Speakers at the first day of Stevia World have focused on the potential of stevia sweeteners as mainstream sugar replacers, as well as their role in tackling surging rates of diet related ill health, such as diabetes.
Latest round of research to identify the ideal front-of-pack labelling scheme indicates that a combination of traffic lights and GDAs is best understood by consumers.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has given its view of proposed reference intake levels for energy, total fat, saturates, carbohydrates, sugars and salt – suggesting that the carbohydrate level be revised upwards.
The Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries of the EU (CIAA) has said that industry has made ‘important progress’ in its efforts to tackle obesity and other diet-related diseases over the past four years.
A new survey by FLABEL indicates widespread listing of nutritional information on food products across the EU and Turkey, with 85 per cent of goods surveyed giving info back-of-pack and 48 per cent front-of-pack.
As the crusade against saturated fats gains pace, UK snack and biscuit manufacturer United Biscuits has achieved gains in product formulations for a range of its popular biscuit brands.
As consumers seek out food with a reduced carbon footprint, some experts believe a dietary shift from red meat and dairy consumption may be more effective than turning to locally sourced products, suggests new analysis.
Unilever has announced plans to cut the salt content across its global range of 22,000 products with an eye on achieving the five grams daily maximum salt intake recommended by the World Health Organization.
Speculation in the commodity markets needs close monitoring to help ease price volatility, the first ever G8 meeting of agricultural ministers has concluded, and agri-food chains should be more closely-coordinated to boost efficiency.
FoodNavigator talks to Peter Melchett, policy director at the Soil Association, about communication efforts to help more consumers understand and engage in organics, and the all-important issue of climate change.
Consumers don’t just expect companies to do no harm in communities they source from, but to actually contribute to development, a major international survey commissioned by FLO International indicates – and they appear to be sticking by their principles...
Mars has pledged that its entire cocoa supply will be certified as sustainably produced by 2020, through a multi-year, multi-country deal forged with the Rainforest Alliance.
The UK’s Department of Health is to raise awareness of the need for energy balance in diets, controlling overall calories as well as specific macronutrients such as saturated fat and added sugar.
The traffic light system for front-of-pack food labelling is the most effective in helping people identify healthier food products, a new study of Australian consumers has found.
Organic Monitor is organising a Sustainable Foods Summit in June, which will give air the key debates on ethical and environment aspects of the food supply chain.
The supply chain for stevia is sound and sustainable, says PureCircle, which is communicating the ethical values behind its high purity Reb-A sweetener in keeping with the natural image.
Leatherhead Food International's Head of Innovation explains progress made towards using WOW emulsions in reduced fat products, and challenges that still need to be overcome.
Balancing saturated fat as a proportion of total calories, and the natural variation of fat levels in meat, are amongst the challenges faced by Waitrose suppliers in developing food products with lower saturated fat products.
A new margarine can enable lower saturated fat in puff pastry and croissants, according to developer Romi Smilfood, helping to meet targets for healthier bakery products.
The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) yesterday confirmed the implementation of a protein cap that limits products such as cereals being advertised to children.
The contamination of food with certain metals needs to be urgently addressed in light of growing evidence linking trace elements to negative human behaviour, according to a lead researcher in the field.
With satiety food formulations on the rise, breakthrough research from British scientists offers a deeper insight into the role of gut hormones on appetite and why a low GI (glycaemic index) meal, such as a morning bowl of porridge, keeps consumers feeling...
The Food and Drink Federation said it is baffled by a Food Standards Agency recommendation to keep the protein cap that limits products such as cereals being advertised to children, which it said overturned previous advice without “good reason”.
Cadbury and Mars are attracting severe criticism from food campaigners, who say they have not fulfilled promises to remove certain artificial food colours from products by the end of 2008.
The CIAA has responded to criticisms levelled at its GDA nutrition labelling system by a campaign from Denmark, emphasising points including the tool’s neutral, science basis, and work towards setting portion sizes.
National Starch Food Innovation (NSFI) has added another product to its Novation clean label starch line. Derived from tapioca, it is billed as an ingredient that can bestow indulgence on a product, with reduced oil, fat or cream.
Formulating cakes with sesame oil, hydrocolloids and emulsifiers could replace fat in cakes, leading to low-fat alternatives of family favourites, suggests a new study.
Progress of the proposed new food information legislation will be delayed by at least six months, as MEPs have decided to delay the vote in committee until after the parliamentary elections.
Formulating rice noodles with alginate may enhance the structural properties of rice dough, which could lead to the development of a successful commercial rice noodle product, says a new study.
A campaign that strongly opposes the inclusion of GDA-type nutritional labelling in the proposed new food information legislation has been launched by a consortium of health and industry groups in Denmark.
Gelling of milk proteins using the food-approved enzyme rennet can produce microcapsules capable of encapsulating healthy ingredients like probiotics, says a new study from Germany.
Consumer watchdog Which? has renewed its calls for food manufacturers and retailers to do more to address sugar, salt and fat content and take a consistent, industry-wide approach to labelling to help people make healthily choices.
The use of salt replacers in the diet, as a means of reducing sodium intake, may improve blood pressure and artery health, says a new study from China.
The food industry’s new sustainability roundtable will seek to unify all the green assessment methods now in use and under development, says the CIAA’s environmental director, rather than developing yet another approach from scratch.
Cadbury’s commitment to source cocoa for its popular Dairy Milk chocolate bars is a strong signal that responsible sourcing is moving out of a niche and into the mainstream, and will introduce more consumers to the principal.
Fad diets that focus on protein, fat or carbohydrate content are all the same when it comes to losing weight as a reduced-calorie diet can be successful no matter what macronutrients it is made up of, a new study has concluded.
The priority of the new Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Roundtable is to reduce the confusing array of different labels and statements appearing on food packages but fostering agreement on scientific assessment of environmental impact.
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) said it s to publish a list of priorities to tackle the challenges of delivering sustainable food security and the scientific advances needed to overcome them.
Crop and climate experts are emphasising the need for crop diversity to protect food security in the face of climate change, as the Svalbard Global Seed Vault celebrates its first anniversary.
UK-based ingredients supplier Ulrick and Short has extended its range of starches and fat replacers for use in dairy desserts, custards and fruit compotes.
Flavour giant Givaudan is using new sensory validation techniques to measure how salt impacts on aspects of taste, and is using this as the basis for new ingredients.
About half of consumers never read the nutrition label before purchasing pre-packaged food, according to a new survey which adds weight to the Guidline Daily Amounts (GDA’s) debate.
A vote on the proposed food information legislation by the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (Agri) this week found sense in abolishing the 3mm rule and national schemes, but has stirred new industry concerns on country...
A major change is needed in the way food is produced, handled and disposed of in order to feed the world's rising population and protect the environment as prices are expected to remain volatile, according to a new UN report.
Recent research has shed new light on how consumers understand food labels - and use them to inform their shopping decisions. But questions still remain over what will make them switch to healthier food choices.
Debate is heating up about the best way to present nutrition information on food labels throughout the EU as lawmakers hammer out the details of new legislation. The Food and Drink Federation gives a view from industry.
The proposed food information regulation would pose big problems for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) if adopted in its present shape, said speakers at the FDF labelling debate – despite the Commission having carried out an impact assessment.
The EU Parliament rapporteur on the proposed food information regulation does see a place for nutrition labelling schemes chosen by manufacturers and retailers – but not for national schemes propounded by Member State governments to run alongside the...
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has today launched a £3.5m advertising campaign to encourage consumers to reduce their intake of saturated fat and change the way they shop and eat.
