London-based Tate & Lyle’s recent acquisition of Continental Custom Ingredients, Sycamore, Ill., is expected to bring the combined company, which will trade as Tate & Lyle Custom Ingredients (TLCI), new expertise in the areas of dairy stabilizers, hydrocolloids systems, emulsifiers, vitamins and flavors. “Being part of a global ingredients business will promote faster growth, open up international markets, and ensure we realize the full potential of our strong team,” says Ray Minzner, chief executive officer of CCI, who will become president of TLCI. Tom Doxsie, senior vice president of food ingredients for Tate & Lyle Food & Industrial Ingredients, Americas, adds: “The addition of CCI to Tate & Lyle vertically integrates us closer to our shared customer base and to the dairy industry. The combination of our research and development expertise and broad ingredient portfolio, coupled with CCI’s intimate dairy knowledge, speed and agility to market, provides a solid foundation for growth.”

Washington, D.C.-based International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) recently submitted comments to the Food and Drug Administration supporting its proposal on labeling changes for carmine and cochineal extract. FDA wants to provide information to consumers allergic to these color additives and the proposal would require companies that use them in food products to list the additives as ingredients on the label. Carmine and cochineal extract are used in port wine cheese spreads, strawberry yogurt and cherry water ices. Many IDFA members already list them as ingredients on a voluntary basis. IDFA agrees with FDA that there is no need to declare on the label that the color additives are derived from insects, as requested by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. FDA proposed a target implementation date of 24 months following publication of the final rule, but IDFA suggests 36 months.

Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Ellison Bakery Inc., a manufacturer of ice cream inclusions, has finalized its plans for a $3.9 million expansion that will result in 21 new jobs. The project will add warehouse space to increase capacity and possibly add a third oven line.