Breaking News on Prepared Food and Meat Processing

Mobile dispenser can be used on multiple production lines

A mobile dispenser used for inserting pouches of desiccant, silica gel and oxygen absorbers into packets of food can be used on multiple production lines.

Scientists develop more effective bird flu vaccine for flocks

US scientists claimed yesterday to have genetically engineered an avian flu vaccine that is more effective in protecting chickens from infection.

Belgium, Netherlands meat sectors face dioxin crisis

Belgium and the Netherlands face another dioxin crisis, after the cancer-causing chemical was detected in pig and poultry feed used by hundreds of farms.

Retailers bid to reduce cost of unsaleable goods

Retailer organisations have called for more collaboration with manufacturers in reducing unsaleable goods.

Bacteria-killing water replaces chemical cleaners

A US company has made inroads in bringing its electrolysed water technology to market as a replacement for chemical cleaners.

Weekly Comment

Time to ditch the FFQ

Little wonder consumers are confused about which foods are good for them, and which bad, when scientists use methods with almost no chance of meaningful results.

Shipping container material reduces contamination risk

A new type of shipping container material replaces wood and reduces the risk of contamination of any foods being transported, its creator claims.

EU proposes animal welfare labelling for food products

The European Commission proposes to create a special "animal welfare" label for meat and fish products.

Scots blacklist haggis

The good name of haggis, Scotland's famous national dish, has been sullied through its association with the likes of chicken nuggets and turkey twizzlers in a newly published government report.

Hand sanitizer may help fight bird flu

Responding to recent research questioning the efficacy of hand sanitizers, a US skin care specialist is claiming that its hand sanitizer can be used to cut the risk of spreading bird flu through skin contact.

BSE in Canadian cow sets back effort to regain lost markets

Another cow with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) has been found in Canada, a second blow against the US' recent success at regaining its international markets.

Japan bans US beef following illegal shipment

Japan has slapped a ban on all beef imports from the US after discovering prohibited material in a recent shipment.

Euro Freeze investigation continues with hunt for chicken wings

The search for mislabelled meat products in the UK continues, with the country's food regulator calling on buyers to be on the lookout for frozen chicken wings originally sourced from Euro Freeze (Ireland) Ltd.

Russia lifts German beef import ban

From February 1 Russia will resume pedigree beef trade with Germany following the ban imposed five years ago during a bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) crisis in its cattle.

Cracking the pig genome could lead to better meat

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is to fund research to crack the code of the pig genome, something that could lead to better meat for consumers.

Sensor sniffs gases on meat to determine freshness

Russian scientists say they have developed a sensor that "smells" a meat's gases to determine if it is fresh and how long it has been kept in storage.

Regulator approves four antimicrobials for use with chicken

The EU's food safety regulator's endorsement yesterday of four chemicals for cleaning chickens marks a shift in policy to allow the use of antimicrobials in meat processing plants.

Food quality tester linked to Internet monitoring service

A spectrometer manufacturer has linked up its Internet monitoring service with its quality testing machines, a move that could help food laboratories improve productivity.

EC puts money into promotion of EU food products

The EC's approval of a €25.5 million programme to support the promotion of agricultural products reflects growing concern over global competition.

Food packers get access to design process

Food companies can now get directly involved in designing the plastic packaging for their products, through a special workshop created by Graham Packaging.

Funding directed at new foods and processing techniques

Designated food "clusters" in the EU will receive a boost in funding to help the bloc's researchers develop innovative foods and processing techniques.

Northern Foods slashes profit forecast

UK-based Northern Foods has issued a profit warning after failing to offset rising production costs with necessary price hikes.

Weekly comment

Some news is good news

I am beginning to feel like a freak among journalists. Good or bad, my reporting is the product of hours of questions, fact-hunting and often-times editorial debate. Yet, despite this rigour, every day we receive emails from people asking, or even instructing, us to publish their press release on our sites.

Consumer scepticism rife, says new labelling study

A UK study into the widespread use of food marketing terms has found that consumers remain deeply sceptical about a number of common phrases.

Animal scares create demand for vegetarian ingredients

Food safety fears have led to the emergence a new market in vegetarian supplement ingredients, and industry insiders predicting that as many as half of all ingredients could be non-animal derived in the next ten years.

EU food regulator proposes charging fees for work

Europe's food safety regulator says it is underfunded and might have to start collecting fees from companies for its work.

UK food, drink exports on growth path

A 3.1 per cent growth in UK exports of food and drink during the first half of 2005 indicates that the industry is on track to break the £10bn barrier for the first time in a decade.

Findus sale linked to top UK seafood company

Capvest, the owner of the UK's largest seafood company Young's Bluecrest, is looking to take over frozen foods giant Findus.

Report calls for review of food plant inspections

A report into the mass outbreak of E. coli in Wales calls on the UK's food regulator to look into whether there should be more legislation and guidance on plant inspections.

Tough polyethylene resin developed for frozen food packaging

A new polyethylene resin provides a tough packaging while being able to be easily processed, its manufacturer claims.

Company develops speedy test kit for bird flu

Applied Biosystems plans to release kits that can test humans and animals for avian flu virus within two hours.

Food makers see cost savings in microencapsulation

The increasing economic viability of microencapsulation technology has led to significant interest within the food and beverage industry.

Free trade vital to counter slowdown, says food industry

The CIAA has urged the new EU presidency to push ahead with the liberalisation of the global food trade in order to open new markets and tackle the slowdown in productivity growth.

Avian flu: poultry consumption faces another downturn

A deadly outbreak of avian flu in Turkey is spreading westward, with health officials confirming that a further three human cases have been found in the capital Ankara on Sunday, along with infected domestic fowl.

Canterbury Foods CEO scoops profitable assets from failed firm

Just days after the demise of bankrupt meat manufacturer Canterbury Foods, the former managing director has bought up the remaining productive processing plants under his new Medway Foods banner.

Which? slams retailers over shoddy chicken sandwiches

Consumer watchdog Which? has revealed that most readymade chicken sandwiches contain a hidden blend of additives - but Food Standards Agency (FSA) chicken labelling policy lacks muscle to enforce better practice.

Food challenge for 2006: satisfying the ethical consumer

Ethical considerations increasingly dictate food purchases, and companies that pay scant attention to this defining trend will lose out.

Canterbury Foods finally folds

British food manufacturer Canterbury Foods today announced the sale of three factories as PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) steps in to take control of the ailing business.

Foodborne Campylobacter infections increase

A general increase in reported cases of campylobacteriosis over the last few years in the EU's fifteen original member states indicates that food companies need to step up their safety procedures against the disease.

2006: A milestone for food safety in the EU

New Year's Day marked a significant milestone for food safety in the EU, with the entry of a large updated body of food and feed legislation.

Northern Foods appeals Melton Mowbray pork pie decision

Northern Foods has vowed to take its battle over who can make Melton Mowbray pork pies to a higher court, after being stymed by a UK judge who ruled that an application by local producers for protected status can proceed under EU laws.

New year ushers in tougher food safety laws

With the ushering in of new hygiene laws at the start of this year, food companies are now under tougher regulatory scrutiny to ensure they do not send out poisonous products from their plants.