The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has raised its forecast for food price inflation in 2011, citing the influence of higher food commodity and energy prices, and stronger global food demand.
Skyrocketing obesity rates coupled with a growing demand for convenience have continued to drive healthy growth in the meal replacement market throughout the recession, with sales set to rise 9.3% to $2.2bn in 2011, according to a new report from IBISWorld.
Gum titans Wrigley and Kraft Foods plan to introduce smaller five-piece chewing gum packs at reduced rates to boost US sales and reflect consumer spending trends.
A growing Asian population in Canada is having a strong influence on Canadian eating patterns, according to a new report from market research organization The NPD Group.
A co-ordinated industry-led effort to produce a working definition of the term ‘natural’ on food packaging would help firms navigate one of the most contentious areas of food marketing, according to one labeling expert.
Spending taxpayers’ money on helping low-income shoppers buy “mostly junk and soda” is “nuts” and inexcusable, delegates were told at a lively debate between leading academics and economists on how government policy impacts the food supply at Harvard...
Packaging equipment and cold storage facilities have been identified as the source of the deadly US cantaloupe Listeria outbreak that has killed dozens.
Industry must make sustainability issues a priority to attain more sustainable goods “with the emphasis on ‘more’,” says BASF North America’s VP of nutrition and health.
The row over the use of the term ‘natural’ on food packaging has intensified with the publication of a new report accusing leading cereal firms of duping shoppers with their own “self-serving” definitions in the absence of any legal criteria.
Front-of-pack (FOP) labeling schemes should “move away from systems that mostly provide nutrition information without clear guidance about healthfulness and toward one that encourages healthier food choices”, according to a high-profile report from the...
Manufacturers need to think about the market potential of Millennials (Generation Y), but understanding how they differ from Boomer is key, says a well-known marketing expert.
A 200% rise in demand for guar gum over the past 12 months is driving demand within the beverage industry for effective replacements, according to US firm TIC Gums, which has just launched such a product.
Results of a high-profile study into front-of-pack (FOP) food labeling schemes conducted by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) will be published on Thursday (Oct 20), three weeks after food manufacturers announced the national rollout of an industry-driven...
‘Better-for-you’ foods and beverages may also be better for the bottom line, according to a new report from policy research organization the Hudson Institute.
Consumers are beginning to reject low-fat diets as they become better informed of the health benefits of certain fats and oils, according to new research from Packaged Facts.
There are big opportunities for food manufacturers to target the 31m Americans who skip breakfast each day, according to a new report from The NPD Group.
Food manufacturers will not support a controversial government proposal on food marketing to kids - even with the promised ‘significant’ revisions – because it is not supported by evidence, says the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA).
Diet soda is ladylike but low-calorie soda is manly. It might seem like a subtle difference, but that’s the only thing that’s subtle about the blundering marketing campaign for Dr. Pepper Ten.
Dr Pepper Snapple’s (DPS's) new Dr Pepper Ten drink for ‘men only’ will find favour with its young male target audience in the US, according to a Euromonitor analyst.
Functional foods is a dynamic area for innovation – but standards setting organization US Pharmacopeia (USP) says cooperation is necessary to ensure a stable, safe supply of innovative ingredients.
An article previously published on this website erroneously stated – based on inaccurate projection information – that US sugar stocks were at a 37-year low, when in fact the 2011 stocks-to-use ratio was in line with averages over the past decade.
Takasago has opened a new culinary center as part of its Rockleigh, New Jersey facility, to concentrate on the development of savory flavors, the company has said.
Kraft Foods has moved to reassure customers, despite admitting that its food safety systems did not detect the potential contamination of cheese-containing products with wire bristles in 2 US factories.
Maple Leaf Foods has opened a new commercial bakery it claims is the largest in Canada. The Canadian packaged food company has spent $100 million on creating the 385,000 sq ft facility, which is situated in the Red Hill Business Park in Hamilton, Ontario.
Consumers globally prefer natural over artificial colours, claims a survey of 5,000 respondents in 10 countries worldwide that Chr. Hansen commissioned from consumer research group Nielsen.
‘Arbitrary’ and ‘capricious’ government sodium targets should be scrapped, immediately, along with “all legislative or regulatory actions based on them” unless officials can produce hard evidence that they are based on sound scientific evidence, the Salt...
The first products containing a novel fiber claimed to reduce oxidized LDL cholesterol - an emerging risk factor for atherosclerosis - could hit shelves in the US next year, creating a new category in the cardiovascular health market.
A new online grocery site offers a competitive advantage for large-volume brand owners, amid pressure from the growing private label trend in Australia.
A row has erupted after Wageningen University rejected pressure group claims that its academics are “worryingly close” to the dairy industry, after the institution issued a press release that allegedly exaggerated research findings.
US meat and poultry prices are likely to rise next year as domestic production enters a period of sharp decline, according to a new report from financial services provider Rabobank.
The American Heart Association (AHA) has revised its Heart Check Food Certification Program to allow the certification of more foods with healthier monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, such as fish and nuts, the association has said.
The fact that most Americans still don’t know how much sodium they should eat, are unaware of how much they actually eat, or simply aren’t bothered either way, suggests communication strategies need an overhaul if the sodium reduction message is to get...
Surprising numbers of Americans feel satisfied that they are already doing everything they can to eat a healthy diet, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, according to the results of two consumer surveys unveiled at the American Dietetic Association...
Objections to using natural preservatives based on efficacy are being taken ‘off the table’, says Danisco following the launch of its new natural anti-fungal blend.
A newly developed natural food colouring made from beetroot extracts could be a solution to replacing carmine colours made from insects, according to ingredient producer Synthite.
Minnesota’s QualiTech has received A certification of its food processing facility under the British Retail Consortium (BRC) standard, as the company builds its safety standards.
The Campbell Soup Company is launching 35 new products this fall with bolder flavors and new ingredient combinations, as the company addresses a 9% slump in soup sales.
Listeria has been found in samples of cantaloupes and packaging equipment at Jensen Farms, the company linked to the deadly Listeria outbreak in the US.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified trans fats and salt intake amongst its list of low-cost interventions to counter the rise of diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes and lung disease.
A new complex of gamma-cyclodextrin and natamycin – a well-established anti-fungal food ingredient – may offer more cost-effective and process-friendly options for bakery and beverage products, according to Danisco USA.
The flavors of traditional Northern European cuisines are gaining influence in America, according to a new report from the Center for Culinary Development (CCD) and market research organization Packaged Facts.
Stevia supplier PureCircle has introduced a new stevia-derived sweetener, which it claims has fewer of the taste problems previously associated with stevia, allowing deeper calorie reductions in a wide range of products.
A new report shows enzymes, acidulants and hydrocolloids are the best performers in terms of global food and drink additive growth but preservatives and sweeteners are suffering due to the industry migration from artificial ingredients.
Inflated US sugar prices are threatening jobs throughout the country’s confectionery industry, warned the National Confectioners Association (NCA) in a letter to the US Department of Agriculture.
Why do people adulterate foods for economic gain? Which foods and ingredients are most at risk? And how is it possible to prevent adulterants from entering the food supply? This guest video from US Pharmacopeia attempts to address these questions.
One of the best-known names in the nutrition/energy bar market is trying its luck in the beauty-from-within market with the launch of a new bar laced with lutein for healthy skin.
Food manufacturers are beginning to pass on rising commodity costs to consumers, meaning higher grocery prices for the rest of this year and into 2012, according to a Purdue University agricultural economist.
Herbalife’s share of the global meal replacement shake category has more than doubled from 12% in 2003 to 30%+ today driven by the success of its daily consumption model, the direct selling giant has revealed.
Mizkan Americas has added two new flavors to its balsamic vinegar range for food manufacturers, which it says are inspired by trends in the culinary world.
