Lion Nathan Australia and Fosters Group have both announced that they would take immediate steps to cease production of ready to drinks (RTDs) with high alcohol content and energy additives.

The lack of fluoride in the average New Zealand diet has led to a recommendation by Food Standards Australia New Zealand that bottled water companies be permitted to voluntarily add the mineral to selected brands.

Bread is set to become iodine fortified over the next 18 months in a bid to combat New Zealand’s growing problem of iodine deficiency.

Norwegian scientists have developed a program that can analyse and sort fish according to quality.

Internal browning of pears stored under low oxygen conditions is linked to restricted gas exchange inside the fruit, according to a study by researchers at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium.

After three years in development, an Australian online software application is set to revolutionise the impact of packaging on the environment.

Nestlé has announced the establishment of the Chocolate Centre of Excellence, the company’s first R&D facility entirely dedicated to the development of premium and luxury chocolate.

Alcoa has sold its packaging and consumer businesses to New Zealand’s Rank Group.

The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) has started planning for the 2009 New Zealand Total Diet Survey, when commonly eaten food substances are put under the microscope.

Unilever R&D opened the Centre of Excellence Structured Emulsions on Tuesday, designed to develop food innovations, healthier choices and functional foods with the natural goodness of oils.

The NSW government is amending the legislation to allow the NSW Food Authority to publish on its website details of food businesses that receive penalty notices for food law breaches.

Eating curcumin, a natural ingredient in the spice turmeric, may dramatically reduce the chance of developing heart failure, according to recent research.

The New South Wales government is again being accused of poor infrastructure management with the decision of rail freight company Pacific National to stop transporting grain for export.

Confectionery and the consumer is the theme this year at ConFectioNZ 2008, the New Zealand annual conference of the Confectionery Manufacturers of Australasia.

Food, beverage, packaging and manufacturing industries are invited to attend the 2008 Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) National Conference, held on 12-13 June 2008 at Sydney's Luna Park.