UK supermarket Asda said it is removing artificial colours and
flavours from all of its private label food and beverage products -
the biggest indication to date of the shift towards natural
ingredients in lieu of artificial additives.
Hydrocolloid supplier TIC Gums has announced the Halal
certification of its production plant, allowing the firm to enter
the niche but growing market for foods meeting the needs of Muslim
consumers.
Ingredients specialist DSM is helping bakers target the lucrative
health-conscious market with its newest enzyme product, designed to
overcome the typical obstacles associated with producing high fibre
breads.
A new range of spray dryers use a non-clogging ultrasonic atomising
nozzle, which reduces overspray that can cause atmospheric
contamination, the manufacturer claims.
Scientists in Germany have proposed the use of enzymes to obtain
ginger pastes with higher valuable ingredients retention, and offer
industry higher value products at lower costs.
It may be a lucrative time for farmers, but the continuing boom in
grain and meat prices will put the squeeze on plant managers to
find ways to cut costs out of their supply chains.
Two French research institutes, CIRAD and INRA, have set up a
public interest group to promote the country's agricultural
research projects internationally.
Symrise has completed its new €1.8m extraction and distillation
plant in Germany, intended to help meet demand for natural
flavourings for beverages in the light of the health and wellness
trend.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the nation's dairy
industry are putting a stop to claims in their advertising that
dairy products cause weight loss following a petition from the
Physicians Committee for Responsible...
The European Food Standards Authority has today published its draft
guidance document for the submission of applications under the new
nutrition and health claims regulation, giving the clearest insight
yet of the impact the legislation...
Meat from swine exposed to melamine has been found safe for human
consumption, prompting the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to
allow swine held on farms to be released and approved for
processing.
Scientists from the US Department of Agriculture have proposed that
spray-dried sweet potatoes may offer potential as a thickener, with
similar properties to some starch solutions.
Consolidation is no bad thing for flavours, says analyst, since
it allows large players to serve multinationals, spurs
R&D, and makes regulation compliance easier.
Researchers in Brazil have identified pea protein as a possible
novel encapsulator after results showed the protein capable of
encapsulating vitamin E at high concentrations.
As worldwide sales of nanotechnology-related products approached
the $1bn (€739m)mark last year, the food packaging industry could
be worth as much as $30bn (€22bn), according to a new study.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it will begin
to inspect food manufacturing facilities and test protein
ingredients following the recent news that the chemical melamine
may have entered the human food chain.
MGP Ingredients (MGPI) plans to expand its wheat gluten capacity in
the US, as demand for the product increases following the recent
move away from imported ingredients due to contamination scares.
SunOpta has further expanded its fruit supply chain, announcing
today that it has completed the acquisition of another South
American fruit processor, together with its North American
distributor.
Syngenta is to acquire a 49 per cent take in Chinese seed company
Sanbei with a view to jointly developing corn seed products to meet
growing demand driven by changing food patterns and agronomic
trends.
Bilberry extracts mixed with mulberry or black bean skins are
reported to have hit the Japanese market and elsewhere, duping
the industry into creating cheaper alternatives and undermining
quality.
A European court has said that the marketing of the sweetener
Splenda is misleading to consumers, and has ordered that its
advertising slogans be ceased.
An intensely anticipated lawsuit regarding the misleading marketing
of sucralose product Splenda ended Friday in a quiet settlement
between the two sweetener firms Merisant and McNeil Nutritionals.
Ingredient firm Danisco has developed a line of fruit snack
prototypes in the US, to demonstrate how its products can be used
to achieve healthier snacks combining indulgence and fortification.
Danisco is making the most of the superfruit trend - and may even
help perpetuate it - by developing a new acai berry flavour for use
in dairy, ice cream, beverage and confectionery
products.
Scientists from India's Indian Institute of Technology have
reported the potential of bahera as a novel source of edible oil to
help the country make up its short-fall in supply.
Regular consumption of unpasteurised farm milk may offer protection
from range of allergies, but the researchers cautioned against
drinking raw milk until more research is carried out.
The US International Trade Commission (ITC) is to launch an investigation into certain sucralose products, following a complaint filed by Tate & Lyle alleging infringement of its patented sucralose manufacturing technology.
The emergence of foods based on nutrigenomics could spark a shift
in the landscape of the food industry, says HortResearch's Karl
Crawford, and the industry needs to start considering how it is
going to cater for consumer demands.
Euro Freeze (Ireland) has received a £13,000 (€19,000) fine after
being prosecuted in a UK court for illegally putting false health
certificates on meat products.
Independent testing of trans fat oil alternatives has revealed that
the performance and taste of the more 'heart-healthy' oils matches
or exceeds those of partially hydrogenated oils.
The Novozymes group claims that their new enzyme can help brewers
increase capacity at little extra cost by offering longer and more
consistent filtration cycles.
A meta-analysis of human studies supports claims that conjugated
linoleic acid (CLA) has the potential to help reduce fat mass,
highlighting it as a possible aid in the fight against obesity.
Natural food group SunOpta is to increase its supply of
strawberries to the food industry, following the acquisition of
certain assets from a South American frozen strawberry processor.
Baby food processors are breathing easier today after the UK
industry regulator released a study showing that levels of arsenic
and mercury in their products are below legal limits.
The new health claims regulation has rekindled interest in
exploring the benefits of wholegrains, said consultant Prof David
Richardson, but there is a need for action in Europe to ensure
grains do not miss out in the implementation...
Takasago Flavors has completed the expansion of its confection and
beverage applications laboratories, a move forming part of a
multimillion dollar expansion project.
Using the sugar tara gum to improve the gelling of the whey protein
beta-lactoglobulin may offer industry with a more cost effective
alternative to locust bean gum, suggests new research from
Portugal.
A new range air-conditioners offers processors continuous
protection against air-borne
contaminants, even when cooling operations are not
in use, claims the manufacturer.
US color firm Sethness has launched what it claims to be the
world's first certified organic powdered caramel color, designed
for use in baked good and seasonings.
Danisco has cut a deal to sell its flavours division to Firmenich
that will let it focus resources on its bioingredients, texturants
and sweeteners competencies - while still keeping some interest in
flavours through a partnership...
The image of grains needs a fundamental makeover in order to
encourage consumption globally, according to the R&D director
of pasta firm Barilla, who said the enduring perception of grains
as 'empty' energy is the major...
Ingredient firm Senomyx and Japanese food and pharma group
Ajinomoto have expanded their flavor collaboration to encompass
additional territories of the United States and Canada.