Less is apparently more when it comes to the amount of sugar used in the creation of the perfect chocolate bar. So will manufacturers reduce the amount of sugar they use in the making of this sweet treat and will consumers welcome the change?
From confectionery to cakes, breakfast cereals to beer, sugar is a huge part of the modern diet, but why is the cost of one of our most indulgent ingredients increasing and how will this affect both food manufacturers and consumers?
Consumer confusion over how best to reduce sugar in one’s diet persists. Are they still looking for ‘zero added sugar’ in sweet drinks? Regulatory and ingredients experts weigh in.
As we enter the festive countdown, our craving for something sweet reaches fever pitch. But why do we splurge on sweet treats, especially at this time of the year?
The UK’s soft drinks levy is responsible for a 5,500 fall in hospital admissions for tooth decay, according to research published by the BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health.
The cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera), a kind of moth, develops new tastes as it ages, according to a new study. As a pest who poses a danger to crops worldwide, such findings could prove useful to farmers across the globe.
The Federal Association of the German Confectionery Industry (BDSI) has called for the European Union to reform high external sugar tariffs to keep medium-sized companies competitive – while candy makers in the US grapple with US agricultural policy.
In the upcoming webinar (airs 13 September), ConfectioneryNews will profile some of the key innovations in the sector that are being driven primarily by consumer trends. As R&D budgets are increased, we have seen ground-breaking innovations in the...
Breakfast cereals and yogurts with packaging that appeals to children have unnecessary amounts of sugars, complains new UK research – with some products containing the equivalent of up to four teaspoons of sugar per serving.
In the past 12 months, global sugar prices have risen 41.9% and to describe this sharp inflation in sugar prices, analysts have coined a new term: ‘sugarflation’. The current market volatility has also had a knock-on effect for natural alternatives with...
With sugar consumption continuing to increase and public health concerns about rising obesity rates, the sugar reduction trend will become more significant, experts say.
Israeli sugar reduction pioneer DouxMatok is going through a period change: the company is rebranding to Incredo LTD, has secured $30m (€27m) in Series C funding, and working to expand its reach on both sides of the Atlantic.
In a post-pandemic world, consumer relationships with sweetness are changing, according to Kerry Group, who in new consumer research reveals that ‘sustainable health’ is the primary motivator for sugar reduction.
Israeli food-tech startup Sweet Victory has released a chewing gum designed to curb sugar cravings. A consumer study on the gum found that it enabled its users to significantly cut down on sweets, as well as lose weight. The product, which is already...
We all know that eating fruit is better for us than eating doughnuts. One is essential to keep us healthy, the other, perhaps, nearly essential to avoid. However, both doughnuts and most fruits are high in sugar, an ingredient widely considered to lead...
The overconsumption of sugar can lead to many health conditions, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as well as mental health conditions such as depression. Some experts have suggested that it could be an addiction, similar to alcohol or cocaine....
Better Juice, an Israeli start-up, has used sugar reduction technology to lower the levels of sugar in its fruit juices, including, in a recent trial, several berry-based juices. Their technology is able to reduce three sugars found in fruit juices –...
How do sugar reduction strategies – such as low/no sugar products and reduced pack sizes – affect product sales? A new study explores how manufacturers can create ‘win-win-conditions’ in both reducing sugar and boosting sales.
We catch up with SVZ's Johan Cerstiaens to find out more about the potential use of fruit and vegetable ingredients as sugar substitute in dairy. "What if by reducing sugar content, manufacturers could add value to their products?”
US-based MeliBio is partnering with organic food producer Narayan Foods to bring its plant-based bee-free honey product to Europe under the Better Foodie brand.
Despite UK government guidance that no added sugars, including those from processed fruit, should be consumed by children up to the age of two years old, new research from Action on Sugar (based at Queen Mary University of London) has revealed what it...
Dr Tom Simmons, founder and CEO of The Supplant Company, spent a decade in academic research around waste reduction before turning his attention to create a high fibre sugar that cooks, bakes and caramelises just like traditional sugar, but with fewer...
Food tech startup Better Juice has opened its first full-scale manufacturing plant to enable commercial production of its patented sugar reduction technology, which can reduce sugar content in juice products by 30-80%.
Scientists have found that lactase derived from lactic acid bacterium can be used to produce naturally sweet yogurt, paving the way for the production of flavored yogurt without added sugars.
European industrial biotechnology specialist BRAIN Biotech has teamed up with Bonumose to bring the rare sugars expert’s sweetener tagatose to market globally.
Brazil is introducing new labelling requirements that include the addition of front-of-pack warnings alerting consumers to high levels of added sugars, saturated fats and sodium. Arla Foods Ingredients says its whey permeate Variolac can stop brands falling...
The European Food Safety Authority was asked to review the link between sugar consumption and various diseases. The results are in: “Based on the risk of developing chronic metabolic diseases and dental caries, the intake of added and free sugars should...
PepsiCo has set out an ambition to cut the sugar in its drink brands and shift its snacks portfolio towards ‘healthier options’ in Europe. FoodNavigator hears more on how it plans to do just that.
Sugarcane certification scheme Bonsucro has launched a five-year strategic plan, setting out ‘bold ambitions’ to accelerate sustainable production and use in sugarcane.
Meat and dairy are regularly targeted for their environmental impact. In the UK, for example, the government’s Committee on Climate Change has recommended a 20% cut in meat and dairy by 2030, rising to 35% by 2050 for meat only. Sugar may be next, warns...
New research concludes women diagnosed with breast cancer are 85% more likely to die from the disease if they drink non-diet soda five or more times a week.
Taste and nutrition company Kerry has completed a life cycle assessment comparing the environmental impact of its Tastesense Sweet ingredient against the footprint of sugar. The result? “Reducing the consumption of sugar has impressive health and environmental...
As the UK plans to dismantle Public Health England – in a move health expert Dr Anthony Laverty describes as ‘retrograde’ – the Government is being called on to take ‘bolder action’ to combat obesity.
Europe’s soft drinks industry has reduced added sugars in drinks by an average of 14.6% between 2015 and 2019; contributing to a reduction of 26% since 2000.
Critics have rounded on the UK government’s voluntary sugar reduction plan -- which calls for a 20% cut from the food industry in key products by the end of this year -- after a report revealed it is heading for failure.
Spanish sugar maker Azucarera has created a moisture-resistant bakery coating which it claims is the only ingredient of this kind in the market that does not contain palm oil.
Action on Sugar wants a ban on the use of claims such as 'one of your five a day', 'naturally occurring sugars' or 'made from real fruit' on fruit snacks for children that can contain the equivalent of five teaspoons of sugar....
Fruit juice contains vitamins and other bioactive compounds. But it has also been called out for its sugar content. Fresh research from the EU fruit juice industry examines consumer attitudes to juice and its healthy associations.
