Breaking News on Beverage Technology & Markets

Researchers study more efficient refrigeration techniques

In a bid to cut energy use in the UK's food processing plants, researchers at the University ofBristol have launched a government-funded project to come up with more efficient refrigerationtechniques.

Still drinks help Britvic stop the rot

Non-carbonated drinks and a hot summer have helped Britvic to pull back ground in the third quarter, as the group hints at further moves into juice and water.

European Court upholds fines for citric acid cartel

The European Court of First Instance confirmed this week that Jungbunzlauer (JBL) and Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) engaged in an illegal citric acid price fixing cartel, and has as a result upheld the original fines imposed.

Cap technology provides instant drinks

A new capping device allows individuals to mix their own drinks by blasting ingredients into a water-filled container.

Danisco presents new healthy concept 'Candice Heaven'

Ingredients company Danisco launches new concept out of its Singapore office allowing processors to take advantage of the new health trends in the market.

Fruit-flavored drinks decline, future dull, says Mintel

Obesity concerns and a lack of innovation have driven down sales of fruit-flavored juice drinks in the US over the past five years, and prospects to boost the market remain dismal according to a new report by Mintel.

EU to remove restrictions on packaging sizes

Companies will soon have the freedom to choose the size of packaging they use for most oftheir products, after a set of restrictive rules were abolished yesterday by EU ministers.

Weekly comment

When vegetables become victims

The demonisation of spinach following last week's E.coli outbreak could give salad-dodgers the excuse they have been looking for to skimp on their recommended five to nine portions of fruit and veg a day. Without communication and a united front from industry, a longer-term public health crisis could be on the cards.

UK support for sugar reform revealed

The UK's food and farming minister has revealed how almost £500 million of additional support for sugar reform will be incorporated within the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) over the next seven years.

FMC to increase prices on back of market pressures

FMC Biopolymer will again increase prices for its food ingredients on the back of high energy and raw material costs, and the company says it expects prices to continue rising.

UK regulator plans to reduce compliance costs

The UK's food regulator plans to slice millions of euros off the administration costs faced bybusinesses in complying with safety regulations, leaving operators with more money in their pockets.

RFID system cuts across standards

NEC System Technologies has developed a radio frequency identification device that can read and write to a variety of tags using different standards.

Mexican sugar substitute makes it to UK shelves

Diabetics and weight watchers are set to benefit from the release of a new natural alternative to sugar going on sale in leading UK retailer Tesco this week.

Blackcurrants fight hospital superbug, studies show

British blackcurrants, used to make the country's popular Ribena soft drink, may offer a range of health benefits and could protect against hospital superbug MRSA, recent research shows.

Food scientists burrow deeper into industry issues

Food scientists are burrowing down into the molecular level of processing, finding new solutionsto industry's manufacturing problems, according to organisers here at a conference.

Pernod Ricard shows high spirits

Premium spirits brands have kept Pernod Ricard moving forward over the last year, offsetting difficulties in Europe to lift the group's organic sales by seven per cent.

EU ministers take wine reform plunge

Winemakers across Europe were a step closer to ripping out their vines last night after European agriculture ministers agreed in principle to radical reform of the wine sector.

Danone signs Danish bottled water deal

Danone has signed a deal to buy 49 per cent of Danish bottled water company Aqua d'or, in an attempt to improve the group's position in an increasingly competitive bottled water market.

Coffee prices hit record high

The coffee market was very volatile during the month of August, particularly with the explosion in Robusta prices, according to ICO executive director Nestor Osorio.

Weekly Comment

The functional food fudge

In today's competitive food industry, healthy products mean healthy sales but the scramble to keep up with the obesity backlash can have dangerous repercussions.

Bulk imports could beat wine bottle waste

Importing wine to Britain in bulk and bottling it in lighter glass would save money and help the environment, says a recycling agency, which has signed up supermarkets and wine firms to trial the idea.

Cocaine drink could further confuse energy drinks market

Move over caffeine. A new breed of energy drinks are referencing illegal drugs in their marketing - but without actually containing them - in a bid to capture the lucrative, party-going youth market.

Bottled water beats cancer in lab study

A little-known bottled water from Scotland may help to stop cancer cells spreading, a study has found, giving the drink a unique potential in healthy beverage trends.

C&C invests to handle soaring cider demand

Rapid growth for the Magners cider brand has prompted its maker, C&C Group, to announce it will spend €200m to double production capacity for the drink within 18 months.

Canada pushing forward with traceability

Canada's government is offering US$1.5m in financial help to the country's struggling meat sector in a bid get traceability programs on track.

New French wine appellations unhelpful, say critics

French wine authorities have been criticised for creating three more appellation contrôlée wine areas at a time when France is trying to simplify its wine offering to consumers.

New Brazilian açai factory set to boost supplies to US market

Leading açai berry supplier Sambazon has completed the construction of a new manufacturing facility in Brazil, a move that is set to significantly increase the volumes of the berry brought into the US.

Coca-Cola flies the flag in Afghanistan

Coca-Cola has returned to war-torn Afghanistan with a gleaming $25m factory, calling the country a 'missing link' in its international business.

BASF hikes price for biodegradable plastic

BASF has raised prices for its biodegradable plastic Ecoflex by 20 per cent.

Green tea cuts risk of death, study

Drinking several cups of green tea every day could cut peoples' risk of death from a range of diseases, but does not appear to lower the chances of getting cancer, says a Japanese study.

Grolsch defiant in Dutch beer war

Dutch brewer Grolsch defended its stand against supermarket price cuts on beer in the Netherlands, despite losing market share in the first half of 2006.

Nestlé to build fresh factory for Nespresso

Soaring demand for espresso coffee in Europe will see Nestlé spend almost €95m to open a new production and distribution centre for its Nespresso drink by 2008.

China to start making ice wine

China's biggest wine producer Changyu has set up an alliance with Canadian ice wine maker Aolos to build what is expected to be the largest ice wine estate in the world.

Weekly Comment

Sweet nothing for global trade

The transition to the new EU sugar regime is a reminder of what was lost when the Doha round of WTO trade talks collapsed.

Strong EU exports driving stable food and drink industry

Increased exports of certain food and drink products have revived the industry and helped to achieve an impressive trade balance.

USDA proposal could redefine grass-fed meat

Plans by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expand the definition of grass-fed animals, has caused concern in the industry that the growing market for organic pastured meats could be undermined by commercial operations.

Labeling machine adapts to different cylinders

A new labeling machine can cope with both oblong-shaped containers and round bottles at increased labeling speeds, says its designer.

Emerging markets keep Inbev on track

Rising beer sales across Eastern Europe and Latin America during the second quarter have taken international brewer Inbev a step closer to becoming the most profitable brewer in the world.

Heineken boosts sales worldwide, cuts costs

Heineken today reported organic revenue growth of 6.3 per cent during the first half of 2006 compared to the previous year, held up by strong US demand for the company's light beer and sales increases in central and eastern Europe.

Saint-Gobain grabs at South American wine

In a bid to capitalise on the booming South American wine industry, Saint-Gobain has purchased control of one of the regions largest wine bottling companies.

Weekly Comment

The truth is out there, in the middle ground

Food can polarise opinion more than most issues, but can we please have some balance and debate, rather than mudslinging and crop burning to get to the truth?

Doehler to tap healthy ingredient trend in Paris

Doehler Group's focus on naturalness and health at the upcoming SIAL exhibition in Paris will include natural sweeteners and neutral-tasting Omega 3.

Styrene could be cancerous to humans, study finds

Styrene could potentially cause cancer in humans who breath in the substance, a German government agency says.

OJ those kidney stones away, says study

A daily glass of orange juice could help prevent kidney stones better than other citrus fruit juices like lemonade, says a study from the US.