Kraft given November deadline for Cadbury bid

The UK’s Takeover Panel has announced a deadline of November 9 for Kraft to make a bid for Cadbury or to say that it does not intend to make an...

News in brief

Cargill and Hojiblanca bottle olive oil together

A new bottling plant in Spain has been inaugurated by JV partners Cargill and Hojiblanca, supplying olive oil for private label.

Guest article

Stevia: Succeeding in an emerging market

A sustainable supply chain, adherence to quality standards and alliances with flavour companies are all keys to success in the increasingly competitive stevia sweeteners market, says Sneha Pasricha of Frost...

Target women with energy drinks, says Mintel

UK consumers view energy drinks as value for money rather than a luxury, with sales for the products expected to soar over the next five years, according to the latest...

France reminds what ‘natural’ means

The French department responsible for tackling fraud has issued a new note setting out how the term ‘natural’ should be used on food products.

Bericap launches new light-weight beverage closure

German beverage closure manufacturer Bericap has added the LinerSeal SuperShorty model to its PCO 1881 light weight neck finish range.

Kraft reportedly prepares hostile bid for Cadbury

Kraft Foods is reportedly preparing a hostile bid for Cadbury three weeks after the confectionery company rejected a £10.2bn ($16.7bn) offering.

Taste tipped to top the agenda at Stevia World Europe

Ahead of the Stevia World Europe conference in Frankfurt in November, business research firm KnowGenix has compiled a report detailing the quality, sustainability and taste issues that stevia still faces.

Soft drinks may raise likelihood of fatty liver disease: Study

People with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease tend to drink larger quantities of soft drinks than those without the disease, according to new research published in the Journal of Hepatology.

News in brief

Cadbury boss makes veiled attack on Kraft’s brand of capitalism

Cadbury CEO Todd Stitzer told a fair trade conference in London on Thursday that taking away its “principled capitalism” would destroy Cadbury’s appeal, according to the UK’s Guardian newspaper....

Cadbury tells Kraft to bid or back off

Cadbury has approached the UK’s Takeover Panel, asking it to impose a deadline for Kraft to make an offer.

Global food use of bulk and high intensity sweeteners

Some 70.4 million tonnes of sweeteners were used by the global food and beverage industry in 2008, including sugars. But which sweeteners are most used, in volume terms?

News in brief

High street pizzas found too fatty

A survey from UK consumer watchdog Which? has found that most of the pizzas sold in high street restaurant chains are unhealthy, containing high levels of saturated fat, fat and...

Strain breakthrough points to gluten-free sourdough

German scientists have identified two strains to produce amaranth-based sourdoughs, potentially opening the way towards new gluten-free formulations.

Special edition: Brain health

Supply: The back-end of brain health

In the third article in this brain health series, we break down some of the key ingredients in the sector.

PepsiCo imports fail Chinese quality control

Global drinks giant PepsiCo is one of a number of western companies whose imported food and beverage products have failed Chinese quality inspection tests, reports Shanghai Daily, one of the...

Mutual recognition a must for ‘traditional’ novel foods

The amended novel foods approval must reinforce the principle of mutual recognition between member states if the fast-track process for traditional foods eaten outside the EU is to work, says...

Mediterranean weed offers natural fruit flavours: Study

Extracts from a Mediterranean wild shrub have a fruit-like aroma, which shows their potential to flavour beverages, suggest new findings from Italy.

Eco-friendly packaging cuts paper and energy use

Cap-it packages are an environmentally-friendly and recyclable paperboard alternative to traditional Hi-cone and shrink wrap packaging, claims its maker Graphic Packaging International.

Italian association to boost stevia awareness in Europe

A new association is aiming to promote knowledge and research into stevia sweeteners in Italy and abroad, and is seeking active members and funding.

No sign of a baobab boom - yet

Baobab was hailed as this year’s 'hot new superfruit'. So why have no new products containing the fruit have been launched in Europe so far?

News in brief

FSA advises on sustainable fish choices

The UK’s Food Standards agency is sticking by its advice for people to eat at least two fish portions a week, of which one should be oily – but is...

Private equity spies opportunities in small consolidators

Consolidation in the food sector during the recession is throwing up opportunities for private equity to invest in smaller companies – if they have a unique product and a diverse...

ASA rules against ad for weight loss aid

The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) has decided that an advert for the supplement LIPObind does make a weight loss claim and ruled that it must not be broadcast until medical...

News in brief

Men like meat-flavoured chocolate

A meat flavoured chocolate developed is popular with men in New Zealand, according to its creator, a food chemist-turned-chocolatier.

Pilgrim’s Pride agrees to JBS takeover

US chicken processor Pilgrim’s Pride has agreed to sell a majority stake of the company to Brazilian meat giant JBS in a deal worth $800m.

UK to explore consumer views on GM food

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has announced the formation of an independent steering group to engage with consumers over genetic modification.

France’s first stevia products around the corner

Granular is officially launching its Real Stevia sweetener following approval for high Reb-A stevia sweeteners in France; the race is on to bring the first products to shelves and secure...

Comment

Bisphenol A: Hearts versus minds

Forget GMO and nanotechnology - the biggest food safety issue of our times is bisphenol A (BPA).

Rapper 50 Cent to choose Facebook-designed functional drink

Coca-Cola-owned Glaceau Vitaminwater is giving consumers the opportunity to design a new addition to its functional beverage range, with the winner being selected by the rapper 50 Cent and country...

Organic foods are now ‘mainstream’, says USDA

Organic food has entered the mainstream with strong growth in all sectors over the past decade, including packaged and prepared foods and beverages, according to the US Department of Agriculture...

Symrise enters mainstream beer market with new flavours

Symrise has entered the mainstream beer market with a new range of flavours designed to make life simpler for brewers in international markets.

UK professor says supplements are a waste of time

The likes of vitamin A and vitamin C are a waste of money for most people and can even be detrimental to health, a UK-based nutrition professor has told the...

Brewers in emerging markets turn to enzymes, says DSM

Enzymes can help brewers in emerging markets take full advantage of local crops and therefore cut costs, protect the environment, and support local communities.

Callebaut-Natra chocolate plan turns sour

Barry Callebaut has confirmed it has ended negotiations with Spanish chocolate producer Natra over the integration of its European consumer chocolate business, citing differences over valuation.

Kraft defiant over Cadbury valuation

Kraft Foods has defended its valuation of the Cadbury business and insisted that it remains the most logical buyer for the UK confectionery manufacturer.

Premier Foods forges cutting edge traceability deal

Premier Foods has devised a bespoke traceability system for its Hovis bread range in partnership with global supply chain firm Zetes.

Comment

Acrylamide: The consumer health scare that isn’t

Consumers love to get their teeth into a good health scare. So how is it that acrylamide has slipped under the radar?

Pea ingredients could offer low-fat, tasty meat products

Substituting fat with various pea ingredients could lead to sausages with improved texture and acceptability of Bologna-type sausages, says new research from Canada.

Rivals set to go to war over Cadbury

Kraft Foods' rejected bid for Cadbury is likely to trigger a bidding war among the world’s leading confectionery producers, analysts are predicting.

Antioxidant-rich juices boost heart health: Study

Consuming antioxidant-rich raspberry juice or tea may prevent artery hardening, and lead to improvements in heart health, say results of a European wide research.

Tetra Pak beverage pasteurizer cuts costs and product losses

A new intelligent beverage pasteurizer will cut product losses by almost a third, slash downtime and reduce energy and water consumption significantly, said manufacturers Tetra Pak.

Cadbury plays down chocolate supply fears

Cadbury has insisted that potential strike action by its workforce will not affect chocolate supply, despite claims made by union officials.

Cereal makers lobby FSA to stop salt warning ads

Leading cereal manufacturers in the UK are meeting the Food Standards Agency (FSA) today to urge the body to pull a £3m (€3.44m) advertising campaign on salt consumption.

Sales of one per cent fat milk rocket in the UK

Milk with a fat content of one per cent has quickly gained market share in the UK and its sales are now tipped to overtake those of both full fat...

Store brands match big names in blind tests

Private label foods matched and even beat their big brand rivals in blind head-to-head tests set by the magazine Consumer Reports.

Less meat brings heart, climate benefits, says professor

A Danish cardiologist has added his voice to calls for a reduction in red meat consumption – both for the good of people’s hearts and for the good of the...

News in brief

Whole Foods twitters for food

Whole Foods Market has joined a nutrition event that is fast spreading through cyberspace via the social media network Twitter.

Danone: Everyday gut problems eased by probiotics

Daily consumption of a probiotic fermented milk product may improve gut health and well-being in women with everyday digestive problems, says a new study from Danone.