Food manufacturers are welcoming the end of the EU’s “market-distorting” sugar beet and isoglucose quotas that have capped production for nearly 50 years. But sugar cane processors are angry that cane tariffs remain while public health may pay the ultimate...
At the end of the month, the EU sugar regime will end, liberalising the market after nearly 50 years of production quotas. But one MEP is questioning whether the Commission has considered the impact on Europeans’ health as manufacturers switch to isoglucose.
British ingredient supplier Tate & Lyle has reported an 85% increase in profit before tax, putting the successful performance down to higher sales, a weak pound and fewer exceptional costs.
French supermarket Super U has pledged to remove or reduce 90 “controversial” substances from its private label range, including palm oil, aspartame, monosodium glutamate, bisphenol A and fructose-glucose syrup, citing consumer fears and the cocktail effect....
By J T Winkler, emeritus professor of nutrition policy, London Metropolitan University
The UK's sugar tax was little more than populist light relief to brighten a speech full of economic doom and gloom. But what's worse, argues Professor Jack Winkler, is that the government's 'pseudo-consultation' about the tax is...
The EU sugar reform will harm public health by flooding the market with cheap sugar and tempting manufacturers to reformulate – an agricultural policy that takes into account public health is needed, say researchers.
The end of EU sugar beet quotas could worsen the obesity crisis and damage the livelihoods of sugar cane growers and producers – and as an ex-colonial power Britain has a moral responsibility to act, says a report by the Food Research Collaboration.
Consumption of fructose may be more harmful to a number of key health measures, including mortality and fertility, than consumption of sucrose, according to research in mice.
The use of natural sweeteners is growing rapidly – they were used in one in five new non-caloric drinks launched last year – but it is still dwarfed by other sweeteners, according to a new report from Canadean.
The success of isoglucose in the EU largely depends on whether food and drink companies decide to make the switch from sugar, says managing director of the European Starch Industry Association Jamie Fortescue.
A high fat and high sugar diet during pregnancy may increase the risk of children becoming vulnerable to alcohol and drug abuse in later life, according to new research in rats.
Mid-calorie carbonated soft drink manufacturers must deal with the aftertaste issues associated with stevia, as the natural sweetener becomes more widely accepted by consumers, according to Datamonitor consumer analyst, Melanie Felgate.
Beverages high in fructose produce smaller increases in satiety hormones and associated feelings of satiety compared to drinks sweetened with the same amount of glucose, according to a new US study.
We've all heard the statistics - almost 36% of Americans are now obese. But 50 years ago, it was just 13%. So why did we get so fat, so quickly? And what role did sugar - and specifically high fructose corn syrup - have to play?
Barely a week goes by without another food company being challenged in court over its use of the word ‘natural’ – and it’s just a matter of time before the claim loses its front-and-center on-pack appeal.
Flavour ingredients house Senomyx has hinted at PepsiCo’s interest in its work on developing an enhancer to reduce high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) levels in beverages and foods by up to 33%.
In a competitive sucralose market, Tate & Lyle should price the sweetener keenly to ensure significant market share in the future, claims an analyst as the group releases ‘reassuringly dull’ Q3 results today.
High commodity prices are driving demand amongst food companies to reformulate products for the sake of affordability, according to International Flavours & Fragrances (IFF)
Once upon a time sugar was sugar, and sugar was most definitely not good for you. So the Corn Refiners Association move to rebrand high fructose corn syrup as corn sugar is a daring move – but should do little to sweeten its reputation.
Carrageenan has good textural properties and is a more cost effective hydrocolloid than dextran for use in semi liquid syrups for production of a wide range of confectionery products, claims a new study from Mexico.
‘Moderate’ consumption of fructose-containing sweeteners may produce ‘modest but significant changes’ that may contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome, says a new rat study.
Sugar politics means high prices are a bitter pill for US and Indian sweet food and beverage makers; while the European industry is sitting pretty on the back of the recent sugar reforms.
The formation of a toxic substance when high fructose corn syrup is heated raises concerns for bee keepers, say researchers, and will help inform advice on safe storage of the ingredient for use in human food.
The findings of a review about how metabolism of fructose in the brain may affect food intake are “highly speculative and probably incorrect”, says a leading HFCS researcher.
Sugar could be shedding its bad boy image to take a surprise spot on the public’s list of trusted ingredients, as manufacturers look to appeal to more savvy consumers.
Drinking fructose-sweetened beverages with meals may cause bigger rises in blood levels of triglycerides in obese people after the meal, says a new study.
Hong-Kong listed firm Global Sweeteners has delivered mixed results for the first half of 2008, but escaped a potential hit from the price hike in corn by passing on costs to the market.
High fructose corn syrup may be labeled natural when synthetic fixing agents do not come into contact with it during manufacturing, said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), fuelling further debate on the controversial sweetener.
UK sweetener group Tate & Lyle reduces risk to earnings from
today's volatile commodity markets, announcing the sale of its
international sugar trading operations to US oilseed giant Bunge.
For the first of a new series to air reader views on controversial
topics affecting the food industry, FoodNavigator is seeking
comments on whether or not the sweetener high fructose corn syrup
should be considered natural.
A row has broken out over high fructose corn syrup after the Corn
Refiners Association's attempts to boost the image of the sweetener
attracted criticism.
A US federal judge has rejected a claim that the use of the term
'all natural' on Snapple drinks was deceptive because the products
contained high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) has released a science
policy paper to correct misconceptions that abound in the industry
regarding the safety of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).
Some food and beverage manufacturers may switch from high fructose
corn syrup (HFCS) to sugar as a result of high corn prices, but
this is only likely to be the case for relatively small scale
users, according to a consultant.
It is hard for food companies not to get drawn into the temptation of using attractive label claims that may be shrouded by a veil of doubt. But the real risk comes when the 'if you don't know, don't ask' question is finally answered.
Ingredients giant Archer Daniels Midland has criticised media
reports linking the use of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
with the rise in US obesity levels, saying it is not the sole cause
of the epidemic.
High intakes of sucrose and fructose may contribute to an increased
risk of pancreatic cancer, suggest data from a cohort study, but
the researchers say insulin resistance could also play a part.
High fructose corn syrup is increasingly being blacklisted by food
and beverage manufacturers as they attempt to market products that
are perceived as 'better-for-you', says Datamonitor.
