Food/Beverage
Taking Manufacturing To School
April 21, 2013 8:36 pm | by Lindsey Jahn, Associated Editor, Food Manufacturing | Blogs | CommentsAn AMP Steering Committee was appointed, and in July 2012, the Committee issued a report with 16 recommendations to help AMP attain its mission. The report included five “workstreams,” or focus areas, each of which the Committee assessed and then made recommendations for improvement.
Natura Expands Pet Food Recall
April 21, 2013 8:31 pm | News | CommentsThe company, a unit of Procter & Gamble Co., first announced a voluntary recall in March of its dog, cat and ferret foods because they may be contaminated with salmonella bacteria. The company's recall now includes all dry pet food products and treats with expiration dates prior to and including March 24, 2014.
Beer Makers, DOJ Reach Deal
April 19, 2013 12:03 pm | by Sarah Skidmore, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsAnheuser-Busch InBev reached a final agreement with the Department of Justice, settling a dispute over its $20.1 billion acquisition of the Mexican brewer, Grupo Modelo. The world's largest brewer has been trying since June to buy the half of Grupo Modelo that it doesn't already own.
Nestle 'On Track' Despite Fragile Global Economy
April 18, 2013 8:12 am | News | CommentsSwiss food and drinks giant Nestle SA notched a gain of 2.3 percent in first-quarter sales and confirmed Thursday it was on track for another year of steady growth, despite economic problems in a number of its key markets in the developed world.
Budweiser Introducing Bowtie-Shaped Can
April 17, 2013 11:56 am | News | CommentsAnheuser-Busch is introducing a new, bowtie-shaped beer can that mirrors its iconic Budweiser logo. The St. Louis-based subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev NV said Wednesday that the new cans will be available in a special 8-pack nationwide beginning May 6. The can has been in development since 2010.
Brazilian Meat Packers Face Fines
April 16, 2013 9:59 pm | News | CommentsThe federal prosecutors' office says in a statement that prosecutors in the Amazon jungle states of Amazonas, Mato Grosso and Rondoni, want the companies to pay $278.5 million for producing beef products from cattle raised in environmentally sensitive regions, on indigenous reservations and at farms that have been blacklisted for using slave-like labor.
Q&A: Safety On Ice
April 16, 2013 9:22 pm | by Lindsey Jahn, Associated Editor, Food Manufacturing | Articles | CommentsAmmonia refrigeration leaks pose both safety and economic risks to food companies, but many are unaware of these hazards. Attorney J. Tom Boer spoke with Food Manufacturing about ammonia refrigeration regulations and how manufacturers can ensure their system’s safety.
EU: Tests Show No Safety Issues With Horsemeat
April 16, 2013 11:05 am | News | CommentsThe tests also showed the veterinary anti-inflammatory drug phenylbutazone, or bute, was present about .50 percent of the horse meat. Bute is banned for human use because in rare cases it causes severe side effects, but veterinary experts say there is little risk from consuming small amounts of the drug in horse meat.
Coca-Cola's Profit Comes In Above Expectations
April 16, 2013 8:38 am | by Candice Choi, AP Food Industry Writer | News | CommentsCoca-Cola Co.'s first-quarter results came in above expectations as the world's biggest beverage maker saw global sales volume grow. The Atlanta-based company says it earned $1.75 billion, or 39 cents per share, for the period ended March 29. That's down from $2.1 billion, or 45 cents per share, a year earlier.
Dutch Company Linked To Horse Meat Fraud Bankrupt
April 16, 2013 7:45 am | News | CommentsA meat processing plant and wholesaler suspected of mixing undeclared horse meat with beef has been declared bankrupt. A court in the eastern Dutch city of Den Bosch court declared the Willy Selten meat works bankrupt Tuesday. The company is at the center of a huge recall announced last week of suspect beef across the European Union.
Louisiana Company Recalls 468K Pounds Of Meat
April 15, 2013 2:38 pm | News | CommentsThe Manda Packing Company recall announced this past week now includes 468,000 pounds of roast beef, ham, turkey breast, tasso pork, ham shanks, hog headcheese, corned beef, and pastrami. The agriculture department said Friday the products were recalled because of possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
'Kool-Aid Man' Gets A New Look
April 15, 2013 2:30 pm | by Candice Choi, AP Food Industry Writer | News | CommentsThe Kool-Aid Man, known for busting through walls and his "Oh yeah!" tagline, will now be computer-generated and take on the personality of a celebrity trying to show he's just a normal guy. In past ads, the character was played by an actor in foam costume and had little to say or do besides crashing through a wall with a big, smiley face.
American Crystal Sugar Workers Approve Contract
April 15, 2013 7:49 am | News | CommentsLeaders of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International union said in a news release that the workers voted 55 percent to accept company management's contract offer. It was the workers' fifth time voting on the contract.
DEMB Agrees To $9.8B Buyout
April 12, 2013 7:51 am | News | CommentsThe management of Dutch coffee maker D.E. Master Blenders 1753 NV says it has agreed to a 7.5 billion euro ($9.8 billion) buyout offer from a group led by private German investment company Joh. A. Benckiser GmbH. Master Blenders was spun off from Sara Lee in June.
Heinz Taps Burger King CEO As New Owners Take Over
April 11, 2013 2:06 pm | by Candice Choi, AP Food Industry Writer | News | CommentsHeinz is bringing in Burger King CEO Bernardo Hees as its next top executive, signaling what may be the first of many changes planned by the ketchup maker's new owners. The company had announced in February that it was being acquired and taken private by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital.
Monsanto, Dow Cross-License Biotech Corn Traits
April 11, 2013 2:01 pm | News | CommentsUnder the agreement, Monsanto will license Dow's new Enlist weed control technology, which allows corn to tolerate weed-killing chemicals. Dow will license the upcoming version of Monsanto's Corn Rootworm technology, which kills tiny insects that feed on corn roots. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Suspected Red Bull Blackmailer Arrested In Austria
April 11, 2013 12:18 pm | News | CommentsPolice officials cited at a Salzburg news conference by the Austria Press Agency say the unidentified 47-year-old suspect was arrested Wednesday after he showed up for a payoff in the Lower Austrian town of Moedling. Thursday's report didn't say how much the suspected blackmailer was demanding or give other details.
Secrets From The Potato Chip Factory
April 10, 2013 12:31 pm | Videos | CommentsNPR has recently released this pretty compelling video from the plant floor of Herr's, which makes potato chips on a massive scale today. While the plant, based in Nottingham, Pa., used to process just a few potatoes per hour, and most of the labor was manual. Today, they churn through a few tons of spuds an hour.
Judge: University Must Shield 'Pink Slime' Data
April 10, 2013 11:15 am | by Ryan J. Foley, Associated Press | News | CommentsA judge has blocked Iowa State University from releasing documents about food safety research conducted for the maker of the beef product that critics call "pink slime." District Judge Dale Ruigh ruled last month that releasing the information would cause "irreparable harm" to Sioux Falls, SD-based Beef Products, Inc.
Chinese Demand For Baby Milk Causes 'Ration' In UK
April 10, 2013 10:57 am | by Sylvia Hui, Associated Press | News | CommentsLeading supermarket chains Tesco and Sainsbury's say they have started advising customers to buy no more than two tins of milk powder in each transaction. The British Retail Consortium said Wednesday other retailers are imposing similar limits to ensure there is enough stock for everyone wanting baby milk.
Dutch Recall 50,000 Tons Of Meat Across Europe
April 10, 2013 10:24 am | by Mike Corder, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority said Wednesday around 370 different companies around Europe and 130 more in the Netherlands are affected by the recall because they bought meat from two Dutch trading companies. The authority says that because the exact source of the meat cannot be traced, "its safety cannot be guaranteed."
Court Approves Sale Of Last Of Core Hostess Assets
April 10, 2013 8:14 am | News | CommentsHostess Brands Inc. won approval Tuesday to sell off the last of its major cake and bread brands, bringing the total proceeds from its liquidation to about $860 million. A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge in New York approved the two deals, said Hostess spokeswoman Anita-Marie Laurie.
Pomegranate Juice Adulteration: Grape Expectations
April 8, 2013 3:38 pm | by Dr. Robert J. Packer, PerkinElmer Inc. | Articles | CommentsIf pure pomegranate juice is being purchased, both consumers and processors must ask themselves the question, what if lower cost juices are added and they are not mentioned on the label? The appeal to the growers or distributors is obvious; they can charge $30-60 for a gallon of juice that is only worth $10-20.
Minn. Officials Help Brew Up Craft Beer Growth
April 8, 2013 2:05 pm | by Kyle Potter, Associated Press | News | CommentsFulton Beer expects to pump out 7,000 barrels — that's about 1.7 million pints — of beer this year, more than double their production in 2012. They'll have to cram in two more brewing tanks to meet demand for their brews, like the Guns N' Roses-inspired India Pale Ale called Sweet Child of Vine.
Pork Found In Ikea's Moose Lasagna
April 8, 2013 10:26 am | News | CommentsIkea says it has withdrawn 17,000 portions of moose lasagna from its home furnishings stores in Europe after traces of pork were found in a batch tested in Belgium. Ikea spokeswoman Tina Kardum said the product had only been on sale for a month when it was pulled off the shelves on March 22.
