Horsemeat: learning the lessons of an avoidable crisis
WRBM
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Financial backing has been secured to construct a 2MW on-site wind turbine to generate electricity at Dewlay Cheesemakers’ site in Garstang, Lancashire. A deal was struck...
Burton’s Foods has appointed Steve Newiss to the newly created role of chief commercial officer. The appointment takes place with immediate effect. Newiss will...
The major retailers have come under fire for their “misleading” labels and use of processing aids and artificial additives in in-store baked bread. A nine-month investigation...
Employees at Twinings are being balloted on whether to take industrial action, after it was announced late last year that the firm was considering cutting...
Britain’s major retailers have agreed to work closely with the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) to stamp out the widespread problem of migrant and agency worker...
Spirulina, the blue colour from algae used in Nestlé’s Smarties, is one of 10 substances used to colour food that faces an uncertain future as its legal status is scrutinised.
Asda has no plans to follow Tesco by introducing carbon footprint labelling on own-label lines. The retailer believes that it is the job of its own buyers to discriminate between products on the basis of their environmental credentials.
Loaves with “astonishingly low levels of salt” could hit supermarket shelves early next year as the UK’s leading plant bakers launch the first products containing microscopic salt crystals from Nottingham-based firm Eminate, reports our sister title Food Manufacture.
Moves to scrap EU nutrient profiling proposals are unlikely to succeed, according to Richard Wood, regulatory affairs manager at Nestlé UK.
The Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) has elected Helen Gay Wild an honorary fellow of the Institute. Wild recently retired as chief...
Ingredients firm Glanbia Performance Nutrition has received a £200,000 grant from regional development agency One North East.
Poultry and ingredient supplier Rectory Foods has forged a strategic partnership with distribution firm Acura Foods that will add another 50 fresh and frozen pork...
Birds Eye has awarded DHL Supply Chain a £30M, three-year contract to handle exclusive distribution of all its frozen foods to UK customers. The deal will...
The British Retail Consortium and the Chilled Food Association (CFA) have published shelf-life guidance for ready-to-eat foods today. The document Shelf Life of Ready to Eat...
Downsizing its Easter egg packaging has delivered a surprising number of operational as well as environmental benefits, Cadbury has revealed. Cadbury has cut the packaging weight...
Asda has become ‘Britain’s biggest pound shop’ with more than 14% of its sales generated by products with a £1 price tag, according to Kantar...
UK chilled storage and distribution firms face unnecessary additional bills of £5M a year as a result of tighter EU traceability requirements, according to the...
Lighthouse Caledonia is planning to have its mothballed salmon processing plant in Marybank, Scotland, up and running at full capacity by the end of June. The...
Prebiotics from milk could increasingly give inulin a run for their money as firms seek to expand their applications beyond infant nutrition into the mainstream food market, according to Tate & Lyle (T&L).
Prebiotics from milk could increasingly give inulin a run for their money as firms seek to expand their applications beyond infant nutrition into the mainstream food market, according to Tate & Lyle (T&L).
Pork Farms may slash half of the workforce at its Shaftesbury site in Dorset, following the withdrawal of business by a major customer.A spokeswoman said...
Caterers have continued to question the feasibility of rolling out calorie labelling throughout the foodservice sector as the Food Standards Agency (FSA) prepares to outline...
Dale Farm dairy opened a new high-capacity cheese plant last week, as part of a £40M investment in its business.The plant in Dunmanbridge, Northern Ireland,...
The Department of Health (DoH) is making progress with the Healthier Food Mark, with stage two of the scheme poised for launch later this month. The...
Scottish Wild Salmon’s final application for Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status under the EU protected food names scheme has been issued for consultation. Scottish government officials...
The government has teamed up with research and training bodies to launch a programme to support the pursuit of a sustainable and secure food supply. The...
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) Board last week accepted a recommendation in a House of Lords Science and Technology Committee report to compile a confidential...
A round of redundancies has begun at government-funded resource efficiency organisations in a bid to save more than £5M.Under a restructuring exercise commencing on April...
The chairman and chief executive of McCambridge has stepped down from the board following his appointment as chairman of Alternative Hotel Group, operator of De...
Magistrates have fined a Herefordshire-based dairy £600 for causing waste water to enter a stream, killing a number of fish. On March 5, Honiton magistrates also...
Bob Marsh is stepping down from his role as md of Food Processing Faraday to concentrate on his new job as leader of the Food...
The Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP ) has successfully passed through its next parliamentary stage, after four hours of debate in parliament. On Friday March 5,...
Small, unaffiliated independent stores will continue to go to the wall unless they can improve their retailing skills and find new ways of attracting and...
Interest is growing in the use of antimicrobials as a replacement for standard food preservatives such as sorbate, benzoate and sulphites, but much confusion exists...
Consumer groups and retailers have criticised new Food Standards Agency (FSA) proposals that allow a ‘flexible approach’ to the introduction of front-of-pack (FOP) nutritional labelling.The...
The government must overhaul waste handling guidance and help strengthen the UK network of waste treatment facilities to ensure food processors meet phase two targets...
Rentokil has launched a groundbreaking chemical-free bug killing system for food processors that drastically cuts the production downtime involved in using traditional pesticides. Entotherm eliminates insects...
While low-glycaemic index (low-GI) health claims have suffered a major setback following last week’s negative opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), it is “by no means the end of the road” for glycaemic control, according to experts in the field.
Academics specialising in phytochemicals say they are "not at all surprised" the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has rejected generic health claims about antioxidants.Derek Stewart,...
SirThe EU Regulation (1005/2008) on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing came into force in January (Food Manufacture, February, p12).The law aims to prevent, deter...
Jasper has left me another parcel, right between the rose bush and the daffodils. Now and again, I come across his unpleasant and unwanted gifts....
A new challenge is emerging from the murky world of policy debate: how best to create a 'healthy, low impact diet' for tomorrow's low carbon...
I was pleased to hear that the Food Standards Agency (FSA) is drawing up new guidance on the use of 'best before' and 'use by'...
The number of times I have seen poor packaging design ruin the opportunity for the success of new products. Packaging and the design of packaging...
A picture of the Conservative Party's overall food policy is hard to find. Apart from aiming to move the areas related to nutrition and diet...
If you could design your processes again from scratch, asks Glen Annison at Creative Foods, what would they look like?
Britvic Soft Drinks has cut sickness absences among its workforce in a joint project with consultancy Healthcare RM.In general, the initiative has worked by increasing...
A new project will calculate the amount of food and packaging waste generated by pre-prepared foods such as pizza, sandwiches and ready meals from supermarkets...
Every single product in Marks & Spencer’s (M&S's) food range will carry “at least one sustainable or ethical quality” (eg Fairtrade or Marine Stewardship Council...
The jury is still out on the efficacy of antimicrobial treatments (AMTs) used to kill off dangerous pathogens on the surface of poultry. But ‘demonisation’...
European food labelling must be honest and informative to consumers while not unfairly penalising suppliers from countries outside the EU, Robert Madelin, director general of...
As many as eight out of 10 toddlers are not meeting their daily recommendation of iron intake, which could have serious implications for their health...
Daniels Group is confident of growing turnover of £25-30M by September at a £8.5M soup and ready meals plant due to open in Grimsby this...
Grimsby’s seafood processing sector has been given a boost, after a consortium of fish merchants were given a £1M grant by The European Fisheries Fund...
Pace of progress on delivering workforce of future increases as projects bear fruit
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has joined forces with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Biological Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research...
Launching the Food Standards Agency's (FSA's) science and evidence strategic plan for the next five years at an event in London last month, chairman Jeff...
A new approach to lean manufacturing at United Biscuits' Harlseden factory has helped reduce stock and boost customer service.Factory general manager Andy Brammer said: "We're...
US firm Diamond Foods has acquired Kettle Foods from Lion Capital in a $615M (£404M) deal.Diamond chief executive Michael Mendes said he planned to "invest...
A hearing to consider Ajinomoto's appeal against a High Court ruling over the rights to call aspartame a 'nasty' is likely to take place in...
New Britain Palm Oil aims to start commissioning its new £18M refinery in Liverpool from late March and producing oil from April.It will initially be...
New figures from the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications suggest that more than three-quarters of the 90M hectares of soybeans grown globally...
Compass Group UK & Ireland has committed to purchasing 100% Fairtrade certified sugar across its business by June following a partnership with Tate & Lyle.
Liberal Democrat shadow DEFRA secretary stresses importance of aggressive regulator
Processors have collaborated with retailers and wholesalers to cut millions of road miles out of the distances travelled by distribution fleets, according to grocery think...
Risk management is rising up the company agenda as food and drink firms tackle potential damage from the rising number of threats facing the sector.The...
Sustainable supply chain management will take centre stage at the Food & Drink Logistics Show, at Birmingham's NEC from March 2124.On Sunday March 21 in...
Kerry Foods recorded double-digit growth in meat snacks and sausages in 2009, with "strong double digit growth" in Mattessons Fridge Raiders and a good performance...
Adelie (owned by Duke Street Capital), Bakkavör (listed company), RF Brookes and Avana Bakeries (owned by Premier Foods), Park Cakes and Pork Farms (owned by...
Global use of 'functional' ingredients in beverages grew by 3% in 2008, taking consumption to 26.5bn litres with a retail value of euro 64bn, according...
One of the largest automated cold stores in the UK has been completed in Wisbech by Dutch firm Partner Logistics. The site contains automated stacker...
Snacks and confectionery firm, Glisten is in a stronger position to boost exports, invest in products, upgrade its IT and pursue acquisitions with Raisio as...
Processors under consolidation pressure
Firm contracts out more production of Quorn and Cauldron to resolve 'inefficiencies'
Bakers hoping to extend the use of high-intensity sweeteners into new food categories have been told they must wait until 2012 before the issue is...
Buckwheat, lentils, fenugreek, kiwi, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts and sunflower seeds could potentially be added to the 14-strong EU allergen list if the number of...
Establishing thresholds for adventitious presence of milk, peanuts and egg will take time
'May contain' allergy warning labels should be replaced by 'not suitable for' labels, which are less ambiguous, Sainsbury has argued.Speaking at Food Manufacture's allergens conference...
RSSL has developed a scoring system that can help food firms conduct hazard analysis assessments for allergens.While all allergens were equal in that they needed...
Waste disposal facilities for food processors continue to multiply, with an anaerobic digestion facility at Deerdykes in Cumbernauld, Scotland, due to open in May and...
Sustainable fishing measures aim to yield a healthier marine environment for the future
The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW) is hoping that within the next couple of months a tribunal will award thousands of pounds...
Celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott has expanded his easy-to-cook product portfolio with the launch of Amazing Grains. The new range includes chilli and lime flavoured quinoa...
SirReferring to your article on Agency Workers Regulations (Food Manufacture, February, p4), I thought it might be useful to add some comments.From talking to employers,...
English Provender Company, which manufactures a large range of premium condiments, chutneys, dressings and sauces, is taking its Very Lazy branded product range into new...
The Authentic Food Company has launched a new Indian snack. The large samosas allow consumers to snack on-the-go and include chicken tikka, lamb and vegetable....
Crantock Bakery has launched a new range of on-the-go breakfast bites following requests from retailers wanting to offer a broader range of products.The launch includes...
Three quarters of shoppers would spend extra on breakfast cereals with messages such as: "keeps you full for longer", "improves digestive comfort", "helps maintain healthy...
Milk Link has created True Blue, a creamy Stilton that has been launched into Morrisons. The cheese is produced at Milk Link's Tuxford and Tebbutt...
Kellogg has pledged to cut the salt in some of its products by 30%, including Rice Krispies and Kellogg's Corn Flakes.The company claims the move...
A small producer of ready meals made using grass fed Aberdeen Angus beef is looking to join forces with a larger manufacturer to distribute products...
A £40,000 project involving a number of collaborators and meat producers has seen the launch of healthier products with 20% less saturated fat and salt...
Kettle Chips is refreshing its core range of flavours and is adding three new seasonings, which hit the shelves at the beginning of this month....
Flavours and healthy ingredients supplier Frutarom has designed an innovative new tool designed to help manufacturers develop new products in record time.Through 'rapid prototyping', a...
A number of ingredient manufacturers and research institutes will pool their expertise in the fight against obesity in a project that will be subsidised by...
Cadbury chocolate crumb production plant at Marlbook in Herefordshire has installed an extensive stainless steel modular pipework ducting system. The system, designed and installed by...
A study has revealed that a staggering 61% of senior managers do not know how much money their firms spend on water. At the same...
The current priority for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) systems for meat and poultry is not to provide improved barrier or longer shelf-life, according to a...
An easy-open system that includes an optional reclosure option is now available from Mondi Consumer Flexibles for use on form-fill-seal and premade pouches.The patent-protected SwiftUp...
A chemist at the University of East Anglia has developed a covert method for identifying whether the bacterial breakdown of packaged meat, poultry or fish...
A&R Carton believes its new SmartPack lined carton gives big volume and carbon footprint reductions for products requiring the protection of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP).European...
Fresh and frozen seafood supplier Seachill has slashed pallet scanning times for traceability purposes by implementing ImageID's Visidot image capture technology at its Grimsby production...
Pressure to comply with the new Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP) is driving an increase in sign-up to electronic data interchange (EDI) systems, according...
The organic food movement battled falling sales and scientific criticism in 2009. Rod Addy looks at its plans to fight back in the year to come
Despite the weak pound boosting overseas opportunities, the government isn't supporting firms that want to export. Hayley Brown reports
Vision systems, pick and place and palletising are proving popular options as robot capabilities widen and the market picks up, says Rod Addy
The new TV800 EZCell robot, launched in the UK by TM Robotics this month, is the first six-axes robot manufactured by Toshiba Machine.Designed for pick...
Advanced process control (APC) suffers from a perception of being complex to install, expensive to purchase and difficult to quantify. Siemens Industry Automation believes that...
Fresh gourmet salad grower, Living Salads has enjoyed a 50% increase in production units with a matched decrease in labour costs since investing in new...
Fanuc Robotics has launched a larger 6Kg payload version of its lightweight parallel link design robot, the M-3iA. Available in configurations of four or six...
The rise of the celebrity chef and the trend towards dining in are stimulating demand for sauces allowing have-a-go home chefs to create restaurant-quality dishes. Lynda Searby gets to the sauce of the matter
An environmental trial at a food processing plant in the West Midlands has reduced harmful microbe levels, such as E.Coli and Salmonella, by 96.4% using...
Boge has recently introduced AIReport: a sophisticated compressed air auditing system that can simultaneously analyse up to 12 compressors. Logged data will then identify where...
To control flour and ingredients dust at the point of weighing in preparation for onward baking, Martins Foods Group in Manchester has invested in two...
Bakkavör Cucina Sano has installed Marco's Trac-IT line control module at its plant in Lincolnshire. The blend of software and hardware provides comprehensive packaging line...
Two Robey-Loos steam raising boilers have saved the Norwich facility of Britvic Soft drinks so much money since their installation two years ago that the...
Using water to clean machinery is dangerous due to the likelihood of it interfering with electrical elements and the risk of leftover liquid stagnating and...
The new Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 753 AC drive from Rockwell Automation promises flexibility, ease of use and increased productivity.The drive supports multiple languages and complies with...
A new electric-powered compact pallet truck promises easier manoeuvring in tight spaces, thanks to its extremely short (450mm) front section.Fork lift truck manufacturer Jungheinrich's pedestrian-controlled...
Much has been written about the rewards of taking an apprenticeship within the food and drink industry. But it's not just the apprentices that reap...
Government funding for food industry training looks precarious. Rod Addy debates the issues
The UK's food industry needs politicians with a real grasp of the sector's importance to the nation's wealth, reports Rick Pendrous
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