Foods from the Mediterranean Rim have been growing in popularity since at least the mid-1990s, reinforced by Americans’ seemingly insatiable appetite for flavors from Italy, Spain and Greece.
THE FOODNAVIGATOR-USA BUSINESS LEADERS ROUND TABLE DEBATE
A survey of American, British and French consumers by Truvia Natural Sweetener found that French consumers claim to eat the healthiest, while American and British consumers are more likely to reward themselves with food and drink. But all three consumer...
The market for high intensity sweeteners is growing rapidly, with plant-derived stevia providing the fastest growth, according to a new report from Mintel and Leatherhead Food Research.
Bell Flavors & Fragrances has unveiled its annual list of the top flavor trends to watch in the next 12 months, from a new wave of Asian flavors to aromatic herbs used in traditional Andean dishes.
The proportion of dairy product launches featuring omega 3 health claims has fallen in recent years as a result of “tightening" health claims legislation, Innova Market Insights has claimed.
Kraft Foods has vigorously defended the way it labels its Crystal Light lemonade and iced tea mixes after receiving a letter from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) threatening legal action if it does not stop promoting them as ‘natural’.
AlixPartners survey highlights the potential of health category 'super' consumers
Despite that they comprise just 26% of the population, Americans who spend more than 40% of their food and beverage budgets on health and wellness-related products account for 61% of total spending for the sector, or more than $161 billion annually, according...
The food and nutrition industries should be focusing on bioavailablity and bioefficacy of nutrients, and not just on big numbers on product labels, says a leading social entrepreneur who has spent over a decade boosting the nutritional status of the severely...
Replacing sugar with fibers in chocolate could be more effective in reducing global sugar consumption than cutting portion sizes, but will come at a cost, according to Barry Callebaut.
PepsiCo’s staff wellness program saved cash in terms of lower healthcare costs but its mainstream ‘lifestyle management’ component had little overall effect, US researchers have concluded.
The FDA’s proposal to revoke the GRAS status of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in a bid to oust artificial trans fats from the US diet “is extreme… and other options should be explored”, says soybean industry collaborative Qualisoy.
As Coke and Pepsi watch their diet soda sales stagnate, the arrows on the sales growth chart on Zevia CEO Paddy Spence’s wall are going in the opposite direction, with growth of his zero-calorie sodas up in the triple digits.
Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS) has inked a deal with a Wisconsin-based biotech firm that will keep it in supply of human brain and liver cells for nutrition testing purposes with a focus on drinks, smoothies and other products targeting diabetes...
It’s been 10 years since McDonald’s scrapped the ‘supersize’ menu from its restaurants, but the value concept of getting more food for the same amount of money remains an effective business tool for the food industry, and tends to have negative implications...
Consumers are demanding more nutritional information than ever, and yet obesity rates continue to climb, with some dietitians worrying that Americans are becoming complacent in their unhealthy weights. Kale, chia and wheat-free will stay hot in 2014,...
The entrepreneur who proved that vending machines can dispense more than candy and soda and still make a decent return has taken the H.U.M.A.N. Healthy Vending concept to the next level with the launch of a new breed of self-service ‘micro markets’.
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.
Bakers seeking to meet sodium reduction targets can take hope in new research conducted at Oregon State University that shows that consumers are willing to accept lower-salt breads and, if the reductions are small enough, may not even notice.
Achieving salt intakes in line with the recommendations may reduce stroke cases by 6%, but many consuming are still consuming way too much, says a new analysis from The Netherlands.
The growing consumer desire for sophisticated, nuanced and personalized flavor experiences—with the enticing added benefit of health and wellness claims is what will dominate flavor trends in the coming year, according to global flavor and fragrance supplier...
The new Built with Chocolate Milk campaign, the flavored, mustache-free sister of Got Milk?, will provide the US dairy industry with an opportunity to develop the "brand and nutritional equity" of milk, the organisation behind it has claimed.
What are food manufacturers looking for? Plentiful supplies of water, great transport links, a skilled workforce, low-taxes, easy access to raw materials?
US analyst Bonnie Herzog predicts that diet soda sales declines could fuel a 15-20% drop in overall US carbonated soft drink sales by 2020 but believes Coke is best-positioned to ride out the storm.
The FoodNavigator-USA business leaders round table debate
What are the hottest trends in food and beverage? And are the big bucks really in blue-sky innovation, or have the most successful firms played with an existing concept and just done a better job at executing, marketing and selling it?
Much of the growth of coconut food ingredients has been driven through the natural channel in years past. But now the ingredient may be reaching critical mass, with more mainstream consumers drawn to its flavor and health benefits.
What might give the food and beverage industry's regulatory affairs teams sleepless nights in 2014? From more evaporated cane juice lawsuits to proposed changes to the Nutrition Facts panel, stay up to date with this FoodNavigator-USA gallery…
Consumer packaged food and beverage firm WhiteWave Foods has acquired organic food brand Earthbound Farm from its existing shareholders led by Kainos Capital and founders Drew and Myra Goodman, for approximately $600 million in cash.
UK retailers like Morrisons’, Sainsbury’s and Tesco are backing an international ‘responsible’ fish oil certification earned by 100 processing factories in 9 countries and representing 40% of global fish oil and fishmeal outputs.
From maple water to ‘brogurt’, posh jerky, seaweed chips, purple corn, gourmet popcorn and non-GMO labels; what were the hottest trends of 2013, and what’s on the menu for 2014?
Americans’ eating habits deteriorated in 2013, as fewer adults report eating healthy all day “yesterday” in every month so far this year compared with the same months in 2012, according to the latest Gallup/Healthways poll. Moreover, healthy eating in...
As the FDA prepares to conduct consumer research into whole grain labeling statements before it issues finalized guidance for industry, the debate over precisely what should constitute a ‘whole grain’, as well as how the amount of whole grain should be...
Jatropha protein concentrate can be used to fortify bread without adverse textural impact and bakers should consider using the ingredient more, researchers say.
More than a third of new products launched in the US yogurt market in the year to September 2013 featured protein claims, according to new data from Innova Market Insights.
Food manufacturers have urged the FDA to give them more time to consider its proposal to revoke the GRAS status of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in a bid to eradicate artificial trans fats from the American diet.
Tokyo-based DIC Corporation - which claims to be the world’s largest producer of blue-green algae spirulina - is investing $10m into a new extraction plant in southern California to meet growing demand for natural blue food colors.
Dairy products have an important role to play in improving nutritional levels among the world’s poorest people, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) says in a new book.
People who ate a daily handful of nuts were 20% less likely to die from any cause over a 30-year period than those who didn’t, according to the largest study of its kind by scientists from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Bringham & Women’s Hospital...
New York City’s Health Department has unveiled a new anti-obesity campaign highlighting the potential health risks of excessive sugary drink consumption.
While consumer concerns over artificial sweeteners have been blamed - in part - for the funk the diet soda market currently finds itself in (click here), the fact remains that they are safe and effective tools for weight management, according to one obesity...
While the FDA has raised concerns about the recent proliferation of caffeine-containing products on the market, particularly those marketed at young people, new data suggests energy drinks and shots contribute “minimally” to total caffeine intakes, say...
Oatmeal increases a sense of fullness and reduces hunger due to the viscosity and hydration properties of its beta-glucan content, according to research from PepsiCo.
Nestlé may have canned Jenny Craig, and regulators clamped down on the sector's claim-making, but weight management products are booming globally, especially in increasingly image driven emerging economies like India and Brazil. It has pushed beyond...
