Breaking News on Dairy Processing & Markets

CCFRA reviews children's food choice triggers

A new review of what influences children's food choices will help food companies develop and market appealing products - and aid bodies that regulate marketing practices, says publisher CCFRA.

Vietnam next for Arla's emerging market drive

Sweden's Arla foods has today revealed it plans to enter Vietnam's dairy market in October to boost its presence in the dynamic emerging markets of Asia.

Obesity white paper gives 3 years for self-regulation impact

The European Commission yesterday adopted a white paper setting out a European strategy on nutrition, overweight and obesity, including plans to review progress in three years.

Cows can make skimmed milk, say scientists

Cows could be bred to produce only skimmed milk within the next five years, researchers have said, offering a new way of meeting consumer demand for lower fat dairy.

Stored goat's milk can make the grade, says study

Goat milk stored under refrigerated and sanitary conditions meets grade A standards for up to five days, according to a recent university study.

Calcium, vit D may cut pre-menopausal breast cancer risk

Premenopausal women who consume higher amounts of calcium and vitamin D may lower their risk of developing breast cancer by almost 40 per cent, new research suggests.

Dairy Crest says sorry for Clover recall

Dairy Crest has apologised to consumers after being forced to recall around two million tubs of its Clover spread because they may contain mould.

Temperature sensor built for rugged use

A new rugged temperature device is designed for high moisture environments, where the sensor is subject to continuous freeze and thaw cycles.

Weekly Comment

Press releases for the press?

In a world where getting your name out there is called branding, and branding in turn equals better market share, some companies will go to great lengths to draw attention to their name. With information sources driven by open-access Internet, companies can tailor press releases not always intended for the press.

FSA tightens cheese hygiene rules

Cheese processors in the UK have been handed tougher guidance on hygiene, following EU claims that the country's food safety authority was not doing enough to protect consumers.

Unilever eyes job cuts in France

Unilever is planning to cut up to 200 jobs in France in an effort to rebuild its business in the country.

Sarkozy signals support for farmers in trade talks

Newly elected French President Nicolas Sarkozy has called on other sides to make concessions in the WTO trade negotiations as well as Europe, and said he would not allow French farmers to be 'sold at the lowest possible price'.

Tester determines oxygen permeability

A new machine can help processors test the barrier properties of packaging to ensure food products maintain their stated shelf life.

Bioactive paper packaging under development

A new bioactive packaging paper under development is designed to detect and kill any pathogens that are present in a food product.

EU approves packaging size liberalisation

Companies will have the freedom to choose the size of packaging they use for most of their products under a new directive passed yesterday by EU member states.

Dairy Crest focuses on health

Dairy Crest, which saw sales rise 12 per cent in 2006, said it was now pumping most of its research funding into developing healthier dairy products.

Dairy exports set to fall, says EU

Rising demand for dairy in the European Union is likely to see the bloc's dairy industry lose market share in several export markets over the next decade, a Commission report says.

Tetra Pak to produce caps in Russia

Sweden-based Tetra Pak will produce caps in Russia in a bid to move its supply chain closer to customers.

Weekly comment

Masterfoods and the vegetarianisation of food

Masterfoods' U-turn over its plan to reformulate its famous confectionery brands using animal-derived whey sets a precedent that will prevent any other food manufacturer from flying in the face of the global trend towards the vegetarianisation of our food.

Lindt innovates with new mousse-filled dark chocolate

Swiss chocolatier Lindt & Sprungli is continuing its innovation in premium, dark chocolate with a new range boasting 70 per cent cacao content and a unique mousse-filled centre.

1,300 food incidents investigated in UK last year, says report

Over 1,300 food safety incidents were investigated by the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) last year, according to a report published yesterday.

FSA begins UK business guidance review

The UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) has today announced the start of a review of its own guidance, which aims to make regulations easier to understand and follow for firms.

Danone and Yakult to accelerate R&D cooperation

France's Danone and Japan's Yakult will continue their strategic alliance involving closer cooperation on R&D and entry into new markets, maintaining their positions as leaders in the probiotics market.

Doctors halt dairy weight loss ads

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the nation's dairy industry are putting a stop to claims in their advertising that dairy products cause weight loss following a petition from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) filed in 2005.

Campina re-jigs dairy for added value future

Dutch dairy co-operative Campina has said it will close one factory and sell off another in order to free up more funds for added value cheese and milk, two sectors set to grow strongly in the EU.

Dairy Crest to shut milk facility

More consolidation is looming in UK dairy, after Dairy Crest said it may close its milk bottling and production factory in Totnes.

Splenda ad slogans banned in France

A European court has said that the marketing of the sweetener Splenda is misleading to consumers, and has ordered that its advertising slogans be ceased.

Wiseman heralds dairy margin recovery

Robert Wiseman, one of the UK's largest dairy processors, said higher selling prices and added value milk helped it to rebuild operating profit margins in 2006.

New technologies on display at UK exhibition

Emerging technologies such as radio frequency identification and the latest food industry equipment will be on display at a four-day exhibition beginning tomorrow in Birmingham.

Trial supports milk bottle recycling

Recycled plastic milk bottles perform identically to those made from virgin resin and could reduce packaging waste sent to landfill sites, according to a UK government-funded trial.

Arla poised to sell packaging venture

Dairy group Arla Foods and packaging firm Constantia Packaging are looking to sell off their joint venture on the Danish market to focus on their core businesses.

Farm milk may reduce asthma and allergy

Regular consumption of unpasteurised farm milk may offer protection from range of allergies, but the researchers cautioned against drinking raw milk until more research is carried out.

CAP payments should be simplified, MEPs say

Conditions for subsidies paid to food firms and producers through the EU Common Agricultural Policy should be simplified, a European Parliament committee has said.

Tate and Lyle talks sweeteners and starch sale with Syral

Tate & Lyle is in advanced talks with Syral SAS regarding the sale of certain food and industrial ingredients facilities in the UK, Belgium, France, Italy and Spain.

Gene foods could lead to consumers ruling the food industry

The emergence of foods based on nutrigenomics could spark a shift in the landscape of the food industry, says HortResearch's Karl Crawford, and the industry needs to start considering how it is going to cater for consumer demands.

UK study sparks additives row

Growing use of natural ingredients in the UK food and drink industry took on greater importance this week in anticipation of a new study again linking widely used additives to behavioural problems in children.

Functional cheese still niche in the UK

An unhealthy image for cheese in the UK threatens to prevent many varieties from leaping on the functional food bandwagon.

Tara gum may turn milk protein into locust bean gum alternative

Using the sugar tara gum to improve the gelling of the whey protein beta-lactoglobulin may offer industry with a more cost effective alternative to locust bean gum, suggests new research from Portugal.

Weekly Comment

Ingredients for cheap?

As recent incidents of food contamination demonstrate, the cheapest source for ingredients may not turn out to be so cheap after all.

Alcoa makes bid for Alcan

Alcoa today announced $33bn (€24bn) hostile bid for Alcan in a move to consolidate two of the world's largest aluminium suppliers to the beverage and packing industries.

Dairy UK moves to avoid industry division

Britain's dairy body last night attempted to avert a growing rift in the sector's supply chain, after two farming groups called for immediate action over low milk prices.

Danisco names flavours buyer: it's Firmenich

Danisco has cut a deal to sell its flavours division to Firmenich that will let it focus resources on its bioingredients, texturants and sweeteners competencies - while still keeping some interest in flavours through a partnership with the buyer.

Fabuless clinical trial boosts DSM

DSM has announced its Fabuless ingredient stopped weight gain after weight loss when consumed in yoghurt during a clinical trial, bolstering the product's initial success on the market.

Spring sun boosts Unilever ice cream

Ice cream led a European sales rise for Unilever during the first quarter, largely thanks a warmer start to the year.

Tetra Pak invests millions in new research centres

Sweden-based Tetra Pak will invest €32.6m in two new centres in Lund to develop new processing and packaging equipment for food and drink manufacturers.

Cheese grapples with unhealthy image

Regional cheese producers are enjoying a revival in the UK, but the market as a whole is struggling to grow volumes against an unhealthy image with consumers.

Weekly Comment

Salt of the Earth

Tuesday, on International Labour Day, workers across the world raised a glass in honour of the salt of the earth.

Green Watch

Drought unites Australian dairy on sustainability

Australian dairy leaders, facing the worst drought on record in their country, have launched an industry-wide sustainability drive to improve the sector's environmental credentials.

How Arla side-stepped the EU feta ruling

EU laws to protect regional foods do not necessarily spell the end for copycat products, as Arla Foods has shown with its Danish 'feta' cheese brand.

Yili spends to meet Chinese dairy challenges

Chinese group Yili is to invest $48.9m into dry milk production to maintain its competitiveness within the country's dairy industry.