Breaking News on Dairy Processing & Markets

News in brief

DSM builds China presence

DSM has linked with the North China Pharmaceutical Group Corporation in three separate projects that will see DSM take a minority 10 per cent share in the Chinese company.

Dairy Crest sticking with brands despite Yoplait sale

UK-based Dairy Crest says that it remains committed to branded dairy production despite its decision to offload its yoghurt operations that it ran as a joint venture Yoplait.

Dispatches from Reformulation Symposium

New margarine takes modular approach to saturated fat

A new margarine can enable lower saturated fat in puff pastry and croissants, according to developer Romi Smilfood, helping to meet targets for healthier bakery products.

Weekly comment

Obama’s veg plots point the way to healthy eating and more

“If you don’t plan to plant a garden in Lake Wobegon in the spring, it means you plan to be planted yourself.”

New research shows how Salmonella survive

Scientists at the University of Liverpool have demonstrated how Salmonella’s ability to survive in amoeba is a huge advantage to its continued development as it may be more resistant to disinfectants and water treatment.

Functionality belying whey commodity concerns - analyst

Demand for whey-derived functional food and drinks claiming nutritional benefits remains undimmed despite an overall fall in sales last year for the dairy commodity, says an industry analyst.

News in brief

China upholds death penalty for tainted dairy execs

A northern Chinese court has upheld two death sentences in the country’s tainted milk scandal, according to reports from the state news agency Xinhua.

Whey and lactose will survive private label push - analyst

The use of whey and lactose ingredients in finished products will not be significantly set back by a shifting retailer focus towards budget-priced private label goods, according to one global dairy analyst.

Müller told to cease misleading ‘natural’ ads

Dairy firm Müller Dairy UK must withdraw TV and print ads for a brand of its children’s yoghurt products after the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that they made misleading ‘natural’ claims.

EU health claims system may be illegal, say trade groups

Several influential pan-European industry groups will consider mounting a legal challenge against the European Union nutrition and health claims regulation if, as expected, thousands of article 13.1 generic ‘health maintenance’ claims are forbidden across the bloc.

Donated milk powder to provide boost for US dairy

US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has announced that over 200m pounds of milk powder will be transferred to federal nutrition programs in an effort to stock food banks while benefiting stricken dairy farmers.

FSA keeps protein cap in place, industry objects

The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) yesterday confirmed the implementation of a protein cap that limits products such as cereals being advertised to children.

News in brief

Second Sanlu auction date set

A second auction designed to dispose of the assets from the bankrupt Sanlu dairy joint venture is expected to go ahead on 7 April, according to press reports.

News in brief

GTC Nutrition to distribute omega-3 in US and EU

Australian omega-3 supplier, Nu-Mega has appointed Colorado-based GTC Nutrition as distributor for its fatty acid powders and liquids portfolio in the Americas and Europe.

Chewing the Fat: How big is gluten-free?

The Chewing the Fat series has the FoodNavigator team getting its teeth into food issues. The gluten-free market is set to continue its expansion in the coming years, fuelled by better diagnosis and a fad for gluten-free foods. The FoodNavigator editorial team discusses the issues behind the trend, and considerations for food manufacturers.

Antibody yoghurt stymies stomach ulcers, say researchers

Yoghurt fortified with antibodies extracted from chicken eggs, can battle bacteria that cause gastritis and stomach ulcers, according to preliminary findings from Japanese researchers.

DSM targets melamine contamination with antibody launch

A development in antibody-based food testing is the latest product launched specifically to trace contamination of the industrial chemical melamine in milk products, according to its manufacturer.

Info-share key to new green dairy scheme

Anonymity could be a secret weapon in green dairy production through a new scheme to publish and compare the environmental outputs and emissions from processors.

Irish profit protests mirror EU milk supplier woes

Irish farmer’s groups have added their voices to growing dissent among European milk suppliers, claiming that some producers in the country potentially face an entire year of financial loses unless regulations are reformed.

Weekly comment

Omega-3: Fishing for alternatives

Short of an earth-bound deity walking amongst us and miraculously multiplying our fish stocks, industry must invest more in alternative sources of omega-3 to meet nutritional needs.

Yakult pushing probiotic science envelope

Probiotics are best known for their digestive health benefits, but research is pointing to benefits in unexpected areas. Shane Starling met with Yakult’s Netherlands-based science manager, Dr Jia Zhao, after she spoke at a recent conference on functional foods for the over-50s in Amsterdam.

Handheld gas analyser poised for market

Witt has launched the latest generation of its cordless and handheld gas analysers, version 6.0 of its Oxybaby model, which is due to hit the market in a few weeks and could help extend a product’s shelf life.

Protein drinks expanding despite health scepticism - Zenith

Milk and fruit drinks enriched with proteins are growing beyond niche market of exercise junkies by broadening into other functional areas like satiety and clinical nutrition, according to Zenith International.

News in brief

Dairy seminar focuses on UK supply chain safety

Health and safety within dairy production from the farm right up to the customer will be the key focus of a seminar taking place in the UK next month.

Private label innovation looms over big brands

Innovation is increasingly being marked out as a way for private label firms to gain market share – and for big brand players to keep it.

News in brief

New FAO food price database launched

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization has launched a new online tool to track food prices in 55 developing countries, as part of its food price spike response.

Asia vital to global milk ingredient stabilisation

A supply and demand imbalance within the global milk ingredient market is expected to stabilise in the next few years on the back of strengthening demand in Asia, suggests a new report.

Recycling logo for consumer packaging launched in UK

Major UK supermarkets have signed up to a new recycling logo for consumer packaging, aiming to present how much of the packaging can be recycled and where.

News in brief

Red24 brings food crisis expert on-board

Risk management and crisis specialist red24 has teamed up with Eric Smith, food crisis and contamination expert, to provide its food clients with specialist advice.

Cheese flexibility equals resilience in testing times, says industry

As the European Commission expects some short-term fall in demand for added value dairy products, one national trade association claims that cheese is well placed to meet various consumer needs during the economic downturn.

Cheese maker says informed staff are safe staff over trip fears

Concerns on how the economic downturn may impact worker safety in dairy manufacturing has been played down by one UK cheese company, which says that strong communication remains the key to protecting staff from accidents.

The cost and carbon savings of solar installation for food firms

Food and supplement manufacturing firms in the US are set to benefit more than ever before by installing solar panel energy systems at their facilities, as the benefits of tax cuts and grant programs start to take effect.

Danisco desires home made-style dairy desserts

Danisco says it continues to focus ingredient products designed to replicate consumer needs for convenient, ‘home-made’ style products through recent testing of a new range of dairy desserts.

Weekly comment

Could sugar shake off its bad boy image?

Sugar could be shedding its bad boy image to take a surprise spot on the public’s list of trusted ingredients, as manufacturers look to appeal to more savvy consumers.

Synergy tackles dairy costs, mouthfeel and provenance

Synergy is launching new range of dairy ingredients for savoury foods intended to help control formulation cost issues and improve the sensory appeal of better-for-you products.

Dispatches from Anuga FoodTec 2009

Simplicity to the power of three for Serac dairy development

Serac says that simplifying the often-costly process of aseptic production for dairy goods by providing reliability and safety along with improved cost effectiveness remains key to its product development.

Chr Hansen makes cultures for E European cake cheese

Chr. Hansen has launched a new range of cultures to capture the market for a popular Eastern European cheese, encouraging producers to switch to the Direct Vat Set (DVS) system rather than the traditional bulk starter method.

Report stresses price importance for Danone sales strategy

Danone’s financial outlook implies tough times may be ahead for dairy producers, with the company facing stagnant organic sales value growth despite some resurgent demand, suggest analysts.

Spotlight again on cloned animals

A review of cloning is underway at the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) following a request from the European Commission for further advice on the implications of the technology for food safety, animal health and welfare and the environment.

News in brief

IFT to discuss nano food uses in London

A seminar to be held in London on 30 April will explore the latest developments in nanotechnology, and its potential for use in the food industry.

Health claim dossiers cost €5m, says DSM

DSM’s human nutrition corporate scientist, Wim Saris, spoke with Shane Starling recently after chairing a weight management and satiety conference in Amsterdam. He voiced his concern about spiralling health claim costs muzzling innovation.

Arla’s eyes remain on Europe following Dutch deal

As Arla Foods drives ahead with plans to bolster its operations in whey and finished dairy products, the group says its latest acquisition highlights wider interest in the markets of Western and central Europe.

Dispatches from Anuga FoodTec 2009

Hygienic conveyance line honoured at Anuga show

Intralox has received a 2009 European FoodTec Silver MedalAward in the category of food safety, security, and quality management.

Dispatches from Anuga FoodTec 2009

Eco packaging informs grocery habits, says survey

Nearly 60 per cent of consumers pay attention to the environmental friendliness of food and drink packaging material during their grocery shopping, claims a new survey released today at Anuga FoodTec in Cologne.

EDA claims ‘imitation’ dairy setting back nutrient profiling

Further development of functional and added-value dairy products could be setback by current European proposals for legislating health and nutrition claims within the bloc, claims the European Dairy Association (EDA).

Weekly comment

Cargill vs Chavez: Clash of the rice titans

Clutched to the president’s chest like a medal of nationalisation, Cargill Venezuela cannot be sitting very comfortably this week as it awaits the fate of its rice plant.

Health and costs head agenda for dairy management meet

Leading international dairy groups have set a date for the Third Global Dairy Congress in an attempt to focus on market trend developments resulting from changing economic, health and environmental issues.

Gouda’s 800-year-old secret could benefit flavour for all dairy

German scientists have reportedly cracked the secret of Gouda’s complex, long-lasting flavour, and this could lead to developing more flavourful cheeses and other dairy products.

Study pinpoints ‘missing link’ between fructose and insulin resistance

Yale scientists have reportedly found the ‘missing link’ to explain why high-fructose diets may boost the development of insulin resistance.

Roundtable to unite green food assessment methods

The food industry’s new sustainability roundtable will seek to unify all the green assessment methods now in use and under development, says the CIAA’s environmental director, rather than developing yet another approach from scratch.

Dairy woes dent Glanbia’s full year results

The Irish food firm Glanbia has reported an 18.5 per cent rise in profits for the year but its performance was hit by a struggling dairy sector and it predicts tough times ahead.

New code proposed for retailer-supplier deals

The rules that govern agreements between retailers and suppliers could be strengthened under a new proposal by the UK’s Competition Commission (CC) to protect manufacturers and others from restrictive practices.

Test developed to expose organic milk fraud

Scientists in Germany have developed a new test to detect conventional milk sold as organic, in a bid to help combat dairy fraud at the retail level.

Arla finds partner to expand into US protein market

Arla Foods has announced plans to form a definitive partnership with a start-up company called Green Meadows Foods in the hope of capturing a leading share of the North American protein market.

Sweetened beverages pushing dairy out of kids’ diets

Consumption of milk, and therefore intakes of calcium, is falling at the expense of sweetened beverages, according to a new US study.

News in brief

More firms make FSA Southampton-free list

The UK’s Food Standards Agency has added to its listing of companies that do not use the Southampton-six colours, including Cool Drinks company, Lakeland, Montgomeryshire Natural Spring Water products, Plas Farm Ltd, Rubicon Drinks, and Sunny Delight Beverage Company.

News in brief

Irish minister urges dairy market action

Ireland’s agriculture minister Brendan Smith says the EU must activate all support at its disposal to help the dairy sector through a difficult period, according to reports.

Weekly comment

Twitter could leave bitter taste in Pepsi’s mouth

“The new cartons stink.” Customer responses to new product developments seldom come clearer or more direct than that.

Cadbury tackles burping cows to reduce milk chocolate carbon footprint

Chocolate maker Cadbury will work closely with UK dairy farmers in an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of its iconic milk chocolate bar.

Recession and melamine scandal hit US dairy exports

US dairy exports have been hit by lower global demand on the back of worldwide recession and the Chinese melamine scandal, according to a report from the Babcock Institute.