A former Coles employee has been accused of planning to use home made explosives in a Coles supermarket in Sydney. The accused, 54 year-old Andre Nord, was arrested on Saturday following the discovery of chemicals and explosives at his Woolahra unit after fire fighters were called to the scene of a fire at his place. NSW Police reported that he was charged with the “possession of explosives/articles with the intent to destroy” upon his release from St Vincent’s Hospital. The police... ...Read more »

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is proposing to authorise, for five years, milk pricing and milk purchasing policies between DFMC (Dairy Farmers Milk Co-Operative) and ACF (Australian Co-Operative Foods) to enable their continuation following the sale of ACF to National Foods*.DFMC acquires raw milk from its farmer members and sells this milk to ACF for processing into dairy products. Agreements in place between ACF and DFMC require DFMC to adopt the same price and purchasing arrangements... ...Read more »

Activist group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has begun an unusual, some may even say bold, campaign to get cow’s milk replaced with human breast milk. They have dispatched a letter to Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, co-founders of American ice cream icon Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc., urging them to replace the cow’s milk in their products with human breast milk. PETA’s request comes in the wake of news reports that a Swiss restaurant owner will begin... ...Read more »

In the wake of the Chinese milk scandal, which has led to the deaths of four babies and made of 54,000 infants ill, international food safety and health authorities are working together to determine the level of melamine in food that will present negligible risks to public health. “Since the identification of the problems in China, food safety authorities all around the world have been working to identify public health threshold levels for melamine,” Dr Geoff Allen, NZFSA (New Zealand... ...Read more »

So far this year, British shoppers have been in denial – spending more than they did in 2007, in spite of the mounting evidence that their incomes were being squeezed. Until now, with the latest research from MINTEL* finding that reality is beginning to strike and Brits are now making dramatic changes to the way they shop for food. Consumer research from MINTEL highlights that, in the last 12 months alone, 41% of shoppers have switched to cheaper brands and three in ten (34%) have cut down... ...Read more »

Australia has won the right to host an international health conference expected to attract hundreds of researchers and practitioners from round the world.The conference, “Seafood & Health 2010″, will be organised jointly by Australian and United States agencies. Mr Roy Palmer, spokesman for the Australian organising committee, said the conference would review the latest research on the benefits of seafood and recommend how they could be applied to improve the health of hundreds of... ...Read more »

The Federal Workplace Ombudsman has announced a national campaign targeting the hospitality industry. Hotels, restaurants, taverns, bars and clubs throughout Australia will be randomly audited to ensure workers are being properly paid, with the three-month long campaign to begin next week. Workplace inspectors in all states and territories will be checking to ensure compliance with: • Rates of pay (including casual rates and minimum rates) • Penalty loadings (weekend, late nights) • Allowances •... ...Read more »

Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company (NYSE: WWY) announced overnight that its shareholders have overwhelmingly approved the adoption of the merger agreement with Mars, Incorporated.The combination of two of the globe’s most famous companies, will create a $27 billion food company and the world’s largest confectionery company. “We are pleased with the outcome of today’s vote,” said Bill Wrigley, Jr., Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board. “On behalf of the Company’s... ...Read more »

Ian Johnston has been appointed by the Board of Foster’s Group Limited (Foster’s) to the role of Chief Executive Officer. Mr Johnston stepped into the CEO role in an acting capacity in July this year, following the departure of Trevor O’Hoy, having previously served as a non-executive Director of the Company since September 2007. Foster’s Chairman, David Crawford, believes Mr Johnston is the right person to lead the company, following an extensive international search for... ...Read more »

Coon, the popular Australian brand of cheese owned by Dairy Farmers, is likely to face scrutiny regarding its name from an anti-racism campaigner. Toowoomba academic Stephen Hagan, who this week helped ensure a grandstand at Toowoomba Sports Ground would not be named E.S. “Nigger” Brown, has turned his attention toward Coon, according to AAP. Mr Hagan is not convinced that the brand, which was originally owned by Kraft, was not named after a common racial slur. “Initially, Dairy... ...Read more »