Northern Ireland-based Dale Farm has launched the first product in the country to contain Ocean Nutrition Canada's (ONC's) fish oil ingredient Meg-3.

Permira's Birds Eye brand has launched a Creamy Fish & Vegetables ready meal, which flags up its omega-3 content on-pack, as part of a new Eat Positive range.

Preliminary sales figures of drinks enriched with omega-3 show strong growth in 2007, taking volumes up 6.5% year-on-year to 2,362Ml, according to the 2008 Omega-3 Drinks report from food and drink consultancy Zenith International.

Demand for omega-3 has resulted in speciality oils supplier The Kerfoot Group paying Moldovan farmers to grow extra Camelina, which can produce oil rich in short chain omega-3.

Tesco buyers have been instructed to reject price increases from suppliers until after the end of its financial year, in a bid to keep retail prices down.

Allergen management assessment and a process slashing hours off the manufacturing time for ice cream are among the innovations announced by the Regional Food Group for Yorkshire and Humber (RFGYH) and clients.

Multimillion pound mega-deals may be off the agenda, but mergers & acquisitions (M&A) activity among smaller and mid-sized companies is likely to be as vibrant as ever in 2008, according to delegates at a Food Manufacture business leaders round-table debate.

The European Commission (EC) is expected to allow EU member states to choose which front of pack nutrition labelling system they prefer when it adopts new Food Information Regulations.

An industry-wide framework to slash water use by food and drink processors, driven by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and Envirowise, was announced this week in London.

Consumer watchdog Which? has slammed the government for not cracking down hard enough on obesity. A total ban on adverts for unhealthy foods around TV programmes for under-16s became active on January 1, but the curbs fell short of the Which? campaign for a pre-9pm ban on all TV adverts for unhealthy products.

Processors are set to benefit from new industry guidelines that will clarify food safety training requirements. The Food Standards Agency is working in partnership with Improve, the food and drink sector skills council, to draw up the guidance. It will act as a standalone guide for employers and will be accessible for use in all future Industry Guides for food safety.

Rising food prices driven by using food crops for biofuel may force consumers to buy cheaper supermarket own-label products instead of branded goods, suggested market analyst Frost & Sullivan.

Scottish & Newcastle (S&N) has ended months of battling by submitting to takeover by Carlsberg of Denmark and Heineken of the Netherlands, giving the nod to a bid worth £7.8bn or 800p per share.

The seafood industry has been enraged by claims from environmental group WWF's new Stinky Fish website that any fish not certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is 'stinky'. The MSC has since apologised for its involvement.

Nanotechnology could be more widely welcomed by consumers once they know more about it, a Food Manufacture poll shows, as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) examines the science's pros and cons.

The best way to increase UK consumption of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids would be to can tuna in its own oil, according to experts.

Rare 'pharmaceutical' sugars from birch and beech wood could be the next big opportunity in functional food ingredients, said sweeteners giant Danisco.

The makers of the innovative edible bread bowls featured in Food Manufacture ('It's bread, Jim, but not as we know it ...', January, p28) have denied stealing the design idea from the firm Crusty Crock Pots.

Northern Ireland's largest independent bakery, Irwin's Bakery, has invested £800,000 in IT to improve business efficiency.

Sun Valley Europe, part of Cargill, has acquired the chicken processing business Freeman's of Newent, which has 120 employees. Terms were not disclosed. Richard Maxfield, md of Sun Valley Europe, said: "Freeman's will strengthen our fresh chicken business and reinforce our commitment to UK agriculture and our UK customers."

Foodex Live! and two Independents' Days for butchers will set the scene for Foodex Meatex 2008, which takes place at the Birmingham NEC from April 6-9. Neil Felton, exhibitions director, William Reed Business Media, said: "We have taken the positive response we received to Independents' Day in 2006 and built on it for this year's event."

More than 50 organisations have written to MPs calling on them to protect children from junk food advertising. Signatories include the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, The Prince's Trust, Diabetes UK, the National Union of Teachers and the National Obesity Forum. The letter asks MPs to support the Food Products (Marketing to Children) Bill introduced by Nigel Griffiths MP.

R H Amar, the importer and national distributor of fine foods, and Filippo Berio (UK) are to part company when their current distribution agreement ends in September. This follows 25 years of co-operation which has established Filippo Berio as Britain's leading olive oil brand. Walter Zanre, country manager for Filippo Berio (UK), said: "We thank everyone at R H Amar for their hard work and wish them the best for the future."

Manufacturing has proved resilient in the face of fears of an economic slowdown, the latest CBI Industrial survey reveals. 62% of food companies said they were more optimistic, or as optimistic, as three months ago. But 65% said they would be spending less on plant and machinery in the coming year.

Food colours are under threat as processors scrap them or turn to colouring foodstuffs and as the prepared foods market growth slows, warns the latest Food Manufacture market report.

A beta glucan so effective at strengthening the immune system the Pentagon has stockpiled it in case of biological attack could become a potent functional food ingredient, say scientists.

Consumers could be baffled by the relaxation of European Commission rules on fat levels in milk, according to dairy industry representatives.

A new food safety accreditation scheme targeted at small local food producers has received positive support from big retailers and foodservice companies. As a result, it looks set to achieve the critical mass of 500 members a year it needs to ensure its viability.

Food research consultancy Leatherhead Food International (LFI) is to seek work from overseas governments and organisations such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) as work from traditional UK clients such as DEFRA and the Foods Standards Agency comes under pressure from financial constraints.

The UK Renderers' Association (UKRA) has come out in favour of using rejected and unusable food materials to create biofuels.

In a bid to further reduce salt levels in bread, the food industry is working with Nottingham University and Campden and Chorleywood Food Research Association on a Food Standards Agency (FSA) research project.

The EU's proposal to revise the Novel Food Regulation would allow all food companies to market approved novel foods in most cases, according to Brussels-based food and nutrition policy consultancy EAS.

International law firm Eversheds has welcomed the Food Standards Agency's new voluntary guidelines on warning consumers about possible allergens in food eaten in restaurants and cafés.

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The Dispatches programme, aired on Channel 4 on January 10, accused processors of understating salt and fat levels in foods. Ready meals were a chosen example. If the producer had ever done any cooking, they would know it's impossible to ensure every portion of a stew, say, has precisely the same amount of every ingredient. One spoonful may have 10 beans, another may have two. As for fat, have they tried to mix the stew very quickly and serve it out before the fat separates out? It can't be done. Each portion will be different. But, if you eat the same meal regularly, ingredient levels should even out over time. Accurate nutrition labelling is extremely difficult for many foods.

Got an idea for a new food product, but want to give it a test drive before you spend any money on it?

Symington's is aiming to reinvigorate the stuffings market with the launch of a string of new products under its Ainsley Harriott brand.

Having successfully launched the first organic Fairtrade Vanilla Extract last year, spices specialist Steenbergs Organic, is increasing its Fairtrade offering with the launch of a homebaking range.

Tangerine is entering the Easter market with the launch of a limited edition Princess Marshmallow Egg.

Dawnfresh Seafoods, is launching an easy peel, jumbo, ready-to-eat prawn in the UK seafood industry's first compostable packaging solution.

The California Raisins Innovation Award is in its fourth year and thousands of pounds worth of advertising is up for grabs for the winning company.

General Mills is putting the focus firmly on pancake day with the launch of a marketing campaign to support its Betty Crocker Shake to Make pancakes range.

Richmond is expanding its range with the launch of a brand new square sausage for the Scottish market.

In a previous column I mentioned that I had part ownership of a Gloucester Old Spot pig, Delia, which was due for slaughter. I am now able to report on how it felt to cook and eat an animal that I had known from a 10 week weaner, to a fine specimen of well toned adult pig, lovingly fed on pig nuts supplemented with apples.

Allergens are a key focus, both for manufacturers, desperate to minimise product recalls, and also discerning consumers who are keen to know what they are putting in their mouths.

Growing demand for Thai and southeast Asian dishes has seen Bedfordshire-based Parripak Foods begin processing Galangal alongside its fresh vegetables and garlic purees.

I guess not everybody will be a fan of the Food Standards Agency (FSA), but in many instances its policy of openness is to be applauded.

Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal, who became associated with the term 'molecular gastronomy' by his penchant for applying science to cooking, could provide the necessary impetus for a completely new way of processing food using ultrasonic sound wave technology which cooks food while simultaneously infusing flavours.

The new director of the Metal Packaging Manufacturers' Association (MPMA) has warned that the temptation for one pack material to exploit negative comparisons with another needs to be resisted.

Food manufacturers need to be clear about the printing inks they specify, say ink suppliers, and the European Commission (EC) needs to lay down realistic migration limits for sensitive chemicals.

Expect to see lighter, stronger materials in future with a greater proportion of recycled content. That is the message from plastics packaging supplier Sharp Interpack.

The April 2008 Interpack event in Germany will see more of a focus on packaging converting equipment and integrated form-fill-seal systems, and more space will be allocated to bakery and confectionery processes.

Asda is planning to replace the traditional diesel-fuelled fridges in its transport fleet with an emission-free, silent running alternative, which, it is claimed, will reduce carbon emissions and noise pollution when delivering to its stores.

Here's a riddle for you: Your raw material costs are going up rapidly. Your customers are by nature very price sensitive. Increasing your prices with them is difficult at the best of times. Now, their sales are not growing as fast as they had hoped, and they do not want to raise prices. So who pays for the increase in material costs?

Frozen specialist Reed Boardall Group is extending its food cold store at Boroughbridge in North Yorkshire, adding another 22,000 pallet spaces to the existing 90,000. It is expected to be fully operational by May

John Foster, md, Fosters Bakery, Barnsley

The proposal to resurrect the Temporary Workers Directive would grant agency workers the same rights as employees after six weeks on the job. The UK has made its objections to this clear but is awaiting the outcome, which could significantly affect food businesses regularly using temporary staff.

High Court confusion about the definition of confectionery for VAT purposes is giving manufacturers a headache, says Ian Hyde, tax partner at Pinsent Masons.

To err may be human, but try explaining that to hordes of angry customers and consumers when a faulty food product slips through the system. Although manual inspections are an important part of quality control (QC) it is inevitable that mistakes will be made, which is a key reason why developments in analysis methods are high.

In some African countries milk is packaged in bags. The bags go into a jug and into the fridge. Cut off the corner of the bag and the milk can be poured via the jug. "It's their equivalent of the milk bottle, if you like," says Chris Bolton, sales and operations director at PFM Packaging Machinery.

For many consumers, canned foodstuffs are a fifties stalwart - long-lasting and reliable, but a little bit dull. Unsurprising then, that with the current focus on fresh and healthy, shoppers' perception of canned products is as inferior to other convenience foods. But canned foods manufacturers are fighting back, with new shapes, convenient openings, and even alternative packaging to the traditional can.

Walkers Snack Foods has installed three new Schubert automated robotic packaging systems for packing crisps at its factories in the Midlands and the North East.

Redpack Packaging Machinery has supplied an innovative, purpose-designed packing line for wrapping individual chocolate-covered cereal bars at a well-known manufacturer of nutritional foods based in Northamptonshire.

Detection of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, even those with thin walls and complex shapes, is easy now with the new E3ZM-B sensors from Omron Electronics. Combining innovative feedback and sensing technologies, the new retro-reflective sensors are easy to set up, and operate reliably without the need for regular adjustment, even in areas where dust and other contaminants are present.

The Brady IP printer system is a new thermal transfer printing system that safeguards against illegible or faded labelling caused by the incorrect combination of label material and ink.

A range of large format intermittent and continuous thermal transfer printers has been introduced by Allen Coding Systems. Offering maximum production flexibility with increased print speeds, the new systems are ideal for food companies that require large-area printing directly on to bags.

After the insolvency of the UK based Bradman-Lake Group companies and the subsequent sale of the businesses in October 2007, the management of the Bradman-Lake in Germany decided to spin off and to form an independent packaging technology organisation, 3S Packaging Technology.

After rigorous tests, Serious Desserts has chosen Riggs Autopack to supply 10 single-head depositors for the manufacture of its chilled desserts brand range.

County Durham's Tanfield Food Company has achieved fame for bringing complex recipes such as Wild Rabbit with Leek & Elderflower Sauce and Camargue Red Rice within reach of the average British household. As long as that reach extends as far as the middle supermarket shelf, that is.

The Amcor VentValve from Amcor Flexibles has been chosen by the Dutch company Vion for the launch of its frozen ready meals. It uses a valve which is integrated in the laminate and the thermoforming lidding is sealed on a polypropylene tray.

A new generation of 'Clean and Clever' thermoform packaging machines has been introduced by Multivac. The first model of the new line is the high performance R535.

The Mistral BB ZIP Servo from PFM Packaging Machinery offers an open and re-close zip application system which is ideal for products such as cheese, cold meats, breads and wraps, as well as products that can be placed in shallow trays singularly or as a multi-pack. The re-closure system guarantees freshness and preservation of the product.

RPC Bebo UK Corby and RPC Barrier Containers France have provided new plastic packaging for Spanish fish processor Salica, enabling its range of tuna-based ready meals to be heated directly in the microwave.

The tsunami of public demand for all-natural food and drink products has engulfed the whole industry and continues to sweep all before it. Processors have little choice but to surf it as best they can.

Current health trends are seeing ingredients supplier LycoRed's tomato-based natural colourings grow in popularity.

A new variant of caramel colour powder has been introduced by global colour manufacturer Sethness-Roquette, based in Merville, France.

Ingredients specialist S Black is distributing natural brown colourings derived from malt and malt extracts supplied by Muntons, based in Stowmarket, Suffolk, under the brands Clarimalts and Torrax for food and beverage applications.

Overseal Natural Ingredients has perfected a range of naturally sourced alternatives to Red 2G, the red pigment that was banned by the European Commission in July last year.

Many food manufacturers and processors have systems to reduce energy in their chilled and frozen food operations. However, these do not always apply to their distribution systems, says French insulated container manufacturer Olivo. But there is now an alternative to the use of refrigerated vehicles - portable, insulated or refrigerated containers.

Wells and Young's, a UK brewer of speciality beers, has invested in a Reavellife maintenance contract from compressor maker CompAir to ensure the continuous availability of its two air compressors used for carbon dioxide reclamation.

A new batch sifter has been developed by Kason Corporation Europe to meet stringent food and dairy standards. The dust-tight sifter has a stainless-steel housing, motor and stand, tri-clover inlet and outlet flanges, vertical quick-disconnect clamps and ground and polished welds.

CoSaf Environments, distributor of Seeley International's Breezair evaporative cooling systems, has helped keep workers more comfortable at Aimia Foods.

Forza AW, a sliced meat supplier to Asda, is making use of a novel transfer unit that uses ozone to sanitise materials and products passed between low and high-care production areas.

More than three years after the introduction of the European ATEX explosive atmospheres regulations, government statistics show that 37% of industry fires still take place in bakeries, according to Braby, the UK manufacturer of ATEX-compliant aluminium and stainless steel silos.

The use of the Lamerholm ImpactManager ID system on its fleet of forklift trucks has made a world of difference to operations at Taypack Potatoes in Scotland.

Established over 250 years ago, Finlay's produces decaffeinated and speciality teas. Pressure from local water authorities to reduce biological oxygen demand (BOD) levels in the waste water discharged from its decaffeination process led Finlay's to sieving and filtration specialist Russell Finex.

A new development from Sartorius makes batching and recipe management very easy. The Phase application kit for the Sartorius Combics Pro weighing terminal enables manual and automatic batching and recipe management in a single device.

Increased yield previously considered unattainable for salad products is one of the major benefits that German salad supplier Gartenfrisch Jung is getting from an Ishida R-Series 14-head weigher.

West Midlands' catering and bakery mixes company, Middleton Foods has installed Mettler Toledo's FormWeigh.Net recipe formulation software, linked to an advanced ID30 application terminal. The system will be used to provide recipe control, stock level data and product traceability.

Stevens Group's Recipe Formulation System is helping ensure batch consistency and traceability at soup manufacturer, Blueprint Foods.

In order to keep the risk of produce contamination during processing to an absolute minimum, it is vital for food manufacturers to adopt good hygiene practices.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a new edition of Warehousing and storage: a guide to health and safety (HSG76).

Over the last few years, many manufacturers have striven to