Energy and Environment from United Kingdom

July 19, 2010

Potato storage efficiency on the agenda at Storage Event

Issues surrounding potato storage such as efficiency will be one of the many topics on the agenda at the Storage Event to be held at Sutton Bridge Crop Storage Research in Lincolnshire on 2 September.Professor Gareth Edwards-Jones from Bangor Universit...

May 26, 2010

Frito-lay wants to run the chips factory on water extracted from the potato

Food giant PepsiCo has come up with a novel way to cut its water consumption - by extracting it from potatoes and recycling it.

May 18, 2010

Greenvale’s 'Cascade' wins Innovation and Environment Awards

Only months after its launch, Greenvale has won no less than two influential awards for Project Cascade, its innovative root vegetable washing system.

May 05, 2010

Organic Farming shows limited benefit to wildlife

Organic farms may be seen as wildlife friendly, but the benefits to birds, bees and butterflies don’t compensate for the lower yields produced, according to new research from the University of Leeds. In the most detailed, like-for-like comparisons o...

March 01, 2010

UK retailer Marks & Spencer commits to sustainable products

Marks &Spencer (M&S) announces a programme to be the world’s most sustainable retailer by 2015, launching 80 major new commitments under M&S’ eco and ethical plan, Plan A. The new commitments will mean we ensure all M&S products becom...

February 17, 2010

Greenvale AP reveals plans to install wind turbine at Fenland factory

Potato supplier Greenvale AP has revealed plans to install a wind turbine at its factory in Fenland.Plans have been submitted to Fenland District Council for a temporary 60-metre tall wind mast at the Flood's Ferry factory, near Doddington.A spokesman...

January 05, 2010

Food labels to show 'carbon footprint' under Government plans

Hilary Benn, UK's Environment Secretary, said in future people will have to eat less “carbon intensive” foods like red meat or excessively packaged products to make sure Britain meets targets to cut greenhouse gases.To help consumers do this, new “gree...

December 06, 2009

Branston's potato anaerobic digestion plant to cut electricity demand by 40%

The anaerobic digestion plant at Branston's headquarters in Lincoln will use low value potatoes and peelings to produce enough electricity to cut the firm's reliance on grid electricity by 40%.Work started on the plant last week, project director Vee G...

November 27, 2009

Attitudes to GM Foods explored in new Food Standards Agency report

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is today publishing findings of a qualitative research project commissioned to explore public attitudes to genetic modification (GM). This report is timely and will be considered by the independent steering group that ha...

October 13, 2009

Greenvale AP's 'Green' Potato Packaging Prevents Greening

Greenvale's new packaging for its Lady Balfour organic potatoes has increased shelf life, decreased wastage and reduced complaints about greening by over 50%.Greenvale AP is the UK's largest supplier of fresh potatoes and Lady Balfour is one of the UK'...

August 28, 2009

Arguing over organic is fruitless, says top UK scientist

Farmers must stop squabbling over whether organic or conventional agriculture is most environmentally friendly, a leading scientist has warned.Ian Crute said it was vital to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from all types of agriculture. “The notion tha...

August 06, 2009

Uproar over study on organic food

For years, healthful-food advocates have said organic food is more nutritious than conventionally grown. But that claim — trumpeted on the Web sites of organizations ranging from the national Organic Trade Association to the Seattle-based PCC Natural ...

July 29, 2009

Food Standards Agency: Organic 'has no health benefits'

Organic food is no healthier than ordinary food, a large independent review has concluded.There is little difference in nutritional value and no evidence of any extra health benefits from eating organic produce, UK researchers found. The Food Standard...

July 16, 2009

UK government sets out to reduce carbon emmissions;Farming to reduce emissions 6%

The UK government has unveiled plans to cut carbon emissions in a bid to tackle climate change.The Low Carbon Transition Plan calls on farming to reduce emissions to 6% lower than the level predicted for 2020.It suggests this should be done through an ...

July 16, 2009

Anaerobic digestion scheme key to cutting food and packing in landfill

A UK Government initiative on anaerobic digestion that includes using food and bioplastic packaging waste to create energy could play a key role in helping cut landfill volumes, said an industry body. The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) welcomed the go...

April 11, 2009

BFFF: Energy savings possible in the Frozen Food cold chain

The British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) identified opportunities for energy savings and the related CO2 emission reductions related to improved temperature management in frozen food manufacturing and in cold stores.The project had support and fundin...

March 23, 2009

Carbon footprint labels should be displayed on new products say MPs

Labels showing a product's carbon footprint should be displayed on goods and services to help consumers tackle climate change, according to an influential committee of MPs.Some foods are already displaying "carbon reduction labels"alongside t...

March 05, 2009

Branston turns to potato for power supply

You can boil them, mash them and roast them but rarely are potatoes burned to a cinder to generate electricity - but that's what one Lincolnshire company is going to do.Branston Ltd has been given permission to build an energy from waste plant at its M...