Despite an increase in food prices worldwide, fresh foods remain an important part of the weekly shop globally, according to research published earlier this month by global market researcher Nielsen. The Nielsen Global Survey of Fresh Foods, which surveyed more than 29,000 respondents in 58 countries, found that consumers globally now spend between 30 and 60 per cent of their total food, grocery and personal care funds on fresh foods. The research found that consumers globally shop for fresh foods... ...Read more »

Major meat company Teys Australia will receive money for two of its sites from the Australian Labor Government’s ‘Clean Technology Food and Foundries Investment Program’. The money will go towards technologies that will help the Company’s sites at Wagga Wagga in New South Wales and at Beenleigh in Queensland become more energy efficient and sustainable. The Wagga Wagga site will receive $227,000 through the program, and the Beenleigh site will receive $2.82 million. The Federal Minister for... ...Read more »

Nestle Australia-owned Jenny Craig has assured its Australian consumers that there is no need to worry about horse meat in their ready-made weight loss meals. Jenny Craig Managing Director Amy Smith told Australian Food News today that there was no horse meat in its products, following news earlier this week that Nestle had found traces of horse meat in some other pasta brands sold in Italy and Spain. “In Australia and New Zealand, Jenny Craig sources 100 per cent of its red meat from Australia,”... ...Read more »

Swedish agricultural authorities have suggested the implementation of a “meat tax” to reduce greenhouse gases and encourage environmental sustainability. The Swedish Board of Agriculture last month suggested increasing the cost of meat products to reduce the average amount of meat consumed in Sweden. Marit Paulsen who is a member of the Board as well as the Vice President of the European Parliament’s agricultural committee, said that she would like to halve the amount of meat consumed in Sweden. Ms... ...Read more »

A new US report by “Supermarket Guru” Phil Lempert has found that “taste” is rapidly becoming a driver for purchasing fresh food in the United States. While “health” is still considered the main reason that US consumers by fresh food, the National Grocers Association-SupermarketGuru 2013 Consumer Panel Survey found that 37.5 per cent of US consumers say that “taste” is the reason they purchase fresh. Of those surveyed, nearly 70 per cent said that perimeter fresh foods are the primary... ...Read more »

Australian consumer group CHOICE has called for clearer labelling on beef products sold in supermarkets and at restaurants, following new research that 91 per cent of consumers “do not have enough information” about the “ethical production of food products” in Australia. CHOICE has called for consumers to be better informed about the terms “grass-fed”, “grain-fed,” biodynamic beef,” “free-range beef” and “hormone-free beef” when choosing a steak. CHOICE Food Policy Advisor... ...Read more »

A  NSW mid-North Coast abattoir has been added to the Food Authority’s ‘Name and Shame’ register following a lengthy hearing over “mutton dressed as lamb.” Tolsat Pty Ltd was convicted and fined $66,000 on December 19, 2012, in the NSW Chief Industrial Magistrates Court for wrongly labelling older meat such as hogget and mutton as lamb. A media release issued by the NSW Food Authority was headed “Un-Australian: Abattoir convicted of large scale lamb substitution.” This was despite... ...Read more »

The Japanese government has released plans to ease controls on beef imports in early February 2013. This is likely to impact Australian beef exporters adversely. Japan previously banned the importation of American and Canadian beef in 2003 in response to an outbreak of mad cow disease, also known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). The ban was lifted in December 2005 but up until now, the ban applied to allow cattle aged up to 20 months. The Japanese import conditions will now ease the age... ...Read more »

The Hawkesbury Valley Meat Processors in western Sydney and one of its former employees have been charged with animal cruelty following heinous footage revealed recently. Australian Food News reported last year on animal cruelty in the abattoir after Australian television footage revealed pigs being bashed with a metal bar while still alive, as well as instances of failure to stun the pigs before their throats were cut. Australian law requires the pigs to be stunned and unconscious before the throats... ...Read more »

In the past few years, one of the most popular claims for many new products manufactured in the US has been that they are Kosher certified.   As Australia develops as a reliable and safe food supplier to the world, Kosher is almost considered mandatory for export to the US. A recent study by leading consumer research company, Mintel, shows that a majority of consumers  who buy Kosher foods in America perceive Kosher packaged products as being safer, which may be due to the rigorous auditing methods... ...Read more »