Fruit, vegetable, nut ingredients

Heavy intake of animal protein points to higher risk of death: Study

08-Aug-2016 By Will Chu

Diets with an emphasis on processed and unprocessed red meats are linked to a higher risk of death whist the opposite is true for diets made up from plant-derived proteins, a landmark study has shown.

BREAKING NEWS

RSPO lifts IOI's suspension

05-Aug-2016 By Niamh Michail

The Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has lifted the suspension of Malaysian palm oil supplier IOI citing "good progress" made by the group.

Sensient launches natural, allergen-free nut flavours

04-Aug-2016 By Niamh Michail

Flavour company Sensient has developed a range of clean label, natural nut flavours that are completely free of nut allergens, it says.

'Directing’ shoppers to healthy food increases spending in this sector: Study

04-Aug-2016 By Will Chu

In-store marketing of fruit and vegetables leads to consumers spending more on healthy produce as a greater proportion of their food budget, a study has found.

DISPATCHES FROM IFT

Video: If Donald Trump becomes US president, would it be good for your business?

04-Aug-2016 By Niamh Michail

Presidential hopeful Donald Trump has vowed to bring back jobs to America by ripping up and renegotiating trade deals with trading partners. FoodNavigator hit the floor at IFT to gauge the reaction of some US and international food companies.

GNT invests over €3m in new R&D lab

03-Aug-2016 By Niamh Michail

Colouring foods supplier GNT is set to double its product development capacity with an injection of more than €3m into a new R&D lab in Mierlo in the Netherlands.

When is it best to introduce complementary feeding for infants? Commission asks EFSA

02-Aug-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The European Commission has asked the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to update its scientific opinion on the appropriate age for introduction of complementary feeding for infants.

DISPATCHES FROM IFT

Trends in fats and oils: It's all about minimal processing, novel ingredients & changing the plant's genetic profile

02-Aug-2016 By Niamh Michail

Consumers are confused over the healthiness of saturated fats, worried about chemical contaminants in processed oils and turned off by labels cluttered with additives to extend shelf and fry life. So what are the options? At this year’s IFT, FoodNavigator...

EU's appetite for foreign land to produce its food is unjust & unsustainable: FOE report

01-Aug-2016 By Niamh Michail

The EU requires almost 270 million hectares of agricultural land to produce its food and almost 40% of this land lies outside Europe. It is unjust, irresponsible and unsustainable, according to a report by Friends of the Earth (FOE).

Live long & prosper: Med diet credited with lengthening life span: Study

28-Jul-2016 By Will Chu

Several food constituents that make up the Mediterranean diet have been strongly credited in extending life span, a 10-year follow-up study has shown.

'Healthy' dips are salt and fat traps: CASH survey

28-Jul-2016 By Niamh Michail

British public health charity, Consensus Action on Salt, has blasted so-called ‘healthy’ dips such as hummus as being salt and fat traps, as its survey reveals 74% of hummus dips have a red front of pack label for fat.

A history of food, art, Instagram - and unintended consequences

26-Jul-2016 By Niamh Michail

Terms like ‘foodstagramming’ ‘digital grazing’ and ‘food porn’ may have entered our lexicon recently but the phenomenon is far from new, say researchers - but could the sheer saturation of picture perfect food today be sparking unintended consequences?

Veg good, meat bad: Dietary patterns determine pre-diabetes risk, study finds.

26-Jul-2016 By Will Chu

A diet rich in fruit and vegetables may lower the incidences of pre-diabetes whereas a meat-heavy regime may increase the risk of the condition’s onset, a study has determined.

EFSA launches public consultation on GM allergy assessment

26-Jul-2016 By Niamh Michail

The European Food Safety Authority is calling for public comments on its draft guidance for the allergenicity assessment of genetically modified (GM) plants.

Food allergies unlikely to run in the family, study suggests

25-Jul-2016 By Will Chu

The chances of a food allergy in the brother or sister of an affected child are only marginally higher than in the general population, a study has concluded.

Commission approves 3 GM soybeans for EU import

25-Jul-2016 By Niamh Michail

The European Commission authorised three GMOs to be sold for food and feed in Europe last week.

Lycored survey says consumers will pay more for natural colors

20-Jul-2016 By Jim Cornall

Consumers are willing to pay a premium of nearly 50% for food and drink formulated with natural ingredients, according to a new survey commissioned by Lycored.

UK retailer files carb:protein ratio health claim

20-Jul-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

UK retailer Marks and Spencer has filed a health claim for a particular carbohydrate to protein ratio it says helps overweight individuals lose weight.

Call for UK to bulk up childhood obesity strategy in wake of leaked plans

19-Jul-2016 By Natalie Morrison

Action on Sugar is urging the UK government to revise its childhood obesity strategy, alleging that leaked draft documents show plans do not go far enough.

Studies look to enhance broccoli’s ability to ward off disease

18-Jul-2016 By Will Chu

Research that enhances compounds contained in broccoli may lead to a lower risk of coronary heart disease and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to two studies that reinforce the vegetable’s reputation as a superfood.

Healthy eating linked with reduced diabetes levels

15-Jul-2016 By Sophie Bruno

Fresh research from years 1-4 of the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) rolling programme has investigated the association between anti-inflammatory and antioxidant dietary patterns in reducing the onset of diabetes and looked at carb-protein...

Feature: Alternative meat futures

The meat companies making vegetarian food: Mainstreaming sustainable eating or dangerous double standards?

13-Jul-2016 By Niamh Michail

Increasing numbers of German meat producers are launching vegetarian products with the support of VEBU, the country's Vegetarian Society - but as Topas, Europe's 'vegan pioneer', quits VEBU in anger over its double standards, is industry...

Eat eight fruit & vegetable portions to feel happier, study says

12-Jul-2016 By Will Chu

Increasing fruit and vegetable intake to eight-a-day can make people happier, according to new research that challenges current European nutritional recommendations.

Readers' survey results

What does Brexit mean for your business? It means one third may now relocate outside of the UK

12-Jul-2016 By Niamh Michail

The results are in: We asked FoodNavigator readers what Brexit means for them and their business. Nearly 300 responded  - and almost one third said they are now considering relocating their business outside of the UK.

European outcry over ‘discriminatory’ Polish retail tax

12-Jul-2016 By Natalie MORRISON

A new Polish retail tax has angered European commerce heads who brand the decision “discriminatory” against foreign businesses.

Products in 'eco-look' packaging seen as better quality

11-Jul-2016 By Natalie Morrison

Shoppers believe foods are better quality when the packaging looks eco-friendly, and could be willing to spend more as a result, researchers say.

A healthy change: Sweden allows food firms to use dietary advice on labels

07-Jul-2016 By Niamh Michail

Food companies may now add national dietary guidelines to their products packaging and marketing material in order to help boost healthy eating, Livsmedelverket, Sweden’s National Food Agency (NFA), has decided.

Caffeine claim calamity should give nutrient profiles wings

06-Jul-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The European Commission has started the first phase of its investigation into the need for nutrient profiles, with a report expected in spring 2017. Yet with the caffeine claim fiasco ongoing, it’s never been clearer how necessary the profiles are.

IPOP disbands: A step backwards for sustainable palm oil in Indonesia?

05-Jul-2016 By Niamh Michail

After less than two years in existence, the Indonesian Palm Oil Pledge has disbanded to the dismay of environmentalists who say its member companies were bullied by the Indonesian government into adopting weaker standards.

Attracting food industry talent ‘never more urgent’

04-Jul-2016 By Michael Stones

Food and drink manufacturers have never faced “a more urgent challenge” to attract talent, according to the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), as it launched a new report designed to help plug the industry skills gap.

Industry guidelines on surplus food donations aim to fight food waste

30-Jun-2016 By Niamh Michail

Manufacturers and retailers have teamed up with the European Federation of Food Banks to produce a framework for donating surplus food and cutting down on food waste.

Made in Italy app will fight €60 billion industry of 'fake' Italian food, say creators

29-Jun-2016 By Niamh Michail

The creators of Italcheck, an app to verify genuine Italian products for shoppers and aid manufacturers fight food fraud, will help fight against the €60 billion fake Italian products black market.

In-house sustainability and third party certification: Do they complement or cannibalise each other?

29-Jun-2016 By Niamh Michail

From Fairtrade to UTZ, Rainforest Alliance to RSPO, the number of third party certification schemes is on the rise. But alongside this proliferation of consumer–facing logos is the growing numbers of companies developing their own sustainable sourcing...

Brexit Briefings: Interview

What are Britain's post-Brexit options and how will it impact industry?

28-Jun-2016 By Niamh Michail

Rising food prices, watered-down safety standards, food law dictated by big businesses and a disastrous impact on public health. Professor in food policy Tim Lang looks at the options of a post-Brexit UK but sees little light at the end of the channel...

Food workers union backs Jeremy Corbyn

27-Jun-2016 By Gwen Ridler

The Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) has voiced strong support for embattled Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, after a wave of resignations from his shadow cabinet, including food and farming minister Kerry McCarthy.

Eastern promise: Is Central and Eastern Europe the solution to EU’s unsustainable soy imports?

27-Jun-2016 By Natalie Morrison

Europe’s problematic reliance on “unsustainable” soy imports could be solved using Central and Eastern European farming land, the European Commission heard last week.

French MPs drop palm oil tax - but accuse producer countries of blackmail

27-Jun-2016 By Niamh Michail

French politicians have dropped the proposed palm oil tax, leading some politicians to say the country is being blackmailed by producer countries. "We are legislating with a knife at our throats," said one.

Don't give children palm oil, says Italian consumer group

23-Jun-2016 By Niamh Michail

After finding that 12 kids' food products from Nestlé, Barilla, Ferrero and Danone contain high levels of carcinogen 3-MCPD, Italian consumer group Altroconsumo is calling on parents to stop giving products that contain palm oil to children.

Project set to bring nutrient-dense baobab to mass market

22-Jun-2016 By Will Chu

Baobab is set to become a significant and sustainable food source for Africa as international project Baofood harnesses its economic value to benefit the local population.

Mycoprotein reduces hunger and diabetes risk in overweight people

20-Jun-2016 By Natalie Morrison

Eating mycoprotein could reduce appetite and risk of diabetes in overweight people, new research suggests.

Romania to require supermarkets to sell 51% local food

20-Jun-2016 By Niamh Michail

Romania is set to pass a law requiring supermarkets to sell a minimum of 51% local food, including dairy, bakery and meat products - but will the protectionist law get past the European Commission?

Call for UK Eatwell Guide overhaul sparks 'real food' debate

17-Jun-2016 By Natalie Morrison

A call for the new UK healthy eating guidelines to be completely overhauled has reignited debate among nutrition experts.

Heard of himanthalia? Dutch start-up aims to replace carb-heavy pasta with seaweed

16-Jun-2016 By Niamh Michail

Himanthalia - or sea spaghetti - may not be commonly known. But as a healthy like-for-like pasta replacement that boosts vegetable intake and is harvested in a sustainable way, it will be soon, says Dutch entrepreneur and founder of Seamore.

Eating peanuts during infancy nutritionally safe for kids: Study

15-Jun-2016 By Will Chu

Introducing peanuts into an infant diet is nutritionally safe and does affect the duration of breast-feeding or impact on growth, a follow-on study appears to confirm.

Valleyfresh puts down KSA roots

15-Jun-2016 By Eliot Beer

Australian produce distributor Valleyfresh has announced it will open an office in Saudi Arabia in a bid to expand its operations and strengthen its relationships in the Middle East.

Polish push new apple types to UAE market

15-Jun-2016 By Eliot Beer

Polish apple producers shut out of the Russian market are turning to the UAE, but now face challenges from long-held consumer expectations, according to the head of the Polish Fruit Union.

Brexit debate

Food sector 'better off in the EU': Liz Truss

13-Jun-2016 By Rick Pendrous

Environment secretary Liz Truss has claimed the future success of the UK’s food and drink manufacturing sector hinged on it remaining a part of the EU, in a speech to industry leaders last month.

Early nutrition vital to fighting back against EU childhood obesity crisis

10-Jun-2016 By Nathan Gray

European children are ‘in crisis’ over the risk of gut disease and obesity, according to a new report that calls for renewed focus on pediatric digestive health. 

'radical reassessment' of the low-fat approach needed

More evidence in favour of healthy fats for weight loss

10-Jun-2016 By Niamh Michail

A study published in The Lancet provides more evidence that a low-fat, low-calorie diet is not beneficial for weight loss, while a Mediterranean diet high in healthy fats could help.

The ease of the squeeze: As austerity ends, how have UK eating habits changed?

09-Jun-2016 By Niamh Michail

‘Scratch cooking’ is fuelling demand for meal kits - to the detriment of ready meals, soups and cooking sauces - while rising incomes means more snacks, cereals and juices can go premium. Mintel charts the food winners and losers since the end of austerity...