Diet and health

The food industry is reacting to consumers' health concerns over sugar with reformulated products. © iStock

Europe sweetens its NPD with low sugar launches

By Niamh Michail

From soft drinks to yoghurts, snack bars to jams, the low sugar and sugar-free drive is spreading across categories in Europe. We take a look at some of the stand-out successes in new product development (NPD), picked by Mintel's market analysts.

415 million people suffer from diabetes globally, with a growing number living with lifestyle & diet-driven type 2 diabetes.

#WorldDiabetesDay #WDD

World Diabetes Day: 1000 actions to help 400+m people

By Shane Starling

Nearly 1000 actions – from screenings to policy statements to conferences and diet and lifestyle change promotion – are underway in 130+ countries as part of World Diabetes Day.

Sugar Nutrition UK: Born 1964, died 2016

Sugar giants pull trigger on research group

Sugar Nutrition UK: Born 1964, died 2016

By Louis Gore-Langton

50 year-old industry funded research body Sugar Nutrition UK has disbanded citing the need for sugar science to go global.

Tesco started its efforts to reduce sugar in soft drinks in 2011. Pic:iStock/bogdandreava

Tesco reduces sugar in own brand soft drinks

By Rachel Arthur

UK supermarket giant Tesco has reduced the sugar content in its own brand soft drink portfolio, with the reformulated beverages hitting the shelves this week. 

The Childhood Obesity Plan, unveiled by the UK government in August of this year, missed restrictions to junk-food advertising. ©iStock

Obesity plan 'dismantling' leaves bare bones of a strategy

By David Burrows

Details of the UK’s childhood obesity plan as it stood in June – back when David Cameron was Prime Minister and the UK was still debating whether to stay in or leave the EU - were this week revealed on British current affairs programme Dispatches.

© iStock/RawpixelLtd

Scouting out Europe's latest free-from innovation at SIAL

By Niamh Michail

What are the latest free-from trends sweeping Europe? How is the mature gluten-free market staying innovative? And how much on-pack prominence should you give to free-from claims? FoodNavigator hit the expo floor at SIAL in Paris to find out.

Removing Reb A restrictions will allow better tasting formulations, say stevia palyers. ©iStock

Law applies from 3 November 2016

Stevia sector says imminent EU law changes will sweeten NPD

By Lynda Searby

An amendment to the EU food additives regulation has removed the requirement for stevia blends to contain at least 75% stevioside or reb A, giving food and beverage manufacturers scope to formulate better tasting stevia-sweetened products.

The survey statistically measured obesity using the Body Mass Index (BMI) of adults - defined as a BMI of 30 or over. ©iStock

Eurobesity bulges to 1 in 6

By Will Chu

The Maltese and Latvians are the fattest Europeans in a continent where 1 in 6 are now rated obese, according to a survey that found age and education were key factors.

Choices chopped: Consumer groups are celebrating the end of the industry-backed tick but have already denounced the replacement app as insufficient.  © iStock/DragonImages

Option paralysis: Consumers were confused by 'Choices'

Dutch ditch healthy eating logo for an app

By Niamh Michail

The Dutch government has ordered the industry-led healthy eating logo to be phased out and replaced with an app that allows consumers to scan products for nutrition information.

The problem is healthy fats present food structure problems when replacing other fats. X-ray could help. ©iStock

X-ray fat for formulation wins?

By Natalie Morrison

Food scientists are X-raying fats in a bid to understand how saturated and trans-fats can be replaced by healthier versions without compromising taste or texture.

'Only 40% of us have a healthy weight,' said health minister Simon Harris in a foreword to the report. 'In terms of scale, this represents one of the biggest public health challenges Ireland is facing today.'  © World Obesity Federation

Ireland launches national obesity plan

By Niamh Michail

The Irish government has launched an ambitious national obesity plan which proposes a sugary drinks tax, maximum portion sizes, marketing restrictions and reformulation targets - but the lack of funding to implement the policy has led to criticism from...

SPLENDA Naturals is made with two ingredients: stevia leaf extract and erythritol, with an MSRP of $3.99 for a 40 count box, and $6.99 for an 80 count box.

SPLENDA Naturals takes on Truvia with new stevia-based natural sweetener

By Elaine Watson

As sales of artificial sweeteners continue to slide, SPLENDA (a brand associated with the artificial sweetener sucralose) has moved into the faster-growing natural sweetener space with the launch of SPLENDA Naturals, a zero-calorie blend of the bulk sweetener...

“A sugar tax will just mean that the public spend more of their money on unhealthy foods,” says Bayn managing director Lucy Dahlgren. © iStock/BogdanReava

Profit increase can drive sugar reduction: Bayn

By Natalie Morrison

More profitable business models are needed for companies committed to healthier products, according to Bayn following the launch of its new Sugar Reduced Community.

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