New research about snackfoods and consumers’ snack food choices, ‘Healthy Snackers’, was released in the U.S on 2 February, 2012 by Mintel Research. Mintel defined a “healthy snacker” as one who chooses to consume snacks that are healthier than others, while reducing the consumption of less-healthy nibbles. According to Mintel’s research report, 44 percent of healthy snackers said they tend to eat healthfully most of the time while 42 percent made it a point to snack on foods that are... ...Read more »

One of Australia’s leading public health research bodies, The George Institute, has launched a new smartphone app which gives a Traffic Light rating based on the amount of total fat, saturated fat, sugars and sodium per 100 grams – green for ‘low’, amber for ‘medium’ and red for ‘high’. The new app, called ‘FoodSwitch’, is able to rate 20,000 packaged food products found in Australian supermarkets. The initiative is part of a new partnership with Bupa, one of Australia’s... ...Read more »

Latest statistics published by Australian research survey company Roy Morgan suggest Australians are increasingly choosing natural yoghurt. However, fruit or flavoured yoghurt still remained the most popular amongst survey participants with 52 per cent of consumers eating fruit or flavoured yoghurt in a four week period. Drinking yoghurt or pro-biotic/cultured milk was being consumed by 9 per cent of consumers. The research was based on a survey undertaken by Roy Morgan of 18,483 Australian consumers... ...Read more »

The Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) today launched a campaign calling on Australians to kick-start 2012 year by taking part in a healthy ‘pledge’. The Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) has launched the social media-based campaign in the lead-up to Australia’s Healthy Weight Week (22 – 29 January 2012). Under the theme ‘One change at a time’, it aims to motivate Australians, and especially young women, to pledge to take on healthy eating and exercise habits. The campaign... ...Read more »

Australian juice companies are continuing to use oranges from Brazil that may contain residues of the potentially harmful fungicide carbendazim, despite the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) temporarily banning Brazilian orange imports due to health concerns. Carbendazim is used to control plant diseases in cereals and fruit, including citrus, bananas, strawberries, pineapples. Studies have found that high doses of carbendazim cause infertility and destroy the testicles of laboratory animals.... ...Read more »

One of the America’s biggest baking companies, Hostess Brands, which owns the iconic Twinkies brand, has filed for bankruptcy. The Texas-based company operates 36 bakeries in the United States and employs up to 19,000 people. According to reports, the company owes US$944 million to the U.S. Bakery & Confectionary Union & Industry Pension Fund alone. Hostess Brands announced yesterday (12 January 2012) that it has filed voluntary petitions for reorganisation under Chapter 11 of the U.S.... ...Read more »

A leading Australian dietitian believes the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)’s new Australian Dietary Guidelines is a “missed opportunity to promote healthy eating habits” in Australia. The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) released the revised guidelines yesterday. Criticism of Approach Australian Dietitian and Nutritionist, Nicole Senior, who has previously been a consultant nutritionist to Unilever Australia, said the guidelines need to be revised so... ...Read more »

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)’s new draft dietary guidelines, published today, have been welcomed by leading Australian scientists and nutrition experts. Emphasis on whole foods rather than nutrients Associate Professor Catherine Itsiopoulos, Head of Department of Dietetics at La Trobe University, in Victoria, said the revised dietary guidelines are “critically important” for healthy eating in Australia. Professor Itsiopoulos said that healthy eating and physical... ...Read more »

The Australian Capital Territory today introduced a Bill into the Legislative Assembly that will allow the names of food businesses in the Territory convicted of an offence against the Food Act to be placed on a publicly available register. The Food Amendment Bill 2011 proposes an amendment also requires businesses in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) to display their current registration certificates to have suitably trained food safety supervisors at premises. Additionally, closure notices... ...Read more »

A Canberra food business has been linked to an outbreak of Salmonella, which has so far resulted in five people being hospitalised. The ACT Government’s Health Directorate is currently investigating the outbreak. So far 13 people have been diagnosed with Salmonella, all of whom reported purchasing ready-to-eat food from the implicated business on 25 of 26 November 2011. ACT Chief Health Officer, Dr Paul Kelly said today, “Salmonella has been identified in mayonnaise containing raw egg, with further... ...Read more »