The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation has voiced its support for the Star Rating system, which it says will help consumers make healthier food choices, leading to a decrease in obesity levels and related illnesses like type 2 diabetes and stroke. [ + ]

SPC Ardmona has received a much-needed boost in the form of a five-year partnership with Woolworths. The $70 million agreement will see an extra 24,000 tonnes of fruit, tomatoes and navy beans sourced locally. [ + ]

If Australians were to reduce their salt intake from processed foods by just 15% over 10 years, 5800 heart attacks and 4900 strokes per year could be prevented, the National Heart Foundation of Australia estimates. [ + ]

A new study may have cemented hospital food's bad reputation. The study found that more than 80% of raw chicken in hospitals was contaminated with an ESBL-producing E. coli strain which is resistant to antibiotics. [ + ]

Researchers have shown that calorie restriction has no beneficial effects on life span in mice. The researchers found that not all calories are created equal: protein, carbohydrate and fat have very different effects on food intake, health and ageing. [ + ]

Ampac has started the year off with a bang, receiving awards from three separate organisations for its packaging products. [ + ]

The AIP's next technical dinner will feature guest speakers Gwen Blake, managing director of Boxer & Co, and Sharon Givoni, an intellectual property law expert. [ + ]

Investing in research into wine yeast pays off, new research shows. An independent study commissioned by the GWRDC has found that $1 spent on research into improving the performance of yeasts generates $7.40 in returns to winemakers. [ + ]

OceanWatch has been recognised as a natural resource management (NRM) organisation and will receive $439,836 as part of the National Landcare Program to promote best-practice harvest practices and help increase long-term returns for Australian fishers. [ + ]

The world's first large-scale benchmarking trial for sparkling wine closures is due to commence in 2014. To be conducted by the AWRI, the trial will evaluate the impact of a range of different closure technologies on bottle-fermented Chardonnay Pinot Noir. [ + ]

The World Health Organization (WHO) has sugar in its sights, recommending that consumers aim to cut their sugar consumption in half to 5% of total daily calories. [ + ]

A US cardiovascular researcher and doctor has made waves within both the medical and research sectors by publishing an editorial arguing that the theory that saturated fat raises cholesterol levels is false. [ + ]

The Victorian Government's Food To Asia Action Plan is a positive step that will enhance competitiveness and growth in the domestic food processing sector, the AFGC says. [ + ]

Australia's ageing population is driving demand for lightweight, easy-to-open packaging with clear labelling. A new report from Canadean predicts that the Australian packaging market will grow at a CAGR of 2.21% up to 2017. [ + ]

The Institute of Customer Service has awarded LINPAC Packaging the prestigious ServiceMark accreditation. LINPAC was recognised for its excellent standards of customer service through its LINcare program. [ + ]