A new proposal by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) could see restrictions on the sale and production of raw milk products in Australia relaxed. [ + ]

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry says there is no need for panic despite avian influenza being detected near Melbourne. [ + ]

Phillip Zhang has been appointed to the role of Financial Controller, South Pacific with Rockwell Automation. [ + ]

Kmart has presented Dematic Real Time Logistics with its Supplier of the Year award for Project Innovation, in recognition of Dematic’s contribution to the success of Kmart’s new distribution centres in Australia and New Zealand. [ + ]

Meat packaging specialist Ennio International has announced the appointment of Malcolm Hughes as General Manager. The new position came about as a result of international growth and strong home market sales for the company. [ + ]

Progel is developing technology to fortify milk and juice products with probiotics and omega-3. [ + ]

Leading global specialty chemicals and food ingredients company IMCD has acquired two major companies in India and Australia, strengthening its expansion strategy in the Asia-Pacific region. [ + ]

Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) Chairman John Doumani has announced that AFGC Chief Executive Kate Carnell will leave the industry group at the end of March 2012. Carnell has accepted the position of CEO at beyondblue. [ + ]

The mammalian gut is home to hundreds of bacterial species that contribute to food digestion and, in some cases, inflammatory gut diseases. Probiotics, beneficial bacterial species, can enhance gut health by keeping the resident bacteria in check. Now, a team of researchers at the Riken Innovation Center in Wako, Japan, including Mitsuharu Matsumoto, report that administration of the probiotic bacterial strain Bifidobacterium animalis subspecies lactis LKM512 to mice can lengthen their lifespan. [ + ]

Time is running out to submit your entry for the 2013 APPMA Awards of Excellence. Submissions are due no later than Friday, 22 March 2013. [ + ]

RMIT’s Professor John Hawley has secured a $520,000 grant from the Dairy Health and Nutrition Consortium to examine the role of dairy-rich products in weight loss. [ + ]

The FoodBowl, a government-backed food innovation pilot plant which aims to grow New Zealand manufactured food exports to $150 billion (270%) by 2025, is officially open. Aimed at all food and beverage companies, from start-ups to SMEs and corporates, resources include commercial and test kitchens, laboratory facilities, pilot plant testing (from existing to leading-edge technology) and short-run processing capability to allow in-market testing of new product concepts.

Milmeq has won the Mechanical and Manufacturing category at the 2011 New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards for its Ovine Automated Evisceration and Brisket Cutting Processing Systems, developed for Ovine Automaton Ltd. The systems achieved the commercial reality of robotic technology fully integrated within meat processing lines.

With the possibility of a US national tax on foods with high sweetener content, Iowa State University economists have examined the impacts for food processors and consumers, and how such a tax could best be applied.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) today called for submissions from government agencies, public health professionals, industry and the community on its assessment report for an application to allow food derived from hemp.