New horizons rise from radical bread baking
Advances in bread processing from researchers at Campden BRI are expected to result in bread of improved quality with reduced energy input.
Archives for July 1, 2012
Factory of the future
New builds are out and future-proof factories are in as investors find smarter ways to invest in times of recession. Chloe Ryan reports.
Premier's future: rumours continue
Premier Foods continued to hit the headlines over the past month. Rumours of an impending sale of its Hartley's jams brand to US group Hain Celestial for around £200M followed hot on the heels of the announcement that the food group had sold its vinegar...
Sunflower lecithin: now 'better than soy'
Ingredients manufacturer Sternchemie is promoting the benefits of replacing lecithin from Identity Preserved (IP) soy with sunflower lecithin.
Green game
Coca-Cola Enterprises' md Simon Baldry shares his game plan for sustainability with Rick Pendrous.
Greencore sells troubled desserts business to Müller Dairy
Chilled foods group Greencore has announced the sale of its troubled Minsterley desserts business to Müller Dairy.
Morrisions orders supplier savings of ‘half a million pounds’ each
Morrisons has admitted that hundreds of suppliers were called in and ordered to drop their prices in a series of briefings on June 18.
Starch in step
Didier Videau shares his plans for expansion, including growing sales of his firm's starch products across the globe. Rod Addy reports.
New compostable bags: a 'breakthrough' in the waste war
The success of a new fresh produce film appears to demonstrate that biodegradability alone counts for less than protective performance.
Seasoning solutions get it covered at 500g an hour
Packaging solutions firm TNA has developed a one-piece solution for wet and dry seasoning and flavouring: the TNA intelli-flav OMS 3c. It's designed to provide even coverage at throughput rates of 100-500 kg an hour.
Meat producer Cranswick buys Kingston Foods
Hull-based meat firm Cranswick has bought Milton Keynes-based premium cooked and roast meat producer Kingston Foods for an undisclosed sum.
Eggcellent pasteurising filtration solution
When its mesh filter media was collapsing under the pressure of pasteurising, Worcestershire-based egg product producer Bumble Hole Foods sought advice from filtration firm Axium Process.
Forget the pasty tax: zero rate all takeaways
Widespread press reporting about the so-called 'Pasty tax' after the March budget erroneously gave the impression that the announcement was introducing something new. Not so!
Enzymes are guar gum substitute
DSM is deploying its enzyme toolkit to develop innovative ways to replace guar gum in bakery products. The firm says the effects of guar gum for thickening, binding and improving texture can be replicated using a combination of enzymes and ingredients....
Low melt cheese can take the heat
Dairy ingredients manufacturer Meadow Cheese has launched a low melt processed cheese which is designed for use inside savoury pastries and flans as well as products that contain dough or crumb as an ingredient.
Steam means Heinz reduces energy consumption
Babcock Wanson ESM Steam Generators have been installed at Heinz's Dundalk facility in Ireland as part of a strategy to reduce energy consumption.
Volac to take whey protein outside sports
Whey ingredient manufacturer Volac plans to educate consumers to expand the appeal of whey protein outside the sports nutrition category.
Food manufacturing gets its first four Registered Technicians
The first four awards for Registered Science Technician (RSciTech) were made to individuals within the food manufacturing sector earlier this month.
Salmonella checks 'not good enough': food safety watchdog
Traditional poultry meat inspection may not be good enough to protect against threats to food safety such as campylobacter, salmonella and ESBL/AmpC gene-carrying bacteria, warns the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
EFSA review of sports nutrition law is 'likely'
A second reading of the European Parliament's (EP's) report on replacing the regulatory framework for foods for particular nutritional uses (PARNUTS) is now unlikely before early 2013, but deliberations on regulating some categories could continue for...
Let the next claims battle commence
News last month that DSM Nutritional Products (DSM) and Kemin planned to contest the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA's) rejection of their submitted claims for lutein and eye health, is but the latest twist in the tortuous saga of the EU's...
Automation behind Urban Eat sales growth
Food Partners is to invest in automation at its sandwich factory in north London. This "intelligent option" retains the flexibility of its operations, according to its factory manager Wes Jenkins.
Top of the frozen food tree
Hard discounter Aldi took the top prize for Retail Product of the Year, while McCain Foods won Catering Product of the Year at this year's British Frozen Food Federation's (BFFF's) Gala Dinner held in London last month.
Lactose-free chocolate
Zurich-based chocolate firm Barry Callebaut has launched a lactose-free milk chocolate. The new product is made with a skimmed milk powder with "the lowest lactose content available on the market". This enables the firm to put higher amounts of milk...
Culture of safer, speedier salami
To enable salami manufacturers to boost process efficacy, without compromising on quality or safety, DuPont Nutrition & Health has created new meat cultures.
Get the heart of wholegrain health claims
The findings of a Leatherhead Research study could enable food manufacturers to gather supporting evidence for health claims on how cereal fibre can benefit vascular function.
Frozen mandarin purée for desserts and pastries
French fruit processing cooperative Sicoly has launched a frozen mandarin purée designed for use in desserts and pastries.
Seniors should muscle-in on whey protein, says research
Claims that whey protein offers superior effects on muscle protein synthesis in the elderly have been boosted by the publication of a spate of scientific studies in the first quarter of 2012.
Contract fillers
With contracts to meet for Olympic Games suppliers, Food Partners' sandwich business has never been busier, Wes Jenkins tells Rick Pendrous
Coming soon: ‘the first nutritionally balanced pizza’
Britain’s convenience food is set to become healthier now ‘the first nutritionally balanced pizza’ has been produced.
Back to the future
Sometimes we have to go back to move forward. This is particularly true for novel ingredients and health claims, says Lorraine Mullaney.
Turning the screw
Retailers, legislators and costs continue to pressurise food and drink firms, reports Rick Pendrous.
Aluminium points the way ahead to higher recycling rates
With recycling rates for aluminium drinks cans hitting 60% last year, ministers are holding up the sector's schemes as examples of best practice in voluntary supply chain involvement.
Hot on the case
Packaging is a hot topic for consumers and hence manufacturers, reports David Burrows.
Flour fortification legal changes will risk health
Government proposals to ditch the legal requirement to fortify flour could leave more people deficient in calcium and iron, warns the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN).
High-definition vision for Roses
Kraft Foods has increased the sustainability and efficiency of its Bournville site by installing robotic distribution for Roses and Heroes. Managing fixed cycling schedules cut daily vehicle movements.
Spin the bottle
Debate about the future EU regulation of sports nutrition is intensifying. Paul Gander asks what impact different outcomes might have on innovation.
Top gum: pectin flies high
Consumers' demand for food from natural sources is shaking up the gels, thickeners and emulsifiers market. Lynda Searby reports.
Special delivery
Optimising the delivery of antioxidant phytochemicals is the way to keep tomorrow's consumers happy and healthy, reports Michelle Knott.
Auto portioner makes the meat cut
When catering butcher R Manners & Sons wanted to optimise its production of ready meals and beef and pork products, it invested in an automatic portion cutter, instead of cutting products by hand.