March 19 (Reuters) - Unilever ( UL ) is in talks to

separate its food business and combine it with spice maker

McCormick ( MKC ) in an all-stock deal which could come within

weeks, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing

sources.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report. The

companies did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for

comment.

Dove soap maker Unilever ( UL ) is weighing a broader separation of

​its food assets, Bloomberg News reported earlier this week, as

consumer goods companies grapple with weaker demand for packaged

foods amid economic uncertainty.

FT reported on Wednesday that Unilever ( UL ) and Kraft Heinz ( KHC )

had recently held talks over a potential merger of parts

of their food businesses, but the discussions have since ended.