Breaking News on Industrial Baking & Snacks

PAVA’s future starch sales negotiations to minimise financial risk

Russian grain processor PAVA says it is already in negotiations with major firms to supply products from its new grain fractionation plant, due to be up and running by 2010.

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Advertising push credited for Kellogg’s 3Q earnings boost

Kellogg’s has attributed its third quarter net earnings growth of 12 per cent to aggressive advertising but said that it will need to scale back soon.

CASH turns spotlight on salty breakfasts

New research has shown that many commonly consumed breakfast items contain ‘surprising’ levels of salt – but food manufacturers point to the progress they have already made in reformulating products.

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Warburtons bread flagged as highest in salt

Warburtons bread has been discovered to contain more salt than any other in the UK, according to a study carried out by The Independent.

Obesity blame game offers market opportunities

Consumers are shifting blame for obesity problems in the US on to food manufacturers, saying they should provide healthier products and holding them more responsible than fast-food firms, according to analysts.

Could heart-healthy pistachios be the new pomegranate?

Pistachio growers in the US are hoping that as another study emerges highlighting the health benefits of pistachios, the nuts may gain the kind of consumer recognition pomegranates have achieved in recent years.

New yeast strain could biofortify bakery with folate: study

Carefully selecting the yeast strain for bakery could result in natural biofortication of the product with folate, and remove the need to add synthetic folic acid, suggests a new study.

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Grain supplier merger gets shareholder backing

The merger of grain suppliers Centaur Grain and Grainfarmers has gained the backing of shareholders meaning that the deal is only dependent on High Court approval, expected mid-November.

Price-fixing in the food industry

Competition authorities are sniffing about the food industry for evidence of price-fixing activities. A partner at law firm Eversheds explains how cartels come about, and why food may be a fertile breeding ground.

Whey-protein could give reduced fat deep-fried foods: study

Whey protein isolates may reduce the fat content of deep-fried foods without affecting the hardness or crunchiness of the finished food, says new research.

Melamine found in imported Chinese eggs in Hong Kong

Hong Kong officials say they have found dangerous levels of melamine in a brand of eggs imported from China prompting fears that the chemical has found its way into animal feed.

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Hong Kong Krispy Kreme franchisee to enter liquidation

US company Krispy Kreme Doughnuts has announced that its Hong Kong franchisee will go into liquidation, a move which will become official when it meets with creditors on November 12.

Soy milk by-product targets healthy bakery sector

A new fibre and protein ingredient from okara, a by-product of soy milk production, is to make its debut on the European stage at HIE next week, targeting healthy bakery and flour-based products.

New icing stabilisers provide better melting and spreadability

Cargill has developed two new stabiliser ranges, including one for use in remotely prepared icings, which it claims simulate the easy-application properties of direct use icings.

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Wheat Exports Australia appoints new CEO

Wheat Exports Australia (WEA) has announced the official appointment of new CEO Peter Woods, following an Australia-wide recruitment process.

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Frozen baked goods pioneer dies, aged 95

Chester E. Borck, founder of Country Home Bakers, died on October 18, aged 95.

Unpackaged bread overlooked in UK law change

Ancient laws governing the size of bread in the UK are to be overturned in April but will only apply to prepackaged loaves. Those at the craft end of the industry may have to wait another two years.

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EC ratifies reintroduction of grain import duties

The European Commission has published its decision to reintroduce customs duties on grain imports in its Official Journal, meaning that the duties will come into force in three days’ time.

Melton Mowbray pork pies win EU protection

After a ten-year struggle, Melton Mowbray pork pies have secured Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status to become the first cooked recipe-based product in the UK to receive the protection.

New SunOpta deal expands vegetable oil business

SunOpta is continuing its march into the organic vegetable oils sector as it announces a new deal with Daabon Organic USA to distribute organic palm oil products.

BakeMark launches butter-margarine baking blends on UK market

BakeMark UK has launched a range of baking fats containing a mix of butter and margarine designed specifically for use in cakes and pastries.

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Kellogg’s Snacks UK appoints new general manager

Kellogg’s has extended the responsibilities of UK marketing director Kevin Brennan to incorporate the position of general manager of Kellogg’s Snacks.

Ingredient use key to optimising whey functional potential - industry

Despite a growing focus on finished whey products, one leading representative believes future development of the protein will be predominantly driven by its use as an ingredient in functional foods.

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Bakery cooks up McCain, Obama marketing plan

US bakery and gift concierge Wonderland Bakery is incorporating election fever into its product marketing by offering customers Sweet Vote cookies representing their preferred candidates and party.

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Premier denies reports of Kipling sell-off

Premier Foods has refuted press reports that it is considering selling its popular Mr Kipling cake brand, saying that the business is growing.

Dispatches from SIAL

Gourmet Pidy edible spoon targets baking sophistication

Surviving, and thriving, in a pressing economic climate will dominate the modus operandi for bakers and pastry makers active in today's, and tomorrow's, market and innovative concepts that can ramp up underlying growth are essential, such as the award-winning edible spoons from Belgian firm Gourmet Pidy.

MGP Ingredients outsources flour supply to boost profits

MGP Ingredients has announced that it has stopped production at its Atchison flour mill in Kansas and intends to switch the sourcing of its wheat flour to ConAgra for its protein and starch ingredients.

Weight management has ‘untapped potential’, says Euromonitor

Manufacturers are hungry for ingredients that can aid weight management, says a new report from Euromonitor, but long-term advantages will only come with legislative approval and consumer education.

European Union to reintroduce grain import duties

The EU has announced plans to reintroduce import duties on cereals in order to safeguard European farmers from plummeting grain prices.

Cost of caramel colors rises

DD Williamson is warning its customers that the price of its caramel colors could increase by up to 30 percent next year due to economic conditions.

Chilled food production: new guide looks at risks and controls

A third edition of a guide to chilled foods stresses the increased risks involved with global sourcing of ingredients for the sector, and claims the need for appropriate controls has never been greater.

MGP Ingredients announces strategy to counter market volatility

US grain-based ingredients company MGP Ingredients has outlined its new customer-focussed strategy for dealing with volatile grain markets after registering its first net loss for a decade.

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Fazer agrees Lantmännen bread business acquisition

Fazer Group has agreed a deal to acquire farmer-owned Swedish cooperative Lantmännen Färskbröd which would make it the second-largest producer of bakery products in Sweden.

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UK ports and authorities advised of stricter melamine tests

The UK Food Standards Agency wrote to all UK ports and local authorities on Wednesday to advise them of a European Commission decision for stricter melamine testing.

New system to save energy in baking process

MIWE has developed a heat recovery system which could provide bakers with significant energy savings by converting up to 25 per cent of energy used in baking back into hot water.

Flour protein quality test could eliminate need for test-baking

The European Bakery Innovation Centre (EBIC) has introduced a flour protein quality testing kit which it claims accurately determines protein quality by measuring gluten changes during dough mixing and could eliminate the need for test-baking.

Finished product groups are next target in whey functional push

With dairy companies increasingly looking to push whey as functional ingredient, the industry says it must do more to court and target leading food manufacturers to make use of the additive’s potential benefits.

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Spanish firm’s biscuit branch still open to offers

Spanish food group SOS Cuetara said on Tuesday that the sale process for its biscuit unit is still open and generating interest, according to a Reuters report.

Russian flour mill increases production with new machinery

Russian grain processor PAVA aims to increase the quality and volume of its wheat flour production with the installation of a new grain dampening unit at its Rebrikha mill.

Hochdorf takes lupin ingredient into new food types

Hochdorf Nutrifood is extending the application possibilities for its lupin seed-derived ingredient, introducing it as a fat replacer for meat and bakery products as well as a milk and lactose alternative in confectionery.

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Premier Foods seeks investment to cut debt

The UK’s biggest food manufacturer is seeking investment to bolster its share price and cut its debt which stood at £1.8bn at the end of June.

Pectin may protect against cancer: Study

A fragment released from pectin may protect against cancer by binding to a protein that plays a role in all stages of cancer progression, suggests new research from the UK.

Melamine crisis makes manufacturers extra-cautious over safety

The fall-out from the melamine crisis in China is prompting manufacturers to be super careful about sourcing safe ingredients, say industry sources – not just dairy and not just those coming from China.

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Acrylaway given green light for sale in Singapore

Acrylaway, the acrylamide-reducing enzyme from Novozymes, has been approved and released for sale in Singapore following its global launch last year.

Testing could reveal ‘perfect egg’ for bakery

Researchers at Campden BRI have devised a way to measure eggs’ performance during cooking which they say could lead to the discovery of the perfect egg for use in bakery products.

Vanillin alternative targets active ingredient applications

Symrise is highlighting its aldehyde-free vanillin flavor, which it said can be used in functional food, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications without compromising active ingredients or causing browning in products.

Study pinpoints cashew allergens which survive processing

Researchers at Florida State University have found that key proteins in cashew nuts survive even after processing, which may lead to more accurate detection of allergens in mixed ingredient food processing environments.

Food makers to stay on the alert for contaminated guar gum

Food makers must be on the alert for contaminated consignments of guar gum after Czech authorities detect unacceptable levels of toxic dioxins in a border batch.

Norwegian consumer demand drives organic grain subsidies

The Norwegian Agricultural Authority (SLF) has announced a one-third increase in subsidies to organic grain farmers in an effort to meet ambitious government targets and growing consumer demand.

GRAS status for commercial canola proteins

A company which produces two canola protein isolates claims to have become the first to achieve GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status for use in food in the US.

GlycaNova seeks novel foods approval for Lentinex – round three

Danish company GlycaNova is waiting for a final opinion from the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) on its proposed lentinan-rich extract from shiitake mushrooms (Lentinus edodes).

Gelatine costs rise amidst financial wobbles

A global producer of Gelatin-based products for use in functional food formulations says it has no choice but to raise the prices for its goods, owing to increasing material and energy costs.

WRAP to fund waste reducing packaging and processing projects

The UK government-funded Waste Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is inviting proposals for projects to design, develop and trial innovative processes and approaches to reduce waste in the food supply chain.

Communication key to success in the Russian bakery market

Specialty bread and pastry manufacturers need to focus on strong customer relations if they wish to succeed in the expanding Russian market, says a market insider.

Proposed new cacao classifications may boost disease resistance

Reclassification of cacao trees into ten distinct genetic sets may lead to enhanced cultivation and cross-breeding, according to research from confectionery giant Mars.

Caloric overload may disrupt brain functions: Study

Consuming too many calories may disturb the pathway in the brain that directly affects food intake and body weight, according to a new study.

Cereals for kids still high in sugar, consumer report

Driven by consumer demand, formulators are cutting the sugar and salt content from a host of products for kids, but a recent cross-nation report that honed in on breakfast cereals for children suggests more work is required, particularly in the US.

News roundup: melamine’s effects on bakery and snack sector

The Chinese melamine contamination scandal has forced those in the bakery sector to think carefully about products which might contain any form of milk or protein, from biscuits and cake mixes to high-protein energy bars.

Round two in Which? versus the 'cartoon villains'

A new report from Which? has struck out again against the use of cartoon characters to market foods for children, accusing the industry of exploiting a loophole that allows for company-owned characters to be used on unhealthy products.

Fonterra launches improved protein range for nutrition bars

Fonterra has launched a new range of concentrated dairy proteins for the nutritional bar market which it claims solve the discolouration, texture and shelf-life issues associated with traditional proteins.