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Trends > Health & Functionality
Health & Functionality
The healthy chocolate sector is still in a relatively embryonic stage but is being buoyed by the increasing amount of cocoa polyphenol science, exciting product innovation and increasing public interest. And, while the segment still suffers from a counter-intuitive response in many consumers that a health benefit shouldn’t be derived from an indulgence food like chocolate, this is being overcome.
ISM 2013
Ricola will boost know-how and quality of herb processing with new green facility
Herbal candy specialist Ricola is building a new processing facility that will boost know-how, ensure quality, promote a greener image and cut costs, it says.
News in brief
Mars to address heart health cocoa flavanol conference
Mars scientists are among the speakers at a conference later this month in Brussels to discuss breakthroughs linking cocoa flavanols to cardiovascular health.
Callebaut cocoa health claim gets EC 'elasticity' makeover
Barry Callebaut’s Article 13.5 blood flow health claim on cocoa flavanols has been simplified by the European Commission.
Industry Voices: Healthy Choc Chief
Functional ingredients and chocolate the perfect match, says Good Cacao CEO
Good Cacao CEO talks to ConfectioneryNews.com about boosting the appeal of healthy chocolate, the functional ingredients to look out for in 2013 and challenges in formulation.
Lidl confectionery-free checkout trial affects own-label only
Lidl UK is trialing replacing confectionery at checkouts with fresh fruit and juices, but branded goods won’t be affected since it was only stocking own-label candy at its check-outs anyway....
Could white chocolate compounds also benefit heart health?
The potential heart health benefits of dark chocolate may be only partly linked to the flavanol content, with white chocolate - devoid of such compounds - also offering potential cardiovascular...
Maltitol best carrier for inulin in prebiotic milk chocolate
Sugar-free milk chocolate can carry functional properties with inulin best by using sugar substitute maltitol, according to a study.
Functional chocolate bars must target a niche, says Herza
There is no end to the possibilities of functional chocolate bar development and firms must specialize to succeed in a sector dominated by big players, a Herza Schokolade product developer says....
EU health claims: FoodDrinkEurope welcomes “certainty and clarity”
The EU’s biggest food industry group – FoodDrinkEurope – has backed Friday’s enabling of the article 13 list of 222 approved and 1500+ rejected health claims in the European Union’s 27 member states.
It’s official! There are 222 general function approved health claims in the EU; 1500+ rejected
From today food and supplement products marketed in the EU’s 27 member states must comply with the article 13, permitted list of health claims or face prosecution for misleading marketing.
December 14 EU health claims deadline
Stakeholder vox pop: December 14 EU health claim deadline
With the December 14 enforcement of the EU's article 13 general function health claim list that includes 200+ approved claims and about 1500 rejections just two days away (after a...
New EFSA health claims chief: “I prefer pedagogic behavior”; offers 2013 hope
As the formlisation of the main organ (article 13.1 list) of the nutrition and health claims regulation (NHCR) kicks in this week, Professor Ambroise Martin, the new chair of the...
Guest article
Eight winners: Are EU diabetes-metabolic syndrome health claims set to explode?
Eight ingredients have won EU health claims that can be used to back messaging around metabolic syndrome – although the take-up to date has been lacklustre, says Euromonitor analyst, Diana Cowland....
Guest article
December 14 EU health claims crack down: Are B2B comms affected?
December 14 brings the long awaited and widely disputed EU crack down on health claims. That means 222 general function claims are good to go, another 1500 or so prohibited....
Ajinomoto wins EU chilli extract approval
Japanese supplier Ajinomoto’s chilli extract has won European Union Novel Foods status at various levels in 22 foodstuffs including flavoured waters, meal replacements, baked goods and sugar-free gum.
Guest article
Provexis winner: EU health claims enforcement may dish rotten tomatoes
Steve Morrision was the COO at Provexis when the UK start-up won the EU‘s first ever article 13.5 health claim for its blood circulation-boosting tomato extract called Fruitflow in 2009....
Healthy indulgence: What’s possible in chocolate reformulation?
Consumers have high expectations of chocolate in terms of taste and mouthfeel – so how easy is it to tinker with chocolate formulations to create an indulgent product that also...
No health risk from candelilla wax, says EFSA
Confectionery glazing agent candelilla wax (E 902) has been deemed safe to use in Europe after a reevaluation from the European Food Safety Authority.
Hershey antioxidant labeling claims under spotlight in US court
Hershey is to face a lawsuit over antioxidant labeling claims made on its Special Dark Cocoa and Special Dark Kisses.
Eating chocolate produces Nobel prize winners, says study
Brain power equals chocolate squared according to a study that says countries with high chocolate consumption produce more Nobel Laureates.
Cocoa flavanols give snail brains a boost
Cocoa flavanols found in dark chocolate called epicatechin can improve the memories of snails, according to researchers.
Study backs chocolate for stroke prevention
Consuming a ‘moderate’ amount of chocolate each week could be associated with lower risk of developing stroke, according to new research from Sweden.
“Critical breakthrough”: 12 labs validate new cocoa-flavanol measurement method
A multi-centre collaboration between academia and industry has confirmed a new validation method for cocoa flavanols and procyanidins that study backer Mars says could have, “far-reaching implications for researchers and consumers.”...
Dark chocolate could reduce heart disease risk, says study
Cocoa compounds found in dark chocolate can reduce blood pressure in the short term and could help guard against cardiovascular disease, according to a recently released study.
Chocolate linked to improved brain performance
Chocolate can improve brain functioning and mood, according to scientific review assessing over 100 previous studies linking chocolate to health benefits.
