Industry News
Classifying mild onions
Onions that are mild in flavour and suitable for eating raw are to be labelled as mild under a new onion classification system.
[ + ]Manufacturers with a fresh perspective on additives and preservatives
Food and drink manufacturers have turned their backs on additives and preservatives, preferring to go 'au naturel' and launch more 'additive- and preservative-free' products than ever before.
[ + ]Australian exports to be crippled by US–Korea trade deal
Australian agricultural and food exports to Korea could be slashed by 12.4 % if the US and Korea ratify their Free Trade Agreement (FTA), according to a study by the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF).
[ + ]US increases scrutiny on imported foods
The US is considering an imported food action plan that will drastically increase scrutiny on imported food quality, by shifting the onus of quality assurance onto the shoulders of the companies importing the produce.
[ + ]Aussie food gobbled by emerging economies
With the emphasis on Fine Food Australia this month, Australia’s export development agency has reported major demographic changes in worldwide food consumption.
[ + ]New directors elected
The Australian Packaging Machinery Association (APMA) has elected two new directors following two retirements.
[ + ]Food aid more harm than good
Food aid to developing countries could actually worsen rural poverty and distort global trade, according to a report by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC).
[ + ]Identifying counterfeit products by their DNA
DNA-embedded ink used in packaging may become the solution that authorities and companies need to combat counterfeit products.
[ + ]Food additives conclusively linked to hyperactivity
A study by researchers in the UK has shown evidence of increased levels of hyperactivity in young children consuming mixtures of some artificial food colours and preservatives, particularly sodium benzoate.
[ + ]Packaging that minimises product waste
Shaking and tapping is often the only way to get the last drop of tomato sauce out of the bottle. But soon a special coating on the packaging will make every last, precious drop of sauce ooze out of the bottle with ease.
[ + ]Australian packaging giants bought out
Amcor Group’s food can and aerosol business in Australia and New Zealand will no longer be Australian owned by the end of this year.
[ + ]Kraft sued by Proctor and Gamble
Procter & Gamble (P&G) has filed a patent lawsuit against Kraft Foods, over a dispute on some new packaging for Kraft’s Maxwell House coffee brand.
[ + ]Japan opens doors for food machinery
The Japanese External Trade Organisation (JETRO) has announced the launch of the JETRO Invest Japan Invitation Program for food-related machinery companies, in collaboration with Chiba and Hiroshima Prefectures.
[ + ]Property value linked to obesity rates
Neighbourhood property values predict local obesity rates better than education or incomes, according to a study published online this week by the journal Social Science and Medicine. For each additional $100,000 in the median price of homes, US researchers found obesity rates in a given ZIP code dropped by 2 %.
[ + ]How Listeria beats sanitation programs
Researchers at the US University of Arkansas have discovered that some dangerous bacteria thrive as strongly without food as they do with it – a finding that could have great implications with current food preservation and hygiene practices.
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