Carbohydrates and fibres (sugar, starches)

How strong is the evidence behind WHO’s sugars advice?

10-Mar-2015 By Joyeeta Basu

The food industry has criticised the WHO’s recommendation to reduce the intake of added sugar for being backed by ‘moderate’ and ‘very low quality’ evidence.

Food prices drop to lowest in five years, says FAO

09-Mar-2015 By Joyeeta Basu

Global food prices have dropped to their lowest level since July 2010, according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Insights from the 13th Global Food Technology & Innovation Summit

Nutrition and sustainability are key to good innovation, says Nestlé R&D chief

06-Mar-2015 By Nathan Gray

Food and beverage manufacturers must focus research and development activities on creating more nutritious and sustainable food solutions, says Nestlé’s head of global R&D.

Ulrick & Short unveils starch ingredient for pizza sauce

06-Mar-2015 By .

UK-based starch specialist Ulrick & Short has introduced a wheat-based starch intended to improve the texture of pizza sauce.

Mintel highlights own-brand innovation gap for ‘better for you’ foods

05-Mar-2015 By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Just 6.6% of new private label food and drink products carried a low, no, or reduced fat claim in the UK last year – while 45% of consumers said they sought foods that were low in saturated fat.

Commission bins waste & recycling programme

04-Mar-2015 By Joyeeta Basu

The European Commission (EC) has dropped an environment programme on waste, incineration and recycling laws because it did not “complete the circle” of creating zero waste in Europe.

Stigmatising the obese may worsen consumption habits, say researchers

04-Mar-2015 By Niamh Michail

Attempting to tackle the obesity crisis through ‘negatively-focused’ tactics is ineffective, and may in fact worsen the situation, according to various researchers.

Nestlé slashes sugar level by 30% in Fitness cereal revamp

03-Mar-2015 By Ben BOUCKLEY

Nestlé said today it will relaunch fortified adult cereal Fitness in Europe this month, after reformulating the brand to cut sugar levels by 30%.

Poor dietary habits could raise disease risk from childhood

03-Mar-2015 By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Children aged 6 to 8 may already be at increased risk of cardiometabolic disease if they eat a lot of low-fat margarine, red meat and sugary drinks and little vegetable oil, according to Finnish research.

Swedish agency asks for government support to fight food fraud

02-Mar-2015 By Joyeeta Basu

The Swedish National Food Agency (NFA) has called on the government for more legislative changes and better support from courts to fight food fraud.

Will WHO nutrient profiles spur reformulation?

02-Mar-2015 By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Public health advocates have welcomed the WHO’s recently unveiled nutrient profiling model, while the food industry has said blocking some categories from marketing was unlikely to encourage reformulation.

Skipping breakfast may lead to diabetes and heart disease

27-Feb-2015 By Joyeeta Basu

Skipping breakfast may typically be associated with obesity but a recent study on young women suggested it could also lead to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

UK sugar industry sales drop by 14%

26-Feb-2015 By Joyeeta Basu

Sales dropped to £298m (€338m) in 2014 and coincided with findings that nearly half of British consumers had shied away from sugar that year.

20 teaspoons of sugar in an energy drink: Campaign group calls for ban of sales to U16s

Thought soft drinks were sugary? Look at energy drinks! says Action on Sugar

26-Feb-2015 By Rachel Arthur

Energy drinks contain up to 20 teaspoons of sugar per 500ml serving – more than three times the maximum adult daily intake of free sugars a day, according to research released by Action on Sugar. 

ASA rejects LighterLife Fast complaint: It's hard to get 100% of RDAs with 600 kcal of ‘ordinary' food

25-Feb-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

It would be extremely difficult for consumers to devise a 600 calorie diet providing 100% of vitamin and mineral RDAs themselves, the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said in its rejection of a complaint against LighterLife Fast.

Tate & Lyle unveils Dolcia Prima allulose low-calorie-sugar: ‘We believe this will change the food and beverage landscape forever’

25-Feb-2015 By Elaine Watson

Tate & Lyle is launching a new ultra-low-calorie sugar that is found naturally in jackfruit and raisins, but is being made in commercial quantities via the enzymatic conversion of corn using a proprietary process.

Barry Callebaut wins patent for reduced fat chocolate

24-Feb-2015 By Joyeeta Basu

The Barry Callebaut Group has won a patent to make reduced fat chocolate to help consumers cut calories. 

New campaign targets soft drink makers over health issues

23-Feb-2015 By Joyeeta Basu

A new campaign launched in the North West of England has targeted sugary drinks manufacturers claiming that their inability to inform the public about health harms is causing negative health impacts on children and young adults.

WHO unveils nutrient profiling to restrict marketing to kids

20-Feb-2015 By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has unveiled its nutrient profiling tool to restrict the marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks to children.

Amaranth seeds may help cardiovascular health and diabetes

20-Feb-2015 By Niamh Michail

Amaranth seeds may help prevent coronary disease, lower cholesterol and manage diabetes, according to a scientific review.

FIC regs ‘missed opportunity’ for mandatory front of pack labelling

17-Feb-2015 By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

An EU-wide revamp of on-pack nutrition information is a missed opportunity to make front of pack labelling compulsory, says the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC).

BHF joins calls for caution on controversial back-to-the-80s fat study

11-Feb-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The focus of a controversial review on randomised control trials ‘oversimplifies the difficult and complex task of developing evidence-based guidelines on nutrition’, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) has warned. 

Caobisco ‘concerned’ about chocolate detox campaign

11-Feb-2015 By Niamh Michail

Caobisco says it is ‘concerned’ about the British Heart Foundation’s ‘chocolate detox’ campaign, which encourages people to stop eating chocolate for a month to raise money and awareness for heart research.

Campaigners disappointed by ‘null conclusion’ of UK report on online ads to children

11-Feb-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The Children's Food Campaign has said it is disappointed that a UK report on advertising to children failed to bring digital marketing like ‘advergames’ in line with broadcasting rules.

We must unite Fairtrade and trade union movements: Fairtrade CEO

10-Feb-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

We must follow the example of Sweden and bring together the two “very noisy” movements of workers' trade unions and Fairtrade, the CEO of Fairtrade International Harriet Lamb has said.

Tate & Lyle shares take £400m hit after profit warning

09-Feb-2015 By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Nearly £400m (€538m) was wiped from Tate & Lyle’s stock value on Friday after it issued its third profit warning in a year.

Stricter standards and broader scope for Nordic Keyhole label

04-Feb-2015 By Niamh Michail

Sweden’s National Food Association (NFA) has made changes to its Keyhole healthy eating label in light of new nutrition guidelines, meaning less salt, more wholemeal and a broader range of products that can bear the logo.

Online ‘advergames’ link to child obesity studied

04-Feb-2015 By Rick Pendrous

The debate about childhood obesity will intensify tomorrow (February 5) when a comprehensive review of digital and online food and drink marketing to children is published.

Prepare for legislation to tackle obesity, Euromonitor warns industry

03-Feb-2015 By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Tighter legislation seems inevitable in order to cut calories and reduce obesity rates, according to a new analysis from Euromonitor International.

Added fructose is key driver of type 2 diabetes, warn experts

30-Jan-2015 By Nathan Gray

Added sugars, particularly those containing fructose, are a principal driver of diabetes and pre-diabetes and should be ‘drastically’ reduced, according to leading researchers.

300-strong ‘teenage nutrition & health’ cohort extended to 2017; diabetes-obesity insights sought

30-Jan-2015 By Shane STARLING

A 300-person cohort assessing how youthful diet and lifestyle affects health via methods like amino acids, sugars and antioxidants measurement has been extended to 2017, with an aim to plug a gap in teenage data.

Sugar intakes 'decreasing' or 'stable' globally, report finds

28-Jan-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Dietary sugars intakes are decreasing or stable in most countries, according to a data review of ten European countries, Australia, New Zealand and the US.

STUDY TRACKED 5,500 US GIRLS FROM 1996-2001

Sugar-sweetened drinks linked to earlier period onset in teen girls and thus higher breast cancer risk

28-Jan-2015 By Ben BOUCKLEY

Harvard researchers say that teenage girls who regularly quaff drinks with added sugars tend to start their menstrual periods earlier in life than those who don’t, which increases their later breast cancer risk.

Is it possible to change the belief that unhealthy food is tastier?

27-Jan-2015 By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Efforts to shift food choices toward healthier options often fail because there is a perceived conflict between health and taste, according to a new study.

Waitrose executive chef: ‘How do we get to a place where we are cooking and not manufacturing?’

27-Jan-2015 By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

No one wants their food to be ‘manufactured’ – and unsurprisingly that’s a challenge for those in the food manufacturing business, says Waitrose executive development chef Jonathan Moore.

Legal loopholes allowing ‘junk food’ ads to kids must be closed: British Heart Foundation

26-Jan-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

There is an urgent need in the UK to close legal loopholes that allow the promotion of unhealthy foods and drinks to children online and on TV, according to the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

BEVERAGE BITES: 19/01/15-23/01/15

Refresco Gerber under hammer for $1.7bn, Coke splashes cash on London Eye

23-Jan-2015 By Ben BOUCKLEY

Here’s what made the headlines during the working week commencing Monday January 19 2015, in our new section Beverage Bites, which brings you the best bite-sized beverage news.

Special edition: Blood Sugar Management

Pre-diabetes: Public health time bomb … and industry opportunity

22-Jan-2015 By Nathan Gray

By 2035 it is estimated that 8% of the global population will be classed as ‘pre-diabetic' – putting them at significantly higher risk of developing full type 2 diabetes. Such startling statistics are ticking bomb for healthcare costs, but could...

Productivity may have peaked for many food crops, researchers warn

22-Jan-2015 By Nathan GRAY

The days of assuming that natural resources can be interchanged when one comes under pressure may be over, according to new research warning that ‘renewable’ does not always mean ‘unlimited’.

Voluntary public health measures 'can only go so far’: UK Responsibility Deal chair

21-Jan-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

We need a strong portfolio of voluntary and mandatory measures to tackle the huge burden of diet-related diseases, according to the chair of the UK Responsibility Deal food network.

WHO urges national dietary targets to cut preventable deaths

19-Jan-2015 By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

The World Health Organisation has outlined potential strategies to reduce premature deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including junk food taxes and cutting salt intakes.

Red sky at night: Coca-Cola lambasted for London Eye sponsorship

19-Jan-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Public health campaigners have criticised Coca-Cola's sponsorship of tourist attraction the London Eye, saying this could exacerbate sugar consumption and related health issues. 

Durum shortage drives German firm to find pasta alternatives

16-Jan-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Massive predicted durum wheat losses have driven German firm to research alternative formulation options for pasta manufacturers.

UK Labour party pledges cap on salt, sugar and fat in foods aimed at children

15-Jan-2015 By Nathan Gray

If elected, a UK Labour government will introduce limits on the levels of fat, salt and sugar that manufacturers are allowed to include in food marketed towards children.

600 calories, 75 g protein, 30 g carbs: EFSA issues ‘milestone’ diet replacement opinion

14-Jan-2015 By Shane STARLING

EFSA has very specifically refined what a low-calorie diet replacement regime should contain including a minimum of 600 calories and 30 g of carbohydrates per day. One observer said the opinion was more important than a health claim win for certain nutrients.

What are industry’s science and technology needs?

14-Jan-2015 By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Food fraud, healthy diets and sustainability are among the issues needing innovation in science and technology, according to a major survey from Campden BRI.

Could national decisions on biotech allow more GM crop cultivation?

13-Jan-2015 By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

The European Parliament has voted to allow national bans on GM crops, but this could actually encourage more GM varieties to be cultivated in Europe, claims UK organic advocacy group The Soil Association.

Intense sweeteners have no proven nutritional value, says French authority

13-Jan-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Recommending intense sweeteners as a way to reduce sugar intakes cannot be justified as a public health strategy, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) has concluded. 

Government backing of Asda sugar target 'sad day for public health'

12-Jan-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Asda’s promise to reduce added sugar in some of its own brand drinks this year is a positive step forward – but it also reveals the chaotic approach to sugar reduction in the UK, according to Action on Sugar.

Sugar disquiet to hurt Europe’s candy market

12-Jan-2015 By Oliver Nieburg

The European sugar confectionery market is forecast to decline in the next few years as regulators and consumers consider the impact of sugar on public health, according to a report by Frost & Sullivan.