Topic “In the News News” — Exporter Magazine

Proleads Global, a UAE-based market research company has reported that nearly 1,300 projects valued at more than USD$418 billion (NZD$536 billion) are under construction in the UAE, with an additional 303 projects worth $143 billion in the design, planning or bidding stage. Consumers rate food contaminated with bacteria such as Listeria and salmonella as their fifth highest concern. The item was rated as ‘very worrying’ by less than a quarter of the 26,691 respondents that took part in the research carried out by Eurobarometer and published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The agency has warned four companies that the caffeine added to their malt alcoholic drinks is an “unsafe food additive” and threatened product seizures if appropriate action is not taken. The companies concerned are Charge Beverages Corp, New Century Brewing Co., Phusion Projects and United Brands Company. The report said since the orderbook has been in decline since it peaked at 6.89 million TEU in August 2008 due to a combination of poor market sentiment and a lack of access to funding. The hikes for containers from Asia to US east coast ports and to US intermodal points moving through or via US east coast ports are: US$640 (NZD$832) per TEU, $800 per FEU and $900 per 40-foot high-cube. The Report comes to a number of important conclusions including the fact that hard interventions, such as taxes or subsidies on specific goods and services, would be difficult to justify. The probability of success of a tax on energy-dense nutrient poor foods is rated as ‘low’. Dr Ross Lee, a researcher at the Packaging & Technology Integrated Solutions in Maryland, US, was quoted telling the Neutrons and Food Conference in Sydney, Australia, that the use of printable electronics in ‘smart’ packaging was viable. Other emerging nanotechnologies include sensors and batteries as well as new scanning technologies. Event organiser IIR Middle East said Memex will run from November 28 to 30 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre with focus on technology, machinery, tools, and solutions for the industrial and associated industries. Over 120 exhibiting companies, representing 400 brands from 16 countries, are expected.