Breaking News on Prepared Food and Meat Processing

eBay of used equipment takes on global market

Call them the eBay of the food processing and packaging machine sector.

New Cargill sweetener targets dairy desserts and baked goods

Ingredients giant Cargill has launched a new line of sweeteners designed to reduce the number of calories in frozen dairy desserts and sweetened bakery products such as cake, muffins and brownies, without altering the taste.

Polymer price hikes set to push packing costs even higher

Amcor, the world's largest producer of PET, is pushing for a third round of price increases this year, while a report forecasts polymer prices are set to hit new highs next month.

Bird flu continues to spread through Asia

China is reassuring global markets that it can bring bird flu under control, after reporting three separate outbreaks in a week.

Givaudan taps demand for salt reduction

Givaudan Flavours' new proprietary salt reduction system aims to help food makers develop lower salt alternatives without sacrificing flavour.

Processing system outputs case-ready meat products

A range of machines, including a meat batching and tray packing system, brings together a complete processing line specifically developed for producing automatic case-ready products for shipping.

Energy costs drive National Starch price hike

National Starch's plan to increase the cost of its European starches by up to ten per cent reflects growing industry concern over rocketing energy prices.

McDonald's to offer more info on nutritional content

Fast food giant McDonald's said yesterday that it will add information on the fat, salt and calorie content to packaging of its products from the first half of next year.

Changes proposed to animal by-products law

A new report on animal by-products (ABPs) outlines additional proposed regulations governing how processors may dispose of or sell the left over materials produced by their plants.

Table-top homogeniser built for test runs

A table-top homogeniser allows food and dairy processing companies to test products in the laboratory or at pilot plants to achieve optimal efficiency before ramping up to full scale production.

UK food scientists analyse acrylamide tools for food industry

Advances in acrylamide research as UK food scientists take a look at analytical methods currently used by the food industry to monitor the formation of acrylamide during the heat treatment of potato and cereal based food products.

Food safety demand pushes refrigerated truckers to upgrade

With processors demanding better food safety along the supply chain, the refrigerated truck industry is rising to meet the challenge. However the industry's growth may lead to problems in finding trained employees, according to new analysis from Frost & Sullivan.

IFST issues update on food allergies

With new European rules on food allergens enforced next month, the voice of UK food scientists issues an update of its statement on food allergies.

Weekly Comment

Putting a premium on substance over style

Food producers are flogging the term 'premium' for all it's worth, threatening to flood a market that relies on exclusivity for its success with well-packaged tat.

New bird flu outbreaks increase global fears of human pandemic

Taiwan yesterday confirmed its first case of bird flu, while another person has died of the disease in Thailand.

RFID tag tracks temperature for food processors

A new temperature logging radio frequency identification (RFID) tag targets food processors and handlers who need to comply with the latest EU requirements and pending US traceability legislation.

Food industry still wary after 'Cheeseburger Bill' victory

This week's passage of the so-called Cheeseburger Bill looks like a straightforward victory for food makers, but the industry should still be wary over the possibility of future litigation.

Frutarom targets frozen bakery with first move into meat and fish systems

Cashing in on the soaring mega-trend for convenience food, extracts and flavours, Frutarom moves into meat and fish preparations for the first time.

Plastic container growth set to continue, despite oil price hike

Consumer demand for more convenient prepared foods, trends toward value-added packaging and the growing use of plastic, cups and pouches, are driving the steady growth in the use of food containersin the US, according to the Freedonia Group.

CP Kelco raises pectin and xanthan gum prices

Leading pectin and xanthan gum supplier CP Kelco becomes the latest hydrocolloid firm to pass costs onto the market, announcing price rises across its biogum, carrageenan and cellulose gum range.

Portable analyser measures gas in meat packages

A hand-held headspace analyser is the first in the field to measure carbon monoxide levels in modified and controlled-atmosphere packaging (MAP) for case-ready meat, its manufacturerclaims.

Europe's food agency investigates harmful PAHs in food

Europe's food agency calls on scientists across the food industry to contribute data on the potentially carcinogenic compounds Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) identified in foods.

Food makers hurt by packaging, energy costs

Announcements by Danone, Kraft and Cadbury indicate how much the rise of oil prices is affecting packaging and energy costs for food processors.

Bird flu hits Greece, spectre of losses looms

With the human-pathogenic form of bird flu hitting Greece, EU poultry processors are facing immense potential to damage to their industry due to losses from plunging consumer demand and exports.

US acquisition beefs up Stork's push into meat machine market

The acquisition of a US machine maker is part of Dutch-based Stork Food Systems' bid to become a provider of complete processing systems to the meat industry.

Carrageenan range promises increased meat yield

A new range of specialty carrageenans designed to increase yield, prevent drip loss and ensure freeze/thaw stability for meat, fish and poultry is set to be unveiled.

WTO debate leaves food industry guessing

Both the US and the EU have made moves to slash agricultural subsidies amid tough negotiations, but the two trading blocs have stayed pretty quiet on the main details the food industry is looking for in the run-up to December's WTO ministerial.

Proposal will put "beef on the bone" back on table

Beef on the bone could soon be back on the list of products processors can use under a European Commission proposal on relaxing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) control measures.

Fake food, drinks seizures in EU rise by 200%

The amount of fake food and drinks entering the EU grew by 200 per cent last year, with the higher quality of counterfeits making detection more difficult, the bloc's administrative arm said this week.

Reducing risk, food allergen testing on the up

As countdown to new rules on allergen labelling begins, UK food laboratories gear up for growth in testing procedures.

Emulsion forms grease proof barrier for packaging

A food-contact safe emulsion developed by a joint US and German company keeps oil, grease and water from penetrating paperboard packages and helps maintain product freshness.

EU, processors await possible bird flu outbreak

With bird flu creeping up on the EU, the bloc's members have been jolted into a more active response to the danger, which not only threatens human health, but also the poultry processing sector's livelihood.

Australian scientists design next Atkin's diet

Another day another diet. But while the latest weight-loss bible to be published in the UK has, unusually, been created by a well-respected research institute, it is already attracting controversy.

Vitiva rosemary extract preservative hits Nordic markets

Natural food preservative supplier Vitiva spears Nordic markets, announcing distribution agreement with Danish company Chr. Olesen Nutrition.

Weekly Comment

A hungry world needs a fit FAO

The crusade to end world hunger has been a bitter failure. But with the world set to sweep away a crooked food trading system, there is a chance to get it right - if only we could revive the FAO from dormancy.

Salad E. coli recall threatens lucrative market

The urgent recall of certain pre-packaged Dole salad products has called into question the safety of a popular convenience product.

New test tackles E.coli contamination

US firm Nymox Pharmaceutical rolls out a new treatment to tackle contamination of the potentially fatal E.coli food pathogen.

Red meat excess a risk marker for cancer?

New research supports previous findings that suggest a diet high in red meat could be a risk factor for cancer.

UK beef farmers call for end to price falls

Beef is not about to become cheaper than it already is for the UK's food processors if buyers heed the advice of the National Beef Association (NBA).

WHO calls for tighter laws on food industry to tackle preventable disease

The World Health Organisation has created new guidelines for governments in the fight against a growing chronic disease pandemic, which are likely to add to the pressure already being felt by European food makers.

French firm claims new extraction process cuts costs for semi-refined carrageenan

French carrageenan producer Selt Marine spears blossoming semi-refined market with a new extraction process.

Texture analysis gets legs

Food Technology Corp. has introduced the TMS-Pro, which it bills as an affordable and portable food texture analyser.

Smart security sensor system sends out the alert

Getting the right warning message to the right person just became easier with a smart sensor system to monitor plant environment and security.

Weekly Comment

Junk Food Babes

If education is meant to deliver knowledge and wise choices, why are we doing so little to educate our children about food?

Palsgaard new emulsifier-stabiliser system targets low fat foods

Targeting growing demand for fat-reduced food formulations, Danish emulsifier firm Palsgaard launches a new emulsifier-stabiliser system for chilled, quark based aerated desserts.

New Poland will still fight EU sugar reform

A new centre-right government in Poland is unlikely to curb the country's strong opposition to EU sugar reforms as Commission representatives look for common ground to break the 'no' camp.

New Poland will still fight EU sugar reform

A new centre-right government in Poland is unlikely to curb the country's strong opposition to EU sugar reforms as Commission representatives look for common ground to break the 'no' camp.