Claims like low sodium, low fat and low calorie on snacks are decreasing which seems counterintuitive given action is being taken by manufacturers, said the director of innovation and insights at Mintel.
Read the full May 14 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report ‘Sodium intake in populations’ -all 200 pages of it - and the conclusion is clear: Excessive sodium consumption is bad for your heart, and all Americans need to cut back - a lot.
While four out of 10 consumers say they are trying to avoid or reduce intakes of certain fats and oils, cholesterol, sodium and sugar, only one in 10 actually looks for this kind of information on menus when dining out, according to NPD Group.
New research supports significant reductions in sodium from where most Americans are today, but does not justify population-wide reductions below 2,300 mg per day, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM).
A new analysis of sodium levels in 480 packaged and restaurant foods over the period 2005-2011 provides further evidence that voluntary approaches to sodium reduction have not delivered the across-the-board reductions required to meet government targets.
How can you get more bang for your R&D buck? How does Unilever gain deeper consumer insights online? Why don’t manufacturers share more information with key suppliers?
While health-conscious consumers are increasingly sprinkling almonds, walnuts and other more ‘upmarket’ (and expensive) nuts on their oatmeal or Greek yogurt for a nutritional boost; peanuts - especially the salted, oil-roasted, variety - do not bask...
Cargill has launched a new initiative designed to help manufacturers improve the nutritional profile of foods marketed to children and meet a swathe of new guidelines from retailers, the government and other organizations setting nutrition criteria for...
Leading food manufacturers and retailers have joined forces to launch a consumer education campaign designed to change the way consumers think about frozen foods.
The stealthy approach to sodium reduction in foods—cutting levels bit by bit so that consumers don’t notice—has evolved to the point that some observers question whether it is necessary at all. Understandably, those in the business of selling sodium reduction...
On day two of the 2013 Food Technology & Innovation Forum in Chicago, R&D bosses from the world's biggest food and beverage companies learned how Unilever gains consumer insights online, what Nestlé thinks about biotech crops and how McDonald's...
Despite decades of research and debate, there are still questions about the suitability of population-wide salt reduction. Can some people safely consume more salt than others?
Salt content in foods should be clearly labelled to help consumers to choose low-salt options – but food makers should continue to embrace a ‘stealth health’ approach, according to international programme lead for World Action on Salt and Health (WASH)...
Special edition: Sodium reduction - The road ahead
Cost and the lack of a ‘silver bullet’ are still cited as an issue for reduced-sodium food, with savory products in general struggling with the challenge, but plenty of application-specific solutions abound, say industry players.
Special edition: Sodium reduction - The road ahead
If consumers are not demanding lower-sodium products (at least not en masse), and the government does not mandate them, what incentive is there for manufacturers to make the kind of across-the-board reductions needed to deliver a meaningful reduction...
Special edition: Sodium reduction - The road ahead
Food manufacturers have spent a small fortune reformulating everything from bread to soup to reduce sodium in recent years, but new data suggests that US intakes have nevertheless continued to rise steadily.
‘Facts Up Front’ icons now appear on 9 out of 10 products in some categories, with penetration highest in cereals, beverages and dry goods, said the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) as it unveiled a new website promoting the scheme.
Advertising sodium reduction claims on food labels may increase a consumer’s purchasing intentions, says a new study from Canada that contradicts the industry strategy of ‘stealth’ sodium reduction.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released a new report outlining European salt reduction strategies – and while most countries are following EU guidelines, there are still big differences between policies.
A meeting yesterday in Washington DC, among three major stakeholders in the food industry and in food policy gave a snapshot of what progress has been made in the years-long process in reducing sodium in the American diet.
Restaurant chains in the US have made little progress in recent years in improving the nutritional profile of their children’s menus according to a new report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The report found that 97% of the nearly 3,500...
Special edition: New trends in heart healthy foods
US sales of foods and beverages marketed on a cardiovascular health platform grew by 22% in the period 2007-2012 to top $3.1bn in 2012, according to Euromonitor International.
A new range of yeast extracts can deliver up to a 50% sodium reduction without compromising the taste or functional integrity of the finished product, according to Sensient Bio-Ingredients.
A ‘unique’ mineral salt containing sodium chloride and potassium chloride is being launched in the US, offering to lower the sodium impact of any food product without sacrificing flavor or functionality.
With its flair for sound bites -‘soda is a slow-acting but ruthlessly efficient bioweapon’ - and its undisputed PR skills (remember those diabetic bears?), the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has a knack for getting its name in the papers.
From food ingredients that reduce the blood glucose response to food intake, to natural high-potency sweeteners, digestive health and weight management ingredients, and plant-based ingredients that can mask bitter flavors…
Many of America’s biggest foodservice chains are still routinely selling obscenely caloric products that are laden with calories and swimming in saturated fat, sodium and sugar, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).
While the meteoric growth of gluten-free retail products is well-documented, new research from Technomic shows that there has also been an “explosion of gluten-free items” on menus at limited service restaurants (LSRs) in the past two years.
A $1million gift to the Monell Chemical Senses Center is aiming to deepen our understanding of salt taste detection and perception, and help the food industry achieve success with reduced sodium products.
While there were small nutritional improvements in most foods marketed to children from 2006 to 2009, snacks promoted to kids “showed minimal or no improvements” while cereals targeting young people remained the “least nutritious” in the category, says...
From coconut water, to Greek yogurt, gluten-free, veggie proteins, dairy-alternatives, non-GMO and whole grains; what were the biggest trends of 2012, and what’s on the menu for 2013?
Engineered using a patent-pending process that re-crystallizes standard table salt to create microscopic free-flowing hollow ‘microspheres’, Soda-Lo can help firms slash sodium and retain their clean labels because it is still listed as ‘salt’ on pack,...
Tate & Lyle has developed several ‘ready-to-use recipes’ helping US firms slash sodium in bread, peanuts and microwave popcorn by using tiny salt ‘microspheres’ which deliver a disproportionately salty taste for their size by maximizing surface area...
Using sea salt as a means of reducing sodium in food products is not viable since it contains the same sodium content as a Kosher salt, says a new study.
Open innovation - or collaborating with others to get more innovative new products to market more quickly - is starting to do for the food industry what open source computing has done for the IT industry, says the new president of the IFT.
Telling consumers - many of whom do not have the time, inclination or money to prepare meals from scratch - that they should steer clear of ‘processed’ foods and eat only ‘wholefoods’ instead, is unrealistic and unhelpful, according to dietitians at General...
Nestlé has entered a collaborative agreement with US-based life sciences firm Chromocell to develop ingredients for reduced-salt foods that correspond with consumer taste expectations, the company has said.
Big interview: Russ Moroz, VP Research Development & Quality, Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods has made significant cuts in sodium across its portfolio - and is currently working on “proprietary approaches to take this work to the next level” - but there is “not yet a silver bullet in the toolbox”, admit R&D chiefs at the firm.
Potassium chloride can successfully reduce the use of sodium chloride in cheddar cheese, with taste profiles similar to full-sodium versions, says a new study from the University of Minnesota.
Replacing salt with naturally brewed soy sauce could slash sodium levels in certain products by up to a third, whilst still retaining long term consumer liking, say researchers.
Adding salty smells to food products could help industry reduce sodium levels by up to 25% without affecting the overall taste profile, say researchers.
