* Wal-Mart to open 30-40 “small” and “medium” format stores * Top end of capex spending forecast lowered * Spending on international operations to rise Wal-Mart has revealed plans to open smaller stores in the US, targeting urban markets and small towns.The move is part of the retailer’s strategy to move to a “three-format portfolio” in the US, with small stores of less than 30,000 square feet which will “drive expansion to urban markets and small towns,... ...Read more »

UK shoppers understand nutrition labels on food products but may not be motivated enough to use them to buy healthier products, an EU study has claimed. A survey conducted by Aarhus University in Denmark and the European Food Information Council showed that more than eight in ten UK consumers could understand GDA and traffic-light labels, as well as a hybrid of both systems. However, the study claimed that just 27% of shoppers used the information on the labels when buying food. “While levels... ...Read more »

Aussie foodies will have the chance to win a master class with celebrity chef Darren Simpson, dinner at his restaurant La Scala on Jersey, and an online nutrition consultation with renowned dietitian, Kate Di Prima, by submitting their own great tasting, healthy recipes featuring cranberries.The Cranberry Institute, in conjunction with www.taste.com.au, is celebrating the little red fruit that packs a powerful punch – the cranberry – with The Best Little Fruit in Australia competition,... ...Read more »

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) announced this week that it has cancelled the registration of the insecticide endosulfan. Endosulfan was one of two chemicals implicated in March in a report by 60 Minutes on fish deformities at the Sunland Fish Hatchery and the Noosa River area, with drift-spraying of the chemicals allegedly crossing fences from a neighbouring macadamia plantation. APVMA said the decision to deregister endosulfan “follows a recent assessment... ...Read more »

A leading US health body, the Institute of Medicine, yesterday called for front-of-pack labelling focussing on saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and total caloric information.A report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) said the four nutrient elements were routinely overconsumed and associated most strongly with diet-related health problems such as obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. “Calories, saturated fat, trans fats, and sodium present... ...Read more »

A new study suggests that the sweet summery treat, watermelon, might not just help you relax in the summer sun, but actually improve blood flow and lower blood pressure. The latest superfood was tested in a study on nine subjects with prehypertension – a precursor to cardiovascular disease. Assistant Professor Arturo Figueroa and Professor Bahram H. Arjmandi found that six weeks of daily doses of 6g of an amino acid extracted from watermelons, L-citrulline/L-arginine, showed improved arterial... ...Read more »

The South Australian food industry has achieved new records for gross revenue and the total value of production. Agriculture and Food Minister Michael O’Brien said new figures show the sector was worth $3.5 billion in 2009-10, up seven percent to a new record high. O’Brien said the state’s Gross Food Revenue, an indicator of domestic consumption and exports, also reached a record high of $12.4 billion. Gross Food Revenue captures all food sales that have occurred within South Australia,... ...Read more »

Consumer group CHOICE says Australians are consuming far more salt than they are aware of, with sodium levels in food clocking in at alarming levels, and often difficult to detect by taste alone – with a McDonald’s large chocolate thickshake containing the same level of salt as a large fries, and a single roll of Wonka Fruit Tingles containing nearly a quarter of sodium recommended daily intake. The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) suggest no more than 1600mg of sodium... ...Read more »

From October, Coca-Cola Amatil and Woolworths will launch a new purple lid for the bottled Deep Spring water brand in support of the Avner Nahmani Pancreatic Research Foundation. 10c from the sale of each 600ml or 1.25L purple-lid Deep Spring bottle in Woolworths and Big W stores will be donated towards research into treatment and improved patient outcomes for pancreatic cancer, one of the most aggressive and deadly forms of cancer. Each year, more than 1,900 Australians are diagnosed with pancreatic... ...Read more »

The sudden death of bee colonies since late 2006 across North America has stumped scientists for four years. But today, researchers at Texas Tech may have a greater understanding of the mysterious colony collapse disorder which threatened to destroy bee populations, honey production and bee-pollination reliant agriculture. Shan Bilimoria, a professor and molecular virologist, said the bees may be taking a one-two punch from both an insect virus and a fungus, which may be causing bees to die off by... ...Read more »