More than half of American consumers consider environmental sustainability when choosing foods and beverages but companies need to communicate better about green issues, according to a new report.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that the US Department of Agriculture will conduct its first ever large-scale survey of organic farming in the US this spring.
There has been much excitement about the promise of stevia as a natural alternative to artificial zero-calorie sweeteners. FoodNavigator.com summarises the science so far.
Major Reb A supplier PureCircle has quadrupled production capacity of stevia extracts at its Jiangxi plant in China as interest in stevia-derived sweeteners continues to grow.
New data indicates that food manufacturers are opting not to invest in new food and drink product launches during the economic down turn, as budgets are cut from R&D to marketing.
California became the first US state to declare emergency status as the number of its laboratory-confirmed swine flu cases reached 10 with 64 cases now identified across the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have advised consumers to avoid eating alfalfa sprouts, saying they are the source of a salmonella outbreak.
Bunge North America has acquired the assets of New Jersey-based Mid-Atlantic Vegetable Oils, enabling it to gain better access to edible oil markets in the northeast.
There are now even more options for food manufacturers seeking to reformulate with stevia-derived sweeteners, as Cargill becomes the latest to launch a flavor range to deal with their potentially problematic aftertaste.
The swine flu virus first identified in Mexico cannot be contained, warns Dr Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), as the economic impact of the outbreak continues to spread.
FoodNavigator's Snack Size Science brings you the week's top science. This week we look at how chocolate-eating sheep may give us insights into childhood obesity, and how vitamins may protect against carcinogens hiding in your French fries.
Despite some progress, American consumption of whole grains is still way below government recommended daily amounts, according to new research from The NPD Group.
New research from the American Heart Association has shown that heart failure patients who are actively trying to reduce sodium intake still consume more than is recommended even for healthy people.
The World Health Organisation has declared “a public health emergency of international concern,” following the outbreak of a new strain of swine flu which has killed at least 103 people in Mexico.
As yet another TV show concludes that supplements are unnecessary, is the ignorance of the mainstream media few putting the health of the many at risk? Isn’t it time to change the record?
The potential of stevia-derived sweeteners for use in organic foods could be limited because of the plant’s diversified cultivation and Reb A’s processed nature, according to Euromonitor International.
The FDA’s Department of Health and Human Services has published a new guide on the Prior Notice rule for small companies involved in the import and export of foods in the US.
Glanbia Nutritionals has opened a new R&D facility and pilot plant in Idaho, which will allow closer collaboration with customers on the development of nutritional products, as well as speed up delivery of prototypes.
Almost every household in America buys private label foods but their success is not as tied to the current economic crisis as many might think, according to new research from The NPD Group.
President Obama made two appointments within the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Friday, to run the department’s public nutrition programs, and to oversee US agricultural research and education.
Cargill has claimed that the market for its sucromalt sweetener will widen after acheiving FDA generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status last week, and as consumers increasingly demand healthier foods.
Including both walnuts and fish products in the diet is required to reduce risks of coronary heart disease, says a new study funded by the California Walnut Commission.
American consumers may require re-education about beverage intake to wean them off sugary drinks, with some health researchers calling on the industry to develop a new class of reduced calorie soft drinks.
DD Williamson has succeeded in sourcing certified annatto extracts for use as food colors, opening up new possibilities for manufacturers to make organic claims on foods.
Stevia’s expense compared to other sweeteners is a major market limitation, according to a new paper on the stevia market, although industry players say they are working to bring its price down.
Continued use of Bisphenol A (BPA) in food and beverage packaging poses unnecessary competitive, reputational and potential market exclusion risks for food and beverage manufacturing companies, claims a new report.
Interest in ethical consumerism is rising, and with it so will sales of halal and kosher-certified meats, predicts a Packaged Facts report, but animal welfare charity Compassion in World Farming disagrees.
Fanta Orange is the latest beverage to be reformulated with 100 percent natural flavors in the US, catching the wave of consumers who have become increasingly skeptical of artificial ingredients.
Increasing consumer demand for less processed food was a driver for the enhancement of an existing horizontal flow wrapper to allow it to be used for the packaging of fruit and vegetable products, claims Bosch Packaging Technology.
Holes need to be plugged in local and state-level food safety programs in order to effectively protect the public from foodborne illness, says a new report prepared with input from regional health officials.
Chr. Hansen has said that sales of its direct-to-vat cottage cheese cultures have been boosted by the global recession, as manufacturers seek ways to raise productivity.
FoodNavigator talks to Peter Melchett, policy director at the Soil Association, about communication efforts to help more consumers understand and engage in organics, and the all-important issue of climate change.
What does health taste like? As a kid, I was encouraged to hold my nose and swallow down broad beans and cod-liver oil. If they tasted bad, it was only ‘cos they were good for me.
Reducing the salt content of low-fat cheese has a greater impact on the flavour than similar reductions from high fat cheese, suggests new research from France.
Ralcorp subsidiary Post Foods has announced a new marketing campaign for its Shredded Wheat cereal, pitting it against ingredient innovations in the food industry and hailing its ‘lack of innovation’.
Tate & Lyle’s loss of its sucralose patent case last week may have broken its monopoly of the sucralose market, but is unlikely to throw the doors wide to competitors, says one of the companies cleared in the case.
The days of cheeses coated with synthetic substances may be drawing to a close as new research suggests that natural polysaccharides may provide edible coatings for household favourites.
Virginia Dare has renewed a marketing push for its range of natural tea extracts and concentrates on the back of growing consumer perception of tea’s health-giving properties.