SIG relishes aseptic supply chain challenges

SIG Combibloc has outlined the challenges in attaining full supply chain sustainability of the major raw material for its Europe-made aseptic cartons and hailed the environmental and commercial benefits secured.

News in brief

Saputo completes acquisition of F&A Dairy of California

Saputo, the largest dairy processor in Canada, has completed its $44.5 m acquisition of F&A Dairy of California, which manufactures mozzarella, provolone and whey products.

Commission offers €20m for new round of dairy promotion projects

The Commission has today approved plans to launch a special round of promotion programmes with €20m in EU funding for the struggling dairy sector.

Omega-3 milk maker turns record H1 profits

Spanish food company, Ebro Puleva, has bucked the recession by registering a record first half result, with net profits surging 25 per cent to €98 million on turnover of €1.12 billion.

News in brief

NASDAQ bell ringing highlights US ice cream growth

The US ice cream and dairy industries turned out in force to end the day’s trading on the NASDAQ and emphasise the innovation and strength in the industry.

Allergy specialists suggest warning symbol for foods, non-foods

Use of a common symbol to indicate the presence of individual allergens in food and personal care products could help allergy sufferers identify products to avoid – especially in multi-lingual...

Organic nutrition review a call for stronger science

A new review of studies on the nutritional content of organic and conventional produce has broadly concluded that there are no differences – but the investigators raise big concerns over...

Self cleaning barcode system cuts costs and downtime, says company

A unique self-cleaning method that ensures low cost of ownership, minimal downtime and high quality printing of barcodes onto outer case packaging are the benefits claimed by the manufacturers...

Probiotics may reduce cold and 'flu symptoms for children

A daily supplement of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains may reduce the incidence of cold and 'flu-like symptoms in children by 50 per cent, says a new study from Danisco.

Milk guzzling children may live longer, says study

Consuming plenty of dairy products at a young age may lower stroke risk and lead to a longer life, according to a 65-year follow up study.

New process used to cut cholesterol in cheddar 45 per cent

Alliance Enterprises has applied its new processing technology to cheddar cheese and claims to have reduced the cholesterol content by 45 per cent, without affecting the original taste or mouth feel.

Unilever cuts trans fats from soft spreads

Unilever has announced that it will cut the trans fats from its soft spreads, while keeping levels of saturated fat below two grams per serving – even though it...

New enzyme makes melamine detection easier and cheaper, say researchers

A simple and cheap method of testing for melamine contamination of milk and other foods has been developed thanks to the discovery of a new enzyme, said US researchers.

Danone to resubmit EU probiotic health claims

Danone, the French dairy giant, will resubmit withdrawn gut and immunity probiotic health claims to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), after receiving guidance from the European Union’s head science...

Comment

Imagining a world where we eat less meat

Cutting back meat consumption is the new darling cause of pop stars. But if necessary environmental and health goals are to be achieved, the whole supply chain needs to be...

Commission raises alarm over dairy supply chain imbalances

The EU Commission has raised the alarm over the failure of dairy prices at the check-out to follow commodity prices downwards as competition authorities in the UK extend a dairy...

News in brief

Danone results suggest “the worst is over for dairy”

Danone has reported solid sales and margin growth for the second quarter, prompting an analyst to declare that “it appears that the worst is over for dairy volumes”.

Dairy innovation should encourage Swiss seniors: Survey

Swiss over-50s need appealing new dairy products to encourage increased calcium intake and reduce osteoporosis risk, says a new survey that identifies the tastes and preferences of this important consume...

CLA may protect against elderly muscle loss

Supplementation with conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) prevented age-related muscle loss in mice, says a new study using Lipid Nutrition’s Clarinol ingredient.

New oxygen scavenging technology boosts PET packing performance

New oxygen scavenging technology for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers that allows for lightweighting and prolongs shelf life has received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, said manufacturers Constar.

Commission rejects quota reduction pleas in dairy crisis report

The European Commission has rejected any reduction in milk quotas despite protests from dairy farmers struggling to cope with falling prices.

DSM completes cottage cheese testing for MaxiCurd

DSM has successfully trialled its MaxiCurd granulated protein hydrolysate in cottage cheese applications and claims it can bring yield and cost benefits to manufacturers.

Van Beek delivers screw conveyor for making cheddar cheese

Van Beek has delivered a trough conveyor to Tetra Pak Tebel that allows salted curds to be mixed as they are transported during the production of cheddar cheese.

EFSA health claim opinion

EFSA rejects probiotic immunity health claim

The string of probiotic health claim rejections has continued with the European Food Safety Authority rejecting another emerging science dossier for failing to demonstrate its proposed health benefit.

Comment

Mainstream press ‘exposed’ for health claim sensationalism

Not again! As if industry is not struggling enough with the severity of the European Food Safety Authority’s nutrition and health claims rulings so far, the situation has not been...

New cheese ripening process promises to boost profits

Chr. Hansen has developed a new cheese ripening process that it claims will add €1.5m to the profits of an average-size continental dairy.

News in brief

CIAA elects Pérez as president

The Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries of the EU has elected Jesús Serafín Pérez, CEO of Spanish firm Fuensanta, as the new president of its board....

Senator calls for investigation into Dean Foods

US Senator Bernie Sanders has called for a Justice Department investigation into Dean Foods for potential antitrust violations, accusing the dairy company of profiting as dairy farmers suffer.

Ice-cream testing made simple with near infrared analyser

A new, easy and quick way to test ice-cream mix has been made possible thanks to the calibration for a near infrared analyser, said manufacturers Foss.

Leading dairy firms on track despite market weakness

Glanbia and Dairy Crest have both reported this week that business is continuing in line with expectations but warned that dairy ingredients markets are weak.

Consumers prepared to pay for nutritional panel: Study

Spanish consumers are more willing to pay a premium for food products that carry a nutritional panel on packaging than for those that just make a ‘light’ claim, according to...

Pre-, probiotics combo may reduce food allergy: Danone study

A supplement combining a prebiotic fibre and a probiotic strain may reduce allergic responses to cow’s milk, when used in conjunction with small amounts of whey, says a new...

Dairy farmers hit the streets calling for lower milk quota

Thousands of dairy farmers took to the streets of Strasbourg this week to call on the new President of the EU Parliament to take action against low prices and deregulation.

Comment

Safety is no accident in food factories

Industrial accidents are not funny. Does anyone need a reminder? Apparently yes; judging by how some headline writers and bloggers made light of the plight of Vincent Smith who died...

EFSA highlights dairy cow welfare needs

The genetic selection of dairy cows to increase milk yields needs to be accompanied by appropriate measures to ensure the welfare of the animals, according to a recent opinion...

Deals woo shoppers back to ethical, premium products

UK supermarket Tesco says it has seen sales of its premium, organic and fair-trade products return to growth this year, as special offers on top notch goods convince shoppers that...

Calls for supermarkets to publish packing stats rubbished as publicity stunt

Calls by town hall chiefs to force UK supermarkets to publish packaging statistics have been dismissed as a publicity stunt by an industry body, which said retailers already use the...

Fonterra to provide funding to struggling dairy farmers

New Zealand dairy cooperative Fonterra has announced that it will lend NZ$15m to its 50 percent-owned subsidiary RD1 in order to make more interest-free credit available to cash-strapped dairy farmers.

CLA may aid weight loss in diabetic women

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) may help reduce body fat mass in post-menopausal women with type 2 diabetes, says a new study.

Dow polypropylene products gain expanded food contact status

Dow has announced two of its polypropylene (PP) resins for use in injection moulded applications in the food industry have been granted expanded food contact status by the US...

News in brief

Review supports health benefits of dairy

Three to four servings a day of dairy foods may benefit child nutrition, help with bone and cardiovascular health, and help maintain weight, according to a new review.

Organic sector to coordinate on key messages

The UK’s organic sector is waking up to the need to market its key messages and is planning a conference to examine consumer attitudes and share experiences.

Natural cheese flavors for healthier products, lower cost

Sensient Flavors has released a new range of natural cheese flavors to help cut costs for manufacturers who are subject to fluctuating dairy costs and to respond to consumer...

NZ unpasteurised milk proposal moves closer to reality

New Zealand’s Food Safety Authority has received a dozen responses supporting a proposal to allow the manufacture, sale and import and export of unpasteurised dairy products, and which would open...

News in brief

FDA files complaint against New York cheese maker

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken legal action against a New York-based cheese producer, claiming that unsanitary conditions at the company’s plant pose a public health...

Codex issues new standards on bacteria and chemicals for food manufacturers

New guidelines and codes of practice on acrylamides, follow-on baby formula and listeria testing in ready–to-eat foods were just some of the 30 standards adopted by Codex this week.

YoCream makes clinically-backed probiotic frozen yogurt

Danisco and YoCream are claiming a US first with the launch of a frozen yoghurt product containing Howaru Dophilus probiotic cultures, which have been clinically researched for digestive health benefits.

US consumers think natural is greener than organic, says survey

American consumers believe that a ‘natural’ label claim is a better indicator of an eco-friendly product than ‘organic’, according to a new survey from advertising firm the Shelton Group.

News in brief

Canadian organic certification comes into effect

Canada’s new organic certification standards went into effect on Tuesday, June 30, opening up trade opportunities for Canadian organic products.

EFSA says ‘no’ to probiotic health claims guidance

The European Food Safety Authority is unlikely to consider setting guidance for probiotic health claims, despite mounting pressure from industry and the scientific community stressing the need for a clear...

Symrise targets authentic natural flavours with new analysis tool

Symrise has developed a new tool for comprehensive flavour analysis which it says will enable it to produce more authentic profiles quickly and efficiently – and develop more true...

New Zealand backs A1 milk safety

Regular milk has won a vote of support for its general safety after the New Zealand government backed a European assessment that found no concerns about the A1 casein forms...

Probiotics to boom despite trust issues, says researcher

Brits are responding to successful marketing from the likes of Danone and Yakult and embracing digestive health products such as probiotic yoghurts and drinks, but the market has plenty of...