Real Good Food has snapped up cake decoration specialist Rainbow Dust Colours for £4m ($6m) to edge further into the growing global sugar-craft category, its marketing head says.
It is not about judging companies on waste but joining the dots between businesses with surplus food and charities in need of donations, according to UK charity Plan Zheroes.
Jan-Willem Van der Kamp from TNO has been voted as BakeryandSnacks’ Personality of the Year 2014 for his leadership on HealthBread - an EU project to develop healthier breads.
The World Health Organisation has outlined potential strategies to reduce premature deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including junk food taxes and cutting salt intakes.
Products containing genetically modified ingredients will still be required to be labelled as such in the future, despite fears that protection standards could suffer because of new trade agreements.
EFSA’s full low-calorie diet regime report – published this week – can help “tackle the societal challenge of obesity”, the EU’s specialist food trade group has said.
If elected, a UK Labour government will introduce limits on the levels of fat, salt and sugar that manufacturers are allowed to include in food marketed towards children.
European food companies increasingly are using exotic fruits like dried mango, papaya and pineapple to differentiate their products in a crowded marketplace – but at what cost to local farmers and the environment?
Better defined thresholds at which common allergens trigger reactions in a majority of allergic consumers could improve ‘may contain’ labelling, according to researchers from the University of Manchester.
Sugar low: “The use of such a health claim would convey a conflicting and confusing message..."
Five glucose health claims approved by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) back in 2012 have been officially banned by the European Commission due to concerns over what they would say to consumers about sugar consumption.
The European Commission has vowed to preserve protected geographical indications (PGIs) for food and drink after coming under pressure to soften the rules in trade talks with the US.
Around two thirds of people in the UK do not know how many calories an average person needs to maintain a healthy weight, according to a survey commissioned by two charities and supermarket Tesco.
The European Union needs to update the way it regulates biotechnology as advances are made in plant breeding – or risk disrupting trade in commodity crops, according to Professor Huw Jones of Rothamsted Research.
A Nordic diet may help reduce the expression of inflammation-associated genes in abdominal fat tissue independent of body weight changes, according to research.
It’s time to get out our crystal balls and predict the hottest trends in the European food and drink sector for the year ahead. What’s in store for 2015?
As 2014 draws to a close, let’s take a minute to look back and ask, how accurate was our forecast for the year? FoodNavigator looks back at its trend predictions for 2014.
The UK will publish an extensive report on the role of carbohydrates in the diet next year, presenting opportunities for bread makers to fight back against carb-bashing, says the Federation of Bakers (FOB).
Midnight cereal chomping, energy-dense sports snacks and on-the-go breakfast replacements are just some of the trends set to shape the snacking market next year, according to Datamonitor Consumer.
98.3% of foods in the EU contain pesticide residues within legal limits, but there were “significantly higher” maximum limit exceedance rates for products from outside of Europe, according to a report from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Food and drink manufacturers must emphasise the role of exercise in reducing obesity or risk being sidelined in the debate and hit with stricter regulation, according to new research.
A new inulin-propionate ester (IPE) ingredient may increase appetite-reducing hormones and make people feel fuller, according to research published in the journal Gut.
A new and extensive review of the associations between food and drink groups and major diet-related diseases will guide the way for future research and policy interventions, say researchers.
Functional food specialist Dr Zak’s has developed a high-protein bagel and has flatbreads in development as it looks to stretch its offering in a niche market, its managing director says.
New technologies are vital to the future growth of the food and nutrition industry, but their future success depends on much more than the science behind them.
An enzyme in the brain called glucokinase may drive our desire for glucose-rich starchy and sugary foods, according to research in rats from Imperial College London.
Indonesia plans to process half of its seaweed domestically by 2020, meaning the carrageenan supply chain could see massive geographic diversions in the future.
SPECIAL EDITION 2014, BEVERAGE SWEETENER INNOVATION
Mintel says the presence of nutritionally beneficial compounds could see stevia-based sweeteners of the future that combine functional benefits as well as calorie-free sweetness.
Finland’s VTT research centre has developed processing technologies and recipes for the faba bean – up to now little-used in human food – which deliver high-protein, gluten-free alternative breads, pasta, snacks and other products.
Palm oil is subject to several consumer concerns – its sustainability and health impacts in particular – but these need to be addressed together rather than separately, according to the European Palm Oil Alliance (EPOA).
Food manufacturers and palm oil producers could have a legal case against companies labelling products ‘palm oil free’, according to Paris-based lawyer Anne Bourdu.
Labour is about to set out its plans for improving public health if elected next year and while tougher regulation can be expected, sugar and fat taxes will not be part of the mix, it has emerged.
More than 50,000 people have signed an Italian petition to limit the use of palm oil in processed foods, organised by food news and campaigning organisation Il Fatto Alimentare.
Consumers are generally able to use nutrition labelling systems to identify more and less healthy foods, but the use of different reference amounts may be confusing, say researchers.
The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned several YouTube adverts for Oreos following a BBC Newsround investigation, ruling that their commercial nature was not immediately clear to viewers.
Salt replacer use is growing but low salt claims are not, as food companies favour a ‘quiet’ approach – but growth in gourmet table salts may threaten salt reduction efforts.
The UK’s Department of Health should establish clear guidelines on potassium-based salt replacers and back down from its current recommendation for a complete ban, according to CASH (Consensus Action on Salt and Health) chair Graham MacGregor.
British starch specialist Ulrick & Short has developed a glaze for meat products and pies, which it claims can cut costs compared to other available glazes.
Choosing gluten-free food is a lifestyle choice, but there is no evidence that it’s a healthier option for those not suffering from gluten intolerance, say experts.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) have partnered to raise awareness on sustainable palm oil and strengthen frameworks like that for complaints on compliance.
