A rise in the North American cocoa grind is a positive sign for the mature US chocolate market, but analysts predict health-concerns will challenge future growth.
Discount retailer Lidl has rolled out its Healthy Till program across its UK stores, removing all chocolate and sweets from checkouts except for Wrigley’s gum.
Prominent nutritionists have provided their exclusive feedback on Action on Sugar’s sugar reduction campaign, designed to combat the rising incidence of obesity in the UK.
Children can eat candy in moderation without increasing their risk of becoming obese and developing heart problems later in life, according to a study backed by the National Confectioners Association.
Replacing sugar with fibers in chocolate could be more effective in reducing global sugar consumption than cutting portion sizes, but will come at a cost, according to Barry Callebaut.
Teenagers should stick to low fat diets to prevent build-up of dangerous abdominal fat – irrespective of how much they exercise or how many calories they consume, according to a new study.
A new campaign group headed by medical professionals says the food industry can improve profit margins while cutting ‘unnecessary’ added sugar from products, which it says is responsible for rising global obesity.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working towards a method to validate the effectiveness and safety of medicated chewing gums such as nicotine gum.
Low-calorie products such as sugar-free chocolates will be the driving force behind modest growth in the US chocolate market in the next five years, according to market analysts Lucintel.
Freeze drying could unlock the potential of red berries and citrus fruits as decorations and inclusions in chocolate while preserving the color and nutrients of the fruit, says supplier Chaucer Foods.
Semi-solid vegetable oils created using low-calorie sugars such as mannitol and sorbitol dioctanoates could provide alternatives to trans- and saturated fats, according to new research.
Mars UK says it has exhausted reformulation options for Mars and Snickers bars and has been left with no choice but to cut portion sizes to meet calorie reduction pledges.
Special Edition - Beyond sugar: Hitting the sweet spot
Between laxative effects, clean labeling and GM, ConfectioneryNews takes a walk through the different sweetener options for hard, soft and jelly candies and the associated pros and cons for each.
Special Edition - Beyond sugar: Hitting the sweet spot
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has completed a major review of aspartame’s safety, and has concluded that the sweetener is safe for the general population at current consumption levels.
Food manufacturers have urged the FDA to give them more time to consider its proposal to revoke the GRAS status of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in a bid to eradicate artificial trans fats from the American diet.
AarhusKarlshamn (AAK) claims its filling fat Chocofill NH 110 is lower in saturated fats than lauric fats and can save confectioners money by eliminating the tempering stage compared to polymorphic fats.
Irish dairy ingredients specialist Glanbia Nutritionals once filled its sights almost exclusively with the sports nutrition sector, but the explosion of interest in protein means the ‘ordinary’ mainstream food industry is a bigger and bigger target.
Fruit may have its own stand alone functionality but Taura Natural Ingredients says fortification with milk and pea proteins, green coffee and grains will bring the ingredient into new areas.
Barry Callebaut has expanded its E-number free printable colorant range to include red, a move the company hopes will help tap into seasonal opportunities as well as the clean label trend.
Obesity may drive fundamental changes in our perception of sweet tastes by modifying the number of cells that respond to sweet stimuli, according to new research in mice.
Superheated steam roasting retains more phenols and flavonoids during cocoa processing than the conventional roasting method, according to research by Universiti Sains in Malaysia.
Barry Callebaut is prepared to supply more certified cocoa if the industry demands it, but with 12% total cocoa volumes coming from ‘sustainable’ sources it says it already has more sustainable cocoa products than the market currently wants.
A substance found in chocolate and sold by health food stores to enhance mood has been found to reduce the number of E.coli O157:H7 cells on beef meat pieces by up to 90%.
Many studies focusing on obesity and nutrition may overstate conclusions of their findings, which may lead to policy makers and other researchers basing decisions on inaccurate assumptions, according to new research.
Scottish chocolate start-up, IQ Chocolate, has high hopes for its “raw” dark chocolate bars within the high quality, functional foods sector and is currently in the initial stages of preparing a dossier for a health claim.
A coroner has written to the UK’s Department of Health warning of the dangers of high-caffeine confectionery after a man accidentally overdosed on caffeinated energy mints.
People with visceral obesity share a unique set of biomarkers that may help researchers to identify future health risks and dietary changes that may help to tackle obesity, say researchers from Nestlé.
Simply reducing portion sizes is not an easy solution to reducing energy intakes as results from laboratory based experiments do not necessarily reflect what happens in the real world, according to a new review.
Chocolate makers are increasingly opting for dried fruit inclusions over sharper flavor additions like chilli and nuts because of their perceived healthy image and flavor enhancing properties, according to confectionery equipment supplier Egan Food Technologies...
The European Commission has passed a law meaning generic descriptors for food and beverage products which could be construed as health claims will only be allowed if they have been in use for more than 20 years.
Sweeteners are widely used to replace sugar in diet and low calorie products within the food and beverage industry. However, many consumers are still worried about these ingredients. So, what are the facts behind low calorie sweeteners?
It is hard to fool the brain by providing it with 'energyless' sweet flavours, according to new research in mice that suggests that consumption of zero-calorie sweeteners leads to higher sugar consumption later.
Immune health chewing gum is a cheaper and more portable way to guard against the common cold than dissolvable vitamins, according to an emergency room doctor who has created his own anti-flu chewing gum.
A sugar tax is the best way to combat excess sugar consumption which doctors agree is partly to blame for growing global obesity and diabetes rates, according to a report from Credit Suisse.
