This week, two dairy farmers reportedly plead guilty at a US court
for their role in an alleged E. coli milk contamination, and
Parmalat settles its ongoing dispute with UBS.
A UK-based breakfast cereal association says it is teaming up with
its dairy counterparts to this month kick off a new promotion
scheme playing up the nutritional benefits of consuming the
products.
Milk derived from sheep, buffalo and even camels could open up
promising new avenues for dairy processors, providing that
innovation and investment is made to squeeze their potential.
This week, Campina invests in its German liquid milk operations,
Emmi sells off its stake in cheese group Baer and Fonterra
increases its predicted member payout for the current season.
A light-weight polypropylene container with in-mold graphics for point-of-sale differentiation has been developed for the premium end of the North American dairy packaging market, claims its manufacturer.
There is evidence that European potato starch suppliers are losing
out to Chinese competitors, as anti-dumping measures drive rampant
growth for leading Chinese starch maker.
Arla has announced a reorganisation of its consumer operations in
eight markets including simplifying its business model in the
Middle East, where a second boycott of its products is in place.
Manufacturers are getting more adventurous over erythritol use since it gained EU-wide approval this year, says Cargill, but the real boom will come when they can make a low-calorie claim in Europe.
Italians and women are the most interested western Europeans
in digestive health claims while Dutch are the least, according to
new consumer research funded by French fibre specialist Syral.
Understanding the associations between body composition, metabolic
status, diet and lifestyle habits could be key to the struggle
against obesity, and gaining an advantage in formulation.
UK dairy processors will be required to ensure that they do not
send any factory produced waste to landfill sites by 2020 as part
of a raft of new proposals to improve the industry's environmental
impact.
Demand for fat replacers is set to increase as health trends
continue, with particular growth experienced in the meat and dairy
sector, according to a new report.
Consuming high levels of low fat dairy foods, fruits and vegetables
as part of the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)
may help lowed blood pressure in adolescents, says new research.
BASF is planning to significantly step up production of its
biodegradable plastic materials amidst growing demand from various
industries including packagers.
A hydrocolloid extracted from the leaves of Corchorus
olitorius, a relative of jute, can enhance the strength of
gels made with kappa-carrageenan, suggests new research from Japan.
The UK National Farmer's Union (NFU) has hit out at 'fashionable'
environmental criticisms of dairy and other livestock-based farming
it claims are based on outdated exaggerations.
A new packaging product produced from chalk by Swedish firm Ecolean
has been launched in its home market after several successful years
in China and Russia.
European-based food groups are generally ahead of their US rivals
in providing health and wellness products to consumers, though they
must do more to ensure the focus is a core part of their business,
a new report claims.
A 'soft landing solution' for the abolition of milk production
quotas within the EU is expected to ensure a smoother transition
for the industry than abruptly scrapping the system, according to a
new report.
The signing of a new free trade agreement between China and New
Zealand predicted to open up numerous benefits for dairy trade will
not setback the interests of producers in Europe, according to a UK
trade association.
It is hard for food companies not to get drawn into the temptation of using attractive label claims that may be shrouded by a veil of doubt. But the real risk comes when the 'if you don't know, don't ask' question is finally answered.
Sainsbury's launch of an own-brand one per cent fat milk highlights
the product's move into the mainstream dairy market, just a year
after the implementation of new EU rules regarding the fat content
of milk.
US-based Illinois Tool Works (ITW) has established a new division,
ITW Packaging, which the company says will focus on providing
multipack technologies to the European food markets.
This week, Robert Wiseman Dairies says it is on track to meet its
2007 profit expectations, and the founders of ice cream maker
Ben & Jerry's takes a stand.
Unilever has joined the growing number of manufacturers exploring
new ways of delivering probiotics by launching an iced lolly aimed
at children in the UK.
This week, the EU agrees to implement a two per cent quota hike,
Canada-based Agropur expands its operations in the country, and
Unimilk reportedly sets a possible date for its initial public
offering.
The CIAA has highlighted several important areas of debate and
strategic consideration for food manufacturers, which it is
planning to address at its annual conference in November.
Claiming 'free from' is not a light statement to make. Lives depend
on it. As scientific progress questions the validity of such
claims, it is time to establish exact guidelines and communicate
these to people for whom ingredients...
A leading France-based cheese manufacturer claims that authorities responsible for protecting traditional manufacturing techniques of camembert will eventually be forced to stop using raw milk in the product because of potential health concerns.
The Eastern European dairy industry is expected to grow at a faster
rate than rival markets in the US and Western Europe over the next
few years, on the back of increasing consumer spending and product
innovation, according to a new...
While the world's media is bemoaning rising food prices, the French
government is sniffing around the food industry for signs of
gleeful profiteering. If it is right, the long-term losses of the
nouveau cher will be far greater...
Whether you call it parmesan or "Parmigiano Reggiano" the
famous hard cheese must now come from a specific area of Italy, the
European Court of Justice has ruled this week.
A new primer on human taste perception underscores the importance
of this primal sense in life experience and gives an insight into
the link between the taste of certain nutrients and compounds and
our very survival.
Dairy and ingredients firm Friesland Foods Kievit has constructed a
new drying plant in Indonesia for producing encapsulated
products to expand the group's portfolio in the wider Asian region.
This week, Campina enjoys dominance of Dutch retail on the back of
yoghurt sales, Danone may look to further expansion in the Americas
and Parmalat makes another out of court settlement.
Russia-based Wimm-Bill-Dann has announced the opening of what it
calls a $12m mega dairy farm outside of St. Petersburg as part of a
wider focus on stepping up the supply of high quality milk for its
operations.
Dairy group Lactalis McLelland will face a reduced financial
penalty from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) after accepting
responsibility for its role in the alleged price fixing of
cheeses in the UK.
This week, Dean Foods fails to profit form full year sales
improvements, Arla moves to expand cheese production in the US, and
Willi Foods finalises an agreement to produce kosher dairy in
Denmark.
While most consumers agree that ethically-sourced cocoa is no bad
thing, an ever increasing number of different schemes risks
muddying the issue and puzzling chocolate fans.
Nestle says it has received no official notice from the Venezuelan
Government that its dairy plants in the country may be seized over
accusations that both itself and rival European producers are
muscling out local players from the...
First Milk, a leading UK dairy cooperative, is reassessing its
growth plans after merger talks with national rival Milk Link were
mutually called off yesterday.
Food formulators looking for novel gelling agents may soon be
offered whey protein isolates and concentrates modified by
supercritical carbon dioxide, suggests a new study.
