TÜV NORD has opened a state-of-the-art laboratory and office in Pune, India, for the testing of agricultural and processed food, materials, animal feed, and pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. [ + ]

Blantyre Farms is the first approved piggery project under the government’s Carbon Farming Initiative. By covering effluent ponds to capture methane, the farm converts the methane to electricity using a biogas generator. [ + ]

Resveratrol, an ingredient in red wine thought to improve insulin sensitivity, reduce risk of heart disease and increase longevity, does not appear to offer these benefits in healthy women, new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis indicates. [ + ]

Consumers may want to think twice before paying a premium for manuka and other monofloral honeys. Research from New Zealand’s Lincoln University has shown that a number of honeys from NZ are not true to label. [ + ]

According to a report in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, carob leaves are a rich source of antibacterial substances ideal for fighting the microbe responsible for listeriosis. [ + ]

The 14th annual Food Regulations and Labelling Standards Conference will be held over 10 and 11 December. It provides a platform to discuss the ongoing issues in food policy. [ + ]

As part of ‘aggressive’ expansion plans, Southern Cross Compressors has appointed Daryl Edwards as its National Service Manager. [ + ]

The Winemakers’ Federation of Australia has rejected claims made by FARE that the oversupply challenges facing Australia’s wine industry are over and it should be subject to a $1.5 billion tax increase. [ + ]

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has launched a new initiative to provide consumers with clear advice on country of origin labelling claims and olive oil quality claims. [ + ]

Lion has announced its intention to close Western Australia’s Swan Brewery, with 80 roles being made redundant as well as impacts on contract labour requirements. [ + ]

Murray Goulburn has announced a further increase in its farmgate milk price for the 2012/13 season. Managing director Gary Helou said the increase is due to increased milk supply to MG plants and lower operating costs. [ + ]

Amcor has sold three of its Australasian flexible packaging plants to Australian company Integrated Packaging for $22 million. [ + ]

APPMA has welcomed Derek Ford as new Director to the Board. Ford held the position from 2006 to 2008 and returned to the Board in September. [ + ]

Canada has estimated that the long-term health costs associated with E. coli O157 are around $240 million per year. [ + ]

The Linx CJ400 continuous ink jet printer was named the Most Innovative Processing or Packaging Machine at the PPMA Group Industry Awards in Birmingham in September. [ + ]