesity plan

The UK dairy industry has leant its support to a new government initiative to battle obesity, suggesting dairy goods can be a vital part of a healthy solution to the problem.

Wal-Mart chief pledges higher prices for sustainable suppliers

The chief executive of the world's biggest retailer yesterday promised to favour suppliers providing high quality and ethically sourced products.

Ishida Europe introduces x-ray for large food products

Japanese x-ray company Ishida has expanded its range of x-ray inspection systems for the food industry, launching a new machine suitable for large products and cartons.

Dannon heads to courts over 'fraud' probiotic claims

The US arm of Danone could be forced to make a multi-million dollar refund to its customers over allegations that it has used fraudulent health claims to sell some of its Activia and DanActive branded yoghurts.

Nestle looks to self-assembling structures for low-fat products

A simple structured emulsion system could correct for flavour imbalances in reduced and low-fat products, scientists at Nestlé Research Center (NRC) have reported.

Danone quiet on Indian milk buy talks

Danone yesterday remained tight lipped over the possibility of making an imminent acquisition into India's high growth dairy market, as part of the company's longstanding expansion aims for the country.

Dairy industry steps up for obesity battle

A number of leading dairy experts believe that the industry is "unfairly" blamed for contributing to the growing worldwide obesity crises, and more must be done to promote the dietary benefits of its products.

EFSA issues new advice on listeria

Europe's food safety watchdog has issued updated advice on reducing the risk of the food-borne bacteria listeria, urging food manufacturers to watch out for contamination during packaging, preparation and storage of food.

Cost crises compounds organic milk lull

Organic milk production in the EU market could become increasingly constrained during 2008, as rising feed costs are forcing some farmers to quit the market, says an industry expert.

Weekly Comment

Exotic fruits or local berries? You choose

As consumer demand for exotic superfruits increases, so will the impact of transport on the environment. But as policy makers and green campaigners devise more ways of monitoring greenhouse gases, who will win the environmental tug of war?

Drinkable whey protein to hit the mainstream

Reflex Nutrition is on the verge of trialing its whey protein drink through a mainstream food wholesaler in the UK, which if successful could be a shot in the arm for further whey products on the market.

Tetra Pak backs further Chinese dairy development

Tetra Pak hopes to encourage further growth and development in the Chinese dairy industry by overseeing the launch of a new research centre in conjunction with the People's University of China (Renda).

News briefs: Starbucks, Danone and Unilever hostage scare

This week, Starbucks drops organic milk form its US stores, a Unilever manager is held at his own plant by angry workers and Danone teams up with its suppliers to improve operational efficiency.

Internet traceability system launched for food processors

An internet-based interface that allows food processors to see which country every ingredient has come from and each process a product goes through in the factory is set to significantly overhaul food chain traceability.

Glanbia offloads meat production for innovation aims

Glanbia has entered into negotiations over selling its meat processing business as it looks to focus on diversifying its earnings base towards higher-value ingredients and cheese.

Changes needed for smooth dairy reform - Commissioner

Private storage funding may be reinstated to aid a smooth transition of dairy farming reforms, though the number is up for incentives like export refunds, according to the European agricultural Commissioner.

Mixed verdict in managers' butter adultery case

Two French dairy managers face suspended prison sentences and €23m in fines for their alleged role in a Europe-wide scheme to produce and distribute adulterated butter, the European Anti Fraud Office (OLAF) has said.

Nestle explores probiotics' impact on metabolism

Strains of probiotic bacteria can affect metabolism, says a new study from Nestle and Imperial College London that could help the development of new probiotic products tailored for individuals.

Weekly comment

How natural is 'natural'?

The refusal by regulators to provide a formal definition of the term 'natural' will ultimately lead to confusion for consumers and a legal headache for manufacturers.

Asian markets accelerate Irish dairy growth

The dairy sector dominated another record year for Irish food exports in 2007, as producers and farmers exploited strong demand from Asian markets to increase their sales by 13 per cent to €2.36bn, the country's food board has said.

Industry challenge to infant nutrition rules

The Infant and Dietetic Foods Association (IDFA) has called for a judicial review of proposed new rules governing the advertisement of infant nutrition just days before the law was due to come into force in the UK.

Danisco bags British ice cream patent

Danisco has obtained a patent in Great Britain for a dairy replacement technology aimed at both the cost and health concerns of ice cream makers.

UK cooperative opts out of dairy production

Dairy Crest and the East of England Co-operative Society are in discussions over the sale of the latter's dairy operations as it struggles to meet the growing costs of development and processing in the industry.

Organic group funds 'seed to shelf' sustainability schemes

A leading organic dairy processor in the US has announced a new research initiative for reducing its carbon footprint, as part of a new funding program designed to improve efficiency in sustainable production.

Digestion to take over from heart health, report claims

The increasing use of probiotics and antioxidants will continue to develop in 2008 but products positioned at heart health will not perform so well, a report has said.

Edible antifreeze to offer ice cream advances

Tasteless and edible antifreeze proteins could prevent the formation of ice crystals in ice cream, and maintain the smooth, silky texture, reports research from the US.

Briefs: cheese factory scrapped, ice cream bottled

A £70m (€93m) cheese factory construction falters over funding in the UK, US consumers can now enjoy an ice cream soda on the go, and butter gets the artistic treatment.

Record hikes for New Zealand dairy exports

New Zealand's reputation as a low-cost dairy exporter is further under threat from growing worldwide demand, according to official national statistics released yesterday.

Plastics recycling firm targets food grade packaging

UK-based Alternative Waste Solutions (AWS) is set to become a major producer of recycled plastic for use by British food companies, allowing them to meet demands for cutting down on waste.

Glanbia predicts positive year as milk markets evolve

Glanbia expects to report a positive performance for 2007 driven largely by its food ingredients, global nutrition businesses, and increased demand for dairy products on the global scence.

Arla targets UK dominance in organic spreads

Arla Foods is launching an organic alternative for its leading spread brand in a bid to become market leader of the burgeoning segment.

Weekly comment

Back to tap: bottled water's enviro-woes

It looks set to be a vintage year ahead for Chateau Eau De Source Public - or as it is more humbly known, tap water - as consumers find themselves encouraged to shun the mineral variety of the product to reduce packaging waste.

Briefs: Danone, Parmalat and Bulgarian farmer woes

With the festive period sadly done and dusted, DairyReporter.com takes a look at some of the major happenings over the christmas period.

Vivartia faces further price fix strife

Vivartia is bearing the brunt of a further round of fines imposed by Greece's competition regulator on a number of the country's leading dairy processors and retailers for their part in alleged anti-competitive practices.

Third of people choose low fat food to stay trim

Low fat food products are most popular when attempting weight loss, according to a survey looking at weight management across 13 countries worldwide.

Nestle, Fonterra to milk Brazilian dairy demand

Nestle has confirmed that it will work with New Zealand dairy cooperative Fonterra in constructing and running a new dairy in Brazil as part of a joint $40m (€27m) investment to step up raw milk production in the country.

Soy ice is moving mainstream, says Danisco

Danisco is predicting that soy ice will move out of the dairy intolerance niche and into the mainstream and has developed a concept that overcomes some of the common problems in developing this kind of product.