Nonfoods

LONDON - Baby Boomers who are concerned with their health are fueling a sharp rise in demand for functional foods or "nutraceuticals," according to a report published today by market research firm Datamonitor.

WASHINGTON - The obesity epidemic in America may soon overtake tobacco as the leading cause of preventable deaths, Surgeon General David Satcher warned today. He looked to schools, the fast-food industry and communities to eat healthier and exercise more.

NEW YORK - The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it will not close meat processing plants that violate its salmonella safety standard, The Wall Street Journal reported today.

MANILA - The Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines Inc. (CCBPI), a joint venture between beer giant San Miguel Corp. and The Coca-Cola Co., said today it was eyeing deals with Swiss food firm Nestle S.A. and Walt Disney to expand its non-carbonated drinks line, Reuters reports.

WASHINGTON - The Food and Drug Administration on Friday recalled 16,000 packages of mini-cup gel candies sold nationwide because they were deemed a choking hazard, Reuters reports.

STELLARTON, NOVA SCOTIA and TORONTO, ONTARIO - Sobeys Inc., Canada's second largest retail grocer and distributor, announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell substantially all of the assets of its SERCA foodservice operations to SYSCO Corporation, the largest foodservice

NORCROSS, Ga. - Tyco International said today its health care division is buying Paragon Trade Brands Inc., the largest generic maker of disposable diapers in the United States and Canada, for $565 million, The Associated Press reports.

CHICAGO - Transora, the business-to-business online exchange that links manufacturers, suppliers and retailers in food, beverage and packaged goods industries among others, has laid off about 15 percent of its work force, and its CEO says a merger with another exchange is a possibility, the Chicago

ATLANTA - Winn-Dixie may turn at least some of its 40 metro Atlanta locations into Save Rite warehouse stores as Cub Foods closes its Georgia stores, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently reported.

WASHINGTON - American consumers believe that the food they eat can make a significant difference in their health, but many admit that their own diet needs improvement, according to Shopping for Health 2001, just released by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and Prevention magazine.

ROME - Countries should be extremely cautious over pig imports due to a new deadly pig disease that has the potential to spread across the world, an animal health officer with the United Nations food body said today, Reuters reported.

California grocery chain Trader Joe's has agreed to ban genetically modified ingredients from its thousands of private-label products in response to consumer pressure, the Los Angeles Times reported today.