A bold move to change manufacturing procedures to meet the needs of discerning Swiss consumers has helped NZ King Salmon break in to its 13th export market.The Marlborough-based salmon farmer has worked for two years to meet very specific product requirements from Migros, Switzerland’s biggest supermarket chain. Intensive work by the company’s product development team in Nelson has included investment in custom-designed equipment to meet specific dimensions for smoked salmon products. NZ... ...Read more »

Research by Datamonitor, the independent market analyst firm, has revealed that Australian consumers prefer to control their portion sizes rather than adopt specific diet plans. In fact, the proportion of Australians who regularly make an effort to eat and drink smaller portions has increased to 46% in 2010 compared to 29% in 2009, a trend that is likely to gather momentum in 2011.Katrina Diamonon, consumer markets analyst at Datamonitor said, “Australians are willing to accept a more disciplined... ...Read more »

US food manufacturer General Mills has signed a contract to buy Pasta Master, a producer of chilled Italian meals, pasta and sauces based in Australia.The sale, which is expected to complete in March, includes the Victoria-based business and a production facility in Bendigo. Around 75 people at the facility are expected to become part of General Mills. Terms of the sale were not disclosed. “The acquisition of Pasta Master strategically broadens our ready-to-cook pasta offerings to consumers,”... ...Read more »

US food manufacturer General Mills has reformulated its Yoplait original yoghurt to include more calcium. The product, General Mills said on Monday (13 December), now contains “two times the calcium of the leading yoghurt with 50% of the daily value in each 500mg pot”. As part of the launch, consumers can visit Yoplait’s Facebook page to sign up for a free pot of Yoplait original yoghurt. The launch will also see US television presenter Nancy O’Dell partner with Yoplait to... ...Read more »

Australia’s first RSPCA Approved turkey will be ready just in time for Christmas, with all of Coles’ Finest fresh turkeys bearing the welfare-friendly label this year. “Demand for higher welfare food has never been stronger and with turkey a staple for many Australian families at Christmas time the RSPCA has teamed up with Coles to provide a more ethical option for turkey lovers,” said RSPCA Australia CEO Heather Neil. Last year, Coles obtained FREPA (Free Range Egg and Poultry Australia)... ...Read more »

Changes in diet have been linked to a reduction of abnormal behaviors in mentally ill people or animals, but a Purdue University study shows that diet might also trigger the onset of mental illness in the first place. Joseph Garner, an associate professor of animal sciences, fed mice a diet high in sugar and tryptophan that was expected to reduce abnormal hair-pulling. Instead, mice that were already ill worsened their hair-pulling behaviors or started a new self-injurious scratching behavior, and... ...Read more »

Meat pie manufacturer Patties Foods Ltd has denied any intention of purchasing Sara Lee’s Australian food brands, contradicting speculation in the Sydney Morning Herald that the Bairnsdale-based company was in talks with a view to buy. Sara Lee produces some of Australia’s most popular food brands, including Moccona coffee, Sara Lee desserts and baked goods, Piazza d’Oro and Pickwick Tea. Many of Sara Lee’s brands have been sold off recently, as the company focuses on its coffee... ...Read more »

Beverages supplemented by whey-based protein can significantly reduce elevated blood pressure, reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease, a Washington State University study has found. Research led by nutritional biochemist Susan Fluegel and published in International Dairy Journal found that daily doses of commonly available whey brought a more than six-point reduction in the average blood pressure of men and women with elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressures. While the study was confined... ...Read more »

Australia’s pork industry has welcomed the announcement by Federal Innovation Minister, Senator Kim Carr, that the Pork Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) has been funded for a further eight years. Pork CRC Chairman, Dr John Keniry, said the Australian pork industry had to maintain local production of high quality food at a reasonable price and an acceptable return on production capital invested, while improving pig welfare, the environment and consumer health. The Pork CRC’s bid for funding... ...Read more »

Fonterra has announced an increase in its forecast Milk Price for the 2010/11 season from $6.60 to $6.90 per kilogram of milksolids (kgMS). Fonterra Chairman Sir Henry van der Heyden said the Board’s decision to raise the forecast Milk Price reflected the continuation of high international dairy prices further into the 2010/11 season. Chief executive Andrew Ferrier said global markets for key dairy ingredients remained finely balanced, with solid demand being underpinned by some growth in supply... ...Read more »