The federal government has announced it is accepting applications for funding grants under the second round of its Rural Research and Development for Profit program. [ + ]

FSANZ has received an application seeking permission to voluntarily add vitamins and minerals to nut- and seed-based beverages. [ + ]

Mars has opened its Global Food Safety Center, a facility for pre-competitive research and training that aims to raise global food safety standards through collaboration. [ + ]

Australian producers and manufacturers are rushing to brand products as genuinely Australian in an effort to demonstrate quality, safety and ethical values. [ + ]

South African company KiddieKix has chosen Innovia Films' NatureFlex compostable packaging for its all-natural children's health products. [ + ]

A new Guinness World Record for the world's largest cupcake mosaic has been set in South Africa, with help from Riggs Autopack. [ + ]

For the fourth year in a row, Mars Australia has been recognised as one of Australia's best workplaces by the BRW Great Place to Work Awards. [ + ]

Using antibacterial soap when hand-washing is no more effective than using plain soap. [ + ]

Following incidents of consumers suffering severe allergic reactions to undeclared dairy products in coconut milk drinks, FSANZ has urged consumers with a dairy allergy to be aware of recent recalls. [ + ]

Two supply chain visibility standards that enable farm-to-fork traceability have been approved as international standards by the ISO and IEC. [ + ]

Advancing Food Safety (AFS) will present two courses in Sydney during October. [ + ]

In 2014, pest infestation cost Australian businesses $796 million, with a further revenue decline of $1.7 billion also attributed to unwanted creepy crawlies. [ + ]

An event in Thailand brought together the Asia-Pacific's leading intralogistics industry players to demonstrate to the market the integrated and intelligent power of the latest technology, hardware and software for modern warehouse management. [ + ]

Australia's pork industry research centre is aiming to reduce the use of antibiotics by developing diagnostic tests for common pathogens. [ + ]

Growing consumer interest in protein as an ingredient presents an opportunity for the meat snacks market to grow its share of the snack dollar, particularly in the relatively undeveloped markets outside the USA and South America. [ + ]