People with food allergies and intolerances in the UK have the more new products to meet their dietary needs than consumers in other major European markets, indicates data from Mintel, but there has been a general increase in launches across the EU in...
As the food industry shifts from synthetically-derived colours, past ‘natural’ ingredients to colouring foodstuffs, we highlight the challenges this is currently creating.
As the world’s most populous nation with a strong economy, China is an attractive target for food manufacturers and their suppliers - but they cannot operate effectively in the region without a local presence, according to Torben Friis Lange, AAK vice...
Kellogg’s claims a lack of segregated, sustainably grown palm oil means its only option in terms of ensuring environmental friendly sourcing is to purchase GreenPalm certificates to cover its palm oil use in its products.
As the market and industry weighs the impact of turmoil in Ivory Coast on cocoa supply and tightness in sugar trade continues, we talk to Rabobank analyst Keith Flury to see whether there will be any let up in commodity commotion in 2011.
A new joint venture for stevia between a French sugar producer, a flavour firm, and an ingredients supplier will offer manufacturers ‘leaf to spoon’ service for the sweetener.
The British meat industry seems completely unconcerned about the new government advice to limit red meat consumption to 70g a day, believing it will have no impact on the livelihoods of meat farmers and processors.
The food industry has a responsibility to label allergenic ingredients as big and bold as they can – but also not to over-egg the slimmest of slim possibilities that a trace amount of an allergen may have slipped into a product.
Fairtrade claims are currently less important to UK shoppers than health and even animal welfare product claims, data from MMR Research Worldwide indicates – while figures from the Fairtrade Foundation suggest ongoing growth.
The conversion of Green & Black’s whole range and Ben and Jerry’s ingredients to Fairtrade this year could influence other companies to roll out further products under the label, said the Fairtrade Foundation as it announced its first £1bn in UK retail...
The market for the sweetener sucralose is poised for growth, with global production expected to top 15,000 tonnes by 2018, according to the world’s second largest sucralose producer.
Organic Monitor predicts an eight per cent rise of European organic food and drink sales in 2011, as the global economy is coming out of recession more capital is now available for companies to invest.
The delivery of Cargill’s first UTZ Certified beans from Vietnam marks an important milestone for the company in its bid to establish the region as a new origin country for cocoa, said the ingredients giant.
The Asia Pacific high intensity sweetener market is bouncing back from the blow dealt by the financial crisis – but while new growth is on the cards, natural sweeteners like stevia are expected to challenge old favourites in the next five years, according...
Major EU food manufacturers continue to offer low- or no fat products as a consumer option alongside goods higher in fat, while the trend towards healthier food launches along these lines has remained flat or even declined in some states.
Brazil, Russia, India and China will feature in the top five biggest grocery markets by 2015, with China set to snatch the top spot from the US in 2012, predicts IGD.
Urgent international action is needed to prevent speculation in food commodities and agricultural raw materials which threaten food security in the European Union (EU) and worldwide, according to a resolution by Members-of-the-European Parliament (MEPs).
The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the EU and South Korea means European food and drink businesses will benefit from improved trading conditions, and agricultural exporters will save an estimated €380 million a year thanks to eliminated tariffs.
On-pack nutritional information is understood better and quicker when presented together with portion size, according to new research carried out by the European Food Information Council (EUFIC) in collaboration with the University of Surrey, UK.
When Tunisian street vegetable vendor Mohamed Bouazizi chose to end his life in fiery suicide, no one could have foreseen the firestorm his death would unleash across the Arab world. But, two months later, as the Arab Revolt shows no sign of fading, the...
Healthier products are not just about the low fat alternatives. Even if there are some gulps at the cost of reducing saturated fat across mainstream ranges, it is worthwhile when consumers cannot taste any difference, say manufacturers.
Sugar supplier to the bakery and confectionery industry, Ragus, said it expects further commodity price hikes and contests whether proposed EC intervention on import duty tariff reductions would have the desired effect on the deficit in the EU market.
Germany’s K+S Kali has unveiled its new brand of food grade potassium chloride called KaliSel, which is billed as a cost-effective salt replacer in food.
Nutraceutical giant Cognis says it has developed a new bakery enzyme preparation to meet customer demand in both developed and developing markets for products with an increased shelf life.
Sustainability concerns are having an increasing impact on food companies’ supply chain practices, finds a new report from Leatherhead, with more organic and Fairtrade products being offered and more ethical approaches to ingredient sourcing.
Datamonitor has picked out three product launches that illustrate how manufacturers are upping the emphasis on pure and original ingredients to drive healthy soft drink sales.
Public concerns regarding use of animal-sourced gelatine – and the rise of vegetarian and vegan alternatives – are likely to see a shift away from the use of the gelatine in the food sector, according to a new report.
DSM Nutritional Products' vice president, Nutrition Improvement Program Oswaldo da Costa e Silva explains that the initiative is an integral part of the company's sustainabiltiy vision. Providing products for malnourished people around the world...
A novel fish charcuterie product concept has been awarded top honour in an annual contest to identify and reward creative initiative amongst the new generation of French food technologists.
Major food companies are paying more attention to the social impacts of their products, and that means developing new ways of meauring the impacts of sustainability programmes on people, says DSM’s director of sustainability.
Greenpeace has welcomed a pledge towards forest conservation from palm oil supplier Golden Agri-Resources Limited (GAR) which is aimed at “creating long-term sustainable growth for GAR and the palm oil industry”.
DEFRA (the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) has ruled out financial support for the organic industry, despite producers saying they stand alone and a Soil Association (SA) report damning Whitehall’s “diffident, if not lazy” approach.
A new international study has shed light on food allergy sufferers' preferred formats for receiving information on allergens in food products, and indicated that novel intelligent communication technologies, such as hand-held scanners, are not suitable...
An explosion in Fairtrade chocolate sales last year in Australia has seen it overtake coffee to become the biggest selling Fairtrade certified product in that market, said the organisation behind the standard.
The cost of changing food product labels are significantly higher than estimated by the European Commission or in UK studies, according to a report from research group Campden BRI.
EHL Ingredients has seen a 60 per cent boost in sales of its spice blend Ras El Hanout in the past year, as manufacturers are responding to increased consumer demand for ethnic foods.
The UK needs to attract 137,000 new recruits by 2017 to replace retirees and support growth, says the Food and Drink Federation, a third of whom will be for managerial roles and operational occupations.
The NutraSweet Company's sales of high intensity sweetener neotame grew by 20 per cent between 2009 and 2010 – and the same percentage is expected this year as sugar prices are expected to keep rising due to short supplies.
The UK government should start putting the ground work in place to use taxes and subsidies to encourage consumption of healthier foods in the future, says Innocent’s company nutritionist – once the financial situation is more secure.
Retailers have helped to fuel the “gluten-free food boom” for bakery and other products, in moving the category from a medical niche into the mainstream health and wellness food empire claims Euromonitor International.
EFSA has said it will issue a scientific statement by the end of February on two recent studies that drew into question the safety of artificial sweeteners, but has indicated that while further analysis or research may be merited, the findings are not...
Givaudan has reported 2011 sales of CHF 4.2bn, up 8.9% on 2010, with the firm’s Latin American flavours division leading the way with strong sales in beverage, confectionery and savoury.
There is not enough robust science to support the development of an omni-label to accurately inform consumers of the environmental impacts of food products, according to a new UK report.
Cocoa prices have remained stable over the past two weeks despite the Ivory Coast export ban with industry analysts citing good industry supply cover and access to plentiful crop from Ghana as factors for the lack of price volatility.
The food industry should not rage against the idea of professionalised local food systems, nor unleash its lobbying force to uproot them before their green shoots can reach maturity. Rather, it should explore ways to benefit from local foods and, in turn,...
EUSTAS (European Stevia Association) president Professor Jan Guens says he is “very disappointed” by a decision taken by Cargill and Morita to remove a number of licensing application categories relating to use of steviol glycosides in food.
Guar gum prices have continued to soar in early 2011 due to oilfield demand, dashing observers expectations of a downward trend on the back of a bumper crop from India.
That whiffy blue cheese lurking at the back of your fridge might soon taste even better, thanks to an innovative research project examining what gives it its distinctive texture, smell and taste.
