Breaking News on Dairy Processing & Markets

Gatorade challenges choc milk health claims

Gatorade has challenged a recent advertising campaign that claims that chocolate milk helps athletes to work out longer than conventional sports drinks.

Tate & Lyle targets low calorie ice cream

Tate & Lyle's Rebalance 022 ingredient product is being used in a new range of lower fat, reduced-calorie ice cream.

Added value is Europe's only path, Mandelson

Added value dairy products are the only path open to European dairies if they are to stay competitive in the future, says Peter Mandelson to the UK National Farmers' Union conference.

Lack of good graduates crippling food industry

Declining numbers of graduates entering the food industry is seriously threatening the sectors ability to meet the needs for further growth, warns the IFST.

Weekly Comment

The bad research debate

The dust is settling on the WHI trial. First came the news that low-fat diets didn't reduce the risk of breast or colorectal cancer or cardiovascular disease, then came news that vitamin D and calcium supplements don't protect against fractures.

Public underestimates risks posed by common pathogens

The public's understanding of food risk issues is skewed towards under estimating the danger from common pathogen contamination, according to a research survey.

Scientists designing the perfect dairy cow

Scientists in Australia have made a breakthrough in the quest to genetically engineer the perfect dairy herd by discovering how to multiply and isolate stem cells found in cow embryos.

Milk analyser helps standardise production process

A new milk analyser allows dairy processors to push standardisation of the key parameters even closer to production targets, its manufacturer claims.

Americas lift Nestlé as Europe falters

Nestlé's Americas division has established itself as the food firm's most important business region for the first time following difficult conditions and subdued sales growth in Europe.

Milk alliance to help with 'special products'

Finnish dairy company Valio, and Germany's biggest dairy company Nordmilch eG have announced an alliance that will enable them to concentrate capacity for 'special products' like functional milks and probiotics.

Portable nano and micro sensors developed for food safety

An EU-funded research project has developed micro and nanotechnology portable devices to detect toxins, pathogens and chemicals in foodstuffs on the spot.

Food firms target value-added milk sector

Food firms are increasingly targeting the UKs value-added milk sector as they re-align their businesses and move away from commodity products, says a new report.

Danisco targets Chinese cultures growth

Danisco Cultures is expanding its involvement in the Asian market with the launch of its patented Yo-Mix Real Quick freeze-dried cultures.

China growth luring foreign dairy firms

China is luring more and more of the world's dairy firms through a strong growth in domestic demand, says a new report, indicating European companies have some ground to catch up.

Arla signs organic milk deal with Lidl

Dairy group Arla Foods has signed an organic dairy supply deal with discount retailer Lidl, as big food firms increasingly move in on rising consumer demand for organic food.

Food law briefing: industry should fight for interests

Law firm Eversheds tells FoodNavigator why Europe's food industry needs a voice in the ongoing debate over labelling, and outlines some of the battlegrounds to come.

Dairy and dietary supplements dominate cholesterol-lowering category

Dairy dominates the cholesterol-lowering foods category in Europe, but in the US dietary supplements are almost as popular, indicates data from Mintel.

Regulators debate standardised labelling system for EU

Regulators and industry representatives from across the EU yesterday wrapped up a meeting in Rotterdam debating standardised system for food labelling across the bloc.

Danone: strong results despite testing market conditions

Danone has ridden out difficult market conditions to report strong full-year earnings and improved margins.

MPs report divides British food retailers

UK food retailers have been split by the All Party Small Shops Committee report calling for a new retail watchdog and a halt to further mergers and acquisitions pending government guidelines.

Traffic light labelling too crude says food lawyer

Food law experts at Eversheds have warned that the adoption of an industry standard for nutritional information looks increasingly unlikely.

Weekly Comment

The cost of bad research

The science has spoken. Low-fat diets don't work: Forget the carrots and broccoli sprouts, I can now have my cake and eat it, and put extra cream on top.

Court fines Arla for abusing market position

A Danish court has fined Arla Foods €670,000 for abusing its dominant position on Denmark's dairy market, further jeopardizing the group's public image in the country.

Added value to power EU dairy market, report

Commodity products like butter and skimmed milk powder are likely to lose out to higher value products in Europe, as the Common Agricultural Policy reform takes hold, predicts the European Commission.

Organic industry at odds over rating of dairy products

Two groups representing organic farmers are at loggerheads over the release of a new report that claims to rate the nation's organic dairy brands and products.

Biodegradable packaging moving into the mainstream

Corn is the operative word in packaging today, with more and more processors turning to biodegradable materials made from the crop and other plants for packing their food products.

Consumer groups slam food industry labelling initiative

The UK food industry has been slammed by consumer groups for its rejection of an industry-wide colour-coded labelling scheme, just as consultation on a voluntary front of pack labelling scheme ended yesterday.

Valio taps growing dairy demand in Russia

Finnish dairy company, Valio is working with Russian company Galaktika to build a new dairy facility in Russia to meet growing consumption of dairy products.

Chr Hansen expands US dairy cultures production

Chr Hansen is increasing the fermentation capacity of its US cultures plant by 35 per cent in order to tap potential growth in the probiotics market.

Fortified food may aid Malaysian folate deficiency

The majority of Malaysian women lack folate in their diets, raising their risk of having children with birth defects, says an independent study sponsored by dairy group Fonterra.

Nestlé moves to dodge Middle East boycotts

Nestlé, the world's biggest food firm, has taken out adverts in Saudi Arabia to refute rumours that two of its dairy products are Danish, as unlucky Arla Foods continues to suffer from 'those cartoons'.

Weekly Comment

Marketing the risky way

Nationality is a dangerous brand.

US teens not getting sufficient calcium

US teenagers are living with the threat of osteoporosis in later life by not getting enough calcium, claims a new report that suggests supplements could help.

Parliament adopts legislation deregulating packaging sizes

The European Parliament yesterday approved legislation deregulating package sizes for most pre-packed products, but excluding staple beverages and foods.

Plummeting mineral levels suggest nutritional crisis in UK

The plummeting mineral content of milk, meat and vegetables over the past 60 years will have grave consequences for the future health of the UK, according to a shocking food analysis.

Fonterra partners US dairy for whey protein research

Fonterra, New Zealand's largest dairy co-operative, has formed a research partnership with the US dairy industry, in an international approach to promoting and proving health claims for dairy products.

Parmalat to take on Bank of America

Parmalat can proceed with its legal action against Bank of America over the dairy company's financial collapse in 2003, according to a US judge.

Handheld sensor detects pathogens within 10 minutes

A handheld sensor could help food companies quickly detect within 10 minutes whether their products are laden with Escherichia coli or listeria -- before they are shipped out of the plant.

UK dairy industry attacks OFT interference

The UK dairy industry has renewed its attack on the country's competition watchdog, accusing it of unfairly targeting dairy business deals and endangering the sector's growth.

Puleva Biotech's human milk probiotic debuts in Spain

The first consumer product containing a probiotic strain derived from human milk by Puleva Biotech has launched in Spain, and the company hopes it may find a home in other foods for infants and adults.

Organic milk sales booming in Britain

Britain needs more organic dairy producers to meet rapidly growing demand for organic milk, says a new report, offering new opportunities for the industry.

Middle East recovery could take years, warns Arla

Arla Foods said its future on the key Middle East dairy market was in jeopardy, after the group stopped production for the area amid a widescale boycott on Danish products by Muslim consumers.

Tetra Pak to use stronger, thinner polymer pack

Tetra Pak has started the worldwide rollout of a stronger but thinner polymer packaging for liquid products, promising companies it will help them cut costs and meet recycling standards.