Carbohydrates and fibres (sugar, starches)

Hasta la Pasta? Italians ditch traditional pasta for alternatives

30-May-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

Sales of traditional pasta in Italy are falling as consumers ditch carb-heavy versions for gluten-free, whole wheat or even next-generation seaweed pasta, according to market research firm Mintel.

Tate & Lyle profits jump 85% as weak pound provides boost

26-May-2017 By Niamh Michail

British ingredient supplier Tate & Lyle has reported an 85% increase in profit before tax, putting the successful performance down to higher sales, a weak pound and fewer exceptional costs.

A lack of political will is stalling action on obesity: McKinsey report author

26-May-2017 By David Burrows

Europe is struggling to get to grips with rising obesity levels because politicians are distracted by single policies and industry lacks the level playing field that regulation can create, says Richard Dobbs, author of the McKinsey report.

Trans-fats' cell death role more direct than previously thought: Study

26-May-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

The action of trans-fatty acids may be more damaging to cells than previously thought, as a study reveals the mechanism by which cell death occurs faster, leading to atherosclerosis, heart attacks and strokes.

Taiyo introduces sweet-tasting dietary fibres

22-May-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

Combining sweetness with fibre, is the aim of Taiyo’s new varieties of Sunfiber, an all-natural range of soluble dietary fibres which can also be used as a sweetener.

Food production can weather the storm, say sustainability project leaders

17-May-2017 By Will Chu

As climate change poses an increasing threat to food security, a project that combines innovation with food growing technologies believes sustainability is possible in this changing environment.

Sugar tax confusion could hit sales of confectionery, biscuits and cakes

12-May-2017 By David Burrows

Brits are completely baffled by the country’s planned new levy on sugar-sweetened drinks, with many believing it covers food as well.

EFSA: Sucralose is safe and does not cause cancer

10-May-2017 By Will Chu

Scientific evaluations of sucralose, conducted by The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), find no link between the sweetener and cancer.

Should the gluten-free craze come to an end? Study thinks so

04-May-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

Gluten-free diets should not be encouraged for those without coeliac disease, as restricting gluten may result in low intake of beneficial nutrients found in whole grains, say researchers.

High fibre pasta set to 'revolutionise' ready meals

03-May-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

Healthier, high-fibre pasta is the newest 'reinvented carbohydrate' with potential for EFSA-backed health claims, says Ulrick & Short.

Food and drink drives ‘good start’ for Novozymes

26-Apr-2017 By Nathan Gray

Enzymes and food biotechnology giant Novozymes saw a 3% growth in sales in the first quarter of 2017, driven by strong performances in Food & Beverages and Bioenergy.

Artificial sweeteners raise stroke and dementia risk, study claims

21-Apr-2017 By Will Chu

Drinking at least one artificially sweetened beverage daily may increase the risk of developing stroke or dementia compared to those who consumed this drink less than once a week.

DuPont health & nutrition president on mega mergers, start-up successes and new product launch plans

21-Apr-2017 By Niamh Michail

Despite its recent mega mergers and billion-dollar business deals, DuPont is still very much focussed on collaborating with start-ups. “Not everything has to be invented in our labs,” its nutrition and health president Matthias Heinzel tells FoodNavigator.

New insights reveal how stevia controls blood sugar levels

13-Apr-2017 By Will Chu

How stevia controls blood sugar levels has remained a mystery until now as researchers think they have unravelled the natural, no-calorie sweetener's action that results in its observed health benefits.

Nutritionists dispute relevance of sugar levels in chocolate spreads following report

13-Apr-2017 By Louis Gore-Langton

Chocolate spreads and jams contain huge amounts of sugar, with two slices of bread containing the entire maximum daily intake - but some experts have questioned whether the quantities eaten are large enough to contribute to obesity

Dutch success on salt reduction overshadowed by sugar and fat fails

12-Apr-2017 By Niamh Michael

Dutch food manufacturers have successfully cut salt levels from many products but are dragging their feet on reformulation of sugar and saturated fat, according to a government report published earlier this month.

Pregnancy fat and sugar diet ‘programs’ mother and child health complications: Mouse Study

07-Apr-2017 By Louis Gore-Langton

Eating foods high in fat and sugar during pregnancy can severely disrupt metabolic processes in both women and their offspring, new research on mice has revealed.

Conflict a key driver behind soaring food insecurity worldwide

03-Apr-2017 By Will Chu

Over 100 million people worldwide are severely food insecure in 2016 - a jump from the 80 m recorded in 2015, despite the progress made in reducing food security, according to a European Commission report.

The big debate: Can sugar survive a public health crisis?

31-Mar-2017 By Niamh Michail

The world is getting fatter and unhealthier - are smaller portions and diet drinks really going to help when they sit next to full-sugar, supersized products? Is it time to tax or is industry doing enough? Catch the highlights from our live debate.

UK guidelines target cakes and cereals in drive to cut sugar by 20%

30-Mar-2017 By Will Chu

The UK Government has set out sugar limits for popular foods with the aim of improving children's health by removing 200,000 tonnes of sugar from the UK market by 2020.

Sugar, salt and fat taxes are 'very positive', says Health Commissioner

30-Mar-2017 By David Burrows

The EU Health Commissioner has said that taxation on certain ingredients and products can be a “very powerful” tool for tackling health issues, including obesity. Campaigners have welcomed his comments but food industry representatives said small businesses...

ADM ramps up sweetener investment with French acquisition

29-Mar-2017 By Niamh Michail

Agri-food giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) will continue its investment into sweeteners and starch production in Europe with the planned acquisition of French wheat processing plant Chamtor.

'Fibre is the only option to turn our comfort foods from toxic to therapeutic,' says FiberFlour founder

28-Mar-2017 By Niamh Michail

What made a practicing doctor give up medicine to create and supply a high-fibre flour? “I saw an opportunity to be infinitely more effective in preventing disease in the first place. Fibre is the only option to transform our staple comfort foods from...

Blood fat levels an indicator of kids’ diet quality and disease risk: Study

27-Mar-2017 By Will Chu

Family-based lifestyle interventions, such as a diet high in unsaturated fat, can have a dramatic impact on children's blood fatty acid make-up, Finnish researchers have determined. 

EFSA to recommend daily intake values for added sugar by 2020

24-Mar-2017 By Niamh Michail

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will publish a scientific opinion on how much sugar can be included in a healthy diet by 2020, it has confirmed.

A 20% sugar cut by 2020? ‘It won’t be possible,’ says FDF

23-Mar-2017 By Niamh Michail

A 20% sugar cut across all food categories by 2020 – as per voluntary targets set by the UK government – is not technically possible, nor would it be acceptable to consumers, industry lobby the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has said.

Allulose low-cal sweetener credentials boosted as glucose control is highlighted

20-Mar-2017 By Will Chu

Allulose, a low-calorie, natural sugar could help regulate blood glucose levels as preliminary animal studies have highlighted this rare sugar’s ability to also manage weight gain.

5-C NutriScore to be France's official nutrition label

16-Mar-2017 By Niamh Michail

The five-colour NutriScore is the most effective nutrition label in promoting healthier food choices and will be adopted as the official (but voluntary) label in France, the health minister has said. 

CGF celebrates healthy reformulation of 180,000 products in 2016

16-Mar-2017 By Niamh Michail

Manufacturers made over 180,000 consumer goods products healthier in 2016 by reducing salt and sugar or adding whole grain and vitamins, according to a report by the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF).

Snack time? Consumers almost always crave chocolate and high calorie treats

15-Mar-2017 By David Burrows

When consumers crave snacks, it’s chocolate and other high calorie ones they go for, according to new research.

Stop claiming calcium lactate and glucose-fructose syrup are 'natural' ingredients, ASA rules

09-Mar-2017 By Niamh Michail

Children’s drink manufacturer Appy Food & Drinks has been told to stop referring to its juice as “100%” natural as they contain calcium lactate and glucose-fructose syrup by the UK’s advertising watchdog.

Synergy to launch dairy-based, natural sugar replacers

09-Mar-2017 By Niamh Michail

UK flavour house Synergy will launch a range of dairy-based, natural flavours to replace sugar in biscuits and cookies next month.

South African sugar tax could be blueprint for all Africa: WHO

09-Mar-2017 By John Reynolds

The impending tax on sugar-sweetened beverages in South Africa could be a blueprint for other African nations to follow suit, according to a World Health Organisation (WHO) public health specialist.

Fructose infiltrates baby diet via breast milk, study suggests

08-Mar-2017 By Will Chu

Infants may be exposed to fructose through breast milk, before sugary drinks and other foods containing fructose introduced to the infant diet, according to research.

Six industry giants to launch UK-style traffic light labels in Europe

08-Mar-2017 By Niamh Michail

Coca-Cola, Mars, Mondelez, Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever will add nutrition logos modelled on the UK’s traffic light label to their European portfolios. However, critics have slammed the use of portion size as a reference.

Sugar’s ‘sweet spot’ link to Alzheimer’s disease discovered

01-Mar-2017 By Will Chu

An excess of sugar appears to promote the onset of Alzheimer’s disease as British researchers identify a link between diet and the neurological disorder.

EU lawmakers to discuss companies selling poorer quality food in Eastern Europe

28-Feb-2017 By Niamh Michail

The EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council will discuss the issue of dual quality foods next week as Slovakia and Hungary push for EU legislation to prevent manufacturers selling poorer quality products in Eastern countries of the single market bloc.

Obesity caused by parents, not social or economic factors: Study

27-Feb-2017 By Louis Gore-Langton

Up to 40% of obesity in children is inherited from parents - irrespective of wealth and social status, new research has found.

Children's sugar intake equivalent to five doughnuts a day: Obesity Health Alliance

24-Feb-2017 By Niamh Michail

Children in the UK are eating the equivalent of five doughnuts a day in sugar, according to the Obesity Health Alliance, as it calls on industry to reformulate its products.

Obesity-related pain eased by foods found in the Mediterranean diet: Study

23-Feb-2017 By Will Chu

Obesity-related joint discomfort may be eased by a diet that is high in anti-inflammatory foods such as fish, nuts and beans.

UK minister critical of 'inexplicable' assessment of obesity strategy

23-Feb-2017 By David Burrows

The UK’s health department and agency have hit back at a “quintessentially British” critique of the country’s childhood obesity strategy published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).

Nestlé pledges 18,000-tonne sugar cut in European products

23-Feb-2017 By Niamh Michail

Nestlé has pledged to remove at least 18,000 tonnes of sugar from products in its European portfolio by 2020, equivalent to a 5% reduction of current levels.

Reformulation rethink in cutting calories gives taste of success

22-Feb-2017 By Will Chu

As obesity levels continue to rocket in Europe, food industry efforts in reformulating popular foods to reduce fat, salt and sugar levels are making inroads but are unlikely to provide a complete solution. FoodNavigator talks to experts on some of the...

Hungary and Slovakia cry foul over multinational product differences

21-Feb-2017 By David Burrows

Consumers in Hungary on getting a raw deal on the food they buy, at least compared to those just across the border in Austria - and they aren’t alone.

When nudge comes to shove: What are the best tactics for sugar reformulation?

21-Feb-2017 By David Burrows

Every EU country is battling with obesity, but is 2017 set to be the year that many more governments move from the comfort zone of industry-led “nudge” tactics to blunt policy tools that push manufacturers to reformulate?

Sacrificing taste for sugar reduction will ‘kill our category’: Barry Callebaut innovation chief

21-Feb-2017 By Oliver Nieburg

Barry Callebaut’s head of innovation expects the chocolate industry will opt for natural fibers to gradually cut sugar and calories, but says uptake for sugar reduction remains low.

Excess fructose in kids linked to rise in liver disease

20-Feb-2017 By Will Chu

High fructose intake could increase the incidence of liver disease in adolescents and children, a new study suggests.

Study says stevia on par with sugar in drinks satisfaction, but finds fibre fouls feelings

20-Feb-2017 By Elliot Beer

Drinks sweetened with high-Reb A stevia may have similar or higher satisfaction ratings than sucrose drinks, but added fibre lowers scores, according to a new sensory and sensation-focused study.

BREAKING NEWS

Unilever rejects $143bn Kraft-Heinz mega-merger bid

17-Feb-2017 By Niamh Michail

Dutch-Anglo food giant Unilever has rejected a $143bn (€134bn) merger proposal from US company Kraft Heinz as being too low.

'The exposure of the population has remained high and virtually unchanged'

Acrylamide needs to be regulated at the source, says expert

14-Feb-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

Manufacturers should favour reduced sugar potatoes, specific storage temperatures and use acrylamide-cutting enzymes to reduce levels of the possible carcinogen, according to one expert.