When you think of plaintiff's lawyers, two images probably come to mind: Consumer crusaders like Erin Brockovich or grubby ambulance-chasers in John Grisham novels. But where in this spectrum should we insert the top attorneys representing plaintiffs...
Nestlé and Unilever have rubbished allegations that they violated Brazilian competition law by preventing the exposure of rival ice cream products at retail level.
Canada has vowed only to sign a free trade agreement with the European Union (EU) that creates new export opportunities for Canadian firms, after a Greek official called for talks regarding the possibility of Canadian-made feta cheese entering Europe...
As a tidal wave of civil litigation over the use of the term ‘evaporated cane juice’ (ECJ) to describe dried cane syrup (aka sugar) continues to engulf the food industry, there has been good and bad news for some high-profile defendants this month.
Is there a natural ceiling to the gluten-free market? Is the party over for energy drinks? Are '100%-natural' claims worth the hassle? Find out in FoodNavigator-USA's round up of 10 of the hottest topics in US food and beverage development.Click...
Honey, molasses and malt extract have long been incorporated into food products for many other reasons besides their natural sweetening abilities—among them color, aroma, browning, texture, better moisture retention and improved shelf life.
What do Hunt’s ketchup and Capri Sun have in common? They both switched back to using high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) after taking it out of the recipe, the former citing ‘consumer indifference’ and the latter citing sugar prices. Market data indicates...
It is hard to fool the brain by providing it with 'energyless' sweet flavours, according to new research in mice that suggests that consumption of zero-calorie sweeteners leads to higher sugar consumption later.
Purefruit is making its way into the mainstream sweetener market, as more manufacturers and consumers have become familiar with this zero-calorie, monk fruit-derived sweetener.
Widespread rodent and insect infestation has prompted Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent distribution of food products at two Virginia companies.
US sales of General Mills’ Greek yogurt business “continue to significantly outpace the segment”, said CEO Ken Powell during the firm’s first quarter earnings call this week.
A bill proposing sweeping changes to food labeling laws covering everything from ‘natural’ claims to whole grain statements has been welcomed by consumer groups, but stands little chance of success, legal experts have told FoodNavigator-USA.
Consumer perceptions of store brands are continuing to improve in the US as retailers move beyond cheap me-too products. But perceptions of quality still vary considerably across different categories, says a new survey.
A California resident has filed a proposed class action lawsuit against Chobani accusing it of negligence and breaching the implied warranty of merchantability for its yogurts following the recent mold outbreak.
US retail sales of non-GMO foods and beverages are projected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.9% in the next five years, and could represent 30% of the market with a value of $264bn in 2017, predicts Packaged Facts.
Leading stevia supplier PureCircle says “investments and assets are in place from agriculture to manufacturing” to be ready to commercialize two next generation stevia products - Reb D and Reb X - in 2014.
Danone in Canada has announced plans for a CAD$40m (US$39m, €29m) expansion of its Greek yogurt manufacturing capabilities – an investment designed to meet growing demand for its Oikos yogurt range from Quebec-based consumers.
Is it too risky to label products that may contain ingredients from genetically engineered crops as ‘all-natural’? And will the FDA step in and decide this issue so consumer class action lawsuits over this issue stop clogging up the court system?
Natural colors expert Chr. Hansen has been exploring whether it is commercially viable to produce carmine - a natural red food color currently made from crushed cochineal insects - via a controlled fermentation process.
WhiteWave Services Inc. has filed a patent application for ‘light milk,’ a lower-calorie alternative to skim milk without a watered-down flavor and mouthfeel.
Nestlé extended its lead at the top of Rabobank's Dairy Top 20 table - moving drastically away from the likes of Danone, Fonterra, and FrieslandCampina. Can you guess who filled the other 19 spots?
Are reasonable consumers being misled by companies using the term ‘evaporated cane juice’ (ECJ) to describe dried sugar cane syrup (aka sugar) on product labels? And should this issue be determined by the FDA or the courts?
Chobani has issued an formal voluntary recall for one batch of its branded Greek yogurt in the US following reports of illness - just days after the company discovered mold in the product lot.
Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), the nation’s largest dairy farmer-owned milk marketing cooperative, has purchased milk, juice and fruit drink processor Dairy Maid Dairy.
Greek yogurt manufacturer Chobani has asked grocery retailers to pull selected yogurt cups from shelves after quality concerns surfaced over certain cups experiencing swelling or bloating.
Nestlé Nutrition has reiterated its belief in the immune system-related benefits of its Gerber brand probiotic-enriched infant nutrition products, after a US District Judge threw out a lawsuit that branded its claims "misleading."
Consumer demand for hotter, spicier, foods has continued to increase on both sides of the Atlantic, says natural extracts specialist Kalsec, which has tied up with Mintel to develop ‘heat indexes’ measuring usage of peppers in retail and foodservice.
Chobani has vowed to remove hemp seeds from its Blueberry Power Flip Greek yogurt pots, after the US Air Force banned consumption of the product over concerns about the seeds' potential to produce false positive drug test results.
60-second interview: Greg Kaminski, executive research chef, Synergy Flavors
What will we be eating more of in 2014? Elaine Watson caught up with Greg Kaminski, executive research chef at Synergy Flavors to find out what’s hot and what’s not in the world of flavor for 2014.
While any flavor house with sufficient resources can monitor what’s happening in stores, restaurants and bars to get a sense of emerging trends, this only tells you what’s happening now, not what the future might taste like, says Firmenich senior marketing...
What have you heard lately about Michigan? That its biggest city (Detroit - once the wealthiest city in the world) recently filed for bankruptcy? Or that from December 2009 to March 2013, it was the #1 state in the nation for creating manufacturing jobs,...
While there’s been a lot of buzz around the FDA’s recent approval of spirulina extract as a natural blue food color for candy and gum, WILD Flavors says its fruit-juice-derived blue color - which has been on the US market since 2009 - has broader applications...
Unilever has announced plans to pump $152.5m into its New Century margarine and spreads manufacturing plant in Gardner, Kansas, increasing its size by 50% to 447,929 square feet and creating 100 new jobs.
You can’t paint a horse like a cow and expect people not to notice – but grind their meat into patties and it may be a different story. So what makes an ingredient vulnerable to food fraud?
Can consuming dairy products reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes? The answer, according to a systematic review published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition last week, is a qualified YES.
Some of the biggest contributors of calories, sat fats and added sugar in the American diet are also the largest contributors of vital nutrients, says a new study highlighting some potentially unintended consequences of diets that just focus on calorie...
Is your brand getting some decent bang for the bucks you spend on paid-for (‘promoted’) tweets? The answer, according to a new trial with 35 big names in consumer packaged goods (CPG) including Mondelez, is YES.
Many US supermarkets are stuck in a timewarp, and their market share will continue to decline unless they makes radical strategic changes, according to a provocative new report from Hartman Strategy.
WhiteWave Foods has filed a motion to dismiss the latest in a “tsunami of lawsuits” alleging consumers are being misled by the use of the term ‘evaporated cane juice’ (ECJ) to describe dried sugar cane syrup (aka sugar).
A Minnesota-based firm making waves with anthocyanin-packed purple-corn ingredients says it has had significant interest from the snack food market, but is also talking to microbrewers, confectioners, and firms manufacturing everything from sourdough...
What precedent might it set if firms are forced to label foods made using new technologies, even if the end product does not differ in any meaningful way from foods developed by ‘traditional’ methods?
US yogurt consumers have shown that their taste for Greek yogurt isn't waning after voting Chobani, Yoplait, Dannon and Stonyfield Farms amongst their favorite yogurt brands in the influential 2013 Harris Pool EquiTrend study.
From California to Washington, and from Connecticut to Vermont, initiatives to label the presence of ingredients derived from genetically modified foods are dominating headlines. Despite this, the CEO of BI Nutraceuticals doesn’t think we’ll see government...
Chobani has been selected as the product of choice for the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Greek yogurt pilot program, after successfully undercutting bids from a number of rival Greek yogurt manufacturers.
