News on Food Trends from Europe

Colorado potato beetles are a dreaded pest of potatoes all over the world. Now, scientists from the Max Planck Institutes of Molecular Plant Physiology in Potsdam-Golm and Chemical Ecology in Jena have shown that potato plants can be protected from herbivory using RNA interference (RNAi).

Supplier of food packaging and processing solutions tna has announced the acquisition of leading food processing specialist Florigo International B.V., adding Florigo’s range of continuous snack and french fry lines to tna's equipment line-up.

The FAO Food Price Index averaged 179. 4 points in February 2015, down 1.8 points (1.0 percent) from its January value and 29 points (14.0 percent) below its level in February 2014. The index has been on a declining path since April 2014 and has now reached its lowest value since July 2010.

A new WHO guideline recommends adults and children reduce their daily intake of free sugars to less than 10% of their total energy intake. A further reduction to below 5% or roughly 25 grams (6 teaspoons) per day would provide additional health benefits.

A visit to TOMRA Sorting’s booth at Anuga FoodTec could pay dividends for food processors looking to drive up efficiency and production on their lines.

The UK food industry has seen a surge in the sales of organic foods according to an annual report by the Soil Association.

The distribution agreement between AVEBE and Ingredion will be terminated as of March 31 2015 for North America and Japan.

Building on the growing success of its collaboration over the past two years, Potato Council and Horticultural Development Company (HDC) brought the largest collaborative UK stand yet to this year’s Fruit Logistica event in Berlin.

Insort GmbH is one of the winners of the International FoodTec Awards in the category GOLD. Insort received the award for its Sherlock Food Analyser (Sherlock Analyst).

Fruit Logistica 2015 attracted a record number of 65.000 trade visitors, up from 62.000 in 2014.

In France, a major three year long campaign to promote the consumption of potatoes just started.

The FAO Food Price Index averaged 182.7 points in January 2015, down 3.6 points (1.9 percent) from its revised (reduced) December 2014 value. Cereals and Oil Prices registered the strongest declines

Een nieuwe, revolutionaire methode om nieuwe aardappelrassen te kweken kan een flinke impuls geven aan fotosynthese-onderzoek. Daarom treedt Solynta, de ontwikkelaar van de kweekmethode, toe tot BioSolar Cells

Diamond Foods, Inc. announced that it has acquired a 51% stake of Yellow Chips, a manufacturer of high quality vegetable and organic potato chips based in the Netherlands.

FRUIT LOGISTICA 2015 will be the global fresh produce sector's most significant and comprehensive industry event ever. There will be a total of 2,750 exhibitors from 83 countries – 150 more exhibitors than last year.

Europatat, the European Potato Trade Association, and DKHV, the German Potato Trading Association (Deutscher Kartoffelhandelsverband), are pleased to announce the dates for the annual Europatat Congress, that this year will take place in Düsseldorf (Germany) from 7 to 9 May 2015.

The soil expertise found at Wageningen enjoys international recognition. So it is only fitting that numerous activities in 2015, the International Year of Soils, are to take place in Wageningen.

The very high harvest yields and drop in fresh potato consumption will, EUROPLANT Pflanzenzucht GmbH believes, be one of the dominant themes at this year’s Fruit Logistica, where you can visit the company in a completely revamped stand