europe

 

National Starch pushes new pulp

National Starch Food Innovation says its new starch-based solution Precisa Pulp 02 can be used in a variety of fruit-juice bases, including peach, apricot guava, pear, and mango. Highly functional as well as versatile, it offers manufacturers the opportunity to create cost-optimised beverages that appeal to consumer demand for exotic juice drinks, says the global […]

Rlc acquires Swiss confectionery packaging firm

Rlc packaging group has announced that it has acquired Limmatdruck/Zeiler – the biggest folding box manufacturer in Switzerland and one of Europe’s leading packaging producers in the premium confectionery segment. Rlc says it’s using the acquisition to expand its portfolio of services and ‘bundle the innovative strength of both companies’. Rlc will acquire a 100% […]

EFSA publishes EColi report

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) this week published its report into the possible source of the recent EColi O104 outbreaks in Germany and France. It concludes that a batch of fenugreek seeds, originally supplied from a company in Egypt to a German company, is the most likely link between the two outbreaks. However, evidence […]

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EFSA publishes latest article 13 opinions

EFSA has just published the fifth series of article 13 opinions, adding an additional 536 claims to the 2,187 claims published to date. A remaining group of 35 claims will be published in July. The European Commission and Member States will then consider EFSA’s scientific advice in deciding on the possible authorisation of such claims […]

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EFSA task force to investigate French E.coli outbreak

EFSA scientists are setting up a task force to coordinate investigations to track down the source of any contaminated sprouted seeds in the European Union following an E.coli outbreak in the Bordeaux region of France, which was preceded by a similar outbreak in Germany associated with sprouts. 
 In response to an urgent request from […]

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Thermo Fisher responds to E.coli crisis

Thermo Fisher Scientific says it has responded to the E.coli O104 crisis in Europe by increasing production and distribution of its Brilliance ESBL Agar plate, a chromogenic screening plate for the detection of Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-producing (ESBL) organisms, such as the outbreak strain, within 24 hours. “With worldwide concern over E.coli O104, food microbiologists need […]

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Buckwheat analysis breakthrough

RSSL says it has further extended its scope for allergen testing by validating a method for analysis of buckwheat. Though not on the EU list of allergens that must be declared, buckwheat is a known and serious allergen in Japan, and clinical reports expose several cases in Europe, says RSSL. “Buckwheat is important because it […]

Experts still trying to identify ‘killer cucumber’ source

German researchers are still trying to identify the source of a deadly outbreak of E.coli in Europe after Spanish cucumbers were found not to have the lethal strain, which has so far killed 16 people. Suspicion had orginally fallen on organic cucumbers from Spain imported by Germany but then re-exported to other European countries, or […]

New ‘super prebiotic to boost gut health’ in Europe

 Xylo-oligosaccharides (XOs) is a patented product which is selling exceptionally well in Asian markets, according to distributor Cornelius, which is now introducing it to the UK, Eire and Poland. “Xylo-oligosaccharides (XOs) are sugar oligomers made up of xylose units and are derived from non-genetically modified corn,” says sales director Darren Spiby. “They can be used […]

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New distribution agreements for PromOat

Swedish company Biovelop AB has announced the signing of distribution agreements for its PromOat beta glucan soluble fibre ingredient in a further 13 countries around the world. The newly signed agreements cover the distribution of PromOat in Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Finland, Iran, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan and Ukraine. “We are […]

CIAA spotlight on reformulation progress

The actions being taken by Europe’s food manufacturers to reformulate food and drink products in order to improve their nutritional composition were highlighted at a recent multi-stakeholder debate hosted by the CIAA (Confederation of the food and drink industries of the EU). Independent researchers, industry representatives and policymakers joined forces to discuss both the successes […]

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Salmonella-beating CAP treatment under review

The use of cold atmospheric plasmas to inactivate Salmonella has recently been reviewed by researchers from the Institute of Food Research. A growing demand for fresh produce means the food industry is under constant pressure to supply safe food with minimal processing. And it’s crucial that these foods are supplied without microbial contamination as many […]

Chia seed: views sought

The Chia Company, based in Australia, has applied to the Food Standards Agency for approval to market chia seed in baked goods, breakfast cereals, and fruit, nut and seed mixes. The company currently has authorisation, under the novel food regulations, to market chia seed in bread products at a maximum level of 5%. Chia (also […]

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EFSA restructure underway

EFSA has begun rolling out its reorganisation programme in a bid, it says, to ‘make best use of resources to reflect an ever increasing workload, strengthen efficiency and provide a higher quality service to its clients’. The re-structuring will take place gradually throughout 2011 and will be completed by early 2012. EFSA says the move […]

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Food and Drink Technology