Breaking News on Prepared Food and Meat Processing

Casein could be natural antioxidant for boosting meat shelf-life: Study

Modification of the milk protein casein by enzymes could offer formulators a natural antioxidant for beef and poultry products, according to new research from Brazil.

New service can help extend shelf life, says LFI

Reliable accelerated tests are proving invaluable in enabling food processors to have a confident assessment of shelf life before a product launch, says Leatherhead Food International (LFI).

Views sought on food irradiation regulation

Views and comments on new regulations governing the irradiation of food in England are being sought by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

News in brief

Shocking research sheds light on kebab content

A new study into the nutritional content of kebabs sold in the UK has shown that the late-night take-out could be disastrous for healthy eating, with some doner kebabs racking up as many has 1000 calories without sauce.

Sanitary overhaul enhances cryogenic freezer: Linde

A cryogenic freezer can help processors achieve greater economies of scale and get high quality, safe product out the door through an upgraded hygienic design, says Linde.

Weekly comment

Time to quieten the nutrition label noise

Everyone from government to grocers seems to have their own idea of how best to inform consumers about foods’ nutritional content, but a labeling free-for-all has resulted in a clamor of nutrition labels which are actually getting in the way of comprehension.

Listeria shows up in Maple Leaf plant

A subsidiary of Canadian meat processor, Maple Leaf Foods, has been inspected by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), after routine testing showed positive results for the bacterium, listeria.

Fears for frogs as leg trade leaps

The trend for eating frogs’ legs is putting frog populations in Indonesia under pressure, according to Australian scientists who are calling for better resources management and mandatory certification at the point of processing.

Oxoid claims method is speedy way of recording E. coli

A new enumeration technique ensures rapid and convenient confirmation of Escherichia coli colonies in food and liquid products, claims the manufacturer.

Vitiva moves into UK market

Slovenian ingredients firm Vitiva has spied great potential in the natural-hungry UK market, and has set up a subsidiary office there to cater to it.

New soy concentrates for improved meat texture

A new range of functional soy protein concentrates has been launched in Europe by Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) to provide nutrition, emulsify fat, bind water and give structure to emulsified meat products.

Weekly comment

In praise of pesticides

Who likes pesticides? Misunderstood by consumers and misrepresented by pressure groups, pesticides are a soft target for legislators. The latest blow to that soft target could have hard consequences for the European food industry and for developing countries.

COOL criticized for leaving customers ‘shamefully uninformed’

The Center for Food Safety (CFS) has criticized the final ruling on Country of Origin Labeling (COOL), saying that it includes loopholes that leave consumers uninformed about the origins of many common foods.

Sustainability and profits go hand in hand, says Nizo

Shareholders are increasingly looking for evidence that a food company has green projects ingrained in the management strategy, says Nizo Food Research, which is organising a workshop on how to make sustainability profitable.

Labelling of GE animals sought

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been criticised for ignoring consumers’ right to choose what they eat after it announced that it will not require labelling on meat or fish from genetically engineered (GE) animals.

Biodiverse pastures yield better quality meat, says report

A study has concluded that meat from animals raised on biodiverse pastures tastes better and is nutritionally superior than conventional meat, prompting calls for more place-based labelling.

Natural extract matches synthetics for meat preservation

Polyphenol-rich extracts from grape seed have potential as a natural antioxidant in meat patties, reducing rancidity but not affecting the colour of the meat, says a new study.

PLA based film may be effective antimicrobial

An extruded composite food packaging film containing pectin, polylactic acids (PLAs) and nisin can inhibit Listeria monocytogenes, according to scientists based at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the US Department of Agriculture.

Weekly comment

The invincibles – recession proof food and healthy eating

There are fears that in the economic crisis consumers will put on “recession pounds” by eating unhealthily. Rightly or wrongly, food manufacturers may suffer the blame but “unhealthy” and “recession proof” do not necessarily go hand-in-hand.

Beer and red wine marinade may cut cancer risk from beef

Marinating beef in red wine or beer may reduce the levels of potentially cancer-promoting compounds, according to a study from Portugal.

PC enclosure designed to meet food plant hygiene standards

A new PC enclosure has been designed to protect equipment in food processing environments, and is resistant to strict hygiene processes, says its UK developer.

News in brief

Ulrick & Short hires consultant chef

Ingredient firm Ulrick & Short added the talents of a chef to its team, to create food samples and advice on correct use of ingredients in products to maintain flavour.

Sodium phosphate substitute launched as prices soar

Advanced Food Systems (AFS) has developed its Actobind range to include a clean-label ingredient system for either completely or partially replacing sodium phosphate in meat products.

Frozen foods benefiting from recession

The frozen foods market is showing signs of a revival in the tough economic climate, with indications that consumers are switching back from higher-priced chilled foods to frozen alternatives in order to save costs and reduce waste.

News in brief

Tyson pays fine in violation leading to worker death

Tyson Foods pleaded guilty yesterday to wilfully violating worker safety regulations that led to a worker’s death over five years ago in its River Valley Animal Foods (RVAF) plant in Arkansas, stated the US Justice Department.

Multiple toxin detection tests may be on the horizon

A four year €4m European Commission funded project aims to develop multiple toxin detection tests for use by food manufacturers within processing plants.

News in brief

FSA seeks researchers on climate change and food

The UK’s Food Standards Agency is planning a review of the effect of climate change on food, and how this will affect its remit – and is advertising for researchers to conduct it.

News in brief

Tyson Foods CEO resigns as sector faces weak demand

Tyson Foods has announced the departure of its chief executive, Dick Bond, a move which reflects the difficulties facing the US meat industry.