Innovative food processing techniques could soon be helping to minimise the adverse health effects of food allergens. The food allergy research group at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), led by Dr Alice Lee, is developing nanosensors to better detect allergens in food, while researching how allergens change during food processing and how this affects the human reaction. [ + ]

Dairy Australia has received a $1 million federal government grant for 900 dairy farm energy assessments across the country. [ + ]

Plantic Technologies opened its upgraded bioplastics packaging factory at Altona late last week. The company, which produces plastics derived from corn, says it has increased its output by 400% as a result of the plant expansion. [ + ]

Nestlé Purina PetCare’s Blayney plant has received a $31 million upgrade, creating more jobs and making the factory one of the leading facilities of its kind in the world, according to the company. [ + ]

The Federal Government has pledged over $20 million in grants to help small and medium businesses and community groups improve energy efficiency. Greg Combet, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, and Mark Dreyfus, Parliamentary Secretary, announced the 28 successful recipients of the Energy Efficiency Information Grants (EEIG) program on 17 May. [ + ]

Coles Merchandise Director John Durkan used his appearance before the Senate Select Committee, reviewing Australia’s food processing sector, to respond to claims that Coles is pushing branded products off its shelves and sourcing its private label products from overseas suppliers. [ + ]

FreshCase Packaging has taken out the Diamond award at the recent 24th DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation. Curwood’s FreshCase is an innovative vacuum packaging system that reduces food waste by keeping red meat looking and staying fresh for longer. [ + ]

Adelaide company Haigh’s Chocolates is investing $25,000 to train 10 of its workers. The Federal Government has co-contributed a further $25,000 so the workers can complete a Certificate IV in Competitive Manufacturing. [ + ]

The National Heart Foundation has welcomed the news that fast food company KFC has decided to use canola oil in place of palm oil, saying it’s a step in the right direction. [ + ]

Efforts by New Zealand potato crisp manufacturers to reduce acrylamide in their products have been successful, resulting in a two-thirds reduction in acrylamide concentrations since 2006. [ + ]

Metal packaging supplier Crown Holdings announced its intention to build a new beverage can plant in Sihanoukville in Cambodia. The new plant will accommodate multiple can lines and will initially produce 725 million two-piece 330mL cans annually. Crown anticipates the plant will be operational in Q3 2013. [ + ]

Tasmanian company Tamar Valley Dairy has signed a five-year contract with Coles to produce its private label yoghurt range. Initially, Tamar Valley will produce seven product lines of Coles’ private label yoghurt, but the two companies will collaborate over the five years to create new product lines and grow the business. [ + ]

ABB Australia has acquired Bob White Electrix and LE Jarvis for an undisclosed amount as part of a strategy to broaden its motor and generator repair and service business in Australia. ABB anticipates the acquisition will close in July. [ + ]

Sanderson Australia has acquired Total Systems for Management (TSM) in a move to strengthen its position as a software provider to the food and drink industry. [ + ]

Kemin has launched an antimicrobial for ready-to-eat (RTE) products. BactoCease is a propionic acid-based antimicrobial designed to protect RTE meat and poultry products from Listeria monocytogenes. [ + ]