Selenium and chromium occur naturally in the environment. Chromium is an important factor in the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. Selenium, an antioxidant, is a micronutrient is necessary for cellular funtion, yet it's toxic in large amounts. Animals may be supplemented in feed with these two elements. While selenium is already authorised in the EU as inorganic (sodium selenate and sodium selenite) or organic (selenium-enriched yeast) forms, chromium is not yet authorised within the Community. In 2006, the EFSA adopted an opinion on the safety and efficacy of the product 'Sel-Plex 2000' as a feed additive. This opinion concluded that the selenium exposure for young children consuming products of animals supplemented with this additive would be slightly above the threshold identified. Therefore, gathering of additional recent consumption data will be of value when refining the exposure assessment. Regarding chromium, the EFSA is currently evaluating a dossier aiming to investigate the authorisation of chromium-methionine as a feed additive. Recent data on exposure to chromium in food and beverages would be needed for the assessment of chromium as a feed additive. The data should include the analytical method used and, if possible, information on the validation of the method. Additionally, if available, the number of samples analysed, and the number of replicated measures of the same sample for each value. Where possible the data for selenium should indicate if the origin of the selenium was inorganic or organic and any available data on selenium content in multivitamin and mineral food supplements should also be reported. For chromium, the data should distinguish between the two most important occurring oxidation forms of chromium: Cr (III) and Cr (VI), and its origin (ie inorganic/organic). Again, if possible, EFSA asks that the chromium content of multivitamin and mineral food supplement is also reported.

UK-based Bottlegreen Drinks has redesigned the packaging for its lightly sparkling pressé drinks as part of the company's ongoing rebranding strategy. The new-look sparkling pressés will be available in two sizes: a 275ml and 750ml bottle format, and will feature the new brand logo, along with stylised illustrations of ingredients created for bottlegreen by Ziggurat Brands. In addition to the redesign, bottlegreen will launch a new variant, which will be available only in the 275ml impulse size. "Our key marketing objective this year has been to raise our brand profile among consumers and to drive our products within new distribution channels," said Simon Speers, MD of Bottlegreen Drinks. "Although we're a significant player within the premium drinks aisle in the multiples, we're keen to further develop our presence within the on-trade and foodservice sector. "Pubs, bar chains and restaurants are increasingly looking to appeal to those consumers who demand a more sophisticated soft drink as a wine alternative. We're confident that the new 275ml bottle size will cater to these markets as they can be sold in individual servings and will be available in our stylish and iconic conical bottle shape, which will appeal to discerning consumers." The new sparkling pressés will be priced between £1.40 to £2.80 RRP (275ml).

The Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG) has announced an agreement with CytoSport, producer of protein-enhanced functional beverages in the US, to distribute Muscle Milk. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. PBG will begin distribution of the ready-to-drink line of Muscle Milk and Muscle Milk Light in January. It will be available in convenience, food, drug, grocery and specialty retailers nationwide. "Strengthening and diversifying the PBG product portfolio is one of our top priorities. By teaming up with CytoSport, we're entering a new beverage segment with attractive long-term growth prospects," said PBG North America President Rob King. CytoSport President Greg Pickett added: "By working with PBG, we'll be able to greatly extend the reach of the Muscle Milk brand and put our products in the hands of more consumers than ever before. This is a beverage category with tremendous growth potential, and this agreement further enhances CytoSport's leading position in the category." The protein beverage, Muscle Milk, claims to promote lean muscle growth, fast recovery from exercise and sustained energy.

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."