The Western Australian state Budget, announced Thursday by Premier and Treasurer Colin Barnett, has a number of provisions for food in WA, including livestock, irrigation, biosecurity and food charities. Agriculture will receive $11.3 million for livestock industry development and innovation, $37 million for biosecurity risk management against pests, diseases, feral animals and native pests such as emus (including $6 million for border biosecurity at airoports, ports and other transport hubs), $30... ...Read more »

The US’s Food and Drug Administration has recalled raw alfalfa sprouts produced by Caldwell Fresh Foods after they were linked to outbreak of the food-borne illness Salmonella Newport, an antibiotic-resistant strain of the bacterium, in ten states. Half of the 22 illnesses reported so far have occurred in California, with consumers also affected in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, Oregon and Wisconsin. The sprouts were distributed through a variety of restaurants and... ...Read more »

The NSW Food Authority has announced its support of last week’s Food Allergy Awareness Week, 16-22 May, in an effort to remind consumers and industry of the importance of understanding the role of food labels in protecting against allergic reaction. “The Food Act and Food Standards Code also requires all food businesses in NSW, including cafes and restaurants, to provide information about the ingredients contained in their food,” said NSW Food Authority CEO Alan Coutts. Food businesses... ...Read more »

New Zealand’s Advertising Standards Authority, a body that promotes “self-regulation” in advertising, has unveiled a set of guidelines after a year-long review. The 26-page Children’s Code for Advertising Food lists a series of guidelines to which food makers must adhere, including that ads should not encourage children to consume in excess, and that ads should not “undermine” New Zealand government guidelines on food and nutrition for kids. The advertising code... ...Read more »

US soft drink and snacks maker PepsiCo is to invest US$2.5 billion (A$3 billion) in its food and beverage businesses in China over the next three years. The investment, announced on Friday, is in addition to a US$1 billion ($A 1.2 billion) investment pledged in 2008, which will be completed this year. The money will be spent on new manufacturing facilities, the company’s research and development operations, expanded agricultural development and brand building. “This investment reflects... ...Read more »

Ask any coeliac or other gluten intolerant person what the most frustrating thing about their diet is & they’ll say “it’s BORING!”, so Australia’s Naturally Good Products have gone back to the kitchen to develop some delicious ways to use their new Bakehouse Cookies to create 3 delicious desserts. “BAKEHOUSE COCONUT CRUNCH CHEESECAKE” “BAKEHOUSE CHOC CRUNCH TIRAMISU” & “BAKEHOUSE APPLE BERRY GINGER GEM CRUMBLE” Made with real... ...Read more »

“Food labels should not be used as a battleground for issues as diverse as deforestation, animal welfare and human rights,” said Australian Food and Grocery Council’s (AFGC) Chief Executive Kate Carnell. Ms Carnell’s comment is in response to Independent Senator for South Australia Nick Xenophon’s statement that Australian consumers are being mislead by products labelling palm oil as vegetable oil. AFGC highlights that palm oil is, in fact, a vegetable oil just like... ...Read more »

Food makers operating in New Zealand face a new code overseeing how they advertise their products in the country.New Zealand’s Advertising Standards Authority, a body that promotes “self-regulation” in advertising, has unveiled a set of guidelines after a year-long review. The 26-page Children’s Code for Advertising Food lists a series of guidelines to which food makers must adhere including: that ads should not encourage children to consume in excess; and that ads should... ...Read more »

The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) has launched a national program and competition offering growers a unique opportunity to visit some of the world’s leading grains research facilities. The program was made to recognise the achievements of the Australian grain-growing industry over last two decades, which includes improvements in farming practices, grain varieties, products and services that have positioned the nation’s growers at the forefront of global production. The... ...Read more »

Over $A127 million is spent each year buying and eating over 18,500 tonnes of pies each year. Most would even say pies are the most typically Australian food there is. CHOICE went out and tested 20 pies on the market, mostly pies of national brands stocked in the frozen section of the supermarket to see which brands would come out as most nutritious, the meatiest, and the tastiest. “Scoring well on all three criteria, the Elmsbury (Aldi) Bakehouse Premium Grain Fed Beef Pie was the overall... ...Read more »