AFRICA'S NO.1 FOOD, BEVERAGE & MILLING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE

New law seeking to regulate toxic metals in baby food tabled in US parliament

Mar 30, 2021Mar 30, 2021 Editor

US – A new law seeking to establish new maximum levels of toxic metals baby food has been tabled by legislators in the US Parliament in an effort to protect the health of the country’s youngest population. Formally introduced as The Baby Food Safety Act of 2021, the bill particularly aims to regulate the levels of inorganic arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury found in baby food and cereal products. All of these heavy metals have been linked to cancer, chronic disease and neurotoxic effects, but it’s the damage that can…

Hero Group purchases Baby Gourmet to expand footprint in US baby foods market

Jan 21, 2021Jan 21, 2021 Editor

SWITZERLAND – Swiss international consumer food manufacturer, the Hero Group has acquired Baby Gourmet, a Canadian organic meal and snack brand for babies and toddlers, for a undisclosed sum. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Baby Gourmet offers a range of meals and snacks, including cereals and purée pouches. In 2014, the company launched organic children’s snack brand, Slammers Snacks nationally in the US. Slammers Snacks will now be part of Baby Gourmet. Following the acquisition, Baby Gourmet and the Hero Group – which also owns US baby food brand Beech-Nut –…

DuPont partners with APC Microbiome on US$7m infant health research project

Mar 13, 2020Mar 13, 2020 Editor

USA – DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences has joined forces with APC Microbiome Ireland SFI Research Center (APC), a pioneer in the field of microbiome science, to launch a four-year joint research project that aims to develop microbiome-based solutions for infants. The new research project, dubbed the ‘Missing Microbes in Infants born by C-section’ (MiMIC) project, will be jointly funded by DuPont and Science Foundation Ireland’s Spokes program to the tune of €6.3 million (US$7.04 million). This is the second collaboration between DuPont and APC. The two partners will focus on…

Happy Family unveils first Organic Whole Milk Yogurt with no added sweeteners

Jan 31, 2018Feb 2, 2018 Editor

USA – Happy family, the Danone owned brand for organic baby food, has taken a focus on children’s health by unveiling a new line for organic whole milk yogurt meant for babies and toddlers. The new yogurt products that aim at promoting the well-being of children aged 6 months and 3 years will not have added artificial sweeteners, to boost their nutritional requirements. The product will be available in two varieties: Happy Baby and Happy Tot Whole Milk products. The company has combined a wide variety ingredient to make a…

EU fails to ban bisphenol A, lowers limits on food packaging

Jan 23, 2018Jan 23, 2018 Editor

EU – A draft European Commission regulation that lowers the amount of bisphenol A (BPA) allowed to migrate into or onto food from packaging materials is expected to be finalized in the coming months. Members of the European Parliament’s Environment, Public Health, & Food Safety Committee voted on Jan. 11 to reject a proposal to ban BPA in food packaging. The committee instead endorsed the Commission’s proposal to lower the migration limit from 0.6 mg of BPA per kg of food to 0.05 mg/kg. BPA is used to manufacture polycarbonate plastic and…

French Salmonella baby milk scandal ‘affects 83 countries’

Jan 15, 2018Jan 16, 2018 Editor

FRANCE – More than 12 million boxes of powdered baby milk have now been recalled in 83 countries in a salmonella scandal involving French company Lactalis. The dairy firm’s CEO, Emmanuel Besnier, confirmed the extent of the contamination risk to French media. The products have been subject to a recall since December, after salmonella bacteria was discovered at a factory. Lawsuits have been filed by parents who say their children became unwell after drinking the formula. A spokesman told the BBC that all the countries affected had been informed, in…

Lactalis baby milk in global recall over Salmonella fears

Dec 12, 2017Dec 12, 2017 Editor

FRANCE – French baby milk formula maker Lactalis has ordered a global product recall over fears of salmonella contamination. Health authorities in France said 26 infants in the country have become sick since early December. The recall affects products and exports to countries including Britain, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sudan. It covers hundreds of baby milk powder products marketed globally under the Milumel, Picot and Celi brands. Lactalis is one of the world’s biggest dairy producers. Company spokesman Michel Nalet told AFP “nearly 7,000 tonnes” of production may have been…

Demand for infant formula ingredient continues to grow – Advanced Lipids

Dec 4, 2017Dec 4, 2017 Editor

CHINA – The demand for infant formula containing SN-2 palmitate – an ingredient that mimics the fatty acid profile in human milk – has soared over the past decade and will continue to grow, according to Advanced Lipids. Advanced Lipids is a joint venture established by Enzymotec, a leading biotech company specializing in lipid-based bio-functional ingredients, and AAK, a global producer and supplier of speciality vegetable fats and oils for the infant formula industry. Advanced Lipids markets and sells INFAT, a SN-2 palmitate fat ingredient that allows formula manufacturers to…

Chinese company invests in Canada infant nutrition plant

Dec 1, 2017Dec 4, 2017 Editor

CANADA – The government of Ontario has invested US$18.7 million in support of the subsidiary of Feihe International to build a baby formula facility in the Canadian province. Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne met with Feihe International in Beijing to discuss the company’s plans to build its first baby formula production facility outside of China. According to FoodBev, Canada Royal Milk will also benefit from the funds, allowing it to create the first baby formula plant in the city of Kingston and creating 277 jobs. “We’re excited to welcome Feihe International…

Danone reports a 16.6% increase in sales, driven by China

Oct 19, 2017Oct 19, 2017 Editor

FRANCE – Danone dairy company has reported a 16.6% increase in sales in the company’s Q3 2017 results, which brought the value to US$7.52, due to the strong performance recorded in infant formula sales in China. The strong performance was reflected in the company sales, as it recorded an increased 17.8% in the three months to September, according to the group third quarter sales report. It also showed progress in Danone’s strategic priorities, which had included expansion of tailored nutrition products, which grew at mid-teen percentage in the three month…