The EU's small to medium sized food processors need more skilled
workers in the industry and more access to research and development
, according to a study released yesterday by the bloc's industry
association.
After achieving record exports in 2005, the Ireland's dairy and
beef industry is expected to remain as an important source of
supplies to the EU market, according to a government report.
Beer, bakery, confectionery, sweet drinks, pizzas, snacks galore,
and even dog food. The list of products with World Cup tie-ins is
dominated by junk food, while healthy food makers seem content to
pass up the marketing opportunities...
If hell freezes over and Australia wins football's World Cup, then
Scottish & Newcastle will be on the hook for splashing out a
lot of Foster's beer in Germany.
European Union medical authorities have approved their first drug
derived from the milk of genetically modified animals, offering an
insight into potential alternative avenues for parts of the dairy
industry.
A government-funded agency is helping small food firms develop
their business by providing them with access to patented processing
techniques donated by some of the industry's giants.
World trade discussions and communicating the health benefits of
dairy were the two main topics for discussion in a meeting between
the European Dairy Association and European Commission last week.
Flora, the Unilever-owned margarine brand, is embarking on a major
campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of omega-3, following
consumer research indicating that the message is not being heard by
all family members.
The International Osteoporosis Foundation has heard damning reports
of under-diagnosis and inappropriate care for sufferers of the
devastating brittle bone disease, which also highlight the
importance of communication about preventative...
Plans to kick whole milk out of English schools as part of new
nutrition standards sends the wrong message to consumers, warns the
National Farmers' Union.
A daily supplement of probiotics could reduce the risk of liver
cancer caused by fungal toxins in foods, a leading cause of the
disease in some of the world's most populous countries.
Dietary supplementation with an omega-3 enriched milk could be a
simple and tolerable way to ease cardiovascular risk factors linked
to metabolic syndrome, say Spanish researchers.
The debate about dairy consumption boosting weight loss got a
massive fillip at the Paris Anti-Obesity Therapies congress, but
natural product-based dietary supplements don't help weight loss
said experts.
Following plans in Europe to harmonise health claims in food
labelling, experts at Eversheds law firm claim any new rules will
have to overcome historical scepticism to be truly effective.
More upheaval in Britain's dairy sector looms over the next few
years as more than one in ten milk producers say they will leave
the sector, according to a new report.
The US food regulatory agency last week rejected a proposed health
claim submitted by Nestlé, which would have implied that its whey
protein infant formulas reduced the risk of food allergy symptoms.
Arla UK's Cravendale milk brand has seen its strong growth stunted
by cheaper, supermarket milk in recent weeks, reminding processors
how easily private label could destabilise branded dairy growth in
Britain.
An alternative to the traditional microbiological tests for ultra
heat treated (UHT) and extended shelf life (ESL) dairy products
speeds up assessments by over two days, according to its
manufacturer.
Milk producers have renewed their fierce criticism of low farmgate
prices in Britain, as the country's competition watchdog prepares
to open an in-depth probe into the market practices of top
supermarkets.
The EU's legislators yesterday came up with a compromise deal on
nutritional claims, further watering down requirements originally
proposed by the European Commission, according to a newspaper
report.
It is time to admit that society is fighting a part-time battle
against the bulge, willingly lambasting soft drinks, burgers and
chocolate, while shuffling silently away from a fairly dismal
exercise rate.
The EU's food safety agency today said aspartame is safe for
consumption, contradicting a scientific study by the Ramazzini
Foundation that claimed the artificial sweetener caused cancer.
Britain's formula milk industry has faced down a new wave of
criticism from senior paediatricians, who accused it of dodging a
ban on direct advertising by snuggling up to doctors and health
professionals.
Self-regulation has become the mantra of food groups who argue that
laws are not always necessary - but can industry be trusted when it
has failed so spectacularly in the past?
It is unrealistic to expect the European Union to make more big
concessions at the upcoming World Trade Organisation talks, argues
the European Dairy Association against critics of Europe's stance.
New Zealand's dairy export sales were up 32 per cent in March to
almost $400 million, compared to the same time last year, helping
the small country narrow its trade deficit for the first time in 22
months.
When a company 'gives back' to the world through charitable
donations, should we wholeheartedly commend it for being a good egg
or sniff cynically at the profit potential that underlies every
business decision?
The UK dairy industry could profit from a drop in milk production,
said the chief executive of Arla UK on Tuesday, enabling the
industry to add value and raise earnings through the supply chain.
Sheep's milk has a higher content of essential vitamins and
minerals than cow's milk and could be used to cater to consumers'
appetite for healthy products. But presently it seems only
small-time producers are sizing...
Researchers from Florida State, armed with cutting-edge technology,
are undertaking the largest and longest clinical trial to study the
effects of calcium in postmenopausal women.
Plant sterol (PS)-enriched yoghurts better lower cholesterol levels
when consumed at mealtimes than between meals, regardless of the
fat content of the drink, says research from Unilever.
The European Commission's cuts to export subsidies for dairy
ingredients have survived a series of rows between Member States,
as tension grows on how the bloc can meet its commitments to the
World Trade Organisation talks.
Events over the past few months might have shaped the future of GM
food in Europe for decades to come. FoodNavigator looks at the
decisions that have influenced the proliferation of this
controversial technology.
Various quality assurance schemes used in the food industry should
remain voluntary, the bloc's food industry association says in
attempting to forestall planned EU legislation on the subject.
Chr Hansen will get a chance to underline its increasing
involvement in the dairy sector at the upcoming 2006 International
Cheese Technology Exposition.
Delta Instruments has launched new state-of-the-art dairy analysis
equipment designed to enable processors to make more money out of
milk and milk derivatives.
High intake of calcium and vitamin D, particularly from
supplements, may lower the risk of diabetes by 33 per cent, say
American scientists, as a leading European clinician reports that
over a billion people are vitamin D deficient.
A Codex committee meets this week to hammer out international
standards for the dairy industry, including contentious issues such
as who can label their cheese as "parmesan".
Intake of omega-3 fatty acids from oily fish and fish oil
supplements has no effect on mortality, heart disease or cancer,
concludes a new review, but guidelines should continue for
consumption.
Wrangling between the UK dairy industry and the country's food
watchdog is set to continue over salt slashing targets, after both
failed to reach an agreement to cut salt in blue cheese.
