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Seasonal Video Greetings From Decision News Media

Welcome to this seasonal holiday video from Decision News Media. As we prepare to celebrate our tenth anniversary next year and first year as part of William Reed Business Media, we present 10 fun number facts about our company. And, later this week, the holidays begin.

News in brief

Fire breaks out at Guinness brewery in Dublin

A fire broke out yesterday at the iconic St James’s Gate brewery in Dublin badly damaging a storage building but leaving output unaffected.

Wind up or down? 2009 welcomes relaxation drinks

Consumers in 2009 were greeted with a swathe of new drinks to help them enjoy a night in, as much as a night out, according to Mintel figures.

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Time to speed sustainable palm oil supply

Global food giants have vowed to source all their palm oil sustainably by 2015 – but consumer pressure could grease the wheels for more rapid change.

Olam takes 20 percent stake in PureCircle

Olam has increased its stake in stevia company PureCircle to 20 percent, citing strong growth prospects for the company, and making PureCircle an associated company of Olam.

Soft drink changes to drive flavour growth, says Leatherhead

Changing soft drink habits are expected to be a key driver for future growth in the flavours market in Western Europe, according to a new report from Leatherhead.

DSM launches new natural beta-carotene coloring

A new, natural-source beta-carotene formulation for coloring and fortifying food and beverages has been launched by DSM Nutritional Products.

Godfather film director sues wine packaging supplier

A company created by film director Francis Ford Coppola is suing Suberus-owned packaging supplier Vinocor USA over allegations its wine bottles and screwcaps were faulty.

Wild targets emerging adult soft drink market

Wild has developed new concepts for the adult soft drink market based on malt, premium fruit vinegars, and kombucha tea.

Nestle launches lightweight PET bottle

Nestle Waters has launched a new version of its Eco-Shape PET bottle which the company claims is one of the world’s lightest half-litre bottles.

N.Ireland's £10m boost for food processing and packaging

Plans to invest almost £10m in Northern Ireland’s food processing and packaging sectors have been announced.

News in brief

San Miguel to buy Australasian packaging company

San Miguel Corp is poised to acquire a majority stake in Australasian packaging company Cospak Group as part of its expansion strategy in the region.

Coca-Cola adds stevia to Fanta Still in France

Coca-Cola France has reformulated Fanta Still with stevia only three months after the French government approved a form of the natural sweetener.

Diageo workers end dispute over plant closures

Diageo workers have ended their campaign against the brewer following months of negotiations that were kicked off in the summer by news of major plant closures.

Lactic acid improves stevia flavor, says Purac

Purac has become the latest company to release a natural flavor masker to help drinks makers deal with the reported bitter or licorice-like aftertaste sometimes experienced with stevia sweeteners.

EU clears Amcor takeover of Alcan

Amcor’s takeover of Alcan has been cleared by the European Commission after the Australian company agreed to sell off two pharmaceutical and food packaging plants in Spain.

Coffee, tea may slash diabetes risk: Meta-analysis

Drinking three to four coffee and tea may reduce the risk of developing diabetes by 25 per cent, says a new review and meta-analysis of the data to date.

Study says alcoholic energy drinks pose 'serious risks'

A new study in Behavioral Neuroscience has warned that there are “serious risks” associated with mixing caffeine and alcohol.

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Bisphenol A becomes test of leadership for FDA

Each day the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) dithers in delivering its verdict on the safety of bisphenol A (BPA), its authority is diminished and its credibility wanes.

Coffee may boost prostate health: Study

Increased intake of coffee may reduce the risk of lethal and advanced prostate cancers by 60 per cent, according to new findings from the US.

News in brief

Gatorade drops Tiger Woods sports drink

PepsiCo brand Gatorade plans to drop its Tiger Woods-endorsed sports drink but says allegations about extramarital affairs were not to blame.

Private label beer advances share as volumes retreat

Private label beers have traditionally struggled to compete with big branded rivals in Western Europe but new Canadean research suggests the recession has given them a larger slice of the market.

PepsiCo opens nutrition driven research lab

PepsiCo is opening a new research laboratory in New Haven to help “fundamentally improve” the nutritional portfolio of its products.

Naya launches world-first 100 per cent rPET bottle

Naya Spring Water said it is the first bottled water company to use 100 per cent recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) in its containers, as it prepares to roll out the product in the United States.

Asian appeal still strong as sterol juice launches in region

The penetration of Asian markets by functional ingredients manufacturers continues apace with the launch of a juice containing cholesterol lowering plant sterols and stanols in the Philippines.

Heineken resolves Indian brewing conflict

Heineken has consolidated its investments in Asia to grow the Heineken brand in India and resolve a conflict that emerged from the Scottish & Newcastle (S&N) takeover last year.

News in brief

Can makers hit back at ring pull safety study

The Can Manufacturers Institute says it is mystified by a recent study that questioned the safety of stay tabs on drink cans.

Special edition: Cranberries

Science: The pick of cranberry’s health benefits

In the third part of our special series on cranberries, NutraIngredients looks at the science behind the reported health benefits of the little red berry.

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Counting the human cost of recession

Return to profitability. It’s a phrase that businesses have been yearning for, but as more of them are starting to use it, it’s time to ask: At what cost?

Brewers attack new EU alcohol strategy

EU health ministers have agreed to Swedish recommendations that member states should consider price increases and advertising bans to combat alcohol-related harm.

Krones launches compact brewhouse

Krones subsidiary Steinecker has developed a new compact brewhouse that claims to offer brewers flexibility at a comparatively low investment level.

Unilever recalls 10m tainted slimming drinks

Unilever has recalled an estimated 10 million cans of its Slim-Fast ready-to-drink (RTD) products in North America on fears they could be infected with a bug that causes diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting.

Special edition: Cranberries

Supply: Cranberries, from bog to cereal bar

In the second part of our special on cranberries, NutraIngredients looks at the supply for the berry, and asks ‘what issues are bogging down cranberry supply?’

Eyeing European sucralose success

Head of JK Sucralose in Europe Leo Hokke talks to FoodNavigator.com about growth of the European sucralose market and why he thinks it is more appealing than other sweeteners for consumers and manufacturers.

Special Edition: Cranberries

Markets: cranberry goes mainstream

In the first of a four part special edition focused on cranberries, NutraIngredients looks at the market for the berry, with its entrance into the indulgence sectors an indication perhaps that health positioning is no longer the sole driving force behind the superfruit's continued success.

Asahi reveals plan to join top food ranks

Japanese brewery Asahi has unveiled ambitious long-term growth plans that include the possibility of major acquisitions.

Big three drink carton firms improve traceability

Tetra Pak, Elopak, and SIG Combibloc increased sharply their purchase of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified or controlled wood fibres last year, according to a new report.

News in brief

Taiyo offers water-soluble CoQ10

Sunactive Q10, a water-soluble ingredient with ten-percent coenzymeQ10 content is the latest innovation from functional ingredients manufacturer, Taiyo Europe.

News in brief

Scottish firm launches beer with Scotch like alcohol content

A Scottish brewery has launched a 32 per cent alcohol beer called Tactical Nuclear Penguin, which is being described as the strongest beer in the world.

Inulin-rich chicory extract passes tolerance test

An inulin-rich extract that also contains polyphenols and other bioactive compound is very well tolerated, says a new study from France that builds the science behind an emerging product.

Regular cola drinking linked to diabetes in pregnancy, says study

New research suggests that women who drink sugary cola drinks regularly could be at higher risk of developing diabetes during pregnancy.