Exotic ingredients starting to prove popular with manufacturers

Exotic ingredients are starting to grow in demand from European manufacturers as they target the healthy end of the bakery market.

Cargill introduces sweetener system for baked goods

A sweetener system for bakery products is designed to reduce the fat and calorie content of baked goods without altering the taste and texture, according to manufacturer Cargill, which introduced...

Tate & Lyle launches compressible dextrose for candy, tablets

Tate and Lyle has announced the launch of Meritab - a new direct compressible dextrose that can be used in confectionary, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications.

IFT: food cravings could be key to obesity

The role of food craving must be properly investigated if we are to successfully develop measures to counter the current obesity crisis, said Marcia Levin Pelchat from Morell Chemical Senses...

EU and food industry both part of the obesity solution

The obesity issue is not going to solve itself, concluded participants in a CIAA debate this month who advocated an EU-wide approach to tackling the problem, with the food and...

Higher palm oil output in Thailand may reduce prices

Thailand's food makers could enjoy lower palm oil prices this year, with domestic production expected to increase by around a third.

Bunge targets snack bar makers with protein enhancement system

Leading oilseed producer Bunge has developed a new process to incorporate protein into candy bars, which the company claims does not have a negative impact on the product's texture and...

IFT president joins food colour giant DD Williamson

President of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Margaret Lawson has become vice president for science and innovation at global food colour manufacturer DD Williamson.

Cadbury under pressure from authorities

Cadbury Schweppes has come under fire from UK food watchdogs after it failed to report finding traces of a rare strain of salmonella in its products.

Tate & Lyle US launches new sweetener solutions at IFT

UK ingredients firm Tate & Lyle is using the IFT convention in Orlando as a platform to introduce two new sweetener solutions on the US market, designed to be convenient...

IFT opens its doors in Orlando

Food technologists and manufacturers will be swarming to Florida tomorrow to learn about the latest ingredients innovations as the 2006 IFT annual meeting and food expo opens its doors in...

Kraft CEO attacks trade barriers on sugar prices

The chairman of Kraft Foods, the world's second biggest food company, Roger Deromedi, has launched an attack on EU and US trade barriers that are driving up the price of...

Superbrand suppliers hold sway over retailers, says analyst

At a time when consumer perceptions of famous brand names are at an all time low - and private label goods are taking an ever increasing market share - retailers...

French colloids firm recognised for export expertise

French colloid firm CNI has been recognised by the government as the best export agent of 2005, representing something of a coup for the Iranex group-owned ingredients business.

CP Kelco expands xanthan gum output in China

Nurturing a competitive edge, US xanthan gum producer CP Kelco expands production in the one of the world's fastest growing markets.

Leatherhead to lead companies in expanding polyol uses

Leatherhead Food International (LFI) is launching a new industry collaboration project to explore the uses of polyols and generate physical data for polyol/sugar blends.

Online chocolate firm targets gourmet sector

IndulgeInChocolate.com, an online gourmet chocolate business, has extended its line of top-end products in order to tap growing demand for quality treats.

New organic flavour extracts hit European market

A European supplier of organic flavour extracts has added a range of new ingredients to its portfolio, designed to produce a cleaner label and boost the profile of organic products...

Africa outlines blueprint for future cocoa production

A group of eight African nations have agreed to a plan aimed at establishing a better deal for the continent's cocoa producers.

New gum launches at All Candy Expo

Chewing gum has been one of the most impressive growth segments within the confectionery market, and the recent All Candy Expo shows that it is still innovative.

Dark chocolate innovations at Chicago

This month's All Candy Expo in Chicago saw an impressive range of dark chocolate launches, suggesting that innovation is still possible in this well-established segment.

Chr Hansen sells off US sweetener business

Chr. Hansen has sold its speciality sweetener division to American Sugar Refining as part of its US refocusing strategy.

J.O Sims invests in berry technology for baked goods

Rising demand for berry fruits in bakery goods has led fruit ingredient firm J.O. Sims to invest in new research and development work to improve fruit functionality in these applications....

DSM sells division to focus on value-added ingredients

DSM Food Specialties' sale of its Engevita inactive dry yeast business is part of the group's strategy of focusing on added value yeast extracts and other flavour ingredients.

China to sell sugar reserves to ease prices

Sugar prices on China's futures market fell sharply this week as the government announced that it would auction 552,000 tons, mostly from its reserve stocks, to stabilise prices.

Hot Queensland summer boosts beverage, frozen dessert sales

Sales of sparkling juices, bottled water and flavoured milk soared in Queensland this summer, as the Australian state experienced one of the longest and hottest summers on record.

Wild to develop aseptic pouch filling centre in Italy

Wild has acquired an Italy-based machine manufacturer and plans to leverage the purchase by developing a new plant for the aseptic filling of spouted pouches.

New Tetra Pak cereal packaging could boost product appeal

Ready-to-pour cereal products in packaging that has until now been associated with juice cartons could be the new way to improve the appeal of products and add consumer value, according...

Weekly comment

Healthy food and the World Cup of missed opportunity

Beer, bakery, confectionery, sweet drinks, pizzas, snacks galore, and even dog food. The list of products with World Cup tie-ins is dominated by junk food, while healthy food makers seem...

Nestlé confident that food prices will stabilise

Nestle doesn't expect raw material prices to rise further this year, despite a recent FAO report that forecasts an increase of over 2 per cent in the world food import...

US confectionery sector shows strong innovation

The US confectionery industry has big expectations for the coming year, as the recent 2006 All Candy Expo demonstrated.

Cargill welcomes new EU sweetener regulations

Cargill Sweetness Solutions has welcomed the change in EU law surrounding the sweetener erythritol, saying it will give food and beverage manufactures across Europe greater flexibility in developing their products.

Mango cookies could boost dietary fibre intake, says research

Extracts from mangos are a rich source of dietary fibre, both soluble and insoluble, with good antioxidant properties and can easily be used in bakery products to boost public consumption,...

Plant diseases threaten global chocolate production

A fifth of the cacao beans used to make chocolate are lost to plant diseases every year - and things could get worse, according to scientists.

Chinese sugar mills face bankruptcy, says report

The Chinese government expects more than 150 small sugar mills to be faced with bankruptcy in the near future, according to a new report.

Cadbury to miss targets for 2006

Cadbury Schweppes says that it is unlikely to be able to deliver margin growth within the company's goal ranges for 2006, though US gum sales have been strong.

Ofcom under pressure over junk food ads

The UK advertising regulator Ofcom is under pressure to reconsider its rejection of a 9pm watershed ban on junk food advertising, according to a UK newspaper.

Choose optimal thickening agent to boost flavour, lower salt

Sensory perception of flavours could be boosted, and salt levels lowered, by choosing the optimal starch thickener, say scientists, a result that could have big implications for the food industry.

Cargill to expand cocoa presence in Ghana

Cargill is to build a state-of-the-art cocoa processing facility in Ghana, West Africa, to produce cocoa liquor, butter and powder.

Agrana moves sugar operations to Balkans

Agrana, which claims to be the leading sugar and starch producer in Central and Eastern Europe, plans to expand its activities towards the Western Balkans.

Freezing fruit flavour technology targets confectioners

New freezing fruit flavour technology has been developed that could benefit confectioners looking to demand for natural ingredients.

Cadbury acquires South African gum business

Cadbury Schweppes has completed the acquisition of South Africa's leading chewing gum business from Botswana-based Dan Products.

Unilever launches healthy eating labelling initiative

Unilever has launched Choices, a front of pack logo programme designed to help consumers identify packaged foods and beverages that offer a healthier choice.

Could monoacyl sugar alcohols be used as emulsifiers?

Japanese scientists have reported that monoacyl sugar alcohols could be 'very promising emulsifiers' and could offer an alternative to the widely used monoacyl glycerols.

Rhodia raises vanillin prices to fund Chinese ambitions

Rhodia explains to FoodNavigator why the firm's vanillin price increases, unveiled today, are absolutely necessary for the business to progress - and why so much attention is being focused on...