Breaking News on Confectionery & Biscuit Processing

Retailer sweetens Fairtrade range with ethical chocolate

UK retailer Waitrose has become the latest store to target the mounting number of ethically-minded consumers this Christmas with a new range of Fairtrade chocolates hitting shelves in time for the festive shopping spree.

Dark chocolate beats fatigue, study

Further evidence of the health benefits of chocolate has come to light in a new study - giving manufacturers yet another route into the functional food niche.

Confusion drives consumers away from sugar, says industry body

A 'low sugar' claim does not necessarily mean 'low calorie' or 'better for you', said the US Sugar Association, in its latest attempt to recapture a part of the market lost to the growing popularity of sweeteners.

Protein-sugar combo could boost encapsulation stability

A protein-polysaccharide combination for stabilising water-in-oil-in-water emulsions could lead to customised double emulsions with differing release behaviours, German researchers report.

Weekly Comment

Response and Responsibility

Bah, Humbug! It has been that kind of year in general for the food industry, and in particular for some major companies.

Tate & Lyle announces 2007 ingredients pricing rounds

Tate & Lyle has issued an update regarding the 2007 calendar year pricing rounds.

Danisco earnings 'progressing as planned'

Danisco's first half performance for 2006/7 has been 'as expected', said the company.

Metabolix announces $200m bioplastics factory

US firm Metabolix is constructing a new $200m bioplastics factory in Iowa, with commercial production of the packaging material expected to begin in 2008.

Ferrero hanging on court decision for Chinese expansion

Italian chocolate maker Ferrero's ongoing battle with copycat products in China is hindering its growth in the booming market, and continues to erode the brand's value, says the company.

Wild launches natural fruit flavourings

German confectionery ingredients supplier Wild is encouraging manufacturers to get ahead of the trend towards healthier, natural flavours with new products set to be unveiled at the ProSweets confectionery trade fair in the new year.

Sugar-gelatin alternative to pure gum Arabic developed

A matrix of sucrose, gelatin and gum Arabic can successfully encapsulate citrus flavours, and offer potential as a cheaper alternative to pure gum Arabic for the process.

Sporty jelly beans give athletes a boost, study

Sweet manufacturers could find themselves tapping into the sporty potential of confectionery following research into the effects of functional jelly beans on athletes' performance.

Ozone jet washer helps firms clean-up

A new power washer, using ozone mixed with cold water to decontaminate food processing premises, will reduce costs and help the environment, its manufacturer claims.

Orafti launches low sugar Beneo for feel-good foods

Orafti has announced the introduction of Beneo LGI, a virtually sugar-free inulin with multiple applications for healthier food formulation - including products with a low glycaemic index.

Cadbury trading on track despite bitter year

Weak performance in the UK combined with financial irregularities in Nigerian operations has added up to an unsettled year for global confectionery giant Cadbury Schweppes, according to a trading update announced today.

Weekly Comment

Trans Fats: A Farewell to Harm

There's no way but out for heart-damaging trans fatty acids, and procrastinators in the food industry will achieve nothing by delaying reformulation other than lagging behind in the game as the rest of the world waves goodbye.

Shedding light on dark chocolate

The US based Chocolate Manufacturers Association (CMA) has released a guide to cacao content labels in order to demystify confused chocolate consumers.

EU sugar reforms leave east in the cold, claims expert

Central and Eastern European sugar processors are bearing the brunt of new EU reforms due to dominant Western European companies within the industry acting in a political and not economic manner, claims an agricultural expert.

Australia firm patents natural low GI sugar

An Australian firm has patented what it describes as a 'totally natural low GI sugar'.

Mars fined for breaching EU carbon trading scheme

Mars has become one of the first food processors to run afoul of the EU's greenhouse gas controls scheme, with the UK's Environment Agency yesterday fining the company €78,080 (£52,532) for breaching the rules.

Sugarfree trends on display

Sugar replacer firm Palatinit are set to highlight the trend towards health and convenience in the growing sugarfree confectionery sector at the ISM trade fair next year.

New glazing range shines up sweets

German confectionery group Alfred L Wolff has developed a new range of glazing agents, building on its existing line of ingredients designed for sweet manufacturers.

Sugar reform fails to sweeten ABF sales

Associated British Foods (ABF) yesterday blamed a drop in operating profits of 21 per cent to £413m (€612.9m) before on higher energy costs and instability arising from EU sugar reforms.

Weekly Comment

Taking the junk out of junk food

The relationship between child and crisp has long been a sacred one but instead of exploiting this dynamic to shovel unhealthy food into young mouths isn't it about time healthier companies exploited it to push junk food without the junk?

Buhler steps up cocoa production in Ghana

Supplier Buhler has boosted machinery supplies to facilities in Ghana, enabling operations in the country to not only harvest the beans but process them into cocoa butter and powder.

Barry Callebaut promotes cocoa's healthy side

Barry Callebaut has produced a new website entirely devoted to promoting the nutritional benefits of cocoa in an effort to counteract the increasingly unhealthy image of chocolate products and their unpopularity in a health-conscious market.

Blend palm kernel oil and palm oil to better replace cocoa butter?

Blending palm kernel oil, extracted by supercritical carbon dioxide, and palm oil leads to new cocoa butter replacers (CBR), offering cheaper alternatives with good physical and chemical properties.