Rod Sims says the ACCC has not found evidence that Australian growers were unfairly pressured by Woolworths to contribute a 40-cent levy per crate of produce supplied to fund a marketing campaign. However, AUSVEG maintains that these claims are true. [ + ]

Researchers say that, when teenagers are physically active, short-term, moderate consumption of high-fructose and high-glucose beverages may not be as unhealthy as previously thought. [ + ]

Researchers have developed a low-cost 'e-tongue', an electronic 'tongue' that could one day sample food and drinks to check for quality before they hit the shelves - or even monitor water for pollutants. [ + ]

A recent study shows that a company's socially responsible behaviour may lead consumers to incorrectly assume that its products are healthy. [ + ]

FSANZ is seeking information about how the migration of chemicals from packaging into food is currently being managed by industry - particularly smaller operators. [ + ]

Australian seafood manufacturers recently attended a hands-on Seafood Packaging Master Class hosted by the Australian Seafood Cooperative Research Centre, the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) and Multivac Australia. [ + ]

Researchers have developed a technique to enhance the aroma of alcohol-free beer, which is often perceived as 'tasteless' by consumers. [ + ]

An importer has been fined $25,000 for failing to test 2241 kg Parma ham imported from Italy in 2011. Paqualino Licastro, owner of Perth import company Topas Pty Ltd, was fined $3000 while the company was fined $22,000. [ + ]

The BIOMAT research group from the University of the Basque Country has responded to the demand for longer shelf life coupled with sustainability, with the development of a biodegradable/compostable container for both liquid and solid oily products. [ + ]

Waxed cardboard is not the most sustainable of materials: the coating is petrochemical based and it renders the cardboard unrecyclable. However, a new waterproof coating that is both recyclable and renewable could soon be on the market. [ + ]

A study funded by the Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation (RIRDC) has found that the horticulture industry is more vulnerable to a high Australian dollar than other agrifood sectors. [ + ]

What do UK consumers want most in their cans? Antibacterial packaging. More than half of all British consumers are more concerned about bacteria on the outside of a can than the presence of dirt and dust. [ + ]

The New Zealand Institute of Food Science & Technology (NZIFST) is calling for expressions of interest from those wanting to present an oral paper at NZIFST's 2015 conference. [ + ]

We tend to think of elderly people as being stuck in their ways and unwilling to try new foods, but a new study has shown that this isn't the case. Researchers have found that half of all elderly consumers readily accept new foods. [ + ]

Recommendations to consume plenty of dairy to ward off osteoporosis may be incorrect, according to Swedish research. Researchers found that a high milk intake is not associated with a lower risk of fracture and - surprisingly - may instead be associated with a higher rate of death. [ + ]