Industry News
Grow your own plastics
Chemists at the University of California, Davis, have engineered blue-green algae to grow chemical precursors for fuels and plastics - the first step in replacing fossil fuels as raw materials for the chemical industry. [ + ]
McCain Foods to acquire Kitchens of Sara Lee from Hillshire Brands
McCain Foods has signed a share purchase agreement to acquire 100% of the shares of the Kitchens of Sara Lee frozen bakery business from Hillshire Brands for $82 million. [ + ]
Cup colour and hot chocolate taste
Two researchers from the Polytechnic University of Valencia and the University of Oxford have proven that hot chocolate tastes better in an orange- or cream-coloured cup than in a white or red one. [ + ]
Pineapple import decision prompts ministerial argument
A decision on importing pineapples has prompted an argument between the federal and Queensland Ministers for Agriculture, with John McVeigh calling Joe Ludwig a “coward” and Ludwig accusing McVeigh of failing to understand Australia’s biosecurity system. [ + ]
Calls for submission on new infant formula ingredient
FSANZ is calling for submissions on an application seeking permission to use a new form of an ingredient in products for infants and young children. [ + ]
Bev Council responds to study into alcohol and energy drinks
The Australian Beverages Council has responded to the government’s announcement that it has commissioned a study into the effects of mixing alcohol and energy drinks. [ + ]
PAC.NZ releases Code of Practice Version 2
In response to changes since the first launch of the Code of Practice for Packaging Design, Education and Procurement, PAC.NZ has released Version 2 of the Code. [ + ]
PAC.NZ releases progress report for Packaging Product Stewardship Scheme
PAC.NZ has released the Year Two Progress Report for its Packaging Product Stewardship Scheme, which reports a second year of success for the scheme. [ + ]
Researchers work to develop early Campylobacter detection
Researchers at Swinburne University of Technology are working to develop early detection of Campylobacter jejuni bacteria - a significant contributor to foodborne illness in Australia and around the world. [ + ]
Comments invited on NZ MPI shelf-life guide
The New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries has released a revised and updated information booklet for the food industry - A Guide to Calculating the Shelf-Life of Foods. [ + ]
Brambles acquires Pallecon
Brambles Limited has signed a sale and purchase agreement to acquire Pallecon, a leading provider of intermediate bulk container (IBC) solutions in Europe and the Asia-Pacific, for €135 million. [ + ]
UK manufacturers smash apprenticeship target
UK food and drink manufacturers have smashed apprenticeship targets for 2012, tripling the number of apprenticeships across the industry. [ + ]
Processing 100 times faster for compliant importers: DAFF
Importers who comply with biosecurity requirements can have their goods released up to 100 times more quickly than those who don’t comply, DAFF has said. [ + ]
Meat manufacturer receives $6 million for clean technology
One of southern Queensland’s biggest meat manufacturers has received a $6.2 million grant to invest in clean technology to improve its production efficiency and cut energy costs in its operations. [ + ]
NZ and US sign ‘momentous’ food safety agreement
New Zealand and the US have signed a Food Safety Systems Recognition Arrangement - a document signifying that each country recognises the other’s food safety systems as providing a comparable degree of food safety assurance. [ + ]