The glycaemic index (GI) is emerging as a new weight loss regime,
despite the belief of some nutritionists that there is not enough
science to demonstrate it can effectively control weight, writes
Lorraine Heller.
A whey protein additive that keeps nutritional bars soft could help
food makers break into what is a lucrative and highly innovative
market, writes Anthony Fletcher.
A new report from market analyst Datamonitor reveals that UK
consumers are continuing to abandon traditional sit down family
meals in favour of snacks.
Ireland is the latest European state to call for new guidelines on
food labelling and a ban on vending machines in schools in order to
slow down the growing rise in obesity.
The UK government must introduce a compulsory new supermarket code
ofconduct if it is to make up for past mistakes and save the food
industryfrom a spiral into anti-competitive practices.
Consumer demand for gluten-free products continues to surge,
presenting a significant opportunity for bakers targeting this
niche market, writes Lorraine Heller.
UK millers and bakers, often at loggerheads in the past, are
increasingly working together, presenting a stronger front to
challenges facing their industry, reports Lorraine Heller.
Trans fatty acids could 'modestly' increase the risk of gallstone
disease, say US researchers, providing yet more evidence to
encourage food makers to remove these fats from food formulations.
UK food agency launches 'the largest research project to date', to
establish the clearest route for food makers to use food labels to
flag-up healthy foods.
French baker Paul has launched bread containing omega-3 fatty acids
as functional products gather pace in France's boulangeries,
despite some industry and public scepticism after years of poor
product development, reports Chris...
Functional food makers need to take a critical look at the level of
substantiation behind the health claims they are using to guarantee
their survival under a new European regulation, reports
Dominique Patton.
The drift towards grazing and away from sit-down meals is not yet
ended in the UK, with health-oriented sandwiches continuing to
drive forwards a market that already accounts for one third of the
nation's food and beverage sales,...
Reacting rapidly to the discovery of the banned colour Para Red in
processed foods, UK food laboratory RSSL has a new method to help
food makers detect this potential carcinogen, reports Lindsey
Partos.
Substituting a modest amount of protein for carbohydrate may reduce
abdominal obesity, say researchers reporting on data gathered from
a diverse multi-ethnic population.
The trickle of food products contaminated with the illegal colour
Para Red continues in the UK, with the country's food agency
identifying nineteen more food products for recall yesterday,
writes Lindsey Partos.
Organic and low/no sugar are the tags food manufacturers should be
looking at adding to their packaging if they want their products to
enjoy strong and sustained growth, said AC Nielsen.
Young Russian snacks maker Sibirsky Bereg appears to have captured
consumers' imagination with an array of experimental flavours and
products, overtaking PepsiCo's Lay's brand in market share and
growing by up to 50...
Moves to reform the European sugar regime will accelerate after the
EU loses its appeal against a World Trade Organisation decision
that its handouts to sugar farmers are illegal, reports Lindsey
Partos.
Tate & Lyle was yesterday taken to task by environmental groups
and local residents over its plans to extend its Splenda factory in
McIntosh, Alabama, reports Philippa Nuttall.
Leading British supermarket Tesco has decided to ditch the UK
government-backed traffic light food labelling scheme, opting
instead for its own numbers based system.
Efforts by food manufacturers to create 'user-friendly' food labels
that present clear nutrition profiles for the increasingly health
conscious consumer are the focus of a new initiative from the UK's
food industry...
Forcing the traceability card, the European Union has voted to
block imports of certain US grain unless they prove to be free of
the genetically modified maize Bt10.
Responding to consumer and legislative pressures, international
food firms are slicing artery-clogging trans fatty acids from their
formulations. We spoke with Nestlé to find out how the world's
number one food player is handling...
Could concern over obesity lead to significant changes in the
regulations governing food labelling and see the implementation of
a traffic light system, asks Anthony Fletcher.
High protein source lupin flour continues to attract attention
following new reports that this food ingredient used in pasta and
bread products could provoke severe allergic reactions, reports
Lindsey Partos.
Kellogg has moved to slash salt in its Corn Flakes by a quarter as
the UK's Food Standards Agency promises to focus in on cereals in
its public campaign to reduce consumer salt intake, reports
Chris Mercer.
Trans fat concerns hit Australia with consumer groups calling for
trans fat to be highlighted on food labels after more than a third
of 50 food products tested had levels 'well above what is
considered safe by many experts',...
Convenience and indulgence in the breakfast market set to bring
gains to ingredients suppliers and their customers: our round up of
new product designs shows how industry is reacting to this
potential market, writes Lindsey Partos.
Prices for cereals still vulnerable to upside risk in 2005/06 as
world crop predictions suggest supplies could fail to meet demand,
resulting in a drawdown of already vulnerable global stocks,
reports Lindsey Partos.
French food watchdog recommends slashing trans fat levels in a wide
range of bakery products, including biscuits and cakes, following
findings from a new report released this week, reports Lindsey
Partos.
Irish Consumers are still eating twice as much salt as they should
be and bread is one of the biggest culprits, according to a new
scientific report that recommends a UK-style labelling format and
that food firms spend more money...
Evidence backing the antioxidant powers of natural cocoa could
bring new opportunities for confectionery firms looking to boost
slacking sales in a saturated market, reports Lindsey Partos
.
New miniature sensors for analysing DNA have been developed,
opening the possibility of accurately and quickly identifying
bacterial strains in foodborne illnesses and saving manufacturers
millions in product recalls and possible...
Global labelling rules for genetically modified food ingredients as
well as trans fatty acid labels are on the agenda at an upcoming
Codex meeting in Malaysia.
Spearing opportunities in the emerging Russian oil market, US
edible oils giant Bunge has signed off €54 million to build its
first sunflower seed crushing and refining plant in Russia,
writes Lindsey Partos.
Norwegian researchers have developed a new dehydration method that
produces granulated food of the quality of vacuum freezing-dying at
a fraction of the cost, writes Anthony Fletcher.
Member states have called for more information and full
presentation of findings on acrylamide, a harmful chemical
identified in baked and fried foods, reports Lindsey Partos.
GM ingredients highlighted again on the Brussels agenda with the
Commission calling for a risk assessment of the impact genetically
modified foodstuffs might have on human health.
Complex sugars found naturally in a New Zealand variety of honey
appear to have prebiotic effects, offering food makers a natural
gut health ingredient.
A bumper harvest across Eastern Europe has forced the European
Commission to intervene, buying up and moving large amounts of
surplus stocks to prevent Europe-wide market disturbance,
reports Chris Mercer.
Atkins Nutritionals is hoping to offset the consumer drift away
from the low carb lifestyle by incorporating a glycemic measurement
into its programme which indicates the immediate effect different
types of carbohydrates have on a...
GM ingredients are here to stay as Brussels confirms 'full
confidence' in the regulatory framework that controls the entry of
biotech foodstuffs into the European food chain, reports Lindsey
Partos.
Leading merchant of cocoa, sugar and coffee ED&F Man has
launched Corigins, a US-based supplier offering traceable, quality
sugar and cocoa ingredients, Philippa Nuttall reports.