Labelling

Total sugar, added sugar, free sugars and of which sugars...would it be easier if nutrition labels just depicted the amount of sugar that has been added in teaspoons? © iStock

NUTRITION LABELLING IN THE US AND EUROPE

Should Europeans be told how much sugar is added to their food?

By Niamh Michail

Nutrition labels in the US will now have to tell consumers how much sugar has been added by manufacturers and how much is naturally occurring. Is it time Europe introduced similar measures so consumers know whether the food they are eating is healthy?

Manufacturers should be made to declare how much potassium is in processed food, say campaigners, which could help certain consumers increase their daily intake and allow others to avoid it for health reasons. © iStock

Make potassium labelling mandatory for processed food: UK petition

By Niamh Michail

As new nutrition guidelines make labelling potassium on packaged foods mandatory in the US, a UK petition is urging the government to do the same but for different reasons - it would end the processed food "nightmare" for sufferers of Chronic...

Much of Turkey's food regulation is harmonised with EU law making it a hassle-free country to do business  - although there are some notable exceptions, such as GMOs, nutrient profiles and maximum salt levels. © iStock

Spotlight on Turkish regulation: 'It's an easy market to enter'

By Niamh Michail

Harmonisation of Turkish and EU food law make it an easy and attractive market for foreign companies, but on issues that affect public health - such as nutrient profiles, health claims, GM food and salt reduction - the country is forging its own path. FoodNavigator...

The big issue: How can industry be part of the obesity solution?

The big issue: How can industry be part of the obesity solution?

By Niamh Michail

Obesity and overweight rates continue to rise across the globe and although no country has managed to reverse the trend to date, all agree action is required. Join us for a free online event on May 25 where key issues will be up for debate.

Between 2011 and 2015, there was a 202% increase in the number of new food and drink product launches featuring the terms ‘superfood’, ‘superfruit’ or ‘supergrain’. © iStock.com / baibaz

Super growth for superfoods, but is the halo starting to slip?

By Lynda Searby

Rates of ‘superfood’ new product development have tripled in the past five years, according to Mintel, but a nutrition expert warns that with no clear definition in existence, the allure of the ‘superfoods’ sell is starting to fade. 

Will you be in Geneva for Vitafoods Europe 2016 this week?

Vitafoods Europe: Geneva pulls nutrition levers

By Shane STARLING

The NutraIngredients team will be at Vitafoods Europe in Geneva this week scouring the showfloor and conference halls for hot stories, engaging the industry and scrutinising the latest nutrition innovations.

Older consumers aren't looking for silver bullet solutions but transparent support, research in Asia and Europe finds. © iStock.com / CharlieAJA

Healthy agers: To market older, you’d better get wiser

By Lynda Searby

Europe’s seniors see functional foods as a 'dated' concept, are uncomfortable with products that expressly mention age, and want sustainable, naturally nutritious products, finds a consumer study led by the Healthy Marketing Team.

TTIP could damage food safety, protected origin foods and flood the EU market with cheap beef and dairy imports, Friends of the Earth has warned. Photo: iStock

TTIP – a nail in the coffin for EU food producers?

By David Burrows

The big winners of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) deal will be the corporate food giants and US factory farms with European producers set to lose the most, according to Friends of the Earth. "Entire sectors are at risk...

EU politicians voted today to scrap nutrient profiles. 'We deeply regret the EU Parliament chose to stand by the food industry and let down consumers,' said consumer rights group BEUC. © iStock

European Parliament votes to scrap nutrient profiles

By Niamh Michail

Members of European Parliament (MEPs) voted today to scrap nutrient profiles, a result that leaves consumer rights groups, public health campaigners and some industry players sorely disappointed.

ANSES fails to back nutrient profile-based labelling systems

French find fault in 4 or 5-class nutrient profiling

By Shane Starling

The French food safety agency (ANSES) has concluded two nutrient profiling systems won’t provide people with easily understandable grading of food into four or five classes depending on their healthiness.

Some of the products high in salt, fat or sugar that claim to be healthy. Photo: FoodWatch

80% of surveyed products don't pass WHO nutrient profile

Survey blasts industry & EU for allowing unhealthy foods to make health claims

By Niamh Michail

What’s the difference between a chocolate bar and an apple? Not much if you go by the misuse of health claims on food in Germany and the Netherlands says campaign group FoodWatch, after evaluating over 600 products making prominent claims to be healthy,...

The Decade of Action on Nutrition resolution was co-sponsored by 30 UN members. © iStock.com / paulaphoto

UN declares Decade of Action on Nutrition

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has declared a ‘Decade of Action on Nutrition’, placing nutrition firmly at the heart of its sustainable development agenda.

'Part of the reason [eating in] moderation messages are so appealing - their simplicity - is part of the problem. People are poor judges of moderate consumption,' write the researchers. © iStock

'Everything in moderation' advice is unlikely to be effective: Study

By Niamh Michail

'Everything is moderation' is valued as simple, effective advice to promote healthy eating. But without a fixed definition, it leaves people the freedom to define moderation as how much they want to eat and is unlikely to be effective, US researchers...

EFSA budget plateaus despite growing workload

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has announced plateauing budgets for the next three years and staffing reductions of 10% running up to 2018 – despite its increasing responsibilities.

Seaweed & Co: “[DNA testing] will help differentiate material from cheap, nasty stuff coming onto the market with no testing whatsoever,.”

"The good thing about this is that DNA doesn’t lie.”

DNA seaweed authentication test launched in UK

By Shane STARLING

UK bulk seaweed ingredient supplier Seaweed & Co has teamed with Geneius Laboratories to develop a DNA-based seaweed certification test after working together for five months.

A.G. Barr says that two-thirds of its portfolio will escape a sugar tax. Pic: iStock

A.G. Barr shrugs off sugar tax worries

By Rachel Arthur

Soft drinks company A.G. Barr says a combination of brand strength and ongoing product reformulation will minimize the financial impact of the UK’s sugar tax on its business.

The Chancellor's sugar tax budget bombshell could result in legal action

Sugar tax

Sugar tax could spark industry legal action

By Michelle Perrett

Soft drinks companies are looking into options, including legal action, in the wake of the government plans to introduce a soft drinks tax.

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