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. [ + ]

A clinical study has evaluated the use of sublingual immunotherapy as a peanut allergy treatment. [ + ]

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. [ + ]

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. [ + ]

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. [ + ]

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. [ + ]

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. [ + ]

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. [ + ]

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 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. [ + ]

UK food and drink manufacturers have smashed apprenticeship targets for 2012, tripling the number of apprenticeships across the industry. [ + ]

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. [ + ]

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. [ + ]

The Australian Food and Grocery Council has commented on the Northern Territory Container Deposit Scheme, arguing that beverage companies need certainty regarding their ongoing legal obligations. [ + ]

A team of researchers from the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has developed a lightweight smartphone attachment that can detect allergens in food samples. [ + ]