US officials give nod for Cargill's Degussa acquisition

18/11/05 U.S. antitrust authorities have given the go-ahead for Cargill’s 540 million euro takeover of Degussa’s food ingredients business. Antitrust officials concluded their probe of the transaction without taking any action to block the deal announced in September, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission said in a notice.

In a consolidating food ingredients industry, the Degussa Management Board decided in August 2004 to divest its Food Ingredient business in order to provide it with the opportunity for a further development into a leading global position. Cargill’s swoop for Degussa was announced in September.

After selling the Fruit Systems activities in early 2005, today the Degussa Food Ingredients Business Unit consists of the Texturant Systems and Flavors Business Lines.

Texturant Systems is comprised of product groups in the areas of hydrocolloids, blends, lecithin, cultures and bioactive ingredients. The Flavors Business Line produces flavoring solutions for the beverage, dairy, confectionary and other food sectors and provides key capabilities in formulation, application, analytical chemistry and sensory analysis.