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.