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...
A just published study has found zinc citrate is equal to zinc gluconate and higher than zinc oxide in terms of bodily intake, research that could help battle regional deficiencies and conditions like diarrhea.
A judge has provisionally approved a $5.3m settlement between CytoSport and California plaintiff Claire Delacruz in a false advertising class action lawsuit over the marketing of Muscle Milk bars and beverages.
Big Interview: Greg Steltenpohl, CEO of Califia Farms and founder of Odwalla
“The slowdown of soft drinks is not going to be catastrophic for the beverage industry,” said Greg Steltenphol, CEO of beverage manufacturer Califia Farms and founder of Odwalla, discussing the recent slump in carbonated soft drink sales—particularly...
The marolo fruit should be used in flour form for snack bars because of its powerful nutritional properties and ability to improve taste and quality, researchers say.
Stevia supplier GLG Lifetech posted a net loss of $14.3m in the third quarter, but said it is making solid progress in its collaboration with COFCO, China's largest food company, to develop foods and beverages with stevia that will reach "every...
This month Ingredion Inc. rolled out Weightain, a satiety ingredient the firm claims can reduce daily caloric intake by up to 50 or 100 calories per day.
The percentage of new US food product launches featuring ancient grains or seeds has almost tripled since 2008, according to Datamonitor. But the bulk of activity is focused around just two ingredients: Chia and quinoa.
60-second interview: Matt Fifer, co-founder, 8th & Walton Group
Want to get on the shelf at Walmart? Prepare to put in some serious work, says Matt Fifer, who spent nearly 13 years in senior roles in store & club operations, people development, marketing, and international marketing at Wal-Mart before co-founding...
While quinoa and chia have stolen much of the limelight, one of the most interesting ‘ancient grains’ to watch is freekeh - wheat that has been harvested early while it is still green and then roasted and cracked - according to one leading supplier of...
Penford Food Ingredients has developed a corn-based fiber that it says has a cleaner flavor than other corn fibers – opening up broader application opportunities.
Hain Celestial has been targeted in a first-if-its-kind putative class action lawsuit alleging that it falsely advertised Celestial Seasoning teas as 100% natural when they in fact contain “potentially dangerous” levels of pesticides, herbicides, insecticides,...
San-Diego-based flavor innovator Senomyx says the first products arising from a collaboration with PepsiCo using a novel sweet taste modifier called S617 should hit shelves next year - contingent upon a GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) determination.
Looking for a healthy snack that is low in fat and calories, high in protein and a bit more tantalizing for the taste buds than your average nutrition bar? Try jerky, says the entrepreneur behind one of the most successful recent entrants to the US food...
North American sales of WhiteWave Foods’ almond-based beverages under the Silk Pure Almond brand surged 60% in the third quarter as more shoppers sought alternatives to dairy.
Demonization of ingredients and a lack of consumer understanding has fueled clean label, but it remains niche among a small group of consumers, DuPont Nutrition & Health says.
News that the FDA is considering revoking the GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in a bid to eradicate artificial trans fats from the US food supply has been broadly welcomed. But how long should the agency...
A new science developing around phytonutrients is opening the doors of an entirely new domain, but understanding how to use the information and combining this with ethical cultivation will have to go hand in hand for successful commercialization, says...
Evidence from randomized control trials supports a role for tea and tea compounds – specifically L-theanine and caffeine – to benefit mood and performance, says a review from Unilever.
Food ingredient giant Ingredion reported a steep drop in year-over-year earnings in the third quarter of 2013, mostly from problems in South American markets. In addition, the company foresees a complicated impact from a newly-passed tax in Mexico on...
The need for dietary interventions to help diabetes sufferers is clear. But communicating how individual ingredients and foods might meet that need is fraught with regulatory peril, observers say.
Increasing numbers of products with superfoods like chia will see this favorite of the Aztecs joining the mainstream functional food/beverage ranks, says a leading marketing expert.
Organic yogurt maker Stonyfield is rolling out new packaging hammering home its organic credentials with a new logo featuring the phrase ‘no toxic pesticides used here’ following research suggesting 74% of Americans would like to eat food produced with...
60-second interview: Dr. Sandy Chien, VP Innovative Products, HORN Nutraceuticals
As part of our special edition on blood sugar, Elaine Watson caught up with Dr. Sandy Chien, VP Innovative Products at California-based HORN Nutraceuticals, which is introducing a new cinnamon-based blood sugar control ingredient called MealShape to the...
Big Interview: Todd Beckman, cofounder and COO of GoodBelly
In a country like the US where 60 to 70 million people have digestive issues, and roughly 20% of the population suffers from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (though only a third seek medical attention, according to the National Institutes of Health), the founders...
Much more than just a single category, the weight loss market is striated into multiple segments based on consumers’ varying attitudes, behaviors and motivations, according to a study by consumer products consulting firm Abunda.
Special edition: Tackling diabetes. Formulating for healthy blood sugar
Given that one in three American adults is expected to develop type 2 diabetes by 2050, and poor diet and lack of exercise may be largely to blame, what can food and beverage manufacturers do to tackle this epidemic?
The number of consumer fraud class actions brought in federal court against food and beverage companies skyrocketed from 19 cases in 2008 to more than 100 in 2012, according to the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR)*.
From the risks and rewards of energy drinks to what Americans eat for breakfast, strategies to tackle mindless eating and the next generation of gluten-free foods, Houston was the place to be this week as 8,000+ nutrition professionals gathered for the...
60-second interview: Andy Bellatti and Elizabeth Lee, Dietitians for Professional Integrity
While the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics (AND) says members are more than capable of distinguishing facts from spin when listening to an education session from a corporate sponsor at its annual conference, many RDs worry that cozying up to brands...
High-protein frozen yogurt ProYo looks set to be rolled out across the US next year, following an “overwhelmingly positive response from the media and brokers” in the six months since its West Coast launch.
