Breaking News on Industrial Baking & Snacks

Cranberry waste may lead to alternative ingredients

Cranberry pomace, a by-product of the juicing process, may be extruded to produce a range of polyphenol-rich ingredients for use in supplements or functional foods, says a new study.

Sara Lee accused of ‘misleading’ marketing

Sara Lee has issued a clarification statement regarding its EarthGrain-brand bread after organic farming campaigners at Cornucopia accused it of “misleading and unethical” claims.

Incomplete dossier prevents bakery extracts appraisal, EFSA

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said that the lack of an appropriate dossier backing the use of oregano and lemon balm extracts as food additives means the safety assessment of their proposed uses in baked goods and cereals and other foods cannot be undertaken.

Special Edition: Kids' food

Kids’ food trends in the spotlight

Some major trends in children’s eating habits could change as the economy recovers – but foods marketed as natural and healthful are here to stay, according to a senior analyst at Mintel.

CSM predicts narrowing of bakery ingredient supplier base

Dutch bakery ingredients supplier CSM, in releasing its 2009 full year results, said it saw more consolidation in the industry with the expected narrower supplier base leading to synergy savings and thus lower costs for the industrial, artisan and in-store baked good sector.

News in brief

BBC prompts Unilever palm oil action

Unilever has stopped accepting palm oil from an Indonesian planter after a damning BBC documentary showing rainforest clearing, according to the Indonesian Palm Oil Board.

News in brief

AACC to hold short course on healthier formulation

The American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC) is planning to hold a short course entitled Formulating to Attain Health and Wellness Initiatives in Phoenix next month.

EFSA to examine safety of non-plastic food contact materials

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has set up an expert panel to evaluate the safety of non-plastic food contact materials such as inks and adhesives.

Bakery and snacks proving earner for Campbell

Improved sales and earnings performance within the baking and snacks division of the Campbell Soup for the fiscal year 2010 were due to favourable currency impact and margin growth in both Pepperidge Farm and Arnott’s, said the US company.

Sugar and stevia join forces to cut calories

PureCircle and Imperial Sugar have launched a joint venture to offer sugar and stevia combinations to the food and beverage industry as it looks to meet consumer demand for natural lower calorie products.

Weekly comment

Banning energy drinks is a doomed shot in the dark

Energy shot drinks have come under fire from German authorities which are employing an old-school prohibition logic that history has repeatedly dunce-hatted.

New peelable packaging standard on horizon

A German research institute is seeking heat sealed packaging formats including confectionery wrapping from packaging producers or food manufactures for a round robin test to develop a standardized testing method to determine peel and opening forces.

No trans fat ban for Louisville – yet

A proposed trans fat ban in Louisville, Kentucky has been rejected in favor of a public education effort, better labeling and a voluntary phase-out – despite a taskforce recommendation for an outright ban.

Study highlights fast way to screen chips for acrylamide levels

On-line near infrared (NIR) and visual (VIS) spectroscopy monitoring could be used to screen potato chip samples for high acrylamide content as well as accurately predict their moisture and oil content, claims a new study.

News in brief

Kashi could become $1bn brand, says Kellogg’s chief

Kellogg’s has said it expects health food brand Kashi to grow to a $1bn brand with five years, according to a Bloomberg report.

New tool enables croissant conformity at high speed, says Rademaker

Croissant makers are set to benefit from new equipment that enables tip control, as well as bending and pinching of the product at up to 120 strokes per minute, says Rademaker.

Olive oil may replace trans-fat shortenings in bakery

Trans-fat containing margarine and other shortenings used in cakes may be substituted by olive oil without affecting textural properties or flavour and aroma, says a new study from Greece.

News in brief

Site chosen for Canada's largest bakery plant

Maple Leaf Foods' Canada Bread has reached a deal in principle to site a planned $100m bakery facility, the largest of its kind in Canada, on the south side of Hamilton in southwestern Ontario.

New centre to speed up patisserie innovation, says Puratos

A new facility to help speed product development in patisseries has been opened in Brussels at the headquarters of the bakery, patisserie and chocolate ingredients supplier Puratos.

Tate & Lyle extends starch range for crispy snacks

Tate & Lyle has introduced a new starch as part of its X-Pand’R range that can create non-sticky pliable doughs for snacks and baked goods processed through sheeters and extruders, the company said.

Frozen doughnuts proving stellar for Spanish pastry giant

Spain's leader in chilled dough, pastries and breads, Europastry, said it has increased its market share of the frozen doughnut sector by 40 per cent with annuals sales of its Dots brands reaching 250 million units per.

New Mexico food tax passes state Senate

The state Senate of New Mexico has voted to implement a food tax that applies to nearly 40 percent of foods sold in the state in order to help balance the state’s budget.

Free advice on clean design in packaging

Packaging and product designers are to be offered free advice on how to adopt cleaner design principles, become more eco-literate, and avoid charges of greenwashing.

APPE boosts rPET content in UK

Artenius PET Packaging Europe (APPE) said it is to boost the post-consumer rPET content on a range of its preforms and containers after signing a deal with UK plastics recycling company AWS Eco Plastics.

Lotus Bakeries posts hike in profits

Belgian bakery group Lotus Bakeries showed a hike in profits last year following on from the sale of its Harry’s Benelux operations and a fall in financial costs.

Extrusion can boost fibre in gluten-free products, study

Extrusion technology has the potential to increase the levels of total dietary fibre in gluten-free products made from vegetables, fruits and gluten-free cereals, according to the findings of new research.

NutraCea agrees to sell cereal business to Kerry

Rice bran ingredients supplier NutraCea has agreed to sell its cereal ingredients business and certain related equipment to Kerry Group as part of its restructuring strategy.

Weekly comment

Do drink makers have stomach for anti-obesity fight?

Bravo! The beverage industry has responded enthusiastically to Mrs. Obama’s campaign to tackle childhood obesity - but there’d better be more than froth behind that sparkling rhetoric.

Saturated fats not linked to heart disease: Meta-analysis

Dietary intakes of saturated fats are not linked to cardiovascular disease, so says a meta-analysis of 21 studies from across the world.

Rye beats laxatives for constipation relief: Study

Consumption of fibre-rich rye bread may ease constipation and perform commercial laxatives, according to a new study from Finland.

News in brief

RSSL improves B12 analysis for food

A new method for vitamin B12 analysis has been developed by RSSL, claimed to be quicker and more sensitive than other methods.

Consumer acceptance of GM crops higher, says ABARE

There is evidence that global markets for certified non-GM grain are contracting, as consumer acceptance of GM grains such as canola grows, claims the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE).

Trials prove efficacy of bread waste reducer, says supplier

The trial phase on a starter that enables reprocessing of rejected bread has demonstrated its efficacy in reducing waste within the bakery facility, claims the Sonneveld group.

Raisio sees huge growth in healthy snacking

The growth potential in the premium functional snack category on the heels of increased consumer and regulatory demand for healthy snacking is the driver behind Finnish company Raisio’s bid to acquire a UK cereal and fruit bar manufacturer.

Penford develops gluten-free ingredients for mainstream products

Penford Food Ingredients has developed new ingredients systems to make crispy coatings and baked goods that “just happen to be gluten-free”, the company says.

MGPI continues to see benefits of ingredients shake-up

MGP Ingredients has said that its increasing focus on value-added ingredients has contributed to an ongoing turnaround in its finances – reporting a $4.8m net profit for Q2 2010, compared to a $47.7m loss in Q2 2009.

Quinoa and buckwheat top nutrition tables for gluten-free

The polyphenol content of quinoa and buckwheat flours may enhance the nutritional profile of gluten-free formulations, and may be a better option than amaranth, says a new study.

Report by our sister title Food Manufacturer

Hovis in plans to raise the Red Tractor logo

Assured Food Standards (AFS) administrators will meet with Premier Foods with a view to including the Red Tractor logo on Rank Hovis products, although further developments will take time, they say.

Combi checkweigher and metal detector saves cash and space

Low cost of ownership, significant space savings and versatility are benefits claimed by manufacturer Loma Systems for its new combination checkweighing and X-ray inspection system.

Layered gels may help sugar reduction

By controlling the distribution of sugar in a gelled product, the overall sugar concentration may be lowered without affecting the perceived sweetness, says a new study from Sweden.

IT alliance pledges a reduction in bakery waste and costs

A new alliance between a software developer and a intelligent weighing system manufacturer will help eliminate waste, save on time and increase product consistency and profitability for UK and Irish based bakers, according to the companies involved.

Louisville Health Board endorses trans fat ban

The Metro Health Board in Louisville, Kentucky has endorsed plans to bring in a trans-fat ban in the city within 18 months.

Weekly comment

US military may enlist Omega-3s to boost performance but why wait?

“An army marches on its stomach.” This advice, from French military adventurer Napoleon, seems to have impressed the US military which is considering fortifying troops’ rations with omega-3 fatty acids. What is it waiting for?

CSM acquires US frozen baked goods supplier

Dutch food group CSM has announced the acquisition of US based frozen bakery manufacturer Best Brands for $510m to strength its global position in the bakery supplies market.

Australian company seeks slice of chia seed bread potential

The Chia Company is bidding to market its chia seed for use in bread in Europe, with a novel foods application under the fast-track substantial equivalence scheme.

Study highlights hurdles to adolescent wholegrain consumption

A new study has uncovered several barriers for adolescents in reaching the recommended wholegrain intake of three portions per day – including lack of availability and taste preference.

Get in for the pathogen kill with cold plasma technology

An increasing number of manufacturers are investing in cold plasma technology to kill pathogens in the air and on the surface areas of processing plants, reports sister title Food Manufacture.

Manufacturers lack sufficient product recall cover

Typically less than 10 per cent of food manufacturers have product recall insurance, with the majority relying on traditional product liability cover, according to insurance broker Jardine Lloyd Thompson (JLT).

Nutri-Grain legal challenge has ‘no merit’, says Kellogg

The Kellogg Company has dismissed a class action lawsuit filed against it in relation to health claims on one of its leading breakfast cereal products, Nutri-Grain bars.

ARS researchers track down antioxidants in oats

Scientists at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the USDA have identified factors that influence the antioxidant content of oats.

Salmonella to have no lasting impact on peanut demand: USDA

Last year’s deadly salmonella outbreak linked to peanut products will have no long term impact on peanut demand and production, according to a report from the USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS).

Real Good Food plans to double size of bakery business

The Real Good Food Company is bucking recessionary trends with new plans to double the size of its premium baking business.

Flaked lentils may boost nutrition content of snack bars

Formulating snack bars with micro-sized flakes of lentils may boost the folate content of the finished product by 10 per cent, says a new study from Canada.

Weekly comment

No bitter battle over salt science

Excess salt can cause hypertension, heart disease, death. That’s the scientific consensus behind public health campaigns to reduce consumption of sodium chloride in the diet. But not everyone reads the science as conclusive, and when it comes to minerals that are essential to human life, the voice of caution must not be drowned out.