A new study by scientists at the American Chemical Society has identified an unlikely new source for raw materials for biodiesel fuels - butter. Researchers report that butter could be used as an eco-friendly feedstock for diesel fuel, a possible new source beyond the current ethanol production. As part of the study, researchers removed the fat from 250kg of butter, and converted it into the fatty acid esters that constitute biodiesel. The result material met all but one of the official test standards... ...Read more »
Shares in UK-listed stevia producer PureCircle soured yesterday (27 July) after the business warned profits in 2010 would be lower than a year earlier. PureCircle’s stock was down 16.2% to 229.5p at 09:59 BST this morning in the wake of the company’s profit warning. The company said profits would be “held back” by “significantly increased investment” in production, sales and marketing. The group said it was also running under capacity. “PureCircle’s... ...Read more »
A recent study from New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) has found no health or food safety concerns in chemical residues in fresh, unwashed produce. The study, part of this year’s Food Residue Surveillance Programme (FRSP), which targets locally-produced and imported crops prone to exceeding the maximum residue limit (MRL) for agricultural chemicals, looked at bananas, bok choi (also know as pak choi), broccoli, cucumbers, grapes, nectarines, oranges and wheat. NZFSA principal adviser for... ...Read more »
New Zealand’s Regal Salmon has landed the meat and smallgoods award at the 6th annual Food Magazine Challenge Awards with its Regal Smoked Salmon Pastrami. The win for the Kiwi company comes hot on the heels of its success at the iTQi awards in Belgium where the product gained a two-star award. The Food Magazine Challenge Awards recognise and reward industry leaders in their drive for ‘best practice’ food and drink processing in Australia and New Zealand. They also acknowledge those... ...Read more »
An EU-wide health warning must now be put on any food or drink that still contains the colours that are thought to cause hyperactivity in some children. This is following the Southampton Study, commissioned by the Agency, which suggested a possible link between consumption of six food colours and hyperactivity in children. The colours are Tartrazine (E102), Quinoline Yellow (E104), Sunset Yellow (E110), Carmoisine (E122), Ponceau 4R (E124) and Allura Red (E129). Any food and drink containing any... ...Read more »
British-based baked goods and snacks giant United Biscuits, producer of McVities, Carr’s, Jaffa Cakes, McCoy’s and Phileas Fogg, is rumoured to be next for the hammer, with UK news outlets reporting that a sale is under consideration. Owners, private equity firms Blackstone Group LP and PAI Partners, could net as much as 2 billion pounds (A$3.4 billion) for the sale of the company they purchased in 2006, for 1.6 billion. There is also speculation that the biscuit and snack divisions of... ...Read more »
Belgium-based retailer Delhaize refused to be drawn on whether it would bid for parts of Aldi’s estate in Greece, which the German discount giant is looking to offload.Delhaize, which owns the Alfa-Beta supermarket chain in Greece, has been linked to Aldi’s business in the country, which comprises 38 stores. Aldi said on Friday that it wanted to quit the market and was in talks to sell its outlets. However, a Delhaize spokesman declined to comment directly on whether the retailer would... ...Read more »
UK-based online retailer Edible has made a specialty out of unusual and sometimes daunting foods, specialising in unusal delicacies and weird epicurean delights. Featuring departments for insects, aphrodisiacs, carnivores, herbivores, herbs and spices, apothecary products and even an English Garden collection, Edible’s range is not for the faint of heart. Edible boasts an impressive collection of edible insects, including an ant lollipop, oven-baked tarantulas, scorpion vodka, giant toasted... ...Read more »
Discount grocery retailer Aldi is withdrawing from Greece, it was confirmed on Firday (16 July). The German retailer plans to dispose of 38 outlets in Greece and is currently in talks to sell the stores. The market exit is the first in the company’s history. Planet Retail analyst Milos Ryba said: “Aldi has had problems from the beginning. It could not find reasonably priced plots. It was opening stores close to Schwarz Group’s Lidl but was not able to compete on price.” Ryba... ...Read more »
Netherlands firm Albert Heijn has launched an app for its customers to help them create shopping lists by scanning barcodes of products they are running out of using their mobile phone camera. The app, dubbed Appie, also sorts the groceries on the lists according to the walking route in their local Albert Heijn store, the Dutch grocery retailer said. The app also includes features like ‘auto suggest’, ‘recipe finder’ and ‘add to prior purchases’. The Ahold-owned... ...Read more »