News
Top food supplier declared one of UK’s greenest companies
Muntons, a supplier of malt and malted ingredients to the food industry, has been named one of the country’s ‘greenest’ companies in a new Sunday Times environmental ranking. The Suffolk-based business was placed 41st by judges in the newspaper’s cross-sector Top 60 Best Green Companies awards scheme. The competition recognises companies in all industries that […]
Prebiotic fibres ‘can suppress hunger hormones’
Daily consumption of prebiotic oligofructose may lead to weight loss by suppressing levels of hormones linked to hunger, according to a new study from Canada. Overweight and obese adults receiving supplements of prebiotic oligofructose lost an average of one kilogram over 12 weeks, compared to a general increase in weight in the placebo group of […]
Frutarom reports 19 per cent fall in sales
Ingredients supplier Frutarom has reported a decrease in sales and net income for the quarter. Sales for the Israel-based company dropped 19.3 per cent to $98.4m, from $122m in the corresponding quarter last year. Net income was $5.6m for the quarter compared to $9.7m the previous year. According to the company, much of the sales […]
New sanitiser to boost food hygiene standards
A new water-based surface and utensil sanitiser offers UK food and drink processors an effective, safe, low cost and environmentally friendly means of maintaining hygiene standards, according to its manufacturer Radical. The Radical Water System uses naturally occurring biocides, generated by oxidation, to combat the harmful micro-organisms that can cause salmonella, listeria, e-coli and other […]
Job loss fears as Northern Foods plans factory closure
Northern Foods is planning to close its factory in Hull, Yorkshire, with the threat of 349 redundancies. The firm says the UK site is no longer viable after it lost a contract to make own-brand ready meals for its main customer – supermarket chain Morrisons. The company, which makes Goodfella’s pizzas and Fox’s biscuits, says […]
New UK salt reduction targets
The Food Standards Agency has unveiled revised salt reduction targets for the food industry, affecting 80 food categories. By 2012, the FSA is hoping to have reduced salt intake to 6g a day for adults (2.4g sodium), from around 9.5g in 2000/1. The current consumption estimate is at 8.6g, indicating that progress has been made […]
New discovery could lead to salmonella vaccine, say scientists
UK scientists have made a discovery which, they say, raises hopes of a potential vaccination against salmonella. Their revelation – that the food poisoning bug feeds on glucose – could also lead to vaccine strains to protect against other disease-causing bacteria, including superbugs, according to Dr Arthur Thompson from the Institute of Food Research. “This […]
New Coca-Cola bottle made from plant-based plastic
The Coca-Cola Company has unveiled a new plastic bottle made partially from plants. The PlantBottle is fully recyclable, has a lower reliance on a non-renewable resource, and reduces carbon emissions, compared with petroleum-based PET plastic bottles. “It is a significant development in sustainable packaging innovation, says Muhtar Kent, chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company.“It […]
Lab success in melamine detection
Most laboratories worldwide are capable of detecting melamine in food, according to a new study by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC). Levels of the harmful substance in food samples were measured accurately by more than 70 per cent of the laboratories taking part in the study. The results suggest that the global response […]
Food container demand set to soar
US demand for food containers is set to rise by 2.5 per cent a year to reach more than 300billion units – valued at $25billion -within four years, according to a new study from research firm The Freedonia Group. The report Food Containers: Rigid & Flexible predicts that the growth in demand will be fuelled […]
Sweet news for honey lovers
French researchers have developed a test to distinguish 100 per cent natural honeys from fake products adulterated with other substances, according to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. The high price and limited availability of honey has led some unscrupulous beekeepers and food processors to sell impure honey containing inexpensive sweeteners, such as corn […]
New meat culture for cooked ham
Natural ingredients supplier Chr Hansen has launched a new meat culture for cooked ham. The Bactoferm CS-300 culture is also suitable for other cured and cooked meats as well as bacon and fermented sausages like salami.“The main advantage of the two selected bacterial strains used in this blend is their ability to provide a mild, […]
Novel foods approval for ice cream ingredient
The European Commission has granted novel foods approval for Ice Structuring Protein (ISP), an ingredient used in ice cream to reduce fat content and improve stability. The novel foods application was made in 2006 by Unilever, which already sells products containing the ingredient in the US, Australia and Mexico. According to the company, which will […]
EFSA re-confirms aspartame safety
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has said there is no indication that aspartame causes cancer, following its assessment of a study that linked regular intake of the sweetener with an increased risk of certain cancers. EFSA’s panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS) was asked by the European Commission for […]