Researchers have developed a novel approach to automated detection and classification of harmful bacteria in food – allowing computers to learn what a pathogen might look like. By equipping computers with sophisticated learning software and a laser scanner, colonies of pathogens such as listeria, staphylococcus, salmonella, vibrio and E. coli can be identified based on the optical properties of their colonies, and new unknown pathogens can be discovered. “The sheer number of existing... ...Read more »

PepsiCo has announced the transformation of its popular US lemon lime soda, Sierra Mist, into a beverage with entirely natural ingredients, Sierra Mist Natural. PepsiCo has removed preservatives and artificial flavours from the drink, sweetening it with sugar (as opposed to the widely-used high fructose corn syrup or HCFS, an almost ubiquitous sweetener in the US and subject of a number of health-related inquiries). “New Sierra Mist Natural has been stripped of everything artificial and is naturally... ...Read more »

Fair Work inspectors will this week conduct face-to-face visits to about 80 fast food outlets located in various Brisbane food courts, as well as food businesses on the Gold Coast, Rockhampton, Cairns, Toowoomba and Townsville. Fair Work said that inspectors will call on a number of take-away shops which have previously been the subject of complaints, while others will be selected at random. Businesses will be asked to supply employment records to ensure staff are being paid correctly and employers... ...Read more »

The French and Brazilian governments have forged an unusual European-emerging market alliance, calling for increased co-ordination among G20 states during food supply crises, and tighter regulation of the global food market. They issued a joint communiqué on Thursday (14 October) calling for the creation of global and regional food stocks, close monitoring of global cereal stocks especially, greater regulation of food market derivatives, and the creation of financial mechanisms (including price... ...Read more »

Nestlé has unveiled its latest Peters Ice Cream offering, Peters Overload. The new icecream is a “chunky, smashed up, parlour-style ice cream”, boasting more than double the quantity of inclusions, both sauce and pieces, of the average tub of icecream in Australia’s supermarket freezers. The icecream will come in three flavours, two using established Nestlé brands – a Violet Crumble offering, with honeycomb ice cream, chunks of Violet Crumble and chocolate sauce, a Rolo... ...Read more »

Convenience chain 7-Eleven has announced it will support a Melbourne CBD bike share environmental initiative, by stocking new Australian safety standard-approved helmets for just $5. Thirty 7-Eleven stores, each located in close proximity to Melbourne Bike Share stations, are making helmets available to the public, making it easier for people to take part in Melbourne’s first bike share scheme. Julie Laycock, 7-Eleven Head of Marketing, said the partnership reflected 7-Eleven’s reputation of... ...Read more »

UK retailer Marks and Spencer is set to review the sale of branded food in the company’s stores, according to reports. The Financial Times reported that M&S chief executive Marc Bolland is examining whether the retailer should continue to sell branded lines. M&S has been selling brands, including Heinz baked beans and Cadbury Dairy Milk, for over two years. In 2008, the retailer, which had traditionally offered only own-label products, opened up a select number of stores to certain... ...Read more »

Food Standards Australian New Zealand has issued a recall of Vitality Bakehouse brand 210g gluten-free cookies, in Chocolate Mint and Vanilla Honey cookies, due to the detection of gluten in the product. The recall applies to all best-before dates for the product, across Victoria, NSW, the ACT, Queensland and Tasmania. Any consumers who have a gluten allergy or intolerance should not consume the product. According to FSANZ, the gluten in the cookies was detected during ‘laboratory testing’,... ...Read more »

Saturday October 16 marks World Food Day – a day when the world recognises the vital contribution that farmers make to our society and the multiple challenges they face in maintaining our current food security over the next 40 years. If farmers are to overcome those challenges, then they are going to need an array of scientifically developed tools. However, some groups in Australia seem determined to make accessing these tools a difficult feat. For several decades farmers have been subject... ...Read more »

Australia is one of a few countries to shun the UN Protocol on Biosafety that most countries will adopt in Nagoya, Japan, next week. The protocol is a global quarantine and customs treaty to protect the environment and human health from genetically manipulated organisms (GMOs). The treaty tries to minimize risks of international transfer, handling and use of GMOs and is the first & only protocol negotiated by parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). “As a party to the CBD,... ...Read more »