Carbohydrates and fibres (sugar, starches)

Foodex 2016

Manufacturing spending ‘hit by EU referendum uncertainty’

03-May-2016 By Michael Stones

Many manufacturing business leaders are delaying investment until after the EU referendum on June 23, according to TV business broadcaster Steph McGovern.

Altering food choice architecture can promote healthy eating

03-May-2016 By Niamh Michail

Nudging techniques, such as changing food product order, can influence food choice and holds promise for changing consumer behaviour - but quantifying its effectiveness is difficult, researchers have found.

The EFSA hackathon: Authority offers €20,000 for app ideas

29-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

"The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is offering €20,000 for an app idea it can use to provide “quick, user-friendly” mobile access to its work."

Cheap food or no pesticides: Consumers can’t have it both ways, says ECPA

28-Apr-2016 By David Burrows

The European Crop Protection Association has said Europeans don’t understand the harsh realities of food production or appreciate the potential magnitude of the world’s food supply problem - pesticides are important in maintaining supply and keeping prices...

Just Bee taps into sugar backlash with honey-sweetened water

28-Apr-2016 By Kizzi Nkwocha

Honey ticks all the boxes: it's natural, tastes great and is sweeter than sugar, according to UK honey water company Just Bee, which says it could soon become the sweetener of choice in soft drinks.

Nichols plans relaunch of sugar-free drinks range

27-Apr-2016 By Gwen Ridler

Nichols announced a relaunch of its sugar-free brands this summer, following the news of the tax on sugary drinks, and predicted earnings would be in line with expectations.

Nestlé agrees frozen foods deal with R&R Ice Cream

27-Apr-2016 By Rick Pendrous

Nestlé and R&R, a leading ice cream company based in the UK owned by PAI Partners, have signed an agreement to set up Froneri, a global ice cream and frozen food joint venture (jv).

ASA ruling

Far from shy: Shouts about coconut sugar fall foul of advert regulators

27-Apr-2016 By David Burrows

Tiana Fair Trade Organic's claims that its coconut nectar is a “guilt free sugar substitute” are in breach of regulations, the British advertising authority has ruled.

Our stool frequency claim may not be sexy – but it adds credibility to empty slogans: BENEO

26-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

A survey of over 1,000 consumers in the UK and Spain has helped German ingredients giant BENEO join the dots between its EFSA-approved stool frequency health claim on paper and what consumers look for in digestive health on pack.

Diet changes may not improve sleep quality, review concludes

25-Apr-2016 By Will Chu

Modifying food intake as a therapy for improving the quality of sleep may not make a difference, a review of studies has found.

Irish delegation promoting dairy in Iran

25-Apr-2016 By Jim Cornall

Bord Bia; the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; and 17 Irish food companies are visiting Iran on a trade mission - the first from Ireland since international sanctions were lifted earlier this year.

Cambridge backs cloud-based food safety system

25-Apr-2016 By Joseph James Whitworth

Cambridge City Council has provided backing for Checkit’s management and monitoring system.

Coke Zero relaunches to ‘end sugar-free confusion’

25-Apr-2016 By Michelle Perrett

Coca-Cola Great Britain (CCGB)is to improve and rebrand Coke Zero as Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, in an attempt to change the mix of its portfolio.

Sweet or salty? Weight gain more likely in sweet-toothed toddlers, study shows

22-Apr-2016 By Will Chu

Children who eat sweet foods over salty snacks, despite being full, are more likely to experience weight gain, a study has found.

Dutch industry-backed nutrition label ticked off with mounting criticism

22-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

The industry group behind the Dutch healthy eating label, known as the tick, has come under fire from a consumer watchdog which says it is confusing, biased and should be scrapped - but it has defended its label.

Mother’s high-fructose diet may lead to foetal metabolic disorders: Study

21-Apr-2016 By Will Chu

A high-fructose diet during pregnancy may lead to the foetus developing hypertension, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and obesity in later life, a study reports.

Grain of truth in fast food & infertility link, study states

20-Apr-2016 By Will Chu

People who consume more fast food are exposed to higher levels of chemicals that can lead to infertility, according to a study.

Energy & fibre intakes far below recommended levels

Paper offers insights into +85s diets – but huge data gaps remain

20-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The rapidly-growing age segment of over-85s has been neglected in both nutrition research and dietary recommendations, say UK researchers behind a large-scale trail-blazing study.

Foodex 2016

Food leaders should ‘grow a pair’ over EU promotion

20-Apr-2016 By Michael Stones

Food and drink manufacturing leaders and other business executives who support EU membership have been urged to promote the benefits of membership far more actively, in hard-hitting comments from Food and Drink Federation (FDF) boss Ian Wright, delivered...

NFU won’t campaign, but opposes Brexit

19-Apr-2016 By Jim Cornall

The UK’s National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has said that after evaluating of the agricultural merits of the case, it is in favor of staying in the European Union (EU).

Food firms improve sustainability promises - but are they following them up with action?

19-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

The world's top 10 food firms are improving their promises and pledges on sustainability, food security and workers' rights, according to Oxfam’s Behind the Brands report. But is there any action behind the words?

Danone Q1 results in line with expectations

19-Apr-2016 By Jim Cornall

Danone has issued its Q1 2016 results, showing sales of fresh dairy products down compared to the previous first quarter of 2015.

Foodex 2016

‘We could be consuming food all the time that is not authentic but we wouldn’t know about it until afterwards’

18-Apr-2016 By Jenny Eagle

‘We could be consuming food all the time that is not authentic but we wouldn’t know about it until afterwards’, according to Andy Morling, head, Food Crime Unit, Food Standards Agency (FSA).

No new legislation needed on ‘growing up milks’, says long-awaited Commission report

18-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

There is no need for new legislation specific to so-called ’growing up’ milks, the European Commission has said in a report rebuked by industry and NGOs alike.

Online teenagers helping to market high calorie foods

18-Apr-2016 By Kizzi Nkwocha

Marketing messages promoting high-calorie foods are receiving a boost from an unexpected source - teenage social media users - according to a Swedish study.

Excess sugar consumption ‘similar to cocaine addiction', says study

18-Apr-2016 By Will Chu

An over consumption of sugar sets in motion a reward mechanism in the brain that mimics other drugs such as tobacco and cocaine, a study has suggested.

Mars: ‘Don't eat some of our products every day’

15-Apr-2016 By Michelle Perrett

Mars Foods is to advise consumers to limit the consumption of certain products in a bid to improve the nation’s health..

EU nanomaterial definition expected this autumn, says Commission

14-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

An updated definition of engineered nanomaterial is expected by September or October this year, a European Commission official has said.

McCain sees pre-tax profits rise despite sales dip

14-Apr-2016 By Michelle Perrett

Chip producer McCain Foods GB has seen pre-tax profits for the full year hit almost £64M, up from £54.7M in 2014.

CO2 rises could fuel obesity as plants “carb-load”

14-Apr-2016 By David Burrows

The nutritional quality of food will plummet as carbon emissions rise, with every bite delivering less protein, fewer micronutrients and more sugars, according to a report released this week.

European Parliament votes to scrap nutrient profiles

12-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

Members of European Parliament (MEPs) voted today to scrap nutrient profiles, a result that leaves consumer rights groups, public health campaigners and some industry players sorely disappointed.

EU and Chile sign landmark organic trade deal

11-Apr-2016 By Kizzi Nkwocha

The European Union and Chile have finalised the first of a new generation of agreements aimed at facilitating trade in organic products.

French find fault in 4 or 5-class nutrient profiling

08-Apr-2016 By Shane Starling

The French food safety agency (ANSES) has concluded two nutrient profiling systems won’t provide people with easily understandable grading of food into four or five classes depending on their healthiness.

Flavour Trends

Fermented foods: Where flavour and function combine

07-Apr-2016 By Will Chu

The quest for novel taste sensations that strike the right note with consumers means food makers are constantly on the look-out for new flavours or food production methods - and the trend for fermented ticks both boxes.

In-house show for bars, buns, wafers, tortillas and cakes

Bosch Packaging: ‘Lean production is the key driver of short throughput time’

07-Apr-2016 By Jenny Eagle

Lean production is the key driver of short throughput time, according to Bosch Packaging Technology, following its first in-house show at its Schiedam factory in the Netherlands.

80% of surveyed products don't pass WHO nutrient profile

Survey blasts industry & EU for allowing unhealthy foods to make health claims

06-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

What’s the difference between a chocolate bar and an apple? Not much if you go by the misuse of health claims on food in Germany and the Netherlands says campaign group FoodWatch, after evaluating over 600 products making prominent claims to be healthy,...

‘Food circuit’ identified that could control appetite, study shows

06-Apr-2016 By Will Chu

A ‘food circuit,’ in which neurons are activated when a sweet taste is detected, may represent a new approach in controlling appetite, a study on Drosophila flies has shown.

Sugar reduction now a 'key mindset' of consumers, survey shows

05-Apr-2016 By Will Chu

Reducing sugar intake has become a key concern amongst many European consumers, with a quarter of those surveyed now preferring low sugar food products, a 2,500-strong survey has found.

Salt stimulates passive eating of fatty foods: Study

05-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

Salt provokes fatty food eating, and can even trigger increased food intake among people who have a preference for less fatty foods, Australian researchers have found.

Tereos & Cornelius Nordic ink Scandinavian partnership

05-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

Cornelius Nordic has secured distribution rights for Tereos in a Scandinavian partnership that will target the Danish and Swedish markets for ingredients such as starches, glucose syrups and polyols.