The European Parliament and the Council of Ministers have given their approval for the use of steviol glycosides, a natural sweetener derived from the stevia plant, as an ingredient in foods and beverages in the European Union. The new regulatory policy will enter into force twenty days after it is published in the EU Official Journal.  This means that products sweetened with steviol glycosides could be available to consumers across Europe by as early as 3 December 2011. Steviol glycosides are considered... ...Read more »

Scientists behind a new Australian invention which monitors the behaviour of starches as they are cooked say it could revolutionise food manufacturing processes. The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) worked with Swedish manufacturer Perten Instruments to develop the ‘neutron Rapid Visco Analyser’, or ‘nRVA’. They claim the invention will allow manufacturers to establish the best way to cook and process starches. In developing the nRVA, the scientists employed... ...Read more »

New South Wales-based DSM Food Specialties, which produces food ingredients and nutritional additives, has applied to the Australian Government’s main food regulatory standards agency, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), to allow the enzyme amylomaltase to be used as a food processing aid. Application A1061 is for the use of amylomaltase, sourced from a genetically modified (GM) strain of Bacillus Amyloliquefaciens bacteria, as a processing aid to produce modified starch products as... ...Read more »

Treasury has told a Federal Senate inquiry that reducing unnecessary barriers to market entry and clamping down on anti-competitive behaviour should be a priority for Australia’s food processing industry. In its submission to the Senate Select Committee on Australia’s Food Processing Sector, the Treasury pointed out that the food processing industry in Australia tends to be concentrated, with several major players and a number of smaller competitors. The Treasury said, “This market concentration... ...Read more »

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has invited submissions on an application for a processing aid to reduce the risk of the food poisoning bacteria Listeria. The move follows a fresh outbreak of a deadly strain of Listeria monocytogenes in the U.S. as reported this week by Australian Food News. FSANZ Chief Executive Officer, Steve McCutcheon, said EBI Food Safety Ltd has applied for permission to use a bacteriophage preparation called P100 as a processing aid for ready-to-eat foods to reduce... ...Read more »

Australia’s largest ASX-listed dairy company Bega Cheese has won the contract to supply the entire range of Coles’ home-branded cheese products. The contract, announced yesterday, will involve Bega Cheese manufacturing and packaging natural cheddar, processed cheddar and mozzarella products for Coles, Australia’s second-largest retailer, under a five year contract. Initial anticipated volumes are set to be 19,000 tonnes a year. Bega Cheese’s Chief Executive Aidan Coleman said,... ...Read more »

Australia’s largest listed dairy firm, Bega Cheese Group, has announced an 11.4% drop in profits for the financial year ended on 30 June 2011. The Group’s full year results, just published, show total sales revenue to be A$931.7 million, with a net profit after tax of A$21.6 million. Bega Cheese is the largest provider of contract cheese packaging and processing services in Australia. The company’s product range includes cheddar, mozzarella, processed cheese, cream cheese, milk powders, infant... ...Read more »

A leading food industry consultant has warned that more Australian food processors will be driven out of business as a result of competition between and commercial powers held by major food retailers. In a speech to the Crawford Fund Annual Conference, held this week in Parliament House, Canberra, food industry expert Dr David McKinna, founder of McKinna et al, said Australian food processors’ margins are no longer sufficient to support the reinvestment needed for global competitiveness. The comments... ...Read more »

From July 10-13, the Australasian food manufacturing industry will descend upon Sydney for the much anticipated triennial iconic event: Foodpro. Foodpro 2011 has already exceeded the expectations of organisers with a record-breaking number of exhibitors, confidently maintaining its status as the largest food processing exhibition in the Asia Pacific. As the biggest and most complete exhibition yet, more than 320 Foodpro exhibitors will fill five halls of the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre,... ...Read more »

10 -13 July 2011: During four days in July, more than 9,000 key decision makers from Australia’s food and beverage manufacturing and processing industries are anticipated to attend the triennial Foodpro, the largest Australasian food and beverage industry trade exhibition of its kind. The attendees recognise time at Foodpro as a critical business investment.  After all, this industry sector, generating sales and service income of more than $100 billion annually, is the nation’s largest, encompassing... ...Read more »