Breaking News on Food and Beverage in Asia Pacific

Australian regulator attacked over Ginkgo quality

The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has come under attack for failing to pull contaminated versions of the herb, ginkgo biloba, from the market.

News in brief

Oz-Dutch JV to meet prebiotic demand

Dutch-based FrieslandCampina Domo and Australian firm, Warrnambool Cheese & Butter Factory, have opened an Australian plant FrieslandCampina says will allow it to meet growing prebiotics demand.

Tate & Lyle to produce all its sucralose in Singapore

Tate & Lyle is to produce all its sucralose from its new plant in Singapore, ‘mothballing’ its facility in McIntosh, Alabama.

Ohly opens Shanghai application centre, sales office

Ohly is opening a new food application centre and sales office in Shanghai, as the its new yeast extract plant in Harbin nears opening.

Salt replacers in fish burgers pass taste test

Replacing sodium chloride with potassium chloride does not affect the sensory quality, or shelf-life of fish fillets, says new research.

Maxx launches bitter-free green tea for bakery

Upstate New York-based Maxx Performance has introduced an encapsulated green tea extract allowing addition to bakery and other dried goods without compromising flavor.

Fonterra launches Obama dairy deal criticism

New US initiatives to support milk export producers in the country against rival subsidised production has come under fierce attack from rivals in New Zealand, which accuse the country of acting in ‘un-American’ manner.

Round table: The growth of nanotech

Food and nutrition is a 'hot spot' for nanotechnology, experts have said. Stephen Daniells talks to two such experts and asks where the developments are, could it really lead to a removal colours from foods, and is nanotech really like GM?

Round table: Nanotech and nutraceuticals

Food and nutrition is a 'hot spot' for nanotechnology, experts have said. Stephen Daniells talks to two such experts and asks where the developments are, is enhanced bioavailability a good thing, and whether we should be concerned by nanotech.

Aseptic filling providing more stable smoothie solutions - supplier

A supplier of carton and filling technology claims recent developments it has made in aseptic carton filling are helping to negate potential sales risks of moving into the challenging, but desirable smoothie segment.

Danone’s bid for €3bn cash rocks stocks

Danone has surprised traders with the announcement of a €3bn rights issue in a bid to reduce debts and have cash to hand for acquisitions.

Germans ban Red Bull over cocaine content

Red Bull Cola has been banned in at least six German states after the newest offering from the world’s leading energy drink maker was found to contain cocaine.

Weekly comment

Cheerios: Drugs for breakfast?

When is a breakfast cereal not a breakfast cereal? Well, when it’s a drug.

Southeast Asia ripe for flexible pack growth despite eco-challenges

Flexible packaging suppliers could see strong growth for their products in the food markets of South East Asia, though a parallel rise in environmental concerns may require further investment and developments in biodegradable alternatives, suggests a new report.

News in brief

Aussie fresh-bake omega-3 bread launched

A preservative-free, fresh-baked bread has been launched in Australia by bakery chain, Brumby’s Bakeries, the first time omega-3 has been available outside of long-life, supermarket versions.

Giving oxygen to cheaper and better beer

A sensor that quickly and accurately measures dissolved oxygen in beer products has been launched by the Process Analytics arm of Swiss firm Mettler Toledo.

Talking Point

Country-of-origin labeling: Not so COOL? – your views

FoodNavigator-USA.com asked readers for their views on US country-of-origin labeling (COOL) in light of Canada’s World Trade Organization complaint.

FSANZ disputes shock Australian salt intake claim

FSANZ says the majority of Australian adults are not exceeding its recommended maximum daily salt intake, following media reports that claim some Australians could be consuming 40g of salt a day – almost seven times the recommended max.

News in brief

FAO launches livestock welfare web portal

A new internet portal dedicated to providing information on animal welfare legislation, research and standards, practices and policies has been launched by the Food and Agriculture Organisation.

Examining ethics to fight food fraud

Lessons learned from the Chinese melamine scandal should stimulate greater discussion of ethical conduct in the food industry, says an article to be published in Trends in Food Science and Technology.

News in brief

Senate confirms Hamburg to head FDA

The US Senate confirmed Dr Margaret Hamburg as Food and Drug Administration Commissioner on Monday.

Nestle and Danone make R&D moves

Announcements of new R&D plans this week from Nestle and Danone indicate that major manufacturers plan to keep up the pace on nutrition research and innovation in the economic downturn.

Economic blues fuel health and wellness platform

A Euromonitor International report has highlighted the rising importance of prevention of disease and unwellness as opposed to treatment in the minds of large swathes of consumers.

Indian company launches two new inks for food packaging

Indian company Tirupati Inks has launched two new inks specially designed for food packaging applications that are said to provide the same qualities and properties as the solvent base inks.

Dispatches from Vitafoods

Inside DSM’s quality commitment

Philipp de Simone, human nutrition and health regional sales director for the east, south east and middle east at DSM Nutritional Products, tells Shane Starling why DSM’s Quality for Life initiative reaches all the way from the factory floor to finished products.

China to keep importing UK recovered paper and plastic

China will continue to import UK recovered paper and plastic, including supplies from the food and beverage industries, despite the global recession, says a new survey conducted by Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP).

News in brief

Vitamin D scientist awarded Linus Pauling Institute Prize

This year’s Linus Pauling Institute Prize for Health Research went to Dr Michael Holick from the Boston University School of Medicine for his work to revolutionize the understanding of vitamin D and its role in disease prevention.

Weekly comment

Different shades of green: Looking beyond carbon footprints

You can try your best to avoid it, but when it comes to measuring carbon footprint, almost everything we do these days, either as a business or individuals, is likely to have a negative impact on the environment.

Chinese potential for Euro food firms

The European food and beverage industry could benefit from joint business opportunities in China, says Commissioner, especially for products that have already gained recognition on that market.

US, Canadian and Aussie wheat industries unite behind GM

Major wheat industry organizations from the US, Canada and Australia have announced that they intend to work together to commercialize genetically modified (GM) wheat crops.

Finding inspiration from bread tastes past

Puratos’ CEO talks about consumers’ tastes for bread and patisserie – past and present – and how to ensure the skills needed to work with ingredients are available in every global market.

World's food safety labs ready to detect melamine

Most laboratories worldwide are capable of detecting melamine in food, according to a new study by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC).

News in brief

China’s first food-grade recycled PET flake enterprise

China’s first food-grade recycled polyester flake enterprise, Beijing Incom Resources Recovery Co. opened in Beijing recently, said China Packaging Federation (CPF).

Stevia World puts stevia on the map as sugar replacer

Speakers at the first day of Stevia World have focused on the potential of stevia sweeteners as mainstream sugar replacers, as well as their role in tackling surging rates of diet related ill health, such as diabetes.

Developing solutions to fight food fraud

Adulteration of food proteins - as seen in the recent melamine scandal - is becoming a greater threat to industry as the food supply has become more globalized and economic crisis drives manufacturers to seek cheaper ingredients, says Jim Griffiths of US Pharmacopeia.

Cactus moves to meet Western demand for nattokinase

Cactus Botanics is launching nattokinase in the United States, as the research mounts up on the enzyme’s potential in heart health supplements.

China opens new food test lab

The first food-testing laboratory in China recognised to reach international standards for pesticide screenings, melamine and heavy metal testing and microbiological analyses, was opened last month by Eurofins in Suzhou.

News in brief

Beneo labelling surging worldwide

Consumer awareness of Beneo Orafti’s inulin and oligofructose is increasing, with a reported 350 products in over 30 countries now carrying the Beneo label, says the company.

Commission takes action over nicotine mushroom mystery

The European Commission is taking risk management measures over the occurrence of high nicotine levels in wild mushrooms following an urgent investigation by EFSA, and implementing on-going monitoring.

Stevia’s organic potential is not limited, claims PureCircle

Major Reb A supplier PureCircle has disputed recent suggestions that stevia’s potential for use in organic foods could be limited, although it agrees that certification poses problems.

Indian food processors set for growth

India’s food processing sector is poised for significant growth, according to management consultants A T Kearney.

Weekly comment

The quiet potential of supplements and fortified foods

What do companies like Vitamin Shoppe, Johnson & Johnson, DSM, Whole Foods, NBTY and even Pfizer have in common?

Asian brands show western functional potential

While analyst suggests Asian food and drink companies are behind their Western counterparts in driving product innovation, manufacturers in the region may still be able to lead in way in meeting western demand for certain functional goods.

News in brief

Fruit and veg may slash colorectal cancer risk: Study

Increased intakes of fruit and vegetables may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by 25 per cent, says a large European study.

Acrylamide has no link to brain cancer risk: Study

Dietary intakes of acrylamide are not related to increased risks of brain cancer, says a new study from Maastricht University in the Netherlands.

Unilever finds strength in emerging markets and innovation

Unilever’s activities in the developing and emerging markets and the US have proved key to growth in Q1, but private label presents a challenge to brands.

News in brief

InBev sells South Korean brewer in debt drive

Anheuser-Busch InBev had today announced an agreement with private equity group Kravis Roberts (KKR) to offload its South Korean-based subsidiary Oriental Brewery, thought to be the country’s second largest beer producer.

Danisco breaks down probiotics market

North America and Eastern Europe are the two fastest growing markets for probiotic products, recording more than triple the growth rates seen in the most mature markets for the healthy bacteria, according to Danisco.

Upgrades for “the world’s most sensitive metal detector”

Improvements to the PowerPhasePRO software platform for metal detection in food applications have led to “the world’s most sensitive metal detector,” claims manufacturer Mettler-Toledo Safeline.

Meat industry urges rethink on Chinese chicken

A group of meat industry representatives has sent a letter to President Obama urging a rethink of legislation banning imported cooked poultry from China, saying it breaches US trade obligations.

How Coke and Pepsi plan to grow in the recession

The two beverage giants Coca-Cola and PepsiCo will be driving their brands forward rather than shrinking back in the years ahead, treating the recession as a period for growth, says beverage analyst James Tonkin.

Companies look to Asia as an economic buffer

Food and beverage companies should look to Asia to bolster their business in times of economic crisis, while differentiating their products closer to home, according to a Frost and Sullivan analyst.

Longer shelf life thanks to high pressure

High-pressure processing (HPP) technology developed by Australian researchers to extend shelf life of chilled perishable products without the use of preservatives, is the star turn of a new fruit-juice manufacturing plant hailed “the first of its kind”, which opened recently in Melbourne, Australia.

Nestle ranks second in innovation index for Asian markets

Swiss firm Nestle ranks second in terms of innovation targeted at Asia's emerging markets, claims a fresh 'business vitality' index from the Global Intelligence Alliance Group (GIA).

Shipping programme for confectioners targets reduction in freight costs

The opportunity for confectioners to reduce freight costs and improve services arises with the launch of a shipping programme from the US' National Confectioners Association that aims to create a "community of confectionery" firms to harness transportation opportunities.

Weekly comment

Food safety reform: Not a century too soon

On a summer’s day in 1906 Theodore Roosevelt pushed through new food safety regulation. The Food and Drugs Act passed that day over 100 years ago was the last time the US food safety system was modernized.

News in brief

Gum sales fall, but chocolate resilient for Cadbury 1Q

UK chocolate firm Cadbury reports a 2 per cent drop in gum sales in the first quarter in Europe and the US, impacted by less consumer spending at convenience shops.