Choosing healthy snacks instead of junk food might be more difficult than we realised. Scientists have found that, as we read a menu or scan the shelves at the supermarket, our brains are making decisions based on a food's calorie content. [ + ]

Yet another Chinese food scandal has irreparably eroded consumer trust in the government and food safety regulations, according to research from the University of Illinois. [ + ]

An outbreak of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis has been reported in New Zealand. The Ministry of Health (MoH) and Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) have been working to discover the cause of the outbreak but thus far have been unable to pinpoint the source. [ + ]

Grapefruit diets have been around since the 1930s and are often dismissed as fads. But new research from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that a closer look at grapefruit juice is warranted. [ + ]

What's healthier: a frozen meal or a meal from a quick-service restaurant (QSR)? According to new research, the frozen meal wins out in terms of dietary fibre, potassium, calcium and protein - and it has fewer calories and less saturated fat. [ + ]

Something as small as a food label could help reduce the amount of water used in livestock production, according to Washington State University researchers. [ + ]

Researchers from the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Europe have warned that increased consumption of energy drinks may pose danger to public health, especially among young people. [ + ]

A University of Sydney researcher has returned to his home town in Italy to help save century-old Italian grapevines currently being ravaged by an aggressive insect-borne disease. His weapon of choice: mathematical modelling. [ + ]

Following the revelation that not a single Victorian business has received fines for breaching country of origin (CoOL) laws, AUSVEG and the Victorian Farmers Federation have levelled criticism at the perceived inaction by authorities. [ + ]

A survey has found that consumers desire dairy products, such as yoghurt, prepared with simple and familiar ingredients and would consider paying extra for these attributes. [ + ]

Fonterra has announced an agreement with the NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) to help developing countries build viable dairy industries and increase dairy nutrition knowledge. [ + ]

Emerson Process Management has licensed royalty-free patent rights for its PIDPlus wireless PID controller technology to improve real-time control performance, simplify tuning and protect against system failures across all control systems. [ + ]

Hoping to expand into Asia? Food Innovation Australia Limited has launched an interactive e-catalogue that links Australian food and beverage suppliers with overseas buyers. [ + ]

Almost 60% of Australians think climate change is affecting our ability to grow and access food in Australia, according to a new poll conducted by Oxfam Australia. In the 18-34 age bracket, this figure jumped to 68%. [ + ]

Researchers have found that teenagers who saw printed signs outlining how many miles they'd need to walk to burn off the calories in a sugar-sweetened beverage were more likely to select a lower-calorie beverage, a healthier beverage or a smaller-sized beverage. [ + ]