As part of the health care legislation passed by the US House of Representatives on Sunday, chain restaurants with 20 or more locations will be required to provide nutritional information to diners at the point of purchase. The information will mirror the kind available on packaged foods.  Caloric information would be highlighted on menus, menu boards and drive-through boards. The provision has been praised by America’s National Restaurant Association. “The passage of this provision is a... ...Read more »

PepsiCo yesterday (22 March) set out its plans to reduce the amount of salt, saturated fat and added sugar in its products. The US food giant, which owns brands including Lay’s crisps and Quaker cereals, said it would cut the amount of salt in its “key global food brands in key markets” by 25% by 2015. The company plans to reduce the average saturated fat per food serving by 15% and cut the average added sugar in its key drinks brands by 25% by 2020. “We believe that a healthier... ...Read more »

Darrell Lea and Ricci Redmond Chocolate are conducting a voluntary recall of yoghurt-coated liquorice products as a result of lead levels above the accepted Australian standard. The products affected are: Darrell Lea Yoghurt Coated Raspberry Liquorice – 185g Darrell Lea Yoghurt Coated Mango Liquorice – 185g Ricci Yoghurt Coated Raspberry Liquorice – 225g & 185g Ricci Yoghurt Coated Mango Liquorice – 225g All of the above products are being recalled, regardless of best-before date.... ...Read more »

Following a report on Australia’s 60 Minutes, peak horticulture organization Growcom and the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) yesterday released statements declaring that fresh produce grown in Australia is safe to eat. The 60 Minutes report, aired last Thursday, focused on the use of two chemicals, endosulfan (a pesticide) and carbendazim (a fungicide), which were implicated early last year in fish deformities found at the Sunland Fish Hatchery and in the wider... ...Read more »

CSIRO has announced a two-year research program in collaboration with Bayer CropScience to create tools to assess sustainability of ‘new-generation’ crops in Australia. The study will model the consequences of environmental change and food security issues on ‘new-generation’ cereals.  These new cereals use advanced forms of traditional breeding methods to select for desirable qualities in a plant.  The possibilities of genetic modification will also be explored, although... ...Read more »

Australian retailer Metcash plans to rationalise its struggling cash-and-carry business. Metcash insisted that three of the four divisions that make up its Campbells Wholesale business – Campbells Wholesale, CStore Distribution and Foodlink – remain “strong”. However, the company indicated that it has witnessed a decline at its Campbells Cash & Carry (CCC) unit. The company insisted that the problems at CCC stem from a general decline of the traditional cash-and-carry wholesale market. According... ...Read more »

In today’s environmentally aware and increasingly socially responsible society, food manufacturers are increasingly being held accountable for more than just quality and flavour.  Consumers are increasingly opting for fairtrade and sustainable products, choosing to vote with their money.  Companies that ignore this trend do so at their own risk. So Nestle found out recently, when they became the target of a Greenpeace campaign fighting to protect the rainforest and biodiversity in Indonesia,... ...Read more »

The amount of salt in Australian-manufactured breakfast cereals and breads is being reduced by leading food manufacturers to improve the diets and health of Australians as part of an industry, retailer and government partnership called the Food and Health Dialogue.Under the Dialogue – jointly convened by the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) and Parliamentary Secretary for Health Mark Butler – salt reduction targets have now been set for most leading brands of ready-to-eat cereals... ...Read more »

Gippsland based Jindi Cheese has achieved the highest ranking for a blue cheese at the world’s most prestigious cheese awards. In the same year that Jindi Cheese almost perished in the fires that ravaged Gippsland in February, Normandy born veteran cheese artisan, Franck Beaurain, created what is arguably the world’s best blue cheese – Jindi Deluxe Blue. In a huge coup for regional Australian cheese making, Australia’s own Jindi Cheese has risen from the ashes to be awarded... ...Read more »

The Food Standards Agency last Thursday published details of qualitative research exploring people’s preferences and understanding of the way in which salt and sodium information is presented on food labels. People taking part in the research were keen for labelling of salt or sodium to be as clear and consistent as possible and preferred the use of the term ‘salt’ on food labels. This was because it was most familiar to them and because they did not necessarily understand the... ...Read more »