Software automates food contaminant detection

An automated software system allows processors to detect food contaminants in their products, according to its developers.

EC president digs heels over agriculture concessions

There is no reason for the EU to put more agricultural concessions on the table at the WTO, according to current EC president Josef Proll.

Weekly Comment

Food industry must face its faults

The food industry must be honest if it is to convince consumers - and audiences - that it is not the corporate monster portrayed in the media.

Boycott legacy hits Arla comeback

Uncertainty continues to hang over Arla Foods in its key Middle East dairy market, after it said sales there have been slow to recover from a region-wide boycott against its...

Probiotics could target causes of liver cancer

A daily supplement of probiotics could reduce the risk of liver cancer caused by fungal toxins in foods, a leading cause of the disease in some of the world's most...

Stanol-containing cheese could help reduce cholesterol

A stanol-enriched cheese could help lower cholesterol levels by over five per cent, says a new study by Raisio and Valio, as the Finish companies look to put science behind...

UK dairy sector still hooked on commodities

Britain's dairy trade deficit grew again in 2005, highlighting that the country is still too reliant on lower margin commodity goods, leaving the domestic market exposed to foreign competition.

New proposals ask EU to cut export subsidies sooner

British dairy officials are lobbying the European Union to stick to its 2013 deadline for scrapping export subsidies, after nations outside the bloc called for aid to end faster.

Arla UK sees red as costs soar

Soaring input costs have claimed Arla Foods UK as their latest victim in Britain's dairy industry, sending the group into the red for its first half.

Glanbia turns whey into functional, nutritional emulsifier

Modification of whey protein concentrates with high phospholipid proportions could turn standard emulsifiers into functional health promoting ingredients, results that could have important implications for the food industry.

Omega-3 milk could protect against metabolic syndrome

Dietary supplementation with an omega-3 enriched milk could be a simple and tolerable way to ease cardiovascular risk factors linked to metabolic syndrome, say Spanish researchers.

Profit slump blights Dairy Crest brand growth

Brands and a functional food focus helped Dairy Crest to increase sales in 2005, but profits slumped amid rising costs and tough times for the group's milk supply division.

Danisco technology taps low-fat ice cream demand

Danisco claims that ice cream with less than one per cent fat is possible thanks to new technology that prevents unwanted ice crystals from forming.

Dairy weight-loss claims get Paris Anti-Obesity boost

The debate about dairy consumption boosting weight loss got a massive fillip at the Paris Anti-Obesity Therapies congress, but natural product-based dietary supplements don't help weight loss said experts.

Pressure gauges meet demand for accuracy, hygiene

A new line of pressure gauges are engineered to meet stringent performance, material and hygiene demands within the food and beverage sectors, their manufacturer claims.

Top dairy firms guzzling EU subsidies, report

Europe's top dairy firms are at the centre of the row over European Union export subsidies, after a new report revealed which UK dairies are lapping up the aid.

Dairy triggers higher chance of twins, study

Women who eat animal products, and specifically dairy, are five times more likely to have twins if they become pregnant, says a new US study.

New food laws must overcome scepticism, says lawyer

Following plans in Europe to harmonise health claims in food labelling, experts at Eversheds law firm claim any new rules will have to overcome historical scepticism to be truly effective.

Formula milk safe from cancer compounds, says FSA

Levels of the cancer-causing PAH compounds in infant formula milk on sale in Britain are below the limits set by the European Union and pose no health risk, says the...

Online tool calculates gas mix for food packaging

An online tool is designed to help food processors select the best gas for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP).

UK facing milk production shake-up

More upheaval in Britain's dairy sector looms over the next few years as more than one in ten milk producers say they will leave the sector, according to a new...

Danisco ups production of frozen cultures

Number two cultures player Danisco has ramped up production of frozen pelletised cultures with a €7mn expansion of its facilities in Niebl, Germany.

Machine turns whey into texture additive

A new machine allows dairy manufacturers to process whey into an ingredient they can use to improve the texture and taste of low-fat products.

FDA rejects Nestlé infant formula health claim

The US food regulatory agency last week rejected a proposed health claim submitted by Nestlé, which would have implied that its whey protein infant formulas reduced the risk of food...

Wiseman ups prices to lift dairy profits

An increase in selling prices helped dairy processor Robert Wiseman to begin clawing back lost profits, as the group looks to continue the momentum with more new products and facilities.

Private label bites back at Arla milk brand

Arla UK's Cravendale milk brand has seen its strong growth stunted by cheaper, supermarket milk in recent weeks, reminding processors how easily private label could destabilise branded dairy growth in...

Recovery policy pulls Parmalat through

Disgraced Italian dairy giant Parmalat, still suffering from 2003's fraud revelations, has posted a jump in first-quarter income - thanks to CEO Enrico Bondi's recuperation strategy.

Marketing focus

Vitafoods 2006: kids driving the health revolution

Healthy eating is no longer motivated simply by self-interest. Family welfare has become the overriding concern, and children have become the real driving force behind the health trend.

Greenhouse gas trading data points to problems

Preliminary data from the first year of the EU's greenhouse gas trading scheme has highlighted problems in the allocation of plant outputs and in the tracking of carbon dioxide (CO2)...

NutraIngredients.com wins food industry award

NutraIngredients.com has been named Website of the Year in the prestigious 2006 Business Food and Drink Journalism awards.

Guest article

Doctor warns against 'standard' infant formulas

Parents should avoid infant formulas made from intact proteins, a Stanford researcher told doctors assembled at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies.

San Miguel to focus on growth

San Miguel's chief executive reassured investors on Tuesday by outlining its plans to concentrate on growing sales and sustaining profits over the coming years.

Test speeds up pathogen detection for dairy sector

An alternative to the traditional microbiological tests for ultra heat treated (UHT) and extended shelf life (ESL) dairy products speeds up assessments by over two days, according to its manufacturer.

Low milk prices unsustainable, say producers

Milk producers have renewed their fierce criticism of low farmgate prices in Britain, as the country's competition watchdog prepares to open an in-depth probe into the market practices of top...

Campina tightens feed quality controls

Dutch dairy group Campina has upgraded its new quality assurance system for animal feed used by member farmers, re-iterating that current checks in the sector were not good enough.

Legislators forge compromise on nutritional claims law

The EU's legislators yesterday came up with a compromise deal on nutritional claims, further watering down requirements originally proposed by the European Commission, according to a newspaper report.

Weekly comment

Chasing down obesity

It is time to admit that society is fighting a part-time battle against the bulge, willingly lambasting soft drinks, burgers and chocolate, while shuffling silently away from a fairly dismal...

Richmond Foods: latest consolidation casualty

The frozen desserts industry saw further European consolidation as an equity firm swooped in to take Richmond Foods, Britain's largest ice cream manufacturer.

EU artisan cheese makers push their products

A Euro-Mediterranean network for the protection, promotion and territorial development of Mediterranean artisan cheeses is bringing together diverse regions of Spain, Italy and France.

Aspartame safe for consumption, food agency concludes

The EU's food safety agency today said aspartame is safe for consumption, contradicting a scientific study by the Ramazzini Foundation that claimed the artificial sweetener caused cancer.

France offers more aid to dairy sector

The French government has set aside an extra €10m to aid consolidation and restructuring in the country's dairy industry so far in 2006, continuing its interventionist strategy for the sector.

Scientists encapsulate uncommon oils in milk proteins

The micro-encapsulation of essential oils in skimmed milk gives higher flavour retention compared to whey, say scientists.

Liquid dairy packaging uses gas additive

A packaging method that uses a gas additive could help prolong the shelf life of liquid dairy products, its developer claims.

European court backs bank in Parmalat dispute

A new European Court of Justice ruling should provide Bank of America with a degree of comfort over its recent travails with Italian dairy giant Parmalat.

Formula milk firms slammed over health worker links

Britain's formula milk industry has faced down a new wave of criticism from senior paediatricians, who accused it of dodging a ban on direct advertising by snuggling up to doctors...

Weekly comment

Working at self-regulation

Self-regulation has become the mantra of food groups who argue that laws are not always necessary - but can industry be trusted when it has failed so spectacularly in the...

EU heeds calls to raise butter export subsidies

The European Commission has raised export subsidies available for butter for the second month running, bowing to pressure from member states concerned at volatile markets.

US firm unveils ice cream vending machine

A newly developed vending machine in the US makes ice cream from scratch while you wait, shows how dairy firms are finding new ways to target consumer demand for convenience.

EC vows to recover misspent CAP millions

A total of € 128.2 million of EU farm money unduly spent by Member States is to be claimed back, following a decision adopted last Friday by the European Commission.

Chinese dairies lack R&D spending

Chinese dairies need to invest more in R&D to capitalise on future growth in added value products like milk drinks, cheese and yoghurts, advises a new report from consultants McKinsey....