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Weekly comment

Death by food support

If the EU keeps hiding its agriculture sector behind huge pay cheques instead of devoting more time to food research funding, the bloc's whimpering and wailing will only get worse.

EU extends inquiry into Cargill's Degussa acquisition

The European Commission has extended it inquiry into US ingredients firm Cargill's acquisition of the food ingredients unit of German chemical giant Degussa, it emerged today.

Fat teenage girls risk metabolic syndrome, says study

Teenage girls who have a large waist circumference and a high levels of triglycerides may run a greater risk of developing metabolic syndrome in later life, according to research published in this month's issue of Pediatrics.

Osmosis cuts Fonterra's milk transport costs

A reverse osmosis machine capable of extracting excess water from milk is expected to significantly cut transport costs for New Zealand dairy co-operative Fonterra.

High-carb diet may raise diabetics' blood pressure

Following a high-carbohydrate diet may raise type-2 diabetics' blood pressure by a modest degree if followed in the long term, suggest researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Consumers are wary of functional foods, finds report

Functional foods are failing to win the trust of consumers on both sides of the Atlantic, according to a new report from market analyst Datamonitor, as the food industry is not forgiven for outlandish claims made in the past and communications on health benefits are unclear.

EU, US wine deal surviving opposition

The EU and US have signed off the first stage of their wine agreement as France's agriculture minister tells annoyed winemakers the deal is not as strong as it could be.

Sugar: supplies down, prices up, imports called for

Manufacturers of food and beverage products that contain sugar are calling on the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to allow for more sugar imports in order to top up the nation's reduced sugar production and prevent a shortage of supply, it emerged this week.

Wal-Mart pioneers environmental labeling

Wal-Mart has taken the unusual step of ensuring that the company's imported shrimp is farmed with environmental sustainability in mind.

New waxy wheat presents innovation opportunities

Wheat breeders in recent years have been increasingly working on the development of waxy wheat varieties. Yet the commodity has not yet hit the mainstream market as no one seems to know what to do with it. FoodNavigator-USA speaks to industry experts to find out where the potential lies.

Tesco to take on America?

UK retail giant Tesco is today playing down rumours of a multi-billion pound deal to acquire 49 per cent of leading American grocery chain Meijer, amid growing concern that the company's domestic dominance is damaging British retail.

Citrus production threatened, prices due to rise

The Florida citrus industry is struggling to recover from a string of disease and natural disaster, but with production forecasts down and likely to fall further, and with no carry-over supplies from last season, it looks likely that food manufacturers will not escape increased prices for citrus ingredients.

Campbell increases profits despite falling sales

Campbell's net earnings for the first quarter ended 30 October have been helped by strong soup prices and a favorable tax settlement, canceling out a decline in soup sales.

Sugary drinks increase diabetes risk in fat Latino children, says study

Nearly a quarter of Latino children in the United States are overweight, with those who consume lots of sugar- especially in sugary drinks- running a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study.

Researchers find animal antibiotics in vegetables

Antibiotics given to livestock can end up in vegetables and pose a health threat to consumers, according to a study looking at the use of animal manure as a fertilizer.

Weekly Comment

Time for Japan to act on agriculture

Strong rhetoric at last weekend's Apec summit on the abolition of agricultural subsidies could not drown out the scraping sound of Japanese heels.

Comfort food consumption varies with gender emotions, says study

Gender, age and culture are decisive factors when it comes to the consumption of comfort foods, according to a new study.

Maize sequencing promises better quality ingredients

Sequencing of the genome of maize at the Genome Sequencing Center (GSC) at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis could help lead to higher yields and better quality ingredients.

WellGen prepares for nutrigenomic launch

WellGen's first food-derived nutrigenomic product could be on the market as early as next year, if research continues according to plan and a suitable commercial partner can be found.

Organic market growing, headed by fruit and veg

Demand for organic foods has increased by almost 17 percent over the past year, according to a new report that reveals how Americans are increasingly turning to organic alternatives in an effort to improve their diet.

Food stores losing out, says Wal-Mart study

Global Insight's analysis of Wal-Mart paints an overall positive picture of the retail giant's impact on industry and the economy, though it does suggest that food stores are losing out.

Search for new flavors drives pomegranate sales

The fortunes of the pomegranate, until recently unknown to most US consumers, is changing fast, according to Datamonitor's Productscan Online database of new products.

IFF turns to arty marketing to boost slow flavors sales

International Flavors & Fragrances is embarking on a unique and unconventional marketing campaign involving a combination of strange flavors and art for art's sake, in an attempt to remind its customers how creative it can be.

FDA asked to rescind use of carbon monoxide for meats

A petition from a food and spice company could end up with the US food regulator rescinding its decision last year allowing processors to use carbon monoxide to keep packaged meat red and fresh-looking.

Martek aims to lower price of omega-3 products

Martek Biosciences has refined its manufacturing process to produce microalgae-derived DHA at 20 percent less cost and expects this to have a knock-on effect on the cost of consumer products containing omega-3.

Obesity is a sham by the weight-loss industry, says academic

The much advertised 'obesity epidemic' does not exist, according to new research that claims the disease is nothing but attempts by the nation's weight loss industry to capitalize on public health concerns.

Study supports soy/heart health message for African-Americans

The heart health benefits of eating soy protein containing isoflavones received a boost this week, when researchers from John Hopkins University presented new research indicating their ability to reduce two strong indicators for coronary heart disease in African-American, as well as Caucasian, postmenopausal women.

US flavor demand driven by natural ingredients

Demand for flavors and fragrances in the US is forecast to increase 3.5 percent per year to $4.6 billion in 2009, according to Freedonia.

Sugar demand rising at expense of sweeteners, claims sugar industry

Demand for natural sugar is on the rise, as consumers start to turn away from 'unnatural' sweetener products, according to the nation's Sugar Association, an industry body concerned with the promotion of sugar.

Cheesemakers proposal on ultrafiltered milk gets hearing

A proposal to alter the recipe for cheesemaking to include the use of ultrafiltered milk got a step closer to becoming a reality with its initial publication for comment by the Food and DrugAdministration (FDA).

Weekly Comment

Food safety for all

After all the increased safety procedures put in place over the past decade, one might have been lulled into thinking that poisonings and deaths from food contamination would be rarer than before. While it is true that the new regulatory requirements and better processing techniques have helped, the continuing breakdowns in food safety are still worrying.

DD Williamson launches organic caramel colours

The world's largest caramel color manufacturer DD Williamson has developed a new line of organic caramel colours, which the company claims are the first to be manufactured in North America.

Sushi demand piles profits and pressure on urchin industry

The dramatic increase in the number of sushi restaurants in the US has put pressure on California's burgeoning sea urchin industry to ensure the sustainability of an important food source.

CSPI calls for tough regulations on salt

Salt should be treated as a food additive for the purposes of regulation, with strict limits placed on the salt content of processed foods, according to a petition sent by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week.

Tougher rules proposed on food safety policy in plants

Better training procedures, new requirements on allergen and pathogen controls, and tougher record keeping rules to ensure food safety in processing plants, are among the legislative changes proposed by the industry's regulator.

Most consumers would consider cloned meat, says study

With the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) poised to release a risk assessment that is expected to declare food products derived from cloned animals safe for the food supply, a new study has found that these products would be accepted by the majority of American consumers.

FDA targets lettuce industry with E. coli guidance

The FDA has issued a letter of guidance to the California lettuce industry in an attempt to stem the continuing human disease outbreaks linked to the consumption of fresh produce.

How Atkins works - possible mechanism discovered

French scientists have reached a possible explanation for the weight loss effect of high-protein diets like Atkins.

SunOpta to distribute antioxidant-rich Brazilian berry

Natural foods group SunOpta said today that it will distribute organic acai pulp produced by California-based Sambazon Acai to food and beverage manufacturers across North America.

New pathogen testing targets speedier results

Strategic Diagnostics (SDI) has filed a patent application to protect its new enrichment media technology, capable of singling out harmful pathogens among billions of other bacteria.

Weekly comment

No avoiding sustainable sourcing

Food companies do not yet face the ethical sourcing equation of the clothing industry, where brands from Nike to Marks & Spencer cannot afford a single claim of sweat-shop production. But the moment is fast approaching for food, too, when exploitative sourcing will be the public relations kiss of death.

Mississippi grain transports to recover in time for harvest?

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) last week announced new measures to free up barges on the Mississippi river in an attempt to restore the grain transportation system-disrupted by Hurricane Katrina- in time for peak harvest.

Cargill refinery plans underline bright future

Cargill's plan to construct a million-ton-per-year sugar refinery on the Mexican Gulf would represent an enormous boon to the regions' hurricane-hit food industry.

Meat product regulations to be re-examined

Regulations concerning the jurisdiction over certain food products that contain meat and poultry are to be re-examined next month to avoid inconsistencies, said the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Health is key to growing food bar market

Health is a key driver for sales of food bars, which look set for an annual increase of around 9.9 percent over the next five years, according to new market research from Packaged Facts.

How disaster planning saves the candy

The responses by a food conveyor manufacturer and a chocolate maker to the recent hurricane that hit New Orleans provide examples of how a mix of disaster planning and staff initiative can save a company's bottom line and build a reputation for dependability.

Frutarom improves flavors distribution in Canada

Israeli flavors firm Frutarom has announced that distribution of its products in Canada is to be taken up by Nealanders International, a move in line with Frutarom's strategy to become one of the world's top ten flavor players.

ADM sales down but lower costs boost profit

Archer Daniels Midland last week posted a significant dip in first-quarter net income, but indicated that the year ahead could be a good one for agricultural ingredients companies as a result of good US harvests.

Provexis gets US patent on tomato bioactive

UK-based Provexis has gained patent protection in the US for its tomato bioactive that improves circulation, allowing it to target the significant American heart health market.

Tuna industry takes stand in labeling lawsuit

Californian tuna canners have opened their defense in the two-week-old Proposition 65 case, confident that they can defeat the lawsuit that would force mercury warning labels on canned tuna.

Health food claims strongly misleading, says CSPI

Health-conscious consumers are being misled by food labels that exaggerate the presence of healthy ingredients, says a consumer pressure group.

New legislation could standardize safety labelling thoughout states

New legislation may be passed to create a uniform system for all food safety standards and warning labels on food products regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Nutrinova to showcase sugar replacement innovation

Nutrinova plans to use this year's FI Europe show to highlight how new sweetener technology can make finished products healthier.

Florida juice standards relaxed to cope with Wilma

The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) has agreed to relax maturity standards for oranges and grapefruits processed for juice in a move to help growers impacted by Hurricane Wilma.

Food companies get guidance under Bioterrorism Act, registration

Now that the US authorities have issued final guidance under the Bioterrorism Act, companies can now have assurance about the food safety systems they have implemented or are about to put in place, and the costs involved in complying with the act.