Breaking News on Beverage Technology & Markets

Private label corners real juice trend

Consumers are rapidly falling in love with bona fide, 100 per cent juice across developed markets, yet it is private labels that are reaping the benefits in Western Europe, says new research, writes Chris Mercer.

Pomegranate might fight brain damage in babies

A mouse study conducted at the Washington University School of Medicine suggests that drinking pomegranate juice during pregnancy may reduce the hypoxia ischemia-related brain injuries in babies, writes Jess Halliday.

New technology targets diet soft drinks makers

Soft drinks makers looking to replace sugar with sweeteners to reach health-conscious consumers could save time and money with an award-winning new technology from UK supplier Pursuit Dynamics, reports Chris Mercer.

Study forecasts consolidation in plastic closure market

While the Western European market for plastic caps and closures may be growing, food and drink processors will have to be less choosy when picking their supplier, reports Ahmed ElAmin.

Monday comment

Claims, claims, claims

As lawyers circle the food and drink industry like a fatted calf, the first lesson for those preparing for defence is that it is not so much what you sell that matters, as how you sell it.

EU: Pernod must sell whiskies for Allied deal

The European Commission has approved Pernod Ricard's bid for Allied Domecq, but will force the firm to dump extra whiskey brands and distribution agreements before a deal goes through, reports Chris Mercer.

Cereal starch sweetener industry hit by sugar reform

Sweeping changes to EU sugar regime would put Europe's cereal starch sweetener industry at risk, threatening job losses and even possible business closures, warns the industry this week, reports Lindsey Partos.

Caffeine increases carb uptake by the body

Caffeine increased the cyclists' absorption of carbohydrates from a sports drink in new UK research, writes Dominique Patton, offering a new area of innovation for manufacturers of sports products.

Tension boils over on US beer market

Animosity is hotting up on America's stagnant beer market as SABMiller lowers prices and attacks Anheuser-Busch in adverts, yet productive responses to market pressures are still needed, reports Chris Mercer.

EU curbs Coca-Cola market dominance

Coca-Cola can no longer negotiate exclusive supply deals for its fizzy soft drinks in the EU and must open its coolers to rival brands as the European Commission tries to improve competition, reports Chris Mercer.

EU sugar quotas costing jobs

Proposals to slash EU sugar prices make sense, but jobs will continue to go in UK food and drink firms unless bolder moves to abolish quota systems are introduced, says the UK Soft Drinks Association to Chris Mercer.

Sugar reform: food makers to enjoy cheaper sugar ingredients?

Food and drink makers could soon expect cheaper sugar ingredients with Brussels expected to publish its proposals on EU sugar reform today, writes Lindsey Partos.

France poised to overhaul AOC system

VinExpo may have begun under a gallic cloud in Bordeaux, but French agriculture minister Dominique Bussereau has entered the lion's den to assure wine makers that reform is coming, reports Chris Mercer.

VinExpo embraces wine market shift

Bordeaux - VinExpo, described as the largest gathering of wine and spirits buyers and sellers in the world, is this year also a showcase of the industry's response to a rapidly changing consumer market, reports Ahmed ElAmin in Bordeaux.

Monday Comment

The Age of Consent for RFID

The image of secret radio chips planted inside the home from larder to bathroom, transmitting data freely to Corporation Inc, is enough to curl the toes of more than anti-capitalism activists.

Witmark predicts strong juice sales in 2005

Juice maker Witmark-Ukraine has announced it expects to increase sales by 50 per cent in 2005 as consumer demand for juice in the CIS continues to soar, yet rivals are looming, reports Angela Drujinina.

Constellation drop-out gives Pernod pole position

The consortium led by Constellation Brands has pulled out of the race to buy Allied Domecq leaving Pernod Ricard as the only bidder in the build up to next week's shareholder vote.

Fruit, vegetable juices may stall Alzheimer's disease

Certain polyphenols abundant in fruit and vegetable juices may play an important role in delaying the onset of Alzheimer's disease, reports Dominique Patton.

Gum arabic agreement targets stable supplies

P.L. Thomas, the only US representative at the recent Gum Arabic industry meeting in Sudan, tells Anthony Fletcher why the international commitment to secure long-term supplies of gum Arabic is such an important breakthrough.

Yakult, Kirin strengthen partnership to grow functional food sales

Japanese probiotics leader Yakult and the Kirin brewing and beverage group have agreed to jointly develop new functional foods for the domestic market and share manufacturing and distribution resources to increase efficiency, writes Dominique Patton.

New work on citrus genome opens up limonoid opportunities?

US researchers open up potential opportunities held in the citrus genome, helping to detect specific genes related to pathogen resistance and to high flavonoid and nutrient levels.

Coke boosts healthy image in UK with Minute Maid launch

Coca-Cola is introducing its Minute Maid juice brand to the UK market this week, which is currently experiencing booming juice sales thanks to increasingly health-conscious consumers, reports Dominique Patton.

Sweet drinks starve Americans of nutrition

A study showing that sweet drinks have overtaken white bread as the leading source of calories in the American diet may mean that the nutrition gap is even wider than previously thought, reports Jess Halliday. But according to the lead researcher, functional and fortified alternatives may not be a safe bridge.

New study: coffee, risk factor in heart disease?

Fuelling the debate on coffee consumption, a new study suggests caffeine could increase aortic stiffness and wave reflections, risk factors in cardiovascular disease.

Coffee prices to stay under pressure as world supplies fall

Expectations of a fall in global coffee supplies of coffee will keep up pressure on market prices, as fresh figures indicate world coffee production will drop in 2005/06.

Comment

Highway to health

Parked on the hot coals of public opinion, the food industry can lose no time in proving how healthy its products are.

Russian dairies see profits in drinking yoghurt

Dairies not manufacturing premium-range yoghurt are missing out, with new products hitting this lucrative market every month, reports Angela Drujinina.

Black tea as good as green in oral cancer prevention, say researchers

The putative ability of polyphenols from green tea to help prevent cancer has been the subject of much scientific enquiry in recent years. But researchers in India now say that drinking black tea could help prevent the development of oral cancer in subjects with leukoplakia, a disease that causes white spots to appear on mucous membranes on the tongue and in the mouth, reports Jess Halliday.

Cauliflower 'juice', a weapon against breast cancer

Women who eat cauliflower regularly could provide the body with powerful tools to help fight breast cancer, as a new Italian study reveals the chemopreventive compounds of this popular vegetable, reports Lindsey Partos.

Quinine-containing drinks: agency warns pregnant women over levels

Germany's risk assessment agency warns pregnant women about the consumption of quinine-containing beverages, and at the same time calls for better labelling of these beverages, reports Lindsey Partos.

Bacteria contribute to bubble size and persistence in sparkling wine

Spanish researchers show for the first time that bacteria, in addition to yeast, are involved in the secondary fermentation of the sparkling wine Cava.

Ginseng appears to protect brain

Components of the herbal ginseng protect the brain against the kind of deterioration caused by degenerative diseases like Huntingdon's, suggests a new study on rats.

Cranberry juice could fight gut infections

Cranberry juice, already well-known as a remedy for urinary tract infections, may help protect against common infections caused by gastrointestinal viruses, reports Dominique Patton.

Comment

Who is afraid of GMOs?

It is a perversion of the 21st century that while affluent societies continue the quest to slice the fat from their increasingly obese populations, five million children die from hunger each year, and more than 850m people go chronically hungry.

CDC counters growing criticism of obesity studies

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has responded to mounting criticism that a recent report may have minimized the dangers of obesity, writes Anthony Fletcher.

Microtrace launches new security inks for tags

Microtrace and XSYS Print Solutions are teaming up to market a variety of traceable, anti-counterfeit inks to food processors and the tag and label industry, reports Ahmed ElAmin.

FTC quashes Tropicana's 'Healthy Heart' claims

The FTC has reached a settlement with Tropicana Products over advertisements claiming that its Healthy Heart orange juice could reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and homocysteine levels, writes Jess Halliday, dealing a blow to a company that wants to be seen to be keeping up with healthy living trends.

Global apple juice rises as China ramps up supplies

Prices for apple juice should remain steady as world apple juice production hits record figures for the second year on growing Chinese production.

FSA starts new work on nutrient profiling

The UK's food authority has commissioned new work to improve its nutrient profiling model designed for children's foods, writes Dominique Patton.

Organic health drinks lead EU innovation

Health drinks for new and expectant mothers sat at the forefront of new organic products to hit the EU market last month.

Carlsberg plots East Asia rewards

Carlsberg is close to signing a new joint venture deal in China, says the country's official news agency, as the major brewers take up position on their East Asian nest eggs, writes Chris Mercer.

Wine extract increases product health profile

A line of wine extracts from Chr Hansen could help US food manufacturers cut costs and improve the health profile of their products, writes Anthony Fletcher.