Larger serving sizes on a food’s packaging encourage people to eat less, US researchers have found, as consumer groups in Europe put pressure on policymakers to help food manufacturers set realistic portion sizes.
Japanese researchers have devised a method to make one of the sweetest natural sweeteners even sweeter in a development that will be seen as a breakthrough at a time when consumers are moving away from sugar.
A daily supplement with an extract from cacao may reduce UV-induced skin aging and protect against wrinkles, suggests a new study with lab mice and human skin cells.
Britain’s National Heath Service (NHS) could save £8.2m ($11.8m) a year if all the territory's 12-year olds chewed three pieces of sugarfree gum a day, says a study in the British Dental Journal.
Chocolate may improve placental function during pregnancy but flavanol levels seem to make no difference to pregnancy outcomes, says a Canadian researcher.
A study by Clavis Insight suggests major retailers in the US and UK are missing on an important sales opportunity to drive Valentine’s chocolate purchases online.
Consuming cocoa flavanols may interact with the gut microbiota as a way of preventing metabolic syndrome or easing the condition’s symptoms, a review has concluded.
Cocoa off-flavors can be avoided by fermenting beans in sealed vacuumed bags inside an incubator with yeast starter cultures, claims Mars in a patent application
Adding a mangosteen fruit by-product to cheaper low cocoa chocolates could improve their nutritional content without compromising flavour, researchers have discovered.
The use of plain packaging on unhealthy food as an obesity prevention measure may have the opposite effect by increasing snack intake among men, a study has found.
A scientist says a New York Daily News article suggesting his new study shows dark chocolate has preventative effects against pancreatic cancer because it contains magnesium is misleading.
Millennial consumers claim to favor ethical products, but are often unwilling to pay the premium in practice, according to a study supported by Hershey.
Drinking a beverage rich in cocoa flavanols improved blood vessel function and reduces diastolic blood pressure in individuals with kidney failure, German research has found.
Moderate chocolate consumption may help expectant mothers and their fetuses by reducing stress and providing antioxidants that guard against reproductive diseases and pregnancy complications, say Italian researchers.
High-flavanol cocoa supplementation may have positive impacts on facial wrinkles and skin elasticity in photo-aged Korean women, says a new study from scientists from Seoul National University.
A short burst of hot air or incubation can prevent unsightly white marks on chocolate obtained via friction during production and packing, according to a patent application from Mars.
Low energy sweeteners commonly used in diet sodas may help with weight loss, says a University of Bristol study, adding that confusion among consumers between sweeteners and sugar needs to be addressed.
Consuming up to two grams per day of cocoa flavanols for 12 weeks is well tolerated in healthy men and women, says a new study from scientists from Mars Inc. and the University of California, Davis.
While many people have snacks, sugar and sodas pinned as the bad guys in the war against obesity, one recent study found little to no correlation between consumption of junk food and obesity.
Olive oil, black pepper, bread and cheese - restaurants and artisan ice cream makers are finding success with savoury flavours but will European manufacturers and retailers follow?
A possible reason for how caramel coated apples were behind a multi-state Listeria monocytogenes outbreak linked to seven deaths has been revealed by researchers.
Consumer trends are actively changing how food items are packaged, according to a report released at this year’s Pack Expo Las Vegas and Pharma Expo 2015.
Consumers end up eating for much longer stretches of the day than they had anticipated with over half of adults eating over a 15-hour span daily, says new research.
Consumers can make healthier choices from both traffic light and numerical labelling, but individuals’ levels of self-control can make a big difference to the effectiveness of an intervention, according to two new studies.
Disrupted insulin signalling in the brain along with a high-fat diet may result in overconsumption, while a normal diet has no effect, say researchers - who suggest that these altered brain functions can lead to us overconsuming fatty foods.
Protein ingredients are facing major challenges in developed markets, with stagnation in technical applications and uncertainty over health and sports markets, according to a report from Giract.
Scientists have identified a genetic defect in oil palms, called bad karma, which reduces yields – a finding that could save industry both time and money, they say.
Cocoa flavanols have been tied to lowering blood pressure and heart disease risk in new research by a Mars-backed project, but study authors say chocolate is too calorific to be a delivery vehicle.
Preserving the natural structure of plant fibre during food processing keeps blood sugar levels in check – meaning manufacturers can make their products healthier without changing the ingredients, say researchers.
The first commercial 3D printer for retail will be used to create gummies in different shapes, sizes, colors and flavors, says creator Katjes Fassin UK.
Fortifying biscuit with bee pollen may help manufacturers increase protein, fiber and polyphenol content without impacting taste, according to Polish researchers.
Consumers are significantly more likely to buy foods that carry front-of-pack nutrition labels irrespective of their nutritional value, according to a study published in Public Health Nutrition.
There are no major differences in nutritional content between private labels, national brands and hard discount goods – although private labels come out top for nutrition labelling, according to a French government study.
Fatty, sugary snacks have been popular in the US and UK for decades, but new research shows that the emulsifiers, fat and sugar content of some snacks, baked goods and candies may be creating harmful cycles within the human body.
NASA is exploring all forms of cutting edge technology, from 3D printing to high pressure processing and more to be able to transition its food system from the International Space Station to a Mission to Mars, says Grace Douglas, PhD.
Yeast species used in the beer, wine and bread industries can also be used in cocoa fermentation to create unique flavors for chocolate confectionery, say Belgian researchers.
Lack of media differentiation between different study designs has helped warp public perception of low- and no-calorie sweeteners, according to registered dietitian and diabetes educator Hope Warshaw.
