Convenience foods eaten on the run continue to experience strong
growth as individuals skip the union meal for a solitary event but
new findings from the US suggest that the security of a family meal
could help steer adolescent girls...
A risk assessment of 1000 flavouring substances is underway at
Europe's food agency with a first slice of 77 substances cleared on
genotoxic and carcinogenic criteria.
Danish colours firm Chr Hansen has launched its first natural blue
food colour onto the market, targeted at food makers looking for
alternatives to the synthetic blues currently used in their food
designs, reports Lindsey Partos.
Reorganization activities in Europe caused a dip in International
Flavors & Fragrances' earnings in the third quarter of 2004,
but North America continued to see strong growth, particularly in
its flavors division.
Hungary has banned sales of its ubiquitous national spice paprika
after high levels of potential carcinogenic aflatoxins were found
in warehouse stocks, writes Lindsey Partos.
The world's number one caramel colour supplier DD Williamson is
driving deeper into the Nordic countries, signing a deal with
Swedish food distibutor Norfoods to build growth in the
increasingly mature caramel colour market.
Bolt-on acquisitions move ambitious Israeli flavours firm Frutarom
a step closer to its ambitions to reach the top ten flavour club
with the firm closing down on the purchase of IFF's fruit
preparations business in Europe.
Colors and flavors group Sensient Technologies this week reported
an increase in earnings for the third quarter of 2004, a welcome
result after a drop in profit in the first six months of this year.
Chr Hansen breaks into the lucrative Chinese market constructing
its first production facilities to provide more flexibility to
serve the burgeoning local food industry, reports Lindsey
Partos.
The New Jersey based food technology company Prime Favorites, has
started marketing a product to remove the bitter taste of potassium
chloride in foods.
A meat preserver, a gel-forming additive and an anti-microbial
agent face tougher European rules as Brussels adopts a proposal to
change the current food additive directive.
Ending months of speculation, the flavours and texturants units at
Degussa, Germany's third largest chemicals group, are up for sale
as the firm looks at selling the food ingredients arm or finding a
partner for its business.
Natural Foods Group Hain Celestial has confirmed it will purchase
the new natural vanilla flavor created by Technology Flavors &
Fragrances (TFF) for use in its products.
Plant extracts company Frutarom Switzerland has carried out new
research to support the weight-loss effects of its mate product, a
herb becoming increasingly popular in the supplements category.
Number one flavour group Givaudan sees beverage and dairy sales
pulled down in Europe but despite slow-down in flavour operations
sales for the division offset a dip in fragrance for nine months to
September.
Foods of the future may well be anchored in individual taste
profiles as fundamental research by scientists at the Swiss food
giant Nestlé details the diversity of bitter taste receptors in
monkeys, chimpanzees and humans, writes...
Pioneering scientists Richard Axel and Linda Buck are rewarded for
their efforts to unravel the olfactory system, reaping a joint
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for 2004 from the Swedish
jury this week.
In a bid to help food makers correctly label their food products,
Australia and New Zealand's independent statutory authority this
week underlines the legal requirements for flavours used in foods.
Finnish chemical firm Kemira that supplies the all-rounder food
additive calcium chloride to the food industry will sell this slice
of the business to leading US player Tetra Technologies.
Number one natural colours firm Chr Hansen builds on ambitions to
penetrate deeper into this growing market with the launch of a new
range of natural reds that tackle stability for beverage
formulations, reports Lindsey Partos.
Sparking growth in the emerging South American food market, Danish
ingredients giant Chr Hansen has opened new facilities in Argentina
designed to serve expanding activities from international
customers, reports Lindsey Partos.
The recent bolt on acquisition of Rhodia Food Ingredients lifted
sales for Danisco in an otherwise challenging first quarter for
2004/2005 but efforts to improve margins appear to be paying off,
writes Lindsey Partos.
Danish ingredients giant will shut down beverage flavour operations
in Sweden as tough competition bites and business is impacted by
growing consumer demand for health positioned drinks, reports
Lindsey Partos.
Scientists from Danish company Chr Hansen say they have developed a
lactic acid bacteria that may lower blood pressure when added to
yoghurt and other foods.
Ongoing demand for healthy products helped Irish food and
ingredients firm Kerry to a strong first half performance. And with
recent acquisitions pushing it into other high growth sectors,
there is little to stop the group from making...
Ambitious Israeli flavours firm Frutarom has bought the European
natural fruit preparations business from the world's number two
flavours player just months after completing on the Swiss botanical
extracts firm Emil Flachsmann.
A rise in product costs clipped half year figures for international
colours and flavours group Sensient Technologies as the firm
reports a 15.8 per cent drop in profit for the first six months.
Building on a stronger start to the year, Germany's third largest
chemicals group reports continued growth into the second quarter
with an increase in demand pushing up sales and earnings for the
period but the firm warned that...
Dairy science moves one step closer to helping dairy manufacturers
formulate the right product to meet customer demand as food
scientists reveal the science behind consumer perception of nutty
flavours in the popular cheddar cheese,...
As consumers turn their backs on black tea in favour of
health-positioned alternatives such as herbal or fruit teas, tea
makers rolling out new products to target this growing market might
gain from a new technology developed by UK...
Warnings over food products entering the EU zone containing the
potentially carcinogenic food colour Sudan 1 continue with the UK's
watchdog recalling fresh batches of bean products.
Weak sales of fruit preparations hit European sales for number two
flavours group International Flavours and Fragrances (IFF) with the
firm reporting an overall drop in sales for the region but growth
elsewhere keeps firm on track...
Opportunities for the synthetic kiwi flavour market have opened up
after findings from a small study in the UK show that the kiwi
fruit appears to be a significant food allergen capable of causing
severe reactions, particularly in...
As food developers and marketers are aware, bright colours hold a
strong appeal with children. Jumping on the back of this phenomenon
Danisco in the US has launched a new flavour concept to add to
milk.
Danish ingredients firm Chr Hansen has benefited from the growing
demand by food makers for natural colours. Higher sales of natural
colours helped to lift profit figures in a third quarter that also
gained from the increasing popularity...
US flavours giant International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF) has
avoided a hefty payout after a jury in the US ruled against four
popcorn factory employees who claimed a butter flavouring caused
harmful lung injuries.
At the table earlier this month in Geneva ingredients and additive
experts met to discuss the safety of a host of flavouring agents
and the construction of further principles for setting the safety
levels of food additives.
Job cuts are underway for the number four flavours player Symrise
with the equity fund owned firm warning 500 employees will be axed
from the workforce under a new drive for cost effectiveness,
increased competitiveness and top line...
The less than sparkling, but stable, full year results for Danish
ingredients giant Danisco mirror the current state of play for
ingredients companies in today's market marked by squeezed margins,
higher raw material prices and...
Findings from a new report from the Geneva-based World Trade
Organisation suggest today's highly processed food industry will
continue its thirst for ingredients, writes Lindsey Partos.
In the past two decades international trade...
Food manufacturers must continue to be on the alert for a red devil
as the list of products containing the potentially carcinogenic,
and illegal, red dye Sudan I is far from tailing off. Now the UK
Food Standards Agency is alerting...
The acquisition of Rhodia Food Ingredients by Danisco has finally
been completed today, bringing the Danish ingredients group one
step closer towards its goal of becoming a leading supplier of
ingredients to the food industry. The...
Israeli flavours and ingredients group Frutarom benefited from the
recent merger with Swiss counterpart Flachsmann to post a 55 per
cent increase in first quarter sales. Growth in the functional
foods sector also contributed to the...
A food product on the shelf must satisfy a range of senses to earn
consumer appeal. But US scientists claim that little understood
contextual cues - food display, colours - can lead to people eating
much more than they need.
Acquisitive ingredients firm Kerry will spend €170 million on four
bolt-on flavour acquisitions announced yesterday as the €3.7
billion Irish company continues to consolidate its position in the
highly competitive flavours market....
On 1 May an historic moment marked the entry of ten countries and
75 million consumers into the European Union. Churchill's 'Iron
Curtain' has been consigned to the history books, heralding
democracy, stability and...
The countdown begins to new food allergen labelling rules in Europe
that herald an end to the 20 year old '25 per cent' rule. Taken
together with escalating incidences of food allergies, new
opportunities have arisen in...
Flavours and extracts firm Frutarom has gained the worldwide
marketing rights to a range of natural antioxidants made by
Israel's RAD Natural Technologies, boosting its offering to health
and functional food makers.