Breaking News on Confectionery & Biscuit Processing

Energy increases force Tate & Lyle price rise

Tate & Lyle's European food and industrial ingredients division proposed increase of 10 to 15 per cent on new contracts for certain products highlights again the impact of rocketing energy prices on the ingredients market.

New Cargill sweetener targets dairy desserts and baked goods

Ingredients giant Cargill has launched a new line of sweeteners designed to reduce the number of calories in frozen dairy desserts and sweetened bakery products such as cake, muffins and brownies, without altering the taste.

eBay of used equipment takes on global market

Call them the eBay of the food processing and packaging machine sector.

EU red tape threatens food promotion initiative

A European Commission programme designed to promote EU food products outside the bloc has been welcomed by the food industry, though criticism over European bureaucracy remains a recurrent theme.

Price pressures impact on Nordic confectionery

Cloetta Fazer, Scandinavia's biggest confectionery company, has revealed growth in the Nordic region despite decreased earnings due to increasing price pressures.

New studies confirm TV-obesity link

Television viewing is a key factor in the nation's growing obesity epidemic, according to two studies published in this month's Journal of Pediatrics.

Food industry success tied to positive WTO outcome

Europe's food industry will significantly benefit from a satisfactory WTO agreement, but for this to happen the EU must maintain its multilateral approach and issues such as export support must be addressed.

Barry Callebaut's American interests grow

Cocoa manufacturing giant Barry Callebaut has underlined the importance of the US in its global portfolio with the opening of a new $20 million facility.

Weekly Comment

Putting a premium on substance over style

Food producers are flogging the term 'premium' for all it's worth, threatening to flood a market that relies on exclusivity for its success with well-packaged tat.

Risk assessment on EU flavours throws up data holes

Europe's watchdog continues to wade through the risk assessment of 1000 flavouring substances, concluding that seven out of eight in the latest batch need more data to determine 'reliable exposure'.

Portion size drives food intake, confirms study

The body's biological signal for controlling hunger and fullness does not step in to regulate intake in the face of huge food servings, according to a Penn State researcher.

Research commitments from food industry essential to reach salt targets

A lift in consumer demand persuades food makers to cut the salt in their formulations, but ongoing research is essential to keep up the pace of change, says Irish food authority.

Nestlé targets brands at hard discounters

Nestlé says it will embrace moves by hard discounters to sell more branded products as part of its plan to recover from difficult times on Europe's food and drink market.

Kraft spin-off moves closer to becoming reality

Food giant Kraft, which saw earnings drop 13.5 percent in third quarter earnings yesterday, moved a step closer to being spun off from parent Altria after a $280 billion government lawsuit against the tobacco industry fell through.

Food makers hurt by packaging, energy costs

Announcements by Danone, Kraft and Cadbury indicate how much the rise of oil prices is affecting packaging and energy costs for food processors.

Nutritional candy introduced to improve health

An Indian government programme has identified candy as the ideal medium for improving the nutritional intake of up to 14 million school children.

Food makers hurt by packaging, energy costs

Announcements by Danone, Kraft and Cadbury indicate how much the rise of oil prices is affecting packaging and energy costs for food processors.

Boost in fight against cocoa fungal infestation

The discovery that two devastating fungal pathogens might be linked could help cocoa farmers dramatically improve production.

Spiralling costs hit lactic acid prices at Purac

For the second time in six months, Purac raises prices for its range of lactic acids as raw material and energy costs continue to bite.

MP urges passage of junk food bill

Junk food adverts targeted directly at kids must be banned if the UK is to seriously tackle the issue of childhood obesity, claims an MP.

Palsgaard launches lecithin replacer for chocolate

As supply and demand issues for non-GM lecithin propel ingredients manufacturers to push alternatives onto the market, Danish emulsifier firm Palsgaard launches citric acid ester as a lecithin replacer.

Reducing risk, food allergen testing on the up

As countdown to new rules on allergen labelling begins, UK food laboratories gear up for growth in testing procedures.

Tate & Lyle roadshow boosts market stature

UK sweetener supplier Tate & Lyle announces it will host a series of presentations to American investors over the coming days, news that sees the firm's shares jump.

Food makers can do more to avert food allergy risk, says UK group

With a European crackdown on food labels for nuts and other allergens imminent, food makers have their work cut out, says UK consumer group.

Scientists make cheap xylitol from spent grain

Russian scientists say they have devised a cheaper and more sustainable way of producing the common sugar substitute xylite, or xylitol, by using left over grains from the brewing and spirits industries.

Tate & Lyle roadshow boosts market stature

UK sweetener supplier Tate & Lyle announces it will host a series of presentations to American investors over the coming days, news that sees the firm's shares jump.

America's first anti lead candy bill passed

Arnold Schwarzenegger, the governor of California has signed a bill regulating the levels of lead found in candy imported from Mexico.

Food makers can do more to avert food allergy risk, says UK group

With a European crackdown on food labels for nuts and other allergens imminent, food makers have their work cut out, says UK consumer group.

More bad times ahead for American sugar producers?

As WTO talks loom, the American sugar industry, badly hit by the recent hurricanes in the south, prepares for further hard line negotiations.

Weekly Comment

A hungry world needs a fit FAO

The crusade to end world hunger has been a bitter failure. But with the world set to sweep away a crooked food trading system, there is a chance to get it right - if only we could revive the FAO from dormancy.

Chocolate replacer firm AarhusKarlshamn greets the market

Freshly created AarhusKarlshamn, a merger between former vegetable fats competitors Aarhus and Karlshmans, completes the building blocks of its new structure.

UK confectionery recalls

The UK's Food Standards Agency has been forced to issue two confectionery food alerts in as many days for unwanted ingredients

Aarhus & Karlshamns become major force in fats

Two leading European manufacturers of oils and fats for the food industry last week joined forces in a move the companies hope will allow them to significantly expand their businesses in the US and Northern Europe.

UK junk food ban sends ripples through industry

New mandatory minimum standards for UK school food means that food makers will have to drastically rethink their marketing strategies.

High fat and sugar diet raises liver disease risk

People with high fat and sugar diets increase their risk of liver problems, confirms a new study.

US sugar production braced for long-term damage

The USDA has increased the levels of sugar that producers are allocated to supply in a bid to avert total disaster following hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Gum innovation to enter confectionery market?

Researchers have developed a new chewing gum formulation that contains bacteria able to tackle consumers' bad breath, offering new opportunities in the market.

EU attacked for raising sugar exports

Sugar reform may yet hijack December's WTO talks as Australia, Brazil and Thailand again accuse the EU of shirking its obligations by planning to increase sugar exports by two million tonnes.

Weekly Comment

Junk Food Babes

If education is meant to deliver knowledge and wise choices, why are we doing so little to educate our children about food?

New Poland will still fight EU sugar reform

A new centre-right government in Poland is unlikely to curb the country's strong opposition to EU sugar reforms as Commission representatives look for common ground to break the 'no' camp.

Tate & Lyle fights to preserve status in sucralose market

Tate & Lyle's ice cream sweetening system has been named as one of the finalists at a forthcoming trade show competition, though the company may soon face a struggle to protect its valuable sucralose patent.

Cocoa compounds may help diarrhoea

Dark chocolate made with flavonol-rich cocoa may help prevent diarrhoea, say scientists who have found cocoa compounds to limit the development of fluids that cause the condition.