In a response to notification of a low pathogenic influenza detection in ducks on a property in Victoria, the Japanese government announced today that it had suspended imports of Australian poultry products and egg-derived products. However, questions were being raised as to the extent of the suspension, given that there are many processed foods that can contain small amounts of egg-based ingredients. Further talks are taking place between the Australian government and the Japanese government officials... ...Read more »

A national disease emergency plan has been activated by the culling of stock at Golden Duck Farms in Victoria to prevent the outbreak of a pathogenic avian influenza. According to reports, to prevent any potential risks of outbreaks, 25,000 ducks were gassed to death in the last two days. Victoria’s chief veterinary officer Andrew Cameron said while the virus discovered on the farms posed little risk to humans, the cull was a way to eliminate any potential of the virus affecting humans or mutating. In... ...Read more »

Almost one-third of adults over the age of 25 have a Vitamin D deficiency, a new study from the University of Melbourne has found. The study involved 11,218 Australians. The overall prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 31 per cent, with Australian women being more commonly affected (39 per cent, in contrast with 23 per cent in Australian men, overall). University of Melbourne’s Professor of Medicine, and study author, Professor Peter Ebeling say the findings show that government-supported... ...Read more »

Australia’s peak egg body, the Australian Egg Corporation Limited (AECL), today launched a marketing campaign to promote caged egg production as having the lowest carbon footprint of all the main protein foods. AECL Managing Director, James Kellaway, said the findings of a study undertaken by the AECL suggested that caged eggs are the “highest quality protein food with the lowest emissions”. The AECL study, based on the green house gas emissions from three egg farms over one year, found that... ...Read more »

Australia’s leading consumer advocacy group CHOICE has renewed calls for a national standard on free range products through Standards Australia and involving industry, government and consumers. CHOICE challenges the Australian Egg Corporation Limited’s (AECL) proposed draft standard which would permit densities of 20,000 chickens per hectare to be certified as free range. CHOICE describes the proposal as “fanciful” and “self-serving”. CHOICE spokesperson Ingrid Just said, “There are... ...Read more »

New ‘free range’ egg production standards for Australia, drafted by the egg industry body, Australian Egg Corporation Limited (AECL), have caused outrage amongst free range egg farmers. The AECL’s proposed new standards for “free range” eggs is seeking to extend the maximum number of birds per hectare from 1,500 to 20,000, but a spokesperson for the AECL told Australian Food News, “Stocking densities of up to two birds per metre square provide hens with the ability to display all their... ...Read more »

Unilever has announced that two more of its Hellmann’s Mayonnaise products will use 100% cage-free eggs in the United States. Hellmann’s Canola Cholesterol Free Mayonnaise and its Reduced Fat Mayonnaise with Olive Oil have now been transitioned to cage-free eggs, a move that the company says is part of a plan to transition all its recipes to higher-welfare ingredients. “Coming off of last year’s successful launch of Hellmann’s Light with 100 percent cage-free eggs, we are excited... ...Read more »

You may have noticed that consumer behaviour is changing significantly. People are not only demanding better quality food, they are also seeking more information about how their food is produced. The welfare of the animals that give us our food is becoming a key influencer in consumer purchasing decisions. In fact, market research shows around half of grocery buyers would prefer to purchase a humanely farmed product, over a conventionally farmed product. Just like cartons of eggs on the supermarket... ...Read more »

Sales of organic products in the UK dropped by 5.9% in 2010, local certification body the Soil Association revealed yesterday. Organic sales fell to GBP1.73 billion (A$2.7 billion), with sales at multiple retailers – which account for 72.3% of total organic sales – sliding by 7.7% during the 12 months, the Soil Association’s Organic Market Report found. Additionally, the number of organic food producers fell as farmers and manufacturers felt the squeeze of increased competition... ...Read more »

Just when you think we couldn’t know less about where our food comes from, the RSPCA says a revolution is stirring, with people increasingly curious about how and where their food is produced and about the animal that provides it. Bottom line is, consumers are becoming more conscious shoppers. With supermarkets stocking up on higher welfare products, the manufacturing and food service industries are also listening to consumers and looking to source more humanely produced products including cage-free... ...Read more »