Lucozade Sport Hydro Active is being relaunched by Lucozade Sport to enhance brand awareness. The emphasis for the relaunch is on the new pack design, which focuses on the fact that it's a "low-calorie option", and that the best-selling beverage is "more effective than water in keeping consumers hydrated". "The move into the proven Lucozade Sport range will help widen the relevance of Lucozade Sport Hydro Active to sporting participants," said Adam Prentice, Lucozade Sport Group Brand Manager. "The eye-catching new look is set to further drive consumer awareness and demand."

The UK Government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a new BSI Publicly Available Specification – a new standard method for assessing carbon footprint for the food industry across the UK. An ongoing project commissioned by Defra, and led by environmental and agricultural consultancy ADAS, has informed the development of the BSI Publicly Available Specification (PAS 2050) for assessing the lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of goods and services – enabling all food businesses to use a consistent approach to assessing product carbon footprints. Food businesses feeling the strain of particularly tough trading conditions will welcome the benefits of employing the PAS standard, as those involved in manufacture and supply will now be able to identify carbon 'hotspots', implement cost-saving efficiency gains and invest in innovative low-carbon solutions. The industry is also under increasing pressure from the government and retail customers to meet ambitious targets for carbon reduction. Prior to the publication of PAS 2050, there was no widely accepted standard method for testing GHG emissions of products and services, and there has been confusion surrounding what should and shouldn't be included. The availability of a reliable, fully tested method is likely to be of significant interest not only to the food industry but also to the consumer. The application of PAS 2050 will reveal a wealth of new information about the sustainability of food chains, and could lead to major changes across the food supply network in a drive towards carbon reduction and increased efficiency in terms of the way food is produced, manufactured, supplied, distributed, retailed and used. ADAS Senior Consultant Jeremy Wiltshire said: "The PAS is an extremely valuable tool which will enable us to analyse the global warming potential of all food production systems, whether organic or conventional, UK or international, present or future. It's a major milestone in the move towards a low-carbon economy, and immediately allows businesses to develop strategies that drive down emissions." Wiltshire continued: "Following the assessment of a carbon footprint using PAS 2050, strategies to decrease GHG emissions will usually lead to cost savings for a food producer. However, it's important that strategies to decrease emissions also account for wider environmental implications such as water use." James Clarke, ADAS Business Development Manager, said: "This provides an important tool for the food chain to assess its carbon impact and drive business improvement. Assessing a carbon footprint can identify opportunities and priorities for business to significantly improve productive efficiency, energy efficiency and waste minimisation, thereby saving costs." The Defra-funded research project, which commenced in November last year, also drew on support from <1>, <2>, the <3> environmental consultancy and <4>. ADAS is holding a conference next month to offer advice and strategic guidance to the food and farming industry, on the benefits of assessing carbon footprinting for business, the practical application of PAS 2050, and approaches to working together effectively. "It's important that the food chain now works together to ensure that footprints are assessed in a cost-effective and representative manner. The ADAS Carbon Conference will aim to start this process," added Clarke. <1>: http://www.campden.co.uk <2>: http://www.cranfield.ac.uk <3>: http://www.eugeos.co.uk <4>: http://www.northwyke.bbsrc.ac.uk

*At the Starbucks 2008 Leadership Conference, the company declared itwould focus on achieving 13 measurable goals by 2015. As part of the Starbuck Shared Planet initiative, the company has announced a renewed commitment on goals for ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship and community involvement. * One of the largest coffeehouse chains in the world, the business has in the last year or so experienced difficulties after falling sales forced it to close a large number of stores worldwide. The re-evaluation of company priorities can be seen in the new commitment to, among other things, grow and ethically trade 100% of its coffee; make all Starbucks cups reusable or recyclable; reduce environmental footprint through energy and water conservation, recycling and green construction; and contribute one million community service hours per year. “Starbucks Shared Planet isn't just about how important it is to us that we’re a socially responsible company," said Howard Schultz, Chairman, President and CEO of Starbucks Coffee Company. "It’s to reaffirm Starbucks' leadership in the retail and coffee industries and the communities in which we're operating. “While these goals are aspirational, we have set substantive measurements that will challenge us to be a better company. During this time of economic uncertainty, we realise that we have the opportunity and the responsibility to keep our focus on our commitment to keep our communities strong, and I’m proud of what we’re doing to live up to the guiding principles of this company.” Goals Starbucks plans to achieve by 2015 include: Ethical sourcing * Purchase 100% of all coffee through ethical sourcing practices, up from the current 65% * Invest in a better future for farmers and their communities by nearly doubling funding to organisations that provide farmer loans * Proactively impact climate change by offering farmers incentives to prevent deforestation. Pilot programmes with Conservation International in Sumatra, Indonesia and Chiapas, Mexico are under way. Community involvement: Contribute more than one million community service hours per year in communities Engage 50,000 young social entrepreneurs to innovate and take action and, in turn, inspire 100,000 individuals to take action in their communities through the Starbucks Social Entrepreneurs Fund Environmental stewardship 100% of Starbucks cups will be either reusable or recyclable 25% of cups will be reusable Increase recycling available in stores 50% energy used in company-owned stores will come from renewable sources by 2010 Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by making company owned stores 25% more energy efficient by 2010 Significantly reduce water usage All new company owned stores will be certified green by 2010 Champion tropical rainforest protection as a solution for climate change.

Ontario's second E.coli outbreak has resulted in the voluntary closure of the M.T. Bellies restaurant, following reports that three affected people ate at the establishment. E.coli has been in the news recently after it was detected in a North Bay restaurant, and that particular outbreak has affected 229 people so far. The good news is that an Alberta-based university researcher may have found a possible treatment for the deadly strain. David Bundle, chemistry professor and director of the Alberta Ingenuity Centre for Carbohydrate Science, has developed a polymeric drug that binds a naturally occurring protein in the body with the E.coli toxin, preventing it from affecting the kidneys. "If you give antibiotics, the bacteria die and burst open, spilling their toxins," said Bundle, cautioning that if the E. coli toxin invades the kidney, the result can be fatal. But Bundle and his colleagues – Pavel Kitov and Glen Armstrong – have created a drug that lashes the E.coli bacteria to a naturally occurring protein molecule, preventing the E.coli from making contact with kidney cells. The drug that acts like a lasso is called Polybait. Symptoms of E.coli illnesses typically include violent diarrhoea and stomach pain, with or without a fever. * *

Dairy company Fonterra recently launched a new line of dairy proteins for the production of nutrition bars. PowerProtein contains whey protein concentrate and a milk protein concentrate. These have fewer chewy textures, and do not harden nor brown in the same way as traditional protein bars. Shelf-life, according to Fonterra, is also improved by the new ingredients. The line includes PowerWPC, PowerMPCs and Powercrisps. "Fonterra's new generation protein ingredients will significantly increase its market share in the bar and snack categories, as a key part of our expanding portfolio of specialty ingredients," said Nigel Little, Fonterra's global category manager for physical nutrition.

Adult soft drink Shloer is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, and will introduce Shloer Apple to the UK to mark the occasion. Shloer Apple, a sparkling blend of crisp apple and white grape juice, was previously only available in Northern Ireland. "Shloer Apple is our third most popular variant in Northern Ireland after White and Red Grape," said Amanda Grabham, Shloer communications controller. "Now, in our 70th year, we felt it would be fitting to introduce the variant to rest of the UK. "As Shloer is currently the second best-selling adult soft drink in the take-home market and number one table-top drink by SKU, the new flavour represents a great sales opportunity for retailers looking to capitalise on the growth of at-home entertaining, particularly if positioned on aisle-end displays and in chiller cabinets." Shloer Apple is available in an elegant 75cl glass bottle.

Tana Water (UK) has commented on a recent water quality problem reported by the <1>. According to the newspaper, elderly residents of Langlands Court, sheltered accommodation in Hawick in the Scottish borders, are suffering due to heavily chlorinated tap water. Many of the residents in their 70s to 90s have resorted to buying bottled drinking water from their local supermarket. Those who are too frail to carry the water home rely on their relatives to bring drinking water with them when they visit. In spite of the water being described as "undrinkable", Scottish Water’s tests have shown that the tap water meets the legal criteria for safe drinking water. Residents have been advised by Scottish Water to run the water for 15 minutes before drinking it. Commenting on the case, Nick Heane, MD of Tana Water (UK), said: “This is clearly a case where installing a mains-fed water filter would be highly beneficial and cost-effective to the residents of Langlands Court and the housing association responsible for its day to day running. "Plumbing a mains-fed water machine into each apartment, or at the very least plumbing in a machine within a communal area such as a lounge or dining room, would allow residents to filter out chlorine, limescale and other unpalatable organic compounds to provide water that tastes excellent. This can be achieved immediately without Scottish Water making any changes to its treatment processes. "I’m surprised that Scottish Water is advising residents to run off water for 15 minutes when The Environment Agency aims to reduce our daily water use by 30 litres per person by 2030.” <1>: http://www.hawick-news.co.uk/news/Complaints-pour-in-over-OAPs39.4624673.jp

In a recent statement, the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) AFC Panel concluded that a recent study on the effects of bisphenoal A in the <1>** did not necessitate establishing new safety levels of the chemical. The Authority stated the following: **European Food Safety Authority’s AFC Panel has issued a further scientific opinion on a specific aspect of the chemical bisphenol A (BPA), concerning its elimination from the body and how that relates to the risk assessment of BPA for humans. The aim was to take into account recent data and consider any implications for the existing EFSA advice on BPA set out in its 2006 opinion, which concluded that exposure to BPA is well below the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI). People are exposed to BPA which may be present in food through its use in certain food contact materials such as baby bottles and cans. The conclusions of the panel are that after exposure to BPA, the human body rapidly metabolises and eliminates the substance. This represents an important metabolic difference compared with rats. EFSA will continue to closely monitor scientific findings regarding BPA and any related health effects. The AFC Panel, in its final session, took into account the previous and the most recent information and data available on the way that BPA and related substances are handled in the human body. The panel concluded that the exposure of the human foetus to BPA would be negligible because the mother rapidly metabolises and eliminates BPA from her body. The scientists also concluded that newborns are similarly able to metabolise and eliminate BPA at doses below one milligram per kilogram of bodyweight per day. This implies that newborns could effectively clear BPA at levels far in excess of the TDI of 0.05 mg/kg bw set by the panel, and therefore its 2006 risk assessment remains valid. The panel considered the significant differences between humans and rodents, such as the fact that people metabolise and excrete BPA far more quickly than rodents. This body of evidence further limits the relevance of low-dose effects of BPA reported in some rodent studies used for human risk assessment. In its previous risk assessment, the panel derived a TDI of 0.05 mg/kg bodyweight based on the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of five milligram/kg bodyweight/day for effects in rats and included an uncertainty factor of 100. In this latest assessment, the panel concluded that this TDI provides a sufficient margin of safety for the protection of the consumer, including foetuses and newborns. EFSA took note of the US National Toxicology Program’s draft brief on BPA and of the Canadian government’s recent Draft Screening Assessment on BPA, which took into account findings from the low-dose studies, notably with respect to neurodevelopmental toxicity, though both pointed out that these studies were limited in rigour, consistency and biological plausibility. EFSA also took into account the recent report published by one of the institutes of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (EC, 2008), which concluded that due to the low confidence in the reliability of the developmental neurotoxicity studies and the lack of consistency in the results of behavioural testing, no conclusions can be drawn from these studies. This opinion is similar to that of EFSA in 2006. EFSA is equally aware of the report of the <2>, (VKM, 2008), which concluded that the findings did not provide sufficient evidence for setting a robust lower NOAEL than the current NOAEL set by EFSA at 5 mg/kg body weight/day. <1>: http://http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/300/11/1303 <2>: http://www.vkm.no/eway/default.aspx?pid=266&trg=MainLeft_5419&4698=5420:2&MainLeft_5419=5468:17924::0:5420:4:::0:0

The drink went on sale in Japan this week, and was distributed by Suntory. The label design, which adorns a transparent bottle, is predominantly white and looks fit for the festive market. The Japan Marketing News article suggests that "a deeper, more memorable flavour" would have been more appropriate taking into consideration the time of year and the traditional spike in the consumption of sweet products.

European scientists have published a new study in <1> on the benefits genetically engineered purple tomatoes can provide in the fight against cancer and heart disease. In the study, researchers fed cancer-prone mice with purple tomato concentrate and concluded that the tomatoes increased the lifespan of the mice by almost 22%. Chemical tests revealed the engineered tomatoes to contain high levels of antioxidant activity, almost triple in comparison to non-modified tomatoes. The same phytochemical is also found in blueberries, which is one the most powerful antioxidant-rich fruits. The preliminary research was conducted at the John Innes Centre in Norwich, UK, in collaboration with other European centres participating to the Flora project. <1>: http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/nbt.1506.html

Australia’s Good Vibes for You is due to launch before the end of 2008 and is currently looking for distributors and retailers across the US. Available in 35cl, 60cl and 1.5-litre bottles, Good Vibes for You is a still, unflavoured natural spring water which originates from 100% certified organic springs in Kulnura, New South Wales – a remote area of Australia which has been protected from modern pollutants for over a century. The water has been naturally filtered through Kulnura's famous sandstone, is bottled at source to maintain freshness and shipped less than 48 hours after extraction. The company’s bottling facility recycles all materials used in production and has reduced energy consumption by 50% using equipment driven by air. The spring and bottling facility are approved by Australian Certified Organic. According to the company: “Good Vibes for You is dedicated to awareness and change on the planet. As we evolve in global markets, we're combining efforts with different organisations to offset our carbon footprint, protect natural habitats and assist developing countries in supplying wells and clean water. “A percentage of sales go to organisations and charities who love the planet, too. We are actively pursuing the development of a biodegradable bottle and other sustainable technologies. We have an extensive campaign for generating consciousness around the world, including youth programmes and children's education."

* FoodBev recently published an article called 'Arniston Bay wine launched in 1 litre Tetra Pak', which outlined the South African wine producer's launch of the Arniston Bay Tetra Pak range. Mr David Workman of British Glass responded to the article (British Glass on packaging ‘green wash'), pointing out what he referred to as "inaccuracies". The article on this page is a response to Mr Workman's comments from The Company of Wine People.* In the absence of a suitable 'comments' system for each article, which we intend to address in the new year, and for your convenience, we have published both of the above articles here, as well as Mr Barney Davis' response. If any further correspondence is forthcoming regarding this debate, we will add it to this page, so please do bookmark it if you'd like to keep up to date. Shaun Weston, Editor. ORIGINAL ARTICLE, 17 Oct 2008 South African wine producer, Arniston Bay, is launching a one-litre fully recyclable Tetra Pak, which will further extend its range of environmentally friendly wine packaging. The company has already launched a 1.5-litre pouch with 80% less of a carbon footprint than a glass bottle equivalent. It also plans to launch a 25cl version of the pouch. Available in Chenin Blanc Chardonnay, Pinotage Rose and Cabernet Merlot varieties, the Arniston Bay Tetra Pak will be available for UK retailers from October with an RRP of £6.49 for one litre. A lightweight alternative to glass bottles, the Arniston Bay Tetra Pak has a lower carbon footprint than wine in glass bottles, with a higher number of cartons transported in one shipping. In addition, the pack is 100% recyclable, making this an ideal choice for the environmentally conscious consumer. Brand and Business Development Manager for 'the company of wine people', Barney Davis, said: “The Tetra Pak is an important addition to the Arniston Bay portfolio. A year on from the launch of our carbon-friendly pouch, we're aware that the wine consumer is on the look-out for more innovative forms of packaging that tick all the boxes in terms of convenience, ease of use and environmental benefits. "Our Tetra Pak is not only a convenient addition to our wine range, it's also recyclable and is lighter to transport around the globe, helping us, as an international wine company, to lower our overall carbon footprint.” Arniston Bay is one of the best international selling brands in the UK. Sales of the Arniston Bay range – available in a wide variety of packaging formats – are currently up by 21.9% year on year. DAVID WORKMAN, British Glass – 22 Oct 2008 The news article announcing the launch of a range of Arniston Bay wines packed into Tetra Pak contains so much “green wash” that it's almost laughable. No sensible consumer is going to be taken in. What, for instance, does the term “recyclable” actually mean? Almost anything is potentially recyclable. Glass is actually recycled – up to 90% recycled content in most green wine bottles, and can be recycled over and over again. What evidence exists to verify the claim that the carton is 80% more environmentally friendly than glass? As there has yet to be a full cradle-to-cradle life-cycle assessment undertaken for glass, the figure quoted can only be regarded as wishful thinking. Is it also right that brand owners and retailers should introduce a packaging format associated with the juvenile market at a time when underage consumption of alcohol is such a social issue? The closest that Arniston Bay gets to matching the quality, feel and inertness of glass is the use of glass bottles in the graphics on the carton. It will never be able to replicate the real deal for wine packs – glass bottles themselves. David Workman has a history in the glass industry spanning more than 30 years. He has worked in a variety of senior sales and marketing roles within the UK’s leading glass container manufacturers. He was appointed as Director General of British Glass in 2001. BARNEY DAVIS, The Company of Wine People – 23 Oct 2008 Thanks to David for taking an interest in the environmental issues behind wine packaging, though accusations of "green wash" are a rather obvious and basic swipe at those who are working to create accountable, measurable improvements. It is indeed a complicated area, so he can be forgiven for citing the literal tip of the iceberg as the entire issue. The real issue is about supply chain – how the glass gets here. He is also correct in saying glass can be recycled, but anything can be recycled. It's down to the policy and economics as to the ease and efficiency of collection services. So what happens to the glass after it is recycled? To quote Fred Pearce in The Guardian (23 October) to simplify: “As we post them in the recycling bin, we presume they go to make new bottles and cut out the energy cost of making new glass from sand. Well, it would if they turned the glass back into new bottles. But it turns out that often they don't. Much of London's recycled glass is actually crushed and sold to construction firms as a substitute for sand, or an ingredient in a substitute for asphalt such as Glasphalt – 'specially treated so it won't puncture tyres', as one recycling website puts it. That's a relief, but how many assiduous recyclers trying to do their bit for the environment realise they are actually helping build new roads?" Additionally, David confuses the Tetra Pak with the pouch, which is completely different. And it is in fact the pouch, not the Tetra Pack, that has an 80% lower carbon footprint. The real issue that you can’t get away from is that glass is heavy and takes more energy and production to get here. Arniston Bay also continues to produce in glass and is committed to promoting responsible alcohol use. We are simply trying to move debate and research along by testing and measuring a variety of packaging alternatives. * Barney Davis was Assistant Wine Buyer at Somerfield in 1999 and worked up to Product Group Manager. He left Somerfield to join the Co-op in 2003 as Category Wine Buyer. Barney is now Brand and Business Development Manager at The Company of Wine People, looking after brands such as Arniston Bay, Thandi Fairtrade, Kumkani, Welmoed and Versus.* *The Guardian quote used by kind permission. *