Swedish authorities have drawn up a new set of guidelines on diet choices for health and the environment and is circulating them around the EU for feedback – and to encourage take up of the strategy elsewhere.
Rice bran oil and soy protein concentrate could be used by mayonnaise manufacturers to cut fat levels while increasing consumer acceptability, according to a study on its sensory properties.
Danisco’s new sustainability chief will look to build more value from company policies and seeing results on the bottom line – as well as for the environment and local communities.
Symrise has received fair trade certification for its bourbon vanilla extracts from Madagascar, offering farmers advice and premiums that help dissuade them from switching to less labour intensive crops.
Treatt is extending the options for manufacturers that want to make honey flavoured products but without extra sugar or calories – and without having to deal with bulk quantities of sticky real honey.
Representatives of the UK soft drink industry claim that ‘creative’ innovation across the industry is keeping manufacturers on track to meet their sustainability goals, though more must be done in the future.
Addition of a grape seed extract to bread may not only increase the antioxidant content of the staple, but also inhibit formation of a potential toxin, says new research.
The UK government’s policy on sustainable food and farming has been overtaken by developments in climate change and obesity and is no longer fit for its purpose, says the chair of the Sustainable Development Commission.
Oil-in-water emulsions formulated to improve their stability in the harsh acidic conditions of the stomach may promote a feeling of fullness and help with weight management, suggests new research.
Participants in the Round Table on Responsible Soy unanimously agreed a set of voluntary production standards on Thursday to reduce the negative environmental and social impacts of soy production.
Manufacturers in France are gearing up to start using high purity stevia extract Reb A as soon as approval is signed off, according to a supplier, making use of an anticipated two-year window before full European approval.
Adding low concentrations of vinegar to foods may enhance perception of saltiness and enable food manufacturers to cut salt content without affecting taste, according to new research from Japan.
FSANZ says the majority of Australian adults are not exceeding its recommended maximum daily salt intake, following media reports that claim some Australians could be consuming 40g of salt a day – almost seven times the recommended max.
The Food Standards Agency has unveiled updated salt reduction targets for the food industry up to 2012, trimming back levels once more in some 80 categories of foods.
Speakers at the first day of Stevia World have focused on the potential of stevia sweeteners as mainstream sugar replacers, as well as their role in tackling surging rates of diet related ill health, such as diabetes.
Latest round of research to identify the ideal front-of-pack labelling scheme indicates that a combination of traffic lights and GDAs is best understood by consumers.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has given its view of proposed reference intake levels for energy, total fat, saturates, carbohydrates, sugars and salt – suggesting that the carbohydrate level be revised upwards.
The Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries of the EU (CIAA) has said that industry has made ‘important progress’ in its efforts to tackle obesity and other diet-related diseases over the past four years.
A new survey by FLABEL indicates widespread listing of nutritional information on food products across the EU and Turkey, with 85 per cent of goods surveyed giving info back-of-pack and 48 per cent front-of-pack.
As the crusade against saturated fats gains pace, UK snack and biscuit manufacturer United Biscuits has achieved gains in product formulations for a range of its popular biscuit brands.
As consumers seek out food with a reduced carbon footprint, some experts believe a dietary shift from red meat and dairy consumption may be more effective than turning to locally sourced products, suggests new analysis.
Unilever has announced plans to cut the salt content across its global range of 22,000 products with an eye on achieving the five grams daily maximum salt intake recommended by the World Health Organization.
Speculation in the commodity markets needs close monitoring to help ease price volatility, the first ever G8 meeting of agricultural ministers has concluded, and agri-food chains should be more closely-coordinated to boost efficiency.
FoodNavigator talks to Peter Melchett, policy director at the Soil Association, about communication efforts to help more consumers understand and engage in organics, and the all-important issue of climate change.
Consumers don’t just expect companies to do no harm in communities they source from, but to actually contribute to development, a major international survey commissioned by FLO International indicates – and they appear to be sticking by their principles...
Mars has pledged that its entire cocoa supply will be certified as sustainably produced by 2020, through a multi-year, multi-country deal forged with the Rainforest Alliance.
The UK’s Department of Health is to raise awareness of the need for energy balance in diets, controlling overall calories as well as specific macronutrients such as saturated fat and added sugar.
The traffic light system for front-of-pack food labelling is the most effective in helping people identify healthier food products, a new study of Australian consumers has found.
Organic Monitor is organising a Sustainable Foods Summit in June, which will give air the key debates on ethical and environment aspects of the food supply chain.
The supply chain for stevia is sound and sustainable, says PureCircle, which is communicating the ethical values behind its high purity Reb-A sweetener in keeping with the natural image.
Leatherhead Food International's Head of Innovation explains progress made towards using WOW emulsions in reduced fat products, and challenges that still need to be overcome.
Balancing saturated fat as a proportion of total calories, and the natural variation of fat levels in meat, are amongst the challenges faced by Waitrose suppliers in developing food products with lower saturated fat products.
A new margarine can enable lower saturated fat in puff pastry and croissants, according to developer Romi Smilfood, helping to meet targets for healthier bakery products.
The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) yesterday confirmed the implementation of a protein cap that limits products such as cereals being advertised to children.
The contamination of food with certain metals needs to be urgently addressed in light of growing evidence linking trace elements to negative human behaviour, according to a lead researcher in the field.
With satiety food formulations on the rise, breakthrough research from British scientists offers a deeper insight into the role of gut hormones on appetite and why a low GI (glycaemic index) meal, such as a morning bowl of porridge, keeps consumers feeling...
The Food and Drink Federation said it is baffled by a Food Standards Agency recommendation to keep the protein cap that limits products such as cereals being advertised to children, which it said overturned previous advice without “good reason”.
Cadbury and Mars are attracting severe criticism from food campaigners, who say they have not fulfilled promises to remove certain artificial food colours from products by the end of 2008.
The CIAA has responded to criticisms levelled at its GDA nutrition labelling system by a campaign from Denmark, emphasising points including the tool’s neutral, science basis, and work towards setting portion sizes.
National Starch Food Innovation (NSFI) has added another product to its Novation clean label starch line. Derived from tapioca, it is billed as an ingredient that can bestow indulgence on a product, with reduced oil, fat or cream.
Formulating cakes with sesame oil, hydrocolloids and emulsifiers could replace fat in cakes, leading to low-fat alternatives of family favourites, suggests a new study.
Progress of the proposed new food information legislation will be delayed by at least six months, as MEPs have decided to delay the vote in committee until after the parliamentary elections.
Formulating rice noodles with alginate may enhance the structural properties of rice dough, which could lead to the development of a successful commercial rice noodle product, says a new study.
A campaign that strongly opposes the inclusion of GDA-type nutritional labelling in the proposed new food information legislation has been launched by a consortium of health and industry groups in Denmark.
Gelling of milk proteins using the food-approved enzyme rennet can produce microcapsules capable of encapsulating healthy ingredients like probiotics, says a new study from Germany.
Consumer watchdog Which? has renewed its calls for food manufacturers and retailers to do more to address sugar, salt and fat content and take a consistent, industry-wide approach to labelling to help people make healthily choices.
The use of salt replacers in the diet, as a means of reducing sodium intake, may improve blood pressure and artery health, says a new study from China.
