Breaking News on Industrial Baking & Snacks

Bemis sees upturn in flexible packaging demand

Bemis said a gradual improvement in demand for flexible packaging, especially for shelf-life extension products, was a major factor in it posting better than expected Q4 and year end results.

Kellogg calls for industry wide engagement on salt reduction

Pressure to ensure customer taste preferences are continually met for leading breakfast cereal brands is a hindrance to achieving minimal salt levels, and an sector wide push is required to achieve this objective, claims Kellogg.

Special edition: Salt reduction

Sea salt rises on wave of premium tasting

In the fourth part of our series on salt reduction, we look at the rise of sea salt-flavoured products, predominantly in the snack-food area.

Energy efficiency to boost output of baking facility, says Rewe

Production has started at the new Glocken Bäckerei facility in southern Germany, which took 15 months to build and aims to process 36,000 tonnes of flour annually using sustainable heating methods.

Food nutrition labels fail to impress European consumers

Less than one-third of European consumers look for nutrition labels when shopping, according to a new study by the European Food Information Council (EUFIC) published in the Journal of Public Health.

Study questions sucralose stability in bakery

Bakery formulators who use ingredients like glycerol or fats should exercise caution when using sucralose, suggests a new study from Canada.

Inulin could speed up baking time for breads, study

Adding inulin to white breads increases its nutrition quality but also accelerates the baking process and the crucial Maillard reaction, according to new research on the fibre.

Bakery supplier boosts presence in China

Emerging markets continue to attract both food processors and equipment suppliers, with AMF Bakery Systems, a leading supplier of bakery equipment in North America, recently expanding its footprint in the Asia Pacific region.

Industry working out details on new flavour regulation

The long lead time before regulatory changes become applicable means the flavour industry is prepared to support customers, says the president of the European Flavour Association (EFFA), though a few details are still being worked out.

Weekly comment

Cheesed off – jingoism takes the spoils in the Cadbury battle

Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated, quipped Mark Twain. Predictions of the demise of Cadbury following the approval of Kraft’s offer are premature and are flawed by knee-jerk anti-Americanism.

Competition clamp-down shows need for compliance culture, lawyers say

As the competition authorities are stepping up scrutiny of the food sector, all companies should ensure they have compliance structures in place and do not view national activities in isolation, say lawyers at CMS Cameron McKenna

Healthier white flour could be on the horizon

Grain processors, bakery manufacturers and consumers could benefit from research being carried out in the UK that aims to develop new mineral rich white flour through plant breeding and x-ray technology.

UK consumers top breakfast cereal charts

British consumers are the biggest spenders on breakfast cereals in Europe, according to new research from Mintel’s Global Market Navigator (GMN).

Campaigners attack General Mills on palm oil policy

General Mills is facing accusations that the palm oil used in its food products is sourced unsustainably, and is strongly linked to deforestation in Southeast Asia.

News in brief

Europain to hold new master baker contest

A new baking competition will run for the first time in March at the Europain show in France and will showcase the top participants of the Louis Lesaffre Cup and Bakery World Cup contests.

News in brief

Grain production levels down in Ukraine

Grain production in Ukraine decreased by 13.7 per cent last year compared to 2008 because of decreasing grain yields, according to Agrimarket Info.

Job losses at US rice bran supplier NutraCea

Rice bran and baby cereal specialist NutraCea is cutting 17 per cent of its US work force, a move the company claims will save $1m annually in its process of reducing its overheads under Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Burcon files for GRAS for canola extracts

Canadian functional protein developer, Burcon NutraScience Corporation, has taken another step to commercializing its canola protein extracts by filing for GRAS (generally recognized as safe) with the Food and Drug Administration.

Franz Haas has complete portfolio after DFE Meincke takeover

Franz Haas Waffel said its acquisition of DFE Meincke Holding has given it a complete portfolio, withthe deal set to make it a major global player in the bakery sector.

Nestle USA heat-treated flour switch planned for months

Nestle USA said the switch to heat-treated flour in the production of its Toll House dough has been planned since late summer and confirmed it had yet to find the source of the E.coli detected in its samples.

Lallemand push vitamin D in bread agenda

Bakery manufacturers can gain a thorough understanding of the benefits of fortification of bread and other baked good products with vitamin D at a seminar next month which includes insights from the lead researcher in the field, claims supplier Lallemand.

Weekly comment

Why Haiti must stay on the CSR agenda

50,000 and counting. We'll probably never know exactly how many perished in the 7.0 earthquake that brought Haiti, quite literally, crashing down last Tuesday, 12th January 2010, just before 5pm. But for those who survived and who make it through the hard days, weeks and months ahead, getting enough to eat will be a long term challenge.

Datem may boost gluten-free formulations

Datem emulsifiers with carefully chosen gums like xanthan may enhance the formulation of rice bread for the gluten-free market, says new research.

Salted foods may increase cancer risk: Japanese study

Increased intake of salt may boost the risk of heart disease, while increased consumption of salted foods may increase the risk of cancer, says a new study from Japan.

New hood positioning devices boost fume and dust extraction

Better fume and dust extraction coupled with ease of operation are two benefits claimed by manufacturer Flextraction for its new range of hood positioning devices (HPD) suitable for use in food processing plants.

Price fixing in Dutch flour sector probed

A suspected cartel in the flour industry in the Netherlands is the subject of an investigation by the Dutch competition authority (NMa), with the spotlight being placed on the practice of both domestic and foreign players in the sector.

Swedish salt study calls for clearer rules for food industry

Young Swedish men are consuming twice as much salt as recommended, says a new study which increases pressure on the food industry to curb the salt content of its products.

Resistant starch improves GI of foods – more support

Foods formulated with resistant starch are effective at lowering the glycemic index of the food despite formulation with high GI ingredients, says a new study.

Nestle to use heat-treated flour after E.coli found in dough

Nestle USA has said it is to begin using heat-treated flour in the manufacture of its Toll House refrigerated cookie dough two days after finding E.coli in samples of the product.

New cassava-based flour boost for gluten-free bakers, says AKFP

A cassava-based wheat flour replacement will appeal to bakery manufacturers keen to develop a wide selection of gluten-free products when it becomes available later this year, claims the US ingredient supplier.

New cleaner tackles zero trans fat oil stains on machinery

A breakthrough cleaning gel has been developed to help food processors deal with the growing problem of cleaning zero trans fat oils from machinery and surfaces, said manufacturer Ecolab.

Flour grade can boost healthiness of baked goods, says Pava

Pava, a major Russian processor of flour and cereals, has developed a standard set of characteristics for its flour grade Zhitnitsa, with it said is rich in vitamin E and can help bakers provide healthier products to meet the growing demand for functional baked goods.

News in brief

Study shows lunchbox less nutritious than school meals

A new study has indicated that packed lunches given to school children by parents in the UK do not meet the nutritional standards for meals provided by the educational establishment.

Weaning food labelling laws consistent with EFSA opinion, says EC

The current EC labelling legislation on complementary food such as processed cereal-based foods for infants are consistent with the recent European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) findings that complementary feeding at four months poses no risk to infants, claims the Commission.

Calcium may boost flavour of low-sugar, -salt foods

Compounds that activate calcium receptors on the tongue may enhance the flavour of low-sugar or low-salt foods, thereby reducing the need for extra flavourings, says a new study from Ajinomoto.

Blueberries may boost memory in older adults: Study

Supplemental blueberries for only 12 weeks may boost memory in older people with early memory problems, says a new study from the US.

Weekly comment

Cold snap could last longer for food sector

“More snow on the way.” So say the weathermen, and Europe is stocking up and hunkering down for a long, cold winter. But while the fluffy flakes will halt, at least come Spring, for the food sector the chill could be felt throughout 2010.

Entire bakery factory contents to go under hammer

The entire contents of a wholesale bakery, including all plant and machinery, commercial vehicles, bakery equipment and ancillary factory contents are to be auctioned next month following the closure of a Scottish craft business.

New York leads plan to cut salt intake and save 0.8m lives

New York City is leading a partnership of cities and national health organizations to promote a voluntary program of salt reduction in packaged and restaurant foods.

Oats may boost nutritional profile of gluten-free diets

Adding oats to a gluten-free diet may enhance the nutritional values of the diets, particularly for vitamins and minerals, as well as increasing antioxidant levels, say two studies from Scandinavia.

New cartoner offers productivity gains and cost savings

Greater packaging flexibility, faster changeovers, cost savings and major productivity gains are claims made for a new cartoner by manufacturer Oystar Jones.

Rye has lower acrylamide risk than previously thought: Study

Rye’s reputation as a cereal particularly at risk of acrylamide formation could be unfounded, according to a new study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Reformulated whey protein is effective egg replacer, says Arla

An improved formulation on an egg replacement whey protein based ingredient can enable a saving of up to 30 per cent on liquid egg costs for sponge cake manufacturers, claims Arla Food Ingredients.

Ethanol leftover could be used in bread, claims US researcher

Leftover materials from ethanol could be used to make more nutritional flat breads such as naan and chapathi, according to a US based research project.

Nestle opens biscuit research centre in Chile

Nestle has opened a new research and development centre in Chile to help the company create healthier biscuits and cereal snacks.

Kellogg’s settles Rice Krispies immunity claims dispute

The Kellogg Company has settled a dispute with the Oregon Department of Justice and Attorney General John Kroger over immunity claims it was making for its breakfast cereal, Rice Krispies.

Egg foam may enhance gluten-free sourdoughs

Egg white foam may boost gluten-free sourdoughs enhance the structure of the resulting baked goods and extend the range of gluten-free products, says a new study.

Californian trans fat ban takes effect

California has become the first state to ban the use of trans fat-containing cooking oils, as a law signed by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2008 came into effect on January 1.

News in brief

Bunge expands Brazilian sugar presence

Food and agribusiness firm Bunge has said it has entered an agreement to acquire a Brazilian sugar company with an annual crushing capacity of 15.4 million metric tons.