Breaking News on Industrial Baking & Snacks

FDA considering industry guidelines for acrylamide

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering issuing guidelines on acrylamide content in food and has published a notice in the Federal Register seeking comments from industry on the issue.

BASF ups price of food preservative

Chemical giant BASF is increasing the price of its propionic acid by €100 per tonne, citing market conditions as the cause.

Rye for breakfast may boost feelings of fullness

Eating a high-fibre breakfast from rye may increase feelings of satiety and lead to reduced food intake later in the day, says a new study from Sweden.

Wirecut machine uses nest shape to increase cookie output

Baker Perkins has launched a new wirecut machine for cookie production that increases output by laying down biscuits in a nest-like pattern.

Could wheat allergy play a role in diabetes development?

An abnormal response to wheat proteins may tip a person’s delicately poised immune system into developing type-1 diabetes, suggests a study from Canada.

Trans-fat free shortenings show bakery potential

A blend of trans fat-free stearic acid-rich and oleic acid-rich oils can produce cookies with the same characteristics and consumer acceptance, says new research from Canada.

Low-salt bread ‘technologically feasible’, says study

Formulating breads with one quarter of current levels is possible without detrimentally affecting the rheological properties and the performance of the dough, says a new study from Ireland.

Consumers want more info on ethical credentials, survey

UK consumers have a great desire to learn about conditions for food producers in poor countries, a new survey indicates, which food manufacturers can satisfy by flagging up their ethical sourcing efforts.

Weekly comment

Folic acid: Old women and children first!

Look at the globe and you’d be hard pressed to find two countries further apart than Ireland and New Zealand. But they stand side-by-side on the folic acid fortification issue – it is not needed.

Chickpea crackers offer iron-rich gluten-free options

Crackers made from the flour of chickpeas may contain between 3 to 6 times more iron than existing products, offering nutrient-rich options to the burgeoning gluten-free market.

Combine kids’ and parents’ food wish lists, says Leatherhead

Manufacturers of kids foods have the dual challenge of meeting the exacting and fun demands of little consumers – and the health demands of their parents and carers, says Leatherhead.

Watchdog clears Kellogg's of inflating cereal size for TV

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has sided with Kellogg’s following complaints that the company exaggerated the size of its cereal in a TV advert.

News in brief

Almond Board overhauls website, provides industry-specific info

The Almond Board of California has revamped its website in order to provide an online resource covering all things almond for consumers and industry alike.

New machine responds to growing demand for hanging displays of sweets and snacks

Ishida Europe has launched a new packaging machine that gathers bags of sweets and snacks into strips for hanging displays in shops.

Yeast altered to deliver vitamin D yield

Canadian supplier, Lallemand, has launched a form of baker’s yeast that has been altered to boost vitamin D levels and will be available to customers that already employ Lallemand's yeasts as well as new clients.

Cargill claims strength in recession despite Q4 earnings slump

Cargill has reported a huge drop in earnings during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009 compared to a year earlier, but said that it had entered the economic downturn with several effective strategies in place.

Nestle’s cookie dough returns to store shelves

Nestle’s Toll House cookie dough has returned to stores with different packaging than the E. coli-tainted batch that was recalled two months ago, after “helpful discussions” with the FDA, the company said.

Popcorn and cereal pack antioxidant punch, says study

Certain cereals and salty snacks like popcorn may be healthier than previously thought thanks to their unusually high antioxidant content.

No need for Irish folic acid fortification, say researchers

Irish researchers have backed an earlier government working group finding that there is probably no need to mandatorily fortify parts of the Irish food supply with folic acid, as voluntary measures by food players have already done the job.

News in brief

Healthy eating 'disorder' on the rise

An obsession with healthy eating is on the increase, but cutting out of large number of foods, or foods that contain certain ingredients may increase the risk of malnutrition.

Lannen Tehtaat merges grain and vegetable oil operations

Finnish food and agriculture firm Lannen Tehtaat has announced that it will combine the operations of its subsidiaries Avena Nordic Grain Oy and Mildola Oy.

Leatherhead opens collaboration for emulsion-led fat reduction

Leatherhead Food International (LFI) is launching a new industry collaboration project to explore the replacement of fats with water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions.

Weekly comment

Free farmers to farm and bank UK food security

How best should Britain plan to secure reliable supplies of reasonably-priced food? Should the nation put its trust in home production or food imports from the world market?

Private label sector continues to grow, says Nielsen

Sales of private label products are still growing, having “significantly increased” over the past year, according to new research from The Nielsen Company.

Spanish slump pulls down Sara Lee bakery sales

Sara Lee has posted a sharp drop in international bakery sales for the fiscal year, a month after announcing the sale of three Spanish bakeries.

Kraft reaps rewards from sustainable processing strategy

The need to maximise profit combined with a desire to help the environment have been major drivers in Kraft slashing water use in its food processing operations by more than 20 per cent in three years, the company said.

Kellogg goes online to help school performance

Cereal and snack giant Kellogg is starting the new school year with a push to an online tool designed for mothers to help their children perform better at school – with a key component being nutrition.

More difficulty ahead for food sector as European recession eases

France and Germany have emerged from recession but the global nature of the food industry may mean it takes longer to recover than other sectors, according to a senior economist at Wageningen University.

Scientists solve mystery of ‘green oats’

The appearance of an undesirable greenish hue on cooking oats and oat products may be related to leavening agents and the water used, say new results from the US.

News in brief

Food marketing deals threatened by waste reduction efforts

Supermarkets in the UK could be offering half-price deals on perishable food items instead of buy one, get one free offers in an effort to reduce food waste, according to a report in Advertising Age.

Food processing workers prioritised in new pesticide risk assessment

Workers in food processing plants have been included in a new assessment of acute risks posed by exposure to the most hazardous pesticides, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has said.

Treatt launches top note flavours for savoury foods

Independent UK supplier Treatt has launched several new top-note flavour ingredients including a roasted meat odour, a nutty flavour and a tropical flavour.

New system halves cost of extruder barrel replacement, says company

Cost savings, a reduction in downtime and ease of fitting are the benefits claimed by a manufacturer for its new food extruder barrel liner replacement system.

Weekly comment

FDA’s Commissioner Hamburg: Beefing up US food safety

It looks like the FDA has finally got some muscle. Never mind new legislation – if anything can prevent America acquiring a weedy reputation for food safety, it’s the might of Dr Margaret Hamburg.

Snack Size Science: Hershey’s healthy chocolate cake

FoodNavigator's Snack Size Science brings you the week's top science every two weeks. This week we look at how to make chocolate cake healthier, and boosting the nutritional profile of gluten-free bread.

New texture innovation for healthier tortillas

TIC Gums has launched a new stabaliser to help food manufacturers make healthier tortillas that are both strong and flexible.

Hamburg details FDA food safety crackdown measures

FDA chief Margaret Hamburg outlined new measures on Thursday to act “swiftly and aggressively” to crack down on firms that violate safety regulations.

News in brief

Fonterra Australia pulls custard on listeria fears

Fonterra Brands Australia has pulled tubs of its vanilla custard off supermarket shelves after a product sample tested positive for listeria monocytogenes.

New shortening machine promises greater control and savings

Tanis Food Tec (TFT) is launching two processing machines for biscuit and cake makers including a shortening machine for manufacturers seeking greater quality control without sacrificing space and time.

NCA dismisses study claiming US candy makers are returning home

National Confectioners Association (NCA) has rejected data and factual claims from a new study suggesting that confectionery makers are returning to the US.

Calls for supplier relations watchdog; retailers disagree

The UK’s Competition Commission is asking government to establish an ombudsman to arbitrate in disputes between retailers and suppliers, as retailers have declined to act and the Commission does not have the power to do so itself.

Cognis simplifies gels for aerated cakes

Cognis is launching a new emulsifier that is said to vastly simplify the making of cake gels and ensure consistent quality.

Lallemand acquires Wisconsin-based yeast company

Lallemand Bio-Ingredients said on Wednesday that it has completed its acquisition of the Wisconsin-based Lake States Yeast Company, in a move which marks its first entry into inactivated torula yeast.

Weekly comment

Downsize me! FSA right to push for smaller snacks

Chocolate bar makers should embrace the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) proposals on snack portions and adapt their supersizing skills to downsizing.

EFSA publishes data requirements for food additive approval

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a list of data requirements that industry must submit for the assessment of food additives.

Stevia market needs flavor focus, says Blue California chief

Industry-wide focus on flavor issues is crucial to the long term success of stevia-derived sweeteners, says the executive vice president of Reb A supplier Blue California.

Lallemand buys UK arm of GBI's bakery yeast business

Canada-based Lallemand has acquired the UK yeast facilities of GB Ingredients (GBI), after a Commission investigation revealed insufficient competition in the European market.

Scientists propose pectin gel alternatives

Strong and stable gels producedby subjecting pectin to the action of enzymes may offer alternatives to acid-sugar gels already used in foods, says new research from Korean and American scientists.

Trade body warns of sugar market disruption

The Sweetener Users Association (SUA) has warned that the sugar market could be disrupted by production shortages, refining capacity issues and the upcoming hurricane season.