While the middle classes in developed markets had emerged from the economic downturn “feeling somewhat confused and fragile”, Coca-Cola still generated robust volume growth in North America as well as faster-growing emerging markets in the second quarter,...
There has been no let up in the soaring prices for guar gum, with little hope of a downward trend emerging in the coming months, warns a hydrocolloid expert.
While Campbell Soup’s reduced sodium u-turn pales into insignificance when compared with the New Coke debacle, it should serve as a cautionary tale for all food manufacturers embarking on reformulation work, according to marketing experts.
With brand loyalty in the beverage aisles “in freefall” manufacturers have to work harder to excite consumers with new ideas from retro-style acid phosphates to drinking vinegar and Horchata, according to market researchers at The Hartman Group.
Kerry Group has confirmed it is in exclusive talks to buy the flavours arm of US food giant Cargill, which “may, or may not result in the sale of the business.”
It’s enraged dieticians and delighted the Salt Institute. But Campbell Soup’s high-profile u-turn on sodium raises some difficult questions about reformulation for all stakeholders.
As the economy remains in the doldrums, Americans are showing signs of “frugality fatigue” while food is increasingly “playing an important role in helping consumers cope”, according to trend watchers at General Mills.
Average milk consumption in the US dropped eight percent from 22.4 gallons per person a year in 2000 to 20.6 gallons in 2009 and will continue to slide over the next decade, according to Tetra Pak’s Dairy Index report for 2011.
It’s food Jim, but not as we know it … From the latest on NASA’s food research and the next generation of high oleic cooking oils to the rise and rise of Greek yogurt, this year’s IFT show was brimming with new ideas and technologies. Here’s part two...
Last month's IFT show in New Orleans was jam-packed with provocative presentations on everything from how to stop the 'lunatic fringe' hi-jacking the debate on food science to whether saturated fat deserves its reputation as a dietary bogeyman....
Campbell Soup Company’s CEO-elect Denise Morrison said in an investor meeting on Tuesday that the company would add salt back into its soup formulations in an effort to lift lukewarm sales.
Dean Foods has agreed to a $140m settlement for a class action lawsuit in which Southeast Dairy Farmers and Dairy Farmers of America had accused it of working to keep prices artificially low.
Almonds are the number one nut used in new global product introductions, according to market research organization Mintel – and almond-containing product launches are at an all-time high in North America.
Teenagers develop more of a liking for unfamiliar fizzy drinks over time when they include significant doses of caffeine, according to research presented at this week’s meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB) in Florida.
Cargill has upped the ante in the sustainable palm oil stakes with a commitment that all palm oil products (excluding palm kernel oil products) it supplies to Europe, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand will be certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable...
US sales of organic foods and beverages continued to outpace conventional grocery sales in 2010, with the market growing 8.5 percent to reach $23.2bn at retail, according to a new report from Packaged Facts.
ConAgra Foods is facing two class action lawsuits that claim the marketing of its Wesson cooking oils as “100% natural” and "pure" is misleading because the oil is extracted from plants that have been genetically modified (GM).
Understanding the sensorial aspects of salt with sensory science will help food manufacturers achieve success with reduced sodium foods, says a scientist from the Monell Chemical Senses Center.
High sodium intake, especially when combined with a low potassium intake, is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality, according to new research.
Mediation between Coca-Cola and The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) over legal challenges to Coca-Cola’s VitaminWater range has been delayed following the launch of a new 'copycat’ lawsuit against the soft drinks giant.
The next generation of weight management ingredients will contain a “cocktail of components” that address multiple factors around hunger and reward, according to the boss of Food for Health Ireland (FHI).
Non-food products that are produced to smell like food, such as chocolate or fruit scented personal care products, may increase food intake and lead to obesity, according to new research.
US and Mexican governments have signed an agreement to end a 17-year trucking dispute that has seen Mexico impose tariffs on a long list of US exports, including many food and agricultural products.
A new range of foods and supplements based on canola protein is being developed by Hormel Foods’ Century Foods International division following a deal with protein specialist BioExx.
General Mills is looking for new ingredients or technologies “beyond the known impact of calcium and vitamin D” to boost the bone formation process in cultured dairy foods.
Food manufacturers continue to seek ways to cut sodium without sacrificing flavor - and ingredients companies continue to find innovative solutions. Caroline Scott-Thomas tracked down some interesting offerings at IFT.
A $14.7m innovation center claimed by owner Cargill be ”one of the world’s most advanced food R&D facilities” will open next Friday (July 15) in Wichita, Kansas.
A high-profile scientific paper questioning whether cutting salt reduces cardiovascular disease risk does not mean that industry-led sodium reduction initiatives are a waste of time, the American Heart Association (AHA) has insisted.
The effect of sugary beverage consumption on body mass index (BMI) is difficult to discern based on current research, claims a new meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials published in Obesity Reviews.
Martek expects sales of its algal-sourced omega-3s to food and drink manufacturers to grow in the double-digits each year for the next four to five years as it broadens its product range and gains access to new markets and customers post its takeover...
Understanding how our ancestors ate and appreciating what nutrients we need from an evolutionary perspective is finally getting the headlines it deserves – the nutrition industry should take note.
Stevia player PureCircle, has agreed a multi-year global distribution agreement with Firmenich to accelerate commercialization of the company’s new natural flavor, NSF-02.
Univar Food Ingredients has developed an interactive formulation tool, bringing together trend data, technical expertise and case studies to help food manufacturers in effective new product development.
ADM has yet to determine pricing for its ‘invisible’ new soy protein Clarisoy, but says it will provide a cost-effective alternative to whey for firms looking to add high-quality protein by stealth to juices, sports drinks or clear beverages.
The stevia industry has not yet lived up to expectations - but it will, as more companies and consumers look to the sweetener as the answer to many American health problems, claims president and CEO of SweetLeaf Jim May.
Salt fortified with both iodine and iron may help to improve iron status in populations where fortification of other staple foods does not achieve the desired coverage, according to a new study.
Almost $89m will be pumped into Dannon’s Minster yogurt plant in Ohio over the next three years as parent company Danone attempts to step up a gear and drive US yogurt sales beyond the 10 percent annual growth it has notched up over the past seven or...
The system for assessing new GM crops with nutritional and environmental benefits must be improved to reduce the time and expense of gaining approvals and enable smaller players to get a look in, according to one leading academic.
The European Food Safety Authority last week delivered the fifth batch of article 13, general function health claim opinions bringing the total issued to 2723. There are just 35 to go – to be published next month in a final mini-batch that will conclude...
US Pharmacopeia (USP) has said it is seeking industry comments on new quality standards for several functional food, food coloring and infant formula ingredients, for the latest Food Chemicals Codex.
Fats and oils supplier AAK has acquired a US manufacturer of flaked shortenings for the bakery and food service industries, surprising some market analysts who believed the company’s strategy was more focused on emerging markets.
Grocery shoppers are increasingly hitting food stores on a “narrowly focused mission” – perhaps shopping for a specific meal, or because they have run out of something – rather than stocking up for the week, according to Packaged Facts.
Efforts to reduce obesity should focus on reducing the number of meals and snacks and portion sizes, suggest researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Ninety-two percent of consumers agree that eggs are an important part of a healthy diet – but 30 percent of respondents limit eggs due to cholesterol concerns, according to a new Mintel report.
