Americas: Haier, Astronautics, BASF present wine cooler at CES

Three companies presented a proof‑of‑concept wine cooler refrigerated by a magnetocaloric heat pump at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, the US from January 6-9, 2015. Developed by household appliances maker Haier, technology company Astronautics Corporation of America, and BASF, the magnetocaloric heat pump is a cooling device based on magnetocaloric materials meant as an alternative to...

Asia Pacific: Detect meat fraud using enhanced analytical methods, says AB Sciex

Food fraud is gaining interest as an emerging risk given the increasingly global and complex nature of food supply chains. It is not uncommon to find cases where an authentic ingredient is replaced with a cheaper alternative, such as in milk products, fruit juices or meat products. In some cases, the additives might potentially be harmful to the human body. Another common...

Americas: Food traceability measures gaining popularity among consumers, finds Organic Monitor

Growing consumer interest in food provenance and production methods is leading to a spike in traceability schemes, as Organic Monitor finds more certification schemes and analytical tools are helping food companies provide transparency. Traceability schemes were initially introduced to track agricultural commodities from developing countries, such as coffee, cocoa and tea. Consumer concerns about food safety have led to new traceability schemes...

Europe: Women, young in the UK aim to live healthy in 2015

Out of the 2,000 consumers in the UK who want to eat and drink more healthily in 2015, 65% plan to eat more fruit and vegetables – making it the most popular way to change the approach to food in the new year, according to Canadean. This is closely followed by having less fat and sugar – with 58% of consumers...

Americas: Adding half an avocado to lunch helps to curb appetite, say researchers

A study suggests adding one-half of a fresh avocado to a lunch may have helped 26 healthy, overweight people feel more satisfied and reduced their desire to eat following a meal, says Haas Avocado Board (HAB). The avocado study, which was conducted by researchers at the Loma Linda University and funded by HAB, was published in Nutrition Journal. The human clinical study...

World: IChemE urges efficient water management in food production

The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) is urging coordinated action to reduce the amount of hidden water used in food and drink production – estimated at up to 1.8 million liters per person every year equivalent to an Olympic size swimming pool. Each person consumes between 2,000 and 5,000 liters of water embedded in their food, every day – or...

Americas: Multi-Color Corporation acquires UK label company

Multi-Color Corporation (MCC) has acquired 100% of UK-based Multi Labels Ltd from January 5, 2015. Multi Labels specializes in premium alcoholic beverage labels, especially for spirits and imported wine with annual revenues of approximately £10 million (US$15 million). This acquisition completes the plans of global labels solutions company MCC for wine and spirit labels in the UK and Ireland, complementing its...

Americas: Chromatic Technologies launches sunlight-activated inks for beverage cans

Chromatic Technologies Inc. (CTI) has introduced Sunlight Inks for decoration applications in the can manufacturing industry worldwide. In August 2014, the company launched the inks for use in the label industry, which offer the first photochromic inks that provide: - fast kinetics that turn on rapidly when sunlight hits it, - repeatability that enables the ink to turn ‘on and off,’ - a...

Asia Pacific: Thai tuna producer buys US seafood brand

09Producer of shelf-stable tuna products Thai Union Frozen Products Public Company Limited (TUF) has entered into a binding agreement to acquire 100% of the shares of North America’s shelf-stable seafood company – Bumble Bee Foods. Through the acquisition worth US$1.51 billion, TUF aims to improve operating efficiencies in the areas of raw material sourcing and production, as well as advancing...

Asia Pacific: SATO opens internationally-focused office in Japan

SATO has in Tokyo, Japan launched SATO International, a new group company that will integrate and drive all aspects of overseas business activities including boosting earnings, improving group synergy, crafting and executing global strategy, supporting sales activities and customer management. “Globalization and maximization of customer value are two core components of our long-term strategy,” said Kaz Matsuyama, president and CEO...