As one of the forerunners of the commercialization of edible insects in the US, Chapul, makes its first big push into the national market with its cricket protein bars, founder Pat Crowley caught up with FoodNavigator-USA on the enviable efficiency of...
Consuming whole-grain-rich foods for six weeks may slash levels of inflammatory biomarkers in overweight children, according to findings published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.
Consumers have spent years paying over the odds for organic foods based on the erroneous belief - promulgated by stakeholders with a vested interest - that they are healthier and safer than their conventional counterparts, claims a controversial new report.
There are just two weeks to go until FoodNavigator’s live (and hopefully very lively) online debate on one of the hottest trends in food development: gluten-free.
If you want to see what success looks like in US grocery retailing, look no further than Trader Joe’s. Its unique combination of affordable prices, innovative private label items and gourmet, organic, and natural foods have helped drive sales per square...
Peruviuan cuisine is a hot culinary trend and a “powerful funnel for bringing resurgent South American cuisine into the US food retail and foodservice market”, according to a new report from Packaged Facts.
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. After all, even if the jury is apparently still...
The human protein elafin could be delivered into the gut using a probiotic bacterium to reduce the inflammatory reaction typical of celiac disease, researchers suggest.
A recent study linking protein intake to an increased risk of cancer death could have detrimental public health implications for adults seeking to maintain muscle health and avoid sarcopenia, says a group of leading protein experts.
FDA proposals to revoke the GRAS status of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in order to crack down on trans fats will lead to increased saturated fat intakes, greater reliance on imported palm and canola oil and the “diminished ability for food manufacturers...
When Winder Farms CEO Mike Dutton first started tapping private equity firms for cash to support his online grocery shopping business, memories of Webvan (which went bankrupt in 2001) were still fresh, and more than a few doors were slammed in his face...
Suntava - the Minnesota-based firm promoting anthocyanin-packed purple-corn ingredients - has gone through the Non-GMO Project verification process to reassure customers and consumers that the corn from which they are derived is not genetically engineered.
Attending a series of sessions on sugar reduction during the Institute of Food Technologists’ (IFT) 2014 Wellness conference, a few common themes kept resurfacing: that obesity remains a big problem, and that—like it or not—the sugar industry is assuming...
Pistachios – most associated with snacking in the consumer’s mind – could be finding their way into many a food product as an ingredient over the next few years, says the executive director of the American Pistachio Growers, as production is set to double...
Sometimes it’s hard to think inventively about the ingredient that comprises half the ubiquitous peanut butter and jelly sandwich or is passed to us in small pouches on most airplane rides. But from flours and spreads to use as a legume, the potential...
Sales of Blue Diamond Grower’s retail products - from Almond Breeze to Almond Nut Thins - have surged dramatically over the past five years and now account for nearly $500m in annual revenues, says its CEO.
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.
UPDATED* - A high-profile study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine last week has re-opened the debate about whether saturated fat has been unfairly cast in the role of nutritional bogeyman. But how should policymakers respond?
How many products with ‘0g trans-fat’ on the label still contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, a key source of harmful artificial trans-fats? Not as many as you might think, according to a new study.
If it’s in the natural channel today, it could be in food, drug and mass merchandise stores tomorrow, so food and beverage trend-spotters were out in force at the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim on March 6-9.
Israel-based ingredients firm Salt of the Earth claims the sodium content in baked goods and cereals can be reduced by as much as 66% using its sea salt blend.
Revoking the GRAS status of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in a bid to crack down on artificial trans fats is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, says the American Bakers Association (ABA), which has urged the FDA to consider four alternative...
Replacing modern wheat with Kamut International’s trademarked ancient wheat in the diet may reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), finds research.
Butter might be winning the PR war in the spreads category owing to its all-natural credentials and short ingredients list; but from a nutritional standpoint, the healthier choice is margarine, says the National Association of Margarine Manufacturers...
It’s been gracing food labels for years, but more recently, it’s also prompted a tsunami of civil litigation against firms from Chobani to Trader Joe’s. So what exactly is ‘evaporated cane juice’ (ECJ), and does the name accurately reflect what it actually...
It’s 70 degrees, and there are a lot of free snacks, so the FoodNavigator-USA team did the decent thing and headed to Anaheim to bring you the highlights from the nation’s biggest natural products show: Natural Products Expo West…
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.
Fiber-rich almonds and almond skin may selectively boost the populations of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in the gut, says a new study funded by the Almond Board of California.
While manufacturers faced renewed pressure to clean up labels following recent media attacks on the dough conditioner azodicarbonamide and artificial preservatives, far less attention has been paid to what these ingredients are actually being replaced...
Interview with Bobo's Oat Bars founder Beryl Stafford
Ten years after Bobo’s Oat Bars first hit natural food store and coffee shop shelves in Boulder, CO, the now profitable cereal bar manufacturer is capitalizing on the parallel growth in popularity of the gluten-free and grab-and-go segments to target...
Manufacturers working to develop high quality gluten-free bakery products must not forget how important starch is in the formulation and its reaction during baking, warns a professor.
Governments, NGOs and consumers are driving change in the bakery sector, but how can industry keep up? What’s the next direction for healthy bakery? And will this future need to be regulated?
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has again urged the FDA to come up with its own mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labeling system and “ignore” the industry-backed, voluntary ‘Facts up Front’ scheme.
Check out who’s moving onwards and upwards as we head into spring with the latest FoodNavigator-USA round-up of movers and shakers in the food industry.
By Winnie Byanyima, executive director, Oxfam International
Food and drink companies can have a big influence over sustainability and ethical issues in their supply chains - and have the power to change them rapidly. One year on from Oxfam's first Behind the Brands sustainability scorecard, nine of the ten...
The foodservice sector could generate explosive growth for gluten-free products, although it’s hard to predict exactly when talk will translate into action, according to the firm behind leading gluten-free brands Udi’s and Glutino.
While the debate about deforestation due to palm oil rumbles on, new research has suggested that the release of methane from palm oil processing wastewater may also be a significant concern.
The Food and Drug Administration is proposing several changes to the nutrition labels on packaged foods and beverages. If approved, the new labels would place a bigger emphasis on total calories and update serving sizes, while also drawing attention to...
The fat composition of food not only influences cholesterol levels and the risk of cardiovascular disease but also governs where the fat will be stored in the body, say researchers.
Are consumers who say they’re avoiding gluten really just avoiding wheat? Can we trust survey data about the number of people following ‘gluten-free diets’? Are market researchers' (wildly differing) estimates about the size of the gluten-free market...
On Thursday the Obama administration unveiled the changes that the Food and Drug Administration drafted to the nutrition facts panel (see what the FDA is proposing here). In anticipation of the announcement, the Center for Science in the Public Interest...
Oats, when the supply chain ensures no cross-contamination, are a gluten-free cereal grain. So why haven’t we seen a flurry of oat-based gluten-free options in the global bakery sector? Are they a missed golden opportunity for gluten-free bakery?
