The AIP is delivering a half-day training course alongside FoodTech PackTech on 24 September. Presented by Dr Carol Lawrence MAIP, the Labelling & Matching the Label with the Package course will run from 10.00 am to 3.30 pm. [ + ]

The Australian Certified Organic Standard has achieved equivalence with organic standards in Switzerland. This means that Australian businesses exporting ACO products to Switzerland no longer require Swiss organic certification. [ + ]

Nestlé has revealed plans for a modular factory that can be built in half the time that it takes to build a conventional factory - and for half the cost. [ + ]

AFGC has released a series of reports that aim to improve the Australian food industry's understanding of the opportunities available in the Asian market. [ + ]

The gap between rich and poor is beginning to close - at least in terms of prepared meal consumption. A report from Canadean shows that 48.3% of the richest consumers and 51.7% of the poorest consumers purchase prepared meals regularly. [ + ]

The Goodman Fielder Board has recommended that shareholders accept a lower takeover offer from Wilmar International and First Pacific than was initially offered. [ + ]

While foods contain more than 10,000 different volatile substances, only between three and 40 of these key odours are responsible for encoding the typical smell of an individual foodstuff, research from Germany has revealed. [ + ]

Finalists for the HACCP Awards have been announced. The awards will be presented on 27 August at the HACCP Conference Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony. [ + ]

Despite the vast array of flavoured yoghurts that accost consumers in the chilled aisle of the supermarket, more people are starting to opt for natural or plain yoghurt, Roy Morgan says. [ + ]

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has launched a public consultation on its draft Scientific Opinion on acrylamide in food, developed by its expert Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM). [ + ]

Tree nuts are set to be the stars of the new Health Star Rating system, according to nut industry groups. They predict that food manufacturers will increasingly use tree nuts to add extra 'star power' to their products. [ + ]

Woolworths has voiced its support for the Health Star Rating scheme, promising to implement the star ratings for its own-brand ranges, including Homebrand, Select, Macro and Gold. [ + ]

The vast majority of food imported into Australia complies with our regulations. More than 270 tests a day have been conducted on imported food, with a high compliance rate of 99.4%, excluding labelling mistakes. [ + ]

The Australian Grape and Wine Authority has begun operations. It brings together R&D functions and marketing and export regulation functions following a proposal by the Winemakers' Federation of Australia and Wine Grape Growers Australia. [ + ]

Australian food professionals can now gain international recognition for their skills through the Certified Food Scientist certification. The Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology has launched the program in Australia. [ + ]