Construction of a 31,000-square-foot commercial greenhouse atop a two-story office building in Montreal, Canada, is almost finished. Developers of the project say planting could begin in January and the first harvest reaped six weeks after that. Urban farming, including rooftop gardening, are not a new phenomenon, but the large scale of the Montreal project sets it apart from previous efforts. The idea is to provide fresh produce for the community all year long, regardless of weather conditions. One of the entrepreneurs working on the project says food shipped thousands of miles is handled at many stages. The shipping affects taste and freshness. "Our goal simply is to be a neighborhood food source and raise the bar on the issue of traceability,” he says.

A Pew Internet study revealed that use of social networking Web sites among baby boomers increased strongly between 2009 and 2010; with respondents aged 50 years and higher increasing their use of networking sites 88% to reach 47% of the demographic. Respondents 65-plus doubled their use of social networking sites, to 26%, making these boomers the fastest growing subgroup. A cooperative study with ComScore, meanwhile, shows that baby boomers who are taking care of aging parents are even heavier users of social networking sites than boomers in general. Estimated to number 15.5 million of the 78 million boomer population, boomer caregivers use social media sites for 2.5 hours per month, viewing 70% more Web pages than average Internet users, to validate their feelings; simplify their lives; and get information and advice.

A U.S. researcher who analyzed actual grocery store purchases made by 1,000 households over six months found that shoppers who paid for their groceries with a credit card tended to buy more unhealthy food. On the other hand, researchers found that shoppers who paid with cash made less impulsive purchases  and tended to buy healthier food. According to the researchers, cash payments are apparently psychologically more painful than card payments; the pain curbs impulsive responses to throw unhealthy food items into the shopping cart. “Uunderstanding that using plastic increases their vice purchases may help people control impulsive behavior,” the researchers said.

A team of Dutch researchers has found no evidence among seven randomized clinical trials that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, either DHA or EPA, relieved symptoms of depression common among women during pregnancy or after delivery. The researchers acknowledged that the studies they analyzed were fairly low quality, mainly because of small sample sizes and failure to follow standards for reporting trials. Nevertheless, the researchers compared 309 women on omega-3 fatty acid supplementation to 303 women on placebo treatment. They concluded that omega-3 supplementation was not significantly more effective than a placebo in treating perinatal depression, but did seem effective among a subgroup of women with severe depression. “Future research should focus on women who are clinically depressed (or at risk),” the authors concluded, and “the quality of research … needs to improve.”

Retailer organic private labels are growing faster than organic brands in the international organic food market, perhaps indicating the future for organic food. In the US, for example, Safeway’s private label, O Organics, launched in 2005, looks set to become the leading brand of organic foods. O Organics has over 300 organic products with sales in excess of $400 million. While in Germany, a drugstore’s private label is the leading brand of organic & natural cosmetics.  Retailers are pushing a price advantage and often their organic products are cheaper than conventional ones.  As private labels increase their share of the organic market organic brands must revise their branding strategies. Green & Black for instance, has positioned itself as an ethical brand, while Organic Valley, in the US, increasingly positions itself as a supporter of family farms and a proponent of sustainability.

Infants fed a new lower-protein infant formula gained weight at a similar rate to breastfed infants, according to a new study. Infant growth rate indicates overall health and reflects a child's nutritional well-being. Breast milk and standard infant formulas differ in their protein composition and concentration: human milk contains protein and is rich in essential amino acids; standard formulas typically contain higher levels of protein to provide similar amino acid levels. The randomized study tested the effect of infant formulas enriched with alpha-lactalbumin, one with a  standard level of protein and a new one developed by Pfizer Nutrition with less protein. A control group consisted of breastfed babies. The researchers found that weight gain in the infants who consumed the new formula was not significantly different from that of breastfed babies.

A growing number of functional food and nutritional supplement companies are creating clinical investigation centers to put science behind the health claims they make for their products. Big  food companies have been investing in their own ingredient research for years, but smaller firms that lack the billions that Danone or Nestlé spend on R&D can still do clinical studies that will help with FDA approval and build consumer confidence. In the U.S., “$10,000 can fund a research project in a setting that would produce legitimate and publishable results,” says nutrition researcher Doug Kalman. Other benefits include state and federal R&D tax credits, possible creation of an intellectual property portfolio and the ability to grab a 60-70 percent market share by being first to market with a new product.

Chinese companies, many of which are state-run, accounted for 10 percent of the value of cross-border acquisitions this year. Cross-border deals often generate concerns, and the growth in the global influence of what people see as communist-controlled enterprises is regarded as unacceptable in some quarters, partly because many are worried that politics will influence decisions more than profits. Some countries, including Australia and Canada, are creating obstacles to Chinese investment, especially in primary industry. But there are good reasons why the trend should be allowed to continue. First, the current economic malaise in the world has been partly attributed to economic liberalism, giving a boost to those advocating more state capitalism. Second, Chinese companies are relatively new to the scene and far from being able to influence supply conditions significantly. Third, many state-run companies in China have to compete at home too, and competition in foreign markets should ensure that Chinese investments are profit-oriented. Fourth, some of the Chinese investment is coming from the private sector, such as Geely, the new owner of Volvo.  Finally, the global economy needs the capital and energy that Chinese investment should bring.

U.S. researchers studying the relationship between fatty acid intake and osteoporosis in women have found that saturated fatty acids increase the risk of hip fractures, while monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids decrease the risk. Participants in the study included more than 137,000 postmenopausal women who reported having hip fractures and ingesting omega-3 dietary supplements. Researchers were surprised to find that consuming higher levels of marine omega-3 fatty acids was associated with greater total fracture risk, but higher omega-6 intake was linked to a lower total fracture risk.

Restaurants will have to balance their efforts to comply with U.S. government regulations with customers’ demand for value and good-tasting food, according to Mintel Menu Insight’s foodservice trends study for 2011. Results of the study also reveal that 62% of consumers say they intend to eat healthier food in the coming year but assert that healthy food does not taste as good. Consumers will get better information as the healthcare bill requires restaurants with more than 20 branches to disclose nutritional information of their menu offerings. This rule, however, does not cover limited time offerings and restaurants are expected to exploit this with more seasonal items. The study also predicts that restaurants will include more local ingredients into their menus and will experiment with automated menus allowing consumers to get better information and restaurants to reduce front-of-house staff.

As U.S. food producers turn more to certified organic farming systems for a variety of reasons, they need better methods of ensuring the safety and post-harvest quality of organic leafy greens, including spinach, lettuce, arugula, cabbage and radicchio. The USDA is expediting the search for better safety methods with a $2.9 million grant to a University of Arizona researcher whose  comprehensive project will examine every step in the process, from field to fork. Since the late 1990s, U.S. organic production has grown steadily, the USDA says: more than two-thirds of U.S. consumers now buy organic products at least occasionally; 28 percent buy organic products weekly. The researchers will look at ways to eliminate bacterial – especially E. coli and salmonella – contamination in bagged leafy greens using organic methods.

Functional foods that target bone health, cardiovascular health and gastrointestinal function can play a useful role in the healthy diet of older people, according to a report from the U.K.’s International Longevity Centre. The report emphasizes that functional foods should be considered only as a supplement to a nutritious diet, not a sole solution. Functional foods, the report says, “should be seen as a way to reinforce the health improvement and disease prevention aims of a healthy lifestyle approach.” The report suggests that: age-specific dietary recommendations be established for different age groups; calcium and vitamin D strategies should be reviewed; cholesterol-lowering foods should be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle approach; and probiotic treatment protocols should be developed for those at risk of gastrointestinal disorders.

A new, large egg recall may push consumers toward organic eggs to avoid contamination, but the Cornucopia Institute is warning consumers that what they see on the egg carton – the “USDA organic” label – may not be what they get. According to the Institute, many cartons so labeled come from big agribusiness farms that distribute mass produced eggs from warehoused chickens. The Institute says the hen houses of fraudulent producers are packed with birds. A door at the end of the facility is not useable by the chickens, but the companies sell their products as "free range," skirting USDA guidelines. “The chickens are never let out to graze or be in sunlight,” the Institute said. The birds are force-fed commercial chicken feed and injected with antibiotics or vaccines with toxins, violating organic rules.

In a sign of the growing eco-awareness in advertising, U.K.-based natural advertising media vendor Curb has launched its DesignGrass, a natural grass that can be used as an indoor advertising medium. The grass is flexible and can be formed into various shapes, patterns, brands, or words. Good for creating indoor green spaces, users can install DesignGrass on surfaces including walls and ceilings. Another product, the FlexiGrass offers functionality as a soilless living carpet for both indoor and outdoor environments. Requiring minimal, FlexiGrass can be molded, shaped, and colored based on users’ requirements.

Coca-Cola’s business unit in India, together with Malaysian company Pure Circle, has applied to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for authorization to use stevia, a sweetener derived from the plant stevia rebaudiana, in its products. A first for an Indian company, the request covers the use of stevial glycosides, by itself or in combination with related nutritive sweeteners sucrose, glucose, and fructose, in 15 product categories. FSSAI is also set to rule on requests for the use of additives Acesulfame potassium and sucralose or Splenda as di-blends. The CODEX Alimentarius, an international agency established by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization, is still to approve the use of stevia, which critics argue is better than other additives.

Kroger Co. chairman and CEO Dave Dillon regularly interacts with shoppers and staff at the retailer’s stores to keep track of consumer behavior and determine the effectiveness of his company’s merchandising strategies. Kroger’s emphasis on monitoring consumer behavior has enabled it to deliver sales growth recently while rivals Safeway and Supervalu have seen sales fall. Rather than relying solely on accurate consumer data provided by its partner, the marketing research firm Dunnhumby, which collects and studies data collected from millions of shoppers using Kroger loyalty cards, Dillon and other company top executives also conduct personal research by interacting with customers. This enables his company to adjust personnel management and technology to improve in-store experience, customer services, and store presentations.

U.S. research sponsored by ConAgra Foods, Inc., looked at multiple studies and found that tomatoes offer numerous cardiovascular benefits that qualify them to be of a heart-healthy diet. The researchers found, for example, that in one study people with high blood pressure who consumed two servings of canned tomato products daily experienced a significant decrease in blood pressure. Tomatoes contain high levels of carotenoid antioxidants such as lycopene, but are also a source of vitamin C, fiber and potassium. According to ConAgra, tomatoes account for 85 percent of the lycopene consumed in the U.S. One study the researchers analyzed found that lycopene absorption is two to three times greater in canned tomato products than raw tomatoes.

An international team of researchers studying different strains of the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG from various sources has found that bacteria properties were different depending on the source and manufacturing process and the type of food that carried the strains, facts that should be taken into account in future clinical studies. The researchers tested 13 different strains of L. rhamnosus derived from capsule products, commercial infant foods, etc. Each strain was tested for various characteristics; results varied for each strain. The researchers said the findings suggest there is a need for greater quality control when producing probiotic strains to make sure the production process doesn’t cause changes. “Ensuring the original properties is especially important when the strain or product is used in human intervention studies,” they wrote.

Data from a new Harris Poll suggests that though people say they are eating healthier foods such as fruit and vegetables, and are cutting back on sodas and processed foods, it may be just wishful thinking. According to the poll, a majority of adults claims they frequently eat healthy at home compared to when dining out (79 percent), drink water at meals (74 percent), eat healthy snacks (72 percent), eat a balanced diet (72 percent), read nutritional information on food packages (68 percent), try to eat smaller portions (64 percent), and exercise regularly (57 percent). But, Harris cautions, responses to poll questions may reflect what people think they should be doing rather than what they are actually doing. Nevertheless, that’s a step in the right direction, Harris says.

A survey on family eating habits, attitudes and physical activity finds significant positive changes in eating patterns related to healthier weights in children since 2003. There has been a significant increase in daily family meals eaten at home: a majority of families are not eating at fast food or sit-down restaurants often. Many children are interested in meeting with registered dieticians to learn how to prepare a meal. However, less than 25 percent of parents and children correctly identified grains as the main daily food group. Children are most likely to skip breakfast, according to the survey, and a majority of kids would be more physically active if fun activities were offered before or after school. A total of 1,193 parent and child pairs were surveyed among African-Americans, Hispanics and Caucasians.

The Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International has issued a rebuttal to a report by the Institute of Economic Affairs that FLO feels was incorrect on several points. The IEA, for example, was wrong to imply that Fairtrade offers no long-term strategy for development. Certified organic cotton farmers in Mali earn 50 percent more than conventional farmers, allowing almost all (95 percent) of their children to attend school, which contributes to long-term growth. Fairtrade does focus on the poorest countries: forty-seven percent of the 870,000 small scale farmers in the system are in East Africa. FLO acknowledged that certification costs money – about $1,570 for 50 farmers – but cost is not a barrier to certification. The Producer Certification Fund covers up to 75 percent of the fee for eligible organizations.

Including more apples and apple products in a person’s diet could be an easy way to lower the risk of heart disease, which affects more than a third of the American population, according to U.S. research in rodents. Animals genetically bred for obesity were fed either a high fat diet, a diet with apple pectin or a freeze dried powder made from whole apples, about the same as two medium-sized apples a day. After four months, researchers found a heart health benefit among the rodents fed the apple powder that went beyond cholesterol reduction alone. They speculated that antioxidant phytochemicals in apple powder reduced oxidative stress, a critical component of heart disease, and may have contributed to reducing high blood pressure.

Increased consumption of phytoestrogens, a common ingredient in dietary soy, may modify the risk of some types of breast cancer, especially those occurring before menopause, according to U.S. research. Using a food frequency questionnaire, researchers assessed dietary patterns of 683 women with breast cancer and 611 healthy women, measuring isoflavones as a dietary, rather than supplemental, intake. Women with the highest isoflavone intake had a 30 percent lower risk of developing a breast tumor, and a 60 percent lower risk of grade 1 tumor. Among premenopausal women, the highest intake of isoflavones had a 30 percent lower risk of stage I disease, a 70 percent lower risk of a tumor larger than 2 cm, and a 60 percent lower risk of stage 2 breast cancer, connections not seen among postmenopausal women.

Families with little time for food shopping and cooking are increasingly willing to contract with companies that prepare and deliver nutritious, even diet and gourmet, meals daily straight to the home. The service is especially helpful at holiday time, when dieters try delivered meals to keep weight off. An added benefit is the learning process dieters undergo, especially if they pay attention to portion sizes, food preparation techniques, etc. It often leads to a new approach to cooking and eating when they leave the meal delivery plans, which can cost up to $40 a day for breakfast, lunch and dinner, fresh or frozen. Some plans offer counseling, meal planning guides and other resources for dieters

Potentially dangerous chemicals used to coat junk food wrappers and microwave popcorn bags are transferring into food consumed by people and contributing to chemical contamination of  blood, according to a Canadian study. The chemicals – perfluorinated carboxylic acids or PFCAs – result from the breakdown of chemicals used to make non-stick and water- and stain-repellant products like kitchen pans, clothing and food packaging. PFCAs such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are found in humans all around the world. Researchers exposed rats to the common popcorn package greaseproofing agent polyfluoroalkyl phosphate ester (PAP). They found the concentrations of PFOA from PAP metabolism to be significant and concluded that the metabolism of PAPs could be a major source of human exposure to PFOA, as well as other PFCAs.

Dutch scientists studying the potential health benefits of consuming supplemental milk-derived peptides found that they significantly – and safely –lowered blood pressure in subjects with stage 1 hypertension.  The randomized and placebo-controlled clinical trial involved 70 participants who were either prehypertensive or in stage 1 hypertension. Each was given two capsules containing various combinations of peptides such as isoleucine, proline, methionine, leucine and alanine, or a placebo. The researchers found that a combination of the peptides isoleucine and proline lowered both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in stage 1 hypertensive subjects, but had no impact on prehypertensive subjects. They concluded that their findings suggest that milk-derived peptides “may be included in lifestyle changes aiming to prevent or reduce high blood pressure.”

A new report from the FDA has the vending machine industry in a snit. The report estimates that the industry will have to spend 14 million hours a year to keep their seven million machines in compliance with a calorie disclosure law that went into effect in March 2010. The law requires operators with 20 or more locations to place a sign near each food item in a machine disclosing the calorie count. The law applies to chain restaurants with 20 or more locations as well, but their efforts are mostly confined to the set-up phase, while the process is ongoing with vending machines because items are rotated frequently. A spokesman for the vending machine industry called the time needed to comply “absurd” and is “sure to kill jobs.”

Dynamic Fuels LLC, an equal-share joint venture of Syntroleum Corporation and Tyson Foods, Inc., began commercial operations at its plant, which uses Syntroleum’s Bio-Synfining technology to convert non-food grade animal fats and greases into renewable fuels. The new facility produces 2,500 barrels of fuels per day from animal fats produced or acquired by Tyson Foods. Designed to manufacture as much as 75 million gallons of renewable fuels per year, the plant employs 44 full-time workers on site and 13 start-up support staff. The plant started shipping renewable diesel that meets ASTM D975 specifications in October, and has begun producing jet fuel for testing by the Air Force Research Laboratory. Dynamic Fuels hopes that Congress will restore tax credits, which could help improve the plant’s financial feasibility.

A nutritionist speaking at a recent food and nutrition conference suggested pistachios as a nutritious snack that is also eco-friendly.  Among the reasons to choose pistachios as a frequent snack: only two calories of fossil fuel are need to produce one calorie of plant food like pistachios, compared to as many as 80 calories of fossil fuel to produce a calorie of animal food; pistachios have a minimal carbon footprint because they are a one-ingredient food; pistachios do not required energy-guzzling refrigeration; the discarded shells are compostable; and their light shipping weight means fuel consumption is minimized.

A nutrition professor at Kansas State University has shed 27 pounds on a junk food diet whose main sources of sustenance were Hostess Twinkies, Little Debbie’s Zebra Cake, Duncan Hines Brownie Chewy Fudge and Doritos Cool Ranch Chips – but whose calorie intake was limited to 1,800 a day. Mark Haub acknowledged he also are a nutritious protein shake, took a multivitamin and ate a couple of servings of vegetables each day. And he continued his regular exercise routine. On that regimen, it took ten weeks to lose 27 pounds. In addition, his body mass index dropped from 28.8 to a more normal 24.9; his LDL (“bad cholesterol”) level dropped 20 percent, good cholesterol (HDL) went up 20 percent, and blood triglycerides went down 39 percent.

Australian researchers studying the relationship between chocolate intake and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) in women have found that eating chocolate as infrequently as once a week can cut the risk of heart disease by 24 percent. In fact, they found that eating chocolate once a week was just as effective in preventing atherosclerosis as eating it daily. Researchers studied data from a randomized controlled trial of calcium supplement consumption in1,216 older women over ten years. The women were divided into three groups based on frequency of chocolate consumption. They then examined them for plaque buildup in their arteries using ultrasound. Twenty-seven percent of the women who rarely ate chocolate were hospitalized for, or died from, heart attacks or strokes, compared to 20.7 percent of the weekly eaters.

U.S. algal biotechnology company Solazyme, Inc. and French starch producer Roquette Frères have created a joint venture company to produce and commercialize microalgae-derived food ingredients. The companies pan to use the venture to launch natural, healthy and functional ingredients based on microalgae that provide “superior nutritional properties” along with good taste and texture. Products to be developed by Solazyme-Roquette Nutritionals include oil, protein and fiber based ingredients that would deliver “improved performance with a vastly superior health profile” compared to currently available ingredients, the companies said. Roquette will build a joint venture-owned, commercial-scale manufacturing plant in France with capacity in the tens of thousands of tons of annual production.

U.S. researchers have developed a nontoxic drug from a natural chemical in soy that may prevent prostate cancer cells from migrating to the rest of the body, a process known as metastasization. The chemical genistein was tested in a randomized phase 2 study involving 38 men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer. Genistein given in pill form a month before prostate surgery “had beneficial effects” on the cancer cells. Studying the cancer cells after surgery, the researchers found that genistein increased the expression of genes that suppress the invasion of cancer cells and decreased the expression of genes that enhance invasion. The researchers hope to conduct a second phase 2 trial to determine if metastatic behavior is prevented.

A new, specialized fish oil medication from Ireland’s Amarin Corp. has entered Phase 3 clinical trials and could offer some competition for GlaxSmithKline’s fish oil-based pharmaceutical Lovaza. The products, combined with statin therapy, are designed to treat patients with hypertriglyceridemia, a condition characterized by a dangerously high triglyceride level (over 500 mg/dL). Amarin’s product, AMR101, is a pure ethyl ester of eicosapentaenoic acid (ethyl-EPA), a long chain highly unsaturated omega-3 fatty acid, but contains no DHA. Even without a DHA component, the company’s data from 19,000 patients show that AMR101 coupled with a statin reduces coronary events by an additional 19 percent, compared to statins alone. According to the company, the product provides other health benefits, including regulation of glucose metabolism.

Food and beverage manufacturers have felt considerable pressure in major market countries – from consumers and regulatory bodies – to provide foods and beverages with healthy, especially natural, ingredients. And manufacturers have found several ways to deliver them, according to a market research report available through Reportlinker. Many natural ingredient formulations offer quality nutritional quality calories. In fact “natural” was the most frequently identified claim – 10 percent – in food and drink product launches in 2009. Soft drink launches were the most innovative in terms of ingredient formulations, again with natural being the most frequent theme. A key ingredient theme in dairy was probiotics in 2008-2009, while confectioners offered quality calories and nutritional value by fortifying products with vitamins and minerals.

PepsiCo is joining forces with specialty nutrition retailer GNC to develop and market fortified coconut water products under the “Phenom” brand name beginning in the second quarter of 2011. The companies have partnered before with the successful retail launch of the Gatorade G Series Pro at GNC stores last May. According to PepsiCo, coconut water is a natural electrolyte beverage formed inside coconut shells. Low in fat and calories, the beverage is a source of vitamin C and potassium. PepsiCo said the venture with GNC is part of its expansion into the health and wellness sector.

Industry analysts are warning that the chocolate industry faces a cocoa shortage and much steeper prices as chocolate consumption increases faster than cocoa production, which faces serious headwinds. African cocoa farmers are abandoning their farms due to negligible returns, a problem compounded by soil depletion. Meanwhile, a change in weather systems has hit crops in Indonesia, the world’s third-largest cocoa producer.  As cocoa supplies declined, prices have risen, doubling in the last six years, a trend set to continue. John Mason, executive director and founder of the Ghana-based Nature Conservation Research Council, forecasts that “In 20 years chocolate will be like caviar. It will become so rare and so expensive that the average Joe just won't be able to afford it."

The incidence of gout – a painful and often disabling form of arthritis – is on the rise globally, and women who drink sugary beverages are at high risk for it, according to a U.S. study. Gout occurs when the kidneys can’t remove all of the waste product uric acid; the excess accumulates in the body, causing deposits of needle-like crystals in the joints. For the study, researchers examined data from 79,000 women over 22 years, finding 778 cases of gout. Participants who drank one serving of sugar-sweetened soft drinks a day had nearly double the risk of gout compared to those who drank less than one serving a month. Those who drank two servings a day had more than double the risk. Results were similar for those who drank orange juice.

A study by researchers from the University of Western Australia showed that consuming chocolate daily or once a week can lower women’s risk for heart diseases and cardiovascular problems later in life. The study, which sought to determine the links between chocolate consumption and atherosclerotic vascular disease (ASVD), used data from a “randomized controlled trial of calcium supplements,” which covered 1,216 older women. As part of the study, the researchers tested the subjects, who were subdivided into three groups based on self-reported chocolate consumption, for artery plaque buildup using B-mode carotid ultrasonography.  The researchers found that people that consumed chocolate weekly or daily both obtained a similar level of risk reduction of around 24%.

When aiming to reach multicultural consumers, U.S. marketers prefer to use mobile marketing, online video, and gaming, according to a recent survey by the Association of National Advertisers. With mobile marketing, for example, 59% of respondents say they use or plan to use the platform, compared with only 32% in a general-market survey conducted earlier by ANA. Meanwhile, 55% of marketers targeting the multicultural market said they use or intend to use online video, against 50% of general-market respondents. Survey results also revealed that marketers have invested in search engines, Web sites, and video-on-demand. The majority (63%) of respondents said they have a Spanish-language Web site, while 18% have an Asian-language Web site.

The market worldwide for sustainable packaging is growing much faster than the rest of the packaging industry. A recent report by Pike Research forecasts the environment-friendly packaging market to double in size from $88 billion in 2009 to $170 billion in 2014, while Global Industry Analysts predicts the market to reach $142 billion by 2015 despite the economic slowdown. Factors driving the market include growing awareness about environmental impact of packaging wastes and government rules and initiatives seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Europe and the U.S. account for over 70% of the world sustainable packaging market, with recycled material as its largest category; and biodegradables, the fastest-growing segment. EL Insights forecasts sustainable packaging will be used in 37% of products sold by big U.S. retailers by 2015.

Australian environmentalist Jon Dee, via his organization Do Something!, plans to launch a countrywide campaign calling on retailers Coles and Woolworths to prompt manufacturers Unilever and Reckitt Benckiser to reduce the phosphate content of their laundry powders and dishwasher tablets. Popular detergent brands being sold in Australia contain high levels of phosphate, which is being removed from detergents in markets overseas due to their negative impact on waterways, such as promotion of algal blooms. The U.S. and the European Union have announced policies for stricter control of phosphate in detergent products. Phosphate, which helps break down dirt, is regulated through the Phosphorus Standard managed by the ACCORD industry group that counts Unilever, Colgate, and Reckitt Benckiser as members.

A report by Mintel shows that American men reduced by 10.2% their spending on skin-care products in 2010 from 2009 levels and projects a further decline of 3.9% in 2011 and nearly 6% for 2012. Although the study cites the economic slowdown as a factor for the decline, personal-care industry observers believe are other factors at play. Men express skepticism about grooming products, and, for example, believe that manufacturers are marketing skin-care products that are primarily designed for women, only with different packaging. Also, observers believe that men do not see an urgent need for skin-care products; although as male consumers get older and put more efforts to reduce the signs of aging, the segment might finally take off.

Walmart plans to launch initiatives that will promote sustainable, environment-friendly agriculture and double sales of locally grown food by 2015. Seeking to improve soil quality and conserve water and fossil fuels, the retailer has visited farms in Iowa to learn about sustainable farming practices that it could incorporate into its programs. Agriculture groups are closely watching the company’s efforts, which, considering the company’s leadership role in retail, can have significant implications for the country’s farming sector. Meanwhile, environmentalists and sustainability proponents want to know whether Walmart will go far enough with its proposed sustainable-farming standards, which are being developed through the Sustainability Consortium, an organization that counts several agribusiness companies as members. Ultimately, Walmart wants to develop a means of measuring products’ impact on the environment, which would help guide consumers in choosing sustainable goods.

The South African government’s agriculture, trade and industry departments are seeking comment on a draft policy that would promoted organic farming among emerging black farmers and provide training. Organic farming proponents welcomed the government plant to regulate and support the sector, saying it will help sustainable production of healthy food become mainstream. A  new non-profit group, the SA Organic Sector Organization (SAOSO), will lobby for organic farming, promoting benefits such as efficient water use and carbon sequestration, as well as health benefits like better nutrition and reduced agro-chemical toxins. On the issue of organic certification, a high-cost process that can be a barrier for smaller producers to overcome, the draft policy proposes keeping the current multi-certifier system for exports but introducing a new system for the local market.

Kraft Foods is launching a $30-35 million advertising campaign for its Planters brand. As part of the campaign, and before moving onto to TV and cinema, Kraft will preview on Facebook a television commercial that features actor Robert Downey Jr. as the voice for Mr. Peanut, Planters’ mascot since 1916. The commercial will highlight a revised look for Mr. Peanut that will try to preserve the character’s traditional looks without being perceived as old fashioned. Playing to nostalgic imagery is proving popular: McDonald’s, Pepsi-Cola, and General Mills have all revived classic ad mascots and Mintel believes that “new retro” will be a defining consumer marketing trend in 2011.

Supporters of location-based social networking need to convince consumers about the value of the system as an advertising platform. While technology companies, investors, marketers, and advertisers are excited about building location-based marketing services, only 4% of U.S. adults who use the Internet are using the services, according to the Internet and American Life Project study by Pew Research Center. Nevertheless, Foursquare and Gowalla were able to raise money to finance their efforts to develop location-based services, which let users login to stores and establishments using their mobile phones to receive coupons or stay in touch with friends. With a location-based marketing platform, consumers use their personal data to help pay for products and services, a practice that may not appeal to some due to privacy and security concerns.

The USDA, along with other federal agencies, is actively involved in promoting Michelle Obama’s anti-obesity campaign. But, as this report describes, the agency is also actively promoting cheese, which is high in saturated fat and calories, to the restaurant business. Cheese promotion is conducted by an entity known as Dairy Management, a marketing creation of the USDA. An example of Dairy Management’s successful efforts is Domino’s Pizza’s startling sales turnaround. Sales at the chain had sagged as customers fell away, disappointed in the taste of the company’s pies compared to the competition. Dairy Management, which is funded by fees from the dairy industry and also by taxpayer dollars, urged Domino’s to add more cheese – 40 percent more cheese – and “sales soared by double digits,” according to the New York Times.

Nutrition author Marion Nestle says a friend of the court brief on gene patents filed recently by the U.S. Dept. of Justice in a federal suit against the U.S. Patent Office has angered the biotech industry and may have important implications for the food industry. In the brief, DOJ argues that because human and other genes are part of nature they should not be patentable. The brief excludes artificial gene modifications, but food biotech experts think the brief has broad implications. Nestle says patents on GM foods raise crucial issues: they are broad and concentrated in a few companies; biotech firms aggressively defend them; animal gene patents raise ethical problems; and some seeds containing patented genes prevent germination, requiring farmers to buy new seeds rather than save and use leftovers.

A nonprofit organization that sponsors organic farming research has launched a broad research effort to examine all of the possible benefits of organic agriculture. The Organic Farming Research Foundation says it has hired a team of researchers that plans to release findings in the spring of 2011. Initially, researchers will scour existing scientific literature and analyze data. Research leaders include Carolyn Dmitri, a former USDA economist who will review the scientific literature, and Loni Kemp, an agriculture policy analyst who will synthesize results and make policy recommendations. The researchers also hope to identify gaps in research on organic farming that might point to future studies. “The time is right for a comprehensive assessment of the state of organic research and policy regarding the benefits of organic production,” Dimitri said.