Breaking News on Confectionery & Biscuit Processing

Wild devises natural colour and flavour range for marshmallows

Marshmallow colour and flavour innovation and an extension of its red shade portfolio have been the focus of recent R&D work at natural ingredients producer Wild.

Pemberton’s chocolates wins a reprieve

Welsh premium chocolate factory Pemberton’s has had a reprieve from closure, after two potential buyers have expressed interest in acquiring the business.

Antioxidant-rich cocoa shows short-term heart benefits: Harvard review

Eating antioxidant-rich cocoa products may improve blood pressure and boost levels of good cholesterol, according to a meta-analysis of studies.

Trials prove sensory attributes of sunflower lecithin, says Sternchemie

German supplier Sternchemie claims recent in-house trials demonstrate that sunflower lecithin is a viable alternative to IP soy lecithin for chocolate manufacturer, but greater dosages are required to achieve the viscosity and sensory properties of soy formulations.

Dutch proposal to end EU duty on sustainable palm oil gains momentum

A call from the Netherlands to end European import duty on sustainably produced palm oil has been welcomed by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). The proposal is designed to encourage the uptake of sustainable palm oil by offsetting some of the added costs.

Mars goes Fairtrade with Maltesers

Mars has announced that Maltesers will be its first brand to carry the Fairtrade mark from June 2012, the commitment follows similar moves from Cadbury and Nestle.

Peruvian expedition reveals new cacao flavours

Newly identified types of cacao plants with unique flavours that could be in the confectionery industry have been identified by researchers exploring the Peruvian Amazon Basin.

News in brief

Ingredients group Sudzucker reports earnings hike of 9%

German food ingredients giant Sudzucker, in a trading statment in advance of its results, reports positive earnings for the half year.

Sugar prices kept artificially high, say US bakers and confectioners on reform path

Last week, hundreds of confectioners and bakers gathered on Capitol Hill, the meeting place of the US congress, to call for an end to the sugar price support programme, which they claim is keeping sugar prices artificially high and forcing food companies out of business.

Dispatches from Pack Expo

Bosch bullish on Western economic outlook, predicts huge Chinese growth

Bosch packaging chief Friedberg Klefenz said talk of another economic downturn has failed to dent the company’s buoyant order books as he also forecasts strong growth in its Chinese operations.

Nestlé gets the green light for UK expansion

Nestlé’s scheme to expand operations at its Product Technology Centre in York cleared the final hurdle last week at a planning meeting of City of York Council.

Cargill flavours buy not transformational but good fit for Kerry, analyst

Kerry’s acquisition of Cargill’s flavour systems for €168m ($230m) is by no means transformational but will boost the Irish ingredient firm’s beverages and dairy flavours portfolio, claims an analyst.

Buyer wanted for Highland Toffee firm

The search for a buyer for Highland Toffee firm, New McCowans is hotting up after administrators Grant Thornton confirmed they are in discussions with interested parties.

Beetroot extract could provide natural replacement for carmine: Synthite

A newly developed natural food colouring made from beetroot extracts could be a solution to replacing carmine colours made from insects, according to ingredient producer Synthite.

Is it the end of the line for Highland Toffee and Wham Bars?

Scottish brands Highland Toffee and Wham Bars are among the familiar names under threat as the company that owns them goes into administration for the third time in six years.

News in brief

Dark chocolate does not give you a 'workout', insists NHS

Dark chocolate does not 'give you a workout', the UK National Health Service (NHS) has insisted, as it reacted to 'misleading newspaper headlines" that suggested such effects in light of a small-scale study of 25 mice.

Eco-concerns and brand owner pull fuelling cellophane renaissance

FoodProductionDaily.com recently caught up with Innovia Film’s Alexander van t’Riet to talk about the changing fortunes of cellophane.

Kraft/Cadbury saga prompts UK takeover shake up

New rules for takeover deals are designed to put an end to the kind of prolonged, acrimonious struggle that preceded Kraft’s acquisition of Cadbury in 2010.

PureCircle sales fall, awaiting EU stevia approval

PureCircle said that a “delay” in regulatory approval for stevia in the EU was a factor contributing to lower-than-expected sales for the year.

Cargill to open its first Asian cocoa processing plant

Cargill has revealed plans to expand its cocoa and sugar operations in the emerging markets of Brazil and Indonesia.

Multi-million £ investment in Nestlé’s York R&D centre

Nestlé will start a multi-million pound investment in its global confectionery research centre in York if, as expected, it receives planning approval at a city council meeting this Thursday, September 22.

Consumers continue to seek alternatives to artificial flavours, reports Leatherhead

Consumers are set to treat artificial flavourings with an ever greater degree of suspicion, if not hostility, claims a UK report looking at future flavour trends in the food and drink additives market.

Indonesia’s palm oil tax change comes under fire

Indonesia’s new tax structure for palm oil exports has sparked concern among competing refiners abroad and palm oil growers at home.

Unilever holds off on GAR palm purchases

Unilever today said it has not resumed palm oil purchases from Golden Agri-Resources (GAR), after Nestle said it has resumed orders.

‘Critical’ EU sugar supplies demand urgent action: CIUS

EU sugar supplies are at their most critical levels since the 2005 sugar reform and are causing ‘extreme volatility, instability and disruption’ to the European food and drink industry.

News in brief

Nordic Sugar resubmits sugar beet constipation claims to EFSA

The Danish group Nordic Sugar has resubmitted to article 13.5, emerging and proprietary science health claim submissions linking sugar beet fibre consumption and digestive health benefits to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

PureCircle introduces new stevia sweetener for deeper calorie reductions

Stevia supplier PureCircle has introduced a new stevia-derived sweetener, which it claims has fewer of the taste problems previously associated with stevia, allowing deeper calorie reductions in a wide range of products.

Sky-high sugar prices threaten US jobs, warn confectioners

Inflated US sugar prices are threatening jobs throughout the country’s confectionery industry, warned the National Confectioners Association (NCA) in a letter to the US Department of Agriculture.

Ecolab unveils new clean-in-place formulations

Improved performance and a reduction in carbon footprint are benefits claimed by Ecolab for its new range of clean-in-place (CIP) formulations for food and beverage processors.

Speculation said to be key driver in food price instability

A new report from the World Development Movement (WDM) links financial speculation to the rising cost of foods, and calls for effective regulation to curb banks betting on food prices in financial markets.

ADM extends premium cocoa liquor range

ADM (Archer Daniels Midland) Cocoa has extended its Unicao range of cocoa liquors produced from Ivory Coast cocoa beans, for use in premium milk and dark chocolate products.

Fad or real need: UK research aims to get behind 'free from' foods trend

New research is hoping to determine whether the rising demand for ‘free from’ foods is driven by a real need or a fad, while also identifying the potential opportunities for food and drink makers.

Surging supply projections do little to suppress cocoa prices

Surging cocoa supplies did little to prevent front month prices for cocoa (cocoa futures) creeping up by 4 per cent throughout August, according to Euromonitor. “The big surprise has been that this rise has taken place on the back of strong supply projections,” said senior foods analyst Francisco Redruello.

Kerry acquires SuCrest, gains sweet expertise

Kerry Group’s acquisition of sweet ingredients provider SuCrest will extend its technology and expertise in that arena, said the global flavour and ingredients powerhouse.

British Sugar strike moves closer as relations sour

Relations are worsening between Unite the union and British Sugar as strike action looms at four British Sugar sites.

‘Sweets for my sweet’ costly for Bulgarian confectioners

EU-wide sugar shortages have led to particular problems for confectioners in Bulgaria, according to recent comments from a trade body in that country.

News in brief

Daily dark chocolate snack doesn't rule out weight loss, study

Dieters can still achieve weight-loss by consuming a daily dark chocolate or "non-chocolate snack" within the context of a low-calorie, nutrient-dense diet, according to a study in the Journal of the American Dietic Association.

Emulsifier alternatives may only have niche food and drink appeal

Emulsifier replacers or alternatives are likely to be used only in the premium end of food and drink products due to cost concerns, claim UK experts.

Belgian firm gears-up for first ever UK stevia chocolate launch

Belgian chocolate firm Cavalier has confirmed that it is planning to launch the UK's first chocolate range containing stevia from January next year, while other launches across the EU will also follow initial listings in Belgium from November.

PureCircle gets ready for EU stevia backing, opens UK office

In anticipation of stevia approval in Europe, leading producer, PureCircle, has announced that it is setting up its European headquarters in the UK to support customers in their launches throughout the region.

Kraft invests in Bournville, defends global split

Kraft has confirmed that it has chosen Cadbury’s site in Bournville as the site of a new chocolate centre to “drive new product development and new technologies” for chocolate brands.

Food firms wage war on waste

UK food firms have eliminated 1,400t of waste in a project led by grocery think-tank IGD and commissioned by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP). Participants also believe they could eradicate waste by a further 1,193t within a year.

Nestle's take two on probiotic curd market in India

In an attempt to rebrand its pitch to Indian customers who are yet to transition towards healthier food products, Nestle India Ltd has phased out its existing probiotic dahi (curd) product in India for a new brand.

Brussels looks set to end sugar quotas by 2016

The EU is set to abolish the system of sugar production quotas for the bloc as well as guaranteed minimum prices from 2016, according to a Brussels source.

Flexible packaging – demand, growth and corporate trends unpicked

The global market for flexible packaging is projected to be worth more than US$71bn with worldwide consumption set for annual growth of more than 4 per cent to reach almost 22.5m tonnes by 2016, said a new report by Pira International.

Thorntons bemoans ‘toughest ever’ high street conditions

Thorntons chief executive Jonathan Hart has described the firm’s 2010/11 trading year as “one of the toughest consumer spending environments we have experienced”.

Industry hails first global measurement system for packaging sustainability

New global guidelines on packaging sustainability will help companies reduce their carbon footprint while boosting efficiency and spur more effective communication between players throughout the supply chain, said Unilever’s Nigel Bagley.

UK children could exceed ADI levels for Sunset Yellow, finds EFSA

A decision is awaited from the Commission on the use of Sunset Yellow FCF (E 110) in non-alcoholic flavoured drinks following a revised exposure assessment from EFSA showing some children in the UK could still be over the ADI levels for the additive.

New fructose enhancers promise ‘significant amplification’ of sweet taste in HFCS

San-Diego-based flavor innovator Senomyx has started taste tests on novel fructose enhancers that could help amplify the sweet taste of fructose, a key component in high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

Allergen labelling in UK under the spotlight

Allergen labelling comes under the spotlight in the UK, with a new Food Standards Agency (FSA) survey aiming to get insight into the relevance of current approaches.

Barry Callebaut launches €22m European investment

Chocolate and cocoa products supplier Barry Callebaut is to invest €22m in upgrading and expanding its European facilities.

In the biscuit world, full fat is now king

Manufacturers are no longer looking to make healthier cookies and biscuits, preferring instead to focus product development on indulgence and portion control, according to a market expert.

‘Substantial variations’ in the use of trans-fats still exist, says research

Although the content of trans-fat in is generally declining, substantial variations are still present in certain product categories, according to new research from Germany.

Study maps how tastes are coded in brain

Different tastes are sensed by a unique set of neurons in distinct areas of the brain, reveals new research in mice.

Scientists hit on way to control and improve cocoa products' flavour

A German research team has identified key aroma and taste compounds of cocoa relying on molecular sensory science and report a way to improve the taste of chocolate, which could manufacturers control and improve the flavour of cocoa products.

European scientists asked to help cut UK bakery salt intake

Research groups and universities throughout Europe have been invited to help UK food manufacturers cut the level of salt in baked goods, confectionary products and other foods.