Assistant health minister Fiona Nash has announced that Australian and New Zealand ministers responsible for food policy and regulation have signed off on the health star rating system for front-of-pack labelling. [ + ]

In the US, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) will fundamentally change food safety for food processors as the focus will shift from reacting to contamination incidents to preventing such incidents.

The embattled Health Star Rating (HSR) system has received yet another blow to its credibility after new research has suggested that not only is the HSR system confusing to consumers, so too is the existing Daily Intake Guide system. [ + ]

With consumers becoming increasingly health conscious, the demand for cereal and bread products with wholegrains will continue to increase - placing pressure on food manufacturers to incorporate new superfoods in their products to keep up with consumer demands.

Avocados are not traditionally part of the Asian diet, but with markets in this region showing enormous growth potential, Carwyn Williams, director of Southern Produce at avocado exporting company Avanza, explains how the company has taken a pioneering approach to getting its avocados into Thailand. [ + ]

In this second instalment of GM in Australia - a series looking at the facts, ethics, regulations and research into genetically modified crops - David Tribe walks us through the bodies responsible for GM policy and oversight.

A new test facility in the Netherlands is allowing food processors to test their production methods to see if the proposed improvements in efficiency and quality can be realised. [ + ]

While egg farmers face fluctuating input costs and low margins, the profit received by poultry meat farmers is claimed to be higher and more stable.

How can the food industry maximise its sales and yet simultaneously appear to support public health initiatives to combat obesity? [ + ]

The world is at a crossroads - facing an unclear future. In 2014, we have broken economic, health, food and ecological systems - all interconnected - and find ourselves on a short time frame for correction. Global action is required - and required urgently. [ + ]

Television shows like Boardwalk Empire and Mad Men have reinvigorated Scotch whisky's popularity. In a nod to the past, Edrington has released its Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition in a black glass bottle produced by O-I. The premium edition blended Scotch is the first of its kind released in the US market by the brand. [ + ]

Food loss and its food waste subcomponent are increasingly in the spotlight both in the United States and around the world. This attention reflects concern about the resources wasted in the production and disposal of uneaten food, the negative side effects associated with food loss (such as pollution created during food production) and the growing pressures on the global food supply. [ + ]

The transition from a small to a larger business is not simply a matter of producing more; it poses many challenges and requires a long-term growth strategy. Finance, storage, distribution and staffing are just some of the key barriers to expansion.

New research from South Dakota State University (SDSU) could help improve the palatability of low-fat products with the use of a strain of lactic acid bacteria that mimics fat. [ + ]

The time taken to remove waste yeast from wine can be reduced from weeks to minutes if the yeast itself is magnetised. [ + ]