The European Commission yesterday proposed to establish a European Union-wide scheme to provide free fruit and vegetables to school children. European funds worth €90 million every year would pay for the purchase and distribution of fresh fruit and vegetables to schools, and this money would be matched by national funds in those Member States which chose to make use of the programme. The Commission has already created a ‘Strategy for Europe on Nutrition, Overweight and Obesity and related... Read more »
The humble tomato could be a suitable carrier for an oral vaccine against Alzheimer’s disease, according to HyunSoon Kim from the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) in Korea and colleagues from Digital Biotech Inc. and the Department of Biological Science at Wonkwang University. Although their research, just published online in Springer’s journal Biotechnology Letters, is still in the early stages, it is a promising first step towards finding an edible vaccine... Read more »
Olam International Limited, a leading integrated supply chain manager of agricultural products and food ingredients, today announced that it will invest and acquire 24.99% equity interest in Dairy Trust Limited (”DTL”), which is poised to become New Zealand’s second largest dairy processing company. The total value of their investment will be just above NZ$100 million (around A$80 million) after they sell their 19.9% stake in Open Country Cheese Co. to DTL. The deal enables Olam... Read more »
Procter & Gamble, owner of the Pringles brand, have won a High Court ruling in the UK which establishes the Pringles products are not potato crisps (chips). Procter & Gamble initiated an appeal following a VAT and Duties Tribunal decision in May that Pringles products were, in fact, potato crisps - therefore making them eligible for a 17.5% sales tax. P&G’s successful appeal to the High Court was based on their belief that the product is more like a cake or biscuit due to the fact... Read more »
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called for stronger partnerships between Government and the food services industry to help enable consumers to make healthier choices when eating out of the home. A report published yesterday by the Cabinet Office’s Strategy Unit, ‘Food Matters - Towards a Strategy for the 21st Century’, sets out Government aims to better integrate the different elements of the food system and its impact economically, socially and environmentally;... Read more »
Manchester United Food and Beverage (MUFB) is planning a raft of restaurants and bars in the Korean capital and beyond as the club looks to build on the success of its franchises in Indonesia. Arguably the most popular sporting club in the world, Manchester United gave exclusive rights to Singapore-based MUFB Asia to own, operate, license and develop a chain of Manchester United Restaurant & Bars in the Asia-Pacific region. The venues typically provide Asian, English and American food, while... Read more »
Scientists have found that the compound resveratrol, found naturally in foods like grapes and nuts, slows age-related deterioration and functional decline of mice on a standard diet, but does not increase longevity when started at middle age. The findings, published July 3, 2008, in Cell Metabolism, may increase interest in resveratrol as a possible intervention for age-related declines, said NIA scientists. The authors emphasized, however, that their findings are based on research in mice, not in... Read more »
Scientists, educators and marketing experts gathered this week to discuss how consumers influence and receive food-health and food-safety messages at the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting and Food Expo in New Orleans. The health and wellness trend has been remarkably strong over the past couple of years and, as consumer demand for ‘better for you’ products escalates, the knowledge of how to communicate the healthy food message becomes pivotal. Nancy Childs, PhD, Professor... Read more »
Pressure has been mounting on caffeinated alcohol beverages as US consumer groups look to ban such products. With binge drinking a concern, it appears the focus has now spread from alcopops to caffeinated alcohol products. Anheuser-Busch has announced that they will remove the caffeine, guarana, and ginseng from their flavored malt beverages Tilt and Bud Extra. The move comes as part of agreements reached with the non-profit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), which in February threatened... Read more »
Once the poor relation, left on the sweet shop shelf, dark chocolate is steadily gaining notoriety as Britain buys into a new, healthier image. The latest research from MINTEL shows that sales in Britain almost doubled between 2005 and 2007, with sales hitting £85 million last year. Mathilde Dudouit, senior market analyst at MINTEL, believes that the consumer trend toward ‘good for you’ foods is driving growth in the category. “Although dark chocolate is still high in... Read more »