Breaking News on Beverage Technology & Markets

Drink group says Scottish strictness is spreading

National governments are increasingly taking the lead from Scotland in looking to clamp down on the sales and marketing practices of alcoholic drinks makers, throwing further uncertainty over their livelihoods, according to one trade group.

Combination information targeting wine quality

DSM says it continues to research the impacts of combining certain of its enzymes in a bid to provide benefits to winemakers in meeting specific texture or taste requirements during production.

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Obama’s veg plots point the way to healthy eating and more

“If you don’t plan to plant a garden in Lake Wobegon in the spring, it means you plan to be planted yourself.”

Ocean Spray unveils cost-conscious cranberry range

Ocean Spray's Ingredient Technology Group has formulated a lower cost sweetened dried cranberry (SDC) product to meet demand for cost-effective and value-added ingredients in the face of rising commodity prices.

Bottled water producers dismiss hormone mimic claim

The British Soft Drinks Association (BSDA) has said there is no evidence to support the claim by researchers based at the Goethe University in Frankfurt that water bottles contaminate drinking water with estrogenic chemicals.

Sweetened beverages may raise women’s heart disease risk

Women who drink two or more servings of sweetened beverages per day may increase their risk of heart disease by 35 per cent, says a new study.

Beer and wine in moderation could aid bone density - study

Moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages could have benefits for bone health, though any potential impacts may be lost upon continued drinking, according to new research.

News in brief

Tata says hello to branded tea plans

India-based Tata Tea says that it is looking to develop a common brand identity for its core flagship beverage products, which include bottled water, as part of a wider shake up of its operations, suggest press reports.

Commission gains blended rose regulations approval

The European Commission says it has obtained member state support for new draft regulations relating to the labelling and blending of rose wines in attempts to better compete on the global market.

Bid to break deadlock on EU haulage tax

The Czech presidency has tabled a compromise proposal to delay the implementation of congestion charges for freight haulage companies by four years to break deadlocked talks on the revision of the Eurovignette Directive.

Robotics supplier now focusing on food sector

Robotic technology, which featured largely at the recent Anuga FoodTec trade show, has untapped potential to improve productivity, increase product yield and bring greater flexibility to the food manufacturing production line, claims TM Robotics.

GSB launch claims to cut the sugar, but keep the taste

Growing concern in the US over health conditions such as obesity and fears regarding production costs have led to the development of a new ingredient its manufacturer claims can reduce sugar requirements without affecting taste.

Finding the over-50s functional foods market

The over-50s have peculiar nutrition needs that, increasingly, are being catered to by functional foods makers as Shane Starling found out at a recent conference on the subject in Amsterdam.

Drink and drug advances target anti-counterfeit potential

Preventing the availability of counterfeit goods on the global consumer market has led one supplier of pharmaceutical protection systems team up with beverage industry counterparts for ongoing developments.

European stevia firm to build Paraguay plant

Granular, a European stevia producer, has entered into a joint partnership to build a refinery for the natural sweetener in South America which it said will be environmentally neutral.

Carlsberg upbeat despite eastern finance fears

Eastern European markets like Russia have been a key driver for brewers’ sales in recent years, though as governments in the West look to help prop up some economies in the region, beer is one area that may lose its fizz for multinationals.

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Omega-3: Fishing for alternatives

Short of an earth-bound deity walking amongst us and miraculously multiplying our fish stocks, industry must invest more in alternative sources of omega-3 to meet nutritional needs.

New findings challenge studies linking mercury to HFCS - CRA

Results from third-party testing conducted on high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) from all the production facilities in the US and Canada show that no quantifiable levels of mercury were detected in any of the samples analyzed, claims the CRA.

News in brief

Food Commission seeks celebs to sign no junk ad charter

The UK’s Food Commission is introducing a charter for celebrities who want to pledge they will not use their image to promote foods high in fat, saturated fat, sugar or salt.

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Coca-Cola fails with Huiyuan ambitions

Coca-Cola has announced that a proposed acquisition of the China-based juice manufacturer Huiyuan will not go ahead following failure to obtain approval from the China Ministry of Commerce (MOC).

New aseptic package aims to meet lightweighting trend

FoodProductionDaily.com caught up with Sweden-based manufacturer Ecolean as it unveiled its new lightweight aseptic packaging system for liquid food products in Cologne.

EU set for (yet more) nutrient profiling delays

The European Commission is no closer to finalising a nutrient profiling criteria that will govern which foods and beverages can make health and nutrition claims, according to a Commission official contacted by NutraIngredients.com this morning.

No Innocent interest in niche US smoothie market

With the US market for fruit-based smoothie drinks expected to undergo continued growth over the coming years, the reported interest of Coca-Cola in UK-based drink group Innocent could seem timely.

Snack Size Science: Coffee stirs up gut health promise

NutraIngredient’s Snack Size Science brings you the week's top science. This week we spill the beans on the potential of coffee to boost levels of beneficial bacteria in our guts.

News in brief

UK drinking down amidst pub future fears

UK Alcohol consumption has fallen by three per cent during 2008, according to figures compiled by the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA).

Soft drink big boys driving nutraceutical interest - report

The nutraceutical soft drinks segment is expected to maintain growth through the economic downturn, with sales expected to rise at high single digit rate until 2013 due to a growing international focus by multinationals, says a new report.

Defying costs is key to filling-tech innovation, says supplier

Ensuring continued innovation in powdered beverage and food filling technology that negates the impacts of high cost remains a primary development driver to one machine supplier.

News in brief

APT fills management positions

Associated Packaging Technologies (APT) has filled several key management positions, strengthening its global marketing and equipment engineering divisions.

News in brief

Cherry extracts seek superfruit status

Australian Functional Foods has released two cherry-based extracts for which it is promoting on high antioxidant content.

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Could sugar shake off its bad boy image?

Sugar could be shedding its bad boy image to take a surprise spot on the public’s list of trusted ingredients, as manufacturers look to appeal to more savvy consumers.

Industry says self-regulation, not pricing, key to drink battle

As UK authorities reportedly mull adopting minimum pricing on alcoholic beverages sold in the country, European drink makers claim they remain better placed to regulate the market than governments.

Juice additive criticism stirs label concerns

As the addition of herbal products and antioxidants in products like juices comes under the scrutiny of consumer groups, one supplement association says some drinks may require detailed labelling to offset potential safety concerns.

Brewers keeping it local key in drink abuse battle

European brewers claim they are playing a major role in pushing responsible drinking initiatives in the bloc through localised commitments to the EU Alcohol and Health Forum.

Virun debuts shelf-stable, H20 soluble, nanotech omega-3

A patent-pending production process employing nanotechnology is allowing omega-3s into shelf-stable beverages such as juices and waters for the first time, according to biotech firm, Virun.

Blow moulder targets clear-pack efficiency

A supplier of blow moulding equipment for beverage and personal care packaging claims it has made significant advancements in cost and energy efficient production of clear bottle packaging.

News in brief

IFT to discuss nano food uses in London

A seminar to be held in London on 30 April will explore the latest developments in nanotechnology, and its potential for use in the food industry.

Which? rounds on food industry in health debate

Consumer watchdog Which? has renewed its calls for food manufacturers and retailers to do more to address sugar, salt and fat content and take a consistent, industry-wide approach to labelling to help people make healthily choices.

Antioxidant focus

Cracking the code on antioxidant testing

The list of tests available to assess antioxidant activity may look like a page ripped from a World War II code book, but understanding how the results are complementary is vital for the continued success of antioxidants.

Dispatches from Anuga FoodTec 2009

Germans shaking some PET pack concerns - industry

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is generally succeeding in meeting German concerns regarding sustainable consumer packaging and should continue to increase in use until 2025, claim a group supplying the material.

Aluminium drink cans: Fifty years on and still going strong?

As the aluminium beverage can reaches its fiftieth anniversary this year, brewer Molson Coors says it expects the packaging to remain central to its global operations in the future, despite growing competition in the market.

Coke pops Innocent offer

Atlanta, Georgia-based Coca-Cola has tabled an offer for a minority stake in stalling UK smoothie maker, Innocent, according to press reports.

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Cargill vs Chavez: Clash of the rice titans

Clutched to the president’s chest like a medal of nationalisation, Cargill Venezuela cannot be sitting very comfortably this week as it awaits the fate of its rice plant.

News in brief

Counterfeit fears drive Vietnamese DIY vodka boon

State news reports within Vietnam suggest that drinkers across the country are increasingly turning to home produced rice and corn-derived vodkas over concerns about fake branded alcohol in the country.

Branded alcohol-complaints hit decade high

The Portman Group, an industry-led responsibility body says the number of complaints made under its code of practice for alcohol packaging has reached a decade-long high amidst growing concerns over drink branding.

Green tea may protect gums against disease

Consuming green tea may offer protection against gum disease, a condition that may affect over 30 per cent of the population, suggests a new study from Japan.

FSA acted legally in blocking Sovio, says High Court

A High Court judgement found that the Food Standards Agency acted lawfully in September 2007 when it ordered stocks of a beverage labelled as ‘low alcohol wine’ to be held at a warehouse and not distributed to market – but the company behind the product may appeal.

Food and beverage firms test out new soy protein isolate

Burcon’s Clarisoy soy protein isolate has taken a step closer to being used in beverage formulations, as the company says it has entered into material transfer agreements with firms wanting to test it out.

New code proposed for retailer-supplier deals

The rules that govern agreements between retailers and suppliers could be strengthened under a new proposal by the UK’s Competition Commission (CC) to protect manufacturers and others from restrictive practices.

Legislature may ban BPA in baby bottles

A US legislature yesterday voted unanimously to ban the packaging chemical, Bisphenol A (BPA), from polycarbonate baby bottles; the bill now has to go to the county executive for approval.

Coca-Cola dismisses doubts over Huiyuan deal

Coca-Cola has reaffirmed its commitment to a $2.4bn bid to takeover China's Huiyuan Juice after the Chinese firm’s chairman reportedly cast doubt on the deal.

PureCircle reaps rewards for Reb A contracts in H1

Reb A producer PureCircle has reported a net profit increase of 75 per cent for the first half of 2009 after securing major contracts with companies including PepsiCo, Whole Earth and Cargill ahead of regulatory clearance in key markets.

PepsiCo slashes costs along with carbon

PepsiCo’s energy efficiency initiatives have resulted in a massive reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and slashed the firm’s costs by $90m last year alone.

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Twitter could leave bitter taste in Pepsi’s mouth

“The new cartons stink.” Customer responses to new product developments seldom come clearer or more direct than that.

Wine drinkers have reduced risk of gullet cancer

Drinking a glass of wine a day could reduce the risk of Barrett's Esophagus (BE) - a precursor to oesophageal cancer - by 56 per cent, a new study has concluded.

New line guarantees high speed, secure case packing: Cermex

A new wraparound case packer provides continuous motion to ensure greater longevity of equipment in addition to quicker, more uniform and secure packaging, claims Cermex.

New bottling plant extends aseptic capabilities, claims Flavours Inc

A new aseptic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) bottling plant is one of the few co-packing facilities to offer three methods of aseptic processing, says a US based manufacturer.

Green construction gets academic on beer and wine

Greener brewing and wine production is on the syllabus at the University of California as construction begins on a new Winery, Brewery and Food Science Laboratory on the campus from June.