Canada's trans fat task force held its first meeting on Friday to
decide what needs tackling and looked at the risks and benefits of
various alternatives to the much maligned oil.
Fundamental research to provide new leverage for food makers with
Swiss researchers suggesting regular onion consumption may boost
the bones and prevent osteoporosis, reports Lindsey Partos.
ICI subsidiary National Starch is the latest ingredients firm to
drive into the soaring Chinese food market, unveiling a new
technical centre adjacent to its recently opened production plant,
writes Lindsey Partos.
Costs will rise for food makers using spice and oil users as
officials in Brussels vote to extend test controls for the illegal
red dye sudan 1, writes Lindsey Partos.
Evidence backing the antioxidant powers of natural cocoa could
bring new opportunities for confectionery firms looking to boost
slacking sales in a saturated market, reports Lindsey Partos
.
Foods touting health-related claims on their labels may enjoy a New
Year's sales boost but in most cases, higher sales do not last,
suggests research released by ACNielsen.
Suggesting continuing growth for booming sweeteners market,
researchers once again claim soft drinks provide a generous slice
of sugar to a child's diet.
French hydrocolloid supplier Colloides Naturels International (CNI)
extends acacia gum line launching second generation of its
stabiliser for flavour and beverage emulsions, reports Lindsey
Partos.
Global labelling rules for genetically modified food ingredients as
well as trans fatty acid labels are on the agenda at an upcoming
Codex meeting in Malaysia.
NutraSweet has decided to restart a factory line in Georgia that
has been inactive since 2003 to increase production of the
sweetener aspartame, reports Philippa Nuttall.
A strong network consolidated over 100 years will continue to
secure supplies to the food and beverage industry for the popular
ingredient gum arabic, says German supplier Alfred L. Wolff,
reports Lindsey Partos.
National Starch celebrated official recognition of its Truetrace,
non-GMO program this week, but warned it will become more costly to
ensure non-contamination in the future, Philippa Nuttall
reports.
Seven months after the launch of P&G's fair trade coffees, the
company seems unlikely to extend its range unless consumer demand
becomes more vocal, reports Philippa Nuttall.
Following the lawsuit against companies making "low sugar"
breakfast cereals, one lawyer believes those behind the
anti-tobacco lawsuits are now conditioning the public to accept
obesity claims against the food industry...
Canada's Advitech is continuing with the clinical trial program for
XP-828L sweet whey protein extract to give the product weight with
dermatologists and help it achieve its market potential - an effort
which led the biotech...
Norwegian researchers have developed a new dehydration method that
produces granulated food of the quality of vacuum freezing-dying at
a fraction of the cost, writes Anthony Fletcher.
A new method that uses powerful enzymes to convert fructose and
sucrose into the low calorie sugar alcohol mannitol receives patent
protection, opening up cheaper sources for this chewing gum
ingredient, reports Lindsey Partos.
Member states have called for more information and full
presentation of findings on acrylamide, a harmful chemical
identified in baked and fried foods, reports Lindsey Partos.
Food makers sourcing organic ingredients from the West are
gradually turning to China as the ambitious country makes strides
in organic production, reports Lindsey Partos.
One US scientist wants to make the humble orange carrot pack a
bigger health punch by boosting its nutrients, and thereby changing
its color, reports Philippa Nuttall.
An American woman has launched a lawsuit aimed at food companies
including Kraft Foods, General Mills and Kellogg alleging that "low
sugar" breakfast cereals are leading the customer astray.
Monsanto yesterday raised its estimates for the company's
second-quarter earnings on the back of successful results from its
seeds and traits business.
Ocean Spray said yesterday that it had chosen a Brit to help give
the company a healthier profile, appointing Geoffrey Woolford as
vice president of research and development.
The foods that children, and later adults, choose are linked to
taste profiles set at a very early age, suggest new findings from
the UK, reports Lindsey Partos.
Food makers using soybeans suffered further price increases last
month as a worsening drought reduced production in Brazil and
pushed US soybean prices in February up around $1 a bushel, said
the USDA this week.
The food code in Australia is under review as food maker Unilever
Australia calls for approval of an ice structuring protein (ISP)
used to make ice cream and edible ices.
Coke war drives innovation in diet drink sweetener formulations
with the number one soft drinks player Coca-Cola rolling out a new
aspartame and acesulfame potassium based cola onto the market,
writes Lindsey Partos.
Spice company McCormick said yesterday that its Q1 profits and
sales were lower than expected, pushed down by struggling vanilla
prices, but remained confident for the rest of the year, writes
Philippa Nuttall.
A new egg safety centre in the US could help ensure that health
scares associated with eggs and low public confidence are far less
common in the future.
Leading merchant of cocoa, sugar and coffee ED&F Man has
launched Corigins, a US-based supplier offering traceable, quality
sugar and cocoa ingredients, Philippa Nuttall reports.
Danisco's move into the number two global enzyme position is
delayed as the Danish ingredients firm extends its takeover offer
for remaining slice of Genencor International, reports Lindsey
Partos.
Asian food safety authorities concerned by the massive sudan 1
recall in the UK are taking a closer look at their own food chains,
launching new investigations to detect the presence of this illegal
red food dye.
Chr Hansen last week launched an ingredient aimed at meat producers
whose foods suffer from a lack of flavor after functional blends
and water are added to optimize their recipes, writes Philippa
Nuttall.
Caffeine significantly reduced insulin sensitivity in a small
study, and was not corrected by the usually beneficial effects of
weight loss or exercise.
The US government is investing a further $2 million to enhance
research on bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and $5 million
to establish a Food Safety Research and Response Network.
Despite the shadow of an impending sale, German hydrocolloid
supplier Degussa is moving up a gear in the burgeoning Chinese
market, opening a new production unit to ramp up supplies to the
area, writes Lindsey Partos.
Food manufacturers worried about listeria will now be able to use
the detection system created by DuPont Qualicon after it was
approved for use last week.
Reflecting the booming market for trans fatty acid alternatives,
speciality oil supplier ADM ramps up production of its zero/low
trans-fat oils and margarines, for the second time in a year,
Lindsey Partos reports.
Democrat Tom Harkin, senator for Iowa and health and nutrition
advocate, announced at a press conference earlier this week that he
will propose a bill enabling the FTC to regulate food advertising
to children, Philippa Nuttall reports.
The Whole Grains Council yesterday launched its food stamp to the
general public at the Natural Foods Expo West show taking place in
Anaheim. Cynthia Harriman, head of the council, told Philippa
Nuttall how the food industry has reacted...
The publicity craze surrounding nutritional content and labelling
has helped these two issues replace BSE as the biggest food
concerns among an increasingly sceptical British public - warning
the food industry to stay on its toes,...
The low-carb trend and a general move towards healthy eating, plus
the ongoing search for convenience and ease-of-use were the three
factors that shaped the US breakfast market in 2004, according to a
new report.
