As demand continues to outstrip supply, the world price of cocoa was more than 12 per cent higher at the end of last week compared with a year ago, according to the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO).
The legal dispute between Ajinomoto and Asda over the right to call aspartame 'nasty' has taken a radical new turn following a Court of Appeal judgment effectively overturning last year's High Court ruling.
Beverages formulated with stevia are preferred by consumers over similar products sweetened with sugar or other common high intensity sweeteners, says new research from Croatia.
A sucromalt ingredient from Cargill has received Novel Foods approval in Europe, opening up the use of the sweetener in a range of food and beverage products in the bloc.
Product developers at a “very large confectionery company”, a smoothie maker, a babyfood manufacturer and several cereal bar makers are conducting trials of products containing powder from the pulp of the African baobab fruit.
Comax Flavors claims to have ‘set a new standard’ for sweetness enhancers for foods and beverages with the latest addition to its Max FlavorLab range of enhancers.
Uneven distribution of sugar in a food may allow formulators to reduce the sugar content of foods without detrimentally affecting the sweetness of the finished product, Dutch researchers report.
Blommer Chocolate, Petra Foods, and Cemoi Chocolatier have created a joint venture that will establish 30 fermentation centres to improve the supply of high quality, fermented cocoa from the Ivory Coast.
The salt and sugar content of foods may be reduced by using air bubbles as an “inert filler” in liquid products, according to new research from Unilever R&D Vlaardingen.
Consumption of sucralose and sucralose-sweetened products does not affect gut hormones linked to hunger, or detrimentally affect blood sugar levels, says a new study from Australia.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has said it will increase sugar quotas by 200,000 short tons in order to relieve supply pressure, but candy makers are still calling for more.
Dust produced by sugar and flour and other materials such as wood, metal, coal and paper, can produce explosive hazards if not contained, claims Imperial Sugar Company.
Latest data on cocoa output from the world's leading cocoa growers, the Ivory Coast and Ghana, shows that levels are well-below last year, according to Reuters.
Increasing intakes of sugars from processed and prepared foods may detrimentally affect levels of HDL ‘good’ cholesterol, says a new study from the US.
North American cocoa bean grindings revealed a double-digit growth in the first quarter of 2010, the first gain since 2008, according to the latest statistics released from the National Confectioners Association (NCA).
Many British consumers still regard sweeteners with suspicion, although in practice, very few actively avoid products that contain them, according to research commissioned by the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF).
Mars Inc is suing Nutraceuticals, Life Extension Foundation and Naturex for infringing nine patents covering the manufacture of its CirkuHealth cocoa flavanols.
European cocoa grindings in the first quarter of 2010 rose 8.1 per cent on the year, the biggest first-quarter gain in four years, according to data from the European Cocoa Association (ECA) but an industry insider claims a double-digit hike would have...
EU approval for natural sweeteners from the stevia leaf has moved one step closer after scientists at the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) gave them a clean bill of health.
Blends of low-calorie sweeteners like maltitol with polydextrose boosted gut microflora when formulated in chocolate with excellent tolerance, says a new study from the University of Reading.
A new cocoa buying station in Vietnam will support an ongoing programme of cocoa farming expertise transfer and shows the high expectations Cargill has for cocoa development in the country, said the industry chocolate supplier.
World Vision Australia said it has taken the decision to pause campaigning activities aimed at chocolate-based product manufacturer, Arnott’s, for a six month period in response to the company publicly committing to addressing potential labour exploitation...
A UK research project aims to ensure the sustainability of future cocoa production through suggesting ways cocoa breeders can produce varieties more adapted to climate change.
Small amounts of chocolate can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease, according to a study by German researchers published in the European Heart Journal.
The UK’s Food Standards Agency has unveiled its final recommendations to industry for cutting sugar and saturated fat in soft drinks, confectionery and bakery products, which includes trimming back portion sizes of some products.
Representatives of the EU confectionery sector, Caobisco, has said claims made in a Danish documentary about child labour are a misrepresentation of the facts about cocoa farming in the Ivory Coast.
Careful control of protein levels in a food gel could allow for lower-sugar foods to be formulated without affecting the sweetness of the food, says new research from The Netherlands.
A judge has denied an immediate ban on the planting of Monsanto’s genetically modified (GM) sugar beets as it “would have a large detrimental effect on the United States’ domestic sugar supply and price.”
Partial substitution of cocoa butter in confectionery products may be achieved with tea seed oil, a by-product of tea processing, says new research with the potential to help chocolate makers cut costs.
Ambitious growth targets are fuelling leading chocolate supplier Barry Callebaut’s strategy to source cocoa from regions other than West Africa, with Malaysia the focus of the first stage of its cocoa production expansion plan.
Consumption of a beverage rich in cocoa flavanols may boost blood flow to the muscles and ease the demands on the heart during exercising, says a new study from Australia.
As Cargill expands its cocoa farmer training programme in the Ivory Coast this month, we caught up with managing director of Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate, Harold Poelma, to hear about developments in the sourcing of sustainably derived cocoa and his...
The German confectionery industry has expressed concern over the fluctuation in the price of its key raw ingredient, cocoa, as a result of speculation.
Regular consumption of cocoa flavanols may decrease blood pressure in people with mild hypertension, but only at high doses, says a new study from Australia.
Cocoa futures in New York hit their lowest price since September yesterday on signs of increased production in Ivory Coast, which is the leading global supplier.
The first shipment of Fairtrade certified cocoa by farmers based in Sierra Leone has been bought by Divine Chocolate, a company co-owned by cocoa farmers in Ghana.
A simple test of volatile compounds in chocolate may serve as chemical tracers to enable better traceability of cocoa and inform consumers of the countries of origin, say French researchers.
A trial by chocolate maker Lindt USA to supply cocoa bean shells to a fuel burning facility to produce ‘green’ power is now being implemented officially following approval by the state environmental authorities.
PureCircle and Imperial Sugar have launched a joint venture to offer sugar and stevia combinations to the food and beverage industry as it looks to meet consumer demand for natural lower calorie products.
Cocoa bean crop quality and yield is benefiting from a farmer training programme in the Ivory Coast, which is set to be extended to a wider number of farmer cooperatives this month, said Cargill.
The Sugar Policy Alliance has renewed its call for Congress to revise sugar policy as strict import quotas have reduced the availability of refined sugar, thereby inflating prices, the organization says.
By controlling the distribution of sugar in a gelled product, the overall sugar concentration may be lowered without affecting the perceived sweetness, says a new study from Sweden.
Imperial Sugar has posted a leap in profits for the first quarter of fiscal 2010 on the back of a one-off insurance payout following the company’s deadly Port Wentworth refinery explosion.
A US District Court has ruled that no dry form of maltitol from Yucheng Lujian Biological Co. or its associated companies may enter the US, in the latest chapter of a patent dispute filed by French firm Roquette.
Firmenich intends to proceed with the commercial development of a Senomyx sweetness enhancer, which could reduce sucrose content by up to 50 percent without reducing perceived sweetness, Senomyx has said.
