The image of unions in the workplace is too often associated with placard-waving pickets. The reality is that unions are at their most visible when crises come to a head.

Food fears is the latest in a series of publications addressing how to move towards a more sustainable system of food production.

Manufacturers interested in exploring the potential of ingredients that regulate the appetite can read more about the physiological mechanisms underpinning satiety and satiation in a new review from Campden and Chorleywood Food Research Association.

The latest in a series of reports from the economics team at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, A pocketful of meat facts 2008 is packed with data about the UK meat market, providing statistics on cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry, livestock numbers, market prices, abattoir throughputs, consumption and trade.

Ensuring factories are cleaned and disinfected properly is a fundamental prerequisite in the production of safe - and legal - food.

Refractive index (RI) measurement technology, initially developed for counter bio-terrorism applications by Southampton University spin-out Stratophase, is now offering a cost-effective solution to process control and quality assurance testing in food and drink manufacturing.

Specialist to the UK food, beverage and packaging industry, the Walsall Engineering Group has been appointed UK sales and engineering partner for food processing machinery manufacturer ABCO of Canada.

Mono NOV, designer and manufacturer of progressing-cavity pumps, parts, grinders, screens and packaged systems, has developed Universal Parts, a range of competitively-priced, high-performance, durable parts that offer cost-effective alternatives to branded progressing-cavity pump parts.

KDH Projects has completed the installation of a £105,000 blast chiller for Esher-based food manufacturer The Cookie Man, which supplies of a range of baked products to leading supermarket chains.

Government proposals to tighten carbon targets under the dairy sector's Climate Change Agreement (CCA) must be fair, according to Gerry Sweeney, chairman of Dairy Energy Savings (DES), which administers the CCA on behalf of the dairy processing sector.

Automatic monitoring and targeting (AM&T) systems provided by Endress+Hauser assist in minimising wastage, providing exact and instant reports and data updates easily, so energy use can be effectively audited and energy performance improved.

The installation of the Maxsys Fuel System at the Newcastle-upon-Tyne plant of Findus has reduced the gas consumption of its three boilers by 6.6%. This saving will allow the company to recoup the outlay on its investment within just 12 months.

JET Environmental, specialist in energy-efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems is working with a parliamentary group to promote simple solutions which could significantly cut the carbon footprint of food companies.

Water filtration specialist Industrial Purification Systems has developed the CrossFlowMF1.0 water filtration process to bridge the gap between conventional water filter systems and the more advanced membrane technology, or ultra filtration, at a fraction of the capital cost.

Somerset-based Grampian Country Pork is now able to process all of its effluent discharges on-site, including waste that was previously tankered off-site, following the installation of a new effluent treatment system from Micromac Filtration.

Energy efficiency and overall cost of ownership were key considerations in the design of a new £68M production site in Bridgewater for Robert Wiseman Dairies.

The latest findings from a survey for Brammer, supplier of maintenance, repair and overhaul products, suggest that manufacturing companies across Europe are failing to capitalise on more than £10bn of potential energy savings at their plants.

Until recently the only people who wanted to heal the world were environmentalists and Michael Jackson and both were generally thought of as a little odd. These days, as every manufacturer knows, it's social suicide if you're not seen to be 'doing your bit'. But with energy prices soaring, the focus is more on saving costs, than saving the planet.

Scientists may be applying too-strict criteria for the substantiation of food health claims that will disadvantage small businesses, the European Botanical Forum (EBF) has said.

Chr Hansen, global market supplier of natural colours for the food and beverage industries, has launched Hibiscus Extract WSP, a range of bright red shades for drinks, especially ready-to-drink teas and drinks with fruit and flowers. The new, non-purified extract comes as an easy-to-use and allergen-free water-soluble powder. Used in low-pH applications, a bright red shade is achieved.

The Organic Herb Trading Company has developed a new source of Fairtrade-certified spices in India to provide high quality spices from 2,000 small farmers across three states of southern India.

The team at Scottish herb grower and supplier, Scotherbs, are celebrating after the company enjoyed a smooth transition into purpose-built premises, just half a mile away from the previous site on the outskirts of Dundee.

When Mike Brook, founder of dry herb supplier The Organic Herb Trading Company, started his first herb growing venture in 1982, there weren't any producers of organic herbs and spices and there certainly wasn't a market for them.

The TX Online UV ultra-violet light transmittance analyser from Hanovia provides accurate monitoring of UV water disinfection systems in the food, beverage and brewing industries.

To maintain its Grade A accreditation from the British Retail Consortium (BRC), leading fruit and vegetable supplier Vale Fresh has to excel in many areas, and the cleanliness of its site is no exception.

Capable of detecting salmonella species within 24h, Modified Semi-solid Rappaport Vassiliadis (MSRV) medium is one of a range of products from Lab M devoted to the detection and isolation of these organisms.

The Ech2o technology from Clemas available with the Tennant T3 and T5 pedestrian floor scrubbers means there is no need for chemicals. The technology activates water to perform like a powerful detergent. This provides benefits for the user including cost efficiency, environmental issues and health and safety.

At the UK's Defence Science and Research Laboratory, a rapid and accurate pathogen detection system for leaf salad and fresh vegetables system has been developed for food processors. Based on innovative Ministry of Defence technology, It gives the all-clear for microbiological safety in under 18 hours compared to the three to six days it used to take previously.

Sparkling drinks are the main cause of increasing tooth erosion among teenagers, research suggests. One study found a strong link between fizzy drink consumption and tooth erosion.

The new AdvanChek Plus by Mettler-Toledo Safeline X-ray is a fast, reliable and economical way to introduce X-ray inspection into food production lines. It delivers superior sensitivity over traditional detection methods and combines contaminant detection with gross mass measurement, for guaranteed product safety and quality.

Most industrial ultrasonic cleaning applications cannot be met sufficiently using off-the-shelf solutions, says Camlab, one of the UK's leading scientific suppliers, and so consultation is an important part of the route to the optimum cleaning technique.

Big retailers are increasingly snuggling up to smaller food suppliers as consumers pile on the pressure to provide locally sourced products. This is undoubtedly a great opportunity for many small manufacturers, but being wooed by such powerful and demanding suitors can bring its own problems. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the measures required to prevent foreign body contamination, where some retailers now require every supplier to install a metal detector before they will consider using them.

Processors are risking unlimited fines for falling foul of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 when carrying out construction and engineering projects on their premises.

On May 20, 2008, the European Commission published new draft legislation as part of its 'health check' on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The aim of the draft legislation is to simplify, streamline and modernise the CAP.

Most manufacturers don't know the net margins of their products. That's the view of a number of supply chain experts - if not always those involved in the industry itself, it appears.

Most Brits don't view ice cream as healthy: it's seen as a pure indulgence, guiltily consumed on those rare balmy summer days.

Science fiction author Arthur C Clarke famously said: "New ideas pass through three periods: 1) It can't be done. 2) It probably can be done, but it's not worth doing. 3) I knew it was a good idea all along!"

An army marches on its stomach, the French emperor and brilliant military tactician Napolean Bonaparte, born in Corsica in 1769, is supposed to have said. So, it should come as no surprise that Corsica also has a particularly rich food heritage - one it hopes to exploit in a new campaign for the 21st Century to conquer the British.

Hell is the word that Quinn's training manager Len Usher uses to describe his place of work. Fear not though, he isn't referring to poor conditions or tyrant managers, but rather the fierce heat of the firing furnace area, which reaches temperatures of up to 1,500°C.

Simon Pattinson, operations director, Montezuma's

Last month I attended a conference, which was supposedly about the latest trends in supply chain management. The tone was set by the chair whose opening remarks made it pretty obvious that he knew nothing about the subject. One pointless comment followed another. Considering how vital supply chain improvements have become for many companies, this was not a great start.

Major retailers announced eco-friendly initiatives at supply chain consultancy Scala's annual logistics debate last month.

Catering sausage and meat products supplier James T Blakeman is installing new manufacturing facilities in an investment valued at £4M. The new facility aims to double the plant's capacity, while simultaneously reducing the company's carbon footprint with its innovative design, which promises to be "one of the most advanced in Europe".

AEW Delford System's new manufacturing plant in Colchester has been officially opened by the Icelandic ambassador, His Excellency Sverrir H Gunnlaugsson.

A British red meat processor looks set to become the first European firm to use a demand-price management system developed in the US over the past couple of years and used by companies such as Cargill and Hormel Foods.

This year continues to be a busy one for legislative developments and I will focus here on fibre. At a European level an amendment to the Nutrition Labelling Directive is close to publication. The provisions update the list of vitamins and minerals which may be declared and their recommended daily allowance; extend the list of conversion factors to be used for calculating energy value and at long last provide a definition of dietary fibre.

The market for functional foods on a heart-health platform could get a new lease of life in the next two years as new bioactive ingredients hit the market and claims approved under the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation are finally published, predict ingredients firms.

I have always respected the relationship that the French have with food. The markets, the baguette, the lunchtime set meal, the family meal table, the restaurants.

Peter's Food Service has launched a premium sausage line, which recently went on sale at 49 Tesco stores in Wales.

Rich Products aims to slash product wastage and cater for premium and healthy eating trends with the launch of clean label, 'freeze to thaw' muffins for small stores and catering outlets.

Cottage cheese maker Uniq Prepared Foods is set to launch a new branded offering that it hopes will drive incremental growth across this food category.

Cornish sardines could be at the forefront of Britons' rediscovery of the delights of healthy oily fish caught off the British Isles, if Devon company Hannaford's has its way. These fish, which are packed full of nutrients such as omega-3, calcium, protein and iron, are now available nationally through Nisa stores, independent retailers and online.

Despite the present economic climate, a new study of UK brand managers has disclosed that over half plan to launch the same number - if not more - of new products this year than last.

Alpro Soya has launched a reduced fat alternative to single cream, which will be displayed alongside dairy cream in supermarket chilled sections.

Fresh juice manufacturer Fairjuice has launched Mulberry Fair, said to be the first fresh mulberry juice brand into the UK market, to respond to the growth in better-for-you drinks that are a key driver of the fruit juice category.

Kate's Cakes has introduced three new cereal bars in its You Can! range, a selection of dairy-, gluten-, wheat-free and low-fat cakes developed especially for those suffering from food intolerances or allergies. They comprise a Dairy Free Muesli bar, a blend of toasted wheat flakes, dates, sultanas and cranberries, bound together with honey and agave nectar and infused with orange zest; Wheat Free Nut 'N' Choc bar, a trio of pecans, almonds and hazelnuts, studded and drizzled with Belgian chocolate; and Dairy & Gluten Free Fruit & Seed bar, which contains pumpkin and sunflower seeds, apricots and sultanas, bound with agave nectar and honey.

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Nutrient profile modelling is a topical issue following the recent review of the UK version designed by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to control advertising to children. At the same time, the European Commission is looking at another profiling scheme to control the use of nutrition and health claims on foods.

Dairy Crest has revealed plans to open its first distribution centre in Aldridge in the West Midlands next month.

UK babies fed soya-based formula could risk consuming aluminium levels higher than the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of one milligram of aluminium per kilogram of body weight recommended by the European Food Safety Authority.

Politicians have recognised the role of Britain's food manufacturing sector with the launch of an All Party Parliamentary Food and Drink Manufacturing Industry Group (APPG).

Ginsters, Kellogg and Mars UK are among those shortlisted for the Food and Drink Federation's Community Partnership Awards, which showcase processors' corporate social responsibility achievements.

The firm behind the first serious rival to Tate & Lyle in the sucralose market says it is close to a "major brand win".

Use of secondary data is vital in helping food manufacturers and retailers calculate the carbon footprints of their products more quickly, Tesco has claimed.

Detailed analyses of the carbon footprints of food and drink products were exposing a lot of 'lazy thinking' about the environment and local sourcing in particular, according to the Co-operative Group.

Retailers look set to pass on costs of poultry processing in the form of higher Christmas turkey prices in stores over the festive season.

A school in Bristol has won a regional competition to devise a new product for the food industry by creating four seasonal muffins.

There is still little consensus in the industry about the value of carbon footprint labelling on food and drink as a useful means of driving more sustainable consumer choices.

Processors have to work harder to create healthy snacks that will appeal to children, but big opportunities do exist for fruit- and vegetable-based snacks, according to Food Manufacture's exclusive survey.

Processors are losing out by discounting their engineering departments as major drivers of innovation, according to one industry expert.

A waste project could save the shellfish industry £3M and help curb illegal waste disposal, claimed industry body Seafish, which funded the scheme.

Sales growth in the organic sector shows signs of slowing due to lack of availability and shopper resistance to high premiums as recession looms, according to Food Manufacture's latest market report.

Kilmarnock-based game processor Braehead Foods has moved into a new purpose-built facility six times the size of its old one to meet growing demand.

Doubt has been cast over Oscar Mayer's ready meals facility in Chard after the firm announced 250 job cuts last month.

The government's recent consultation paper on food security reveals a "worrying level of complacency" about the resilience of the UK food supply chain, according to one of its own advisors.

The industry should stop relying on government for answers to eco-friendly distribution and focus on devising its own solutions, delegates at logistics consultancy Scala's annual debate heard.

Marks & Spencer (M&S) is targeting availability improvements with a tranche of measures, according to Steve Mulvey, logistics manager, foods.

Food manufacturers are sharply divided over whether the Co-operative Group's proposed acquisition of Somerfield is good news for suppliers.

Sharon Harvey, technical manager at specialist school meal supplier Green Gourmet, has won the Food Manufacture editorial survey free prize draw. £100 worth of Amazon gift vouchers are winging their way over to her.

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) will save £3.5M in two years, which will be redeployed into front-line services, said chairman John Bridge.

Scientists from the University of Southampton have teamed up with Vitacress Salads to explore the nutritional benefits of 'supermarket bagged' lettuce compared to 'fresh' lettuce.

Restricted access to finance owing to depressed capital markets will "significantly impact short-term opportunities for acquisition-led growth" at snacks and confectionery firm Zetar, bosses have warned. The firm, which reported a 3% increase in adjusted operating profit to £7.8M on sales up 17% to £111.2M, has invested more than £9M in upgrading its factories this year.

Analysts at Panmure Gordon have voiced concerns that stevia could emerge as a serious rival to Tate & Lyle's star ingredient Splenda sucralose in the high intensity sweeteners market as early as next year. The firm has also noted a weakening demand for high fructose corn syrup in the US.

Groundbreaking functional foods that can induce insulin production in diabetics and pre-diabetics could hit the UK early next year.

Manufacturers are up in arms about stricter voluntary salt targets for food products for 2010 and even stricter targets for 2012 proposed by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), which they claim have been dreamt up without any prior consultation with them.

Britain's food manufacturing research community has expressed serious concerns about central funding drying up as the financial screw on government departmental spending is turned.

The Food Standards Agency's (FSA's) plans to launch a saturated fat reduction campaign in January 2009 are likely to be delayed by failure to reach agreement with manufacturers over targets.

Improve is calling an emergency summit to tackle the shortage of scientific and technical staff in the food and drink industry.

UK processors are scrambling to combat mounting energy prices through cost-saving initiatives, as pressure on margins increases.