Britain's Food Standards Agency (FSA) is recommending that pregnant women reduce their maximum daily caffeine intake from 300mg to 200mg. The move to change the recommendation comes in light of a new study by the British Medical Journal that relates high caffeine consumption with low birth weights. The study explains that women who take between 100 and 199mg of caffeine a day face a 20% greater risk of having a baby with a relatively low birth weight compared to those whose intake is less than 100mg a day. An average cup of coffee contains about 100mg of caffeine, and caffeine is also present in tea, cola, chocolate and some drugs. "This new advice doesn't mean that pregnant women have to cut out caffeine completely," said Andrew Wadge, FSA's chief scientist. " simply that they should be careful and make sure they don't have too much. We would emphasise that the risks are likely to be very small."

Four entrepreneurs will be looking for their big break later this month when they try their luck in the so-called 'Lion’s Den', pitching to a panel of retail experts as part of the first UK Food and Drink Entrepreneur Forum, to be held on 27 November in London. The companies presenting their new product developments will be Grumpy Mule, Munchy Seeds, The Cake Bake Company (famous for the sponge used in the Skoda advert!), and Three Counties Gourmet. The retail panellists include Neil Nugent from Waitrose, Nils Clement from Starbucks Coffee, and Kay Wheelton from The Co-operative Group. Each company will be given five minutes to pitch its new product ideas to the panel, after which it will receive detailed feedback along with general advice on how to convince buyers and secure listings. As Ian Balmforth, MD of Grumpy Mule, said: “It’s always difficult to get in front of the retailers, so this is a fantastic opportunity to test our product and to gain first-hand advice on how to approach pitches in the future.” The UK Food and Drink Entrepreneur Forum is designed for owners and management teams looking to grow and develop their businesses by providing an overview of the routes available. Other speakers include leading brand owners and industry experts such as Andrew Cawthray from Cawingredients Ltd, Mark Palmer from Green & Black’s, Ben Cull from Yeo Valley Organic, Oliver Wyncoll from Langholm Capital (the fund behind Dorset Cereals and Tyrells Potato Chips), Richard Reed from Innocent Drinks, Peter Farquhar from Dorset Cereals and John Mathers from Blue Marlin Brand Design. There will also be briefings from Zenith International experts on how to grow business and ways to secure finance. As well as entrepreneurs, the audience will include other retailers and distributors, investors and suppliers all looking for the next big thing. For more information, and to book online, visit the <1>. <1>: http://www.zenithinternational.com/events/event_details.asp?id=62

As part of the campaign, Hydro is giving away 600,000 specially designed beverage cans during promotional events at university campuses and communities across Germany and Norway. Manufactured by Crown, the cans will carry a series of creative messages relating to sustainability and recycling, and their positive impact on the environment. Campaign messages 'Forever Young', 'Built to Last' and 'I'll Be Back' demonstrate this fact by showing how consumers can come into contact with aluminium so many times during their lifetime. Recycling also reduces the need for virgin materials, which decreases energy use and CO2 emissions. This is highlighted by further messages such as 'Energy Bank' and 'Hydro Power'. "We're delighted to be part of Hydro's initiative to educate consumers on the merits of aluminium and the beverage can," said Caroline Archer-Reed, Marketing Director, Crown Bevcan Europe & Middle East. "The can is the most recycled drinks pack in the world, and with its inherently large printing area, it's the ideal promotional tool for communicating these important messages to the public. Once cans are collected for recycling, they can be recycled and back on the shelf within 60 days." To complete the cycle, Hydro has teamed up with a recycling partner in Norway to set up collection bins at all promotion locations. Hydro will donate NKr 1 to the Red Cross for each Crown can that is collected and recycled during events. The first Hydro promotion was held on 28 August 2008 at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway. More events will take place well into 2009 in select cities across Norway and Germany.

*Packaging and food processing company, Tetra Pak, is supplying its latest equipment to the €44m school food plant inaugurated on 1 November in Medyn, near Moscow, Russia. * The equipment installed on-site has the capacity to process up to 110 tons of raw milk daily in order to produce milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, whey drinks and other products. The new plant is the first in Russia to install Tetra PlantMaster 6.0, which will reduce production costs, energy consumption and unplanned stoppages, yet will improve production efficiency. It's also the first in Russia to use the micro filtration process on the Tetra Pak module. Tetra Pak has also supplied three Tetra Pak A3/Flex filling lines to produce dairy products in one-litre Tetra Brik Aseptic 1,000ml Slim and Tetra Brik Aseptic 200ml Slim portion packages. The plant will start deliveries of milk to several elementary schools in January 2009 as part of the School Milk programme. “Tetra Pak has provided its latest technological solutions to ensure that school students get the best quality milk in safe aseptic carton packages that protect the product’s nutrition value,” said Igor Akimov, President of Tetra Pak Russia. High environmental standards distinguish the new production facility. The plant management plans to join a Tetra Pak initiative in developing a system of post-consumer carton package waste collection and recycling in Russia.

The shutdown, which will occur by the end of March 2009, is part of the company's consolidation of its metal beverage packaging division. The division will close a similar plant at the end of the year in Guayama, Puerto Rico. A second plant in Kent, Washington, closed earlier this year. "The closure of these facilities will further reduce 12oz can capacity in our metal beverage packaging system, more efficiently allocate production and consolidate specialty can production into facilities better located to serve our customer base," said John A Hayes, Ball Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. The Kansas City plant has four production lines capable of making 1.1 billion cans in a variety of sizes. Company officials said a weakening economy had affected the amount of production capacity needed. A United Steelworkers union representative said he expected negotiations will lead to the Missouri Rapid Response team offering information on jobs and training for the displaced employees before the plant closes. Ball purchased the Kansas City and Puerto Rico plants in 1998 from the Reynolds Metals Co. The Kansas City facility has operated since 1981 and has 496,000 square feet. Ball's plans to dispose of the property will be addressed at a later date, according to Scott McCarty, a spokesman at Ball's Broomfield headquarters. "Our focus now is supplying the needs of our customers and working with our employees to transition to the closure," he said.

QR codes are two-dimensional barcodes that act as a conduit between print and web through the use of mobile phone camera technology. With the help of a QR code reader (available free on the web), consumers can take a picture of the on-pack code which will then direct them to great entertainment courtesy of Pepsi via WAP. The QR codes will enable consumers to gain access to content provided by Pepsi, such as games, ringtones, wallpapers and more. Chris Owen, Brand Manager for Pepsi at Britvic, said: “Yet again, Pepsi is at the forefront of consumer trends, providing great entertainment to people when and where they want it through their mobile phone. With the content being constantly updated, consumers will have more reason than ever to purchase Pepsi, to see what we’ve got to give them next. “Pepsi has always led the way in providing consumers with entertainment. Now we’re using the newest technology to give people a kick in the right direction and really drive sales of the UK’s fastest growing cola in take-home grocery.” Ahmed Abdel-Karim, Marketing Manager for Pepsi UK, said: “Pepsi is using QR codes to connect with, and engage consumers in a new and exciting way wherever they are. We're finding innovative ways to communicate with Pepsi drinkers and to reward their loyalty with entertaining and interesting content, ensuring Pepsi remains front of mind.”

New Zealand company Charlie's Group Limited has successfully launched its brand into the Australian market, and is being rolled out through its Phoenix Organics distribution network. “This has been a long time coming and marks a significant milestone and opportunity for Charlie’s Group” said CEO Stefan Lepionka. “We’re one of the few juice brands in Australia with our production facility located on an orange orchard, so we know we can keep supplying high-quality products for years to come.” Charlie’s has been available in most Australian states since October and has already opened 480 accounts in three weeks. “Through our Phoenix distributors, we have relationships with 4,500 accounts, so this gives us the potential for rapid penetration into the Australian market,” Lepionka added. Charlie's is also set to add Vitamin Water to its brand portfolio – a first foray into the enhanced water category for the New Zealand-based beverage company. The launch of 'Defence', 'Antioxidant', 'Multivitamin' and 'Energy' is set for December 2008. Banned advert At the beginning of 2008, Charlie's Group courted controversy with an animated marketing campaign for its range of fruit sodas.

Ready in six hours from inoculation to use, the increase in speed offered by Delvo-Star could provide cheese producers with greater flexibility in their manufacturing plants. Delvo-Star is added directly to pasteurised milk in the starter tank, so requires no media, eliminating a labour-intensive part of the culture preparation process. Peter Kempe, president of DSM Food Specialties USA, said: “The introduction of Delvo-Star is a real innovation for the dairy industry. It allows users to consistently produce cheese with the original texture and flavour, while speeding up and simplifying the overall process. By cutting the starter preparation time to just six hours, Delvo-Star is also the ideal solution for plants with limited starter capacity, giving them the freedom to make choices on a day to day basis. “DSM Food Specialties has been developing this culture system for several years and has recently implemented trials in mass production cheese plants. Cheese makers at these plants reported that they were impressed by the flavour, speed, reduced risk of cross-contamination and sustainability benefits offered by Delvo-Star."

*Beer consumer group, the Campaign for Real Ale, has attacked the decision by Carlsberg UK to close the iconic Tetley Brewery in Leeds by 2011. * CAMRA has criticised Carlsberg UK for failing to promote the famous Tetley beers at a time when consumer interest in real ales is growing. Bob Stukins, CAMRA Vice Chairman and Director of Brewery Campaigning, said: "It's unclear where Carlsberg UK intends to brew the famous Tetley beers. Brewed outside their Leeds heartland, I fear they would lack the provenance which today's discerning consumers expect. "While we recognise the enormous challenges facing the brewing industry at present, I think this is a shortsighted decision. Recent statistics clearly show that real ale is performing better than other beer styles in a declining market. There is an opportunity to respond to this, invest in the Tetley brands and bring them back to glory." CAMRA is calling on the Government to overturn its decision to increase beer duty over the next four years to give struggling breweries a chance to compete. The group claims that high beer tax is driving beer drinkers out of pubs and into their armchairs as the price gap between the on- and off-trade widens. Bob Stukins said, "The Government has a responsibility to act to save British jobs in brewing and pubs, and an urgent review of beer tax is required." CAMRA is seeking a meeting with Carlsberg UK bosses to discuss a way forward for the brewery. The brewery still has its unique open square fermenters and brews various real ales, including Tetley's Dark Mild, Tetley's Mild, Ansells, Best Bitter, Burton Ale and the famous Tetley Bitter. Mr Stukins added: "We have a two-year window of opportunity before the brewery gates are set to close for the last time. We will be supporting anyone who has a plan to keep the mash tuns running in this historic brewery, and we'll be looking at every possible option to save the brewery. Jobs and this iconic Yorkshire brewery shouldn't close due to the development potential of this city site."

William Stein, 10, from Finchley in London, battled it out with the British tennis ace to claim the championship trophy at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton. William fought off strong competition from 31 other finalists in the knockout stages of the competition for the chance to go head to head with Murray. Each of the 32 finalists won a Nintendo Wii games console and a place in the tournament by entering Highland Spring’s summer on-pack promotion. Stein commented on his win: “Meeting Andy was a dream come true. It's a great personal accolade to beat Andy Murray at Nintendo Wii tennis, especially as he's at the peak of his game.” Murray said: “I’m a huge fan of computer games, so it was great to be involved in the tournament. The Shanghai Masters are about to commence and with an intense training schedule, it was a good way of getting some practice in and having some fun at the same time.” Highland Spring is the exclusive beverage sponsor to Andy Murray, who hails from Dunblane, Perthshire, just 10 miles from the company’s bottling plant. Highland Spring also sponsors Jamie and Judy Murray.

*For the past few months, a jury of 12 packaging specialists have been looking at nearly 700 entries from 39 countries to find the winners of the 2008 Pentawards. * The winners of the international packaging design competition were handed their prizes during a special ceremony held at the Luxepack Exhibition in Monaco, France, on 30 October 2008. The award-winning creations will be displayed in various locations, including Paris, at the new DesignPack Gallery in January 2009, and the Shanghai Luxepack exhibition in March 2009. Winners The Piper Heidsieck Rosé Sauvage champagne bottle, signed by the Dutch designers Viktor & Rolf, presented to the competition and produced by Sleever International, won the Diamond Pentaward for Best of the Show 2008. The Platinum Pentawards, which crown the best packaging in the five major categories, are: * Beverages Category: Turner Duckworth, US, for Coca-Cola Aluminum * Food Category: Pemberton & Whitefoord, UK, for Tesco Tortilla Chips * Body Category: DesignBridge, Holland, for Schwarzkopf Professional OSiS+ * Other Markets Category: Aekyung, Korea, for Spark * Luxury Category: Dentsu Kyushu, Japan, for Yaoki Sake All the winning designs can be seen on the Pentawards website in collaboration with TheDieline.com. In addition to the Diamond Pentaward and the five Platinum Pentawards, the international jury has also awarded 27 gold Pentawards in the 44 competing categories this year. Silver and Bronze Pentawards were also handed out.

Fanta Apple will initally be launched in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu followed by a national rollout over the next two months. The new drink will be available in 200ml (priced at INR 8) and 300ml (INR 10) returnable glass bottles as well as 500ml PET pack (INR 22). The apple-flavoured Fanta variant will be promoted by the popular actress Genelia D'Souza via a TV commercial, as well as via a marketing campaign involving roadshows and extensive sampling throughout the country. “It gives me immense pleasure to announce the launch of Fanta Apple," said Venkatesh Kini, Vice-President- Marketing, Coca-Cola India. "This product has been developed specially for Indian palates. Apple is one of the most preferred fruits in the country. This innovation is a step towards strengthening the company’s market leadership in the fruit-flavoured sparkling drink segment."