Kettle Foods, have decided that 2005 is to be the year when the
humble potato chip takes on a guise never seen before by asking its
consumers what new flavor of chips they would like to see on the
shelves, reports Philippa Nuttall.
The updated food guidelines for the US that were published
yesterday should encourage the food industry to look to producing
healthier, more nutrition-rich alternatives in 2005.
FoodNavigatorUSA.com reported on Monday that Quest International
had launched a new citrus range. Lindsey Partos spoke to the
product manager to find out more.
Sweetener company zuChem said today that it will launch its initial
mannitol product in the first quarter of 2005 on the back of the
FDA's recent amendment of its legslation governing the sweetener.
The Sugar Association announced last week that it will launch a
multi-million dollar campaign to combat the negative press sugar
has had in recent years.
Biotech giant Monsanto announced a smaller net loss for the first
quarter of 2005 than the same period last year thanks mainly to
increasing seed sales, but legal problems are still proving
expensive for the company.
Despite an upturn in global wheat, corn and soy production in 2004,
prices for food ingredients sourced from cereal raw materials are
likely to remain under pressure, writes Lindsey Partos.
Opportunities for suppliers and users of low-calorie bulk sweetener
erythritol open up as Canada clears approval for inclusion of this
natural sweetener in a range of food formulations from cream
fillings to chewing gum.
Moves in the food industry this week include Monica Gonzalez
joining the Grocery Manufacturers of America (GMA) as director of
scientific and regulatory policy and Mike Leavitt being picked to
head the Health and Human Services department..
Several major beverage companies plan to begin selling flavored
water early next year, a move that could bost their sales in the
rapidly growing bottled water market, according to a report by the
Associated Press (AP) this week.
SlimFast owner Unilever has gained the exclusive global rights to
an appetite-suppressing compound extracted from the hoodia gordonii
plant by UK-based Phytopharm, reports Dominique Patton.
Prices for the popular hydrocolloid gum arabic used in a range of
food applications have doubled in 12 months as political turmoil
and poor stocks leave the market exposed, writes Lindsey
Partos.
A breakthrough into the US market boosts the bottom line for UK
natural flavours firm Treatt that saw sales for the year across the
Atlantic rising by over 40 percent to €10 ($13.29) million,
parallel to a sales dip elsewhere, writes...
Circle Group owned FiberGel Technologies last week launched a
non-GMO version of its fat replacement and dietary fiber supplement
in order to satisfy European demand.
Lactalis USA, a subsidiary of French dairy group Lactalis,
announced earlier this week that it has acquired Rondelé Specialty
Foods, a US manufacturer of spreadable cheeses, in a deal which
will position it as the leading speciality...
Dutch lactoferrin supplier DMV International and Arla Food
Ingredients could soon be part of the world's largest farmer-owned
dairy company as their owners Campina of the Netherlands and
Denmark's Arla Foods announce plans...
Price increases for key raw materials used by the food industry
threaten over the next 12 months as low global stocks remain open
to unexpected disruptions.
Penford Food Ingredients announced earlier this week that it has
expanded its manufacturing capabilities to make sure supplies of
potato starch are consistent after a poor harvest in Europe,
reports Philippa Nuttall.
Almond growers need no longer worry about how to manage their crops
without damaging the environment or lowering their yields, thanks
to a recently published guide from the University of California.
A USDA food safety and inspection service report suggests that an
interim final rule designed to reduce the incidence of Listeria
monocytogenes (LM) in ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products
is working.
Japanese aspartame supplier Ajinomoto will ramp up production of
its sweetener on the back of growing demand for low calorie food
and beverages, the Tokyo-based firm announced this week.
US-based processor MGP Ingredients has initiated two
energy-efficiency projects as part of its overall programme to
achieve significant cost savings across its operations.
After Florida's tomato crop was devastated by four hurricanes in
October, volumes are finally getting back to normal, according to
shipment data from the state's tomato committee.
Looking to new market gains in the UK, US and Australia, German
ingredients group Degussa has revamped its line of bakery cream
systems to target food makers with a competitive package.
German flavors and fragrance firm Symrise has teamed up with
SweetGredients to use Spherix's new sweetener Gaio tagatose to
develop a new generation of flavors.
Americans' attitudes about genetically modified (GM) foods remain
divided, although their opinions appear not be deeply held and can
be influenced by new information and events, according to a study
released this week, reports...
The Corn Refiners Association released its 2004 annual report on
Wednesday, focusing attention on the 'healthy' aspects of corn and
away from negative opinions of corn-derived products.
Despite a fall in prices, the cost of wheat-based ingredients is
likely to remain under pressure on the back of ongoing low global
stocks, risks to Australian and Canadian production and a possible
restocking from China.
Privately owned Gelnex, which pioneered the production of type A
pork skin gelatin in South America, has recently opened a beefskin
gelatin plant in Brazil. Philippa Nuttall spoke to the
company's CEO about the challenges the...
Number one cultures supplier Chr. Hansen is up for sale as its
major stakeholder decides to pull away from the ingredients slice
of the company to focus on the pharmaceutical unit, reports
Lindsey Partos.
Danisco believes it has made ice crystals in ice cream a thing of
the past by creating a technology that will help manufacturers
control heat shock, reports Philippa Nuttall.
Food makers can expect to see the price of hydrocolloids continue
to move upwards as suppliers, knocked by squeezed commodity
supplies coupled with higher energy and transport costs, pass rises
onto the market.
The last two years have seen a significant increase in businesses
using fair trade coffee, but Philippa Nuttall asks whether
the US is really serious about ethical food ingredients.
CP Kelco, bought by JM Huber last month, has launched Kelogel HM-B
gellan gum, a hydrocolloid system designed to provide suspension of
cocoa and minerals in ready-to-drink dairy based beverages.
