Breaking News on Industrial Baking & Snacks

Acquisitions integrating smoothly, says Finsbury Foods

UK-based Finsbury Food Group yesterday reported continues sales growth across its bakery products, and that its recent acquisitions have integrated smoothly.

Raisio mulls Nokia mill closure

Raisio has revealed that it is considering shutting down its grain mill in Nokia, Finland, to raise profitability in the face of changing market conditions.

General Mills sales rise 6 per cent after restructuring

General Mills yesterday said it achieved growth in both annual net sales and operating profits, after cutting ties with underperforming sectors.

Potential quality benefits for grain and flour

Foss has updated its original grain and flour analyser to improve its efficiency in quality analysis for millers.

Conveyer-mounted equipment improves quality and yield

Heat and Control has unveiled two new conveyer-mountable products that could help food processors improve both yield and product quality in plants.

Happier outlook for the folic acid debate

Adding folic acid to bread could help fight depression, according to new research by the University of York and Hull York Medical School.

Cinnamon again linked to better blood sugar

Using cinnamon as a functional ingredient may lead to slower emptying of the stomach and reduce the rise in blood sugar after eating, says a new study.

Scottish cookie company to adopt traffic light labelling

Paterson Arran claims to be the first manufacturer in Scotland to use the Food Standard Agency's traffic light labelling system on its products.

New wheat identification process developed

A new wheat verification process that identifies proteins is faster than other methods, its developer claims.

Weekly comment

Clinical trials - gold standard or white elephant?

Randomised clinical trials are the ultimate. Forget what the observational studies tell us, if the RCT gives us an answer it must be the final word, right? Wrong.

Investor Peltz takes stake in Kraft

US activist investor Nelson Peltz has bought a 3 per cent stake in Kraft Foods, giving him some control over the food company's future.

Novel hunger-stopping glucan from probiotics

Reuteran - a novel alpha-glucan produced by the bacteria Lactobacillus reuteri - could be finding its way into bakery and dairy products as a weight management ingredient, Dutch scientists have reported.

A breath of fresh air for bakery employees

A new air conditioning system directs air to individual workers, while not cooling the rest of the factory.

Is fruit peel the next snack craze?

One in five UK adults regularly snack on or eat fruit peel as part of their diet, according to a survey released this week.

Food firms asked to follow Kellogg's 'socially responsible' lead

A number of major food firms in the US have been called upon to follow the lead of the Kellogg Company, by restricting food marketing to children and improving the nutritional profile of their kid-oriented products.

Modular belt reduces wastage, company claims

A new plastic modular belt could help reduce product loss in plants, its manufacturer claims.

Guar gum - science builds for health benefits

Guar gum, extensively used as an emulsifier, thickener and stabiliser, may also have potential as a health ingredient for lowering cholesterol levels, suggests new research.

UK regulator issues guidance on reducing mycotoxins

A new guide for cereal farmers on reducing mycotoxins aims to reduce the presence of the toxin in the food supply chain.

Australia gives go-ahead for GM wheat testing

The first ever Australian field trials of genetically modified wheat will take place in Victoria this year, as the government aims to fight possible food shortages caused by drought.

Vivartia expands into Saudi Arabian bakery market

Greece's largest dairy and food processor yesterday announced its expansion into the Saudi Arabian bakery market.

UK firm develops natural smoke flavour

A UK company claims it has developed a natural alternative to traditional flavourings for food manufacturers wanting to give their products a smoky taste.

Consumers demand functional "low and light" products

The market for "low and light" products continued to grow in 2006, but some consumers have started to opt instead for probiotic and wholegrain foods, according to research published by Leatherhead Food International.

Weekly comment

A sobering thought for the alcohol industry

Much against my own better judgement, there are some issues it seems, where corporate social responsibility must really live up to its name and truly look after its consumers.

Bakery industry concerned by folic acid recommendation

Following debate by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) yesterday, the baking industry has raised further concerns over recommendations that folic acid be added to either flour or bread.

Walkers to restructure bakery operations

Walkers Shortbread this week announced the closure of its fresh goods bakery as part of a move to increase profitability.

Cognis updates Lametop bakery emulsifier line

Cognis has developed a new Lametop 500 line of emulsifiers for the European bakery industry that it says is more sophisticated than previous offerings and can improve product volume at a lower cost.

Kellogg reveals major shift in marketing practices to kids

The Kellogg Company today announced it will adopt nutrition standards for the products it markets to children, pledging to reformulate those products that fall short of the criteria, or to cease marketing them altogether.

Chinese import crackdown follows nut seizure

China yesterday launched a crackdown on US food imports following the seizure of "rancid" pistachio nuts, in a move that mirrors the treatment of exports going the other way.

DSM launches breakthrough enzyme for white bread

DSM Food Specialities is introducing a new enzyme in its Let's BakeZyme range, this time targeting dough development, crumb colour and volume in white bread

Study claims snacking on pistachios can help reduce cholesterol

A four-week pistachio diet can help reduce cholesterol levels in people with moderate hypercholesterolemia, without weight gain, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition in April.

CSM expands North American bakery segments

CSM announced this week its acquisition of the North American bakery supplier Titterington's, as the company aims to expand its operations in the region.

Addition of folic acid at milling stage shifts cost burden

A UK food safety panel is recommending that the mandatory addition of folic acid should be made at the milling stage rather than at the manufacturing stage, shifting the cost burden to suppliers.

PepsiCo to open second snack plant in Russia

PepsiCo will build a second snack manufacturing plant in Russia to meet the growing demand in the country.

Germany issues warning on Internet apricot kernels

The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) yesterday warned consumers about buying potentially poisonous apricot kernel snacks over the internet.

ADM to build cocoa processing plant in Ghana

Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), one of the largest suppliers of cocoa to the UK bakery market, announced yesterday the construction of a processing facility in Kumasi, Ghana.

Tate & Lyle unveils Promitor to help bridge fibre gap

Tate & Lyle has announced the introduction of a new line of branded fibre ingredients called Promitor, which can be used in a broad range of food products to help consumers meet fibre intake targets.

FDA identifies food safety, labeling priorities

Determining the regulatory status of salt and developing methods to detect low levels of trans fats in foods have been flagged up as priorities by the US food regulatory agency in a report issued this week.

Nestle sets out 10 year health and wellness model

Nestle is eyeing organic growth in health, wellness and nutrition of five to six per cent over the next ten years, the chief financial officer was due to told investors at a seminar today.

Weekly comment

Could organic eat itself?

Just when organic food has begun to make a noticeable dent in the overall food market, air freighting - a measure that solves the segment's biggest current problem - is facing potential prohibition.

Cargill, Coca-Cola develop natural sweetener

Agribusiness Cargill has teamed up with Coca-Cola to market a new calorie-free natural sweetener made from the South American herb Stevia.

Chr Hansen to sell coatings and excipients division

Chr Hansen has announced plans to divest its coatings and excipients business in order to focus on core activities in cultures, enzymes, natural colours and flavours.

CSM sells frozen bread operations for 7.7m

CSM has announced that it is selling its French frozen bread operations to Neuhauser for €7.7m, a move that follows heavy restructuring to improve efficiency of its European bakery supply unit.

Growth strategy pays off for Heinz

Heinz yesterday posted 4.1 per cent growth in sales for its 2007 fiscal year results as it benefited from improving fortunes within Europe and its regional operations in markets like Asia and Latin America.