Consumer interest in beverages and food produced without toxic chemical pesticides, synthetic hormones, artificial ingredients, antibiotics or preservatives have turned the United States into the world’s largest market for organic products. The organic beverage market remains rather small, Beverage Marketing Corporation’s new ‘Organic Beverages in the U.S.’ report reveals, but it enjoys fierce growth and an expanding presence in mainstream retail outlets.Indeed, the organic... ...Read more »

International media reports have cast doubt about the safety of certain fruit and vegetable products exported from China including Chinese mushrooms, potatoes, tomatoes, and lettuce. There are concerns some may be tainted with melamine, the toxic chemical at the centre of the ongoing Chinese milk scandal. Food Standards Australia and New Zealand this afternoon released a statement outlining that no products in Australia have been found to be affected but further tests were being carried out. “Australia... ...Read more »

Following the global agreement with Tetra Pak announced recently, Unistraw granted Danisco the worldwide exclusivity for the sales and marketing of its internationally-patented straw concept for use with HOWARU premium probiotics. This award-winning concept from Unistraw will allow consumers to sip a probiotic daily dose with any of their favourite beverage. Unistraw, an Australian company, first came to prominence with the release of the ‘Sipahh’ - a straw that adds flavour to milk. Inventor... ...Read more »

Although brands account for the majority of volume with most types, private label permeates virtually every beverage category in the United States. Private label beverages, also known as store or home brands, can now be found in the largest and the smallest of beverage categories. Although carbonated soft drinks remain popular, as the market has evolved and consumer tastes have shifted, retailers in private label have moved into more non-carbonated products, like bottled water and fruit beverages,... ...Read more »

A withdrawal of Kirin Milk Tea, made in China, has commenced in Australia by importers and wholesalers. The action began on 3 October 2008 and follows Australian test results showing levels of melamine in product available here. Retailers should not sell the product and consumers are advised not to consume Kirin Milk Tea made in China. Consumers should dispose of the product safely out of the reach of children. The product, sold primarily at Asian food stores, is the fourth product recall in Australia... ...Read more »

Cadbury’s Chocolate Eclairs, withdrawn from Australian shelves on Monday, have been found to be safe by the Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety but the precautionary recall remains in place until Australian results come through. The confectionery giant announced a recall of their Chocolate Eclairs product - the only Cadbury product sold in Australia that is made at their Chinese plant - after concerns about the level of melamine were established. “We have received preliminary results that... ...Read more »

Australian food safety agencies have today advised that they continue to actively investigate and respond to melamine contamination of some products containing dairy ingredients made in China and elsewhere. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is coordinating action among Federal, State and Territory food agencies, including: * working with importers and food manufacturers in Australia to ascertain if products contain Chinese dairy product as an ingredient possibly contaminated with melamine; *targeted... ...Read more »

Confectionery giant Cadbury has withdrawn 11 products made in China, one of which - Chocolate Eclairs - is sold in Australia. Cadbury instigated a precautionary recall of Chocolate Eclairs from retailers shelves yesterday afternoon after preliminary tests revealed melamine, the chemical at the centre of the milk scandal, may be in the product. The company added that Pascal Eclairs, which are made in Australia, were not affected by the recall. The amount of melamine found is not yet known, but FSANZ... ...Read more »

Activist group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has begun an unusual, some may even say bold, campaign to get cow’s milk replaced with human breast milk. They have dispatched a letter to Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, co-founders of American ice cream icon Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc., urging them to replace the cow’s milk in their products with human breast milk. PETA’s request comes in the wake of news reports that a Swiss restaurant owner will begin... ...Read more »

In the wake of the Chinese milk scandal, which has led to the deaths of four babies and made of 54,000 infants ill, international food safety and health authorities are working together to determine the level of melamine in food that will present negligible risks to public health. “Since the identification of the problems in China, food safety authorities all around the world have been working to identify public health threshold levels for melamine,” Dr Geoff Allen, NZFSA (New Zealand... ...Read more »