At 3.15 million tonnes world tea production in 2003 beat 2002
supplies but prices remained firm reflecting season variability,
reports the UN food and farm body, adding that China has pushed up
green tea supplies.
While green tea has been getting its name around the block, red tea
has taken a little longer to become a household name, but its sales
are said to be soaring on the back of its purported health
benefits.
The last two years have seen a significant increase in businesses
using fair trade coffee, but Philippa Nuttall asks whether
the US is really serious about ethical food ingredients.
Food makers alert to the levels of a potentially carcinogenic mould
commonly found on crops as scientists back an extension barrier
levels for ochratoxin A to grape juice, coffee and wine.
After rejecting an $800 million offer for its juice business from
Northland Cranberries early last year, US co-operative Ocean Spray
has decided the time is right to enter into an agreement with its
rival.
Japanese functional food ingredients firm Taiyo Kagaku is set to
increase its share of global green tea sales with the recent
acquisition of Chinese green tea extract manufacturer Wuxi Green
Power Bio-Product.
The South Korean market is proving to be dynamic for coffee
exporters, as the population continues to embrace the fashion and
trends prevalent in the western lifestyle, reports the German
Coffee Assocation, Deutscher Kaffeeverband....
Green tea extract is being tested by UCLA cancer researchers to see
if combined with a molecularly targeted therapy, it will prevent
the recurrence of bladder cancer in former smokers.
Cheaper processing methods could be on the way for makers of
decaffeinated coffee as scientists in Brazil identify naturally
growing caffeine-free coffee plants. As the global coffee market
remains dogged by rock bottom prices through...
German group JJ Darboven has designed a new steel coffee can for
its Warca brand. The product is the result of a joint partnership
between JJ Darboven, French canmaker Corepe and French designer
Design Développement. The can has a...
Numerous studies of the properties of green tea have shown that the
beverage can stimulate the human immune system to fight against a
variety of diseases, but new research presented this week suggests
that its cousin, white tea, may...
Green tea may help to lower the prevalence of oesophageal
adenocarcinoma, one of the fastest growing cancers in western
countries, said researchers speaking at a meeting on digestive
disease in the US last week.
The British are the biggest consumers of instant coffee in Europe,
driven by the desire for speed and convenience. But new research
from Mintel shows that many of the new instant coffee products
launched over the last year were not...
People who shift their caffeine 'buzz' from a morning dose to small
amounts consumed throughout the day could avoid falling asleep, may
perform well on cognitive tests, and sleep soundly at night.
Roasted ground coffee is still by far the biggest category in the
German coffee market, but sales dropped by 2 per cent last year as
consumers switched to more exciting variants such as Cappuccino and
Espresso, writes Chris Jones.
Coffee contains similar levels of antioxidants to black tea and can
be just as beneficial to health, according to Scottish scientists
that have found coffee's antioxidants are highly absorbable by the
human body.
The main active agent in green tea, EGCG, prevents the first step
in HIV infection and could one day be used as a new anti-HIV drug,
suggests a new study this week. Japanese researchers report that
the extract, already believed to...
A hot cup of cocoa - that stalwart of cold winter nights and an all
time favourite for children - could actually boast more
antioxidants than green tea and red wine, say researchers in the
US.
Experts attending this week's meeting on cancer prevention heard a
number of studies to back green tea's powerful anti-cancer effects
in humans. The tea's active agent, Epigallocatecin-3-gallate, is
already thought...
Coffee imports to Europe were 30 per cent cheaper last year than in
1998, according to recently published figures from the
International Coffee Organisation (ICO).
One more study added to the growing stock of evidence suggesting
tea is beneficial for our health with scientists in the US finding
tea could lower blood cholesterol.
Kliklok Woodman has supplied a machine to carton a special pack of
two Irish coffees in shaped glasses for St Brendans in Londonderry,
part of the Kerry Foods Group.
Health, convenience, and lifestyle are the main factors driving
growth in the food industry and things are no different in the
beverage sector as the Anuga drinks trade fair is set to
demonstrate next month.
The ICO has launched The State of Sustainable Coffee - Study of
12 major markets. The document is an important development in
understanding the interests of coffee growers, producers and
manufacturers.
Honduran coffee farmers, who have an overall debt of $60 million,
will be able to apply for soft loans from the government this
October through a newly launched coffee trust fund.
So can coffee be good for you? Recently published research
indicates that the beverage can protect against liver cirrhosis, a
life threatening illness associated with excessive alcohol
consumption.
The active ingredient in green tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate
(EGCG), has been found to block the growth of bladder tumours in
rats, suggesting the chemical could be used to prevent bladder
cancer.
Danish ingredients giant Danisco has launched two new flavour
concepts for the Specialty Coffee Association of America's (SCAA)
annual conference in April this year.
Nestlé is investing $120 million (€120.8m) in the Russian coffee
industry. The firm is planning to build a full-cycle factory in the
Krasnodar region to produce its Nescafe brand coffee.
Speciality products such as cappucino have boosted sales of instant
coffee in Germany, according to the latest figures. Young people
seeking alternatives to sugary soft drinks are the main consumers.
The average price of leaf grade Assam tea fell by 10 per cent to
64.20 rupees (€1.17) per kg at the Calcutta auction last week. A
few months ago, the tea was selling for anything up to €1.82 per
kg.
Tetra Pak has launched its Centri AirTight concept - already a
proven technology for the dairy beverage sector - for the
ready-to-drink tea market in Asia.
Recent research suggests that coffee may be beneficial for heart
health. Now, a team of Swiss scientists say that it is ingredients
other than caffeine which are responsible for the stimulating
effects of the beverage on the cardiovascular...
People who drink coffee regularly are half as likely to develop
diabetes as adults, finds new research published in the latest
issue of British journal The Lancet. The controversial study
shows that caffeine, which actually reduces...
