Law makers, consumer groups and industry continue to clash over the
use of GM ingredients in the European food chain, but a major
UK-based food science body asserts this week that genetic
modification has the potential to offer strong...
With Europe now enforcing some of the strictest rules in the world
on the traceability of genetically modified ingredients, companies
that can offer a tracked identity preservation system are likely to
gain from demand by food makers...
Fibre suppliers are hoping to benefit from sustained interest in
carbohydrate intake among European and US consumers, which is
currently driving leading food makers to reformulate a wide range
of their product lines.
The breakdown of the family unit and the increasingly hectic
lifestyles of today's consumers have had a major impact on sales of
one of the most traditional bakery products - cake. So could the
secret to revitalising the category...
Faced with rising costs for starch ingredients sourced from
stock-squeezed wheat and corn the global food industry is on the
look out for better value alternatives. A recent report on the
modified starch market suggests that the tropical...
Could the popularity of the much-vaunted - and much-criticised -
low-carb diet fad already be on the wane? Manufacturers have
invested heavily in new low-carb products to tap into the trend,
and stand to lose a lot if, as one survey...
Long-awaited changes to Europe's heavily subsidised sugar regime
are on the way after the European Commission tabled a new set of
rules that could lead to cheaper sugar ingredients, writes
Lindsey Partos.
Ministers in the EU recently blocked a move by biotech giant
Monsanto to launch a GM corn onto the market but finding a
favourable response in less cynical countries the firm said
yesterday that Argentina had given the green light.
The French are among the most frequent breakfasters in Europe,
according to a recent study - but traditional tastes are changing
rapidly with cereals beginning to take considerable market share
from the less trendy crackers and biscuits....
Food scientists continue in their quest to investigate the presence
of the potential carcinogen acrylamide in everyday food products
with Swiss researchers calling for further research into the
processing conditions of gingerbread,...
Demand for healthier oils and fats is increasing as obesity reaches
epidemic levels. The trend is also driving research efforts to
develop innovative methods to enhance oil and fat properties, say
market analysts at Frost & Sullivan.
As popularity soars for the low carbohydrate, high protein Atkins
diet scientists warn this week that even a 'moderately' high
protein diet could reduce a woman's chances of becoming pregnant.
Mounting criticism of...
Eating an egg a day does not impact the cholesterol particles in
the blood most likely to cause heart disease, according to a new
study that could play an important role in debunking myths
surrounding the role of eggs in the diet.
In 2003 Denmark banned trans fatty acids from food products over
fears that these hydrogenated fats could contribute to heart
disease. The rest of the EU as yet has no equivalent plans to
follow suit, but in the US the labelling of...
Cheaper sugar ingredients could be on the way for food makers in
Europe as draft plans for tough changes to the much criticised
sugar regime come to light.
Opponents of the low-carb diet fad in the US have joined their
counterparts in the UK in calling into question the safety of the
weight-loss regime. But whether the protests will be loud enough to
be heard over the increasingly raucous...
The bakery sector is keeping up the pace as the fastest growing
market in food enzymes in the US, although recent controversy over
genetically modified organisms is set to eat into market growth as
food makers think twice before investing...
A new report on optimising food texture and rheology has been
published to help food manufacturers achieve the specific qualities
consumers are looking for, reports Anthony Fletcher.
As grain stocks are depleted across the world, China's food
producers have found sourcing the commodity an increasingly
expensive and time consuming issue, writes Simon Pitman.
However, a report from independent intelligence...
Changing attitudes to the health benefits of foods and an increased
effort to solve technical and economic issues has raised support
for flour fortification among industry members, showed a meeting
held in London yesterday.
British promoters of carbohydrate-rich foods such as bread and
potatoes have repeatedly stressed that the low-carb Atkins diet fad
has had little or no impact on sales of their products. But this
has not stopped them from going to...
Three British food industry bodies have joined forces to promote a
new diet which they hope will prove just as popular as the low-carb
Atkins fad currently sweeping the nation - and which will, they
hope, get consumers eating carbohydrate-rich...
Breakfast cereals are experiencing steady growth in central and
eastern Europe, in particular in the largest markets in Russia and
Poland. But while most of the recent product launches there have
been at the premium end of the market,...
Bread may be the most traditional of staple foods, but there is
still plenty of life in the international baked goods market,
driven by growing convenience trends and a proliferation of new
products, claims a recent report.
Scientists have discovered a protein that controls the amount of
fat stored in the body, offering potential new clues for obesity
treatments - welcome news as the world's health leaders agree to do
more to tackle the growing...
The promotion of renewable energy is adding significantly to
processing costs, according to an industry body that represents
major energy consumers such as food packagers and chemical
processors.
The UK's number one supermarket is introducing new food labels that
rank a product according to its position on the glycemic index, a
system that measures the effects of food on blood sugar levels.
Accreditation of Genetic ID's testing for detection of genetically
modified materials in raw foods, processed foods, and animal feed
has been renewed by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service
(UKAS).
A range of multilayer barrier films that are claimed to provide the
stiffness, transparency and thermal resistance needed in lidding
and flow packs for fresh and processed meat, cheese and other
foodstuffs has been launched.
A review to help chilled and frozen food companies to identify and
potentially exploit new technologies for the rapid cooling of foods
has been launched.
Makers of the leading multivtamin brand Centrum is launching a new
variant targeting people on a low-carb diet, who may be cutting
their intake of key vitamins and minerals as they avoid breads,
pasta and starchy vegetables.
A new thermoplastic alloy, designed for use in large retort
packaging sterilisation trays, is said to offer ready-meal
manufacturers increased rack/surge capacity for higher output,
double service life, and lower systems costs.
Increasing production efficiency to generate higher profits is the
aim of every plant manager. But now manufacturers have to think
about their legal obligations to reduce waste and conserve energy.
Can new fluid handling technology...
Atkins Nutritionals, the business created to support the diet plan
developed by Robert Atkins, says its reputation and science is
being ripped off by new diets, based on reducing carbohydrates.
A new study conducted by the FDA says that acrylamide found in
fried and baked goods is unlikely to cause reproduction problems if
the general public consume it as part of the average daily diet -
but research is ongoing for its carcinogenic...
Food and supplement makers seeking entry to the rapidly growing
low-carb market may not need to reformulate or develop new
products, according to a market researcher.
The manufacturer of a new spiral belt designed specifically for the
cooling and freezing of food products claims that the machine can
substantially cut product waste and increase energy efficiency for
production plants. Food products,...
Weight Watchers International has blamed the low-carbohydrate diet
fad for a decline in quarterly profit margins after announcing a
9.4 per cent profit fall on Tuesday.
US biotech crop pioneer Monsanto is to suspend the introduction of
the world's first biotech wheat, amidst public outcry at the
possible risks of genetically modified crops and at Monsanto's
aggressive marketing tactics,...
Gas giant Air Liquide's €2.7 billion acquisition of Messer
Griesheim's operations in Germany, the United Kingdom and the
United States has just been completed. The acquisition alters the
balance of power in Europe's...
An industry drive to push the nutritional benefits of flour could
lead to increased sales for the £3 billion UK bread market.
Farmer's in the UK last week met with the National Association of
British and Irish Millers (NABIM)...
RFID has arrived. Long hailed as the next IT revolution for
industry, communicating labels are being forced into place by
retailers and legislators alike, leaving manufacturers racing to
implement a newborn technology steeped in unknowns,...
In the thriving world of snacks the key to success for food
developers will be in designing time-positioned, healthy and guilt
free indulgences as the consumer becomes more fussy, says a new
report from Datamonitor that shows UK snackaholics,...
Tapping into the €83 million market for cellulose gum use in food
applications, UK-based ingredient firm Fiske has signed a new
agreement with CMC leader Noviant to distribute the firm's range of
cellulose gums.
A return to growth in 2003 after a lacklustre performance in the US
market in 2001 and 2002 contributed to the 8.3 per cent increase in
global bakery product sales last year, according to a new report.
Artisanal products continue...
