A research conducted by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and Harvard University has found that women who consumed a diet high in animal fat and cholesterol before pregnancy were at higher risk for gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes seen during pregnancy that increases the risk for certain pregnancy complications and health problems in the newborn. Moreover, the increased risk for gestational diabetes seen with animal fat and cholesterol appeared to be... ...Read more »

McDonald’s has become the victim of public outbursts after critics of the company hijacked a promotional hashtag on Twitter created by the fast-food conglomerate. McDonald’s last week joined the social media bandwagon by releasing a campaign on Twitter featuring “paid-for tweets” – tweets which are sponsored advertising platforms that connect advertisers and large companies, I.E Mc Donald’s, to tweeters. This campaign was to appear at the top of all search results. The initial hashtag... ...Read more »

The world’s largest coffee chain, Starbucks Coffee Company, announced today plans to introduce wine, beer and “premium food” to a handful of its stores in the United States by the end of 2012. Starbucks stores in Atlanta, California and Chicago, have been “carefully selected” in response to “customer feedback for more options to relax in the evenings” for the new menu additions. These stores, along with several others recently announced for the Chicago area, will be the first stores... ...Read more »

The European Parliament has called on member states to take urgent policies and strategic measures to halve food waste in the European Union (EU) by 2025.The call coincides with the release of figures from the European Commission, indicating  that up to 50 per cent of food is wasted in the European Union each year. According to the European Commission, 79 million EU citizens currently live below the poverty line, with 16 million depending on food benefits and aids from charitable institutions. MEPs... ...Read more »

New research from Uppsala University, in Sweden, has found a new link between poor sleeping habits and increased risk of becoming overweight. The research, which was published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, found that a specific brain region which contributes to a person’s appetite is more active when the person is deprived of sleep. In the latest study, Christian Benedict, together with Samantha Brooks, Helgi Schiöth and Elna-Marie Larsson from Uppsala University and... ...Read more »

Two leading law experts have claimed that if proposed Palm Oil Labelling legislation were to be enacted in Australia, it would be afoul of World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. The claim has been made in a research article authored by Melbourne-based lawyer Elizabeth Sheargold together with Associate Professor Andrew Mitchell  of the University of Melbourne. The article was published recently in the Melbourne Journal of International Law. The publication finding comes despite the Australian Government... ...Read more »

An international research team has found that predator animals that are given a choice of foods will select a diet that maximises their chances of reproducing. The researchers, including Professor Stephen Simpson, an internationally renowned biologist from the University of Sydney, have shown for the first time that predatory animals choose their food on the basis of its nutritional value rather than just overall calorie content. The findings, recently published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society... ...Read more »

UK researchers have shown one way in which poor nutrition in the womb can put a person at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other age-related diseases in later life. The researchers say their finding could lead to new ways of identifying people who are at a higher risk of developing these diseases and might open up targets for treatment. The team, from the University of Cambridge and the Medical Research Council (MRC) Toxicology Unit at the University of Leicester, have just published... ...Read more »

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine, in the United States, claim to have identified a human receptor that can detect fat – irrespective of taste. Their research suggests that some people may be more sensitive to the presence of fat in foods. The researchers found that people with a particular variant of the CD36 gene are far more sensitive to the presence of fat than others. Their study is available online in the Journal of Lipid Research. The researchers studied 21 people... ...Read more »

A panel of experts and industry commentators on the United States’ private label sector, brought together by the U.S. Private Label Manufacturer’s Association, has cast its predictions for the sector in 2012. Many of the experts believe that 2012 will see American food retailers attempting to condense their stores, with urban centres becoming the prime location for locating new stores. Food Retail Industry Consultant Michael Sansolo, who is also senior vice president of the U.S. Food Marketing... ...Read more »