More than 19,500 people ventured to Las Vegas in July to attend the 64th IFT Annual Meeting and Food Expo, says the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT). The show attracted more than 1,000 food-ingredient and technology exhibitors and featured seminars that tackled topics ranging from the politics of obesity to consumer tastes and trends.

Speaking at the IFT Annual Meeting and Food Expo in Las Vegas, Lester Crawford, acting commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), told attendees the agency was considering a move that would call for calories to be displayed more prominently on food labels. He also said he believed the agency would recommend that total calories be represented as a percentage of daily allowance. The FDA is pondering new food label guidelines.

U.S. Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (USF&F), Wauconda, Ill., announced completion of the sale of its fragrance business to Downers Grove, Ill.-based Orchidia Fragrances, a wholly owned subsidiary of FlavorChem Corp. The sale will allow USF&F to focus on continued expansion in the flavor markets it serves. USF&F is a member of the global Carbery Group.

According to a statement released by the Rosemont, Ill.-based National Dairy Council, increased milk and calcium consumption appears to be related to a reduced risk for colon cancer. A study that recently appeared in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that people who consumed one glass or more of milk a day lowered their risk for colon cancer by 15 percent over those who drank less than a third-cup of milk per day. Researchers pooled the results of 10 North American and European studies.

MGP Ingredients Inc., Atchison, Kan., announced the formation of a business alliance with Minneapolis-based Cargill Inc. to produce and market a new resistant starch. The Fibersym™ HA starch is derived from amylose corn and is suitable for use in a variety of reduced-net-carbohydrate products. Under the alliance, Cargill will manufacture the starch according to a patent licensed exclusively to MGP Ingredients, and both companies will market the product.

Nestlé S.A., Switzerland, says it reached an agreement to sell its cocoa bean processing activities in York, England, and Hamburg, Germany, to Cargill Inc. Under the proposed arrangements, Cargill would supply Nestlé and other customers with cocoa from these facilities.  

Under an agreement with Eugene Science, a Korean biotech company, Decatur, Ill-based Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) will market the Euchol™ phytosterol technology in Europe and North America. Developed by Eugene Science, the line of phytosterol powder and liquid ingredients is suitable for use in foods and beverages such as milk, juices, yogurts, functional beverages and soymilk. ADM will market the products as part of its CardioAid family of phytosterol ingredients.

In collaboration with Silliker Inc., Homewood, Ill., the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) compiled a database to help dairy companies meet new FDA regulations for trans fat labeling. According to Silliker, IDFA determined trans fat content by sampling raw milk from six U.S. regions and then calculating a weighted average based on the milk production in each region. Silliker performed the analytical testing in its laboratory in Chicago Heights, Ill. IDFA members may access the database at www.idga.org, says Silliker, while non-members may purchase a copy of the databases by contacting the association at (202) 737-4332.

Ankeny, Iowa-based Proliant Inc., a manufacturer and marketer of protein products, announced the purchase of its Proliant Dairy Ingredients Co. by the world’s largest single-site cheese and whey products manufacturer, Hilmar Cheese Co. Inc., Hilmar, Calif. As a result, Proliant Dairy Ingredients also is dissolving its strategic partnership with Weyauwega, Wis.-based Trega Foods, a manufacturer of cheese and dairy-based ingredients.

Roquette America Inc., Keokuk, Iowa, said the French Roquette Group will invest in a new polyol production unit in Keokuk and will expand capacity at its Gurnee, Ill., facility during the next 18 months. The additional capacity afforded by the expansion will ensure the company’s continued production flexibility, prepare it for anticipated new product launches and attract other industries interested in the growing agribusinesses of Iowa, Illinois and Missouri.

Portland, Ore.-based Jana’s Classics announced the launch of a new brand identity that includes a new corporate logo and an updated brand mark. Jana Taylor, founder of the provider of artisan-crafted cookies, dough and ice cream ingredients, says the updates were made “to best represent the quality of our products, as well as our spirit of innovation.”

National Starch & Chemical Co., Bridgewater, N.J., submitted a Citizen’s Petition to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) asking to modify carbohydrate labeling on foods. The supplier of the Hi-Maize™ resistant starch says its aim is to help create more standardization related to carbohydrate information to allow consumers to make better, educated food choices. The company specifically requested that fiber content be listed separately and excluded from the “total carbohydrate” declaration on the Nutrition Facts label. National Starch based its recommendations on the National Academy of Sciences’ Macronutrients Report, as well as the Codex Alimentarious Guidelines on Nutrition Labeling.

Chr. Hansen Inc., Milwaukee, said it is raising the prices of select products within its dairy ingredient portfolio. The move is related to continued high energy costs and related increases in manufacturing and transportation costs, as well as the cost of raw materials and elevated biosecurity and food safety measures. According to the company, the price increases also will help ensure the company can continue to invest in the research and development resources necessary to provide innovative ingredient solutions and services that benefit their customers.

Taiyo Kagaku, Japan, announced the formation of Taiyo Green Power Co. Ltd., a new corporate entity resulting from the company’s acquisition of Wuxi Green Power Bio-Product Ltd., China. The merger creates the world’s largest green tea extract manufacturer. According to Minneapolis-based Taiyo International Inc., the North American sales office for Taiyo Kagaku, Japan, the new company will maintain the exclusive Chinese license to Proctor & Gamble’s solvent-free green tea processing technology. Amax NutraSource Inc., City of Industry, Calif., has been re-appointed as the exclusive distributor for the P&G product within the North American market.