Food industry experts have expressed concern about “worryingly weak” consumer sales in the run-up to Christmas – but say pressure may ease as the New Year unfolds.
The European Commission (EC) has anticipated a fall in cereal cultivation area in its forecast for 2011/12, but crop production is expected to remain largely stagnant.
Is the weight management supplements market properly regulated? Was satiety a flash in the pan? Where does the truth really lie on hoodia? Which hunger-busting ingredients really work?
When it comes to developing and launching stevia products, European manufacturers can learn a lot from the successes achieved by their US and global counterparts, according to one industry expert.
Danisco says its new brewing enzyme range are ideally sorted for use in arid climates such as Africa where sorghum is grown, as an alternative to ‘expensive malt’.
US firm Proliant Dairy claims to have developed a new dairy ingredient that can successfully replace expensive whey powder, lactose and skimmed milk powder in a variety of food systems.
UK bakery firm Finsbury Foods has announced improved revenues in its annual report stimulated by gluten-free offerings and a wider fresh bakery portfolio.
Asian-Pacific markets continued to provide solid growth opportunities for Kerry, notes the ingredients and flavours group as it released an interim management statement for the first nine months to 30 September 2011.
Ingredients supplier Croda has gained a ‘gold standard’ for responsible production methods from the International Fishmeal and Fish Oil Organisation – and says a full ‘responsible sourcing’ standard is in its sights in 2012.
An ingredient billed as an alternative to synthetic phosphates for fish preservation targets anti-rancidity and promises yield increase along with antimicrobial stability in prepared fish and fish products.
A new line of flavour reference standards aimed at ensuring skilled panel testers for product testing will have a transformative effect on food and beverage formulation, claims developer Cara Technology.
Nestlé has launched two new fortified milks in Brazil that it claims will help parents to increase the iron and vitamin content of children’s diets, as the firm rides regional interest in added-value dairy.
Danish food ingredients specialist Chr. Hansen is poised to launch a new range of cheese cultures that it claims will radically extend the shelf-life taste profile of products such as feta.
Juice startup Juna claims that it will shake-up the UK juice market following the recent launch of a new all-natural nectar range made mango, lulo, guanabana and mora fruits.
Large beverage players have ‘been a little slow of the mark’ in benefiting from a UK consumer trend towards consuming energy drinks for general rather than sports purpose.
Stevia-based launches are expected early January 2012 from the leading European players in the beverage, snacks and confectionery sectors, claims an Israeli consultancy, which, along with supplier Chengdu Wagott, has been assisting brand owners on stevia-based...
Shops in Finland, Sweden and Russian will suffer some ‘scarcity’ of butter supplies for the rest of this year, as leading Finnish dairy processor Valio struggles to meet soaring demand.
Mars chocolate bars in the Netherlands are to carry UTZ certified marks from Feburary 2012 as Mars sets targets for its cocoa to be fully sustainable worldwide by 2020.
Tate & Lyle claims European based production of its ingredient Promitor will benefit both regional and multinational food and drink makers looking for flexibility and speed of delivery as well as cost efficiency in the supply of fibres made from non-GM...
The European Dairy Association (EDA) has hit out at Denmark's recently introduced tax on foods containing saturated fats, which it said raised 'considerable concerns' regarding its social and economic impact on the nation's population.
International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF) notes requests for sustainability data are on the rise throughout the supply chain, as its releases its first report on responsible sourcing and its environmental performance.
Consumer driven information on food labelling is the aim of a new Brussels-based project that is combining smart-phone technology with impartial data explaining the functionality of various ingredients, traceability, quality of raw materials and sustainability.
A 200% rise in demand for guar gum over the past 12 months is driving demand within the beverage industry for effective replacements, according to US firm TIC Gums, which has just launched such a product.
Despite the market stranglehold of Coca-Cola and PepsiCo on the Middle East and Africa, smaller carbonates firms could still exploit a trend towards rising consumption amongst youthful populations in these regions.
The new French ban on bisphenol A (BPA) could potentially distort the European internal market for food packaging, according to plastics industry trade association Plastics Europe.
It will take every tool in the box to combat the effect of climate change on cocoa production, warn industry experts following the publication of research into the impact of rising temperatures on farmers in West Africa.
Two European salt producers have formed an alliance to tackle meat safety through the use of both organic salts and eventually potassium based products.
Scandinavian-based emulsifiers and stabilizers specialist, Palsgaard has won a corporate social responsibility award (CSR) from the Danish auditing body FSR.
There has been a slight decline in global food prices in September but world cereal markets are set to remain tight, said the FAO in its latest evaluation of crop prospects and the global food production.
Spanish firm EDV Packaging claims its new 'high barrier' plastic cup for fruit spreads provides an alternative to glass for food firms, although it can't compete on price quite yet.
Consumers globally prefer natural over artificial colours, claims a survey of 5,000 respondents in 10 countries worldwide that Chr. Hansen commissioned from consumer research group Nielsen.
Food, drink and confectionery sectors are set to benefit from more favourable sugar and cocoa prices, as good harvests, debt concerns and fears of recession are having a bearish impact on the markets, claims an analyst.
A new aspartame distribution deal will benefit the UK and Irish food and drink sector through security of supply, claims leading player Atlantic Chemicals Trading (ACT).
A row has erupted after Wageningen University rejected pressure group claims that its academics are “worryingly close” to the dairy industry, after the institution issued a press release that allegedly exaggerated research findings.
There is no end in sight to the current guar gum shortage and record high prices for the hydrocolloid, which may prompt some manufacturers to consider reformulation, according to Euromonitor International.
Arla has defended itself after a charity report attacked its corporate social responsibility record in Bangladesh, and accused it of benefiting unfairly from EU subsidies that impoverished local producers.
EU food and drink makers need to incentivise suppliers to continue producing RSPO approved sustainable palm oil options or risk undermining efforts to boost a segregated supply chain, claims book-and-claim scheme provider GreenPalm.
Mars has announced that Maltesers will be its first brand to carry the Fairtrade mark from June 2012, the commitment follows similar moves from Cadbury and Nestle.
Newly identified types of cacao plants with unique flavours that could be in the confectionery industry have been identified by researchers exploring the Peruvian Amazon Basin.
A newly developed natural food colouring made from beetroot extracts could be a solution to replacing carmine colours made from insects, according to ingredient producer Synthite.
The Chinese population’s growing affluence is offering opportunities for premium and healthier products, says the CEO of the China Food Company (CFC) Plc, as the company posts better than expected revenues.
Natural flavours supplier, Kerry Ingredients, has flagged up a six month dateline for the conclusion of an existing project aiming to optimise the stability of natural citrus flavours for use in beverages.
