Mars Chocolate North America is going against the industry tide by backing the World Health Organization's guidance that added sugar should account for under 10% of a person's daily calories.
Supplier Sunsweet claims its plum ingredients could present a pathway to cleaner labels as safety concerns over caramel colors prompt confectionery manufacturers to look explore alternatives.
A proprietary carrier particle can reduce sugar content and calories by more than 50% – without a loss in sweetness or a rise in costs, says Israeli company DouxMatok.
Special edition: Innovations in better-for-you confectionery
The inclusion of dried fruit in Mars Chocolate North America’s goodnessknows snack squares helps deliver the sweetness consumers seek from confections, while also helping the candy-giant deliver on its commitment to offer options with limited added sugar.
Chemistry and art would be good subjects for aspiring confectioners to study – as well as developing a bit of business acumen - says the co-founder of Boston-based McCrea’s Candies.
As sugar has become one of the most maligned ingredients within food, Euromonitor International research analyst Jack Skelly says the future may prove trickyfor manufacturers.
The food industry has criticised the WHO’s recommendation to reduce the intake of added sugar for being backed by ‘moderate’ and ‘very low quality’ evidence.
Divine Chocolate says multinationals are escaping fuller Fairtrade commitments under the certification body’s new rules. But Fairtrade says its sourcing program is the only way to reach cocoa farmers at scale.
The French food agency failed to take on the full health picture and missed a good opportunity for public health change with its dismissal of sweetener benefits, according to the International Sweeteners Association (ISA).
Recommending intense sweeteners as a way to reduce sugar intakes cannot be justified as a public health strategy, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) has concluded.
The Real Good Food Company (RGFC) has blamed its row with British Sugar for its half-year loss and has referred the dispute to the European competition authorities.
Special edition: Cutting calories in confectionery
Manufacturers can create reduced or no sugar hard and soft candy product extensions without the risk of changing the taste of a proven seller through reformulation, according to Cargill.
The Fairtrade Foundation has urged food companies and retailers to choose Fairtrade sugar, amid concerns that a sugar price slump and CAP reforms could push thousands of workers into poverty.
Stevia chocolate is beginning to gain momentum in the US but could take at least a decade to achieve widespread acceptance among mainstream retail, according to stevia chocolate firm Coco Polo
British Sugar owner AB Sugar is fighting back against anti-sugar campaigners with the launch of a campaign informing people about sugar’s role in a healthy balanced diet.
Intakes of free dietary sugars should make up no more than 3% of total energy intake in order to battle the ‘significant’ financial and social burdens of tooth decay, warn researchers.
For the most part, confectioners have continued to innovate in known areas like flavor, product size and packaging rather than innovating for health, says Euromonitor International.
About 50% of our preference for sweet food and drinks can be attributed to genetics, about the same level of heritability as certain personality traits and asthma, according to a food sensory scientist.
More research is required before the World Health Organization (WHO) cuts its guidance on daily sugar intake by half, according to the Association of Chocolate, Biscuits and Confectionery Industries of Europe (CAOBISCO).
The Committee of European Sugar Users (CIUS) has called on EU member states and the Commission to take adequate measures to avoid sugar shortages and guarantee a sufficient stock level at the end of this business year.
The US National Confectioners Association (NCA) and leading US firms say sugar has been ‘unjustly’ victimized in recent months and the public should be free to enjoy a sweet treat if they so desire.
Excessive consumption of added sugars in drinks, snacks and sweets is associated with an increased risk of dying from heart disease, according to a major US review published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Prominent nutritionists have provided their exclusive feedback on Action on Sugar’s sugar reduction campaign, designed to combat the rising incidence of obesity in the UK.
Children can eat candy in moderation without increasing their risk of becoming obese and developing heart problems later in life, according to a study backed by the National Confectioners Association.
A new campaign group headed by medical professionals says the food industry can improve profit margins while cutting ‘unnecessary’ added sugar from products, which it says is responsible for rising global obesity.
No commercial reason not to cut sugar in confectionery, says chairman
A new campaign group headed by medical professionals says the food industry can improve profit margins while cutting ‘unnecessary’ added sugar from products, which it says is responsible for rising global obesity.
Replacing sugar with fibers in chocolate could be more effective in reducing global sugar consumption than cutting portion sizes, but will come at a cost, according to Barry Callebaut.
A new global campaign will bring together experts and policy makers to tackle the current global epidemic of obesity and diabetes by reducing 'unnecessarily high' levels of sugar in food and beverage products.
Special Edition - Beyond sugar: Hitting the sweet spot
Mondelez International has launched its candy brand Sour Patch Kids as a gum product under its Stride portfolio – a deft move, according to an analyst.
Honey, molasses and malt extract have long been incorporated into food products for many other reasons besides their natural sweetening abilities—among them color, aroma, browning, texture, better moisture retention and improved shelf life.
It is hard to fool the brain by providing it with 'energyless' sweet flavours, according to new research in mice that suggests that consumption of zero-calorie sweeteners leads to higher sugar consumption later.
Sugar reduction – rather than substitution – is an area that fits well with consumer concerns about sugar, and big brand moves in the area could spur action from smaller players, according to Mintel.
A US startup part-funded by celebrities has ‘unjunked’ America’s favorite candy bars and says it is serious about taking on the industry's major players.
A better understanding of the complex functions that sugar fulfils in a chocolate product is required by manufacturers before they can reliably develop a high-quality sugar-free chocolate that is acceptable to consumers, say researchers.
Changes to sugar policy in the United States enshrined in the 2008 farm bill have destabilized sugar prices and supplies, resulting in higher costs for consumers, manufacturers and now taxpayers, according to a new report from consultancy Agralytica.
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?
Lawrence T. Graham, president of the National Confectioners Association (NCA) said sugar industry reform is needed to keep the American confectionery industry competitive.