Breaking News on Food & Beverage Development - North America EU edition

News in brief

Kellogg's reports rise in 3Q profits

30-Oct-2009 - Brand loyalty to its cereal and snack brands are some of the factors behind a growth in profit, claims cereal manufacturer Kellogg as it posted third quarter results.

Canada’s first organic preservative and disinfectant

30-Oct-2009 - Efficiency and environmental protection are the twin benefits claimed for what is said to be Canada’s first organic preservative and disinfectant for use with food products from food to table.

Gum blend serves up creamy salad dressings

29-Oct-2009 - TIC Gums has launched a new gum blend for use as a stabilizer in creamy salad dressings that it says provides good texture and mouthfeel – even in problematic bleu cheese dressings.

Study finds taste preference varies on age and gender

29-Oct-2009 - Girls tend to prefer sweet foods and fruit and vegetables, whereas boys like meat, fish and poultry, says new study in Ohio grade schools - but tastes were also seen to change with children’s ages.

Government should urgently raise sugar quotas: Report

29-Oct-2009 - Food and agricultural consultancy Promar has added its voice to those calling on government to raise sugar import quotas, saying that uncertain supplies lock in high costs for manufacturers and consumers.

Victorian Lemonade goes down badly with alcohol campaigners

29-Oct-2009 - A campaign to reclassify Fentimans Victorian Lemonade as “imitation liquor” in Maine has prompted a flood of consumer interest in the drink.

News in brief

IOM recommendations in line with Whole Grain Stamp

29-Oct-2009 - A recommendation from the Institute of Medicine for the clear labeling of foods’ whole grain content is in line with the Whole Grain Stamp program, say the scheme’s developers.

New quality claims edging out 'standard' organic and free-range

28-Oct-2009 - Newer food quality and ethical claims on foods are grabbing consumers’ attention away from more established claims like ‘organic’ and ‘free range’, says a new survey – but safety claims still come out top.

CT attorney general urges companies to drop Smart Choices logo

28-Oct-2009 - Connecticut attorney general Richard Blumenthal has urged companies in the suspended Smart Choices labeling program to stop using the logo as soon as possible – at least until the FDA finalizes standards.

US government slammed on wood packaging plans

28-Oct-2009 - The US government should find out more about how serious a problem plant pests pose in wooden packaging before making potentially costly and damaging rule changes, said the American Meat Institute (AMI).

Bioethics professor argues for meat tax

27-Oct-2009 - Heavy taxes on meat are needed to reduce consumption, thereby bringing multiple benefits for human health, animal welfare and the environment, argues a professor of bioethics from Princeton University.

Senomyx calorie-cutting sucrose enhancer gets FEMA GRAS

27-Oct-2009 - Senomyx has received notification from the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) that its new sucrose enhancing flavor ingredient is GRAS (generally regarded as safe).

News in brief

Unilever pulls out of Smart Choices Program

27-Oct-2009 - Unilever has said that it will phase out the Smart Choices logo following the FDA’s announcement that it is looking to develop a standardized front-of-pack labeling scheme.

Corn Products content despite costs and volume drop

27-Oct-2009 - Higher corn costs, falling volumes and unfavourable currencies have taken their toll on Corn Products International’s Q3 compared with last year, but the company is cheered by its longer improvements.

News in brief

Beef recall on E.coli fears after 20 sickened

27-Oct-2009 - US company Crocetti's Oakdale Packing Co has recalled more than 1,000 lbs of beef patties after reports that more than 20 children were suffering from E.coli.

Smart Choices labeling program suspended

26-Oct-2009 - The Smart Choices labeling program has been suspended just days after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it would examine whether front-of-pack nutrition claims are potentially misleading.

Discount to combat private label, market researcher tells brands

26-Oct-2009 - Brand owners should offer incentives to woo consumer back from private labels, say market researchers, as shoppers indicate they will not revert to name brands after the recession.

Study slams industry-regulated marketing of kids’ cereals

26-Oct-2009 - Industry regulation of which cereals are marketed to children allows the least healthy products to be advertised most aggressively, according to a study from Yale’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity.

News in brief

Packaging mix-up leads to ice cream recall

26-Oct-2009 - A limited number of Breyers ice cream tubs that may contain undeclared wheat are being recalled by makers Unilever in conjunction with the FDA.

Investors put price on Cadbury, Kraft deal - report

26-Oct-2009 - One of the leading investors in Cadbury has revealed he would consider a bid from Kraft if it were in the region of 820p per share, according to recent media reports.

MGP Ingredients forecasts ‘positive turnaround’

23-Oct-2009 - MGP Ingredients has said it expects a significant positive turnaround in the first quarter of fiscal 2010, as it hopes to exit a transition period toward value-added ingredients.

Deerland opens new lab for enzyme development

23-Oct-2009 - Deerland Enzymes has opened a new laboratory that gives it greater capabilities in R&D, quality assurance, application development and technical support – and a restricted area for working on top secret projects.

News in brief

Japanese links help Hilmar to dairy export award

23-Oct-2009 - Hilmar Ingredients has highlighted its Japanese trade links after being named 2009 Exporter of the Year by Dairy Foods Magazine.

Ocean Spray extends Pepsi partnership beyond cranberry

22-Oct-2009 - PepsiCo and Ocean Spray have added more single-serve juices and juice drinks to their three year-old sales and distribution agreement.