London start-up Kaakao managed to overcome texture and flavour challenges when sweetening its chocolate with dates instead of sugar but the regulatory challenge - the EU definition of chocolate - is proving to be more difficult.
The texture of food can influence people’s calorie intake, Dr Ciarán Forde of the National University of Singapore and Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences believes.
Manufacturers are moving from soy to pea protein to accurately mimic the texture of meat and dairy in plant-based alternatives, according to pea supplier Cosucra. “It’s part of their new product development (NPD) priority,” says its managing director.
A myriad of solutions are needed to make plastic food packaging more sustainable, said top brass at Ekoplaza, Ikea and Futamura last week. “In some cases we need to completely break free, in some we need to use different materials and in others we need...
Food manufacturers are expected to be hard hit by an anticipated hike in palm oil prices due to a dip in production in Indonesia and Malaysia — the world’s biggest producers.
As consumers become increasingly invested in their health, personalised nutrition and gene-tailored diets will become the norm, says the chief science officer of Israeli start-up Nutrino. “The future of food is in personalisation and companies who fail...
Which vegetable do Brits eat the most? When do Belgian girls eat yoghurt? And do Dutch men prefer dessert or fruit? An app that gathers insights into European's eating habits could help fine-tune new product development.
Macadamias only represent 1.5% of the tree nut market, held back by limited supplies and high prices, but a tree-planting programme could change that. "Customers are crying out to use macadamias as an ingredient. It’s up to us to make that opportunity...
The science is clear: a vegetarian diet is better for heart health, a study says - but does that include processed meat analogues? "While not as healthful as whole plants, they are useful transition foods," says one researcher.
From unattended deliveries to 'invisible shopping' via videos or face-recognition technology for payments, e-commerce platforms are becoming more sophisticated, says market research firm IGD.
Companies' unilateral, no-deforestation commitments - and on-pack deforestation-free claims - are unsuited to the complex palm oil supply chain and, therefore, likely to fail, say researchers. "A broader suite of complementary mechanisms"...
Far from being cocoa's poor cousin, carob powder is the ideal ingredient for healthy confectionery for kids, mimicking the "shine, snap and silky smooth texture" of milk chocolate without the stimulants caffeine and theobromine, says Supertreats...
After a week of debates on the country's Agriculture and Food Bill, French politicians have backed mandatory labelling for GM animal feed and pesticide use on fruit and vegetables but rejected measures to stop marketing unhealthy foods to children.
By Amarjit Sahota, president and founder of Ecovia Intelligence
Blockchain is taking off, with a growing number of food companies and retailers experimenting with this new technology. Consultancy Ecovia Intelligence sees blockchain bringing many sustainability benefits to the food industry.
With Greece, Italy, Spain and Cyprus showing the highest levels of childhood obesity in Europe, the Mediterranean diet is gone, according to World Health Organisation (WHO) chief João Breda. “Those who are close to the Mediterranean diet are the Swedish...
Nestlé is top for addressing the double burden of obesity and malnutrition, and while many firms have stepped up efforts, a "disappointing" number have too many unhealthy products in their portfolios, according to the Access to Nutrition Index...
After helping 2017's winners generate growth worth €10 million, PepsiCo's accelerator programme Nutrition Greenhouse is looking for 10 more start-ups for the 2018 round.
French agri-food giant Avril is partnering with family-owned Italian olive oil manufacturers Costa d’Oro, a move that will create the world’s third biggest olive oil brand.
Recalls and alerts were made by England, Ireland, US, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Belgium, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain, Germany and Austria.
Many certification schemes are blocking true sustainability by watering down standards in order to get stakeholders on board and even providing 'green cover' for firms that are destroying the environment, according to a report.
Spain's Galicia has set a legal definition of artisan food, which prohibits the use of artificial colours, flavours and tropical fats such as palm oil and coconut oil.
What will the clean label foods of tomorrow look like? From actively healthy additives to clean packaging and connected products, five industry experts share their views.
The European Commission’s New Deal forbids dual quality food and gives authorities the power to fine companies for marketing products that are ‘significantly different’. "Consumer authorities will finally get teeth to punish the cheaters," said...
Frozen food firm Iceland is set to become the first UK supermarket to eliminate the use of palm oil from its own brand products in efforts to minimise the negative impact of its cultivation.
A European Commission report that identifies beef, soy and palm oil as contributors to deforestation, has attracted criticism from Greenpeace, who have urged the EU to “break its silence” and take action.
Snacking is emerging as 'a new eating ritual' in France but is not breaking down traditional meals, according to a survey by snack manufacturer Mondelez.
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) scientists have confirmed the safety of the food additives, sodium, potassium and calcium salts of fatty acids and magnesium salts of fatty acids.
There is currently no clear legal definition of what constitutes a clean label product. One marketing and economics expert argues certification and regulation could actually boost clean label sales.
Manufacturers including Unilever, Mondelēz and Alpro are using claims of ‘new, improved recipe’ to hide ingredient "downgrading", according to a German consumer group.
Children’s snacking choices – whether they prefer sweet, fatty or bitter flavours – could be genetically pre-programmed and understanding this could help people make healthier choices, new research suggests.
Unilever has become the first consumer goods company to publicly disclose all the suppliers and mills it buys palm oil from, both directly and indirectly, it says.
Ingredients suppliers IOI Loders Croklaan and Kerry Group have partnered with Wild Asia and the Fortuna Palm Oil Mill in Sabah to implement a three-year small growers support program.
There may be a causal link between eating highly processed food and cancer risk, and four reasons why this could be, according to the authors of a 105,000-strong French study published in the British Medical Journal.
Mars plans to quit industry-funded science group, the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI), and says it will support research regardless of results after making its science policy public.
As the UK organic sector hits a record value of £2.2 billion (€2.47bn), what's the secret to its success? Six trends are influencing our food choices today - and organic fits into all of them, says the Soil Association.
Over 500 companies in Spain have pledged a 10% voluntary reduction in salt, sugar and fat in over 3,500 products. "This is a business transformation," says the country's health minister.
An Italian appeal court has quashed Lidl's €0.5 million fine over its extra virgin olive oil that sensory panels flagged as virgin oil, in a case that highlights the importance of control checks throughout the supply chain, a food law expert says.
The Commission’s method to test for dual quality products will be ready in April and, when the results are published, Europeans should “vote with their purses and refuse to buy products they consider of lower quality,” the commissioner for justice, consumers...
DuPont Pioneer's soybean oil Plenish has been approved for the EU and, despite having to label on pack it as genetically modified, European manufacturers have already shown interest, says US trade group Qualisoy.
The Danish government has reiterated its call for nutrient profiles to stop unhealthy foods making health claims, slamming the "political mudslinging" that has prevented them from becoming a reality so far.
