Small daily doses of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate eaten over a
two-week period significantly improved blood vessel function,
report US researchers this week, without increasing blood
cholesterol levels.
A roasting system equipped with state-of-the-art debacterisation
has been developed for US chocolate and cocoa producer Blommer. The
process is claimed to preserve the properties of cocoa better.
UK politicians have called for immediate industry action to counter
the rising numbers of obese in the country, offering food marketers
three years to show significant improvements in product labelling
and formulation, writes Chris...
The world's health ministers gave their support on Saturday to a
new policy produced by the World Health Organisation that is
designed to tackle the world's growing problem of obesity and
diet-related disease, said to account...
US Agro-food giant Cargill has confirmed that a $24 million
class-action lawsuit accusing the US food giant of price-fixing
will be settled following federal court approval. The end is now in
sight for a law suit that dates back nine...
A new study conducted by the FDA says that acrylamide found in
fried and baked goods is unlikely to cause reproduction problems if
the general public consume it as part of the average daily diet -
but research is ongoing for its carcinogenic...
The European Commission has given the nod to Sygenta's Bt11
genetically modified sweetcorn, granting authorisation for it to be
sold within the European Union over the next ten years. Although
the Commission says that the sweetcorn...
Changes to laws governing waste, energy consumption and emissions
are forcing plants to alter their methods of operation. Anthony
Fletcher spoke to the UK Environment Agency's head of waste
management to find out what plant managers...
Cadbury Adams has signed a 16-year lease for a new science and
technology centre that will be built in Hanover Township, in the
state of New Jersey, US for confectionery innovation.
Leading Swiss Chocolate processor Barry Callebaut says that on the
back of strong six monthly results it will be looking to increase
its presence in the consumer sector.
At least 155 million school-age children worldwide are overweight
or obese, a growing problem which needs to be tackled now if more
serious ailments such as type 2 diabetes or heart disease are to be
avoided, according to the International...
A food product on the shelf must satisfy a range of senses to earn
consumer appeal. But US scientists claim that little understood
contextual cues - food display, colours - can lead to people eating
much more than they need.
The dynamic performance of the Romanian chocolate sector continues
to gather pace with the announcement from Supreme Chocolat that it
has increased its sales in the first quarter by an impressive 120
per cent.
Acquisitive ingredients firm Kerry will spend €170 million on four
bolt-on flavour acquisitions announced yesterday as the €3.7
billion Irish company continues to consolidate its position in the
highly competitive flavours market....
Real-time supply chain execution (SCE) software provider ClearOrbit
has launched Purchase Order Change Management, part of its Advanced
Collaborative Replenishment Suite. PO Change Management automates
the communication of order changes...
The all-important market for caramels in Russia continues to be
encroached upon by cheaper imports from Ukraine helped by good
sugar supplies, according to findings from a recent market report.
In the thriving world of snacks the key to success for food
developers will be in designing time-positioned, healthy and guilt
free indulgences as the consumer becomes more fussy, says a new
report from Datamonitor that shows UK snackaholics,...
Food manufacturers are increasingly turning to solutions that
combine multiple security elements to protect products against
counterfeiting, according to French foil manufacturer Kurz.
As society ponders the reasons for the rising tide of obesity in
children, researchers in the US suggest that the 'striking
alterations' in children's meal patterns over the past 20 years may
not be related to the current...
Icelandic-Lativian confectionery producer Laima has confirmed that
it is about to start caramel production in Uzbekistan in an attempt
to fend off increased competition once enlargement has taken place.
Ireland is considering tough new proposals on waste management and
recyling, including a programme to target the management of chewing
gum waste - a move that could effect confectionery manufacturers
there.
The countdown begins to new food allergen labelling rules in Europe
that herald an end to the 20 year old '25 per cent' rule. Taken
together with escalating incidences of food allergies, new
opportunities have arisen in...
Avery Dennison Roll Materials Europe has unveiled Fasson
Iridescent, a multi-layered film that the company claims gives
designers a creative means of achieving dazzling multi-colour shelf
impact, without the use of additional inks...
Offices of bakery ingredients and sweeteners giant CSM were raided
yesterday by the Dutch competition watchdog NMa on suspicions of
price fixing in the firms sugar division CSM Suiker. In a parallel
raid, the NMa hit leading Dutch...
Food manufacturers are under pressure to be able to trace every
product at every stage of the supply chain. Equipment supplier
Mettler Toledo explains the role of weighing and measuring
technology in helping firms to meet stringent...
New evidence to suggest that a diet high in artery-clogging trans
fats could accelerate the development of cardiovascular disease
comes from a recent study in the US.
Brain circuits involved in drug addiction are also activated by the
desire for food, say researchers this week, claiming that the mere
display of food - the smelling and tasting of favourite foods
without actually eating them - causes...
Most food companies are too short-term focused when it comes to
adopting new technology, claims a packaging expert. They need to
adopt long-term strategic planning and pay closer attention to
changing trends if they wish to stay ahead...
While supporters of the Atkins plan would have us believe the diet
is more popular than ever, there are signs of a growing backlash
against low-carb diet plans. A new survey reveals that despite the
growing number of product offerings...
Masterfoods Romania, part of the US manufacturer Mars, has
announced that it is expecting its sales turnover to exceed €20
million in 2004, encouraging the company to invest further in the
country.
Switzerland's sweet and savoury biscuit sector saw a return to
growth in 2003 due entirely to a strong upswing in export sales -
but domestic sales fell for the second year in succession as a
result of cheaper imports from the...
Participants at the annual meeting of the Association for
Chemoreception Sciences later this month will learn that cinnamon -
as a flavour or fragrance - could boost brain simulation related to
attentinal processes, according to...
Intensified competition in the ingredients marketplace and
disappointing orders for Cocoa Butter Equivalents (CBE) following
the new chocolate rules leads to job losses at Danish fats and oils
firm Aarhus United.
Growing through international expansion, chewing gum giant Wm.
Wrigley Jr has closed on a €215 million deal to acquire the Joyco
gum and confectionery businesses from Agrolimen, a privately-held
Spanish food conglomerate. The acquisition...
Significant investment into production facilities and new product
launches seem to be paying off for Heidi Chocolats Suisse Romania,
after the company announced that its sales for the month of
February grew by 80 per cent.
New ways to combat the global obesity epidemic could be on the way
as recent findings from influential obesity researcher Jeffrey
Friedman improves our understanding of leptin resistance and
obesity. New studies show that the appetite-regulating...
In the same week that the US food watchdog releases new findings on
the presence of acrylamide, the probable human carcinogen, in
processed food products, the American Chemical society will
dedicate an entire symposium to this sensitive...
Driving into value-added bakery ingredients is a key area for
growth in the mature bakery market. Recently baptised Bakemark UK,
a new merger between Arkady Craigmillar, Readi-Bake and Caravan
Brill, the UK firm will tap into growing...
A two-day conference on aseptic filling technologies is just one of
the events that is taking place at the Total Processing and
Packaging show in Birmingham, UK this week.
FoodProductionDaily.com will be there, and will be reporting...
Days after EU ministers at the Agriculture Council huddled together
to chew over impending changes to the sugar regime, leading
sweeteners group Tate & Lyle tells the market that no surprises
are in store for 2005.
Following its takeover last year, leading Baltic State biscuit
maker Kalev Johvi Tootmine is to stop making its Maiasmokk brand of
biscuits because of excess market competition.
Danish sugar and ingredients firm Danisco closes on its xanthan gum
production deal in China, consolidating the firm's stabiliser
presence in this emerging market. Just days after the firm posted a
weaker third quarter as higher...
Food manufacturers using the sweetener cyclamate face change as
they come to grips with new European rules that radically reduce
the use of this man-made, non-caloric sweetener 30 times as sweet
as sucrose. German ingredients firm...
A lack of integration at a European level is 'severely hampering'
efforts to co-ordinate stakeholder efforts - food industry and
independent scientists - in the area of chemical contaminants in
food, warn Swedish scientists....
A new US study reports that the higher cocoa, lower sugar content
and antioxidant properties of premium dark chocolate are making it
a more attractive for health-conscious consumers, especially the
growing number of those counting...
A new guide from CCFRA has been launched to help microbiologists
assess the reliability of results from food tests. Stringent new EU
laws require food manufacturers to show a thorough understanding of
all food processes, writes Anthony...
The US government's latest measures to tackle obesity have been
attacked by consumer groups for relying on the 'self-policing' of
the food industry and not leading to major initiatives to drive
change. But the proposed...
Researchers at the University College of Dublin are claiming that
real time process control for food manufacturers - and more
specifically the confectionery sector - has been advanced thanks to
pioneering work into viscosity measurement...
Quality is an issue that has plagued many food processors in Russia
over the years. But one company, Kraft Foods, claims that its
operations there - where it is a leading player in confectionery
and coffee - have witnessed tremendous...