The global food system needs to become less dependent on fossil fuels and shift to ‘smart energy’ in order to meet a growing demand for food, according to a new report from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
GLG Life Tech has signed an exclusive five-year supply agreement with International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF) for its rebaudioside C (Reb C) stevia extract, the company has said.
A third of high school students eat vegetables less often than once a day, putting them at risk of developing a range of chronic illnesses and cancers, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Nestle has become the first food company to allow the Fair Labor Association (FLA) to investigate whether children are working on cocoa farms supplying its factories as the company said that it would almost certainly be the case.
The entrepreneur behind ‘blast caps’ – a dosing technology enabling consumers to add vitamins, probiotics and other bioactives to beverages at the point of consumption – says major players in the industry have finally warmed to the technology and are...
Special Edition: Dealing with higher commodity costs
The price of many commodities has risen sharply in recent months – but there are numerous formulation alternatives, and companies increasingly are considering creative ways to cut costs.
The US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) could be poised to perform a U-turn on levels of arsenic in apple juice through the development of new guidelines - a letter sent to consumer groups has revealed.
Losing or maintaining weight clearly involves taking responsibility for food and lifestyle choices – but creating a healthier environment could help more people do just that.
A US beer brand is claiming that its product is the 'first beer in space', after two fans of the drink blasted a can into the earth's upper atmosphere.
Chile has achieved record snack sales in 2010 leading a pro-Chile group and a market analyst to say there could be potential for food manufacturers to tap into high domestic demand for functional foods.
While the uptake of certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) has not been as fast as many stakeholders had hoped, a “breakthrough is near” according to Unilever’s director of sustainable sourcing development Jan Kees Vis.
Kraft Canada says it is 'disappointed' that the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) has rejected its appeal calling for judicial review (JR) of controversial federal rules on cheese composition.
Industry is often reluctant to share information with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to address economically motivated adulteration of food, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
Procter & Gamble has reaffirmed its commitment to complete the sale of global snack brand Pringles to Diamond Foods by June 2012, despite a sharp fall in Diamond’s share price last week.
Stabilized rice bran maker NutraCea will update the market on the progress of its R&D tie-up with DSM to develop protein from rice bran in the first half of 2012.
Special edition: Dealing with higher commodity costs
“I think it’s safe to say that inflationary pressures have reached their worst,” claims research economist Ricky Volpe of the USDA’s Economic Research Service, in an interview with FoodNavigator-USA.
The American Beverage Association (ABA) has savaged a US government-affiliated report linking energy drinks to a rising number of hospital emergency department (ED) visits in the country, as well as associations with sexual risk, fighting and drug misuse.
The United States’ biggest farmer-owned cooperative CHS Inc. has signed an agreement to acquire soy protein company Solbar for $133m, sending share prices in the Israeli company soaring.
Protein may play a greater role in wakefulness and burning calories than simple carbohydrates, suggests a new mouse study published in the journal Neuron.
Stevia supplier GLG Life Tech has denied that it failed to disclose certain information required under federal securities laws, after a New York-based national law firm announced it was investigating the company’s statements to shareholders.
The Columbus-based firm behind OXYwater - the latest ‘oxygen-enhanced’ mineral water to hit the market - claims sales have “exploded” since its launch earlier this year.
Tate & Lyle’s customers think it needs to step up a gear on innovation and increase its presence in emerging markets, chief executive Javed Ahmed has revealed.
A potential case of listeria contamination in Canada has led to the shutdown of an entire food production line, as the company involved attempt to address any possible infection.
The pervasiveness of food fraud is almost infinite – and needs a continuing public-private partnership approach to tackle it, according to a new paper published in the Journal of Food Science.
Local and organic certification labels may increase the likelihood that women will purchase a product, as well as their willingness to pay a premium – but men are less likely to be influenced by logos, according to a study published in HortScience.
The congressional super committee charged with developing a strategy for deficit reduction has failed to reach an agreement, threatening FDA funding to implement food safety laws, and funding for the 2012 Farm Bill after next year.
Special edition: Dealing with higher commodity costs
Raise prices to offset cost inflation, and you can expect to take a volume hit. But if all your rivals are ratcheting up prices too, at least you’re all in the same boat, right?
Growth in the US chewing gum market will be driven by products with perceived health benefits as children’s gum market declines, according to an analyst at IBISWorld.
Campbell Soup Company has reported a 5% drop in net earnings in the first quarter as soup demand continues to fall in the United States, although the company is beginning to see the first fruits of a turnaround program.
The firm behind a patented technology enabling the incorporation of multiple vitamins and other bioactives in coated chewing gum, has developed a novel bubblegum targeting the sports nutrition market.
Special edition: Dealing with higher commodity costs
“I’m not sure I can give you a prediction on 2012 that will really mean anything”, responded Coca-Cola’s chief financial officer Gary Fayard when asked by an analyst for some ‘color’ on the 2012 outlook for commodity prices last month.
Authorities in the US have remained tight-lipped over the potential prosecution of Jensen Farms – the company responsible for listeria-infected cantaloupes that have killed dozens.
Sugar growers have amended a lawsuit against the Corn Refiners Association (CRA), claiming that some members of the association have conspired to engage in false advertising – an accusation the CRA denies.
In-depth understanding of how stevia works with different flavour systems, bulking agents, and other ingredients is required to optimise NPD or reformulation of existing food and drinks using the natural sweetener.
US ingredients firm Nu-Tek has conducted a study for its potassium chloride that it said showed its product can cut sodium in baked goods by around a third.
Special edition: Dealing with higher commodity costs
In the midst of volatile commodity costs, it’s not just big grain prices that have put manufacturers under pressure: Sugar, nuts, black pepper, mint and cocoa are also among top concerns – and flavor firms are providing cost-cutting strategies.
King Arthur Flour is the latest company to become the focus of a class action lawsuit for using ‘all-natural’ labeling on products that allegedly contain synthetic ingredients.
A new salt replacement technique could help to reduce the levels of sodium in already desalted cod by up to 50%, with no effect on the sensory properties of the fish, report researchers.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled that US policy on country of origin labeling violates international trade rules by creating barriers to free trade, including with Canada and Mexico.
The food environment in which most of us live makes it ‘almost impossible’ to lose weight – and willpower is not enough to counter it, according to a new paper published in the journal Public Health Nutrition.
A diet high in low-fat dairy products is associated with lower diabetes risk in postmenopausal women, particularly those who are obese, according to a new US research study.
Global food systems need an immediate transformation to meet current and future threats to food security and environmental sustainability, according to a new report.
US tree nut prices are likely to remain high over the next five years on the back of strong demand, both domestically and from export markets, particularly China, according to a new report from Rabobank.
US consumers are still pessimistic even though the recession officially ended two years ago – but there are opportunities for manufacturers to appeal to ‘downturn consumers’, according to a new report from SymphonyIRI.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would be granted an extra $50m of funding for 2012 according to the provisions of a bipartisan compromise bill, some of which would help implement the Food Safety Modernization Act.