Emulsifiers, stabilizers, hydrocolloids

Retailers are going to reduce the space given to legacy brands

Boulder Brands: Large-cap 'legacy' food & beverage brands face 'Armageddon'

12-Aug-2014 By Elaine Watson

Leading CPG companies are like huge ships that cannot change course quickly enough to address evolving consumer trends, claims the boss of Boulder Brands (which owns the Udi’s Gluten-Free, Earth Balance and EVOL brands). But unless they make some bold...

Volumes in US gum market have slumped 20% in past five years

Americans have fallen out of love with gum, leaving mints to pick up the slack, says Rabobank

15-Jul-2014 By Elaine Watson

It’s well known that the American love affair with soda has hit a pretty significant rough patch, but a new report from Rabobank suggests the nation has also been steadily falling out of love with gum, with US volumes dropping a staggering 20% in the...

Cargill rides publicity wave with Trehalose functional ingredient

14-Jul-2014 By Hank Schultz

Cargill has weathered a potential media storm concerning its functional ingredient Trehalose.  The ingredient, a glucose dissaccharide, was one of the potentially ‘scary’ food ingredients seized upon for its use by a well known fast food chain.

Special edition: Oils & fats

Bakers on trans fat crackdown: 'There are uses of PHOs that FDA wasn't aware of'

30-Jun-2014 By Elaine Watson

On the face of it, the FDA’s proposal to revoke the GRAS status of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) - the source of most of the ‘artificial’ trans fats in the US food supply - seems like a no-brainer. But there are other ways to crack down on trans...

Special edition: Oils & fats

Time for a rethink on saturated fat?

30-Jun-2014 By Elaine Watson

If the cover of TIME magazine earlier this month (headline: Eat Butter) is anything to go by, it would seem that the conversation about fat, and saturated fat in particular, is changing, at least in the media. But are policymakers sitting up and taking...

IFT 2014 Day One: Insects on the menu, algal face-off, pulses racing, and chia, hemp, almonds on fire...

24-Jun-2014 By Elaine Watson

It's hot, it's sweaty, and it's the place to be if you're interested in what's next in the weird and wonderful world of food ingredients. Check out our first gallery of highlights from the 2014 IFT annual meeting & expo in...

Chinese xanthan gum prices hit all time low

20-Jun-2014 By Lynda Searby

Xanthan prices continue to be very competitive, guar prices remain steady and cassia prices have escalated owing to a reduced crop in India, according to a hydrocolloids analyst.

USP: Food fraud should get its own class

23-May-2014 By Maggie Hennessy

The US Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) submitted a public comment letter to the FDA urging it to revisit its strategy for addressing economically motivated adulteration (EMA) of food ingredients, noting that the current framework doesn’t sufficiently address...

Kashi agrees $5m ‘all-natural’ lawsuit settlement; Bear Naked to pay $325,000 to settle related suit

08-May-2014 By Elaine WATSON

Kellogg subsidiary Kashi has joined a growing list of big food companies that have agreed to stop using the term ‘all-natural’ to describe certain products in response to a tidal wave of civil litigation over the controversial term.

Coca-Cola removing BVO from Powerade

05-May-2014 By Elaine WATSON

UPDATED - Coca-Cola is removing BVO (brominated vegetable oil) from Powerade and other products by the end of this year.

FoodNavigator-USA Gluten-free Forum Highlights: ‘Fad dieters are not buying gluten-free products - they are just avoiding bread’

01-May-2014 By Elaine WATSON

If the size of the US gluten-free market is hard to pin down as everyone measures it differently, few doubt that its double-digit growth seems set to continue - at least for the next 2-3 years - according to experts at the FoodNavigator-USA Gluten Free...

Trans fat crackdown: Here are two practical alternatives to a blanket ban on PHOs, industry tells FDA

25-Mar-2014 By Elaine WATSON

Two practical alternatives to a blanket ban on partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) would help the FDA achieve its objective (cracking down on trans-fats) without causing formulation nightmares, claim leading food manufacturers.

Insights from Baking Tech 2014

Baking industry needs to better communicate GM enzyme benefits: DuPont

07-Mar-2014 By Maggie Hennessy

Moving enzyme production largely into factories using genetically modification has resulted in better functioning enzymes, yet the bakery industry has been a poor communicator on both the ubiquity and benefits of GM enzymes, said one baking enzyme expert.

FDA approves expanded use of acacia gum

13-Jan-2014 By Maggie Hennessy

The US Food and Drug Administration has amended food additive regulations to allow expanded safe use of acacia gum (gum arabic) in foods, in response to a petition filed by Nexira, supplier of a dietary soluble acacia gum marketed as Fibregum. 

Trans-fat alternative? Low calorie sugars can structure and solidify vegetable oils, finds study

06-Jan-2014 By Nathan Gray

Semi-solid vegetable oils created using low-calorie sugars such as mannitol and sorbitol dioctanoates could provide alternatives to trans- and saturated fats, according to new research.

The diet starts today: Thickness helps reduce beverage intakes for women, but not men

06-Jan-2014 By Stephen DANIELLS

Increasing the thickness of a beverage may lead to lower intakes for women, but men were less responsive, says a new study from the University of Sussex in England.

Adding powdered pectin to gum significantly improves release of lipophilic flavors, cooling agents, says Kraft patent

05-Dec-2013 By Elaine WATSON

Adding powdered pectin to chewing gum can significantly improve the release of fat soluble ingredients such as flavors and cooling agents as it is chewed, according to a patent application filed by Kraft and Cadbury revealing "surprising" and...

Ingredion rolls out cost saving gelatin replacer for yogurt

06-Nov-2013 By Maggie Hennessy

Ingredion Inc. has rolled out a gelatin replacement ingredient, Etenia 457 potato starch, to help the dairy industry avoid the rising cost of gelatin in yogurt production. 

Future of natural food additives in colors, fat replacers: Packaged Facts

29-Oct-2013 By Maggie Hennessy

As US consumers have fallen out of love with artificial additives and long, unpronounceable ingredient lists, the food additive industry is undergoing a considerable shift, according to a study by Packaged Facts. 

Judge to General Mills: The courts, not the FDA, can decide if GMOs belong in ‘100% natural’ products

17-Oct-2013 By Elaine WATSON

A federal judge handling three lawsuits vs General Mills over ‘100% natural’ claims on Nature Valley products claimed to contain GMOs and other allegedly ‘un-natural’ ingredients says the courts are perfectly capable of deciding if consumers have been...

Health/weight-conscious consumers are driving the gluten-free market, not celiacs, says Mintel

15-Oct-2013 By Elaine WATSON

A new Mintel report provides further evidence that the gluten-free market is being propelled by consumers avoiding gluten for perceived health benefits or as a weight management strategy rather than those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

Packaged Facts: Non-GMO foods will account for 30% of US food and beverage retail sales by 2017

17-Sep-2013 By Elaine WATSON

US retail sales of non-GMO foods and beverages are projected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.9% in the next five years, and could represent 30% of the market with a value of $264bn in 2017, predicts Packaged Facts.

Slashing the fat: Study backs hydrogel particles for low calorie food applications

03-Sep-2013 By Nathan Gray

Oil-filled hydrogel particles could help food producers slash the level of fat used low-calorie in products without affecting taste or texture, say researchers.

The seeds of innovation: Gum solution may cut bakery and snack topping waste, says TIC Gums

01-Aug-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

A new solution to improve the adherence of seeds and other toppings to bakery and snacks could cut waste by 70%, according to TIC Gums.

Pressure builds on FDA to determine whether GMOs belong in ‘natural’ products as second lawsuit is stayed pending action by the FDA

19-Jul-2013 By Elaine WATSON

A week after California judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers put a class action lawsuit (Cox vs Gruma Corp) on ice for six months to let the FDA determine whether GMOs belong in foods marketed as ‘natural’, a judge in Colorado has followed her lead in a similar...

Special edition: Sustainable sourcing

CP Kelco: Sustainable sourcing is moving from a check-the-box exercise to a condition of doing business

16-Jul-2013 By Elaine WATSON

Much of the media debate about sustainable food sourcing concentrates on cocoa, palm oil and soy. But how sustainable are gums and hydrocolloids, which are used as gelling agents, thickeners and stabilizers in everything from ice cream to jam?

Big interview, Gregory Jaffe, Director of Biotechnology, CSPI

CSPI: There are legitimate concerns about GMOs, but not around food safety, and labeling would be misleading

03-Jul-2013 By Elaine WATSON

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has made a name for itself by tackling the food industry’s big guns on everything from artery-furring entrees to misleading label claims. But where does it stand on genetically modified organisms (GMOs)?

Fortune 500 co. seeks Holy Grail of clean label solvent for ‘natural’ beverages

03-Jul-2013 By Elaine WATSON

A Fortune 500 manufacturer is looking for partners to help it find more consumer-friendly clean-label non-aqueous solvent technologies to sue in its ready-to-drink beverages.

DuPont unveils innovation center in Johnston, Iowa, focused on food and agriculture

28-Jun-2013 By Elaine WATSON

DuPont has opened an innovation center in Johnston, Iowa, where its scientists can collaborate with customers and other partners on everything from addressing global food security and next generation high-oleic soybean varieties to the latest applications...

CP Kelco and Jungbunzlauer welcome the determination

Xanthan gum: ITC/DOC find Chinese suppliers guilty of dumping

25-Jun-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

Imports of xanthan gum from China have been hit with anti-dumping duties following an investigation by the US International Trade Commission (USITC) and the US Department of Commerce.

Gluten-free takeout orders up 60% YoY, while 4% of US restaurants now offer gluten-free options, says GrubHub

25-Jun-2013 By Elaine WATSON

Gluten-free takeout orders have grown almost 60% since April 2012, according to digital food ordering service GrubHub.

CP Kelco starts Brazilian pectin expansion as global demand rebounds

24-Jun-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

Hydrocolloid giant CP Kelco has announced the first phase in a series of projects to expand its Brazilian pectin operation by 30% to cope with rebounding demand for the ingredient.

Natural & Clean Label Trends 2013

Where do your products sit in the clean label hierarchy?

07-Jun-2013 By Elaine WATSON

If it sounds like a ‘chemical’, or isn’t in the kitchen cupboard, shoppers may regard it with suspicion. But which ingredients are 'acceptable' to today's consumers, which are to be avoided, and who decides? 

Natural & Clean Label Trends 2013: How clean is your label? And can GMOs ever belong in 'natural' products?

24-May-2013 By Elaine WATSON

Recent data from Symphony Consulting (click here), shows that while US retail sales of products making ‘natural’ claims still grew in 2012, the pace of that growth slowed noticeably compared with the 2009-11 period.

Healthy hydrocolloids: Designing foods with a healthier structure

23-May-2013 By Nathan Gray

The ability to modify the micro- and macro-structure of food products using hydrocolloid science offers the food industry a plethora of opportunities to make healthier and better tasting foods, say experts.

Hydrocolloids may have appeal in clean label and natural-focused products

21-May-2013 By Nathan Gray

The natural and familiar origins of food hydrocolloids make them ideal for clean label foods and mean they have ‘good prospects’ when communicating to consumers who focus on a products 'naturalness', say researchers.

Why all food manufacturers - not just those in organics - should read new NOP draft guidance outlining what ‘natural’ means

10-Apr-2013 By Elaine WATSON

In the absence of a clear legal definition of ‘natural’, food marketers seeking to avoid legal challenges over it refer to a variety of sources for guidance.

Hydrocolloid firms hit back as Cornucopia urges industry to remove 'harmful' carrageenan from their products

19-Mar-2013 By Elaine WATSON

While the Cornucopia Institute is attempting to re-ignite the debate about the safety of carrageenan with the publication of a new report urging shoppers to avoid it, no new scientific evidence has been presented to support its arguments, say firms supplying...

ConAgra-UMass study provides ‘important implications for the design of reduced-fat food emulsions’

20-Feb-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

Fundamental research into the behavior of hydrocolloids by the University of Massachusetts and ConAgra Foods could open the door to the ‘rational design of reduced-fat food emulsions’.

Big Interview: Michael Shoretz, founder and CEO, Enlightened Ice Cream (Beyond Better Foods LLC)

Enlightened Ice Cream CEO: Our ice cream is actively good for you, not just ‘less bad’ than the rest

11-Feb-2013 By Elaine WATSON

Can ice cream actually be good for you - as opposed to just a little less bad for you? And if it can, will it sell? One man on a mission to find out is Michael Shoretz, founder and CEO of Beyond Better Foods, the start-up behind new market entrant Enlightened...

Big interview: Drew Harrington and Amanda Klane, co-founders, Yasso

Get him to the Greek! The meteoric rise of Yasso

30-Jan-2013 By Elaine WATSON

It’s a runaway success story that will either inspire budding entrepreneurs across the nation or have them seething with jealousy... But it’s hard to think of a better example of a product that hit the market just at the right time.

FDA: Brominated vegetable oil (BVO), is safe, so removing its interim status is ‘not a priority’

29-Jan-2013 By Elaine WATSON

While brominated vegetable oil (BVO) has been sitting on a list of food additives “permitted on an interim basis pending further study” for decades, it is not in ‘regulatory limbo’ and is safe to use in fruit-flavored beverages, insists the Food and Drug...

PepsiCo cuts flame retardant BVO from US Gatorade but not Mountain Dew

28-Jan-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

A 16-year-old student is claiming victory after PepsiCo announced it will remove emulsifier Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO) from Gatorade in the US, but the firm says it will continue to use the patented flame retardant in Mountain Dew.

Could creaminess help carbs match protein for satiating power?

17-Jan-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

High-protein and high-carbohydrate food and beverages may produce similar satiety responses if the perceived thickness and creaminess are equal, says a new study by Danone.

Special edition: Reformulation

How to save cash, boost nutrition and clean up product labels…Tate & Lyle on win-win reformulation

18-Dec-2012 By Elaine WATSON

Retail buyers, as every food and beverage manufacturer knows, want it all. Cleaner labels, an improved nutritional profile (lower fat, sugar and salt), great taste and texture - and an even keener price.

Corn bran ingredient maker goes outside US to find non GMO stocks

14-Dec-2012 By Hank Schultz

Z-Trim Holdings, maker of the functional food ingredient Z-Trim sourced from corn bran, has added a non GMO version to its product line.

Clarkson teams with Italian firm to boost organic soy lecithin supplies

06-Dec-2012 By Hank Schultz

Clarkson Soy Products has moved to alleviate the pressure on organic soy lecithin supplies by entering into a relationship with an Italian supplier, the company announced yesterday.

Special edition: Free-from foods (gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free)

Gluten-free baking the next generation: Whole grains, ancient grains and clean labels

05-Dec-2012 By Elaine WATSON

The quality of gluten-free baked goods has improved by “leaps and bounds” in recent years, but firms are finding new challenges as they try to clean up labels and improve the nutritional profile as well as the taste and texture of products, says specialty...

Special edition: Free-from foods

Sorting through the gluten-free toolbox

30-Nov-2012 By Hank Schultz

Gluten-free foods are a hot trend, and formulators are rising to the formidable challenge of replacing this multifunctional ingredient in baked goods, soups and sauces.

Guar gum buyers aren’t buying, sellers aren’t selling: Industry expert

30-Nov-2012

Guar gum prices have dropped a long way from peaks of $20 to $25 a kilo – but there is now a standoff between buyers and sellers, according to hydrocolloids industry expert Dennis Seisun.