Sweet sandwich hits shelves

Tesco has widened the market for ready-packed sandwiches with the introduction of a banana and chocolate variety.

'Record' year for cocoa crops

The International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO) has revised its gloomy cocoa estimate of a 5,000 tonne deficit to predict a global surplus of 80,000 tonnes of cocoa in the coming year,...

Hershey's comes clean about contamination

Hershey's have named soy lecithen as the cause of the Salmonella scare that led to a plant closure and recall of 25 products.

FDA issues new guidance on lead in candy

The US food regulatory agency has issued guidance for industry on the maximum levels of lead allowed in children's candy.

Weekly comment

Folic acid: Sisters aren't doing it for themselves

When the idea of fortifying staple foods with vital nutrients is raised, the battlecry goes up from industry groups and advocates of consumer choice: "Why should we bear the costs?"...

British Sugar launches cost-cutting, process-friendly paste

Sugar supplier British Sugar has launched a new variety of sugar paste promising a whiter, smoother appearance and better taste.

Heat-resistant system aids pre-packaged baking

A new heat-resistant printed film is to be launched by European packaging group Sealed Air Cryovac, allowing in-store bakeries to bake products in already labelled packaging.

Ulma developing quicker bagging system

The packaging sector is set get a boost as Ulma says it is developing a new method to speed upproduct and bag size changes on the packaging line.

Sampling session spurs seasonal sales

UK confectionery group Tangerine, is employing new methods to boost sales of its luxury fudge and chocolate line ahead of the Christmas period.

Consumer concerns prompt Nestlé factory closure

European confectionery giant Nestlé is feeling the heat from consumer worries over health and nutrition with the closure of three of the company's main facilities in France.

EC calls for greater "responsibility" over new sugar reforms

The sugar industry must take greater responsibility to ensure the successful restructuring of the EU market, said the European Commissioner for agriculture.

Ilapak displays speedy sweet wrapping technology

Swiss firm Ilapak has brought its latest wrapping technology to packaging trade fair Emballage with a high speed vertical wrapper.

Nestlé teams up with EPFL for food-brain research

The potential of the brain health nutrition market is only starting to be realised, and Nestlé underlined its intentions yesterday to get a head start on the competition with the...

Revolymer focuses on "Removable" chewing gum

Research company Revolymer intends to step up production of a new polymer that it claims could form the basis of an easily removable chewing gum.

Sweetener distributor combines low costs and quality control

A new sweetener supplier in the US claims to allow food and beverage firms to access ingredient supplies from low-cost manufacturing countries while maintaining Western standards of quality and service.

Weekly Comment

Self-entitlement and food: the globally irresponsible spiral

Until consumers lose the attitude that they deserve and have a right to goods from all over the world, our food systems and the environment are at peril.

FDF slams 'over the top' food ad ban

The UK's Food and Drink Frederation (FDF) has slammed stringent new restrictions on TV food and drink advertising.

Cocoa replacer firm hit by shea nut shortage

Scandinavian ingredients group AarhusKarlshamn (AAK) remains undeterred by a shortfall in raw materials which failed to dent stable profits.

Limagrain promotes salt-free snack pellet breakthrough

French firm Limagrain Cereales Ingredients was at the HIE show in Frankfurt to promote its patented method of making salt-free snacks pellets.

Secrecy surrounds source of Hershey's salmonella outbreak

Four days after announcing the recall of twenty-five chocolate products due to salmonella contamination, Hershey's and the Canadian food inspection agency (CFIA) still refuse to reveal the exact source and...

Packagers team up on turnkey wafer system

A new turnkey packaging system designed as a complete system for wafer products has been developed by European firms SPS and CAMA who joined forces to meet demand in the...

Roquette promotes sugar-free chocolate at HIE

Roquette's promotion of sugar free luxury chocolate underlines the growing shift in what consumers want from indulgence food products.

Western firms size up Chinese gelatine market

PB Gelatins, the gelatin activity of Tessenderlo Group, is setting up a joint venture to be known as PB Gelatins (Pingyang), near Wenzhou in south-eastern China.

Dark chocolate acts as aspirin, study

Cocoa can function in the same way as aspirin in preventing heart attacks, according to a new study investigating its effect on blood platelets.

Machines speed up bag production, manufacturer claims

Two different new bag making machines have been released on the market, one designed to produce large bags at high speed, while the otheris targeted at dry and frozen food...

Enzyme-modified soybean sugar - another gum arabic replacer?

Soybean soluble polysaccharide (SSPS) modified by a rhamnogalacturonase (RGase) enzyme could be used in flavour emulsions, and is a potential replacement for gum arabic, say researchers from Fuji Oil Company.

Weekly Comment

Why climate change cannot be ignored

Ignoring climate change will cost countries billions and lead to food scarcity.

Organic, fairtrade chocolate hits ethical niche

As confectionery makers jostle for a share in the increasingly popular organic market, UK company Venture Foods has launched two new additions to its niche organic and fairtrade chocolate bars.

New horizontal wrapper designed for delicate chocolate

A new horizontal wrapper suitable for handling delicate products such as tray baked goods, biscuits and chocolate confectionery has been developed by Bosch packaging subisidary, Tevopharm.

Christmas chocolatiers go green

Ethical chocolate company Green & Black's has devised an innovative new way to raise its socially responsible profile in the confectionery industry with a unique Christmas concept.

Cocoa cosmetics on the rise

A new trend for cocoa-based cosmetics could prove advantageous to chocolate manufacturers as confectionery giant Nestlé leads the way - joining forces with beauty group L'Oreal.

Packaging system cuts costs and time

A new packaging system which can process up to 1,000 cereal bars per minute and cut changeover times in half has been launched by packaging firm Bradman Lake.

Machine wraps up confectionery packaging

A new operator-friendly flow-wrapper has been launched by packaging firm PFM - providing confectionery manufacturers with an easy-to-use system for producing pillow-style packs

Mars chocolate lowers cholesterol, study

Mars' CocoaVia nutritional chocolate bar range has had its healthy image boosted by a new study indicating that the product actively reduces cholesterol levels.

Danisco sees promise despite tough sugar conditions

Danisco's sugar beet seed business in Denmark is bracing itself for tough new market conditions following the implementation of the EU sugar reform.

China's chocolate market looks sweet for Barry Callebaut

Swiss chocolate maker Barry Callebaut is gearing up for the chocolate market of the future, with the final go-ahead for its first production plant in China

EU sugar reform knocks ABF

Associated British Foods (ABF) yesterday blamed a 21 per cent drop in operating profit on European sugar industry reform and significantly higher energy costs.

Weekly Comment

Transparency is the key to the science kingdom

In the food and nutrition world, science is king. So when journals do not force scientists to fully disclose financial support and potential conflicts of interest, they are not helping...

Barry Callebaut posts sweet sales

Swiss cocoa processor Barry Callebaut announced yesterday that, following company restructuring, profits were showing improvement, despite the cocoa market's recent instability.

Christmas cubes and tubes for Mars

Confectionery giant Masterfoods has begun planning early for the predicted Christmas sales boom, with new packaging designs being rolled out across a number of chocolate product ranges.

Galaxy hot chocolate gets packaging overhaul

Aimia Foods is set to release a new Galaxy hot chocolate product in a unique rectangle-shaped packaging which keeps chocolate fresh and uncorrupted.

Tate & Lyle hails 'excellent' ingredients performance

Tate & Lyle's unaudited interim results have given the firm reason to be confident that stronger growth can be expected in the near future.