Sweeteners (intense, bulk, polyols)

Labelling landscape at risk of further turbulence in 2024

14-Dec-2023 By Natasha Spencer-Joilliffe

Following uncertainty and disruption in 2023, potential political shifts in 2024 may spell further food labelling frustrations and challenges in the UK.

Biggest threat to additives development? Quality data, says food industry

13-Dec-2023 By Natasha Spencer-Joilliffe

As the World Health Organization (WHO) publishes its latest information on additives, the food industry details how insufficient quality data is the biggest threat to their growth and management.

How can industry turn the tide on seaweed consumption?

07-Dec-2023 By Flora Southey

In Europe, many consumers associated seaweed with the rotting, smelly kelp that washes up on beaches. How can industry cultivate consumer appetite for marine plants?

Recreating Willy Wonka flavours with food science: 'In principle, we could simulate any flavour'

05-Dec-2023 By Natasha Spencer-Joilliffe

Food and flavours collide with the film world and a fictional favourite as a University of Warwick professor explores the most famous creations of chocolate idol Willy Wonka ahead of its reimagined release premiering in December 2023.

How Mars is rethinking reformulation on its path to net zero

29-Nov-2023 By Flora Southey

As part of Mars Inc.’s strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the confectionery major is optimising product recipes to include more environmentally friendly ingredients.

NPD Trend Tracker: From wholegrain spelt to Christmas dinner pie

27-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

In this week’s NPD Trend Tracker, we have a range of festive products, including a festive wrap, festive ice-cream flavours and a pie containing an entire Christmas dinner. We also have a new flavour from Tate & Lyle, a wholegrain spelt from Merchant...

Why Unilever wants its ice cream competitors to reformulate

15-Nov-2023 By Flora Southey

The Magnum, Wall’s, and Ben & Jerry’s owner is reformulating its ice creams to withstand warmer temperatures, and wants others to do the same.

Is it time for the ‘outdated’ supermarket free from aisle to evolve?

27-Oct-2023 By Oliver Morrison

As free from brands spot long-term growth potential, a perpetual debate is reigniting: is it best for these products to be in separate or standard aisles?

GUEST ARTICLE

Industry Insights from NIZO: Great flavour without compromise for plant-based food

26-Oct-2023 By René Floris, NIZO Food Research Division Manager

To successfully launch a plant-based product onto the market today, businesses have to go above and beyond in flavour to stand out. How can a new, more holistic flavour approach put an end to organoleptic compromise?

Could ancient Peruvian crops promote a healthy gut and help those living with type 2 diabetes?

24-Oct-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The Andes has traditionally been a source of excellent food and medicinal plants. Now science is turning to ancient Peruvian crops to explore their benefits in boosting the gut health and preventing and treating type 2 diabetes.

Cocoa leaders demand a fair price for all

23-Oct-2023 By Natasha Spencer-Jolliffe

Off the back of Tony's Chocolonely’s warning that the new cocoa farmgate price is still too low, other chocolate brands and global organisations call for an end to corporate greed and push for equity.

NPD Trend Tracker: From dandelion-spiced rum to gut-health-boosting dairy-free yoghurt

23-Oct-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

In this week's NPD Trend Tracker, we have a medical drink to help children with disease-related malnutrition and an educational programme to help children learn about food waste. We also have a dandelion-spiced rum, condiments that help metabolic...

Collaboration over competition? Cocoa companies push for equitable farming

20-Oct-2023 By Natasha Spencer-Jolliffe

Amid rising farmgate prices yet insufficient Living Income Reference Prices (LIRP), cocoa companies turn to communication, connection and collaboration throughout the sector to advocate better wages for farmers.

Eight crops endangered by climate change

19-Oct-2023 By Oliver Morrison

From staple crops like potatoes and maize, to cash crops for wealthier customers like cocoa and coffee, climate change is having a widespread impact on global agricultural production.

Identifying some foods as addictive could bring health benefits, scientists say

12-Oct-2023 By Oliver Morrison

An international team of researchers, writing in the British Medical Journal, have called for a global rethink of food choices.

Sustainability

Touton outlines plans for a more agile cocoa supply chain to meet new legislation

11-Oct-2023 By Anthony Myers

French cocoa supplier the Touton Group said it is adjusting its business strategy to meet upcoming sustainability and compliance requirements with a fresh investment in climate-friendly solutions and a commitment to strengthen its collaboration with partner...

PepsiCo raises 2023 full-year earnings outlook on Q3 performance, Gatorade loses market share to PRIME

10-Oct-2023 By Ryan Daily

PepsiCo released its 2023 third quarter fiscal year report and beat Wall Street estimates, citing increased demand for smaller-sized snacks and healthier options, as the company faces challenges from PRIME in the sports drink category and anticipates...

From AI to VR: Diageo launches lab to develop digital concepts which go 'beyond the bottle’

10-Oct-2023 By Rachel Arthur

Diageo has launched a new partnership lab, called Fusion by Diageo, which will bring in innovators to ‘co-develop the next generation of digital products that will elevate consumer experiences’.

Mars, PepsiCo, Kraft Heinz, and Givaudan on how AI can improve NPD

06-Oct-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

NPD takes time. Long hours of R&D lie between an idea and a product launch. AI, however, is helping a range of major companies generate product ideas, as well as do market research and gain insights into the minds of consumers.

Tagatose finds a home in lean labeling

28-Sep-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Despite FDA’s labeling of tagatose as an added sugar, the alternative sweetener’s nutritional and functional benefits continue to generate interest from the food and beverage industry, particularly with lean labels, Jim Kappas, VP specialty ingredients,...

Oobli rethinks sweetness using sweet proteins for new RTD tea

28-Sep-2023 By Deniz Ataman

With Oobli’s first commercial launch of three fruit-flavored sweet teas, the company is building its product development around the oubli fruit’s sweet protein, brazzein, which Oobli reports is up to 5,000 times sweeter than sugar and metabolizes as a...

Monk Fruit Corp.’s GM discusses sweetener’s rise, how it taps into current consumer trends

28-Sep-2023 By Ryan Daily

Monk fruit has gained popularity as a natural sweetener, and is poised for growth alongside natural and better-for-you trends as consumers and brands reduce sugar across categories, Monk Fruit Corp.'s GM David Thorrold told FoodNavigator-USA.

The Better Bakehouse bakes up better-for-you sweet treats with Donutful launch

28-Sep-2023 By Ryan Daily

The Better Bakehouse is shaking up the baked goods category with a better-for-you donut under its Donutful brand, while tapping into trends around clean label, company founder and CEO Tony Davis told FoodNavigator-USA.

‘More than mylk’: Alternatives to coffee, cocoa, salt and sugar on the table at Mylkcubator 3.0

27-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

The Mylkcubator programme has largely focused on next-gen dairy innovation to date. But for the incubator’s third edition, dairy-major Pascual wants to expand its focus to alt coffee, cocoa, salt, sugar and more.

ADM’s nutrition business slows, but execs are confident in ‘ambidextrous’ growth approach

13-Sep-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Global nutrition giant Archer-Daniels-Midland is adopting an “ambidextrous” approach that relies on improved productivity and innovation to drive short- and long-term growth across its business and offset ongoing softness in its nutrition segment, according...

Ultra-processing and pregnancy: Emulsifier consumption could be linked to ‘minor health risks’ in offspring, warn researchers

12-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

New research out of Spain shows that when pregnant mice were fed emulsifiers, metabolic impairments, cognition deficits and anxiety-like traits were observed in their offspring. “Our data call for nutritional advice during gestation,” note the study authors.

M&As

Nestlé to acquire majority stake in Brazil’s premium chocolate company

11-Sep-2023 By Anthony Myers

Nestlé has announced an agreement with Advent International to acquire a majority stake in Grupo CRM, which owns more than 1,000 chocolate boutiques under the Kopenhagen and Brasil Cacau brands across the county, along with a strong and growing online...

Adding ‘complex component’ of milk to infant formula confers long-term cognitive benefits

04-Sep-2023 By Oliver Morrison

New research into milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) suggests early exposure to these nutritional components contribute to the long-term structure and function of the brain.

Taste still drives beverage choice among consumers, along with hydration, nutrition and simplicity

21-Aug-2023 By Deniz Ataman

From convenience to hydration and satiation, consumer preferences for beverages offer manufacturers an opportunity to hone in on value, attributes and nutrition with taste and simple ingredients as a common driver, according to Hartman Group’s Modern...

Food environments push consumers away from healthy and sustainable options, report shows

17-Aug-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

A new report shows that food environments, from promotional offers to the placement of food in shops, can influence consumers to make less healthy and less sustainable food choices.

Oats flourish as an ingredient in European dairy-free ice cream

17-Aug-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Oats have well and truly earned their place in the small but growing plant-based ice cream sector, according to new data. But brands still must elevate consumer expectations of texture.

Calls for removal of packaging that appeals to children from ‘sugar-laden’ cereals and yogurts

15-Aug-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Breakfast cereals and yogurts with packaging that appeals to children have unnecessary amounts of sugars, complains new UK research – with some products containing the equivalent of up to four teaspoons of sugar per serving.

Understanding individual blood-sugar responses “crucial” for control, researchers stress

15-Aug-2023 By Olivia Brown

A new prospective intervention study concludes that understanding personal glycemic responses to meals and adopting a meal-based approach when planning diets is crucial to improving glycemic control.

Large font sizes for low calorie counts can influence healthy eating choices, study shows

10-Aug-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

There are many reasons why people choose to order healthy food at restaurants, and a new study shows that the font size of calorie counts on menus is one of them. People can be influenced to order healthy options, the study suggests, by the calorie count...

Infant formula industry fights back at ‘misleading’ Lancet papers: ‘Advertising is not the main factor limiting breastfeeding’

04-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

A series of papers on breastfeeding, published in The Lancet this year, gives the misleading impression that infant formula advertising is the main factor limiting breastfeeding, argues implicated trade associations.

To imitate or not to imitate: Should dairy alternatives copy the taste and texture of milk?

02-Aug-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The purpose of alternative dairy products, such as milk and cheese, is to act as a substitute for animal-based dairy. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it must taste exactly like the products it is replacing.

Capri Sun to take back sales and distribution from Coca-Cola Europacific Partners in Western Europe

02-Aug-2023 By Rachel Arthur

Kids fruit juice drink pouch company Capri Sun Group Holding AG will take back the sales and distribution of its pouch drinks in France, Monaco, Great Britain, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, Sweden, Spain, and Portugal in 2024: ending a sales and distribution...

News In Brief

Nutri-Score updated so that only low-sugar cereals are classified A or B

19-Jul-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Nutri-Score has been tweaked to give stricter scores to sweet products and better classification of olive oils and fatty fish.

Sugar reduction special

Hail Stevia! The natural sweetener could be the perfect solution to ‘Sugarflation’ as well as a healthier option

19-Jul-2023 By Anthony Myers

In the past 12 months, global sugar prices have risen 41.9% and to describe this sharp inflation in sugar prices, analysts have coined a new term: ‘sugarflation’. The current market volatility has also had a knock-on effect for natural alternatives with...

Sugar reduction special

Monk Fruit and allulose-centered products set to be key drivers of innovation

19-Jul-2023 By Anthony Myers

Swerve, one of the leading manufacturers and marketers of zero-sugar, keto-friendly, and plant-based sweeteners, is at the forefront of the sugar-free baking trend. The company’s innovation and expansion into monk fruit and allulose sweetener offerings,...

Sugar reduction special

What ingredients are shaping the future of sugar reformulation?

19-Jul-2023 By Anthony Myers

With sugar consumption continuing to increase and public health concerns about rising obesity rates, the sugar reduction trend will become more significant, experts say.

Nestlé enzyme tech cuts sugars intrinsically present in malt, milk and fruit juice

18-Jul-2023 By Flora Southey

The enzymatic process reduces sugar without needing to add sweeteners or bulking agents to replace its volume.

High-intensity sweetener uncovered in truffles ‘potentially game-changing’ for sugar reduction

17-Jul-2023 By Flora Southey

MycoTechnology says it is ‘standing on the brink of a sweet revolution’ having discovered a sweet protein derived from honey truffle. “Proteins are widely recognised as the future of sweeteners,” says MycoTechnology CEO Alan Hahn.

WHO classes aspartame ‘possibly carcinogenic’ but safe to consume within daily intake guidelines

14-Jul-2023 By Flora Southey

The popular sweetener is ‘possibly carcinogenic’ according to the World Health Organization, who has also reaffirmed it is safe to consume within current permitted use levels.

Scientists stress ‘uncertainties’ in links between ultra-processed food and health problems

12-Jul-2023 By Flora Southey

In the UK, government scientists have pointed to ‘uncertainties’ surrounding the quality of evidence linking consumption of ultra-processed foods with adverse health outcomes.

‘How sweet is sweet?’ AI-powered algorithm digitises taste for food and beverage makers

11-Jul-2023 By Flora Southey

Israeli start-up MAMAY Technologies has developed an AI-powered algorithm capable of determining the ‘objective’ sweetness of a food or beverage product.

Alt dairy bottleneck: start-up calls for collaboration to speed non-animal casein production

27-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Dutch fermentation specialist Fooditive claims it has successfully demonstrated the feasibility of non-animal casein production at an industrial scale and is now hoping to collaborate with a ‘like-minded partners’ to navigate Novel Food approval in the...

Balancing taste and nutrition in clean label sweeteners: Could sugar make a comeback?

21-Jun-2023 By Flora Southey

As demand for natural sweeteners grow, could consumers revert to arguably the most traditional natural sweetener of all: sugar?

How sensory science can drive innovation and cure current food system ills

14-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

In the highly competitive, complex landscape manufacturers are now in, product acceptance is more than ever about the emotions a product generates, FoodNavigator hears.

'The ultimate goal is to foster innovation and accelerate the go-to-market of new products': Inside Roquette's new food innovation centre

13-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

French ingredients company Roquette has opened up a new food innovation centre, focusing on developing a wide range of foods with a small number of ingredients, prominently pea protein, wheat protein, polyols, soluble fibres and starches. FoodNavigator...