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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 marketing and distribution company in North America.

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 Sun-Times reports.

LONDON - UK frozen foods retailer Iceland said today it would resume dividend payments and change its name to The Big Food Group, the Financial Times reported.