Breaking News on Food & Beverage Development - North America EU edition

Kraft slashes trans fats in time for labeling deadline

Food giant Kraft has reduced the trans fat content in around 650 of its products, in time for the 1 January labeling deadline, which will require all food companies to label the amount of trans-fat in their products.

Consumers know what's healthy but won't compromise, study

A new study reveals that most Americans know what they should be eating but find it difficult to stick to a healthy diet because of the product options readily available to them.

Christmas Feature

Does Christmas bring you out in bumps?

Not everyone is a fan of Christmas. For some the very thought of it brings them out in a cold sweat - or even an allergic reaction.

Christmas feature

Spicing up Christmas

Christmas cake, mulled wine, mince pies and Christmas pudding - all these festive specialities taste of Christmas. But why is it that the smell of spices such as cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves and ginger is synonymous with yuletide?

Soluble fiber on the rise in the US

Insoluble fiber, from wholegrains, is currently enjoying more attention from consumers and the food industry than soluble fiber, but interest in the soluble variety is rising fast, according to Frost and Sullivan.

Christmas feature

Wassail away your Christmas

Forget the family 'bored' games this Christmas. It's time to get down to the local orchard with a slice of toast, a loaded gun and a big bowl of steaming Wassail for some real festive tradition.

Organic market stunted by undersupply, says consultancy firm

The US organic market growth is being stunted by undersupply, resulting in shelves remaining empty, companies withdrawing from the market and others looking internationally to supplement supply needs, says consultancy firm Organic Monitor.

Christmas feature

The chemistry of delicious

If only they taught chemistry in schools as it happens at Christmas tables across Europe. For here lies the secret of delicious. Come next weekend, the centrepiece from north to south will be a roast. A British turkey, a German goose, a French roast beef: all amount to a grand fiesta of chemical reactions that few other methods of cooking can match.

CP Kelco's China acquisition boosts xanthun gum capacity

Leading pectin and xanthan gum supplier CP Kelco is to acquire Gold Millet, the second largest producer of xanthan gum in China, the firm told FoodNavigator-USA in an exclusive interview.

Further support for bitter orange safety

Bitter orange has virtually no effect on blood pressure or heart rate reports new research, supporting claims from previous studies.

ConAgra strengthens health profile as it slices trans fats

ConAgra is to remove all trans fats from its whole grain microwave popcorn snack lines starting February 2006, marking the next step in the company's attempt to link itself with current health trends.

Palm oil 'reasonable' replacement for trans fats, say experts

Palm oil is a "reasonable alternative" to trans fatty acids, according to an independent group of nutrition, medical and manufacturing experts who examined the oil's functionality in food products and possible impacts on consumer health.

Celebrity endorsements next marketing spin for fiber?

With half of America's consumers unclear on the health benefits of dietary fiber, a new survey reveals that celebrity endorsements may be the way forward for food manufacturers to promote their high-fiber products.

Tropicana claims first in added fiber OJ

Fiber has been a focus for health-conscious consumers in 2005, and PepsiCo's Tropicana is looking to steal a march on the market. The latest addition to its Pure Premium Essentials range claims to be the first orange juice on the US market with added fiber.

Tuna processors fight back over high mercury claims

Tuna processors are back in the ring again over mercury, fighting back against more claims that canned products contain dangerously high levels of the contaminant.

Dietary fibre not yet proven to reduce colorectal cancer risk, says study

Dietary fibre intake may not be associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer, according to a study in today's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (vol 294, pp2849-2857).

Chiquita opts against relocation to focus on business challenges

Chiquita is to keep its headquarters in their current location in Cincinnati, Ohio, in order to focus on its major business priorities, said the company's chairman in an internal announcement last week.

Iodine in milk linked to teenage acne

Iodine in milk may be a main cause of teenagers' acne outbreaks, says a US dermatologist, though hard evidence of a link remains scarce and disputed.

Continue making whole grain claims, says industry body

In the absence of definitive action from the FDA, food manufacturers should take the initiative to promote whole grains to the American public, clearly indicating if products are an excellent source or a good source of whole grains, the nation's Whole Grains Council (WGC) told FoodNavigator-USA.com.

US reopens its market to Japan's beef

In the wake of Japan's decision to re-open its market to North American beef, the US will in turn allow processors to import whole boneless cuts of the meat from that country.

Pistachios and sesame seeds richest source of phytosterols

Pistachios and sesame seeds contain more cholesterol-reducing compounds than most other nuts and seeds, according to an extensive study.

Weekly Comment

The shimmer of patent valuation

Complex webs of assumptions are spinning a lie about the real value of today's companies, lulling directors and shareholders alike into a false sense of value creation.

Citrus production falls further in latest USDA forecasts

Citrus fruit production in the US is on a general low, largely as a result of hurricane damage in Florida, according to the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) December crop production forecasts.

Kellogg teams up with Monsanto to reduce trans fats

Cereal giant Kellogg is to reformulate some of its products with a low linolenic soybean oil in an effort to reduce or eliminate trans fatty acids while also minimizing the saturated fat content of the products, the company announced last week.

Tetra Pak launches clear, aseptic package for beverages

Tetra Pak has launched what it calls the world's first clear aseptic package.

US school law forces soft drink contract changes

A new law allowing American schools to sell milk anywhere at any time will force changes to exclusivity contracts between schools and soft drink firms.

Fiber market set to surge, but products must stress health benefits

Demand for fiber in the US is forecast to more than double in the next six years, with food manufacturers set to "tap into regions with very few competitors but with high product demand," according to new research by Frost & Sullivan.

Industry turns to DNA testing to ensure Angus quality beef

DNA testing is to be used to ensure the quality of Angus branded beef, after generations of cross breeding has resulted in reduced Angus breed percentages in many of the cattle that currently qualify for the breeding programs under USDA standards, said animal genomics firm ViaGen.

Improved low trans fats target healthy baked goods, says ADM

Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) has expanded its range of low trans fats, which it claims will allow manufacturers of baked goods to produce healthier formulations with good functionality.

Branded ingredients - do consumers care?

A change in attitudes towards branded ingredients amongst manufacturers means that companies are devoting resources to communicating directly with consumers. But do consumers really have the stomach for ingredient brands, or do they only care about the finished product?

New low sugar high fiber cranberry targets healthy food applications

US cranberry co-operative Ocean Spray is launching a low sugar, high fiber sweetened dry cranberry product designed for use in a variety of health positioned food applications including baked goods and cereals.

USDA agrees to extra sugar imports to stem shortage

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it will allow extra sugar imports into the country in an effort to prevent market shortages after hurricane damage to sugarcane crops, delayed sugar beet harvests, disruptions in refinery activities and transportation problems have severely restricted the nation's sugar supply.

New Monsanto bean promises long lasting low trans fat soyoil

Biotech giant Monsanto is to develop new versions of its reduced trans-fat Vistive soybean with the aim of improving shelf life and flavor of soy oil, lowering saturated fat content and enhancing the bean with Omega-3.

Functional and health foods dominate 2006 predictions

Omega-3, superfruits, wholegrains and chocolate - four of the trends in packaged goods tipped by ProductScan Online to take the market by storm in 2006.

Weekly Comment

The reach of lobbying

The oft-said adage that there are two things people don't want to see being made - sausage and legislation - falls apart at the doors of the EU's parliament.

Organic market set to enjoy steady growth over next 20 years

The organic industry is set to enjoy good growth over the next twenty years, according to a new study by the nation's Organic Trade Association (OTA), which forecasts that by 2025 organic products will be considered "commonplace."

Genome sequencing boosts Danisco probiotics research

The genome sequencing of the NCFM probiotic strain has given Danisco's research effort a lift. It may help identify new health benefits, and help reduce the time for bringing new products to market.

School soft drink sales down, no obesity threat, claims ABA

Sales of full-calorie soft drinks in schools have fallen in recent years, said the American Beverage Asociation (ABA) in a new study, published as soda companies face a possible threat of legal action for selling soft drinks in schools.

FDA denies petition to classify whole grain content in foods

A petition filed by General Mills requesting the development of definitions for 'excellent source,' 'good source' and 'made with' whole grains has been denied by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

FoodNavigator-USA.com seeks reporters

Exciting, award-winning, and rapidly expanding online publisher, DecisionNews Media - the publisher of FoodNavigator-USA.com - seeks young reporters for its New York newsroom, to initiate breaking news on the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Storm damage could lead to banana shortage, says Chiquita

Banana producer Chiquita has said that it expects fruit shortages in the US after large areas of its banana farms were destroyed last month by Tropical Storm Gamma.

Listeria concerns result in ConAgra product recall

ConAgra Foods has recalled nearly 47,000 children's lunch kits that may be contaminated with listeria, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced yesterday.

German discounter denies Wal-Mart takeover

Discounter Norma has denied claims that they have been in negotiations with Wal-Mart.

Cargill flags cholesterol benefit of Barliv

US agribusiness giant Cargill was garnering early interest in its Barliv barley beta glucan at FiE in Paris this week, following the presentation of a study highlighting its cholesterol-lowering benefits in November.