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

More bottlers to sue Coca-Cola in distribution dispute

More than 50 bottlers have now lined up to sue Coca-Cola in the US in a move to stop the soft drinks group distributing its Powerade sports drink directly to Wal-Mart supermarkets around the country.

Soft drinks industry pledges to tackle benzene in drinks

America's soft drinks association said it would have to look again at benzene in drinks, after new tests revealed to BeverageDaily.com suggest it and food safety authorities failed to stamp out a problem.

Cargill enters glycerin business with new production plant

Cargill is set to expand its ingredient portfolio for the food industry, announcing last week that it is to open a 30-million-pounds-per-year glycerin refinery.

ADM: multi-lingual push at global marketing

Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) has launched a multi-lingual website in a marketing effort to provide international customers with easy access to information on its product portfolio.

Weekly Comment

The bad research debate

The dust is settling on the WHI trial. First came the news that low-fat diets didn't reduce the risk of breast or colorectal cancer or cardiovascular disease, then came news that vitamin D and calcium supplements don't protect against fractures.

Superfruits and grains to set next functional trend?

"Miracle grains" and "superfruits" are among the ingredients set to enjoy increasing popularity with American consumers, as attention is focused on a combination of health benefits and exotic tastes, says a new report.

Chiquita posts good results, but faces challenges ahead

Chiquita has said that 2005 was a "terrific" year for the company, despite a $19m net loss in its fourth quarter resulting largely from the flooding of 1,600 hectares of the company's banana farms in Honduras.

Scientists designing the perfect dairy cow

Scientists in Australia have made a breakthrough in the quest to genetically engineer the perfect dairy herd by discovering how to multiply and isolate stem cells found in cow embryos.

Campbell soups to be made with lower sodium sea salt

The leading global soup firm this week announced that it is to slash salt content in its products by up to 45 percent, a move that underlines continued industry efforts to attract consumers with a wider variety of 'healthy' product options.

Consumers need more nutritional help from food companies, study

Most Americans are unaware of the nation's new dietary guidelines, but a strong majority of consumers say they would like to see companies offering more health tips on their product labels, according to a new study.

Kraft to target health, convenience and premium trends

US manufacturer Kraft Foods has announced a "fewer, bigger, better" policy, concentrating on crucial brands in key areas as the firm suffers from lagging performance.

McDonald's faces lawsuit after nutritional info slip

Inconsistencies in information provided by McDonald's over the allergen content of its French fries have resulted in the fast food giant facing a public relations nightmare together with possibly unfounded lawsuits.

Martek DHA could bring eye health claim to soymilk

Natural oils maker Martek Biosciences yesterday announced that its key product, the omega-3 fatty acid DHA, is to be used in a new soymilk product, which could allow the manufacturers to stress the product's eye and brain health benefits.

Consumer support of GM declines, study

Consumer acceptance of genetically engineered (GE) food has slipped in recent years, according to a new study that brings together results from a number of national surveys.

Ingredients for innovation: New Zealand

Joint health from sheeps' wool, kiwi fruit crossed with berries and calcium-boosting bone extract… innovative ingredients from a small Pacific archipelago are starting to make a disproportionately big impact in the world of nutrition.

Doubts cast over value of low-calorie sweeteners

A lack of convincing evidence means that firm conclusions on the role of artificial sweeteners in weight loss cannot yet be made, according to a scientist.

McCormick continues restructuring with DPI acquisition

McCormick has announced that it is to acquire the remaining 49 percent of Dessert Products International (DPI) as the company continues its efforts to simplify its business and focus on areas with strong growth potential.

Organics could protect children from pesticide exposure, symposium

Little has been done over the past decade to reduce the risk of children's exposure to pesticides through the foods they consume, according to an Organic Center symposium held yesterday.

UK, Germany checking soft drinks for benzene

Food safety authorities in Britain and Germany are checking soft drinks for benzene after tests suggest a private deal with soft drinks firms in the US, 15 years ago, failed to fix the problem.

Cargill continues patent battle for high oleic canola oils

US agribusiness firm Cargill on Friday filed an appeal of a judge's ruling in December that prevents the company from enforcing patents for high oleic oils.

More evidence for diabetes and CVD protection by whole grains.

Eating a diet rich in whole grains, a rich source of bran, fibre, minerals and vitamins, could reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes and heart disease, claims a new study that adds to a growing body of evidence on the subject.

Canadians opt for nutritious foods as they age, study

Canada's aging population and improved food labeling practices have started a trend away from fad diets and toward a more balanced and healthy eating pattern, according to a new study.

'Little evidence' for lycopene and diabetes link

Eating tomatoes and tomato-based food, rich sources of potent antioxidants, does not protect against the risk of type-2 diabetes, claims a study.

Oat fiber could improve nutrition in food

A new oat variety developed by scientists in the US could increase intake of the soluble oat fiber called beta-glucan in their diets.

Cholesterol levels increase, despite industry efforts

The number of people suffering from high cholesterol is increasing, despite efforts by the food industry and health institutes to bring down LDL cholesterol levels.

New cost effective asparagus breed developed

Scientists have developed a new variety of asparagus that offers a higher yield and a higher percentage of marketable spears.

Tate & Lyle alerted to potential sucralose competitor

The re-appearance of a low-calorie tabletop sweetener product branded as Altern in a small number of Wal-Mart stores in the US has attracted the attention of Tate & Lyle.

Special report

FDA re-opens probe into benzene contamination of soft drinks

US food safety authorities have re-opened an investigation closed 15 years ago into soft drinks contaminated with cancer-causing chemical benzene, following evidence the industry has failed to sort out the problem, BeverageDaily.com can reveal.

Low-carb diets reduce weight but may raise cholesterol, study

Low-carbohydrate diets may appear effective when it comes to weight loss, but they could be linked to higher levels of LDL or 'bad' cholesterol levels, say scientists.

Industry calls for collaboration of sugar producers and users

The Sweetener Users Association (SUA) has called for an end to the "bitter disputes" between sugar users and producers, saying the industry needs to unite in a common effort to improve the US sugar policy.

New alliance targets fruit cultivar innovation

A leading European horticultural research institute has launched a partnership with a New Zealand science organisation in order to develop new fruit cultivars.

Weekly Comment

The cost of bad research

The science has spoken. Low-fat diets don't work: Forget the carrots and broccoli sprouts, I can now have my cake and eat it, and put extra cream on top.

Children's advertising guidelines to be reviewed

The Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU) has announced it is to review its guidelines on how companies should advertise their products to children.

Consumers confused about sweetener safety, says study

Despite growing awareness of the health threat of obesity, Americans are still confused about the safety of the most commonly available sugar substitutes, claims an NGO.

Organic industry at odds over rating of dairy products

Two groups representing organic farmers are at loggerheads over the release of a new report that claims to rate the nation's organic dairy brands and products.

Industry backs WTO's GM ruling against EU

A US industry body has commended the WTO's ruling that the EU and six member states broke trade rules by barring entry to GM crops and foods, something that has had a significant impact on the nation's food industry.

FDA requests budget for food security

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week announced its monetary proposal for fiscal 2007 with security again at the top of the food agenda, while preparing for the potential threat of avian 'flu takes top overall priority.

Bunge profits plunge after "difficult year"

The world's biggest oilseed processor Bunge has announced a fall in sales this year, as the company emerges from a "difficult year," which saw profits hit by a "weak operating environment" in Brazil.

Emerging markets lift PepsiCo sales

Emerging markets across Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America came good for both PepsiCo and Coca-Cola in 2005, increasing their importance in the two rivals' growth strategies.

Low fat diet: breast cancer link 'due to chance'

Five servings of fruit and vegetables per day and a diet low in fat reduced the risk of breast cancer by nine per cent, a figure dismissed as not significant and due to 'chance'.

Innovation drive hits Coca-Cola profits

Coca-Cola saw profits tumble by more than a quarter in the last three months of 2005, underlining the challenges that still lie ahead for the soft drinks firm in 2006.

Abnormal hormone may contribute to obesity, study

New research reveals that an abnormal brain hormone may increase the risk of obesity, findings the scientists say could lead to the development of a drug to treat certain cases of obesity.

Low fat diet 'has no effect on heart risk'

Eating less fat and more fruit and vegetables has no effect on the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), claims a long-term dietary intervention study claimed to be the largest ever conducted - a conclusion that is inconsistent with earlier research.

New oat variety boasts high cholesterol-lowering beta-glucan levels

A new oat variety containing high levels of cholesterol-lowering beta-glucan has been developed, meaning that food manufacturers could soon offer whole oat products that pack the same health benefits as ordinary oats into smaller portions.

Nestlé moves to dodge Middle East boycotts

Nestlé, the world's biggest food firm, has taken out adverts in Saudi Arabia to refute rumours that two of its dairy products are Danish, as unlucky Arla Foods continues to suffer from 'those cartoons'.

EU accuses US of 'twisting truth' over Doha proposals

The EU has attacked the US for 'seriously twisting the truth about the value of the European Unions agricultural market access offer in the Doha Round'.

ConAgra to sell meat business as part of reorganization

ConAgra Foods has announced that it is to sell most of its refrigerated meats businesses, in a deal worth almost $2 billion, as it attempts to streamline its operations.

Weekly Comment

Marketing the risky way

Nationality is a dangerous brand.

Report examines health and wellness trends set for growth

A recent report by Information Resources Inc. (IRI) examines the health and wellness sectors of the food industry, revealing which areas are best poised for growth.

Obesity may contribute to type 1 diabetes, say scientists

Obesity has long been recognized as a cause for type-2 diabetes, but scientists now say that the disease may be a factor in accelerated type-1 diabetes in some children.

Opinions differ as schools prepare for nutritional standards

As the date approaches for US schools to submit nutritional guidelines for food and beverage products sold on campus, a new study reveals that principals and food service directors have different perceptions on food policy.

FDA could require labeling of insect-derived red food dye

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may soon require food companies to label the presence of insect-derived red color additives cochineal extract or carmine, on the basis that these may lead to severe allergic reactions.

World sugar production increases but prices remain high, says USDA

Soaring sugar prices are set to continue with supplies remaining tight, despite increased production, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Cargill expands trans-fat lowering soyoil production

US agribusiness firm Cargill is to expand its processing of Vistive, a low-linolenic soybean, which claims to reduce or eliminate trans fatty acids in soybean oil.

ADM's CardioAid gets GRAS for more foods

ADM has received FDA go-ahead for its CardioAid plant sterols to be used in a wider range of food products, which will make it easier for consumers to lower cholesterol without radically changing their diet.

Imperial to increase sugar prices

Imperial sugar yesterday reported a strong sales increase in its first quarter, boosted by increased consumer and foodservice prices on the back of a tight domestic sugar market. And with the supply situation still uncertain, the refined sugar giant said food manufacturers are next in line to face higher prices.

Corn oil, omega-6 could speed up prostate cancer, study

Omega-6 fatty acids speed up the growth of prostate tumor cells in the laboratory, according to a study published in today's issue of Cancer Research.

Kellogg Q4 results strong but European sales slow

The world's leading cereal manufacturer Kellogg has announced a 3.2 per cent rise in quarterly net profit as cost-cutting techniques continue to keep rising fuel and ingredients expenses at bay.