Breaking News on Industrial Baking & Snacks

Folic acid and colon cancer: Some benefits and no harm

Supplements of folic acid may reduce the recurrence of colorectal cancer in people with low levels of the nutrient, but not people who already have adequate amounts, says a new study from Harvard.

Nestlé aims to add value to cereal box with 3D game

Smart packaging is a growing marketing tool and next week Nestlé cereal boxes sold in France will have an integrated 3D animation function that encourages consumers to log onto brand websites.

UK supplier brings out sweet nut line

A new line of sweet flavours for hazelnuts, almonds and cashews that enhance the nut taste have been developed by a leading supplier to the UK bakery and snack industry.

News in brief

Kellogg's reports rise in 3Q profits

Brand loyalty to its cereal and snack brands are some of the factors behind a growth in profit, claims cereal manufacturer Kellogg as it posted third quarter results.

Novozymes retains positive outlook after Q3 results

Novozymes has reported a better than forecast profit in the third quarter of 2009, on the back of higher sales volumes and better productivity – although sales of food enzymes have fallen.

Seminar bids to tackle industry skills shortage

Tackling shortfalls in engineering, maintenance and equipment training within the UK baked goods and wider food and drink sector is critical to maintaining plant uptime and is the focus of a one day seminar next month.

Water coated bio tray could keep buns fresher

A tray combining biodegradability and moisture resistance attributes can extend the shelf life of baked goods and other food products, while reducing the eco footprint of the pack, claims a Hong Kong based packaging developer.

Maltodextrin boosts quality of gluten-free bread: Study

Formulating gluten-free bread with maltodextrin may beneficially impact on bread volume and boost crumb hardening during storage, says a new study from Poland.

Senomyx calorie-cutting sucrose enhancer gets FEMA GRAS

Senomyx has received notification from the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) that its new sucrose enhancing flavor ingredient is GRAS (generally regarded as safe).

Kellogg's refutes sugar laden cereal claims

Consumers should stick to the facts and look beyond the hype in terms of the salt and sugar content of cereals, claims Kellogg’s as UK cereal manufacturers are taken to task in a Channel 4 programme.

Folic acid over-intake not an issue: Study

Less than five percent of Americans are exceeding safe limits of folic acid despite intakes from a multitude of sources, both enriched and natural, says a new study.

Weekly comment

Tackling E.coli – legislation or self-regulation?

Everybody wants food to be safe - but the recent slugging match over how best to protect US consumers from E.coli-tainted meat highlights whether legislation or self-regulation is the answer to mending the country's flawed safety system.

Study slams industry-regulated marketing of kids’ cereals

Industry regulation of which cereals are marketed to children allows the least healthy products to be advertised most aggressively, according to a study from Yale’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity.

Consumer response to health claims varies by country: Study

Italians are unswayed by healthy messages and images on foods, whereas the Finnish respond to medical pictures and British consumers are more likely to buy foods making even a weak health claim, indicates new research.

Project bids to eliminate risk of botulinum in baked goods

A project aimed at quantifying and eliminating the risk associated with the growth of Clostridium botulinum in baked goods is being initiated by a UK research group.

Bakery chain to expand on back of strong sales

The good wheat harvest and reduced energy costs contributed to strong sales despite continued cost increases in some ingredients, claims UK bakery chain Greggs

Clip could offer snack makers sustainability boost

A new slider system for resealable snack and dry goods pouches can boost a manufacturer’s eco profile due to its lighter weight, claims Zip Pak.

Study tests emulsifier vs. enzyme performance in bread

A new study has pitted use of a Datem enzyme against three generations of lipase enzymes, and found that action on bread volume is similar - but with some differences depending on fermentation times.

News in brief

UK baker enters distribution deal

Baked goods manufacturer Speedibake has initiated a two-year temperature-controlled storage and distribution contract with Norbert Dentressangle (ND).

News in brief

TV advert to push unhealthy snack alternatives

The UK Department of Health has kickstarted the latest phase of its Change4Life campaign aimed at helping families find healthier alternatives to unhealthy snacks.

Aflatoxin sorter tool now goes beyond peanuts

An aflatoxin laser sorter which has been proven in a trial phase over 12 months with a global ready-to-eat snacks company has been modified to allow for the detection of all tree nuts as well as peanuts and is now being rolled out globally, claims Visys.

News in brief

Peanut sales at near-record levels despite salmonella

USDA figures show that consumers bought near-record quantities of peanuts over the past year, despite a salmonella outbreak blamed for nine deaths and more than 700 illnesses.

Shoppers still prepared to pay for healthier foods, says research

Consumers are prepared to pay more for foods that note health attributes on packs, and are becoming more aware and sophisticated in their attitudes to diet and food labelling, according to research from Tate & Lyle.

Med diet cuts breast cancer risk in older women, says study

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet along with avoidance of Western-type foods may contribute to a reduction in postmenopausal breast cancer risk, claims new French study.

Weekly comment

Branded Corn Flakes are great for branding

Will we all be waking up bleary-eyed to bowls of tattooed Corn Flakes any time soon? Probably not, but by suggesting that we could, Kellogg’s has hit on a winning marketing ploy.

Special comment

Fat chance for action on World Food Day

‘Hunger down 50 per cent this year’, ‘Malnutrition eradicated in Africa’. Alas, dream headlines not gracing any newspapers this World Food Day. But if we hope to read them one day, governments, industry – and yes, individuals – need to stop thinking of their own interests first.

News in brief

Kraft upbeat at Bolshevik biscuit factory opening

Kraft was upbeat about its investment in the Russian biscuit market at the opening of a Bolshevik cookie factory this week.

Cash flow monitoring target of bakery software upgrade, says firm

Updated business management software for bakers will enhance credit control and automate allergen labelling, claims RedBlack Software.

Kellogg's toys with laser branded Corn Flakes

Branding Corn Flakes with the Kellogg’s logo so people are not fooled by Corn Fakes sounds far fetched.

US wheat industry underlines pro-GM wheat stance

Prominent North American wheat industry organizations met in Kansas City this week to discuss production challenges, including plans to commercialize genetically modified (GM) wheat.

Resistant starch and wheat bran may boost bowel habits

Increased intakes of resistant starch and wheat bran may improve regular bowel habits in healthy adults, say findings from a new study funded by Tate & Lyle.

CP Kelco innovation to give one-shot multi-layered desserts

A three layered dessert formulation from one processing stream that subsequently self-separates into layers has been developed by CP Kelco.

Improved controls unveiled for Baker Perkins mixers

Baker Perkins has developed a new control system for its Tweedy mixing systems to help high volume bakers improve process efficiency and product quality.

Industrial head machine to slash bakery downtime

A reduction in downtime of almost a third thanks to a host of easy-to-clean design features are claims made for a revamped industrial head machine launched at the 2009 IBA Show by manufacturers Konig.

Lawsuits against Cheerios cholesterol claims combined

A federal court panel has ruled that five pending lawsuits against General Mills for claims about the purported cholesterol-lowering benefits of Cheerios will be consolidated into one multi-district case.

GFF builds united front on gluten-free

The Grain Foods Foundation (GFF) has distributed information to food manufacturers and marketers to help them deal with media enquiries about gluten-free diets and foods.

Friendly bacteria may blunt fibre’s anti-nutrient actions

Formulating bread with Bifidobacterium strains may reduce levels of a compound in high-fibre bread thought to be behind fibre’s impairment of mineral absorption, says a new study from Spain.

IBA 2009

IBA success reflects resilient baking industry

IBA show organisers have hailed the success of last week’s event in Düsseldorf, Germany, as a “clear vote of confidence” in the baking sector and its resilience to the global downturn.

Weekly comment

Soda tax: A lot of froth over freedom

Is taxing soda really an evil plan to curb your individual freedom? Conspiracy theories aside, perhaps it’s simply a sensible scheme to tackle obesity when personal choice has failed.

News in brief

Munich to stage IBA until 2024

The IBA bakery and confectionery show is to be staged exclusively in Munich, Germany, until 2024.

Kraft plans R&D centre for ex-Danone biscuit unit

Kraft plans to invest €15m in a new innovation centre for biscuits in France following the acquisition of the Danone biscuit business two years ago.

Borregaard launches application-specific vanillin

Borregaard is launching four new vanillin ingredients for use in chocolate, bakery, dairy, and sweets, which are said to be better tuned to the taste of the product.

Dispatches from IBA

Sustainability and energy reduction rewarded at IBA

The IBA show is widely regarded as one of the most important bakery expos in the world – and so unsurprisingly the 12 awards handed out in the IBA Trophy give a strong indication of the direction of innovation in the industry.

Still a fine line between cranberry supply and demand, says Ocean Spray

Supply and demand for its cranberry products continues to be a balancing act at Ocean Spray despite bringing extra acres on board, according to the company.

Dispatches from IBA

New dough laminator brings industrial scale benefits at lower price

Increased productivity, a high level of automation and affordability are claims made for a new entry-level dough laminator by manufacturers Fritsch.

CSM pins bakery growth hopes on new ingredients

CSM expects new products to drive its bakery ingredients business to achieve a newly set organic growth target of 1- 2 per cent above the market.

Dispatches from IBA

Sustainability and energy reduction rewarded at IBA

The IBA show is widely regarded as one of the most important bakery expos in the world – and so unsurprisingly the 12 awards handed out in the IBA Trophy give a strong indication of the direction of innovation in the industry.

Seaweed harvest could yield new flavours and colours

One of Ireland’s natural resources - seaweed – could yield a range of new food ingredients, including colour, flavours and healthy compounds.

Maple Leaf opens bakery and proteins innovation center

Maple Leaf Foods has opened a new C$12m (US$11.3m) innovation center in Ontario to concentrate on its bakery and protein businesses.

News in brief

Warburton's Bakery pays tribute to former co-chairman

Warburton’s Bakery has praised the “entrepreneurial spirit” of former co-chairman Tom Warburton, who has died aged 83 after a long illness.

Fibre may replace trans-fats for snack formulations

Inulin can replace trans-fatty acids in snack food formulations, turning it into a healthy snack with good consumer acceptance, says a new study from Brazil.

New bagging system delivers fast work rates

The new bagging system from Automated Packaging Systems packs bags at the rate of 150 per minute, claims the company.

Bpi.consumer VMB trumps Amcor to Allied Bakeries contract

Amcor Flexibles has lost out to Bpi.consumer VMB in bidding to secure a bread bag contract with Allied Bakeries in the UK.

Evolution to revolutionise roll production, says company

Extreme flexibility combined with high capacity and energy efficiency are claims made by manufacturers WP Kemper Bakery Group for its latest roll producing machine.

Stevia-sweetened strawberries point to low-cal fruit potential

Replacing the sugar in strawberries with the natural sweetener stevia could lead to a new range of low-calorie dried fruit products, says a new study from the Americas.

Weekly comment

Bad day at the EU health claims office

October 1 was not a good day for many in the functional foods and food supplements business in the European Union as the meaning of life under a highly restrictive health claims regime came more into focus.

Survey shows huge lack of salt content awareness

The UK’s Food Standards Agency is launching a new campaign to encourage people to check salt levels on food labels, as 77 per cent of people are not aware that bread and breakfast cereals are amongst the most laden products.

Enzymes could enhance oat-based gluten-free breads

Specific enzymes could lead to better quality oat-based bread for the burgeoning gluten-free market, says a new study from Ireland.

Nestle and General Mills build cereal innovation centre

Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW) is building a new innovation centre for breakfast cereals in Switzerland at a cost of CHF 50m (€33m).

Food prices could triple with climate change: Report

Food prices could more than triple by 2050 as the climate changes, according to a new report from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

News in brief

Lead in bran probe launched by New Zealand

The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) is to launch an investigation after tests revealed higher than expected levels of lead in samples of bran flakes

Burcon receives US patent allowance for protein isolate

Canadian firm Burcon has received a notice of allowance from the US Patent and Trademark Office for its Puratein canola protein isolate.