The possibilities for functional chocolate are wide-ranging. In this special edition, ConfectioneryNews scopes out the in-demand active ingredients for chocolate products, from probiotics to phytosterols and energy ingredients.
SPECIAL EDITION: HEALTHY AND FUNCTIONAL CONFECTIONERY
Energy and antioxidants are the biggest trends for herbal sugar confectionery with acerola, guarana and green tea the hottest three ingredients, says Naturex.
The EU energy market is set to grow by €1bn by 2017 and much of that could come from ‘natural energy’, a sub-sector that has been boosted by recent health claim approvals, says Euromonitor International analyst, Diana Cowland.
US firm Vitaball is gearing up to launch a caffeine-free energy tablet gum and gum ball that it claims gives it a distinct market position over its competitors.
The UK's largest confectionery company, Mondelez International-owned Cadbury, has decided against signing up to the UK’s hybrid front of pack nutritional label as competitors Mars and Nestlé adopt the tags.
Mars Drinks says it sees huge global potential for single-serve hot drinks machines and consumables in the high-growth office environment, and predicts ‘tremendous growth’ in emerging markets.
Colombian researchers have questioned the clinical benefits of sugar free chewing gum to prevent dental caries and gingivitis after a double-blind, randomized controlled trial. A scientist from Mondelez has doubted the findings.
Swiss-Israeli flavours and ingredients house Frutarom wants a greater slice of the global functional foods and drinks market with new investment and initiatives to tap markets like the Americas and Asia and the “sensitive” European market.
The Australian confectionery industry has broadly welcomed a 'star based' voluntary front-of-pack labeling system but is concerned about time frames to introduce the measures.
Atlantia Food Contract Research Organisation has identified methods of best practices to help food and supplements makers conduct human intervention studies that will help them win a European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) health claim.
More people in the US favored dark chocolate in 2012 than they did the prior year due to its potential health benefits, according to market analysts Mintel.
When stevia sealed EU novel foods approval in December 2011 it was heralded as the holy grail of sweeteners, but has it lived up to all the hype for chocolate?
The Brazilian biscuit market is set to grow 25% in value sales in the next five years and a big opportunity exists for healthy cookies marketed to women, according to market analysts Mintel.
Recent data from Symphony Consulting (click here), shows that while US retail sales of products making ‘natural’ claims still grew in 2012, the pace of that growth slowed noticeably compared with the 2009-11 period.
A study funded by the US National Confectioners Association (NCA) has not ruled out that candy may cause obesity but has suggested there is no link between the number of candy-eating occasions and the condition.
The potential of cocoa to beneficially impact ‘good’ cholesterol levels may be linked to the theobromine content and not the flavonoids, says a new study from Unilever Research & Development Vlaardingen.
There is still a market for caffeine gums even after US Food and Drug Administration concerns prompted Wrigley to suspend production of its new Alert gum, according to private label gum maker Fertin Pharma.
Confectionery is a novel way to control your weight, according to private label firm Carmit Candy which has just launched a weight management chocolate wafer bar.
Chocolate is a strong carrier for probiotics and could present an opportunity for brand manufacturers to introduce products to improve gut health, according to supplier DuPont.
Cocoa flavanols in dark chocolate may keep you calmer and content but no link has been established with enhanced cognitive performance, according to a study funded by Barry Callebaut.
Barry Callebaut’s innovation department has revealed that the level of cocoa flavanols, which are associated with a string of positive health effects, vary depending on where beans are sourced.
The FDA says it will take a “fresh look” at the health effects of caffeine on kids following the launch of Alert Energy Caffeine Gum - a new caffeinated gum from Wrigley (Mars).
Launches from Hershey, Mondelez and Nestlé were among the top 100 bestselling new food and drink items in 2012 having filled consumer needs for convenience, indulgence and functionality, according to Information Resources (IRIs) ‘New Product Pacesetters’...
Eating chocolate may increase incidence and severity of acne by stimulating microorganisms that cause the condition, according to a team of Dutch researchers.
Consumers in New Zealand are spending more on healthier and ethical chocolate variants - a move that has aided growth in the burgeoning sector, an analyst says.
Consumers perceive foods labelled as organic as tastier and healthier than those without organic labels, even if the foods are exactly the same, according to a study published in the journal Food Quality and Preference.
Chewing gums backed by approved health claims and with low price points are a rare growth opportunity in the mature Dutch confectionery market, according to market analysts Canadean.
Chewing gum has long been considered a potential appetite suppressant, but new research says there is no evidence it can control hunger and mint-flavored varieties may even deter people from healthy foods like fruit.
ConfectioneryNews takes a look at the latest confections to hit store shelves across the globe including stevia-sweetened Haribo in Germany, low calorie chocolates in Japan, and teeth friendly candy in the UK
The maker of a newly launched appetite suppressant gum claims to be the first to have self-affirmed GRAS status for hoodia in the US and hopes to overcome the negative image of the plant as a weight management ingredient.
Mars-owned Wrigley is to launch an energy chewing gum with the caffeine equivalent of half a cup of coffee in each piece but one analyst says the product misses the key youth market and could prove a lawsuit hazard.
Diabetes UK says there are not enough cocoa flavanols in chocolate to benefit diabetics after a study found that a cocoa extract could help people with the condition regulate insulin levels.
Barry Callebaut has developed a formula to reduce the bitterness of high cocoa chocolate using green coffee that doesn’t give a coffee taste and ups antioxidant content.
A high-dose satiety gum containing a potato extract and African mango has launched in the US that takes four pieces to achieve clinically-backed results.
The author of a study on blue dyes in lollipops says that her paper focuses on the risk of systemic absorption in small quantities and not “human health risks”.
Carmit Candy Industries’ expertize in specialty free-from candy formulations will give a competitive edge to its new line of functional confectionery targeting specific health functions and demographics, it CEO says.
Candy makers must take responsibility to tackle obesity and should act before regulators force their hands, says Mars Chocolate North America's president.
