News
Bakery benefits of new texture solutions
Bakery manufacturers can now benefit from what manufacturer Cargill is calling an ‘inspired new palette of bakery filling recipes’ that it says capitalises on its application expertise in both pectin and starch. Used at different ratios, the balanced combination of pectin and starch offers enhanced functionality and optimal texture in all types of bakery fillings, […]
SMEs told to gear up for new staff training rights
Owners and managers of small to medium-sized food and drink companies are being urged to get ready for the introduction of new laws which give employees more rights to training. From next April, all employees will have the right to request ‘time to train’. Currently, the right only applies to employees who work for a […]
Positive news on pesticide residues
Fresh data from EFSA on pesticide residues in food suggests that exposure levels are on the decrease. In its Annual Report on Pesticide Residues, the food safety authority says that 96.5% of more than 70,000 samples of different types of food complied with maximum levels permitted by the EU. The remaining 3.5% exceeded legal limits, […]
‘FSA to be abolished’ claim
The UK coalition government is to abolish the Food Standards Agency – the food watchdog set up to protect consumers after the ‘mad cow’ disease crisis – and reassign its duties elsewhere, according to government sources. However, a Department of Health spokesman insists no decision had yet been made on the future of the FSA. […]
AB Foods posts 13% sales rise
Primark owner Associated British Foods has revealed that third quarter sales rose 13% amid expectations of very strong growth in annual earnings. “Trading for the group since the half year remains on track to deliver very good progress in earnings for the full year,” the company said in a statement. The company, which markets Silver […]
Public ‘don’t want to be badgered’ says healthy eating research
YouGov SixthSense research has shed light on the recent spat between UK health minister Andrew Lansley and Jamie Oliver. Comments made by Lansley at a conference in Brighton were critical of the ‘Jamie Oliver’ approach to increasing public awareness of health and fitness. Instead, the minister advocated an ‘evidence-based’ solution to the nation’s health problems. […]
EFSA invites opinion on draft GMO risk guidelines
As part of an ongoing consultation with stakeholders, EFSA has announced its intention to call a meeting in September with environmental NGOs on its guidelines for the Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO). The revised draft ERA guidelines are the result of two years’ work by scientists from all over Europe. In […]
Tate & Lyle sells sugar business to US
Tate & Lyle has sold its historic sugar business, which includes the iconic Golden Syrup brand, to American Sugar Refining in a £211 million (€256m) deal. The sale of its EU Sugar Refining operations is part of the food group’s new strategy to focus on its fast-growing food ingredients business. “Sugar refining has enjoyed a […]
Baby food sugar content slammed
Just over half the foods specifically targeted at babies and toddlers have a high sugar content and are far too sweet, according to a Canadian study. Researchers analysed a wide range of ‘toddler’ foods from puréed dinners and desserts to cereals, biscuits and yogurts to find out how healthy they were for youngsters. But the […]
Safeline’s liquid asset
Mettler Toledo Safeline says it has made a significant breakthrough in the detection of contaminants in fluids with the launch of its FluidCheK x-ray inspection system. Developed primarily to meet the needs of manufacturers and packers of beverages and other liquids, the manufacturer says the system is equipped with advanced image-scanning software and employs x-ray […]
MagLev train technology used to measure fat content
Magnetic levitation technology, which is best known for enabling high-speed trains to float above tracks, could also be used to measure fat content in food, according to scientists from Harvard University. Writing in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, the researchers describe how magnetic levitation – or ‘MagLev’ – can be used to take […]
Weight management ingredients market set to soar
Obesity rates, which have been steadily rising in Europe and the United States, are now increasing in Asian nations as well, according to new analysis from Frost & Sullivan. As a result, the weight management ingredients market offers significant prospects worldwide. In its Opportunities in Global Weight Management Ingredients report, the market research firm reveals […]
Pay firms to produce healthier food, says UK government watchdog
Food companies should be paid by the state to produce healthy foods and help save tens of thousands of lives, says the UK government’s health watchdog. This means farmers could be given cash incentives to grow fruit and vegetables rather than producing fatty meats, and supermarkets could get tax breaks to stock healthy foods at […]
1 in 4 shoppers ‘rarely visits frozen food aisle’
A YouGov SixthSense report into the chilled and frozen foods market has revealed that 27% of UK adults rarely visit the frozen food aisle. The report also shows that a considerable number of consumers have not embraced new and non-traditional frozen food products. Consumers are unhappy with the variety of foods on display in the […]