‘Fat tax’ is a neat thought, but like all simplistic ideas it falls down at the execution, as the progress of the policy in Denmark shows – it simply doesn’t work in practice.
Junk food will be banned from sale in and around Indian schools after India’s food agency indicated it would follow guidance from a local court to restrict their availability.
The Children’s Food Campaign (CFC) has stepped up its assault on food industry advertising, vowing to press on with complaints against Nestlé after winning a challenge against UK confectionery firm Swizzels Matlow.
Healthy food should be made cheaper and a ‘fat tax’ should not be treated simplistically in Israel, the head of the public health lobby in Israel’s parliament has told FoodNavigator.
The more we move, the slimmer we will become, right? However, with ballooning obesity rates over the past 30 years, research suggests that this is not the case. US adults are moving more than ever – but eating more than ever too.
Chocolate can improve brain functioning and mood, according to scientific review assessing over 100 previous studies linking chocolate to health benefits.
Swiss chocolate processor Barry Callebaut has won an article 13.5 health claim from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for a dossier linking cocoa flavanols and blood circulation.
The Association of Chocolate, Biscuit and Confectionery Industries (CAOBISCO) has called for a halt to ‘discriminatory’ food taxes in its latest annual report and argues that there is no such thing as unhealthy foods, only unhealthy diets.
Almonds may contain 20% fewer calories than previously thought, with potential implications for nutrition labeling, according to new research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The Danish government is considering reversing its decision to impose a tax on saturated fat in food and may also abandon plans to introduce a similar sugar tax.
DG Sanco has reignited the nutrient profiling debate by initiating a consultation with other parts of the European Commission to test support for it to set nutrient profiles under health claims legislation.
Biotec firm Lycotec has developed an ingredient for chocolate and other fat-based foods that it claims can help consumers to manage their weight and reduce blood cholesterol.
In order to have any effect on population health, fat taxes must raise food prices by 20% and should be combined with subsidies on healthy foods, say UK-based experts. However industry leaders have branded the calls as ‘irresponsible.’
Vitafoods celebrates its 15th birthday next week. It’ll be my 11th consecutive May visit to Geneva for the jamboree and promises to be one of the most intriguing chapters with the (partial and belated) resolution of years of ambiguity regarding health...
Amorfrutins found in the root of liquorice may have anti-inflammatory effects and could aslo be useful in the reduction of blood sugar levels, according to new research.
Functional health ingredients have failed to move into mainstream confectionery and have not penetrated the market as expected, according to a report from Leatherhead Food Research.
Leading confectioners Nestle, Mars and Kraft are among the signatories to a UK government pledge to cut five billion calories from the nation’s daily diet.
Leaf Italia has been cleared by the UK’s Adverting Standards Agency (ASA) after a complaint alleged that a game on its Chewits sweets website gave misleading impressions of the health benefits of the product.
Utilising dairy ingredients already present in confectionery items can allow manufacturers to produce healthy products that meet consumer demands, according to a specialist at NIZO Food Research.
Nestlé has leapt to the defence of its Nesquik milk-based drinks brand, after the Children’s Food Campaign (CFC) lodged a ‘super complaint’ with the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), complaining that well-known beverage and food brands were targeting...
Cocoa and its extracts have the potential to rival the success of cranberries as healthful powerhouses, especially if a recently applied for European Union health claim is approved this year, says a leading consultant and author.
Ethical production claims such as ‘fair trade’ may influence how consumers perceive calorie content, according to new research published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.
Barry Callebaut has submitted an article 13.5 health claim dossier to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) linking cocoa flavanols and healthy blood flow.
The culinary herb western parsley (WP) can boost antioxidant activity in fatty foods and improve stabilisation over a long storage period, according to a study by Japanese researchers.
In the first part of this exclusive interview, Beneo Group executive board member, Yves Servotte, explains how European Union health claim rules have informed strategic thinking at one of Europe’s biggest and most vocal ingredient vendors.
Sales of sports beans – jelly beans laced with vitamins B, C and electrolytes – are “still growing in the double-digits each year” six years after launch, bosses at brand owner Jelly Belly have revealed.
Italian confectioner Ferrero has been ordered by a German court to change the labelling on its Nutella brand or face €250,000 fines per individual case.
The firm behind a patented technology enabling the incorporation of multiple vitamins and other bioactives in coated chewing gum, has developed a novel bubblegum targeting the sports nutrition market.
Consumers are beginning to reject low-fat diets as they become better informed of the health benefits of certain fats and oils, according to new research from Packaged Facts.
More functional foods capitalizing on the health benefits of cocoa should hit shelves next year as confectionery giant Hershey seeks to gain a stronger foothold in the health and wellness market via its new Apure subsidiary.
Sensory research from Solae suggests that replacing whey proteins with less costly soy could save money without impacting on the taste or texture of chocolate-flavoured nutrition bars.
Do you know your prebiotics from your probiotics? Could you write and broadcast convincingly about emulsifiers and stabilisers? If the answer is yes, we would like to hear from you.
Consuming polyphenol-rich dark chocolate or cocoa products may reduce total and LD cholesterol levels, but has no effect on HDL levels, according to a meta-analysis of 10 clinical trials.
The potential health benefits of cocoa polyphenols may be linked to their anti-inflammatory potential, suggests data from a human study from the University of Barcelona, Spain.
The number of TV advertisements US children see for high-fat, salty and sugary foods and beverages has declined in recent years – but the majority of kids’ TV food advertising is still for less healthy choices, according to new research.
Hungary will introduce a fat tax as of September 1 this year -a move the food industry says is unnecessary and ineffective in achieving widespread dietary shifts.
European food makers are beginning to utilise positive article 13, general function health claim opinions issued by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), precipitating a flood of potentially meaningless claims, according to one industry observer.
A health claim for sugar-free chewing gum sweetened with xylitol and defence against pathogens in the middle ear and another claim for gum and dental health were rejected by EU risk assessor in its fifth batch of general function claims, released last...
Against the backdrop of a difficult financial climate and more stringent health claims regulation, the dairy industry is taking a coordinated approach to nutrition and health research with the formation of a global research consortium.
Ingredient supplier, Beneo, has announced a 20 per cent hike in the price of its sweetener Isomalt, citing rising inflation rates and the need to secure a flexible supply chain.
There is growth potential for dark chocolate in the functional food sector, with the product carrying most of the heart health claims in the confectionery segment, says Leatherhead Food Research.
