Breaking News on Dairy Processing & Markets

Velvety PETG film protects drinks from light damage

Printpack has developed a new PETG film with a matte finish and light protection barrier to help fruit juice and dairy product makers replace expensive containers.

Dairy Management gives innovation website a makeover

Dairy Management (DMI) has given its innovation website a makeover with a new navigation system, and extra market and technical information for manufacturers.

Arla unites R&D resources with new milk protein centre

Arla Food Ingredients has opened a new application centre in Aarhus, Denmark, consolidating its R&D facilities as part of its plan to double milk protein sales by 2013.

IDFA plans new annual dairy trade show

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) has published plans for a new annual trade show to replace its existing show at the Worldwide Food Expo.

News in brief

Danone and Yakult confirm probiotics research grants

The Global Probiotics Council (GPC) has announced two $50,000 grants for young researchers in the field of probiotics.

NIZO management buy-out breaks with the past

The management of NIZO Food Research has reached an agreement with the NIZO foundation to buy out 100 per cent of the shares in the research company, bringing to an end over 60 years of connection to the dairy industry.

SIG gives combiSmart screw cap wings

SIG has added wings to its combiSmart screw cap to make small cartons of products like condensed milk and cream easier to open.

New CSK strains to improve low fat cheese

CSK Food Enrichment has unveiled a new selection of strains to improve the texture and flavour of low fat cheese.

Fonterra invests in growing Malaysian market

Fonterra has completed a NZ$12m plant expansion in Malaysia as the dairy market in the country grows in sophistication.

Weekly comment

Tackling E.coli – legislation or self-regulation?

Everybody wants food to be safe - but the recent slugging match over how best to protect US consumers from E.coli-tainted meat highlights whether legislation or self-regulation is the answer to mending the country's flawed safety system.

News in brief

Packaging mix-up leads to ice cream recall

A limited number of Breyers ice cream tubs that may contain undeclared wheat are being recalled by makers Unilever in conjunction with the FDA.

Probiotics to star in new TV documentary series

Probiotics are to take centre stage in a new series of TV documentaries, the first of which will be screened next Fall on major TV channels in the United States, including Public Service Broadcasting outlets, National Geographic and Discovery, along with European and Asian networks.

Five dairy servings a day can trigger weight loss, says study

New research suggests that increasing dairy consumption from three to five servings a day in the context of a reduced calorie diet can help fight obesity.

News in brief

Japanese links help Hilmar to dairy export award

Hilmar Ingredients has highlighted its Japanese trade links after being named 2009 Exporter of the Year by Dairy Foods Magazine.

Tetra Pak's 1.5 billion eco-cartons in UK & Ireland

Tetra Pak has given a boost to its green credentials after announcing that more than 1.5 billion of its cartons on sale in the UK and Ireland in the next year will carry the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label.

Costa Rican omega-3 milk irons out UHT problems

Austrian-based microencapsulation specialist, GAT Food Essentials, is supplying latin America’s largest dairy with an omega-3 form that is allowing the dairy to offer a difficult to achieve, non-chilled milk containing both iron and the healthy lipid.

EFSA publishes probiotic guidance

Genetic typing, internationally recognised naming protocols and evidence of consistency in the final product have been highlighted by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) as critical factors for probiotic health claim submissions.

Dairy fund should support promotional schemes, says Dairy UK

Promotional schemes to increase demand for dairy products should be the focus of the new €280m emergency dairy fund, according to Dairy UK.

Benecol debuts in Colombia

Raisio has launched its cholesterol-lowering Benecol products into its fourth south American market, Columbia, as the result of a deal inked with Columbian dairy, Colanta.

Chr. Hansen highlights science behind probiotics

Chr. Hansen is remarketing its probiotics to underline their scientific backing as the industry reels from EFSA’s mass rejection of probiotic dossiers.

News in brief

Study makes lower lactose intolerance estimate

A US study published in Nutrition Today suggests that lactose intolerance may be less prevalent than previously thought.

New dairy partnership improves dairy product safety and shelf-life

Improved safety standards and longer shelf life are claimed to stem from a new marketing collaboration between Danisco and DuPont Qualicon. The venture matches Danisco’s patented protective cultures with DuPont’s Qualicon detection system for the early prediction of shelf life in naturally protected dairy products.

Senators propose country of origin labeling for dairy

Ohio’s Senator Sherrod Brown has introduced legislation in Congress that proposes extending country of origin labeling (COOL) to include dairy products.

Tetra Pak launches 'unique' hermetic direct driven dairy separator

The world’s first hermetic direct driven dairy separator cuts energy consumption by more than a third and doubles production time said manufacturers Tetra Pak as it launched the system today.

Weekly comment

Branded Corn Flakes are great for branding

Will we all be waking up bleary-eyed to bowls of tattooed Corn Flakes any time soon? Probably not, but by suggesting that we could, Kellogg’s has hit on a winning marketing ploy.

Dairy sector in cautious backing for EU aid

A fund to help bolster the European dairy sector has been welcomed by the industry but the European Dairy Association (EDA) warns it must be spent appropriately.

News in brief

UV alternative to heat pasteurisation gains US approval

Atlantium Technologies has gained regulatory approval in the US for a UV light-based disinfectant system for water used in dairy processing.

Coca-Cola opens new $88m bottling plant in China

Coca-Cola has announced its single largest drinks investment in China with the opening of a RMB 600m ($88m) bottling plant.

New eco-friendly product kills Salmonella, E.coli and, Campylobacter

A new eco-friendly technique to clean and disinfect food, particularly poultry, and food contact surfaces is effective against Salmonella, E.coli and, Campylobacter and a range other pathogens, according to EAU Technologies.

Immune boosting product now low cost, says developer

A new process for the production of the human milk oligosaccharide Fucosyllactose that allows for large-scale production of the saccharide means the immune boosting food ingredient is now low cost, claims its German developer.

Dairy liberalisation not delivering on objectives, says EU court

The European Court of Auditors has warned that dairy market liberalisation could be ill-suited to EU policy aims such as price stability and competitiveness.

Farmers target ‘regular milk’ for probiotic fortification

Ohio-based probiotics specialist, Ganeden Biotech, has signed an agreement that will see it become the exclusive supplier of probiotics to the National Farmers Organization (NFO), with the aim of boosting “the availability of probiotic-enhanced milk.”

Lallemand puts spotlight on immune-benefits for probiotics

Immune health from gut health is not too obscure for consumers, but work needs to be done on identifying the mechanisms involved, said the conclusions from a two-day meeting in Toulouse.

Arla lays claim to lightest milk bottle crown

Arla Foods, through its partnership with Logoplaste, claims to have developed the lightest two pint polybottle for milk in the UK.

UK censors Danone probiotic TV ads

The voluntary UK advertising watchdog has told Danone to cease broadcasting TV adverts that stated its one-shot probiotic drinking yoghurt, Actimel, could boost the immune system of children.

New gelatine product for ‘creamy’ fat-free ice cream

Gelita has developed a new gelatine product for fat reduction in ice cream which it claims gives a smoother, creamier mouthfeel than other low fat products on the market.

News in brief

Thirty years of infant formula regulations

The pro-breast milk lobby is highlighting the fact it is 30 years since WHO and UNICEF-backed regulations came into play to control the content and marketing of baby milk formulas.

Replacing preservatives in desserts with packaging

Israel-based Hefestus is targeting dessert makers with a packaging product that the company claims can extend the shelf life of delicate, gourmet products.

Tate & Lyle launches fat reducing starch for dairy

Tate & Lyle is introducing a modified starch that can be used to reduce fat levels in yoghurt by 30 per cent while still delivering a creamy texture – and can help keep costs down.

Weekly comment

Soda tax: A lot of froth over freedom

Is taxing soda really an evil plan to curb your individual freedom? Conspiracy theories aside, perhaps it’s simply a sensible scheme to tackle obesity when personal choice has failed.

Borregaard launches application-specific vanillin

Borregaard is launching four new vanillin ingredients for use in chocolate, bakery, dairy, and sweets, which are said to be better tuned to the taste of the product.

News in brief

IDC gains European patent for aseptic dispensing tap

International Dispensing (IDC) has been issued with a European patent for The Answer - an aseptic dispensing tap designed to keep perishable drinks like milk fresh for longer.

Germany backs bisphenol A in baby bottles

Germany’s risk watchdog has become the latest official body to declare that bisphenol A (BPA) is safe for “normal” use in baby bottles and should not be banned.

US agriculture head on breaking dairy boom and bust

Restructuring may be needed to break cycles of boom and bust in the dairy industry, said the US agriculture secretary this week, soon after Congress approved a $350m emergency aid package.

Scientists question EFSA probiotic logic

Three University of Reading scientists wrote to the European Commission in July expressing concern about EFSA’s approach to evaluating probiotic article 13.1 dossiers.

Protests overshadow plans for dairy taskforce

Agriculture ministers heard plans for an expert group to study the future of the dairy sector at a meeting in Brussels on Monday - marked more by protests outside than events inside.

Milk protein may protect premature babies from infection

Supplements of the milk protein lactoferrin alone or in combination with a probiotic the reduced incidence of infection in pre-term babies, says a new study.

Yoghurt group unfazed by mass probiotics rejection

The European Food Safety Authority’s mass rejection of probiotic dossiers is not the disaster it appears if ‘technical’ obstacles can be overcome, according to a group that represents the biggest yoghurt players in the world.

News in brief

New boost for recycled PET

Plastic food packaging provider, Par-Pak plans to invest in a process that will decontaminate and purify recycled PET so that it can be re-used for food packaging.

DeLaval admits selling equipment to Mugabe farm

Tetra Pak subsidiary DeLaval has admitted selling dairy equipment to a farm run by the wife of the Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe in a breach of European sanctions.

Weekly comment

Bad day at the EU health claims office

October 1 was not a good day for many in the functional foods and food supplements business in the European Union as the meaning of life under a highly restrictive health claims regime came more into focus.

New carrageenans to help jelly withstand the heat

Danisco is introducing two new carrageenan ingredients for use in powdered jellies and hot milk-based powdered desserts, said to provide a gelatine-like texture but withstand warm conditions better.

Nestle stops sourcing milk from Mugabe farm

Nestle has said it will stop buying milk from a Zimbabwe farm appropriated from white owners and now run by Grace Mugabe, as the dairy board will resume start buying the farm’s milk instead.

Food pasteurization boosts safety and cuts energy use

Healthier and safer food products produced with 10 per cent lower energy consumption are claimed for a new pasteurization technology produced by Raytheon Company.

News in brief

Dairy Crest ends pension scheme

Dairy Crest plans to close its final salary pension scheme to existing members as the firm continues to cut costs in the wake of the dairy crisis.

EFSA health claim opinion

EFSA says yes to third of first Article 13.1 claims

Around one third of the first batch of article 13.1 health claim applications have drawn positive opinions from EFSA. Professor Albert Flynn, the head of EFSA’s health claims assessment panel, tells NutraIngredients.com why some claims were favoured over others.

New yoghurt cultures target texture

Chr Hansen is introducing a new trio of yoghurt cultures said to deliver more texture and to cover different needs in the global market as widely as possible.