On 1 May an historic moment marked the entry of ten countries and
75 million consumers into the European Union. Churchill's 'Iron
Curtain' has been consigned to the history books, heralding
democracy, stability and...
Most British mothers say they know enough about nutrition to give
their children a balanced diet, but most of them are unable to
identify what foods make up such a diet, claims British baker
Warburtons, making a stand for starchy...
Production inspections carried out on organic manufacturers in
Finland last year revealed that some were using conventionally
produced sugar in their products. More worryingly, many companies
have not installed adequate tracing systems.
Offices of bakery ingredients and sweeteners giant CSM were raided
yesterday by the Dutch competition watchdog NMa on suspicions of
price fixing in the firms sugar division CSM Suiker. In a parallel
raid, the NMa hit leading Dutch...
Food manufacturers are under pressure to be able to trace every
product at every stage of the supply chain. Equipment supplier
Mettler Toledo explains the role of weighing and measuring
technology in helping firms to meet stringent...
Most food companies are too short-term focused when it comes to
adopting new technology, claims a packaging expert. They need to
adopt long-term strategic planning and pay closer attention to
changing trends if they wish to stay ahead...
Switzerland's sweet and savoury biscuit sector saw a return to
growth in 2003 due entirely to a strong upswing in export sales -
but domestic sales fell for the second year in succession as a
result of cheaper imports from the...
Evidence continues to mount suggesting a link between various
stages of depression and low blood levels of the B vitamin folate,
according to research funded by the Agricultural Research Service
in the US.
A group of cereal scientists is looking to rewrite the definition
of a wholegrain to help consumers identify the healthy ingredient
in foods and lift their intake of wholegrains.
Rising prices for ingredients sourced from raw materials may find
little relief in 2004 with the UN-backed Food and Agriculture
Organisation yesterday predicting a fall in cereal stocks again by
the end of the 2003/2004 season. 'Soaring...
Despite repeated pledges to tackle the problem, many of the big
brand breakfast cereals on supermarket shelves in the UK still
contain excessive levels of sugar, salt and fat, according to new
research from the Consumers' Association...
Ready-to-go food products continue to meet the needs of the UK
consumer, say market analysts Mintel, reflecting current
growth trends in the food industry and confirming the future
direction for food manufacturers playing to the UK...
In the same week that the US food watchdog releases new findings on
the presence of acrylamide, the probable human carcinogen, in
processed food products, the American Chemical society will
dedicate an entire symposium to this sensitive...
Driving into value-added bakery ingredients is a key area for
growth in the mature bakery market. Recently baptised Bakemark UK,
a new merger between Arkady Craigmillar, Readi-Bake and Caravan
Brill, the UK firm will tap into growing...
A two-day conference on aseptic filling technologies is just one of
the events that is taking place at the Total Processing and
Packaging show in Birmingham, UK this week.
FoodProductionDaily.com will be there, and will be reporting...
As food manufacturers and ingredients suppliers work towards tough
new rules on the labelling of food allergens, Europe's risk
assessment body concludes that current scientific evidence is
'insufficient to establish an intake...
One of Lithuania's leading grain processors, Malsena, has announced
that it is to invest in a pasta manufacturing venture aimed at
diversifying its current product portfolio and turning its
operations multifunctional.
End-to-end traceability is like the table stakes in a poker game -
if you don't have it, you won't stay in the game, argues an
industry expert. This new way of thinking could have a significant
impact on food production,...
A lack of integration at a European level is 'severely hampering'
efforts to co-ordinate stakeholder efforts - food industry and
independent scientists - in the area of chemical contaminants in
food, warn Swedish scientists....
An FSA survey of UK-produced eggs has found that the level of
salmonella contamination is now one third of what it was in 1996.
But one industry expert says that food manufacturers should still
exercise caution, writes Anthony Fletcher.
The key ingredient in the most popular ice cream in the world faces
a rise in price, already at a 10 year high, as the worst cyclone in
two decades hits Madagascar, the leading producer of vanilla.
Much of the flour that goes into breads, pasta, cakes,
breakfastcereals and other foods comes from so-called 'winter
wheats', planted in autumn and harvested in spring. New research
has identified the key gene involved in...
FoodProductiondaily.com recently visited a research unit in
the south of France to find more out about the role science plays
in improving the quality of cereal-based foods. Some recent
discoveries could be of great benefit to the...
European food manufacturers starting to get to grips with incoming
rules on food allergen labelling in the EU block face similar
adjustments in the US as the Senate clears new allergen laws this
week, writes Lindsey Partos.
The reason low-carb dieters often lose weight and sometimes show
improvements in their cholesterol, blood sugars, and blood
pressures is because they are, in essence, sickened by the diet,
writes a doctor in a science journal published...
Favourable news for the pro-GM camp as a team of British scientists
claims that genetically modified (GM) maize is less damaging to
wildlife than conventional varieties. At the same time, leading UK
organisations call on Tony Blair...
Rubbing shoulders on the shelves with 'low-carb' friendly food
products, wholegrains must reach out to the consumer to remain in
the game. Cereal chemists in the US bring wholegrains into the
user-friendly zone with a new,...
Wheat, corn and soybean prices will remain high for much of 2004,
warns the US agency Fitch Ratings, with the industry likely to see
a continual shifting of higher ingredients costs onto the food
manufacturer. But tough negotiations...
Countdown to new rules for the labelling of allergen ingredients
begins with national governments and stakeholders in Europe getting
to grips with the small print before enforcement next year. The
Scottish food watchdog updates the...
The US could see its share of the wheat market in Indonesia,
southeast Asia's biggest buyer, cut by half this year as a result
of surging freight tariffs. Rocketing prices are transforming
global food export markets as importers...
With the Commission proposal for changes to the EU sugar regime but
a few months away, Commissioner Franz Fischler explains why sugar
reform is 'unavoidable.'
Organisers of the international food fair Salima 2004 claim that
exhibitor numbers are up on for the bi-annual event, to be held in
Brno, southern Moravia, from 2-5 March
Food retailers in the UK this week committed to a programme aimed
at reducing salt levels in their own label processed foods such as
soups, pizzas and ready meals.
A squeezed supply of refrigerated shipping containers in the US has
caused shipping rates to rise 10 per cent to 25 per cent since last
spring, helping to push up prices for frozen and chilled food.
Eating more wholegrain foods could help people reduce their chances
of developing metabolic syndrome, say researchers, analysing the
role of carbohydrates on insulin resistance and the prevalence of
the metabolic syndrome in a large...
Sourdough bread containing select bacteria may be tolerated by
patients with a rare digestive disease that causes gluten
intolerance, say Italian and Irish researchers. The new research
could provide new opportunities for food producers...
The market for functional food products has grown steadily for
several years now, focusing primarily on the dairy sector. But
other sectors of the food industry, such as bakery and snacks, are
beginning to see more functional products...
Consumers in the UK can eat their porridge safe in the knowledge
that their oat products are free from harmful toxins - mycotoxins -
after an extensive survey in the UK found very low traces, if none
at all, of the contaminant in...
There was a time when a widespread wheat shortage spelt inflation,
and a global shortage meant global inflation. This year, with
stocks at a 30-year low and wheat prices soaring, it is possible
consumers may never even notice. All...
Wheat has always been an integral part of Russian agriculture and
its food industry. However, a limited domestic market, reduction in
Russian livestock and a slow down in the consumption of bakery
products is forcing the industry...
Surging wheat prices are leading to some hard bargaining along the
supply chain over where the extra costs can and should be taken,
according to millers and bakers.
Higher world populations and changes in dietary patterns - notably
in emerging economies - are leading to a steady increase in food
demand which will have a positive impact on world grain prices,
says a grains analyst this week.
In today's time-pressed society, breakfast is often one of the
first things to be sacrificed. Commuters might grab a quick bite
behind the wheel of their car, or at the train station, while
office workers occasionally grab a...
Britain may not be the biggest country in Europe, but this does not
stop its denizens from being among the most mobile. UK commuters
spend more time travelling than all of their European counterparts
- and take advantage of that time...
Despite recent publicity that suggested Atkin's was modifying its
advice to recommend less meat, low-carb diets seem to be more
popular than ever with one in three Americans watching their
carbohydrate consumption.
Russia may be slowly adapting a number of western food and drink
habits - the rise of the country's beer industry is evidence of
that - but there is still plenty of life left in some of the
country's more traditional food...
Funding to bolster research into new food uses for cereals and
oilseeds is behind a fresh R&D strategy released by the UK
cereals industry this week, a move designed to open up new market
opportunities for the sector.
The rye grain, and rye bran in particular, is rich in dietary fibre
and also contains a significant fructan concentration, which may
have important prebiotic properties, suggests a new publication.
Potatoes with low levels of reducing sugars could be the answer to
fighting the formation of the potentially carcinogenic compound
acrylamide in foods.
Lawrence Equipment, a major manufacturer of flat bread machinery in
the United States and Europe, has recently released a new
innovation, the Mega Pizza System, which is capable of producing
multiple pizza bases operating at multiple...
