High-fat diet linked to loss of olfactory function
22 July, 2014Eating a high-fat diet could lead to a loss of smell, according to Florida State University neuroscientists. The researchers found that a high-fat diet is linked to major structural and functional changes in the olfactory system.
Insects as food: convincing consumers to swap steaks for cicadas
21 July, 2014How do we convince squeamish consumers that insects are a viable (and palatable) option? Research from Canadean suggests that information is key - as is tapping into insects' association with exotic foods.
Sweet result for Australian Paradox researchers
21 July, 2014Following accusations of research misconduct, an inquiry into publications regarding the 'Australian Paradox' has found that two minor errors in the research do not constitute a breach of the Australian code of conduct for research.
Health Star Rating System fails on the vegetable front
14 July, 2014The Health Star Rating System has one fatal flaw, according to AUSVEG: at least 50% of vegetables don't receive a five-star rating. If the system fails to identify these foods as optimum healthy choices, where else does it fall down?
Simple DIY halal kit to be developed
14 July, 2014Malaysian researchers are developing a testing kit that identifies non-halal ingredients within one minute. The kit, developed by the University of Selangor, can be used to test food, cosmetics and medicines.
Okra gains attention as emulsifier
14 July, 2014There's a new emulsifier in town: okra. An Estonian PhD student is investigating the potential of carbohydrates extracted from the pods of the okra plant as emulsifiers.
Reducing spoilage
11 July, 2014Innovative packages are the key in the fight against food loss and wastage. More effective barrier layers, germicidal films and freshness indicators are intended to help products to keep for longer and halt consumers' throwaway mentality. However, despite all these improvements, companies have to keep a constant eye on process efficiency and on costs.
Nestlé creates modular factories for developing world
08 July, 2014Nestlé has revealed plans for a modular factory that can be built in half the time that it takes to build a conventional factory - and for half the cost.
The nose knows: as few as three compounds encode food smells
03 July, 2014While foods contain more than 10,000 different volatile substances, only between three and 40 of these key odours are responsible for encoding the typical smell of an individual foodstuff, research from Germany has revealed.
Nuts will add 'star power' in Health Star Rating system
02 July, 2014Tree nuts are set to be the stars of the new Health Star Rating system, according to nut industry groups. They predict that food manufacturers will increasingly use tree nuts to add extra 'star power' to their products.
Woolworths to adopt Health Star Ratings for own-brand products
01 July, 2014Woolworths has voiced its support for the Health Star Rating scheme, promising to implement the star ratings for its own-brand ranges, including Homebrand, Select, Macro and Gold.
Traffic light labels get the green light
30 June, 2014The embattled Health Star Rating (HSR) system has received yet another blow to its credibility after new research has suggested that not only is the HSR system confusing to consumers, so too is the existing Daily Intake Guide system.
After three-year saga, health star rating labels finally ready to go
30 June, 2014 by Kyle Turner, University of Oxford and Steven Allender, Deakin UniversityAssistant health minister Fiona Nash has announced that Australian and New Zealand ministers responsible for food policy and regulation have signed off on the health star rating system for front-of-pack labelling.
Use-by date confusion causes food waste
30 June, 2014Consumer confusion about just what date labelling means is contributing significantly to food waste, according to a scientific review paper in the journal Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety.
Feeding the world with bugs
27 June, 2014The answer to feeding the world's growing population? Bugs, according to experts at the 2014 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting & Food Expo.
