ISFAR, the International Scientific Forum on Alcohol Research, has published its response to the alcohol chapter of the literature review to support the revision of the Dietary Guidelines for Australians. It offered a general forum comment and 10 specific comments. [ + ]

Following the contamination of exported foods with DEHP last year, Malaysia had enforced strict border controls on imported food products from Taiwan. Malaysian officials have announced that border controls on Taiwanese food imports will be lifted as of 1 March 2012, with the exception of cookies and fruit drinks. [ + ]

George Weston Foods Limited - one of Australia’s largest food processors - was convicted and fined $50,000 at the Castlemaine Magistrates’ Court on 17 February after pleading guilty to one count of failing to provide a safe plant, after a worker’s hand was crushed after being caught in a machine. [ + ]

Goodman Fielder has revealed it suffered a 76.9% drop in profits over the last 12 months. The company cited increased costs, reduced selling prices due to competition and natural disasters as factors contributing to its declining profits. [ + ]

A New Zealand High Court decision has forced the NZ government to reconsider allowing a Chinese company to purchase a group of 16 dairy farms. [ + ]

Food processors could experience increased pressure to reduce salt in food products, following the publication of a study linking salt intake with gastric cancer. [ + ]

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) today called for submissions on a draft nutrition, health and related claims standard. [ + ]

The Packaging Council of New Zealand is hosting a one-day seminar, ‘The Business of Sustainable Packaging’. [ + ]

A new type of packaging for instant coffee could be a greener way for consumers to buy their morning brew. According to a peer-reviewed Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), the Nescafé Gold SMART Pack laminate pouch is a more environmentally friendly way to package coffee than the traditional glass jar format. [ + ]

Food manufacturers are preoccupied with food safety, while consumers think that food manufacturers are not making better products today than five years ago, according to a global study from Underwriters Laboratories (UL). [ + ]

Researchers at Drexel University have demonstrated a technique for killing pathogens on raw poultry that could reduce foodborne illness. Using plasma, the research team was able to eliminate or significantly reduce bacteria on skinless chicken breast and chicken skin. [ + ]

Stricter regulations for fresh chicken processing in New Zealand have been linked to a significant decrease in an autoimmune condition. [ + ]

Woolworths has overtaken fruit and vegetable shops in terms of percentage of market share, with Coles close behind, the latest Roy Morgan Supermarket Currency Report shows. [ + ]

The US Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has submitted its thoughts on reducing sodium consumption in the United States to several official bodies: the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS). The IFT offered scientific perspectives and practical insights on reducing sodium intake in the US. [ + ]

A state-of-the-art glass container manufacturing plant has opened in Vietnam. Joint venture partners Owens-Illinois (O-I), Berli Jucker Public Company Limited (BJC) and Saigon Beer Alcohol Beverage Company (SABECO) opened the US$47 million factory. [ + ]