Food safety
Consumers ‘sceptical’ over health claims
Consumers are becoming increasingly sceptical about food products which claim to be ‘healthy’, according to a qualitative research study undertaken by market research specialists Engage Research. The study, conducted among the company’s online community Engage Brain, found that consumers increasingly feel food companies are labelling their brands in a way which is either misleading or […]
Carbon reduction breakthrough
The total annual retail value of consumer goods sold in the UK bearing the Carbon Reduction Label has reached £2 billion (€2.2bn),, says the Carbon Trust, as new research reveals that 9 out of 10 households in the UK bought a carbon labelled product in the last year. The milestone figure comes as Tesco confirmed […]
Bosch reveals new India investment
Packaging and processing firm Bosch Packaging Technology has acquired 33,000sq m of land on the Verna Industrial Estate in India, and is planning to invest £3.5 million (€4m) to build up the new plant. “This investment will fuel our ambition to grow in the packaging industry,” says Karthik Viswanathan, managing director of Bosch India. Bosch’s […]
Stevia companies of the world unite
Stevia producers from around the world have announced the establishment of the International Stevia Council, a global trade association representing the interests of companies that process, manufacture and/or market stevia sweetener products. The International Stevia Council will focus on safety, quality and stakeholder education as part of its agenda to support and promote the worldwide […]
New range of reference nanomaterials from LGC
LGC Standards has launched a range of reference nanomaterials to aid research and testing on the applications and impacts of nanotechnology. Widely regarded as one of the most important new technologies of the 21st century, nanotechnology has implications for many technological areas and industrial sectors, with nanomaterials now used in a range of applications. With […]
Business news, Food safety, New products, Regulatory, Sustainability
No need to change BPA guidelines, says EFSA
Following a comprehensive review of recent scientific literature and studies on the toxicity of bisphenol A at low doses, EU food safety watchdog EFSA says it sees no need to cut the official limit on accepted exposure to bisphenol A, a chemical in plastic containers which some experts believe may harm human health. Some European […]
Solbar splashes out on US market
Solbar Industries has announced that its subsidiary, Solbar USA, has completed the acquisition of the Green Planet Farms plant to produce soy protein isolates in Nebraska, USA, for approximately £4.89 million (€5.6m). The Green Planet Farms plant, which specialises in production of soy processing, was built in 2008 and includes new assembly lines and modern […]
P&O deal so ‘egg-citing’ for Watercress Lane
Duck eggs will be on the menus of some of the most luxurious passenger ships in the world after UK-based Watercress Lane won a contract with high quality food and deli wholesaler Kentas of London to supply Britain’s leading cruise line. The Norfolk food producer will provide duck eggs for globe-trotting passengers on board the […]
LGC reveals Campylobacter breakthrough
Scientists at LGC, the UK’s designated National Measurement Institute for chemical and bioanalytical measurement, say they have demonstrated ‘proof of principle’ for a novel molecular DNA diagnostic technique to identify specific species of Campylobacter. Of the five major foodborne bacteria; Salmonella, Campylobacter, E.coli 0157, Listeria monocytogenes and Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter is the most common cause […]
Food agency admits BSE error
The Food Standards Agency this week revealed that meat has entered the food supply from a cow aged over 48 months that had not been tested for BSE. However, it goes on to say that it’s unlikely that the cow was infected with BSE and, as specified risk material was removed, any risk to human […]
Scientists create ‘monster’ salmon
Scientists have created a genetically modified ‘monster’ salmon which could soon be on dinner tables around the world. US company Aqua Bounty claims it has been given initial approval by American safety authorities to produce the GM fish, which grow two to three times faster than normal varieties. However, critics of GM food fear the […]
Aussies in EU deal to drop Champagne and Port names
Australian winemakers will no longer be able to use traditional names such as Champagne, Port or Sherry under a major deal with Europe which comes into force this week. The country has one year to phase out the names of drinks protected under the EU labelling regime based on geographic locations. These are the rules […]
Heinz spills the beans on emissions success
Energy use and carbon emissions have been slashed at factories producing Heinz Beanz, soups and pasta, according to a joint announcement from Heinz and the Carbon Trust. Carbon dioxide emissions at Heinz’s UK factories in Kendal, Cumbria and Kitt Green, near Wigan, have been cut by over 17,000 tonnes over the last four years. That’s […]
Global recognition for Cargill food safety advances
Its global food safety activities have won Cargill the prestigious President’s Award in the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUoFST) Global Food Industry Awards. The President’s Award is a new category that recognises efforts to advance food science and technology for the benefit of all. “We recognise the application of modern science and […]