Delta Instruments has developed a screening method for its FTIR instruments to detect melamine in raw milk. Successful field tests have been carried out to check on possible adulterated raw milk. The screening method uses Delta Instruments' NPN-CU (Non Protein Nitrogen-Calculated Urea) approach, and therefore it has been given the parameter name NPN-Calculated Melamine (NPN-CM). With this new screening method, the Delta Instrument CombiScope FTIR 400 precision analyser will be capable of measuring added melamine. Designed to meet the analysis needs of dairy herd improvement and payment laboratories, the CombiScope FTIR 400 analyses raw milk for fat, protein, lactose, total solids or non-fat solids, as well as somatic cell count. In case of unadultereated milk, accurate estimates of urea are calculated from IR-readings for the NPN contents of milk samples through simple slope/intercept adaptation of NPN-readings. In case of adulteration with melamine as to increase the protein content of milk, a useful estimate of the melamine content can be calculated in the same way from the NPN content, since both urea and melamine show a strong response for the NPN milk model.

To meet consumer demand, the UAE-based juice and water company, Masafi, has launched three 100% pure juice products. According to the company, Masafi Mango and a blend of pomegranate, raspberry, cranberry & acai flavoured juice drink provides a 'rejuvenating effect', while a 'vitalising effect' is achieved by Masafi Apple and a blend of peach, passion fruit, grape and apricot flavours. The Masafi Orange and Guava, Lychee & Pear combination offers an 'energy boost'. In addition, the new range features a 100% pure strawberry and 100% kiwi juice blend. Commenting on the new launch, Ashraf Abushady, CEO of Masafi, said: "The launch of the new Masafi juice blends isa major step in our growth strategy aimed at delivering premiumquality products and addressing the needs of our consumers. "Masafi has always taken its consumer insights seriously, and in linewith customer preferences, we offer the carefully mixed and matched100% pure fruit juice blends that would meet all our consumers'predominant 'need states'." The beverages are packaged in Tetra Prisma in 1-litre, 200ml and a special children's 200ml packaging with a telescopic straw. The company has committed AED12.5m ($3.4m) towards the development, manufacturing and promotion of the new juice blends. In the juice category, the Tetra packs comprise 34% of juice packaging, while PET bottles constitute 52% and pouches, glass bottles and tins will make up for 14%.

**The Dr Pepper Snapple Group-owned brand, Mott's, is set to launch a new campaign featuring Emmy nominated actress Marcia Cross of successful US TV show Desparate Housewives, Brandweek reported.** This will be the brand's first TV campaign in more than a decade, in which Mott's will promote the fact that a cup of Mott's apple sauce has a full serving of fruit, while an 8oz glass of its apple juice has two full servings. The commercial is being produced by Los Angeles-based Agency Laird+Partners, who plans to air the ads in March. Support will be provided by print and online media. Marcia Cross was selected because this mother of twins is viewed as a dedicated parent "who is balancing her work and her life without surrounding herself with five nannies", said Hans Dorsinville, Agency Laird+Partners Executive Vice-President. The idea of focusing on the amount of fruit servings came about through extensive brand research: "Moms didn't know that about the brand, and were interested in hearing about it," said Allison Methvin, Director of Marketing for Mott's. "We wanted to say something different and new about an old brand that has been around since 1842." Mott's currently owns about a 40% share of the apple sauce category and 16% of the apple juice segment, according to the company.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of zero-calorie sweeteners made from the natural herb stevia for use in food and beverages. As a result, Coca-Cola North America is launching Sprite Green, which uses a form of stevia called Truvia, co-developed with Cargill Inc, and two Odwalla juice drinks using Truvia. Sprite Green has 50 calories per 8.5oz serving and 5% lemon juice. It will be aimed at active young adults and launched in two unnamed US cities this month in 8.5oz aluminium bottles. PepsiCo will also launch new products with the approved sweetener, including three zero-calorie SoBe Lifewater flavours: Fuji Apple Pear, Black and Blue Berry and Yumberry Pomegranate. The products will be in stores this year, the company told The New York Times. PepsiCo will also launch Trop 50, a light orange juice with 50% less sugar and calories than regular Tropicana orange juice. Both products will feature the stevia-sweetener PureVia, made by Whole Earth Sweetener Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merisant. According to Reuters, Trop 50 will make its retail debut in March. Cargill, which is marketing the sweetener Truvia from Coca-Cola, said on Wednesday that it had received notification from the FDA that it had no objection to the product, calling it “generally recognised as safe". "Given the extensive research conducted to assure the safety of Truvia Rebiana, Cargill has tremendous confidence in the product," said Marcelo Montero, President, Cargill Health & Nutrition. "The FDA letter further validates what the science has concluded – that Truvia rebiana is safe for use for all consumers. The FDA brought the appropriate rigour to the process and we are extremely pleased with the news." The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a food safety watchdog group, has said that while Merisant's and Cargill's scientific research was sound, the FDA should do further testing on stevia, which is derived from a bush native to South America.

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Gerold Linzbach has announced that he will not renew his contract as CEO of Symrise AG in October 2009. The CEO of Symrise, Dr Gerold Linzbach, has informed the Supervisory Board of Symrise AG that, for personal reasons, he doesn't intend to extend his contract beyond the end of October 2009. Reinforcing his commitment to Symrise until the end of his contract, Dr Linzbach said: “My decision to leave Symrise at the end of my contract has been made for personal reasons. The business remains strong and stable and is performing in line with market expectations. I have given the Board my personal commitment to work with my colleagues to continue to develop the business in the meantime, and to ensure an orderly handover to my successor.” Commenting on Dr Linzbach’s resignation, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Andreas Schmid, said: “The Board has reluctantly accepted Dr Linzbach’s resignation. He has played a key role in the development of Symrise over the past years and can be proud of his achievements. The entire Board welcomes his commitment to stay in his post until the end of October 2009. I will immediately initiate and lead a process to find Gerold’s successor.”

Polymer Solutions has recently introduced a metric, four-pocket Prostack modular bottled water rack system for Home and Office Delivery (HOD) bottlers. The one-piece, all-plastic Prostack includes a first ever pallet-free option for customers that would like all the benefits of the Prostack at a lower cost and reduced weight and height. The height reduction alone allows a 17% payload improvement per rack, while giving drivers the benefit of a much shorter reach height. Dan Kelly, President of Polymer Solutions, said: “We introduced the New Metric Prostack to give bottlers more options to help substantially reduce their transportation costs. “The new options will increase the bottler’s payload and versatility when loading transport trailers, delivery vans and small route trucks, and greatly improve the working conditions of drivers. It will also increase warehouse storage capacity over alternative systems by 17%. "As the global economy becomes more competitive, we need to continue following our path to regularly offer new product improvements that provide long-term, sustainable cost reductions to our customers in as many areas of their operations as possible.” He continued that the combination of reusable water bottles and reusable modular plastic racks is one of the greatest untold environmental stories of today. “Our products are designed to last a lifetime and have greatly extended the life of reusable bottles. As a company, we have always been involved in reusable packaging. The extended life for bottles provided by the use of the highly durable Prostack and Tierstack products increase plant efficiency, reducing downtime and saving costs and energy. “We greatly reduce the negative impact on the environment by continuous efforts to reduce our products' weight along with the use of recycled resins. These improvements have the additional benefits of enhancing operational production efficiency and lowering transportation costs. “Our company has been committed to designing and manufacturing the highest quality products which optimise bottle protection, rack life and durability, safe and stable handling in warehouses and on routes, while exploring new ways to protect the environment,” said Kelly. Like the rest of the Prostack products, the four-pocket Prostack rack allows for additional layers of HOD bottles per stack as compared to other taller systems plastic rack systems. This lower module height will accommodate seven layers (56 HOD bottles), or in the nine-leg option, eight layers (64 HOD bottles), to be placed in standard transport trailers. The lower module height and rack strength will also allow HOD operations to stack three full racks, (16 filled layers) while others systems are rated at only 12 layers. The reduced rack height provides a 25% reduction in necessary warehouse space. The four-pocket Prostac modular rack system, like all of Polymer Solution’s product lines, can be made from recycled resins and has a flat-top surface to allow for stacking of case goods, coolers and cups.

Romanian beer and water producer Romaqua predicts it will increase turnover by 15% next year compared to 2008. Officials believe Romaqua is better positioned for growth after making significant investments in plant expansion and the launch of products into new market segments. The company, which expects to achieve a turnover of €150m in 2008, spent €8m this year on the expansion of its bottling facility producing mineral waters Borsec and Stanceni, as well as the acquisition of two modern production lines, which cost €5.2m.

Sidel Group, liquid food packaging equipment supplier, has opened its new plant in Beijing Economic Technological Development Area (BDA) in Beijing's e-Town (Yizhuang) area. Mart Tiismann, Sidel Global Executive President, together with Sidel's major clients, suppliers, partners, and BDA officials, attended the opening ceremony. The new plant, covering an area of 40,000 sq m, involves an investment of more than €350m. The design of the new plant also benefits from Sidel's concept of sustainable development. With rainwater-harvesting and solar energy technologies adopted, the plant is set to operate greenly. Sidel's new plant in BDA is expected to provide its local customers with a wider range of products and more efficient services, as China is among the most active beverage markets in the world, according to Tiismann. * *

Melbourne-based company Modern Media Concepts (MMC) has signed a global agreement with packaging giant Tetra Pak to offer Labelzine, a magazine on-product technology, to its aseptic carton customers. Labelzine technology allows an 8-32 page removable, full-colour mini-magazine to be applied to the packaging of consumer goods. Tetra Pak has successfully trialled the use of Labelzine for its own marketing in Switzerland and plans to begin using the product for marketing and co-marketing with major publishing companies. According to MMC, consumers have responded positively to Labelzine because of the novelty of having a removable magazine on each pack that provides them with relevant content on promotions, vouchers and entertainment. "Labelzine presents a fantastic new marketing vehicle for our customers, which will help make milk, juice and other dairy products more exciting and engaging for the consumer," said Tetra Pak Marketing and Product Management Vice President, Michael Zacka. "It's another example of how Tetra Pak is constantly innovating to provide cost-effective packaging solutions that will help customers compete in an increasingly crowded marketplace."

**The European Commission has approved the merger of Friesland Foods and Campina, subject to divestment of some parts of the new business. **A General Meeting of Friesland Foods and the Members’ Council of Campina has also taken place and backed the merger, which will go ahead on 30 December 2008. To meet the objections of the European Commission, the activities of Friesland Foods Fresh (fresh dairy) in Nijkerk, the cheese production plant of Campina Holland Cheese (naturally matured cheese) in Bleskensgraaf, and the Yogho Yogho and Choco Choco brands (long-life dairy drinks) in the Netherlands and Belgium will have to be sold. These business units jointly account for revenue of about €367m, representing some 4% of the new company’s total revenue of €9.1bn. To guarantee the availability of Dutch raw milk for third parties in the Netherlands, FrieslandCampina is required to make available annually a maximum of 1.2 billion kilos of Dutch raw milk to new or existing producers of fresh dairy products or naturally matured cheese in the Netherlands, provided they are interested in buying this milk. Cees ’t Hart, the proposed CEO of the new company, is delighted that the European Commission has approved the merger: “The preparations for the merger have taken more than a year. During that period, we've become even more convinced that the merger is coming at the right time. Now we can actually start doing business together based on our combined innovative strength and the milk expertise of our employees. We expect to be able to grow more strongly in brands and new concepts. This not only applies to consumer products, but also to dairy ingredients.”

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) has announced that Dana L Brooks, a veteran government relations professional with experience at state and federal levels, has been hired to serve as its new Senior Director of Government Relations, according to the World Dairy Diary. “We're excited that Dana is joining NMPF," said Jerry Kozak, President and CEO of NMPF. "She will bolster NMPF’s presence on Capitol Hill and will make a great addition to our team." Brooks will report to Jaime Castaneda, Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Trade Policy. “Dana’s bi-partisan experience in Congress, and deep knowledge of agricultural issues, will enhance our capabilities to deal with the numerous challenges facing our cooperatives and dairy producers,” said Castaneda. Brooks previously worked in Washington as a legislative assistant for two members of Congress. After her legislative positions on Capitol Hill, Brooks served as Director of Congressional Relations for the American Farm Bureau Federation in Washington, DC. Brooks most recently worked on national policy issues at Florida Farm Bureau in Gainesville, FL. Throughout her career, including work on two Farm Bills, she has developed a thorough understanding of a variety of farm-related legislative issues, Castaneda said. Brooks will start at NMPF on 1 January 2009.