Europe: EC investigates regulatory compliance in Cargill’s acquisition of ADM
The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation to assess whether the proposed acquisition of the industrial chocolate business of Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) by Cargill is in line with the EU Merger Regulation. Both US-based companies supply industrial chocolate as well as fat-based coatings and fillings. Industrial chocolate, which is sold in liquid or solid form, is used by customers...
Europe: Lycotec to present beauty chocolate at UK event
Lycotec will present beauty chocolate Esthechoc at the Global Food Innovation Summit in London, UK, next month. The product is based on 70% cocoa dark chocolate and contains antioxidants with pleotropic anti-ageing properties – cocoa flavanols and marine carotenoid astaxanthin. The blend of proprietary technologies behind the laboratory and clinical development of this product empowers these bioactive molecules to such a...
Asia Pacific: Molenbergnatie opens coffee warehouse in Vietnam
Molenbergnatie has recently inaugurated a coffee warehouse in Binh Duong, Vietnam, following completion of construction in December 2014. The new warehouse and processing plant, which will be the largest of its kind in Asia, with a covered area of 66,300 sqm, is designed to handle up to 170,000 metric tons of green coffee processing annually. The warehouse will employ up to...
Asia Pacific: Suntory’s sales volume growth, plans for 2015
The demand in the Japanese soft drink industry in 2014 was estimated slightly lower than in the previous year, reflecting factors such as impact from unseasonable weather in summer and a delayed recovery in consumer sentiment after the consumption tax hike, according to Suntory Beverage & Food Limited (SBF). Meanwhile, the company posted a year-on-year growth in sales volume owing...
Europe: Corbion Caravan unveils dough strengthener
Corbion Caravan's Pristine 2000 is a new dough strengthener for cleaner, simplified ingredient declarations. The ingredient enhances the quality and consistency of final products. "Health-conscious consumers are looking for baked goods with fewer, simpler ingredients," says Ricardo Moreira, product category manager. "Pristine 2000 supports the friendlier labels these consumers want - along with the quality they expect." In addition, he says the ingredient supports...
Americas: Mettler Toledo releases whitepaper on efficient retail backroom processes
The manufacturing industry has spent decades developing management methods to keep production facilities competitive. Retailers can apply this know-how to their meat-department backrooms in order to match manufacturers in terms of process efficiency. Mettler Toledo has released a whitepaper entitled Backroom Production Processes for backroom optimization, while also serving as a framework for making purchasing decisions. “Production management methodologies such as lean manufacturing...
Europe: Institute finds EFSA’s BPA safe level high
After having examined the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA's) new health assessment of bisphenol A (BPA), the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, maintains its assessment of the chemical compound. The institute’s researchers assess that the safe level recently recommended by EFSA does not adequately protect consumers against endocrine disrupting effects of BPA. The chemical compound BPA, which is used...
Europe: Institute finds most labs can detect, identify food viruses accurately
The National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark has tested how accurately reference laboratories from around the world are able to determine the identity and type of various food-related bacteria and their occurrence of antimicrobial resistance. The performance test shows that the national reference laboratories’ determinations are of good quality and the majority can determine bacteria type and resistance accurately. It...
Americas: Reusable Packaging Association hosts forum in Chicago
The Reusable Packaging Association is hosting a forum for supply chain professionals who use reusables to actively collaborate and solve the challenges of reusables and increase their return on investment. The Reusable Packaging Forum will be April 28 - 29 in Chicago, US. “Reusables deliver many benefits like cost savings and improved worker safety, but implementing them can be challenging because...
Europe: Infants can eat peanuts safely, finds allergen study
An introduction of peanut products into the diets of infants at high risk of developing peanut allergy was safe and led to an 81% reduction in the subsequent development of the allergy, a clinical trial has found. The study was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, and was...