The hype surrounding stevia has been ratcheted up another notch
after the US's largest supplier announced it is launching the
natural sweetener beyond the dietary supplements aisle for the
first time.
As the decision on patent infringement allegations in the US is
pushed back by three months, UK sucralose supplier Tate & Lyle
confirms its confidence in the outcome of the case, while Chinese
sucralose competitors affirm their...
Food makers to see alternative supplies for sucralose as new
manufacturer for this booming sweetener hits European markets for
the first time, launching today in Amsterdam.
Manufacturers are getting more adventurous over erythritol use since it gained EU-wide approval this year, says Cargill, but the real boom will come when they can make a low-calorie claim in Europe.
Galam is aiming to expand its fructose sweetener brand in the US as
new supplies come on-stream that can meet demand for natural
sweeteners, particularly for beverages.
Cargill yesterday gave a name to its stevia brand, further to the
publication of an overview of the science supporting the use of
rebiana as a sweetener.
A new joint venture by DuPont and Danisco aims to develop what
could be the first large-scale non-food ethanol production, which
could lighten the pressure of biofuels on the food industry.
A growing body of research is questioning the usefulness of
low-calorie sweeteners in stemming weight gain, according to an
editorial in JAMA, which could have an impact on diet food
development.
Some food and beverage manufacturers may switch from high fructose
corn syrup (HFCS) to sugar as a result of high corn prices, but
this is only likely to be the case for relatively small scale
users, according to a consultant.
Ajinomoto Sweeteners Europe has launched a defamation law suit
against US supermarket Asda over labelling on own-brand products
that calls aspartame a 'nasty'.
Chinese ingredients company GLG Life Tech has signed a 10-year
agreement to supply Cargill with extract from the stevia plant to
make its rebiana sweetener.
Risk management tools benefiting from volatile commodity markets
bring strong gains to US ingredients giant ADM in the latest
quarter, but profit for starch and sweeteners impacted by higher
corn prices.
Corn Products International is investing in what it sees as the
eventual approval of stevia as a sweetener by the US Food &
Drug Administration (FDA), by adding a stevia-based high-intensity
sweetener to its portfolio.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has published new
labelling guidance for food manufacturers, which it hopes will help
international companies meet the nation's labeling requirements.
Coca-Cola has defeated a legal challenge that alleged it attempted
to convince consumers that Diet Coke available from soda fountains
commonly found in fast food restaurants contained the same
sweeteners as those in cans and bottles...
Cargill has reported strong growth for its third financial quarter,
largely due to increased demand for agricultural commodities in
developing countries as well as swelling global energy needs.
Danish ingredients group Danisco today inaugurated a new
application and research facility in China, which the firm hopes
will help it further expand operations in an "important growth
area".
It is hard for food companies not to get drawn into the temptation of using attractive label claims that may be shrouded by a veil of doubt. But the real risk comes when the 'if you don't know, don't ask' question is finally answered.
Government officials, nutritionists and consumer groups will next
week examine the state food labeling and marketing as part of
efforts to reduce childhood obesity globally.
Excessive intake of aspartame may inhibit the ability of enzymes in
the brain to function normally, suggests a new review that could
fan the flames of controversy over the sweetener.
FDA's comment that it does not consider high fructose corn syrup to
be 'natural' has generated heated debate in the US food industry,
with one camp relieved for the clarification, while the other camp
opposes it as...
Products containing high fructose corn syrup cannot be considered 'natural' and should not be labeled as such, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said.
Tate & Lyle is expecting to report £11m less profit that
predicted for the year ended March 31, as a result of unfavourable
exchange rates against the US dollar, but is still expecting to
maintain levels seen in the first half.
Organic food makers must make alliances with ingredients firms and
farmers to ensure they have a secure supply of organic ingredients
in the face of increasing demand, advises Frost & Sullivan.
Japan's leading chocolate maker Meiji Seika has recalled a range of
confectionery products, after it was discovered that they contained
a novel sweetener made with an unapproved genetically modified
enzyme.
Danisco is reorganising its ingredients business in a bid to target
market trends like health and wellness more closely, and deal with
issues that have been affecting parts of its portfolio.
Sweetener producer NutraSweet has said it will take legal action
against counterfeiters in China who, it alleges, are infringing its
intellectual property rights.
Changes in industry conditions and challenges, coupled with
emerging trends, can open up opportunities for manufacturers to
breathe new life into old ingredients.
Although Arla Foods halted production of the sweetener tagatose in
2006, the low-calorie, low-GI sugar replacer has not died a death.
Rather Nutrilab sees a strong future and is working up to full
scale production.
SunOpta is set to complete its acquisition of Tradin Organic
Agriculture in the next few weeks having faced delays due
to the internal financial issues.
Tagatose is suitable as a partial replacer for sucrose in cookies,
according to a new study in sensory attributes, and could be used
to reduce metabolized sugars in the diet and as a prebiotic.
Progress in novel foods, with particular focus on the health and
wellness trend, is fuelling Givaudan's R&D programme, into
which it reinvests 10 per cent of its annual sales.
Ingredients giant Archer Daniels Midland has criticised media
reports linking the use of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
with the rise in US obesity levels, saying it is not the sole cause
of the epidemic.
Reducing the salt content of foods would result in drinking fewer
sugar-sweetened beverages, and may lower obesity risks,
hypertension and possibly heart disease, British researchers
report.
The use of xylitol, a natural sweetener linked to dental health,
could prevent the formation of undesirable brown pigments and
enhance beverage formulations, suggests new research.
EU member states must recognise erythritol as an approved sweetener
by tomorrow, which is expected to increase its use in low-calorie
products across Europe.
More than half of consumers say they are willing to switch to
sugar-free versions of traditional confectionery lines, which
suggests that sweeteners are no longer considered a 'niche'
ingredient in sweets, claims Beneo Palatinit.
Danisco has entered into a license agreement for its
anhydrofructose technology with Japan's Nihon Starch Co, the first
such deal aimed at bringing the new calorie-free sugar to
market.
Chinese corn-based sweeteners producer Global Sweetener Holdings
has taken a new step towards its aim of becoming a leader in the
Asian and worldwide markets for corn sweeteners by buying out
Mitsui's share of their sorbitol...
Excessive intake of sorbitol, a widely used sweetener in
"sugar-free" products such as chewing gum and sweets, may lead to
weight loss and diarrhoea, German doctors report.
Ingredient firm GLG Life Tech Corporation will construct two new
stevia processing plants in China, in a bid to meet the supply
demands of Coca-Cola and Cargill.
PureCircle has secured an extension to its agreement with Cargill
to supply its stevia-derived Reb-A until mid-2010, helping to
ensure availability for what is tipped to be the next big thing in
sweeteners.
Coca-Cola and Cargill will move to introduce their stevia sweetener
product in countries where the ingredient is already approved, the
firms have confirmed.
A new 'all natural' sweetener blend for baked goods claims to be
able to replace sugar on a one to one basis without compromising
the sweetness or structure of a product.
Freshness dates, nutrition facts panels and ingredients lists are
priorities for most consumers when reading product labels,
according to a new report.
'Kosher' was the most frequently used claim on new products
launched in the US during 2007, while 'All Natural' and 'No
Additives or Preservatives' were amongst the other most popular
claims used on new...