UK unveils amended nutrient profiling system

Food officials in the UK have developed a model that ranks the health status of foods according to the sum of their nutrients, reports Dominique Patton.

Eastern Europe: a value-added dairy playground

Emerging dairy markets in Eastern Europe have shown dynamic growth thanks to innovation drives and the development of retail networks, providing big opportunities for value-added products, writes Chris Mercer.

Sainsbury's stocks functional milk in UK

New milk drinks fortified with vitamins are to be sold by Britain's third biggest supermarket, Sainsbury's, as functional dairy continues to break into the UK's mainstream food sector, writes Chris...

Whey supplement could help blood sugar control

Taking a whey supplement with meals can help stimulate insulin release in type 2 diabetics, shows a Swedish study.

Food scientist sought as journalist

Novis seeks a bright, driven food scientist for a reporter's post in southern France. The main mission is to deepen coverage of scientific breakthroughs in food techniques and nutritional understanding...

US milk processors unite to make milk cool

Jazzy images and more imagination on products is the key to making more children choose milk over fizzy drinks, says new research funded by the US dairy industry, writes Chris...

DSM backs innovations with consumer insight

A company's ability to communicate the advantages of a product can be critical to its eventual success, a lesson that DSM Food Specialties has clearly taken to heart.

Fat, calories still more interesting than GI ranking on labels

Awareness of the GI diet remains much higher in the AsiaPacific region compared with other countries, finds a recent survey, which confirms that most of the world's consumers are still...

High quality ingredients define premium food product

High quality ingredients are the single most important factor in making a product premium, concludes a new report from UK market analysts IGD, writes Lindsey Partos.

Ultrasound technique offers faster, safer dairy processing

Ultrasound technology, set to be piloted in dairy processing by Australian food scientists, offers cost-savings to producers by drastically improving the speed and hygiene of ultrafiltration, writes Chris Mercer.

Weekly Comment

The business of food safety

One cannot envy the chief executive faced with a scientific study that casts doubt over the efficacy or safety of his core product. But avoiding a sales slump, media vilification...

New sensory testing to cut product recalls

A UK food research centre has endorsed a new sensory testing procedure to help paper packaging firms meet EU standards on packaging components passing into the foods they wrap, writes...

New science reveals risk behind saturated fats

A diet high in cream, cheese and other saturated fat rich foods can influence the uptake of bad cholesterol to the arteries, confirms new research.

Avure's high pressure system speeds up process

Sweden-based Avure's latest high pressure processing system for the food industry is one of the biggest innovations in food technology this year, according to market analyst Frost & Sullivan.

Food analyser measures fat, protein

A new food analyser from NIR Technology Australia uses near infrared transmission spectroscopy to measure the components of a broad range of foods.

Water charge batters Danone profits

Another write-down charge hits French firm Danone, taking the gloss off a rise in dairy and beverage sales, as rumours of a take-over bid by PepsiCo subside, reports Chris Mercer.

Elderly benefit from calcium and vitamin D combo, confirms review

Elderly people who are frail and at risk for bone fractures may be helped somewhat by giving them both vitamin D and calcium, according to the results of a new...

Rumors of PepsiCo's bid for Danone gain substance

US-based PepsiCo has engaged investment banks Morgan Stanley and UBS to advise on a possible takeover of Danone, the French bottled water, yoghurt and biscuits group, according to a report...

Calcium may prevent polyps but cancer not clear

Calcium supplements might stop the development of polyps that sometimes lead to colon cancer but there is not enough evidence that the mineral can prevent colorectal cancer itself, finds a...

Calcium phosphate may reduce cholesterol levels

Supplements of calcium phosphate could help lower cholesterol levels, according to a German study out this month.

Weekly Comment

A strategy for beating China

As Chinese producers move in on western markets, the first response by many established players is to protect and defend their previous market positions. It's a doomed strategy.

Irish dairy farmers get IT wake-up call

The latest IT systems on offer to help dairy farmers have been displayed at a major farming event in Ireland amid concerns that Irish dairy farmers are not making full...

A first, pectin ingredient enters Cargill's portfolio

Acquisitive US ingredients firm Cargill leapfrogs into a leading pectin position as the Citrico acquisition clears allowing pectin products to fall into Cargill's portfolio, reports Lindsey Partos.

Campina merger targets branded dairy trend

Campina will merge its European dairy businesses to insulate against retailer pressure and take advantage of growing consumer demand for branded, added value dairy products, reports Chris Mercer.

High pressure processing pushes to the fore

High pressure processing is emerging as one of the prime technologies food producers are using to extend the relatively short shelf life for their chilled products, reports Ahmed ElAmin.

Probiotics' anti-cancer potential recognised by French

French probiotics firm Institut Rosell-Lallemand said it has been included in a new government initiative to pool research into cancer prevention and treatment.

Demand for wood-sourced vanillin soars on price pressures for vanilla

Food makers turn to wood-sourced vanillin as high oil prices continue to put pressure on the price of petrochemical-based vanilla alternatives, and natural vanilla stocks remain vulnerable,writes Lindsey Partos.

Glanbia focuses on nutrition innovation

Glanbia Nutritionals has officially opened its Ireland-based innovation centre, a key part of its strategy for growth in higher value ingredients.

GM dairy herd promises 'medicine milk'

A New Zealand research group plans to create a genetically modified dairy herd capable of producing 'medicinal milk' that it says may be used to fight a range of diseases...

Tetra Pak markets extended shelf life systems

Tetra Pak has adopted a new strategy in selling its processing and packaging systems to dairy companies looking to extend the shelf life of their products.

Weekly comment

Let food be thy medicine

A society that views food as taste-bud entertainment rather than a basic of well-being was always bound to run into health problems. But with obesity now afflicting 300m people, and...

EU scuppers Codex Parmesan standard

The 512 Italian dairies licensed to make Parmigiano-Reggiano, 'Parmesan' cheese to many, are celebrating a muted victory over copycat producers across the world after the EU successfully blocked moves for...

Cargill drives into whey derivatives market through Brazilian buy

Signing yet another deal to feed its seemingly insatiable appetite for acquisitions, US ingredients firm Cargill makes a drive into the whey derivatives market, reports Lindsey Partos.

Food scientist shortage damaging UK's R&D future

The lack of food science recruits in the UK is unsustainable if the country wants to remain a centre for innovation and avoid becoming the food industry's global admin office,...

UK exports gain footholds in new markets

The UK's food and drink exporters are gaining footholds in emerging markets, while sales of meat and dairy exports are beginning to pick up, according to market consultancy, Food from...

Calcium reduces osteoporosis risk for women on the Pill

Oral contraceptives may prevent young women from attaining optimal bone mass and increase their chances of developing osteoporosis in later life. But a new study from Purdue University indicates that...

Probiotic may help manage IBS symptoms, says Institut Rosell

A probiotic formulation developed by French/Canadian company Institut Rosell reduced symptoms associated with IBS in tests on a rat model, writes Dominique Patton.

Ultrasound project to manipulate dairy processing

Scientists are developing ultrasound technology for the dairy industry capable of slashing production costs and enabling new, high-value products by manipulating ingredients during processing, writes Chris Mercer.

EU food platform pumps funding into R&D for food industry

Food makers and ingredients firms will benefit from a new European platform that will prioritise research and development initiatives to keep the €800 billion food and drink industry competitive,reports Lindsey...

Listeria risk: authority tells food industry to toughen controls

Tighter controls need to be adopted by both the food industry and consumers to limit the spread of the harmful food pathogen Listeria monocytogenes, concludes a new report.

Tester detects heat exchanger cracks in minutes

A tester being marketed by a UK company can detect cracks within five minutes in heat exchangers used to pasteurise products such as milk and juice, according to a spokesman.

Scientists develop fast bacteria detector

A new DNA-based test machine for identifying deadly bacteria is faster, easier to use and more precise than some methods currently used by food and beverage processors, according to research...

Weekly Comment

Food intolerance: a scientific void

It is time to draw on science to establish once and for all whether food intolerance is just a source of succour for hypochondriacs, or whether it is genuinely a...

Butterfat consolidation through Glanbia and Corman link up

Ireland's leading butterfat supplier Glanbia has signed a joint venture agreement with Belgian group Corman, to make and market dairy spreads and butterfat products.

Parmesan puzzle heads Codex labelling debate

While debates on ingredient labelling and on Parmesan cheese are among the main issues at this week's meeting of the Codex Alimentarius, other items on the agenda include codes of...

Huge costs of terror attack on US milk supply

The US milk supply chain is still too vulnerable to a terrorist attack, says new research, warning that stricter security could save billions of dollars and thousands of lives, reports...

New CAP reforms may boost UK dairy

Milk prices paid to UK producers are notoriously low, yet tough streamlining has positioned the dairy industry well to cope with new EU CAP reforms and subsidy cuts that seem...