The historic free trade agreement between China and New Zealand will open up new opportunities for NZ businesses looking to engage with, or grow their existing links with, China. It will facilitate goods and services trade, and investment.

Machinery that is designed to be easy to clean and sanitise can save food processors time and minimise food contamination risks.

Tamper evidence, cold-chain compliance, authenticity and more can all be ensured with the latest functional labels.

Has anyone else noticed that 2008 is already shaping up to be a bad year for logistics in Australia?

Recent US trades driven by economic growth in developing countries and favourable exchange rates, combined with tight global grain supplies, resulted in record or near-record prices for corn, soybeans and other food and feed grains in 2007

For retailers, the shelf remains the key interface with customers. It's here that consumers decide which products to put in their trolleys. 70% of purchasing decisions are made at the point of sale (POS)

Australians are consuming 5-10 times more salt than they need, according to Associate Professor Bruce Neal, chairman of Australia Division of World Action on Salt and Health (AWASH)

The organic foods market is the fastest growing food sector both internationally and locally with 20+% annual growth recorded in Europe, the US, Australia and New Zealand

The Food Innovation Grants Programme (FIG) seems to have been quietly abandoned by the new federal government with nothing to take its place in encouraging innovation and commercialisation in Australia's food and beverage industry

In 2008, new products that complement a simpler, purer and more natural way of life are set to dominate, according to research from Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD)

Coca-Cola Amatil Australia is recognised as one of the most water efficient companies in the Coca-Cola system and is the first manufacturing facility to be awarded a five-star rating by Sydney Water under its Every Drop Counts business program

Advances in agricultural productivity have minimised food price rises for the last couple of decades. However, this is all starting to change

Australian companies with the expertise and resources needed to fill the gaps in China's inadequate cold chain logistics stand to benefit from a projected USD$160 billion in annual cost savings that a modernised system could deliver

Global trade means that more and more food products are travelling increasing distances from production to final consumption

A technique has been developed that could help scientists quickly diagnose the bacteria believed to be the most common cause of foodborne gastroenteritis in westernised countries