Horsemeat: learning the lessons of an avoidable crisis
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Picture the scene -- it's the hottest day of the year and you're trying to photograph a bowl of brandy butter before it melts. Sounds...
Healthier products for kids
IQF product hits the shops
Marinades and seasonings can add visual appeal to barbecued meats
Consumers are looking for added flavour options that offer greater convenience
Overuse of that most common of seasoning agent, salt, has led to government action forcing industry to slash levels in food. Susan Birks reports on alternative seasonings
Australia has its own mix of flavours that can be recreated using native raw materials
Waste and water treatment services from specialist environmental consultancy
Geest separates solid waste for sale as fertiliser
Project aims to reduce food waste going to landfill by raising recycling levels
Quick test conforms to international standard
With a population of 40m Poland is central Europe's largest food and drink market. Stefan Chomka looks at the potential for UK manufacturers to get in on the act
Susan Birks reports on the potential for new food products that can relax, stimulate or boost consumers' mental and physical powers
I recently met a man who told me about the way his company had adopted a really innovative way of managing proof of delivery (POD)...
Ever-higher standards for leakproof packaging in the poultry sector took producer Banham Poultry on a year-long search for a solution.After trying three other suppliers, Banham...
Factory gate pricing (FGP) could soon become an approach commonly used by manufacturers in dealings with their own suppliers, following the success of a UK...
Developments in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) injection blow moulding technology are now benefitting UK manufacturers, with options of wider container ranges (and wider necks), as well...
Stella Artois has added to its range of glass packaging with what it says is the UK's first half-pint (284ml) bottle in the premium beer...
... Or to be more specific views from the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) show -- that wonderful US gathering of industry and scientists for...
Cartons have edged ahead of plastics in the environmental responsibility stakes, with the environment minister opening the UK's first carton recycling plant and, in the...
Oil from the fruit of the argan tree grown in Morocco, looks set to be this summer's trendy ingredient.Warwick-based ingredients supplier Silbury Marketing is offering...
A new digestion resistant starch for use in low-carb products is to be marketed as a result of a deal between MGP Ingredients and Cargill.Called...
Nestlé is to sell its cocoa processing plant in York to US agribusiness Cargill as part of its strategy to concentrate on consumer products.If approved...
European ministers have again failed to approve the use of Monsanto's genetically modified (GM) maize in food, although the European Commission (EC) has authorised its...
Bairds Malt has signed up Scottish Water Waste Services to run an environmentally-friendly waste disposal plan for sludge from its East Lothian maltings.The effluent, which...
Chilled and frozen food manufacturer Strathmore is to supply its Countryside ready meals to 50 Scottish branches of Iceland and some Safeway stores. The range...
Packaging firm Tetra Laval is to challenge a European Commission euro 90,000 fine for failing to disclose information surrounding its acquisition of French PET bottle...
Retailers and processors face pressure to reveal more about meat
Tortilla and wrap manufacturer Mission Foods of Coventry will be working alongside former Dutch competitor Ovis Boske following the latter's acquisition by Mission's parent company.Mission,...
More than £1.4m will be pumped into British beef promotion, following a 50% grant from the European Commission.The money will be used for consumer advertising,...
Indian food manufacturer Patak's has gone into catering with its first quick-service restaurant.Tikka Tikka is a joint venture with Select Service Partner Airport & Marine...
The Chilled Food Association (CFA) has launched a new website for industry and consumers with information on food safety and hygiene, research material and details...
Fast food and catering supplier Canterbury Foods Group said that high red meat prices had contributed to a poor second half-year performance.Delivering a downbeat trading...
Ruth Rendell eat your heart out! The latest blockbuster from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) turns manufacturers into DIY Wexfords investigating accidents, incidents and...
Manufacturers complain that they are being unfairly targeted
Heinz has signed a 15-year contract with energy services company Dalkia which will see a £5.3m high-efficiency energy centre installed at Europe's largest canning plant.Dalkia...
Hazlewood Grocery has awarded a storage and distribution contract for its Selby sauce and pickle plant to the Potter Group.Hazlewood's logistics operation had been using...
Information on manufacturers held by public authorities could become available on demand under a government proposal to extend the new Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) to...
Express Dairies has been told it must pay a £5,000 fine and £10,949 costs after another company admitted spilling cream at the Express depot in...
Young's Seafood has acquired ready-to-eat seafood manufacturer the Macrae Food Group, which has an £80m turnover. The deal boosts Young's turnover to nearly £500m and...
Peterborough, which promotes itself as one of the best places for food and drink firms in the country, has the highest rate of business failures...
Growers continue to have problems managing pesticide use on winter lettuce, according to the government. In the latest programme of monitoring of pesticides on lettuce...
Welsh food and drink companies are to get help in competing in the UK thanks to a new scheme launched by Sainsbury.The retailer's third Supplier...
Older british beef could replace 175,000 tonnes of imports
BB Prawns of Grimsby has formed a new company, called Prawn Flavours, which will take over its infused prawns business (see Food Manufacture July 2004,...
Fresh and prepared foods processor Geest is planning big cost-cutting measures to cope with the predicted £15-20m effect of rising raw materials costs and lower...
Adverse exchange rates stripped about £100m from Diageo's profit in the financial year which ran to the end of June. The company blamed weaknesses in...
Global brewers Molson and Coors plan to merge to create the world's fifth largest brewer by volume.The new company, Molson Coors Brewing, would have combined...
European Commission signals end of sugar support regime
The market for organic milk will stabilise in 2006, with supply being balanced by demand, according to a survey by Organic Monitor.The survey said oversupply...
Food Standards Agency (FSA) chairman Sir John Krebs will leave next April, despite being re-appointed for a further four-year term in January. A successor has...
Dairy Crest is to close its plant at Enfield, which is part of the Yoplait Dairy Crest (YDC) joint venture, with the loss of around...
The firm which claims a monopoly on the production of infused oils for UK retailers has undergone a buyout and plans to focus on supplying...
The TV watchdog Ofcom has come down against an outright ban on food advertising to children, but it wants fewer cartoon characters and more scheduling...
50 years' production ends as drinks company changes direction
Associated British Foods is buying the international yeast, bakery ingredients, herbs and spices businesses of the Australian company Burns, Philp for £730m.The businesses have 45...
Joseph Heler Cheese is investing £1m in production capacity for reduced-sodium and low-fat cheese for ready meals.Production at the Parkes Dairy will increase from 12,000t...
A sausage factory in east Glasgow, formerly owned by Freshbake Foods, has been bought from the joint administrative receivers at PricewaterhouseCoopers by Anglo Beef Processors...
Paragon Quality Foods, which supplies British beef burgers to caterers and frozen food wholesalers, has moved from its single-line 230m2 facility in Thorne, South Yorkshire...
Inspectors claim shoppers are being duped into paying more
An estimated 3,000 gangmasters working in the UK food and farming industries must now apply for a licence to operate.The scheme, introduced under the new...
Pizza, baked beans and pasta producers still need to reduce salt levels, according to the latest Food Standards Agency (FSA) product survey.The FSA announced last...
Marks & Spencer is reviewing its use of radio frequency identification (RFID) systems after having completed the replacement of its 3m food trays with trays...
Me & My Factory: Tim Wilson, md Loseley Dairy Ice Cream
Leading own label processor responds to pressures
Companies that employ workers with disabilities are not just fulfilling their corporate responsibility -- they are tapping into a resource of well-trained people, says Stefan Chomka
Your cut-out-and-keep guide to top employers 49. Patak's
Norman Soutar, former director of corporate strategy at Baxters Food Group, has taken up the new role of group md. Audrey Baxter remains executive chairman....
No longer will low-carb dieters bemoan the shortage of lunchtime goods available to them, thanks to an innovative partnership between Hazlewood Sandwiches and manufacturer of...
Langage Farm has teamed up with Thomas Lowndes, which supplies Allied Domecq's portfolio of alcohol drinks to manufacturers, to bring a new range of luxury,...
Bernard Matthews has twigged that while its cold meats are good for sandwiches their shape means that they are less suitable for baguettes and long...
Innovation in steam cooking continues to gather pace with the latest entry being an extensive new range from aptly named ready meals manufacturer Steam.Steam has...
MDC Foods has developed a range of single serve stir-fry meals that further blend the barriers between ready meals and home cooking.The meals come in...
Indian food manufacturer Patak's is busy developing a whole host of new products for food manufacturers and caterers to bring Indian flavours to a wider...
Premium desserts manufacturer Gü has added two more puddings to its portfolio to further extend the eating occasions for its products.New to its range are...
Water is an increasingly costly resource and the dairy sector uses more than most. Susan Birks investigates the potential for reducing its consumption and the savings that are to be had by doing so
Former md of Müller Dairy UK and recently responsible for international activities for the Müller Group Ken Wood has resigned to join the Weetabix Group....
Your cut-out-and-keep guide to top employers 48.Swizzels Matlow
Food and drink manufacturers need to be more proactive in how they appeal to prospective students looking for a career in the industry, says Paul...
Rationalisation of the dairy sector is expected to result in further job cuts. Yet career opportunities in new product development (NPD) have never been so good, says Stefan Chomka
Convergers and divergers aid the coming and going
Anglo-German partnership established for UK supply
Denesters help Oakdale improve efficiency
Consistency for Cavaghan & Gray's frozen fish line
Confectioner looks for quick changes for its production and packaging lines
New legislation, which dramatically reduces allowable workplace noise, and tougher hygiene requirements are driving conveying developments, reports Bob Brooks
Essential fat analysis techniques get faster as software and NMR techniques improve
Culture-based methods are being superseded
Expert help is needed to get the best process efficiencies out of bespoke equipment
Filling flexibility is essential to maximise packing efficiencies
Steam generation improves
A better heat exchange
The reduction of bacterial spores is crucial in the production of baby formula
Poor synchronisation between high speed lines and packaging equipment can cause mayhem
Pooling resources could help smaller manufacturers make money out of waste
Ever wondered what that dark salty sauce used in stir-fries is all about? Stefan Chomka went to find out more about food's 'black gold'
The food revolution in Hungary is under way, but is it too late for British manufacturers to join the party? In an occasional look at Europe, Sue Scott reports
Are you 'walking the talk' or 'stumbling the mumble' on plant safety? Rick Pendrous reports on Food Manufacture's recent safety forum
Despite some predictions that food manufacture will disappear overseas, others are more hopeful about the future. Rick Pendrous reports
Me & My Factory: Henry Chevallier Guild
Inspection service specialist Efsis has introduced a fully accredited standard for food distribution -- the Storage and Distribution Standard -- as a safeguard for the...
Why do companies not devote the same professional skills to managing their warehouses as they do to their factories?A supply chain manager for a food...
Savings of up to 20% are possible in the pork sausage supply chain, according to a new study from the Food Chain Centre and Red...
Grampian Country Food Group plans to centralise its chicken business and make better use of IT systems to improve the communications throughout its supply chain...
Sleever International has entered into a joint project with a print specialist to develop digitally-produced labels and sleeves.The project, with Digital Packaging, will produce small...
It must have been dogged persistence which got Sharp Interpack its first order for the Scooby-Doo range of children's frozen ready meals. But now it...
The Institute of Packaging (IOP) is aiming to achieve chartered status within five years, dramatically increasing the number and quality of its membership in the...
Foil-free barrier films are available, filling speeds are rising, costings are acceptable, but the stand-up retort pouch for food is not taking off -- and...
Remote monitoring and control of unmanned plant via the worldwide web is now possible following the launch of new systems which are claimed to offer...
Despite the huge pressures on manufacturers I am amazed at the lost potential that exists in our UK factories. As an external trainer and facilitator...
Infuriating as the case of the Saskatoon berry must be for the suppliers that had to withdraw their blueberry-like product from supermarkets, because the fruits...
Britvic Soft Drinks has extended its dependence on 'predictive maintenance' procedures since commissioning a second bottling line (line 5) at its Rugby plant in May.For...
Written proposals for a European Commission (EC) regulation on food additives that would consolidate many of the existing rules on additives are under discussion.The EC...
With an estimated 30% of children and young adults affected by allergy, it is no surprise that there has been an explosion of products developed...
Danish Crown's takeover of UK meat producer, slaughterer and processor Flagship Foods has been given the all-clear by the European Commission under its new merger...
Dairy Crest is closing its flavoured milk processing facility at Newport, Isle of Wight, with the loss of 37 jobs. The company blamed the high...
Food producers overcharged for vitamins by a vitamin cartel in the 1990s will now be able to seek compensation via UK courts. The news follows...
Prize draw cheques are winging their way to three Food Manufacture readers who responded to our annual survey. See a detailed analysis of the survey...
Icelandic chilled convenience food company Bakkavör has doubled its stake in Geest in just three weeks.In May it denied that it was poised to make...
Grants worth £400,000 have been awarded under the British Pig Executive's supply chain grant scheme to an individual and five companies for projects which include...
UK logistics company Exel has made a recommended £328m bid for its closest rival Tibbett and Britten (T&B) in a deal which would create a...
Catering will offer frozen food producers the best prospects for growth in future, according to Alf Carr, director general of the British Frozen Food Federation...
Farmers and vets are being alerted to a new illness in cattle which strikes the nervous system.The UK Zoonoses Group, set up in the wake...
Supermarkets may become warehouse operators for franchisees
The president of the British Soft Drinks Association, Chris Banks, has been named as new chairman of the government's Learning and Skills Council (LSC).Banks was...
Improve, the company which has applied to replace the Food and Drink Sector Skills Council, is set to be awarded its licence this month at...
Overpackaging is a big turn-off for consumers, according to the Trading Standards Institute.It claimed many shoppers would stop buying products rather than complain about unnecessarily...
Small manufacturers are key targets in the latest round of research funding offered by the the European Commission (EC).Only 13% of expenditure on collaborative projects...
Research into novel organic food processing is being encouraged by the European Commission (EC) as part of an 'action plan' to boost the sector.The EC...
Carlsberg-Tetley said that it was considering transferring production of its newly-acquired beer brand Holsten to the UK to save on distribution costs. The beer is...
commissioner accepts need for possible 'fine tuning' of rules
Pork has overtaken poultry as the fastest growing meat sector with sales up more than a quarter on the previous year, according to the British...
Italian-owned food packaging giant Seda UK has been given a government grant to create 190 jobs in South Wales.Seda, whose clients include Nestlé, Unilever, Coca-Cola...
Norfolk duck producer and processor Manor Farm Ducklings of Ickburgh, has been put into administration.The company, which had both export and UK supermarket customers, had...
The Meat Hygiene Service has tightened up BSE controls after as many as 200 cattle entered the food chain since January 2003 without being tested...
A draft report on measures to stop the spread of the food poisoning bug campylobacter has called for wider surveillance of meat products and poultry...
The bakery industry has gone on the offensive against Atkins and similar low-carb diets with a celeb-backed campaign, despite consistent claims that Atkins has not...
Leatherhead Food International and the Institute of Food Research are planning research into low-fat emulsions. The aim is to replace some oil droplets with water,...
Environmental issues could make some companies unsaleable
The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) has told Masterfoods to remove misleading 'instant hydration' claims from its recently launched AquaDrops sweets.The ASA upheld complaints from the...
Catering supplier Brakes has opened a food innovation centre in London to help it develop products. There is a conference facility for 70, a development...
The RSPCA has blamed supermarkets for misleading consumers after it found that many of them mistook battery-produced eggs for free-range eggs.Only 8% of those surveyed...
Nutritious dairy snacks, tailored to an individual's dietary needs and tastes, could in future be on offer through vending machines.Multinational dairy group Fonterra and nutrition...
Frozen food firm Freshbake Foods has gone in to receivership with the loss of over 300 of its 990 jobs.The receivers at PricewaterhouseCoopers made the...
Poultry processor Banham Poultry is taking part in one of the largest biodiesel trials held in the UK.The Norfolk company, which recently announced a plan...
Healthy eating, waste management and energy efficiency top bill
Manufacturers under price pressure from the multiples could find that trading with UK discount stores, such as Lidl and Aldi, is more profitable, according to...
Researchers are looking for companies to commercialise a system which is claimed to be able to detect fake extra virgin olive oils.The spectrometer-based system, developed...
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has recommended maximum levels for consumption of oily fish because of potential health risks from pollutants.It is worried that polychlorinated...
Battle rages over who profits most in the liquid milk chain
A global food manufacturer based in the southern hemisphere is looking for an experienced QA manager.A generous salary plus relocation package is on offer through...
Devro, which makes collagen-based sausage coatings, is to develop delivery systems for cholesterol-lowering functional foods under a deal with Irish biotechnology group Alltracel Pharmaceuticals.Alltracel's micro-dispersed...
Scottish & Newcastle (S&N) said trading in the first six months of the year was better than in the same period in 2003 and it...
Arla Foods is to inject an additional £20m into its soon-to-be-opened Stourton, Leeds dairy to boost production capacity for Cravendale milk after strong growth of...
The US food group OSI has bought the fresh chicken supplier Dove Valley from three Trafford bothers who owned it. Dove is based in Ashbourne,...
Government moves closer to imposing controls on salt levels
Northern Foods is embarking on a major review of its operations in a drive to put last year's poor performance behind it.It has put its...
The Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) has admitted defeat in its attempt to stop Nestlé closing its chilled desserts factory in Staverton in Wiltshire...
Two public nutrition academics have called in the British Medical Journal for tobacco-style controls to fight global obesity.They accused the food industry of supplying misleading...
Lack of technical standards delays radio tagging roll-out
The third-party inspection company Efsis has created a new 'stepping stone' standard for small manufacturers aspiring to the full British Retail Consortium (BRC) accreditation.Efsis said...
Kellogg has launched a new wave of products as part of its seemingly relentless new product development drive.After its recent launch of Special K Lite...
With one in five British adults currently classified as obese and childhood obesity rates rising, we can no longer ignore the UK's growing weight epidemic....
Both Nestlé and Müller are hoping to spoil Yoplait Dairy Crest's (YDC) party with the launch of their own yoghurt drinks that will compete with...
Manufacturer of African foods Tamar Exotics has launched a range of versatile traditional sauces for a number of eating occasions.The company has created six 'stews'...
Pie manufacturer and retailer Square Pie has reformulated its pies so that they no longer contain any hydrogenated fat in a push to promote a...
Gearing up for the annual strawberries and cream season kicked off by Wimbledon, Cadbury has created a limited edition strawberry variant of Dream, its white...
The days of rattling around the bottom of the pickle jar looking for that last chunk to spread on your cheese sandwich could be numbered...
Grimsby-based BB Prawns is using a newly-developed method of cold coating prawns in a wide variety of flavours in a drive to bring much-needed added-value...
Are you streets ahead of the rest when it comes to process innovation? Is your environmental management second to none? If so, enter Food Manufacture's Excellence Awards and you could be crowned our company of the year
As Tesco trials new traffic light labels and Ofcom deliberates advertising restrictions, Susan Birks looks at the issues surrounding obesity
Me & My Factory : John Davis
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