When approached by a customer to increase the firmness of strawberry pieces in yoghurt, Biocatalysts developed Pectinase 872L, which works by catalysing the hydrolysis of the methyl ester bonds in pectin, releasing free carboxyl groups. [ + ]

The potential impact of neighbourhood environment on residents’ body fat has been highlighted in a recent US study which examined the body mass index of low-income African-Americans linked to proximity of fast food restaurants. [ + ]

Synthetic wheats made from ancient wheat and wild grass species can create a bridge for transferring novel sources of genetic diversity from wild relatives into varieties already being farmed. Researchers are claiming that UK wheat yields could be boosted by up to 30% with the introduction of a new wheat bred from a wild grass species. [ + ]

Forget meat and three veg - beetle and three veg could be the staple meal of the future, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation. [ + ]

Flame pasteurisation - the flash roasting of vegetables over an open flame system - is now bringing breakout cooking efficiencies while reducing yield loss for processors who prepare onions and vegetables. [ + ]

A new research project is helping agro-food sector small and medium-size enterprises, such as bakeries and breweries, improve their environmental sustainability. [ + ]

The Avery Brewing Co has quickly grown from brewmaster Adam Avery’s homebrew hobby to a successful medium-sized brewery, which required a significant change in production and bottling techniques. [ + ]

A gold mine in West Africa was the last place Enmin Engineers expected to discover a Series 1 model of one of their Electromagnetic Vibratory Feeders. [ + ]

Flock to the What's New in Food Technology & Manufacturing stand - 715 - at AUSPACK PLUS 2013 and collect your free sheep! [ + ]

Mars Food Australia has won a $190,866 grant with help from Energy Action’s Activ8+ team. The company was seeking funding to assist with an energy-efficient lighting upgrade costing more than $570,000. [ + ]

A research project at Indiana State University into Kraft’s Capri Sun, a popular packaged drink in the US, has found five types of fungus. [ + ]

The horsemeat scandal, which broke in January 2013, has already made its mark on British consumers who are raising concerns over the way in which meat from overseas has entered the UK food chain. They are voting with their feet and showing increased preference for British products. [ + ]

Minced beef and chicken are by far the riskiest meat and poultry products in the American food supply and pose the greatest likelihood of hospitalisation, according to a new report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Furthermore, according to the non-profit group's analysis of more than 33,000 cases of foodborne illness connected to products regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, chicken nuggets, ham, and sausage pose the lowest risk of foodborne illness. [ + ]

An automatic, continuous analysis solution can be used to immediately divert contaminated reclaimed CO₂ from use in beer bottle purging as well as provide feedback control for the sulfur removal processing time. [ + ]

Contaminated industrial plants cost billions every year. Special coatings can prevent the build-up of contaminants. Researchers are now able to adapt ultrathin coatings for an extremely wide range of applications - even inside pipes in food processing equipment. [ + ]