Industry News
Packaging and consumer businesses sold
Alcoa has agreed to sell its packaging and consumer businesses to New Zealand’s Rank Group Limited for $2.7 billion. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter 2008.
[ + ]Comment on possible changes to food standards code sought
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has invited individuals and organisations with an interest in the regulation of food to provide information and comment on two applications and a proposal to amend the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
[ + ]Food enzymes face a competitive market
While the performance benefits of enzymes are increasingly being acknowledged by food product manufacturers, enzyme suppliers still have to contend with price pressure and intense competition while at the same time delivering quality customised solutions and service, according to a report on the food enzymes industry.
[ + ]EFSA questions the safety of botanical food supplements
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has just launched a public consultation on the draft approach it proposes for assessing botanical food additives.
[ + ]Poultry workers exposed to drug-resistant bacteria
Poultry workers in the United States are 32 times more likely to carry drug-resistant E. coli bacteria than others outside the poultry industry, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
[ + ]ISO standards guide for food safety management systems
ISO has launched a new CD that contains the ISO 22000 series of standards, developed to help operators in the food chain to implement food safety management systems.
[ + ]Food Control Plans delayed
Delays in the drafting of the new Food Bill will see Food Control Plans introduced only on a voluntary basis for some sectors of the food industry by mid-2008.
[ + ]Energy drink market booming in NZ
New Zealand is in contention to be one of the top five consumer countries for energy drinks, while the US market rockets into first place, according to the latest report by global drinks consultancy Zenith International.
[ + ]US to consider regulations for nanotech industry
Nanotechnology was incorporated into more than US$50 billion in manufactured goods last year and the market is expected to grow to US$2.6 trillion by 2014, according to a report by Lux Research, yet no nanospecific regulation exists anywhere in the world.
[ + ]Applied Sorting Technologies names Accuweigh as distributor
Applied Sorting Technologies has appointed packaging and weighing equipment specialist, Accuweigh to be its exclusive distributor for the company’s range of Australian made X-ray food inspection systems.
[ + ]Decontaminating molluscs at four times the speed
Researchers at the Universitat Jaume I (UJI) and the Spanish Research Council (CSIC) have patented a method to remove organic pollutants, such as pesticide residues, from bivalve molluscs.
[ + ]Marel nets Stork acquisition
Marel Food Systems has entered an EU$415 million agreement to acquire the Stork Food Systems division of Stork N.V.
[ + ]CUNO Foodservice becomes 3M Water Filtration
CUNO Foodservice is emphasising its position as a part off the 3M family by re-branding its product line.
[ + ]Fonterra to measure its carbon footprint
Fonterra has commissioned the University of NSW, Scion and AgResearch to measure the dairy giant’s carbon footprint across its major products.
[ + ]Allergy awareness program for food industry
A food allergy awareness training program was launched on World Allergy Day in Canada Bay, designed to help businesses better cater to the needs of people with allergies.
[ + ]