A report sourced from Rabobank will show that retail milk discounting and price pressures on dairy suppliers is a worldwide phenomenon and not just confined to Australia. Rabobank senior analyst Michael Harvey told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s rural news service today that milk wars are already a major feature of supermarket food trading in the US, the UK and Europe. He suggested that the problem might be worse for farmers in Australia because there is a more complex supply chain in... ...Read more »

Nestle CEO Paul Bulcke has used his keynote speech at the ‘City Food Lecture’ in the United Kingdom to highlight the threat of water scarcity to the food industry. Citing figures from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, Bulcke predicted that population growth and an increase in meat consumption would  increase the pressure on water supplies. Water scarcity, he said, will be the cause of huge food shortages in the next 15 to 20 years. “This is an issue that must be addressed... ...Read more »

Many synthetic chemicals found in common foods could have significant health implications according to a new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). The new UNEP – WHO report highlights research findings that some substances, known as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) or “hormone-mimicking chemicals” which are commonly found in household products, can cause different cancers, reproductive issues, obesity, and problems with brain... ...Read more »

Swedish agricultural authorities have suggested the implementation of a “meat tax” to reduce greenhouse gases and encourage environmental sustainability. The Swedish Board of Agriculture last month suggested increasing the cost of meat products to reduce the average amount of meat consumed in Sweden. Marit Paulsen who is a member of the Board as well as the Vice President of the European Parliament’s agricultural committee, said that she would like to halve the amount of meat consumed in Sweden. Ms... ...Read more »

New US research by Euromonitor has found that health and wellness beverages are continuing to increase in popularity, equating to 44 per cent of sales in the non-alcoholic beverage market. The Functionality, Naturalness and Stevia Key to Developing Beverages to Fit Today’s Trends report said that retail value of health positioned drinks reached US $274 billion in 2011, with that figure expected to outperform soft drinks and hot drinks between 2012-2016. While “naturally healthy” beverages made... ...Read more »

The Australian government will be opening an Austrade office in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) this year as part of the Australian Government’s drive to help businesses break into one of Asia’s newest emerging and growth markets. At the same time, a new report by the firm Stanton Emms Strategy Consultants, has described Myanmar as one of the world’s “food surplus” countries, “producing between 55 and 60 milliontonnes of agrifoods per annum.” The report highlighted that while... ...Read more »

Previous research which has promoted polyunsaturated vegetable fat such as margarine as a healthier alternative to butter has been quashed by a group of leading US scientists. The new research findings led by Professor John M Davis (et al) at the National Institute of Health in the United States and just published in the British Medical Journal,  has found that eating margarine instead of butter can double the risk of heart disease and heart attack. The US researchers analysed a previous study from... ...Read more »

New US research by the Institute for Aging Research (IFAR) at Hebrew SeniorLife, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School (HMS), has found that dairy intake is associated with higher bone mineral density in the hip, but not the spine. The study reported milk and yogurt are associated with higher bone mineral density in the hip, but cream, on the other hand, may be associated with lower bone mineral density overall. The study findings, published in the journal Archives of Osteoporosis, suggest that... ...Read more »

Hong Kong citizens taken action to designate baby milk formula as a “reserved commodity” following insufficient supplies in Hong Kong. The reasons for the short-term shortage of infant formula in Hong Kong is due to mainland Chinese stocking up on infant formula prior to the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday, when the majority of stores in Hong Kong and China will be closed for ten days. Following Hong Kong government restrictions on the amount of infant formula that can be purchased, a petition... ...Read more »

Australian research, published online this month and to be published soon in the American Journal of Public Health,  has shown that the “consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) should be considered a major risk factor” for dental problems such as tooth decay and cavities. According to the study, “caries [otherwise known as tooth decay disease or a cavity] was significantly associated with greater SSB consumption”. Undertaken by the Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health... ...Read more »