Fruit, vegetable, nut ingredients

With chocolate and crisps falling out of favour as lunchbox fillers, there is a growing demand for healthy items, says Kantar Worldpanel.

Demand for healthy lunchbox fillers on the rise

By Niamh Michail

British kids’ lunchboxes are getting healthier and competition is more heated than ever, say market researchers at Kantar Worldpanel - but are manufacturers really meeting parents' demands?

Frutarom acquires 79% of Nutrafur

By Niamh Michail

Frutarom has acquired 79% of Spanish firm Nutrafur in a €10.3 m sale which will help the company develop its portfolio of natural plant extracts for food preservation, says Frutarom.

The findings highlight an opportunity to transform ingredients and products such as bread, pasta, breakfast cereals into more diabetic-friendly versions, says lead researcher Cathrina Edwards.

Less processed fibre makes food healthier

By Niamh Michail

Preserving the natural structure of plant fibre during food processing keeps blood sugar levels in check – meaning manufacturers can make their products healthier without changing the ingredients, say researchers.

Fresh or dried vegetable pasta can help people reach their five-a-day vegetable intake - currently the most compelling health claim for British shoppers, according to a Mintel survey.

Spirals of success: Vegetable pasta is on the rise

By Niamh Michail

With sales of traditional pasta falling across Europe, homemade 'spiralised' vegetables are an increasingly popular alternative – but analysts say there is potential for food manufacturers too.

The flavour ingredient bypasses the need for grapefruit, making it more reproducible and affordable, according to Evolva

Evolva introduces fermentation-derived nootkatone

By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Swiss biotechnology firm Evolva has introduced its nootkatone citrus flavour and fragrance ingredient – made from fermentation rather than traditional extraction from grapefruit skin.

Increasingly, the definition of 'food security' is expanding to refer to a secure food supply for all - not only the undernourished

Beyond malnutrition: Food security means food supply

By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Food security is not just about hunger and poverty – it must move into the mainstream as the challenge of feeding nine billion people comes into sharper focus, according to the European Commission.

Heinz Ketchup isn’t ketchup, Israel rules

Heinz Ketchup isn’t ketchup, Israel rules

By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Israel’s Health Ministry has ruled that Heinz Ketchup can no longer be called ketchup in Israel after local brand Osem argued it doesn’t contain enough tomato paste, according to Israeli news service Ynet.

Movement implies freshness: Study

Movement implies freshness – even for packaged food

By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Implied motion in food advertising – such as an image of juice being poured into a glass – may make food appear fresher and more appealing, according to a study published in Food Quality and Preference.

Manufacturers need to think about fructose bad press and reformulate fast, says analyst

Will fructose follow trans fats’ fate?

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Mounting scientific evidence and a shift in public opinion could mean fructose is set to follow the same black-listed fate as trans fats, argues an analyst.

Sweden to inform future children's nutrition policy with 3,000-strong survey

Sweden to take 2-day snapshot of kids’ diets

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The Swedish Food Authority (NFA) will look at what 3,000 children eat and drink over two days as part of a study into the diets of the country's youth. 

Cargill takes over Italian citrus pectin plants, three years after they were bought by US-based FMC

Cargill buys Italian citrus pectin business

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Cargill is to acquire the pectin operations of US firm FMC - a move it hopes will help it tap into demand for 'label-friendly' ingredients. 

'Vegan athletes play an integral part in furthering the meat-free movement,' says the Vegan Society

Special edition: Protein

Vegethletics: Are you running on plants?

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The ‘no meat athlete’ movement is showing that animal protein isn’t the only track available to sportspeople – and in turn this is smashing old perceptions about what it is to be vegan and vegetarian, says the Vegan Society.

Almonds only grow in Mediterranean climate zones, like California

How is Californian drought affecting almond supply?

By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

California provides 83% of the world’s almonds, but drought is affecting supply. FoodNavigator spoke to the Almond Board of California about how the industry is tackling water shortages – and why so much of the world is reliant on Californian almonds.

Combining protein sources for better flavour and lower cost could hold future potential, Mintel said

What’s next for protein?

By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Meat and dairy consumption has fallen from favour in many European countries and consumers are increasingly on the lookout for foods and drinks high in plant-based protein, according to Mintel analysts.

Foodies tend to have lower BMIs - so encouraging adventurous eating may be an interesting strategy to help people lose weight without feeling restricted by a limited diet, say the researchers.

The psychology of the adventurous - and unadventurous - eater

By Niamh Michail

Neophiles, foodies or adventurous eaters? There may not be one catch-all term but adventurous eaters share common personality and lifestyle traits – allowing researchers to identify ways to get the less adventurous to try new foods.

Follow us

Related News

Product Innovations

Promotional features