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.
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...
Swerve, one of the leading manufacturers and marketers of zero-sugar, keto-friendly, and plant-based sweeteners, is at the forefront of the sugar-free baking trend. The company’s innovation and expansion into monk fruit and allulose sweetener offerings,...
The popular sweetener is ‘possibly carcinogenic’ according to the World Health Organization, who has also reaffirmed it is safe to consume within current permitted use levels.
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.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new guideline on non-sugar sweeteners (NSS), which recommends against the use of NSS to control body weight or reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
Erythritol remains an important tool in long-term weight gain and disease risk, according to the international association representing the low- and reduced-calorie food and beverage industry, after research showed that the popular artificial sweetener...
Israeli food tech startup Amai Proteins is finalizing the initial closing of a $100m funding round as it gears up to launch its first product next year: a designer sweet protein up to 3,000 times sweeter than sugar with a clean taste and excellent heat...
Tate & Lyle has expanded its sweeteners toolbox with ERYTESSE erythritol, which provides 70% of the sweetness of sucrose, a similar temporal profile, and zero calories.
Israeli start-up Resugar has developed a 1:1 sugar substitute for food manufacturers, and ice cream major Froneri – owner of the Nestlé-Froneri brand in Israel – is amongst its first clients.
European industrial biotechnology specialist BRAIN Biotech has teamed up with Bonumose to bring the rare sugars expert’s sweetener tagatose to market globally.
Cutting the amount of sugar in our diet continues to be a priority for many consumers. With experts insisting the sugar reduction trend isn’t coming off the boil, FoodNavigator asks what ingredients are shaping the future of sugar reformulation.
Allulose, a novel rare sugar, is currently making its way through the Novel Foods process to gain regulatory approval in Europe. Does it have the characteristics that European shoppers are looking for in sweeteners?
A new study – published a month after the World Health Organization (WHO) sounded a cautionary note about the long-term effects of zero-calorie sweeteners such as sucralose and saccharin – suggests some diet sweeteners are not inert and can alter the...
In search for a ‘better sweetener’, researchers have identified a low-calorie mixture that they claim is as sweet as table sugar and also good for your gut microbiome.
Ingredients supplier Roquette has announced an investment plan of €25 million for liquid and powder polyols between 2022 and 2024 at its site in Lestrem in North-East France.
The sweetener producer claims combining functional ingredients with sugar alternatives can attract a new generation of customers to products that offer guilt-free indulgence and nutritional benefits.
From surging ocean freight costs to sky high corn prices and general supply chain disruptions, the last 12-18 months have been a roller coaster ride, says Nate Yates, VP Global Sugar Reduction Platform at Ingredion. But one thing has remained remarkably...
Sugar reduction has become a macro health trend among consumers who believe the dietary shift leads to general wellness and health, according to Euromonitor research.
Artificial sweeteners may turn healthy gut bacteria into harmful microbes that can damage the intestine and cause a number of infections including blood poisoning, according to UK scientists.
French investment firm Roquette Ventures (part of ingredients company Roquette Group), which supports start-ups in the food, nutrition, and health markets, is looking to scale up production of plant protein sweeteners made using precision fermentation.
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...
The list of food additives authorised for use in the UK will not change at the end of the Brexit transition period, according to the country's food safety regulator, while the EFSA insists that aspartame does not pose a safety concern at current...
Stevia specialist SweeGen has started commercial production of Reb I, a lesser-known steviol glycoside “with its own unique and distinct taste” that works well in a wide range of food and beverage applications.
With sugar reduction in the spotlight, Netherlands-based consultancy FutureBridge shares its predictions for three new bioprocesses ‘set to rattle the low-calorie sweetener market’.
Tate & Lyle has announced a set of ambitious environmental targets including a commitment to cut Scope 1 and 2 CO2e emissions 20% by 2025 and 30% by 2030. Scope 1 and 2 are defined as direct emissions from owned or controlled sources, and indirect...
Amai Proteins has set out to address ‘the world’s biggest health challenge’: sugar reduction. The start-up is developing designer proteins that are not only sweeter than sugar, but tasty, scalable, sustainable, and importantly, cheaper than the real thing,...
As more consumers continue to monitor their sugar intake, food and beverage manufacturers’ approach to sugar reduction has taken many forms beyond simple sugar substitution, notes Innova Market Insights.
The rare sugar nigerose can now be “easily” produced via a process that “can readily be scaled up for potential industrial purposes,” claims a breakthrough study.
The blending of two popular artificial sweeteners appear to result in less of a bitter taste, a study shows, suggesting this approach could rid current limitations of their use in food products and beverages.
BakeryAndSnacks has analyzed the ingredients company McCormick’s Flavour Forecast for 2017 and extracted some highlights that could assist baked goods and snack producers in new product development.
In contrast with previous reports that link artificial sweeteners with weight gain, new research on rats has found the non-nutritive sweetener saccharin has no effect on weight, while glucose does.
Special edition: Cutting calories in confectionery
Manufacturers can create reduced or no sugar hard and soft candy product extensions without the risk of changing the taste of a proven seller through reformulation, according to Cargill.
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 global market for high intensity sweeteners is flat lining in Europe and North America as consumers drink fewer soft drinks, according to a market report from IHS.
Changes in consumer behaviour are having major impact on demand for high-intensity sweeteners globally, with Europe and the US facing the prospect of slower growth while demand remains strong in Asia and South America, says IHS.
A formula using stevia leaves and peppermint gives a fully natural-sweetened chocolate that has a similar taste and mouthfeel to a sugar counterpart but with 44% fewer calories, according to research.
The Swedish government has supported a stevia project led by Bayn Europe and Barentz based on concerns that non-biodegradable sweeteners may have adverse effects on water supplies.
