All news articles for October 2017

The food and drink manufacturing Oscars 2017 yielded a vintage crop of entries, says Waitrose technical manager Jonathan Bayne

Food Manufacture Excellence Awards: ‘a vintage year’

By Mike Stones

The Food Manufacture Excellence Awards (FMEAs) 2017 has yielded a vintage crop of entries, with a particularly strong selection of Young talent of the year entries, says Waitrose technical manager and FMEA judge Jonathan Bayne.

Plastic recycling and brand transparency were key trends that would impact food and drink manufacturers

Key trends for food and drink manufacturers in 2018

By Gwen Ridler

Food manufacturers are likely to be impacted by two key consumer trends from a list of four, set to dominated shoppers’ spending next year, according to new research from Mintel.

A high body mass index is the fourth-largest contributor to the loss of healthy life, the study has found

Poor diet linked to one-in-five global deaths

By Noli Dinkovski

Almost one-in-five deaths globally can be attributed to a poor diet, a major study involving more than 2,500 collaborators from 130 countries has revealed.

Sainsbury's Judith Batchelar called for concerted action on food portion sizes

BNF 50th Anniversary Conference

Sainsbury calls for standardised food portion sizes

By Rick Pendrous

Sainsbury’s director of brand has called for standardisation of food portion sizes to “create a level playing field” in the battle against growing obesity levels in the UK.

On a beehive mission: Lorraine Hendle (front row, centre) flies out Tanzania next week

Food Manufacture’s md joins Farm Africa beehive project

By Mike Stones

The Food Manufacture Group’s md, Lorraine Hendle, is joining Greencore’s group technical director Helen Sisson and other women industry leaders next week in a charity project to build beehives in Tanzania.

TRACE looked at the impact of sleep deprivation and exercise on allergy attacks

Stress makes allergic reactions worse

By Rick Pendrous

Sleep deprivation and exercise can make peanut allergy sufferers vulnerable to more severe life-threatening anaphylaxis attacks, according to the latest results of a research project, which have yet to be published.

Scotch whisky sales have fallen since the Chancellor hiked spirits tax in the spring budget

Scotch whisky sales drop by 1M bottles after tax hike

By Gwen Ridler

Scotch whisky sales have fallen by 1M bottles since Chancellor Philip Hammond hiked spirits tax in the March budget, claimed the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), which is urging the Exchequer to lift the duty in next month’s budget.

PATS is aimed at extending shelf life

News in Brief

Hipster pressure-assisted thermal sterilisation unveiled

By Rick Pendrous

A novel pressure-assisted thermal sterilisation process technology for food, developed as part of the EU-funded ‘Hipster’ project, will be the focus of a seminar taking place in Wageningen in the Netherlands this month.

Map of Scotland highlights iconic food from the country

Scotland’s food and drink showcased in new map

By Gwen Ridler

Scotland’s food and drink sector is being showcased in a new map of the country, highlighting the growing success of the industry – a key driver of the country’s economy.

Ranjit Singh Boparan has been called to give evidence at a parliamentary committee hearing this month

2 Sisters’ boss called to parliamentary hearing

By Gwen Ridler

2 Sisters Food Group boss Ranjit Boparan has been called to appear before a parliamentary inquiry, after allegations of food safety, hygiene and welfare breaches at its West Bromwich plant.

ABP Food Group has opened a £22M renewable energy plant

ABP Food Group opens £22M green energy plant

By Gwen Ridler

ABP Food Group has invested in a £22M green energy plant in Buckinghamshire, capable of producing enough sustainable energy to power the equivalent of 12,000 homes.

FDF boss Ian Wright sought reassurances from the government over whether EU migrants could remain after Brexit

FDF boss calls for reassurance on EU migrant workers

By Gwen Ridler

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has repeated calls for the government to confirm whether EU workers will be allowed to remain after Brexit, following the fifth round of Brexit talks in Brussels.

More automation could offset rising labour costs, says Finsbury boss

Finsbury hit by rising commodity and labour costs

By Noli Dinkovski

A combination of high commodity prices and labour costs are a “constant attrition”, hindering growth at one of the UK’s biggest bakery firms, its group finance director has claimed.

Brexit’s impact on non-UK EU workers is a ‘huge concern’, says the Tulip boss

Tulip runs into staffing problems due to Brexit

By Noli Dinkovski

One of the UK’s largest meat processors is having to transport workers across the country to make up for a shortage of available labour, its boss has revealed.

First Milk post profit growth after ‘transformation’ of the company

First Milk doubles profits in full year results

By Gwen Ridler

Dairy processor First Milk has almost doubled its profits in its financial results for the year ended March 31 2017, following a “transformation” of the business.

Runny eggs are now safe to eat, almost 30 years since Edwina Currie’s comments started a salmonella contaminated egg scare

Runny eggs safe to eat after 30 years: FSA

By Gwen Ridler

Runny eggs are now safe to eat by infants, children, pregnant women and the elderly for the first time in 30 years, provided they are produced under the British Lion code of practice, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Water jetting offers many benefits

Water jetting offers many benefits

By Rick Pendrous

High-pressure water jetting offers a number of benefits over other technologies for cutting and portioning of foods – from vegetables to baked goods – claims Bob Hinchcliffe, technical director of Stelram Engineering.

Food innovators unveil NPD kitchens

Bingham & Jones

NPD experts unveil new innovation kitchens

By Noli Dinkovski

Top food innovators Jonny Bingham and David Jones claim their new product development (NPD) potential has been significantly boosted by the opening of two new ‘innovation kitchens’.

Sustainable and healthy food systems needed

Opinion

Sustainable and healthy food systems needed

By Rick Pendrous

Some of the world’s biggest food manufacturers and retailers have agreed to simplify food date labels by 2020 in an attempt to reduce the vast quantities of food that is unnecessarily wasted each year.

Food Manufacture editor Rick Pendrous: the FSA needs more resources to cope with a hard Brexit

Supply chains opinion

More FSA resources to meet hard Brexit

By Rick Pendrous

Given Boris Johnson’s continued hotly contested assertion that repatriation of the UK’s £350M weekly contribution to the EU could provide a huge additional spending boost to the NHS, that won’t leave much left for the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Food boss on the value of offering career progression

Me and My Factory

Salads boss on how career progression benefits all

By Noli Dinkovski

The director of a Leeds-based prepared salads and vegetables business has drawn on his own experience to highlight the value of giving staff the incentive to progress their careers.

Chefs’ Choice Awards now open for entries

Chefs’ Choice Awards open for entries

By Mike Stones

Food and drink manufacturers are invited to win national recognition by entering their products in the Chefs’ Choice Awards, organised by the Food Manufacture Group’s publisher William Reed.

Subterranean salad producer Steven Dring says the future for urban salad production lies below city streets

Underground salad producer wins top award

By Mike Stones

Subterranean salad producer Growing Underground, which grows microgreens 33m below London streets, has landed the prestigious Future Food category of the BBC Food and Farming Awards.

Sensor stops frozen carcase bandsaw before injury occurs

Sensor stops frozen carcase bandsaw before injury occurs

By Rick Pendrous

The risk of injuries to workers in abattoirs caused by bandsaws used to cut up frozen primary meat carcases can now be reduced, thanks to the new BladeStop technology available from Interfood Butchery.

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