Market

22-Feb-2012 - Processing has become a dirty word, but we are going to need more processing, not less, in order to feed a growing population, according to professor and head of food science at Penn State University John Floros.

News in brief

Caravan Ingredients introduces new low sodium baking powder

22-Feb-2012 - Caravan Ingredients has introduced a new low sodium baking powder that it claims is up to 44% lower in sodium than other industrial baking powders.

Celebrity role models and personalized messages for better food safety

22-Feb-2012 - Food safety experts need to do a better job of communicating the consumer’s role in keeping food safe, by using personalized messages and the example of kitchen role models, says a consumer food marketing specialist.

Clarisoy ‘invisible’ protein set for summer launch, says ADM

21-Feb-2012 - Clarisoy, the invisible protein developed by Burcon and commercialized by ADM, will be available in commercial quantities by the summer, ADM has revealed.

Food safety perception: The disconnect between consumers and manufacturers

21-Feb-2012 - A new global survey of food manufacturers found that most (98%) are confident about their food safety performance - but 70% of consumers aren't convinced. FoodNavigator-USA spoke to Hank Lambert, general manager of food and water at UL, which commissioned the survey.

Globalization boosting demand for harmonized safety standards, says GFSI

17-Feb-2012 - As the global food system has become more complex, food manufacturers are looking for ways to harmonize safety standards. Cargills Mike Robach, a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) board member, tells FoodNavigator-USA about what's driving the industry to support the GFSI in increasing numbers.

Kellogg becomes #2 global snacks firm with Pringles buy; analysts react

16-Feb-2012 - Kellogg’s $2.7bn deal to acquire Procter & Gamble’s Pringles will significantly boost its global snacks presence and open existing products up to new markets, according to analysts.

Cantaloupe listeria scare still affecting US recalls - ExpertRECALL

16-Feb-2012 - The 2011 cantaloupe-related Listeria outbreak has continued to effect food recalls across the US, with a 50% increase in the number of recalls in the fourth quarter of 2011 compared with Q3.

News in brief

IMG enters strategic new phase with new director of business development

15-Feb-2012 - Integrated Marketing Group has entered a ‘new phase of expansion’ with the appointment of industry veteran Peggy Jackson as director of business development.

Researchers identify procedure to increase product launch success

15-Feb-2012 - Kansas State University researchers have developed a new procedure to predict success of new flavored snack product launches, allowing success rates of about 70%.

News in brief

Mars to set 250 chocolate calorie limit worldwide by 2013

15-Feb-2012 - Mars is to reduce the calories in its chocolate sold globally to 250 or less by the end of 2013.

American Heart Association blasts industry sodium reduction skeptics

14-Feb-2012 - Suggestions by the Salt Association and other industry associations that sodium reductions could hurt rather than improve health are “not supported by science”, the American Heart Association (AHA) has insisted.

Comment

‘Processed’ foods are often high in sodium – but what’s a processed food?

14-Feb-2012 - About 75% of the sodium in our diets comes from processed foods. It’s a regularly cited figure – but what exactly is a ‘processed’ food? Consumers might be surprised.

News in brief

US pledges $15m to Indonesia’s food production

13-Feb-2012 - The US Agency for International Development (USAID) will invest US$15m in a five year program, AMARTA II, in a bid to drive production of Indonesia’s high value commodities; cocoa, coffee and horticultural crops.

Law professor: Sodium reduction only works if there is a level playing field

13-Feb-2012 - If consumers are not demanding lower-sodium products, and the government does not mandate reductions, the food industry has “no incentive to be at the forefront of change”, according to one legal expert.

Online grocery shopping on the rise: Survey

13-Feb-2012 - Shoppers increasingly are looking to the internet for better deals on foods and beverages, according to a new survey from the Integer group and M/A/R/C Research.

Bread contributes most sodium to US diets, finds CDC

09-Feb-2012 - Nine out of ten Americans eat too much sodium, and bread and rolls are the biggest problem, rather than salty snacks, according to the latest Vital Signs report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Dispatches from Feeding the World conference in Geneva

'It shouldn't all boil down to yield,' says food systems activist in call to action

09-Feb-2012 - How to tackle obesity and hunger remains a two-pronged challenge for the agri-food industry, but increasing crop yield is not the answer - instead the focus should be on boosting the nutritional value of crops, claims a sustainable food systems activist.

News in brief

Revolymer enters 450 retail chains in US with degradable gum

09-Feb-2012 - UK-based firm Revolymer has secured distribution agreements with 450 retail chains in the US for its degradable chewing gum Rev7.

How does Walmart’s new logo fit with other front-of-pack claims?

08-Feb-2012 - Walmart’s new front-of-pack label might have stricter nutrition criteria than many others currently in use, but how does it fit in with other logos in the grocery store?

Ashland says new cellulose gums could provide guar gum alternatives

08-Feb-2012 - Ashland Specialty Ingredients has introduced two new cellulose gum products to provide alternatives to guar gum, for which the food industry has seen tight supply and higher prices since late 2010.

Non-GMO Verified sales hit $1bn

07-Feb-2012 - Non-GMO Project Verified has become the fastest growing food eco-label in North America, as sales of certified products hit $1bn in 2011, according to findings unveiled at Organic Monitor’s Sustainable Foods Summit in San Francisco last month.

GMA report highlights ‘success stories’ in industry sustainability

07-Feb-2012 - Cargill’s reuse of methane, water-saving strategies from ConAgra and Coca-Cola, and Campbell Soup’s energy efficiency measures are among sustainability success stories highlighted in a new report from the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA).

Walmart unveils new “Great For You” logo

07-Feb-2012 - Walmart has unveiled its new on-shelf and front-of-pack logo to highlight healthy choices among its own-brand products, including fresh and packaged fruits and vegetables.

General Mills plans Quick Response on cereal boxes, despite commentator's scepticism

07-Feb-2012 - General Mills is the latest company to experiment with QR (quick response) codes and plans to add them to its cereal boxes, but one well-known technology commentator is sceptical about their benefits.