New food director for Food Innovation Solutions
Food Innovation Solutions (FIS) has appointed Carlos Diaz as its new food director in a bid to expand its culinary services to food businesses.
Archives for September 1, 2013
Campylobacter results ‘disappointing’, with no progress on targets
A Food Standards Agency (FSA) report has branded the failure to meet targets for tackling campylobacter “disappointing”, claiming fatalistic industry views are hampering progress and must change.
Full-scale turnaround for Seabrook crisps
Former Vimto boss Jonathan Bye has halted Bradford-based Seabrook Crisps' decline and set the firm on a new course, reports Gary Scattergood
Arla Foods plans to welcome 1,600 farmer co-owners
Up to 1,600 British dairy farmers could become co-owners of Arla Foods, under proposals revealed on Friday (August 30).
New tool helps young find work placements
Young people will be provided with help in finding work placements and experience within the food industry when an online facility called FoodStart is launched next May by the Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST).
Cheddar flavour with kick
Identifying a growing demand for authentic mature Cheddar taste and aroma profiles led Synergy to develop a range of Cheddar flavour solutions that offer performance advantages over block cheese.
FareShare founder’s pilot attracts big names
The founder of food re-distribution charity FareShare is establishing a trademark scheme for firms that make available all surplus stock for human consumption, with several major manufacturers reportedly expressing an interest in signing up for a pilot...
Branch reform
Regulation around plant extracts for supplements and foods is blighted by grey areas, says Paul Gander
Stricter sterilising for sealing stand-up pouches
The new Cryovac Pro-A2 from Sealed Air is an aseptic horizontal form, fill and seal machine for aseptically filled liquid and viscous products.
Waste efforts pose biggest anaerobic digestion problem
Manufacturers' and retailers' stringent measures to tackle food waste are posing the single biggest problem for firms operating anaerobic digestion (AD) sites in the UK – because it has resulted in an uphill battle to secure enough feedstock for their...
Demand is plentiful for sports nutrition firms
Functional food companies are always on the lookout for the new areas of consumer demand, lifestyle trends and gaps in the market. So it's a bonus for sports nutrition firms that there are experts out there who are only too happy to tell them what they...
Dietary fibre's satiety role
New clinical research has documented a positive effect on total daily energy intake when polydextrose is consumed in a mid-morning snack.
Food security threatened by climate change and trade
Food security is threatened by the global trade in farm products – which allows crop pests and diseases to spread worldwide – and climate change – which allows them to establish in new locations, according to new research published in the journal Nature...
Gas burner makes beer brewing more efficient
Installing a Lanemark process gas burner system has brought energy efficiency and process control to a Nottinghamshire micro-brewery.
'Best of British' for clean-label stock base
BHJ Ingredients UK is celebrating the 'best of British' with its new British Scanpro base stock range.
Snowbird management buyout a 'no-brainer', says boss
Persistence, dedication and passion led to a management buyout at Snowbird Foods, says Gary Scattergood
Costly sledgehammer to crack an EC nut
The European Commission (EC) is calling for tenders for a study on mandatory origin labelling of milk, milk used as an ingredient and unprocessed meat other than beef, pig, poultry, sheep and goat meat. Presumably the latter is to cover game. What about...
Bakery boss reveals details of £30M site transformation
Allied Bakeries has ploughed £30M into its Stockport site, Nick Law tells Gary Scattergood
Increased focus on tracebility making life complex for food firms
Increased focus on traceability is just one factor making life more complex for food firms, reports Alyson Magee
Tesco apologises for live caterpillar in sandwich
Tesco has apologised to a woman who claimed to find a live caterpillar in a bacon-lettuce-and-tomato sandwich, bought from one of its stores in St Leonards in East Sussex last week.
'Natural' blue colour originates from spirulina
Chr Hansen has launched a 'natural' blue shade of colourant that can be used in the manufacture of confectionery or chewing gum in the US. The colourant is based on spirulina: a blue-green algae that occurs naturally in tropical and sub-tropical lakes.
German 'mental energiser' invades UK
Following its success in Germany, the Middle East and Spain, the German energy drink Effect is being launched in the UK by MBG International Premium Brands in partnership with UK healthy drinks manufacturer, Feel Good Drinks.
Flame pasteurising for pathogen control
Until recently, Belgium-based Luka Meats’ smoked, roasted, and extra-lean hams and meatloaves were pasteurised, browned and seared using a hand-held torch. When handling 1,200 hams and 300-400 loafs a week became too time-consuming, the firm automated...
Marel mixes and grinds it in the UK
Following Marel’s recent acquisition of the mixing and grinding activities of Carnitech, Marel GB will now provide, in the UK & Ireland, full sales, service and spares for the range of mixers and grinders for the meat, fish and poultry industries.
Enzyme makes smoother bread mix
A new enzyme product has been designed to reduce waste in industrial bakeries caused by excessively sticky wheat-mix dough with limited proofing stability.
Three factors crucial for free fatty acid levels
A new survey has suggested the timing of harvest, drying temperature and seed handling can influence the free fatty acid (FFA) content in rapeseed oil.
Pizza product development
New product development activity in the pizza market is focusing on authentic and traditional-style pizzas, gourmet ingredients and toppings and healthier alternatives, according to Lu Ann Williams, director of innovation at Innova Market Insights.
Vitamin D deficiency linked to Hepatitis B
Researchers from Germany have found that low levels of vitamin D are associated with high levels of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication.
Corkers completes factory expansion
Crisp brand Corkers has finished the expansion of its factory in Ely, Cambridgeshire and is now able to produce an extra 120,000 bags of crisps a day.
Strike ballot sought at Jacob’s crackers plant
GMB officials have sought permission from the union’s executive council to ballot for strike action at United Biscuit’s Jacob’s Cream Crackers factory in Liverpool after talks about changes to work agreements collapsed.
CASH boss slams government health campaigns
The government’s voluntary Public Health Responsibility Deal (PHRD) may not yet be dead, but it is clearly in need of intensive care, according to the chairman of Consensus Action on Salt & Health (CASH) Professor Graham MacGregor.
Natural alliances
Cargill’s business development and commercial director Lieve Beyen thrives on the benefits of collaboration, says Gary Scattergood
Warrant-holding sauce boss: Consumers will pay more for quality
Tabasco sauce maker McIlhenny Company is the only US food firm to hold a royal warrant, reports Mike Stones
Food safety culture needs to be second nature
Food safety culture needs to become second nature so all production staff do the right thing, says Rick Pendrous
Do those in power really get our industry?
Does the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) really get the UK's food manufacturing industry?
Bakkavör's turnover keeps on rising
Chilled convenience foods manufacturer Bakkavör has seen a 6% increase in turnover to £428.7M for the second quarter of the year in its most recent results issued for the half year to June 29.
Flavoured raisins cater for industrial customers
Dried fruit producer Mariani Packing Company is developing flavoured raisins that can be used as industrial ingredients.
Contoured cakes get robotic sign off
Precise and consistent cake decoration using robots is now possible, thanks to a development by Quasar Automation and its technology partners Scorpion Vision and Mitsubishi Electric.
Instant mix for low-calorie drinks 'with good taste'
Naturex has created two functional instant drink mix concepts.
Robotic loader gets on the case
A new case erecting and robotic loading station at Nairn's Oatcakes in Scotland has automated a labour-intensive job, improved efficiency, and overcome limitations to meet retailer expectations on shelf-ready applications.