In the December 2011 issue of Food Technology magazine, published by the US-based Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), contributing Editor A. Elizabeth Sloan writes about the latest whole grain trends in food: 1.     Food marketing claims relating to the benefits of whole grains are now the most sought after health claims on food packages, followed by claims about dietary fiber, according to the Food Marketing Institute’s (FMI) 2011 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends report. 2.      The number... ...Read more »

The National Australia Bank (NAB) in its latest Rural Commodities Outlook  wrap  issued on 22 December 2011 has reported that apart from the weakening global economy, there is also a very strong production response hitting world agricultural commodity markets. Australian rural production  is on track for  massive winter crops in 2012 because of good rains adding to downward pressure on prices.  At  the same time, sugar and cotton production growth in Australia have also been part of the general... ...Read more »

The breed of barley developed by one of Australia’s leading science research bodies, the CSIRO, has now reached national distribution status in Australia’s leading supermarkets three years after being introduced as a breakfast cereal ingredient. The BARLEYmax™ ingredient is said to help control diabetes, improve digestion, reduce weight and lower cholesterol. It is a natural wholegrain with enhanced nutritional benefits, containing twice the dietary fibre of regular grains and four times the... ...Read more »

Nestlé has added a hot cereal product to its Milo cereal range, Milo Oats. The microwaveable oats, with the addition of milk or water, are ready in 90 seconds. The new hot breakfast addition, launched at the beginning of winter, joins Milo and Milo Duo cereals in the range, all of which now bear the Heart Foundation tick. Milo and Milo Duo were reformulated late last year, along with almost all of the company’s cereal offerings. Milo Oats are available in 300g packs, containing 10 30g sachets,... ...Read more »

Kellogg Company has announced that it will commence US sales of a gluten free version of its popular Rice Krispies breakfast cereal, known in Australia as Rice Bubbles. “Kellogg is pleased to announce plans for the launch of our first-ever gluten-free cereal – Rice Krispies Gluten Free – which should start hitting store shelves by early June,” said Doug VanDeVelde, senior vice president of marketing and innovation at Kellogg. “We heard the strong desire from people within the... ...Read more »

Higher costs have dented US cereal giant Kellogg’s first-quarter earnings, which fell 12% in the three month period. The Cornflakes maker said that profit in the period to 2 April fell to US$366 million, down from $418m last year. The group said that earnings were hit by higher costs, with gross margin dippping to 40.8%, down from 42.9%. The cost of goods sold rose 9% year-on-year. Nevertheless, Kellogg insisted that it was pleased with its sales performance and raised its full-year revenue... ...Read more »

Swiss scientists have linked cardboard packaging made from recycled newspapers to health complaints in lab rats, ranging from the inflammation of internal organs to cancer.Researchers at the Food Safety Laboratory in Zurich said that mineral oils in ink from newspapers that are then recycled can make their way into foods such as cereal, pasta and rice – even passing through inner plastic bags. The researchers analysed a total of 119 products bought from German supermarkets last year. According... ...Read more »

Cereal Partners Worldwide, a global joint venture of Nestlé SA and General Mills Inc, announced today that 44 of the company’s Australian cereal brands – including Uncle Toby’s, Cheerios and Milo cereals – will carry the Heart Foundation Tick in 2011. Only two of the cereal brands, which are marketed by Nestlé in Australia, missed out on the tick – a new achievement for the category. “CPW is delighted that almost all of our cereals have earned the Heart Foundation... ...Read more »

The EU has issued data it claims will play down fears that the abolition of milk production quotas in 2015 could flood markets with cheap milk and drive some producers to the wall.In a food commodity forecast to 2020 released yesterday, (13 January), the Commission concludes said the end of quotas was projected to have a “limited impact on milk deliveries at the aggregate EU level”. It said milk production should actually remain below the last 2015 quota cap, with production falls caused... ...Read more »

An ACCC investigation has left Sanitarium and its parent company Australian Health and Nutrition Association Limited with egg on their face, having overstated the fruit content on the packaging of many of their best-selling cereal lines. Between February 2009 and October 2010, Sanitarium described a ‘percentage fruit content’ on their packaging which included other substances, such as sugars, wheat fibre and gelling agents. The overstated fruit percentages were shown on the company’s... ...Read more »