Industry News
Dearer milk and milk products on the horizon
The ongoing rebalancing of supply and demand in global dairy markets has led the Fonterra Co-operative Group to increase its forecast Farmgate Milk Price for the upcoming 2018 season. The new forecast is $6.75 per kilogram of milk solids (kgMS), replacing the May 2017 forecast of $6.50/kgMS. [ + ]
Sweet potato genome revealing its secrets
Research sponsored by the Trilateral Research Association of Sweet Potato aims to create a sweet potato pan-genome, which will allow researchers to see unique and shared traits among all varieties and be able to breed sweet potatoes with higher nutritional values, productivity, disease resistance, etc. [ + ]
Antioxidant-rich purple rice
Black and red rice, both a little healthier than plain white, are now being joined by purple rice. This genetically engineered rice is claimed to be rich in antioxidants and may reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. [ + ]
Resources to encourage recycling of foodservice packaging
The Foodservice Packaging Institute's Resident Education Kit includes recommended language and best practices related to foodservice packaging. [ + ]
Fat levels in ice-cream and consumer acceptability
Does higher-fat ice-cream really taste better? [ + ]
Creating food from electricity
Feeding the world would be vastly easier if food could be produced from air and electricity alone. In a joint project, researchers from Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) and the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland produced a batch of single-cell protein in this way. [ + ]
Beverage-pairing meal kits
In the US, online gourmet meal kit company Chef'd has partnered with The Coca-Cola Company to add drinks to its meal kits in an arrangement called 'Refreshing Meal Inspirations'. [ + ]
Using digital disruption to track product information
The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has launched ePIF, which enables food and beverage companies to track product information across its entire value chain. [ + ]
Identifying and assessing risks of contaminants in food
Just because a substance is in a food does not automatically mean that a health risk exists, but as environmental conditions, industrial manufacturing processes and human food consumption habits constantly change, we should constantly update our understanding of the risks posed by contaminants in food. [ + ]
Milking Australia–China links to further dairy industry prospects
Cooperation between Australian and Chinese dairy researchers may lead to more export prospects for the Australin dairy industry. [ + ]
Reconfiguring deformed mushrooms
Mushroom waste and deformed mushrooms are being converted into a highly nutritious and tasty product. [ + ]
An end to counterfeit foods, drinks and medicines
Every year, counterfeit and pirated goods globally cost nearly US$0.5 trillion in lost revenue. This isn't small bikkies — and the food and beverage industry is far from immune. [ + ]
McCormick spices up its portfolio
McCormick has outbid the likes of Unilever and Hormel Foods to buy Reckitt Benckiser Group's North American food business for around US$4.2 billion. [ + ]
Breweries cleared of beer tap monopoly accusations
The ACCC has found that Carlton United Breweries (CUB) and Lion were not locking craft beers out of taps in pubs and other venues. [ + ]
