About 1800 experimental wheat lines will be available in Australia in the next 18 months and will have a major impact on Queensland’s wheat industry. [ + ]

Victoria's expertise in agriculture, dairy, animal husbandry, manufacturing, clean coal technology, services and biotechnology could lead to China becoming the state's top trading partner within the next few years, the Consul-General of the People's Republic of China in Melbourne, Mr Liang Shugen, will told a symposium on Friday 12 May. [ + ]

A one-day master class on RFID principles, challenges and practices for manufacturing will be held during National Manufacturing Week 2006, at Sydney’s Darling Harbour from May 30 to June 2. [ + ]

A new brochure about folic acid in food for women expecting pregnancy is now available from Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing, Christopher Pyne, announced. [ + ]

The health benefits associated with consuming Omega-3 oils have been highlighted in a new Federal Government guide to the nutritional values of foods. [ + ]

The AFC panel of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has evaluated a long-term study on the carcinogenicity of aspartame conducted by the European Ramazzini Foundation in Bologna, Italy. [ + ]

GS1 Australia has opened a second Supply Chain Knowledge Centre (SCKC) in Sydney to provide business and industry associates access to information that will help them improve their information flows and trading efficiencies. [ + ]

A recent study shows it would cost Australians $120 million a year to extend country-of-origin labelling to canned or packaged food that includes two or less principal whole fruit or vegetable products. [ + ]

Scientists are confident that lamb could soon become as important a source of Omega-3 fatty acids as oily fish. [ + ]

Cadbury Schweppes has announced it will take over the remaining 55% stake in the Dr Pepper/Seven Up bottling group (BG) for the price of $353 million. [ + ]

Two of the leading health peak bodies, Diabetes Australia and The Cancer Council, in Victoria have called for the Victorian Government to strengthen its commitment to both regulation and community education to help fight the alarming childhood obesity trends. [ + ]

Tetra Pak has announced it will takeover Carlisle Process Systems USA, the cheese and powder processing sector of Carlisle Companies Inc. [ + ]

The Biological Farmers of Australia has formed a sub committee to promote the principles, benefits and good practices of biological agriculture. [ + ]

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) wants the public to voice their opinions on the issues that could affect their health and the food they eat. [ + ]

Australia's policy of restricting antibiotic use in food-producing animals may be linked with lower levels of drug-resistant bacteria found in its citizens, according to an article in the May 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases. [ + ]