New Zealand is in contention to be one of the top five consumer countries for energy drinks, while the US market rockets into first place, according to the latest report by global drinks consultancy Zenith International.

Nanotechnology was incorporated into more than US$50 billion in manufactured goods last year and the market is expected to grow to US$2.6 trillion by 2014, according to a report by Lux Research, yet no nanospecific regulation exists anywhere in the world.

Applied Sorting Technologies has appointed packaging and weighing equipment specialist, Accuweigh to be its exclusive distributor for the company’s range of Australian made X-ray food inspection systems.

CUNO Foodservice is emphasising its position as a part off the 3M family by re-branding its product line.

Marel Food Systems has entered an EU$415 million agreement to acquire the Stork Food Systems division of Stork N.V.

Researchers at the Universitat Jaume I (UJI) and the Spanish Research Council (CSIC) have patented a method to remove organic pollutants, such as pesticide residues, from bivalve molluscs.

Fonterra has commissioned the University of NSW, Scion and AgResearch to measure the dairy giant’s carbon footprint across its major products.

A food allergy awareness training program was launched on World Allergy Day in Canada Bay, designed to help businesses better cater to the needs of people with allergies.

Recent food safety incidents, the significant consequences on health and the recall of certain food products from the market are all pertinent reasons for countries to strengthen their food safety systems and to be more vigilant with food producers and traders.

Australians are spurning sugar-sweetened soft drinks in favour of diet soft drinks and water, according to research released recently by the University of Wollongong.

After five years of success in NSW, the LAA/APICS Mentoring Program is expanding to Victoria in 2008.

A new test can identify takeaway paper-based food containers (such as pizza boxes) that break phthalate safety rules, according to a recent paper in the journal Packaging Technology and Science.

Nestlé has opened the Nestlé Professional Beverage Centre, the company’s first R&D facility entirely dedicated to its out-of-home beverage business.

Ceva Logistics has won the Information Management Award at the UK Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) annual award ceremony in London, for its solution to capture and automatically analyse tachograph data.

Pound for pound, beef produced with grains and growth hormones produces 40% less greenhouse gas emissions and saves two-thirds more land compared to organic grass-fed beef, claims a ‘beef eco-report’ from the US Center for Global Food Issues (CGFI).