Posted: Monday, September 12, 2005 7:00 pm
A recently commercialized test developed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln food scientists that quickly detects traces of soy flour is helping food processors better protect consumers with food allergies.
Neogen Corp. of Lansing, Mich., recently announced that kits based on the latest UNL test are available to processors. A UNL team earlier devised tests for peanuts, milk, eggs, almonds and wheat gluten.
The tests give processors a quick, reliable way to ensure their products contain only ingredients listed on the label.
The UNL-developed tests can be run by processing plant workers in about 30 minutes. Before UNL developed these tests, processors often had to send samples to outside labs and wait several days for results.
Amtrak announces fare increases
WASHINGTON — Amtrak has announced it will raise fares nationally to counter higher energy costs, with Northeast Corridor commuters holding monthly rail passes seeing a fare hike of about 50 percent.
The average fare nationally will increase $3, and the average fare in the Northeast Corridor will go up $4, Amtrak said. The adjustments go into effect Sept. 20.
Amtrak said fuel costs have risen nearly 40 percent over a year ago and are expected to remain high.
Oracle to buy Siebel Systems for $5.85 billion
SAN FRANCISCO — Business software maker Oracle Corp. is buying its struggling rival Siebel Systems Inc. for $5.85 billion in cash.
Under the terms of the deal announced Monday, Redwood Shores-based Oracle will pay $10.66 per share for San Mateo-based Siebel, a once rapidly growing maker of customer support software that has fallen on hard times during the past three years.
The takeover further bolsters Oracle’s aggressive bid to topple Germany’s SAP AG has the world’s largest maker of business applications software — the computer coding that automates a wide range of administrative tasks.
EBay buys Internet phone provider Skype
STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Online auctioneer eBay Inc. agreed Monday to pay at least $2.6 billion in cash and stock for Internet-telephony provider Skype Technologies SA, confounding many analysts who questioned the lofty price tag and the companies’ compatibility.
The total value of the deal may climb to $4.1 billion based on whether Skype meets a series of performance targets over the next three years, San Jose, Calif.-based eBay said.
Skype — founded by the creators of Kazaa, the free music-sharing program that riled the music business — gives away software lets people talk for free over the Internet using computers and microphones. A paid version, SkypeOut, allows those calls to be connected to regular phones.
Office Depot to close 27 stores, 2 warehouses
DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Office Depot Inc. said Monday it would close 16 stores in North America and 11 more in its international division in hopes of boosting future performance.
The company, the nation's second-largest office products retailer, said it would also eliminate the Viking brand in the United States and close two warehouses.
The changes, expected to be complete by early next year, are estimated to cost $82.2 million. The company did not say how many jobs would be lost or where the changes would be made, according to a document filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday.
Office Depot has one Lincoln store and four in Omaha.
— From staff and wire reports