MAPUTO Thursday, September 02, 2010 (IRIN) - A volley of price increases in basic commodities and services has sparked two days of rioting and looting in the Mozambican capital, Maputo, but the government is refusing to rescind them.

The Nielsen Company gauged the world's view of healthy eating, organics and other related issues earlier this year as part of a global online survey, polling more than 27,000 consumers in 55 markets from Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East/Africa, North America and Latin America.The views were diverse, but at the very least, most people want to do right when it comes to the foods they consume. Financial concerns (33%) proved to be a major (though not the primary) obstacle to healthy eating around...

‘Counterfeit' pine nuts may be the reason why consumers have been experiencing ‘pine mouth’, according to a statement made by the Danish food authority Fødevarestyrelsen.

Cargill, Südzucker and Tate Lyle are ranked as the three leading global food ingredient companies, according to a listing based on annual turnover.

Norwegian food retailers discard over 50,000 tonnes of food annually – much of it of perfectly good quality. New technology the TimeTemp company in cooperation with Norwegian research institutions could substantially reduce this wastefulness. TimeTemp has developed a new method of more precisely measuring the freshness of food items: a shelf-life indicator attached directly to the product. In addition to time, the company’s device also factors in the temperatures to which the item has been e...

African bioenergy projects must focus on new technologies and receive stronger political support, says biofuel expert Emile van Zyl.

JOHANNESBURG Thursday, September 02, 2010 (IRIN) - A surplus production of maize, Malawi's staple food, will not prevent at least one million people from being food insecure, a forecast that has not pleased President Bingu wa Mutharika.

In Kenya, Mumias Sugar Co. has secured a $20 million loan for its 5.8 million gallon ethanol plant project that is slated for construction later next year. The complete project is likely to cost around $50 million and will produce ethanol from molasses. Kenya is set to begin blending ethanol into gasoline on a trial basis beginning in September, but the start date has been delayed several times. More on the story.

Milk’s Nutrients Trump its Impact on Climate 2 days ago 0 Comments Posted in News, Science Research, Dairy, Beverages, Milk, Nutrition, Healthy, Healthy Foods, Beer,...

The Coca-Cola Company has entered Zimbabwe's energy drinks market in a demonstration of renewed interest in the country, despite its economic crisis.Coca-Cola launched its Burn energy drink in Zimbabwe towards the end of July through its partnership between Coca-Cola East and Central Africa, and Zimbabwean beverages group Delta Beverages. Delta Beverages, an associate of South Africa's SABMiller, already distributes carbonated soft drinks under licence from Coca-Cola. Delta's regional manager...

Russia has banned exports of wheat, corn, barley, rye and flour from 15 Aug through to the end of the year, according to reports.This sends US wheat futures prices up the daily limit, prompting one analyst to predict that higher feedgrain costs could curb US chicken and pork expansion in the second half of 2010. Drought in Russia is expected to cut its wheat crop by as much as 25%. Russia is the fourth-largest exporter of wheat globally. Even before the ban announcement, poor weather in Easter...

The US Can Manufacturers Institute is inviting the world to celebrate the two hundredth birthday of the food can on August 25 2010.

Image Credit: New Belgium Brewery This week, Greenopia released its updated green rankings of the world's 15 largest breweries. Judged on the growing practices of the barley, malt and hops it uses, transportation, production efficiency and packaging of its beer, New Belgium came out on top, with a perfect four out of four leaves. The company considers sustainability a Read the full story on TreeHugger

Christi Zaleski writing in Worldchanging:In 2007, a group of oyster harvesters organized themselves into a producer association called TRY Women's Oyster Harvesting Association. The founding members decided to call the organization TRY because it was an effort to do just that-try to improve the situation for oyster harvesters without much certainty that their work would pay off. After some initial success raising funds to buy boats, membership in TRY grew rapidly from 14 women in just one villag...

New York restaurant Diablo Royale Este serves a dessert called The Hopsicle Experience. It’s a frozen can of beer on a stick! Now, the thing about the hopsicle is that it looks like your standard can of Tecate: Red. Cylindrical. Icy cold. Except the barman-witchdoctors at Diablo have taken the “icy” bit quite literally, injecting the beer with simple syrup and lime juice, jamming a wooden stick into the hole of the can and then putting it in the freezer. For four days. The result is a genu...

Yes, there are some countries in which the consumption of beer, along with other alcoholic beverages, is prohibited. Meanwhile, the rest of the world is brewing, selling, and imbibing the ancient drink. Mesopotamia: Beer dates back to at least 4,000 BC. The earliest Sumerian writings mention it. The earliest recorded recipe for brewing beer found so far is from the ancient Babylonians. It is thought that the drink arose independently in several locations during the switch from hunting and gather...

Kwara State government has launched a Dairy Development Programme (DDP) at Shonga Dairies to harness local sourcing of milk and make the product accessible to the people.The programme is in collaboration with FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria, makers of Peak, Three Crowns and Friso brands of milk. The State Government had in June signed a memorandum of understanding with FrieslandCampina Wamco and Shonga Dairies to commence the development programme. Under the programme, the Shonga Dairies is expe...

DIFFA Thursday, August 26, 2010 (IRIN) - The population of Niger, one of the poorest countries in the world, is growing at an unsustainable rate, according to the authorities and civil society groups. If current growth rates of 3.3 percent per year remain unchanged, by 2050 Niger’s population will have reached 50 million. The current population is 15.2 million - and even at this level there is widespread malnourishment.

DAKAR Friday, August 27, 2010 (IRIN) - Flooding across Chad has destroyed homes, crops, livestock, wells and latrines in communities already pummelled by food shortages and high malnutrition, according to the UN.

DAKAR Tuesday, August 31, 2010 (IRIN) - The West African Sahel is facing one of the worst food and nutrition crises in recent years.