The United Nations CEO Water Mandate encourages companies to play a more active role in solving issues related to water availability and quality. The signing of the CEO Water Mandate on 23 March 2009 by Heineken’s CEO Jean-François van Boxmeer confirms the brewer’s commitment to both sustainability and water management, a company statement says.

Following the announcement, the Finnish Food Workers’ Union on 25 March urged Carlsberg to cancel its plans to close the brewery in Pori in western Finland, warning the Danish brewer the move risked a rapid drop in sales.

Figures compiled by the BBPA confirm the pattern of a downward trend in alcohol consumption since 2004.

In his report, released on 16 March 2009, Sir Liam Donaldson said the average adult in the UK consumes the equivalent of 120 bottles of wine a year and warned: ‘The country has a drink problem.’

This proves how fast things can change. For nine consecutive years, Krones managed to increase sales and profits. But in the span of a few months Krones may go from record growth to loss.

Elke Arendt is an associate Professor in the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork since 1993. She lectures and carries out research in the area cereals, malting and brewing science specific focussing on gluten free foods and beverages, starter cultures, functional beverages, rheology and food structure. Arendt’s research programme at UCC, to date, has resulted in over 140 peer-reviewed research papers, 2 books, 30 book chapters, and approximately 400 additional published articles and abstracts. Her current research group comprises of 25 researchers (post docs, PhD students, research scientists).

One new feature of the site is a ‘Contacts and service’ area with specific information of interest to visitors, exhibitors and media representatives. Here, for example, you can find contact details, plus advice on travel and accommodation. A useful service for visitors from outside the EU is help with visa applications. Set out here is information on which documents are required for visa applications. It is even possible to request a visa invitation letter online.

The former professor at the University of Hohenheim studied Food Technology at TUM, Weihenstephan in the first place. Later he also gained experience in the fields of biosensor, process analysis and process engineering. His diversified experience allows the TUM to set up a broad and comprehensive research programme, on the basis of which in 2008 the scientific board granted a new construction scheme worth EUR 27 million, the iGZW (International Centre for Beverage Science, Weihenstephan). Construction will start in autumn 2009.

The aim was to find a new approach for the calculation of the Yield, which is necessary due to increasing demands directed towards the supply industry for proof of maximum utilisation of malt, and furthermore due to the possibilities risen by modernised brewhouse plant technologies, including the reuse of trub, last runnings, and water/wort mixtures obtained from flushing in-between and generally during production.

The Italian company Fonti di Vinadio has presented the first degradable bottle of mineral water, Sant’Anna Bio Bottle.