Breaking News on Beverage Technology & Markets

Orange juice may protect against bad effects of high fat meals

Flavonoids from orange juice may neutralise the detrimental effects of consuming a high-fat, high-carbohydrate meal, says a new study from the US.

Fytexia launches water-soluble ingredient versions to target US beverages

Natural ingredient supplier Fytexia has announced the release of a water-soluble high purity version of its flagship Sinetrol ingredient for weight control, as the company eyes the functional drinks market.

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Making the food industry fair for SMEs

No race should have rules that favour the strongest competitors. But unless the capabilities and interests of SMEs are taken into consideration before the starting gun is fired for new food regulations, they will struggle to keep up and may have to drop out altogether.

New tap promises to cut filling costs for micro brewers

Novosibirskprodmash is targeting micro brewers in Europe and the US with the commercial launch of the PEGAS CraftTap filling system.

Sports drinks suffer sales volume slump in US

Sports drinks appear to have suffered a severe reversal of fortune in the US with volumes going through the floor in 2009.

Global upswing for probiotic and prebiotic food and beverages

World sales of probiotic and prebiotic foods and beverages climbed 12.5 per cent to reach about $15.4bn in 2008 compared with the year before, according to research group Packaged Facts.

News in brief

Commission clears Wild share sale to KKR

The European Commission has given clearance for the acquisition of shares in German flavour and ingredients firm Rudolf Wild by asset manager KKR.

Scientists claim fat-free milk could relieve constipation

Full-fat milk may be associated with constipation but new research suggests that drinking fat-free milk could be a way of solving irregularity problems.

TIA launches high-speed multipurpose layer gripper

TIA Robotic Tooling Solutions has released a new layer gripper for use in distribution centres where it is necessary to handle layers of grocery products of many different shapes and sizes with the same tool.

Grape genome mapping could boost harvests and wine quality

American researchers have identified specific genetic markers in the grape genome to improve the fruit quality, and disease and pest resistance, and could quicken the development of better grapes.

Crown to expand capacity to meet rising Brazilian demand

Crown Holdings has announced that it intends to double capacity at two Brazilian beverage can plants on the back of growing demand for soft drink and beer cans in the region.

Mid tier bottlers target of Krones labelling technology

Optimum labelling quality, accurate reproducibility and high efficiency are claimed for new labelling technology designed for bottlers with small outputs.

New premium PET bottle alternative to glass, says Amcor

Amcor Rigid Plastics said its ground-breaking PET stock bottle is a glass replacement option that offers significant cost and performance advantages.

Health Canada allows synthetic caffeine into more soft drinks

Health Canada has given beverage makers more freedom to add caffeine to their products after extending the authorised use of the stimulant to all carbonated drinks.

Atomic bomb testing to help combat wine fraud

Australian scientists claim that atomic bomb testing has left traces of radioactive carbon in grapes that could help the wine industry combat fraud.

Coffee researchers identify stomach friendly ingredient

New research into the causes of stomach problems sometimes experienced by coffee drinkers has uncovered an ingredient that could pave the way for gentler brews.

PepsiCo steps up innovation in formulation to meet health demand

Food and beverage behemoth PepsiCo pledges to cut fat, salt and sugar across key global brands over the next ten years as demand for health-positioned products gains momentum and the Frito-Lay maker underlines wellness to deliver long-term growth.

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Supply chain transparency only answer to hostile campaigns

Food companies must ensure their supply chains are transparent and socially responsible in order to prevent backlashes from consumer activists and non-governmental groups on Facebook or Twitter, which could have costly brand repercussions.

HFCS education slows demand decline

Nationwide programs to educate consumers about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) appear to be working, as HFCS producers report a slowing in declining demand.

AB InBev pledges to slash water use at breweries

Anheuser-Busch InBev has set new environmental targets for 2012 that include plans to reduce water use and cut carbon emissions.

Healthy coffee drinkers turn from decaf to green bean

Decaffeinated coffee may be able to ride with the health and wellness crowd but sales are falling on both sides of the Atlantic. Encroaching on their monopoly of the healthy coffee concept is a new breed of functional products.

News in brief

New Crown can plant to meet rising Chinese demand

Crown Holdings is to build a new beverage can site in China to meet growing demand for two-piece cans in the country.

Upgraded PET stretch blow moulder offers multiple savings

Gentler PET bottle handling, cost savings and a smaller footprint are all benefits claimed by manufacturer KHS for its newly redesigned stretch blow moulder/filler monoblock system.

Milk beats sports drink in female resistance training study

Skimmed milk may be a better training aid for female resistance athletes than a sports drink thanks to its calcium and protein content, according to a new study.

Green tea may boost oral health, reduce tooth loss

Drinking one cup of green tea may improve dental health and reduce the risk of loosing teeth by about 20 per cent, according to a new study from Japan.

Cargill says EFSA health claim will transform beverage fibre fortunes

Cargill has revealed that its Barliv barley betafibre is finally poised to make its way into beverage products following a favourable EFSA opinion for a beta-glucan health claim.

Labelling violations threaten bottle recycling system in the US

Rogue bottles and bad labelling are threatening the entire system of plastic recycling in the US according to two leading trade associations.

News in brief

EU Health Commissioner drops in on EFSA

John Dalli, the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy met with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) last week with health claims one of the many topics on the agenda.

Coffee’s anti-diabetes benefit strengthen

Regular coffee drinking may reduce levels of inflammatory markers linked to diabetes, according to new findings from a human study.

Krones posts first loss in nine years as equipment demand slumps

Krones has fallen into the red for the first time in nine years as demand in the packaging machinery market slumped worldwide by more than 25 per cent.

Fructose sweeteners may (not) be associated with kidney disease

Intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages may increase levels of uric acid, a compound linked to decreased kidney function, says a new study.

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The HVP recall: Damage control déjà vu

Not again! It emerged last week that Basic Food Flavors, the company behind the ongoing HVP recall, knew its products were tainted with salmonella but carried on shipping them anyway. Déjà vu anyone?

SPECIAL EDITION: DECONTAMINATION

Active and intelligent packaging regs - evolution and innovation

New active and intelligent packaging rules and guidelines introduced last year across Europe should bring much-needed clarity to the sector and pave the way for innovation, said one expert as he set out how the system could work in practice.

Special Edition: Decontamination

Poor equipment design compromising food safety, EHEDG

Misinterpretation of fundamental criteria for the hygienic design of equipment by designers is resulting in incorrect installation of parts such as valves and sensors at the initial design stage of new food processing equipment and leaves processors exposed to contaminant threats, claims the EHEDG.

Special Edition: Decontamination

Ozone and vapour proving to be best in class for food pathogens

New research from the UK shows that whole room disinfection techniques are more effective that traditional chemical fogging, and while take up by food processors is relatively low, suppliers claim demand will accelerate based on industry recognition of the need to innovate to tackle new microbe strains and other food safety challenges.

News in brief

Calorie-free monk fruit concentrate soon to hit shelves

BioVittoria has revealed that two new products are in the pipeline containing its Fruit-Sweetness concentrate for which the supplier obtained FDA GRAS notification in February.

Krones targets demand for complete beverage factories

Krones is looking to target demand for complete beverage factory planning that the equipment supplier says is on the rise as in-house engineering capacity weakens.

Syral and ETEA to convert old Tate & Lyle plant for grain alcohol production

Syral and ETEA are teaming up to buy an old Tate & Lyle citric acid plant in the UK and convert it for the production of grain alcohols.

SIG Combibloc blazes green trail in China

The first FSC-labelled cartons are to be launched onto the Chinese market, said SIG Combibloc as it seeks to raise awareness of sustainability issues in the global economic powerhouse.

Plant design and personal hygiene crucial to reducing listeria risk

Cheese contamination has hit the headlines in recent weeks after Austrian authorities linked seven listerioisis deaths to Prolactal cheese. In light of this news, food safety expert Dr. Eleftherios H. Drosinos explains how risk of contamination from Listeria monocytogenes can be minimised in cheese processing.

Frutarom captures flavour of quintessential English strawberry

Frutarom has developed a new strawberry flavour that is said to be closer to the natural profile of the real fruit, by identifying a berry that has precisely the organoleptic properties required.

Natural preservative tackles fruit juice spoilage

Purac is launching a new natural preservative for fruit and juice-based beverages, which is said to counter the spore-forming spoiler Alicyclobacillus.

Scotch trade body says minimum alcohol pricing breaches EU law

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has claimed that a European Court of Justice ruling about tobacco products is a major setback for Scottish plans to introduce minimum alcohol pricing.

Tetra Pak banks on emerging markets for growth

Tetra Pak said stronger sales in the final quarter of 2009 and emerging markets offset declining demand in Eastern Europe and Central Asia as it posted an increase in net sales of 1.2 per cent for the year to almost €9bn.

Sales of quality coffee defy the recession in the UK

British consumers are starting to wake up to the smell of good coffee as sales of more expensive varieties continue to grow in the recession, according to Mintel.

Mettler-Toledo develops new inspection system for bottles

Mettler-Toledo CI-Vision has developed a new 360 degree bottle inspection system to spot packaging and labelling defects.

CNI launches new fibre ingredient for drinks

Acacia gum specialist CNI has developed a new version of its Fibregum ingredient, which can be used to make fibre-enriched beverages.

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EFSA’s antioxidant rejections could be blessing in disguise

Timber! The latest axe blow from EFSA has fallen, and this time it has taken one of the biggest trees in the nutrition forest: Antioxidants. But let’s not mourn the loss of the tree; let’s look forward to the new opportunities a clear view of the sky can give.

Pom Wonderful: Our claims are ‘true’

Pomegranate leader Pom Wonderful has issued a statement about the warning letter it received from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding antioxidant-based health claims being made on two of its websites.

New flavors aim to extend coconut water’s appeal

Virginia Dare has released a range of natural flavors for coconut water, which has been steadily gaining interest over the past couple of years, saying that they could boost its popularity still further.

EFSA gives positive opinion for sucrose esters of fatty acids

The European Food Safety Authority has issued a positive safety opinion on sucrose esters produced by reacting sucrose and vinyl esters of fatty acids, which could open up new possibilities for improving the solubility of flavourings in drinks.

Industry welcomes FDA claims crackdown

By issuing warning letters to 17 companies including Nestle and Pom Wonderful, the Food and Drug Administration yesterday demonstrated it had both the motivation and the muscle to remove misleading nutrition and health claims from the market, a move industry has welcomed.

EFSA health claim opinion

Meal replacements win first EFSA weight management claim approval

Significant effects, study products that matched those on-market and biologically plausible mechanisms were cited by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) as the major reasons why meal replacements won a rare article 13.1 positive opinion last week.

Niche beverages take centre stage in saturated markets

In saturated European and North American beverage markets Euromonitor says the battle for new business has turned to niche drinks.

Novozymes explores power and potential of enzymes in brewing

Leading figures at Novozymes explain why enzymes can be useful in brewing and how they can even enable brewers to skip the malting process altogether.

Packaging and drinks industry dismiss calls to ban bisphenol A

Minute levels of bisphenol A detected in drink cans pose no health risk to consumers, said beverage companies and a leading industry body as they rejected calls from an environmental group to ban the chemical.

FDA says Pom Wonderful antioxidant claims not so wonderful

The Food and Drug Administration has issued pomegranate juice market leader, Pom Wonderful, with a warning letter over antioxidant claims it says are unauthorized drug claims.

News in brief

Spotlight on new packaging regulation at Foodex

Foodex this year sees a series of seminars on the latest regulation pertaining to third party inspection certification and packaging aswell as new food hygiene initiatives, research and innovation developments in packaging and processing and shelf life evaluation.

Diageo and Bacardi step up war of words over rum subsidies

A row between rum rivals Diageo and Bacardi escalated last week with the publication of a 13-page statement from Diageo accusing its competitor of leading a hidden campaign to sabotage its “public-private initiative” in the US Virgin Islands.

News in brief

Drinktec drops Saturday from 2013 trade show schedule

The organisers of Drinktec have agreed to reduce the length of its 2013 trade show in Germany to five days because of declining numbers on the last day of the fair.

European soft drinks industry sets out digital marketing guidelines

Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have endorsed new European guidelines on digital marketing that explicitly extend to the digital sphere their commitment not to target young children.

Milk’s fat content may influence tea’s antioxidants

The choice of adding full-fat or skimmed milk to tea may influence the antioxidant capacity of the beverage, says new research from the UK which may have public health implications.

PepsiCo accepts Dr Pepper firewall to close bottling deal

PepsiCo has agreed to set up a ‘Chinese wall’ to ensure that the acquisition of its two largest bottlers does not jeopardise competition with rival Dr Pepper Snapple.

Should we be worried about antimony levels in juices?

A recent study uncovering levels of antimony in juices above EU limits for drinking water has provoked calls for more research into the issue but industry insists that juices are safe.

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What's the colour of money? Bonuses should be green

Never before has the dangling of golden carrots in the boardroom been so closely scrutinised. DSM and others’ decisions to ensure those carrots have green shoots of sustainability attached to them is a wise and forward thinking move.

Bisphenol A levels in cans triggers call for ban

Tests have revealed the presence of bisphenol A (BPA) in the linings of beverage cans and some of the drinks themselves, including ones made by Nestle and Red Bull, said Friends of the Earth (FOE).

Common ingredients may extend citrus oil use in beverage: IFF study

A common surfactant ingredient may boost the stability of citral, one of the most important flavour compounds in citrus oil, and enhance formulations of beverage concentrates, says a new study.