A new study in Australia has suggested that people on a long term high-fat diet will find it hard to lose and then maintain their weight as nerves that tell the brain that the stomach is full could be permanently damaged.
A new study in New Zealand has revealed that up to a quarter of Kiwis aged 21 to 30 have a subclinical alcohol problem, which affects their daily life to some extent.
One of Australia’s premier health advocacy groups has said the country’s current labelling regulations for caffeinated energy drinks are unclear about possible health issues.
Australia’s peak body for beverage manufacturers has come out strongly against media claims that the country’s teenagers may be at risk with over consumption of caffeinated energy drinks.
New Zealand research organisation AgResearch has moved to distance itself from Fonterra's decision to recall three batches of whey protein concentrate (WPC), rubbishing claims that it "confirmed the presence" of Clostridium botulinum in...
Food companies that only use certified sustainable palm oil have been accused of “certifying destruction”, according to a Greenpeace report released to coincide with the first European Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) summit in Berlin this week.
Australia’s Federal Department of Health has released a new discussion paper aimed at the regulation and availability of caffeinated energy drinks in Australia and New Zealand.
By Dave McLaughlin, vice-president of agriculture, WWF US
Currently, RSPO certified palm oil represents 15% of global production, and many of the global brands have made commitments to source 100% certified palm oil by 2015.
Australia’s ruling party has committed to ending the long-drawn-out tussle between the country’s supermarkets and its food processors and suppliers to fix a voluntary code of conduct.
Indian snack company Britannia Industries has lost a trademark battle for its Snax brand despite winning in a similar case against PepsiCo back in 2009.
Australian research into the way the gut reacts to sweet food could have significant implications for a range of health and nutrition conditions experienced by diabetes patients.
China's Ministry of Commerce will launch an investigation into Indian imports of tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), a preservative that is widely used in the food industry.
A move by Chinese authorities to begin a pilot scheme that will eventually require all baby formula sold in the country to be distributed by pharmacies or equivalent stores has been criticised for not addressing the real problem of safety.
Greenpeace has launched a spoof website attacking Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) for opposing a national container deposit scheme in Australia and alleging the firm is doing all it can ‘to block it forever’.
A broad new study has found that that mums with unhealthy diets of cereals and sweet drinks during pregnancy are more likely to have children with behavioural problems.
By Katherine Rich, CEO of the NZ Food & Grocery Council
Julian Baggini is one of my favourite thinkers, and his entertaining and thought-provoking book, Do They Think You Are Stupid: 100 Ways Of Spotting Spin And Nonsense From The Media, Pundits And Politicians, is an excellent resource for anyone in the food...
The New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is considering the provisional implementation of stricter food safety measures in the dairy industry following a recent spate of high-profile product contamination cases.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed new standards for infant nutrition, substitute foods, fortified atta (flour) and ingredients as part of a wide overhaul of its standards.
New Zealand’s main opposition party has called for a standalone food safety agency in the wake of international bans on New Zealand dairy produce due to recent contamination scares.
The Australian infant nutrition sector has modified its marketing practices to minimize the sales and profit impact of the World Health Organisation (WHO) International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, an Australian advertising study has...
China has issued fines totalling RMB 669m ($110m, €82m) to six companies, including Mead Johnson Nutrition, Danone Dumex, and Fonterra, following an investigation into price fixing and suspected anti-monopoly law violations by infant formula manufacturers...
New figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics make for surprising reading, showing that the majority of Australians lack awareness of food-related conditions, even when they suffer from them.
As companies jostle for rights to own fast-food franchises in China, is the real quick service restaurant picture really as rosy as it looks on the surface?
The Rainforest Action Network (RAN) has accused Cargill of using child labour in its palm oil supply chain – and Cargill says it has registered its concern with supplier KLK.
Australian researchers have pioneered a means to grow large quantities of tiny marine microbes that will help preserve wild fish stocks and make prawn farming more profitable and environmentally sustainable.
By Darrel Webber, secretary general of Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil
Increasing global consumption of palm oil poses serious sustainability challenges and raises questions about leading consumer nations’ responsibility in managing the footprint of its global supply chain.
New rules released under the Food Safety Modernization Act will push more responsibility onto food importers and third party inspectors in an effort to prevent food borne illnesses at their source overseas rather than to try to catch them when they land...
Private dairy companies must develop a fair and consistent strategy for procuring milk from farmers, Sharad Pawar, India’s powerful minister for agriculture and food processing, has warned.
There are no clear plans yet to lift Japan's ban on US western white wheat, a Japanese government official says following a meeting between its ministry and the USDA last week.
By Katherine Rich, chief executive of the NZ Food & Grocery Council
The level of obesity among New Zealanders, and children in particular, is a major concern, with 28% of adults and one in 10 children aged between two and 14 classed as obese. What’s more, the figures are even higher when broken down by ethnicity.
A technical expert committee set up by India’s Supreme Court, has this week recommended an indefinite moratorium on the field trials of genetically modified crops until the government tables suitable mechanisms for regulation and safety.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has released a consultation paper about the qualifying criteria for dietary fibre nutrition content claims.
A PhD candidate at the National University of Singapore has devised a way to purify water using the peels of apples and tomatoes. This is the first time that the peels of the two fruits have been used to remove different types of pollutants in water.
Fonterra has slashed the cost of its Anmum maternal health products in China by 9%, making it the latest company to reduce its prices following the launch of a government investigation into suspected anti-trust law violations.
Seven Australian suppliers of bottled water will remove “organic” claims from their labelling and marketing material after they reached an agreement with the country’s consumer watchdog. An eighth supplier has withdrawn its product from sale.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that the adoption of plain and highly graphic packaging last year by the Australian tobacco industry has led to a marked reduction in smoking, albeit in a very short time. And when you see some of the frightening images on...
The statutory agency for Australia and New Zealand has invited submissions on an application to change the countries’ Food Standards Code to allow food derived from a genetically modified soybean. The closing date for submissions is August 23.
Kellogg says it takes palm oil sourcing extremely seriously and is defending its joint venture with Wilmar International after accusations that the Asian agri giant is involved in illegal palm oil activities.
Kellogg has pulled LCMs and Coco Pops television adverts in Australia after the Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) upheld a complaint from the Obesity Policy Coalition (OPC) that the marketing irresponsibly promoted high sugar products to children.
Only six months ago, Thai policymakers remained unruffled by their controversial populist policy, which had at the time just marked its first anniversary.
Chinese authorities have opened an investigation into international packaging giant Tetra Pak over suspicions that it had abused its dominant market role in the country. This makes Tetra Pak the latest multinational company to be targeted by regulators.
In a massive recruitment drive ahead of the enactment of the Food Security Law, the Food Corporation of India is in the process of appointing more than 11,000 new staff, including hundreds in managerial positions.
