Danisco buy-out fails to dent DuPont Q2 earnings

Dupont, which earlier in the year warned that its May $6.49bn acquisition of Danisco would dent its yearly profits, has defied expectations in second quarter results published today.

Refined oils ‘unlikely to trigger an allergic reaction’

Refined vegetable oils including soya and peanut oils are highly unlikely to trigger allergic reactions, according to new research.

News in brief

Stevia awareness continues to grow, says PureCircle

Stevia supplier PureCircle has said that stevia awareness has grown to 62 percent in the United States, up from 46 percent a year earlier, according to new survey results from...

Sauces: the bold fashion accessories of the culinary world, says CCD

Adventurous, bold flavors in sauces and condiments are driving new consumer taste discoveries, according to a new trend report from the Center for Culinary Development (CCD) and market research organization...

Antibiotics better for UTIs than cranberry, but may increase drug resistance, say researchers

Antibiotics may achieve better results at preventing recurrent urinary tract infections, but they also increase the risk of antibiotic resistance three-fold, according to new research.

Food prices could fall slightly in 2012, says USDA

Food prices are likely to fall slightly from 2011 levels next year, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has said in its first food price index outlook for 2012.

Portion control provides opportunities for food manufacturers, says NPD

Reducing portion sizes has become an important strategy for healthy eating – particularly among younger US adults, according to new research from market research firm The NPD Group.

Senators urge FDA action on gluten-free labeling

Two US Senators have sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging prompt action on gluten-free labeling laws, after a proposed rule on tolerable gluten thresholds for...

Rabobank’s commodity outlook puts weather centre stage

Elevated agricultural commodity prices will remain this season as unfavourable weather impacts production, offering little chance to replenish stocks, according to Rabobank.

Sugar doesn’t melt, it decomposes, say researchers

Sugar crystals do not melt, but instead decompose in a heat sensitive reaction termed ‘apparent melting’, according to new research.

Big interview: Ronald Stotish, ceo, AquaBounty Technologies

‘Political shenanigans’ must not thwart scientific review process, warns GM fish boss

Arguments put forward by senators attempting to derail the approval process for the world’s first genetically engineered fish for human consumption are politically motivated and have no basis in fact,...

Fortification drives consumer definition of ‘healthy’

Fortification and added healthy ingredients are stronger factors in driving purchases of foods perceived as healthy than absence of less healthy ingredients like sugar, saturated fat and sodium, according to...

Survey suggests store brands could be losing appeal

Store brands are still perceived favorably by consumers but they may be losing some of their appeal, according to the results of a new poll conducted by market research firm...

Stealth reformulation poll: Tell us what you think

As Campbell Soup’s incumbent boss Denise Morrison argued in a recent presentation to analysts, sodium reduction is important to some consumers, but it is not a killer USP.

Red Bull cans energy shots and Cola in US (but not Europe)

Global energy drink leader Red Bull has taken a rare step back by withdrawing Red Bull Cola and Red Bull Energy Shots from the US market – but says it...

Campbell Soup: Proposal on kids marketing sets ‘virtually unachievable’ standards

Government proposals designed to protect children from junk food marketing are “based on nutrition standards that are virtually unachievable”, according to a group of Campbell Soup employees.

End of an era for Wrigley as HQ moves from Wrigley Building to Goose Island

Staff at confectionery giant Wrigley will vacate the iconic Wrigley Building on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago and transfer to the firm’s modern modern campus on Goose Island by the...

Sensient chalks up 'solid volume increases' at colors division in Q2

Colors, flavors and fragrances giant Sensient Technologies has chalked up another quarter of double-digit sales growth driven by continued demand for natural food colors.

News in brief

DD Williamson hires Mark Larson as strategic account manager for dairy

Caramel colors giant DD Williamson has hired Mark Larson as strategic account manager with a focus on the dairy sector.

GM salmon boss attacks senators for ‘misinformed paranoia’

The boss of a Massachusetts-based firm attempting to commercialize genetically engineered farmed salmon has accused a small group of senators opposing the move of “willfully ignoring science-based research” and spreading...

Researchers produce non-dairy ice cream using lupin protein

A non-dairy ice cream made from purely plant-based ingredients, including lupin proteins, has been developed for the market by a team of German researchers.

News in brief

Campbell Soup: We are still committed to reducing sodium

Campbell Soup has reiterated its commitment to sodium reduction following its high-profile move to add some salt back into its Select Harvest soup range.

Shoppers mistakenly believe sea salt contains less sodium

Many consumers still mistakenly believe that sea salt contains less sodium than table salt, although its primary allure remains its all-natural, unprocessed image, according to one leading supplier.

Researchers produce alternative to animal-sourced gelatine

A non-animal sourced, ‘human’ version of the gelling agent gelatine has been produced by researchers in China.

Chr. Hansen rolls out 3rd generation natural colors

Chr Hansen is expanding the ‘clean label’ options for manufacturers with its new series of natural colors for the US food and beverage industries sourced from fruits, vegetables, herbs, and...

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the most caloric of them all?

Calorie labeling, healthier options and reformulation work notwithstanding, some of America’s biggest restaurant chains are still selling products so eye-wateringly caloric that diners eating just one course are getting all...

Special edition: Diabetes

How do you sell healthy blood glucose to consumers?

While a dietary solution to the ticking time bomb of type 2 diabetes would appear to have huge commercial potential, the US market for foods and supplements that keep our...

Novel oat beta-glucan attracts big guns in US food market

Some of the biggest names in the US food and drink industry are experimenting with samples of a heart- and gut-friendly oat beta glucan soluble fiber that could also help...

News in brief

Goodbye fried fish; hello grilled, baked, raw, broiled …

Sales of seafood in US foodservice outlets slumped 2 percent in the year to March 2011, according to market researcher the NPD Group. This compares with flat traffic in the...

Higher prices are changing food shopping behavior, Deloitte

Almost two thirds (62 percent) of shoppers claim that their food buying behavior has changed as a result of higher food prices, according to a new survey.

Sodium: Campbell u-turn a cautionary tale, say branding experts

While Campbell Soup’s reduced sodium u-turn pales into insignificance when compared with the New Coke debacle, it should serve as a cautionary tale for all food manufacturers embarking on reformulation...

Does menu diversity lead to over-eating?

Repeatedly being offered the same foods may lead to food ‘boredom’ and decrease energy intakes in women, but variety may actually increase caloric intake, suggests a new study.

Coca-Cola: Middle classes ‘somewhat confused and fragile’

While the middle classes in developed markets had emerged from the economic downturn “feeling somewhat confused and fragile”, Coca-Cola still generated robust volume growth in North America as well as...

Beverage brand loyalty in freefall as consumers turn 'super fickle'

With brand loyalty in the beverage aisles “in freefall” manufacturers have to work harder to excite consumers with new ideas from retro-style acid phosphates to drinking vinegar and Horchata, according...

News in brief

Brent Miller takes product management director role at Caravan Ingredients

Brent Miller has been appointed as product management director at bakery ingredients specialist Caravan Ingredients.

All bets are off: guar gum prices set to stay high, says expert

There has been no let up in the soaring prices for guar gum, with little hope of a downward trend emerging in the coming months, warns a hydrocolloid expert.

Comment

The uncomfortable truth about Campbell's salt u-turn

It’s enraged dieticians and delighted the Salt Institute. But Campbell Soup’s high-profile u-turn on sodium raises some difficult questions about reformulation for all stakeholders.

General Mills taps into ‘frugality fatigue’ as Americans tuck in to affordable treats

As the economy remains in the doldrums, Americans are showing signs of “frugality fatigue” while food is increasingly “playing an important role in helping consumers cope”, according to trend watchers...

Dairy reform Bill would damage exports, warn processors

Draft legislation designed to create more stability in the US dairy industry would damage exports and threaten jobs, dairy processors have claimed.

News in brief

Average US milk consumption slumps 8 percent in past decade

Average milk consumption in the US dropped eight percent from 22.4 gallons per person a year in 2000 to 20.6 gallons in 2009 and will continue to slide over the...

Get him to the Greek! General Mills boosts Greek yogurt capacity

General Mills is to expand its manufacturing capacity for its Yoplait Greek yogurt line to cash in on surging demand.

Special edition: Highlights from IFT 2011 – part two

It’s food Jim, but not as we know it … From the latest on NASA’s food research and the next generation of high oleic cooking oils to the rise and...

Special edition: Highlights from IFT 2011 – part one

Last month's IFT show in New Orleans was jam-packed with provocative presentations on everything from how to stop the 'lunatic fringe' hi-jacking the debate on food science to whether saturated...

Cargill extends sustainable palm oil commitment

Cargill has upped the ante in the sustainable palm oil stakes with a commitment that all palm oil products (excluding palm kernel oil products) it supplies to Europe, the US,...

ConAgra challenged over “100% natural” claim on Wesson oils

ConAgra Foods is facing two class action lawsuits that claim the marketing of its Wesson cooking oils as “100% natural” and "pure" is misleading because the oil is extracted from...

Organic market growth still outpaces conventional

US sales of organic foods and beverages continued to outpace conventional grocery sales in 2010, with the market growing 8.5 percent to reach $23.2bn at retail, according to a new...

Salt’s sensory aspects to drive successful low-sodium food: Scientist

Understanding the sensorial aspects of salt with sensory science will help food manufacturers achieve success with reduced sodium foods, says a scientist from the Monell Chemical Senses Center.

New satiety foods will contain 'cocktail of components'

The next generation of weight management ingredients will contain a “cocktail of components” that address multiple factors around hunger and reward, according to the boss of Food for Health Ireland...

Coca-Cola VitaminWater mediation to be rescheduled

Mediation between Coca-Cola and The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) over legal challenges to Coca-Cola’s VitaminWater range has been delayed following the launch of a new 'copycat’...

Industry innovation on show: Sodium reduction at IFT

Food manufacturers continue to seek ways to cut sodium without sacrificing flavor - and ingredients companies continue to find innovative solutions. Caroline Scott-Thomas tracked down some interesting offerings at IFT.

General Mills looks 'beyond calcium and vitamin D' for bone health

General Mills is looking for new ingredients or technologies “beyond the known impact of calcium and vitamin D” to boost the bone formation process in cultured dairy foods.

Canola protein hits big time as Century seals deal with BioExx

A new range of foods and supplements based on canola protein is being developed by Hormel Foods’ Century Foods International division following a deal with protein specialist BioExx.

US and Mexico resolve trucking dispute

US and Mexican governments have signed an agreement to end a 17-year trucking dispute that has seen Mexico impose tariffs on a long list of US exports, including many food...

Martek predicts double-digit rise in sales to food & bev market

Martek expects sales of its algal-sourced omega-3s to food and drink manufacturers to grow in the double-digits each year for the next four to five years as it broadens its...

Cochrane review doesn’t change our advice on salt reduction, AHA

A high-profile scientific paper questioning whether cutting salt reduces cardiovascular disease risk does not mean that industry-led sodium reduction initiatives are a waste of time, the American Heart Association (AHA)...

Research into soda consumption and obesity is conflicted, review claims

The effect of sugary beverage consumption on body mass index (BMI) is difficult to discern based on current research, claims a new meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials published in Obesity...

ADM hails ‘timely’ soy protein launch for stealth nutrition in beverages

ADM has yet to determine pricing for its ‘invisible’ new soy protein Clarisoy, but says it will provide a cost-effective alternative to whey for firms looking to add high-quality protein...

Comment

Back to school: Why history offers lessons for nutrition’s future

Understanding how our ancestors ate and appreciating what nutrients we need from an evolutionary perspective is finally getting the headlines it deserves – the nutrition industry should take note.

Salt reductions may not reduce heart disease risk: Cochrane review

Moderate reductions in salt intake do not reduce the likelihood of dying or experiencing cardiovascular disease, according to a new Cochrane review.

Exploring a new interactive approach to formulation

Univar Food Ingredients has developed an interactive formulation tool, bringing together trend data, technical expertise and case studies to help food manufacturers in effective new product development.

New study finds link between kids’ BMI and food prices

There is a clear correlation between children’s body-mass-index (BMI) and the price of food and drink, according to new government-backed research.

Stevia is still the answer to America's health problems, says SweetLeaf CEO

The stevia industry has not yet lived up to expectations - but it will, as more companies and consumers look to the sweetener as the answer to many American health...

‘Ill-defined, irrational and costly’ GM approval process must be reviewed, academic

The system for assessing new GM crops with nutritional and environmental benefits must be improved to reduce the time and expense of gaining approvals and enable smaller players to get...

Double-fortified salt ‘a good alternative to cereals’: Study

Salt fortified with both iodine and iron may help to improve iron status in populations where fortification of other staple foods does not achieve the desired coverage, according to a...

Dannon to pump almost $90m into Ohio yogurt plant

Almost $89m will be pumped into Dannon’s Minster yogurt plant in Ohio over the next three years as parent company Danone attempts to step up a gear and drive US...

Comment

EU researchers revolted as EFSA clears health claims vault

The European Food Safety Authority last week delivered the fifth batch of article 13, general function health claim opinions bringing the total issued to 2723. There are just 35 to...

USP seeks comments on new FCC standards

US Pharmacopeia (USP) has said it is seeking industry comments on new quality standards for several functional food, food coloring and infant formula ingredients, for the latest Food Chemicals Codex.

Confectionery merger forms business with annual revenue of $200m

A new merger in the US private label confectionery sector will result in the formation of a packaging and distribution business with annual revenues of over $200m, claims the two...

Forget the weekly shop. Shoppers are on a more specific mission

Grocery shoppers are increasingly hitting food stores on a “narrowly focused mission” – perhaps shopping for a specific meal, or because they have run out of something – rather than...