Sweeteners (intense, bulk, polyols)

McVitie’s hails sugar reformulation ‘breakthrough’

03-Apr-2020 By Oliver Morrison

McVitie’s is reducing sugar in nine of its best-selling UK biscuits by up to 10%, in what it calls a breakthrough in sugar reduction that doesn’t compromise taste.

Could falling prices hinder sugar reformulation?

18-Mar-2020 By Oliver Morrison

Sliding sugar prices in the wake of the virus pandemic, may handicap, though not stop, reformulation efforts, according to experts.

Chocolate brands deny ‘marketing timidity’ of reduced sugar variants

21-Feb-2020 By Oliver Morrison

Mars, Mondelez and Nestlé have insisted they are committed to their sugar-reduced items following accusations they do not back healthier versions of products with the necessary marketing spend.

Sugar taxes work even among poor… just: study

14-Feb-2020 By Oliver Morrison

Sugary drink consumption in Chile fell nearly a quarter after the country introduced a raft of regulatory measures on foods high in sugar, fat, salt and calorie content. The affect was slightly greater among middle and high socioeconomic groups.

Brain wave: How DuPont is pushing the boundaries of sensory testing for better consumer feedback

12-Feb-2020 By Oliver Morrison

How are we going to make food taste better if we cannot rely on what people say they like? DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences is grappling with this challenge by embracing brain testing techniques, in conjunction with traditional sensory testing panels,...

Brain wave: How DuPont is pushing the boundaries of sensory testing for better consumer feedback

12-Feb-2020 By Oliver Morrison

How are we going to make food taste better if we cannot rely on what people say they like? DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences is grappling with this challenge by embracing brain testing techniques, in conjunction with traditional sensory testing panels,...

Healy leverages cocoa shells for natural sugar reduction

06-Feb-2020 By Katy Askew

Healy Group, the Ireland-based ingredient supplier, has developed a process to turn cocoa shells – an otherwise under-utilised by-product of cocoa production – into a micronised cocoa fibre that can help with sugar reduction in chocolate.

PureCircle announces new management following probe into accounting irregularities

29-Jan-2020 By Elaine Watson

Stevia supplier PureCircle has unveiled a new management team following a probe into accounting irregularities that has delayed the publication of its full-year results and prompted a suspension of its shares.

Israel: ‘New opportunities’ for reformulation as gov’t imposes HFSS warnings front-of-pack

27-Jan-2020 By Flora Southey

The Israeli government has introduced mandatory ‘red labels’ for products high in saturated fat, sugar or salt. Could this legislation bring ‘new opportunities’ for reformulation?

Palatinose aids weight loss: study

22-Jan-2020 By Oliver Morrison

German-based ingredients Beneo supplier claims a scientific study of its low-glycaemic sweetener Palatinose shows the product supports additional loss of body weight and fat mass in overweight and obese adults, when replacing sucrose in a weight loss...

Sugar reduction through smell: ‘Aromas can be used to produce long-lasting sweetness-enhancing effects’

21-Jan-2020 By Katy Askew

One of the easiest ways to reduce sugar is to replace it with sweeteners – but research from Netherlands-based research group NIZO suggests aromas can be leveraged as an alternative path to sugar reduction.

Mondelēz patents soluble corn fiber for reduced sugar chocolate

15-Jan-2020 By Niamh Michail

Soluble corn fiber can reduce the sugar content in chocolate by up to 50% while retaining similar levels of sweetness and leaving no aftertaste, according to a recently published patent by Mondelēz International.

Vegan ‘yogurt’ fermented with lactic acid bacteria from plants an industry first, claim researchers

15-Jan-2020 By Flora Southey

Scientists in Denmark have developed a plant-based ‘yogurt’ made from just three ingredients: soy drink, brewer’s spent grain, and lactic acid bacteria from plant materials.

‘Palatinose is perfect for video gamers’: Beneo discusses the potential mega-trends of 2020

15-Jan-2020 By Oliver Morrison

German-based ingredients provider Beneo says there's a growing desire for its low-glycaemic sweetener Palatinose among the video gaming community, who are keen to use the product’s slow energy release to stay focused.

Shifting away from sugar: What’s the outlook in 2020?

15-Jan-2020 By Katy Askew

As consumers increasingly opt for nutritious snacking choices with reduced or no sugar, we talk to Julian Mellentin, Food and Beverage Consultant at New Nutrition Business, about the sugar-based trends on everyone’s lips.

‘With Pändy we can show the way’: Bayn CEO says Swedish confectionery acquisition will accelerate sugar reduction trend

14-Jan-2020 By Katy Askew

Swedish ingredients manufacturer Bayn Europe plans to leverage its strength in sugar reduction solutions to support synergistic growth following its acquisition of FMCG brand Pändy Foods. FoodNavigator speaks to Bayn CEO Patrik Edström about the company’s...

Relax… CBD will hit the big time, says Bravura Foods’ boss

19-Dec-2019 By Oliver Morrison

CBD innovation is in a bottleneck and poised to burst onto the mainstream, believes the Co-owner and Managing Director of Bravura Foods, Lisa Gawthorne. The only delay, she tells FoodNavigator, is a reluctance on the part of big retailers to make the...

Tereos unveils ‘first-ever’ French organic beet sugar

12-Dec-2019 By Oliver Morrison

The producer has introduced brand-new organic beet sugar from its Attin sugar plant and also showcased its vegetable protein and nutritional reformulation service at FiE 2019.

‘Curing food, one protein at a time’: Meet the start-up replacing 1 tsp sugar with 0.5mg protein

11-Dec-2019 By Flora Southey

Amai Proteins has set out to address ‘the world’s biggest health challenge’: sugar reduction. The start-up is developing designer proteins that are not only sweeter than sugar, but tasty, scalable, sustainable, and importantly, cheaper than the real thing,...

How Mother Nature’s backyard is bringing a fruitful approach to sugar reduction

24-Nov-2019 By Flora Southey

As industry considers how best to reduce sugar in sweetened food and beverages, could fruit-derived ingredients provide a ‘natural’ alternative to the refined sweet stuff?

Protein bars under fire from consumer group: ‘We simply don’t need this extra, highly processed protein’

13-Nov-2019 By Oliver Morrison

High-protein products, in particular high-protein bars, are not as healthy as perceived by consumers, while there is no conclusive evidence to suggest that consumption of protein above the recommended intake levels provides healthy individuals with additional...

‘We’re not all turning into vegans’: New Nutrition identifies meat as a growth opportunity

06-Nov-2019 By Katy Askew

Despite all the buzz around plant-based, a new trend report from New Nutrition says the meat category is a growth opportunity.

Cargill invests in reformulation solution: ‘There are benefits to our soluble fibres that go beyond what’s currently available’

25-Oct-2019 By Katy Askew

Cargill is investing €32m in Europe to add soluble fibers to its existing portfolio of starches, sweeteners and texturizers.

Chr Hansen CFO Søren Westh Lonning talks innovation, investment, and Q4 disappointment

11-Oct-2019 By Flora Southey

The Danish ingredients supplier has rounded out an overall ‘solid’ 2018/19 with a challenging quarter, CFO Søren Westh Lonning tells FoodNavigator.

UK policymakers urged to ‘rebalance’ food prices: ‘It is too easy to make money from selling unhealthy food’

10-Oct-2019 By Flora Southey

‘Children are drowning in a flood of unhealthy food’, says England’s outgoing chief medical officer Dame Professor Sally Davies, who is pushing for urgent regulation to tackle obesity.

Snack tax may be more effective than soda tax in obesity fight: BMJ study

09-Sep-2019 By Rachel Arthur

Taxing high sugar snacks – such as sweets, cakes and biscuits – may be more effective at reducing obesity than taxing sugary drinks, according to a new study published in the BMJ.

‘Consumers are not satisfied with its taste’: FMCG Gurus research flags shortcomings of stevia

27-Aug-2019 By Katy Askew

Consumers are increasingly working to cut their sugar intake. But, according to a recent poll from consumer research and insight provider FMCG Gurus, shoppers are also unconvinced by one of the most common natural alternatives: stevia.

Germany concerned over energy drink buzz: ‘Excessive consumption increases health risk’

26-Aug-2019 By Flora Southey

Having assessed the effects of energy drinks on the cardiovascular system, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment warns that excessive consumption can pose a health risk in young adults.

‘We want to be the number one snack bar brand in the UK’: Fulfil

23-Aug-2019 By Oliver Morrison

Fulfil CEO Brian O’Sullivan discusses the Irish snack bar’s heady rise.

Sugar levels in chocolate have soared 23% since 1992: study

21-Aug-2019 By Oliver Morrison

Reformulation efforts in sugar have been hampered by costs and consumer tastes, research suggests.

Reformulate or be taxed: Campaigners call for levy on ‘excessive calories’ in unhealthy foods

07-Aug-2019 By Flora Southey

The UK government has been urged to introduce a levy on all processed, unhealthy foods containing ‘excessive calories’ – a move campaigners say would reduce consumption of saturated fat and sugar.

‘Concern for young people’s health’ prompts energy drink restrictions in Scotland

06-Aug-2019 By Flora Southey

The Scottish government has announced a ban on sales of high-energy drinks to under-16s in publicly funded leisure centres across the country.

Start-up applies ‘latest frontier in sugar reduction’ to orange juice giant

30-Jul-2019 By Flora Southey

Israeli start-up Better Juice will apply its sugar reduction technology to Citrosuco’s orange juice in a co-funded pilot facility.

‘We can cut sugar without alienating taste’: WET Group on its drink innovation

25-Jul-2019 By Oliver Morrison

As the debate surrounding the safety of aspartame rages, research discovers how to create flavoured drinks without using sugar or additives.

‘Sales of aspartame should be suspended’: EFSA accused of bias in safety assessment

22-Jul-2019 By Katy Askew

EFSA’s decision-making process may have been biased by ‘conflicts of interest’ and the distribution and sale of aspartame in the EU should be suspended, says the author of a new research dossier calling the safety of the sweetener into question.

Sugar Reduction or Nature's Sweetspot

Comet Bio harvests success with upcycled sweeteners

16-Jul-2019 By Anthony Myers

Sweetener blends upcycled from crop leftovers are higher in fiber, lower in sugar and calories, and functionally equivalent to conventional sweeteners.

Sugar Reduction or Nature's Sweetspot

Sugar derived from sucrose and berry-based sweetener prepped for takeoff

16-Jul-2019 By Kristine Sherred

The naturally modified table sugar from Global Biolife, called Laetose, carries 30% fewer calories and about half the glycemic index compared to glucose.

Food tech investment data: Delivery, robotic chefs and personalised nutrition bring home the bacon in Q2

05-Jul-2019 By Katy Askew

FoodNavigator, in partnership with investment data and analysis provider Tracxn, brings you a quarterly round-up of the latest wheelings and dealings in the EMEA food tech start-up space.

Flow Hive ‘single frame honey’ creates buzz in boutique market

11-Jun-2019 By Flora Southey

Unprocessed, single-frame honey allows for greater flavour retention, according to Flow Hive CEO Cedar Anderson, who told FoodNavigator his invention is adding value to the boutique honey market.

Fresh evidence of links between ultra-processed food and health risks revealed

31-May-2019 By Oliver Morrison

Two pieces of research published in the British Medical Journal provide fresh evidence of the links between popular processed food and a range of health risks.

Sugar vs fat reduction in cakes and biscuits: ‘It’s not one or the other’

31-May-2019 By Flora Southey

Public Health England has been urged to include cakes and biscuits in its calorie reduction programme after researchers found “a considerable amount” of fat in own- and private-label brands.

Rare sugar researchers hit sweet spot with nigerose production

15-May-2019 By Oliver Morrison

The rare sugar nigerose can now be “easily” produced via a process that “can readily be scaled up for potential industrial purposes,” claims a breakthrough study.

DouxMatok’s 40% reduced sugar allows for indulgence: ‘Sugar is not the new tobacco’

15-May-2019 By Flora Southey

The Israeli start-up’s 40% reduced sugar allows for sweet indulgence without changing consumer behaviour, says CEO Eran Baniel.

Sugar reduction: Blend the trends with functional formulations

15-May-2019 By Katy Askew

Efforts to cut sugar can unlock additional opportunities to ‘blend the trends’ of health, wellness, functionality, indulgence and an authentic sensory experience.

Cost of reformulation offset by sugar taxes and improved value proposition

15-May-2019 By Katy Askew

Reformulating products to reduce sugar can be a costly process. While the impact of sugar taxes on consumer behaviour is a moot point, they do provide the food sector with a financial incentive to trigger change.

BEVERAGE FORUM 2019

How big soda is taking an ‘honest’ approach to consumer health habits

09-May-2019 By Beth Newhart

PepsiCo, Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) and other major soda brands are still learning to grapple with the health and wellness wave that’s causing consumers to drop their sugary drinks for something ‘better-for-you’. Executives spoke at the 2019 Beverage Forum...

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