Breaking News on Industrial Baking & Snacks

Individual GI variations demand research attention - study

Individual variations in the glycaemic index (GI) of white bread, stated as 70 in the literature, may range from 44 to 132, says new research that questions the utility of the index.

New asthma treatment gets US go-ahead

An extended release formulation of an asthma treatment recently recommended by the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program has been launched on the US market.

News briefs: Warburtons, General Mills and a spooky idea

Warburtons opens a new factory in Wales, General Mills gets a new CEO, and letting the snack out of the can for Halloween.

Chip stirrer targeted at automated processes

An automated chip stirrer can help boost output by up to 25 per cent, according to its manufacturer.

Organic baby cereal incorporates probiotics and omega-3

A processor claims to have launched the first organic cereal for babies that is fortified with probiotics and omega-3.

Peanut pregnancy advice caused consternation for UK Lords

A high level report from the UK's House of Lords has said advice on peanut consumption by pregnant women and children to reduce allergy risk could be counterproductive, and calls for urgent withdrawal pending review.

Pepperidge Farm expands under demand for premium breads

Pepperidge Farm said yesterday it will expand its Lakeland production plant in order to cater for the growing demand for premium fresh bread.

Weekly comment

Consumers and the confidence crisis

Consumer demand - the holy grail of any industry - is a fragile and easily manipulated treasure. But influencing consumers for anything other than their own benefit will, more often than not, carry unintended consequences.

Study examines benefits of healthy eating in school

A new study by the University of Northumbria will assess how healthy eating affects children's behaviour and achievement in primary schools.

Weyermann makes organic colour for beer, bakery, beverages

German malting company Weyermann is posed to tap the trend towards organic colourings by introducing an organic version of its Sinamar natural liquid malt colour.

Functional snack prototypes target natural, organic segments

Cargill this week will unveil two prototype snacks formulations containing organic and natural sugar-replacement ingredients.

Guilt-free indulgence is what consumers want, says Datamonitor

Snack manufacturers need to develop convenient products that offer a mix of indulgence and health benefits in order to meet changing consumer demands, according to a new Datamonitor report.

Common food additives may cut acrylamide formation

Common food additives like calcium chloride and l-cysteine could reduce the formation of acrylamide in potato chips by about 85 per cent, according to a new study.

Walkers warns of skills shortage

The government must do more to boost workers' skills if the food and drink industry is to remain competitive, according to a general manager of Walkers Shortbread.

Kellogg moves again to flag up nutritious products

Kellogg said yesterday it will start putting nutrition information on the front of its ready-to-eat cereals in the US from this month.

DSM and Avebe form dream team for creaminess

DSM Food Specialities and starch specialist Avebe have entered into a strategic partnership to develop innovative ingredients to enhance creaminess in food products, particularly in the dairy and bakery sectors.

Snacks division leads General Mills' business growth

Strong sales and increased market share of some of its healthier snacks helped boost overall sales in the US during the first quarter ended 26 August, General Mills reported today.

Australia pledges extra cash for drought-stricken farmers

Processors world-wide fear wheat shortages, as reduced crops this summer have led to the government pledging extra funding for farmers to keep supply levels high.

Finsbury Food benefits from premium trends, but bakery suffers

Turnover increased for Finsbury Food by 50 per cent to £109.8m (€158m) for the year ended 30 June 2007, aided by the demand for premium foods, the company said today.

Preservative free snack bar with two-year shelf life

A snack bar which can stay moist and chewy for up to 24 months without the need for artificial preservatives has been developed by scientists in California.

No let-up expected in ingredients price rises

Food ingredients prices rose at the fastest rate since 1998 in August, says a new report released just as ministers warn that the worst of the hikes is yet to come - a particularly for meat.

ABF makes organic acquisition

Associated British Foods (ABF) has dipped its foot into the growing market for natural and organic products, reaching agreement to acquire 20 per cent of W Jordan & Son (Silo) Ltd.

Probiotic yoghurt snacks launched

Welch's claims to have launched the first fruit snacks made with yogurt and live probiotic cultures, taking advantage of consumers demanding healthier, convenient snacks.

Weekly Comment

Arnie and the clones

Cloned foods have not yet made it to our grocery aisles, but in the advent of such a rollout consumers must have a defined right to decide if they want to swallow the technology or not.

Further bread price increases to drive Sara Lee's margins

Sara Lee will "take price increases as necessary" in order to offset increasing raw material costs in its bakery segment, the company said yesterday in its annual analyst meeting.

News briefs: Patisserie acquisition, job cuts and whole grain white bread

A round-up of bakery stories from around the world; acquisitions, job cuts, whole-grains and funny smells...

ConAgra makes a pop to expand snacking portfolio

ConAgra has expanded its snacking portfolio with the acquisition on popcorn snacks manufacturer Lincoln Snacks, the company said this week.

Danisco blends to take tortillas into new markets

Danisco believes its new range of ingredient blends called Powerflex, intended to keep tortillas soft and fresh no matter what the shelf-life requirements, could help open up new global markets for the food product.

Healthy eating boom sweetens Glisten's profits

Sales and profits for UK based confectionery and snacks manufacturer Glisten have benefited from its focus on the healthy options market.

Nestle moves noodle production out of Australia

Nestle plans to move its Australian noodle production plant to Malaysia, according to Australian news reports.

News briefs: Financial results

Campbell and General Mills report sales growth, but the future does not look sweet for Krispy Kreme.

ABF profits continue to suffer from bakery business

Grocery profits for Associated British Foods (ABF) will be lower than last year due to the problems with its Allied Bakeries business, the company has said in its trading update yesterday.

Glisten creates new premium snack segment

UK-based Glisten has created a new premium savoury snacking division with the acquisition of Dormen Foods, the company said.

Potato nutrient analysis could spur new markets

New methods for analysing phytochemical profiles of different potatoes could open up new markets and aid the development of new, ultra-nutritious varieties, say ARS researchers.

Weekly comment

Hooked on Es

This comment was amended to correct a statement about bans of additives in other countries. Some of the chemicals were previously banned by Norway, Austria and Australia but those bans have since been removed. Allura red AC, tartrazine and sunset yellow are allowed in the US, while quinoline yellow, carmoisine and ponceau 4R are not. None of the colour additives are currently banned by Australia, which lifted a ban on quinoline yellow in 2003. The country does not permit tartrazine to be used in medicines.

Kraft resets its focus to drive down costs

Kraft Foods will drive down costs by $1bn (€732m), rejig its global portfolio, and exploit its sales capabilities, in a bid to make the company more profitable, the company's top executive stated at a conference this week.

Grains can control blood sugar all day, new research

Eating certain grains with a low GI breakfast can keep your blood sugar regulated for up to ten hours, according to a new research study released this week.

Popcorn brands ban diacytel

Two of the largest US popcorn makers have removed diacetyl from their brands, as doctors report that the chemical may now cause a fatal lung disease in consumers as well as factory workers.

How strong is your noodle?

A new device allows processors to measure the tensile strength and extensibility of their pasta products.

News brief: Caffeine chips, Zimbabwe and Dunkin' Brands

A healthy roundup of this week's bakery and snacks news; caffeinated chips, Zimbabwe's flour problem and Dunkin' Brands' new VP.

Premier eyes further bakery price increases

Premier Foods will further increase the price of its bakery products if the cost of wheat remains high, the company said yesterday in releasing its interim results.

Weekly comment

Food prices and the death of the productionist model

Last week saw a string of communications about food price rises: first warnings were aired about wheat, then meat, then dairy. It's a vertiginous view from the heights of the commodity markets, and it's clearer than ever before that we need to re-jig our basic food supply systems if we are to feed the world in the future.

Scientists create stronger wheat with gluten fortification

Researchers in Texas are working on the development of stronger gluten flours, designed for use in more resistant bread products.

Sweeteners struggle to replace sugar says new report

Sweeteners struggle to act as a sugar replacement in bakery products, according to a study of 13 lower-calorie and no-calorie versions.

Nestle's Gerber acquisition complete

Nestle's acquisition of US baby food and cereals firm Gerber is complete, the company said today.

Unilever continues to reduce salt

Unilever has developed more salt-reduced products for its UK noodle range without affecting taste, the company announced today.

DSM claims end-product first for acrylamide-reducing enzyme

DSM has announced that its PreventASe acrylamide-reducing enzyme is the first to be used in a retail products, with a Christmas biscuit manufacturer launching biscuits with 70 per cent less acrylamide in German supermarkets next month.