As prices for bananas begin to return to normal levels in Australia, Baskin-Robbins is providing another way for Aussies to get their banana fix: the brand has launched a new banana flavour ice cream. Baskin-Robbins said the new flavour was developed specifically for the Australian market and was introduced after Baskin-Robbins franchisees reported a high level of requests for banana ice cream. A major portion of the Australian banana crop was wiped out by Cyclone Yasi in February 2011. While the... ...Read more »

The United Nations has called for action to ensure long-term global food security as a new report shows that high food prices are likely to continue over the next decade. ‘The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2011’ report states that small, import-dependent countries, particularly in Africa, are especially vulnerable to poverty and food insecurity. “Even if the Millenium Development Goal were achieved by 2015, some 600 million people in developing countries would still be undernourished.... ...Read more »

A controversial partnership allowing Australian pharmacists to market dietary supplements alongside medication at point-of-sale has been axed. Last month, Australian Food News reported on the partnership between the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and Australian dietary supplement manufacturer Blackmores coming under fire from the Australian Medical Association. In a statement just released, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia said its decision to withdraw the partnership was made “in view of the strong... ...Read more »

Treasury has told a Federal Senate inquiry that reducing unnecessary barriers to market entry and clamping down on anti-competitive behaviour should be a priority for Australia’s food processing industry. In its submission to the Senate Select Committee on Australia’s Food Processing Sector, the Treasury pointed out that the food processing industry in Australia tends to be concentrated, with several major players and a number of smaller competitors. The Treasury said, “This market concentration... ...Read more »

A new study, just published in The Journal of Pediatrics, has found that television food advertisements can have more impact on a child’s food choices than advice from their own parents. Dr Christopher Ferguson and colleagues at Texas A&M International University, in the US, studied 75 children ranging in age from three to five years. All of the children watched two cartoons, with commercials shown between each cartoon. Half of the children watched a commercial for French fries, and the other... ...Read more »

Leading Australian scientists claim that the discovery of large, widely dispersed populations of genetically engineered canola growing uncultivated in the US is no cause for concern. A study just published by the online journal PLoS ONE reported on the genetically modified canola growing ‘wild’ in North Dakota. The “escaped” plants were found statewide and accounted for 45% of the total roadside plants sampled in the study. The study’s author, Meredith Schafer from the University... ...Read more »

Fonterra Australia, a subsidiary of New Zealand-based multi-national dairy giant Fonterra, has announced record year on year growth in export volumes of nutritional milk powder products from its Victoria manufacturing sites. Since 2009, Fonterra has shipped more than 100,000 tonnes of nutritional milk powder products from Victoria manufacturing sites, achieving 37 per cent growth in this export category over that time. Fonterra Ingredients Australia’s Managing Director Simon Bromell said the volume... ...Read more »

Despite continuing concerns by local fishermen about the safety of fishing in Gladstone Harbour, central Queensland, a three-week fishing ban previously imposed on the harbour by the Queensland Government was lifted today. The ban had been originally imposed after locally-caught fish showed signs of illness. At the same time, local fishermen were also reported unwell after handling these fish. Queensland Fisheries Minister Craig Wallace claimed today the results of a water quality analysis and fish... ...Read more »

A new study from Stanford University’s School of Medicine, in the US, has found perinatal and pregnant women who consume a healthy diet stand a lesser risk of having a baby with birth defects. In the study, published in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, women who ate a healthier diet before and during pregnancy gave birth to fewer infants with malformations of the brain and spinal cord, or orofacial clefts, such as cleft lip and cleft palate. The study’s author Suzan Carmichael... ...Read more »

The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has reacted to consumer advocacy group CHOICE’s criticisms of “low-fat” claims on foods. AFGC Chief Executive Kate Carnell said, “If misleading claims are being made, industry would urge the regulators to enforce consumer protection laws. It is also important to remember there are people who need low-fat but not low-kilojoule diets, for example people with high cholesterol.” Responding to CHOICE’s argument that nutrient profiling is in place... ...Read more »