Breaking News on Confectionery & Biscuit Processing

Nestle: Chocolate may benefit gut health and metabolism

A daily treat of dark chocolate for only two weeks may change metabolism in healthy, free-living people, says a new study from Nestlé scientists.

New test improves control of chocolate origins

A simple test of volatile compounds in chocolate may serve as chemical tracers to enable better traceability of cocoa and inform consumers of the countries of origin, say French researchers.

Salmonella source at Nestle plant unknown

Nestle said the source of the salmonella found recently in a batch of chocolate morsels at one of its US plants was unknown.

Plantic targets US demand for green chocolate trays

Bioplastics firm Plantic has sealed a new distribution agreement in the Americas for its line of biopolymer rigid packaging films.

Cocoa power project gets green light

A trial by chocolate maker Lindt USA to supply cocoa bean shells to a fuel burning facility to produce ‘green’ power is now being implemented officially following approval by the state environmental authorities.

Compact temperer meets changeover demands, says Lloveras

A new continuous chocolate tempering machine has a small footprint and reduces energy consumption by up to 30 per cent on standard tempering equipment, claims Spanish supplier Lloveras, who showcased a prototype at Pro Sweets this month.

News in brief

Date confirmed for Kraft probe by MPs

A committee of politicians in the UK will meet next month to investigate the controversial takeover of chocolate firm Cadbury by US food giant Kraft, reports the Press Association.

Sugar and stevia join forces to cut calories

PureCircle and Imperial Sugar have launched a joint venture to offer sugar and stevia combinations to the food and beverage industry as it looks to meet consumer demand for natural lower calorie products.

Weekly comment

Banning energy drinks is a doomed shot in the dark

Energy shot drinks have come under fire from German authorities which are employing an old-school prohibition logic that history has repeatedly dunce-hatted.

New peelable packaging standard on horizon

A German research institute is seeking heat sealed packaging formats including confectionery wrapping from packaging producers or food manufactures for a round robin test to develop a standardized testing method to determine peel and opening forces.

Health Canada proposes stricter color labeling

Health Canada is seeking comments on a proposal to change Canadian regulations on how food colorings are listed on ingredient labels, the agency said on Thursday.

Training scheme aiding sustainable choc supply, Cargill

Cocoa bean crop quality and yield is benefiting from a farmer training programme in the Ivory Coast, which is set to be extended to a wider number of farmer cooperatives this month, said Cargill.

AAK's speciality strategy shows recession resilience

Cost savings and a strategy that fits with chocolate eating habits in the recession have meant for an acceptable full year for AAK, topped off with an especially good Q4.

Kraft silent on pension freeze impact for Cadbury

Kraft has announced that it will begin to end pension increases for current and non-union hourly employees from year end 2019 but the US food group did not provide any clues in regulatory filings as to the future of the 100-year-old Cadbury pension fund.

News in brief

Cargill to reveal know-how to budding choc entrepreneurs

Cargill is offering further sessions of its chocolatier’s workshop in March and May this year in the company’s Cocoa & Chocolate facility in the US.

Sugar Policy Alliance renews call for increased imports

The Sugar Policy Alliance has renewed its call for Congress to revise sugar policy as strict import quotas have reduced the availability of refined sugar, thereby inflating prices, the organization says.

Mars and Barry Callebaut team up on flavanols

A standard for measuring the antioxidant-rich cocoa flavanols in chocolate products, a broadening of the market for functional chocolate as well as boosting consumer awareness are the objectives of a new alliance between Mars Inc and Barry Callebaut.

Developing markets drove Givaudan ‘09 sales

Latin America and Asia led the way with strong sales for Givaudan’s flavour division in 2009, prodding it towards 1.9 per cent sales growth in local currencies in a tough year for industry.

Kraft's Milka set to go head to head with Dairy Milk in UK

The Kraft owned chocolate brand Milka is to be launched across the entire UK market from April, just weeks after the US food giant purchased Dairy Milk maker Cadbury.

HDPP film lightens material load for sweet makers, says Moneta

Ongoing research work has resulted in a new high density polypropylene (HDPP) wrap for confectionery that is economical in terms of material weight and heat sealing temperature, claims Moneta.

Weekly comment

Do drink makers have stomach for anti-obesity fight?

Bravo! The beverage industry has responded enthusiastically to Mrs. Obama’s campaign to tackle childhood obesity - but there’d better be more than froth behind that sparkling rhetoric.

Slump in sales for Swiss chocolatiers in 2009

2009 proved a challenging year for the Swiss chocolate industry with manufacturers recording losses for the first time in six years, reports industry body Chocosuisse.

Aluminium food pack firm achieves HACCP accreditation

Bachmann Aluminium Packaging has achieved HACCP accreditation and updated its IT systems in order to support business development in Germany, Scandinavia, and Eastern Europe.

Name-brands should prepare now for customer comeback

Branded food manufacturers should start preparing now to win back customers from store brands when the economy improves, advises a new report from market researchers The Integer Group and M/A/R/C Research.

Two-in-one bars don’t cut choc consumption, finds study

A new study has indicated that including two-in-one chocolate bar packs do not foster more responsible snacking, and more regular size products and healthier snacks should be available.

Raisio sees huge growth in healthy snacking

The growth potential in the premium functional snack category on the heels of increased consumer and regulatory demand for healthy snacking is the driver behind Finnish company Raisio’s bid to acquire a UK cereal and fruit bar manufacturer.

Sweet trade fair sees greater complexity in control technology

Machinery trends in evidence at last week’s confectionery industry trade show in Cologne, Pro Sweets, showed a move towards more complex control technology, claim the show’s organisers who added that the event had a six per cent growth in exhibitor turnout on 2009.

FSA issues allergy warning on Cadbury product

The UK Foods Standards Agency (FSA) has issued an allergy alert regarding Cadbury Chunks Bournville, due to the fact that it contains milk, which is not an intended ingredient.

Unhealthy foods blocked from UK product placement plan

The UK government has confirmed plans to allow product placement in television programmes, but foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS), and alcohol are excluded.

Fury over Kraft u-turn on Cadbury plant closure

Kraft Foods’s reneging on a decision to keep a Cadbury factory near Bristol in the UK open will result in the loss of 400 jobs and has drawn criticism from politicians and unions alike.

Layered gels may help sugar reduction

By controlling the distribution of sugar in a gelled product, the overall sugar concentration may be lowered without affecting the perceived sweetness, says a new study from Sweden.

Weekly comment

US military may enlist Omega-3s to boost performance but why wait?

“An army marches on its stomach.” This advice, from French military adventurer Napoleon, seems to have impressed the US military which is considering fortifying troops’ rations with omega-3 fatty acids. What is it waiting for?

Food packaging to aid aluminium’s global surge

Increasing use of aluminium food and beverage packaging in developing countries will be one factor behind a possible surge in global demand for the material, said one industry leader.

Biomass potential to cut energy footprint huge, says Buhler

Biomass materials such as cocoa shells can be used as new, cost effective sources of energy for chocolate processors aiming to reduce their carbon footprint, claims Buhler.

Insurance payout boosts profits for Imperial Sugar

Imperial Sugar has posted a leap in profits for the first quarter of fiscal 2010 on the back of a one-off insurance payout following the company’s deadly Port Wentworth refinery explosion.

New liquid transfer pump and mould inspector aimed at sweet makers

New confectionery machinery launched at Pro Sweets include inspection equipment from Heuft which can rapidly track product residue in empty moulds used in the manufacture of chocolate and sweets and a hermetic design pump from Mouvex that eliminates the need for mechanical seals.

Dispatches from Pro Sweets

Ecomec claims hike in demand for used confectionery equipment

The second hand confectionery equipment market is buoyant, with strong demand noted in the past 12 months, reports used machinery supplier Ecomec, who added that lack of access to credit within the industry is a predominant factor for the sales hike.

News in brief

Top management at Cadbury resign

The top management at Cadbury have announced their resignation following the takeover of the UK confectionery giant by Kraft.

Roquette gains further maltitol patent protection in the US

A US District Court has ruled that no dry form of maltitol from Yucheng Lujian Biological Co. or its associated companies may enter the US, in the latest chapter of a patent dispute filed by French firm Roquette.

Beyond guilt - Barry Callebaut predicts a healthy future for chocoholics

ConfectioneryNews.com caught up with Hans Vriens, chief innovation officer with global chocolate supplier Barry Callebaut at the industry trade show Pro Sweets, where he spilled the beans on the future for functional chocolate.

Kraft bid wins over 74% of Cadbury shareholders

Kraft’s takeover of UK chocolate firm Cadbury is now unconditional, as 74 per cent of Cadbury shareholders yesterday accepted the offer of 840p per share plus a 10p dividend.

Purchasing habits informing packaging trends at Pro Sweets

Factors such as ease of opening and resealable closures rather than sustainability of materials are driving upcoming packaging developments, claims Mondi Consumer Flexibles.

Weekly comment

No bitter battle over salt science

Excess salt can cause hypertension, heart disease, death. That’s the scientific consensus behind public health campaigns to reduce consumption of sodium chloride in the diet. But not everyone reads the science as conclusive, and when it comes to minerals that are essential to human life, the voice of caution must not be drowned out.