Sweeteners (intense, bulk, polyols)

Cut sugar supplies and push up prices to incentivise reformulation, report urges

21-Feb-2019 By Katy Askew

Agriculture and trade policy should be used to limit supplies and push up sugar prices in order to incentivise reformulation, a new report suggests.

Sustainable stevia: Tate & Lyle to assess eco impact of sweetener

14-Feb-2019 By Flora Southey

Ingredients supplier Tate & Lyle has partnered with NGO Earthwatch to assess the sustainability of its stevia supply chain, from seedling producers to industrial farms.

Nestlé on the future of food: Healthy, sustainable and personalised

06-Feb-2019 By Katy Askew

The food industry must deliver healthier food in a more sustainable way and utilise new technologies that meet changing consumer expectations. Nestlé plans to be at the forefront of this shift, EVP and CEO of zone EMEA Marco Settembri said.

'Functional recovery' drink boasts 20% seawater: ‘The taste is like Gatorade, but a bit salty’

05-Feb-2019 By Flora Southey

A Spanish start-up has formulated a recovery drink made from 20% seawater that it says is designed to replenish stores following intense exercise or after “a crazy night out”.

UK challenges drinking yoghurt industry to cut sugar by 20%

05-Feb-2019 By Flora Southey

Manufacturers and retailers of sweetened fermented yoghurt drinks are the focus of Public Health England’s most recent guidance, which incites a 20% reduction of added sugar by 2021.

Ketchup for kids: Start-up markets tomato ketchup with no added sugar or salt

04-Feb-2019 By Flora Southey

UK start-up Wonderchup is targeting children and families with its clean label, healthy alternative to classic tomato ketchup. “We’ve had a lot of interest from people with health problems,” co-founder Elise Daly told FoodNavigator.

Should Norway ban energy drink sales to kids? Ever-increasing consumption perceived ‘a real problem’

01-Feb-2019 By Flora Southey

A survey has revealed that three out of four Norwegians support the introduction of age limits on energy drink sales.

WATCH:

Indulgence, regionalisation & health: Tate & Lyle talks today’s ‘big challenges’

16-Jan-2019 By Katy Askew

Ingredients supplier Tate & Lyle opens up its innovation centre in Lille, France, to talk the ‘big challenges’ that its customers face in today’s market.

UK launches consultation on restricting junk food promotions

14-Jan-2019 By Katy Askew

The UK’s Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has launched a public consultation on the government’s plans to restrict promotions of food and drink products that are high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS).

Food for thought

More taxes on unhealthy foods aren’t on the cards… yet

04-Jan-2019 By Katy Askew

Momentum is growing behind calls to impose fiscal sanctions on unhealthy foods. And while such stringent action is not on the immediate horizon that could change if the food industry fails to step up its efforts on reformulation.

Review finds no ‘compelling evidence’ to support non-sugar sweetener health benefits

03-Jan-2019 By Flora Southey

Studies investigating the potential health benefits of non-sugar sweeteners have failed to reveal “compelling” evidence linking the product with weight loss and improved health, say European researchers.

'Date paste, sugar beet juice... Using pseudonyms for sugar is not acceptable,' says complainant

Kellogg, Hipp and five others told to remove misleading 'no added sugar' claims

14-Dec-2018 By Niamh Michail

The Dutch Advertising Authority has told seven manufacturers and retailers, including Kellogg, Albert Heijn and Hipp, to remove ‘no added sugar’ claims from products that are sweetened with date paste, apple juice concentrate and sugar beet syrup.

Alkion CEO on biostimulation to scale up sweet proteins: 'Our technology massively amplifies what nature can do'

10-Dec-2018 By Niamh Michail

Thanks to a patented biostimulation process, Alkion BioInnovations produces sweet-tasting proteins, high-value flavours and plant proteins in a cost-effective way that (for now at least) can be labelled as organic. “This is a real advantage [over] our...

Future food predictions; fighting malnutrition & nano guidance: A round-up of EU news & views

07-Dec-2018 By Niamh Michail

What will food and farming in 2030 look like? The Commission makes its predictions; the EU opens a centre to fight global malnutrition and guidance for manufacturers using nanoparticles is published. This is our round-up of news and views from the EU.

ScanUp: The app that tells consumers if food is 'ultra-processed' and helps manufacturers reformulate

04-Dec-2018 By Niamh Michail

The developers of ScanUp, a French app that allows consumers to scan food products and see just how ‘processed’ or ‘ultra-processed’ they are, are working with manufacturers to develop simple products that score more highly.

Amyris bids for 30% slice of stevia market by 2022 with new Reb M sweetener: ‘On a quality basis, it’s a superior product. It simply tastes better’

03-Dec-2018 By Elaine Watson

Synthetic biology specialist Amyris has embarked on a mission to capture 30% of the global stevia sweeteners market by 2022 with a Reb M sweetener produced from cane sugar by a modified yeast strain, that it claims gives it a clear competitive advantage...

NPD trend tracker: Oat-based cereal, 'birch sugar' baking mixes & seaweed salt

03-Dec-2018 By Niamh Michail

Oat-based Cheerios for people who don't like the taste or texture of porridge; sugar-free baking mixes made with wood-derived xylitol and premium sea salt with seaweed feature in this week's snapshot of new product launches across Europe.

WATCH

Thermal tasters: Linking phantom taste, product perception and temperature

21-Nov-2018 By Katy Askew

People who are ‘thermal tasters’ report phantom taste responses when orally exposed to different temperatures. Understanding this phenomenon is important for product development in the food industry.

The end of the ENL? Nestlé pulls out of Evolved Nutrition Label; others suspend involvement

20-Nov-2018 By Niamh Michail

Nestlé is ceasing involvement in the Evolved Nutrition Label (ENL) while the four remaining companies, Unilever, Mondelez, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, have put trials for food "on hold".

Flavour beyond sweetness: Givaudan's 'counter-intuitive' approach to sugar reduction

16-Nov-2018 By Niamh Michail

Can onion really make soda taste sweeter? By identifying the molecules responsible for complex, full-bodied flavour notes, Givaudan uses “counter-intuitive” ingredients, such as onion or celeriac, to reduce sugar by up to 50% without losing flavour.

Firms named and shamed for 'excessively' sugary milkshakes

14-Nov-2018 By Niamh Michail

Manufacturers have been slammed for excessively high levels of sugar in ambient and chilled milkshakes, with 90% of products surveyed by campaign group Action on Sugar receiving a red light.

'A match made in heaven': Cargill and DSM team up to bring fermentation-based sweeteners to market

08-Nov-2018 By Elaine Watson

Cargill and DSM – who have both independently developed steviol glycosides via microbial fermentation – are now teaming up in a bid to accelerate their development under the Eversweet brand.

Eight reasons we need to stop focusing on nutrients – and what this means for processed food makers

31-Oct-2018 By Niamh Michail

The rise of nutritionalism – focusing on nutrient content rather than the whole food – has created a ‘nutritional cacophony’ that leaves people confused. Nutritionist Bernard Lavallée explains how manufacturers can create healthy processed foods.

Farm waste, sweet taste: Comet Bio transforms harvest leftovers into sweeteners and fibre

30-Oct-2018 By Niamh Michail

Comet Bio transforms farm leftovers, such as wheat straw, into functional ingredients such as sweeteners and fibres with a lower carbon footprint.

Unavoo Food’s fibre-based sweetener offers natural health HEYLO

26-Oct-2018 By Katy Askew

HEYLO, the sugar substitute product developed by Unavoo Food Technologies, utilises a unique combination of dietary fibre and stevia to hit a healthy and natural sweet spot.

Scepticism is ‘strong’ but research finds artificial sweeteners help ‘cut calories and control cravings’

18-Oct-2018 By Katy Askew

Low calorie sweeteners have a bad reputation – but frequent consumers use them as a means to control cravings and cut calories, suggesting that they could be an important public health tool, a researcher suggests.

FoodNavigator's biggest stories of 2018 so far

17-Oct-2018 By Niamh Michail

From the rise of foodtech to the end of the commodities era; from the organic sector's boom to the Mediterranean diet's bust, these are the most read stories on FoodNavigator this year so far.

ISA: Artificial sweeteners’ toxicity on gut microbes not reflected in ‘real-life’

05-Oct-2018 By Will Chu

Findings that point to a toxic effect of artificial sweeteners on gut microbes have been dismissed by an industry body, who said the study could not predict what would happen in real life use of sweeteners.

EU starch industry looks to protein & plastic potential following isoglucose 'disappointment'

03-Oct-2018 By Niamh Michail

It’s been one year since the end of EU sugar quotas but contrary to the hopes (of starch producers) and fears (of public health campaigners), Europe has not been flooded with isoglucose. FoodNavigator caught up with Starch Europe to talk isoglucose, Brexit...

UN commitment to tackling NCDs: ‘Landmark step’ or 'lacking ambition'?

02-Oct-2018 By Katy Askew

Heads of state and global governments came together last week with a commitment to tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as obesity and diabetes. The food sector has welcomed the initiative but health campaigners warn the measures ‘lack ambition’.

‘These attacks are a caricature’: French industry reacts to ultra-processed food report

01-Oct-2018 By Niamh Michail

French trade group ANIA has reacted angrily to the parliamentary report last week that called for tough measures to make 'ultra-processed' food healthier through stricter regulations.

NPD trend tracker: Pulse-based rice, sweet beet bars & seasonal launches

01-Oct-2018 By Niamh Michail

From snack bars made with beetroot to rice made from pulses, manufacturers continue to invest in better-for-you products. Brands are also gearing up for Halloween and Christmas with themed products aiming to drive impulse purchases.

‘Ingredients lists are powerful purchasing motivators’: Study finds consumer care more about ingredients than brand

28-Sep-2018 By Katy Askew

Fresh consumer research demonstrates the ongoing importance of the clean label trend and suggests that the ingredients list trumps both the brand and product description in motivating purchase.

French MPs attack processed & ‘ultra-processed’ food, demanding tougher laws

27-Sep-2018 By Niamh Michail

A French parliamentary report, voted yesterday, calls for a raft of measures to make processed and 'ultra-processed' food healthier, from maximum limits on salt, sugar and fat to caps on the number of additives used per product.

Could sorghum syrup rival beet as Europe's home-grown sugar?

18-Sep-2018 By Niamh Michail

A Hungarian company is bringing sorghum syrup to Europe for the first time, a liquid sweetener with a caramel flavour that can be used across food and beverage categories.

MycoTech brings mushroom-based bitter blocker to Europe

17-Sep-2018 By Niamh Michail

As US supplier MycoTechnology turns its attention to the European market, its CEO explains how fermented mushrooms can reduce sugar, block bitterness and improve the nutritional content of plant protein. “It’s really unlimited what we can do with our...

The nutrition label that encourages larger portions of unhealthy foods? ENL shows 'inconsistent' results

11-Sep-2018 By Niamh Michail

The food industry's Evolved Nutrition Label (ENL) showed "inconsistent" results across food categories, and even appeared to nudge consumers towards choosing more chocolate spread than no label at all in a 25,000-strong study.

Low-calorie sweeteners do not trigger sweet cravings, says study

07-Sep-2018 By Niamh Michail

Beverages sweetened with low-calorie sweeteners do not increase total energy intake any more than water when drunk with a meal, according to an industry-funded study.

The new soda? No sugar or sweeteners make Ugly Drinks 'an everyday staple'

06-Sep-2018 By Niamh Michail

UK firm Ugly Drinks uses fruit-based essential oils and sparkling water to create “totally unsweet” fizzy drinks with a nutritional content of “zero” that are an everyday fridge staple, it says.

Taste, texture, smell or appearance: Which is most important in overall liking?

04-Sep-2018 By Niamh Michail

New product developers often focus on overall liking of a food or drink during the NPD stage - but which sensory characteristic is most important? Danish researchers tried to find out.

Sucralose needs a safety re-evaluation following metabolite discovery, say scientists

28-Aug-2018 By Niamh Michail

Sucralose is broken down into metabolites that collect in fatty tissue with unknown consequences on health, and regulators should re-evaluate its safety, a recent study suggests.

Sugar reduction through Hydrosol’s new texturing systems

22-Aug-2018 By Jim Cornall

Sugar reduction in foods is a topic of great interest around the world, leading to a growing number of sugar-reduced or sugar-free products.

Study shows techniques for reducing sugar content in dairy products show promise

21-Aug-2018 By Jim Cornall

Progress is being made in producing reduced-sugar dairy products that are more acceptable to consumers, researchers from the Southeast Dairy Foods Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, say in a report in the Journal of Dairy Science.

New natural sweeteners found: Wild plants in Yunnan sweeter than sucrose by at least 25 times

13-Aug-2018 By Tingmin Koe

Two types of plants in Yunnan, Myriopteron extensum and Derris eriocarpa have been found to contain highly sweet-tasting compounds that are at least 25 times sweeter than sucrose, according to researchers from the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese...

New product trend tracker: Ready-to-eat wheatberry & quinoa, spreadable skyr and gourmet instant desserts

03-Aug-2018 By Niamh Michail

From ready-to-eat pouches of wheatberry & quinoa, spreadable skyr and gourmet instant desserts with cocoa and chia seeds, we take a loot at some of the recent new product launches that stand out.

Innovation to ‘change the world market for natural sweeteners’: c-LEcta develops enzyme process

02-Aug-2018 By Katy Askew

German biotech company e-LEcta reveals that a “successful cooperation” with an unnamed sweetener supplier has enabled it to expand production of a zero-calorie, plant-based sweetener in a move that it said could "change the world market for natural...

DouxMatok & Südzucker bring sugar tech to Europe: 'We want to be like Intel Inside, powering industry's sugar reduction,' says CEO

01-Aug-2018 By Niamh Michail

Israeli start-up DouxMatok has partnered with German sugar giant Südzucker to produce, market and sell its patented sugar-reducing technology to Europe.

Reaction as Mondelēz  to launch 30% less sugar Cadbury bar

20-Jul-2018 By Jenny Eagle

Mondelēz  International has announced plans to launch a 30% less sugar Cadbury Dairy Milk next year but some consumers are taking to social media to air their grievances.

Clash or compromise: Can consumer demands and responsible food ever match?

20-Jul-2018 By Niamh Michail

Consumers want clean, healthy food. But are companies providing it and what if demands for clean food are in direct conflict with food safety or sustainability? Four industry stakeholders debated the issue at this week's IFT in Chicago.

Innova sees plant-based promise in lupin, hemp and flax seed

13-Jul-2018 By Niamh Michail

Lupin, hemp and flaxseed are set to rise in popularity as consumers look for more "unusual" ingredients in dairy alternative products, predicts Innova Market Insights.