Carbohydrates and fibres (sugar, starches)

'Ultra-processed' food is obesogenic and must be made less available & affordable, say researchers

19-Jan-2018 By Niamh Michail

There is a "significant" link between eating ultra-processed food and obesity levels in adults, say researchers who studied data for 19 European countries.

Energy drinks under scrutiny as retail enforces under-16 sales ban

19-Jan-2018 By Will Chu

Asda and Aldi have become the latest UK supermarkets to ban the sale of energy drinks to under-16s due to concerns over negative health effects associated with consumption.

Food firms pledge more inclusive advertising in France

18-Jan-2018 By Niamh Michail

Nespresso, Unilever, Danone and Avril are among the companies that have pledged to advertise responsibly with fewer stereotypes, signing a 15-point voluntary chart launched by the Union of Advertisers (UDA).

Tosla CEO: Sugar breakthrough would be sweet in face of ‘scepticism and doubt’

18-Jan-2018 By Will Chu

Tosla’s success in passing the first phase of the EU’s Horizon 2020 SME Instruments program sends out a message to the sweetener industry, who in the past have expressed reservations to its approach to ‘reinventing sugar’.

What categories will win as free-from foods gain popularity?

17-Jan-2018 By Katy Askew

Demand for free-from foods has jumped in Europe as consumers buy into the concept as part of a broader understanding of what constitutes a “healthy lifestyle”. FoodNavigator examines the categories that will be the biggest winners.

Calorie caps in processed food: Industry welcomes ‘focus beyond sugar’

17-Jan-2018 By Niamh Michail

Calories in processed foods such as pizzas and readymade sandwiches could be capped in the UK, according to recommendations in an upcoming report by advisory body Public Health England (PHE).

Are fragmenting attitudes to health a threat to food brands?

16-Jan-2018 By Katy Askew

New research finds that consumers are increasingly confused by the numerous – and sometimes contradictory – messages about food and health. A loss of trust in traditional sources of information adds to the chaos and stands as a barrier to the development...

New CEO for Tate & Lyle

16-Jan-2018 By Niamh Michail

Nick Hampton, the company’s current chief financial officer, will take over as CEO of ingredient supplier Tate & Lyle in April.

‘Alarming’ acrylamide levels in Italian crisps, strengthen calls for mandatory limits

12-Jan-2018 By Will Chu

Safe Food Advocacy Europe (SAFE) has repeated calls for a legal acrylamide limit after tests on brands of potato crisps showed "alarmingly" high levels of the carcinogenic substance.

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EFSA wants feedback on how to calculate maximum levels for sugar

10-Jan-2018 By Niamh Michail

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) wants feedback on the method it plans to use to calculate the maximum amount of sugar that can be included in a healthy diet.

‘90% sugar and fat but no red light': Foodwatch slams industry’s Evolved Nutrition logo

09-Jan-2018 By Niamh Michail

Manufacturers' Evolved Nutrition logo makes foods high in sugar, fat and salt seem healthier than they are, according to campaign group Foodwatch which has compared products under the UK's traffic light and the industry-own label.

NHS England move to ban 'sugary drinks' in hospitals

08-Jan-2018 By Will Chu

Plans by the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) to ban sales of sugar-sweetened drinks in hospitals in England have been backed by the British Soft Drink Association (BSDA), who praised the decision to include all sugar-added drinks.

Organic Trade Board overcomes final hurdle to bag €10m in EU funding

05-Jan-2018 By Niamh Michail

Sustainable bank Triodos has stepped in to ensure the UK’s Organic Trade Board (OTB) can unlock over €10m in EU funding to promote the British organic industry.

Making the cut: Is fat more important in sweet or savoury foods?

05-Jan-2018 By Niamh Michail

A liking for fatty foods is linked to obesity. But when these foods are also sweet, salty or both, to what extent is the fat content driving our taste preferences?

Is sugar a ‘fundamental cause of diabetes’ beyond adding empty calories, BMJ author asks

04-Jan-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

While the jury is still out on what role, if any, sugar plays in the development of diabetes, recommendations to restrict consumption should be strengthened and research should be redoubled until a clear determination is found, according to an essay in...

Pasta maker La Molisana taps demand for authenticity and wellness

04-Jan-2018 By Katy Askew

Italian pasta maker La Molisana is planning an “official attack” on international markets in 2018 - supported by its messaging around authenticity and health - as it targets growth of more than 40% over the next three years.

Dutch supermarket app will recommend healthier products over unhealthy ones

04-Jan-2018 By Niamh Michail

The Netherlands’ government-backed Nutrition Centre has launched an app that consumers can use to compare brands in store and find the healthiest one. "We hope to unleash a revolution in the supermarket," it says.

Study links processed carb consumption to weight gain

03-Jan-2018 By Katy Askew

The insulin spike that follows consumption of processed carbs could contribute to higher risk of weight gain and obesity, a new study concludes.

2018 and beyond: Five mega-trends set to shape the food industry

03-Jan-2018 By Katy Askew

FoodNavigator looks at five mega-trends that are set to influence the future of innovation in the food sector.

Kids to swap chocolate with healthier snacks under new Public Health England guidelines

03-Jan-2018 By Douglas Yu

Public Health England (PHE) has launched ‘Change4Life’ Campaign to urge children to take a maximum of two 100-calorie snacks per day.

Erbology harnesses ‘powerful plants’ for snacking success

02-Jan-2018 By Katy Askew

Erbology is on a mission to bring “powerful plants” to a wider audience. FoodNavigator caught up with co-founder Irina Turcan to find out more about the company and its plans for the future.

Positive Q3 performance for Europe's food industry, says FDE

21-Dec-2017 By Niamh Michail

Europe’s food and drink industry performed “positively” in the third quarter of 2017 with a 0.6% rise in turnover compared to the previous quarter, according to trade group FoodDrinkEurope.

‘The Google Maps for taste and scent’: Aromyx’s bio-chip sensor could fuel future reformulation, it says

21-Dec-2017 By Niamh Michail

Aromyx has developed a biosensor that places the human taste and olfactory receptors into a bio-chip, digitising taste and smell for empirical and tailored reformulation.

Love them or hate them, yeast-based spreads may relieve anxiety and stress

19-Dec-2017 By Stephen Daniells

Once described by President Obama as “horrible”, yeast-based spreads are not for everyone, but new data suggests the B vitamin-rich foods may improve stress and anxiety.

Action on Sugar: Industry efforts to reformulate energy drinks still failing kids

15-Dec-2017 By Will Chu

Despite industry efforts to reformulate energy drinks, the levels of sugar and caffeine per serving exceed a child’s maximum daily recommendation for sugar intake, according to findings by Action on Sugar.

FoodDrinkEurope submits complaint about Italy’s country of origin labels

14-Dec-2017 By Katy Askew

FoodDrinkEurope, the trade body representing European food makers, has registered an official complaint with the European Commission over Italy’s new country of origin labelling regulations.

Naturally functional: Truffles have functional ingredient potential...but work needed on productivity

14-Dec-2017 By Nathan Gray

While truffles may the epitome of taste in the culinary world, they also have potential as a functional food ingredient, say researchers, outlining their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and immune-modulating potential.

Visual examination key to meeting safety standards for bakers, says gluten-free certifying agent

13-Dec-2017 By Douglas Yu

The Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG), a certifying agent in the US gluten-free market, said visual examination is pivotal in determining the safety of whole grains, beans, seeds, pulses and legumes.

Barry Callebaut sweetens appeal of healthier chocolate with low-sugar range

12-Dec-2017 By Will Chu

Barry Callebaut has made available a range of low-sugar chocolate designed to promote an improved nutritional profile to confectionery that doesn’t compromise on taste.

EU agri-food to ‘benefit most’ from trade deal with Japan

08-Dec-2017 By Katy Askew

European agri-food is one of the sectors expected to benefit most from the free trade deal that was finalised with Japan today (8 December).

Baby boomers key to keeping biscuit category alive: pladis

08-Dec-2017 By Gill Hyslop

Baby boomers are the fastest growing consumer segment and crucial to the success of the biscuit snacking category, says pladis, so it is critical to pay close attention on how to market to this demographic.

Norwegians eating more veg, less sugar

06-Dec-2017 By Katy Askew

Norwegians are eating more vegetables and less sugar – but the balance of meat and fish consumption remains a “challenge” – according to new research published today (6 December).

Why sugar and why so much? WHO investigates the food industry’s sweet tooth

06-Dec-2017 By Niamh Michail

It's the ‘gold standard’ for sweetness, competitors use it and artificial sweeteners aren’t clean label. Unfortunately, there are more incentives to make sugary food in Europe than there are to avoid it, says a World Health Organisation (WHO) report,...

Monk fruit-stevia blends are still best for natural sugar reduction, says Layn

05-Dec-2017 By Niamh Michail

Monk fruit has overcome the scalability issues to be a solid contender for stevia's natural sweetener crown. But the fruit's higher price tag and stevia's taste problem still means monk fruit-stevia blends are best, says Layn.

Baby biscuits with one-quarter sugar voted 2017's most misleading product

30-Nov-2017 By Niamh Michail

The 73,000 votes are in: German manufacturer Alete’s biscuits, which it markets as ‘suitable for babies’ despite containing 25% sugar, have been voted 2017’s most misleading product.

Guest article

High intensity sweeteners industry to show 2.3% CAGR

28-Nov-2017 By Ravi Chawat, Allied Market Research

The demand for healthy and natural products has led to the adoption of plant-based sweeteners such as stevia and monk fruit, with these natural sweeteners offering 200 to 300 times the sweetening power of processed sugar. In this guest article, Ravi Chawat...

Mass media a force for good (and bad) in childhood obesity, report says

27-Nov-2017 By Will Chu

Strong links between European obesity levels and childhood media exposure are further emphasised in a report that calls on better defined policies to address the rise of social media.

A bug in the system: Kids' functional dairy notably absent in probiotic innovation

27-Nov-2017 By Will Chu

Probiotic product innovation continues to make gains throughout Europe, this time with children and infant health firmly in the minds of manufacturers such as Sanofi, DuPont, Nestlé and Danone.

Can domestic fruit and vegetable production help the UK's post-Brexit public health crisis?

20-Nov-2017 By Niamh Michail

The UK's post-Brexit food policy must prioritise domestic fruit and vegetable production if the public's health is to survive the higher cost of eating healthily, according to a Food Foundation report.

Researchers sugar coat work looking into extending food shelf-life

20-Nov-2017 By Will Chu

Scientists have outlined a simple way to protect food from bacterial contamination that uses a 'sugar-glass' coating containing virus-killing bacteria, which could be used in the food packaging and processing industries.

Bayn CEO: Cloud-based sugar reformulation tool can fix ‘broken’ food chain

16-Nov-2017 By Katy Askew

Bayn Europe is developing a new cloud-based reformulation tool that, its chief executive says, can help fix the “broken” food chain and heighten sugar-reduction efforts.

Government intervention on food needed to safeguard children’s health: Report

15-Nov-2017 By Will Chu

Imposing taxes on high fat and sugar foods will improve children's diets, the British Psychological Society (BPS) said this week, highlighting the need for government intervention in food reformulation and education.

Showcase showdown: Peek at products presenting at FiE

14-Nov-2017 By Will Chu

Food Ingredients Europe (FiE) returns this November showcasing a plethora of produce in the event’s New Product Zone.

This feature has proved popular with show attendees in the past and it’s easy to see why. With food manufacturers always...

Fructan responsible for symptoms in the gluten-intolerant, study claims

13-Nov-2017 By Will Chu

Norwegian researchers have suggested that fructans are responsible for the gastrointestinal upset that occurs in people with non-coeliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS).

FoodSolutionsTeam targets food waste with sustainable fibre

13-Nov-2017 By Katy Askew

FoodSolutionsTeam (FST) hopes its sustainable KaroPRO Carrot Fibre will help tackle waste in the food industry.

PepsiCo and Unilever new product launches let down by e-commerce functionality

09-Nov-2017 By Will Chu

New product information describing PepsiCo and Unilever brands are not being accurately represented in major grocer listings, with oversights particularly evident on e-commerce platforms.

Industry sluggishness forces Scotland’s hand in slapping down obesity

07-Nov-2017 By Will Chu

The food and drink industry’s lack of action in addressing unhealthy food advertising and promotion in Scotland has forced the government to take control with its new diet and obesity consultation.

Sweet deal? Campaign group slams meal combo’s sugar content

31-Oct-2017 By Will Chu

Up to 30 teaspoons of sugar are contained in lunchtime meal deals available at supermarkets and retailers, according to campaign group Action on Sugar.

Tainted tastes a bitter ‘no-no’ for consumers as firms battle cost-cutting culture

24-Oct-2017 By Will Chu

The quest to produce nutritionally enhanced food despite the industry’s cost-cutting culture is one of the biggest challenges the food industry is currently facing, according to Mondelez’s Gil Horsky.

How is Europe's starch industry gearing up to become a global player?

19-Oct-2017 By Niamh Michail

After nearly 50 years of restrictions and quotas, Europe’s starch industry can produce as much isoglucose as it wants. But with freedom comes responsibility, warn policymakers. So what is industry doing to prepare?