Cereal makers should consider moving NPD away from the breakfast table and introducing milk-free snack bags to be eaten like crisps, according to Canadean.
Gluten-free bread made with omega-3 and flavonoid-rich chia seed and tartary buckwheat flour has 12 times greater alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) content and 75% greater total antioxidant capacity than wheat bread, according to researchers.
The grain-based industry is late to the protein game and they need to catch up because opportunities are vast, says Ardent Mills’ director of consumer insights.
Unhealthy foods are being promoted to children in everyday children’s television programmes, new research published in the British Medical Journal suggests.
The European Snack Association (ESA) says it welcomes EFSA’s recent draft opinion on acrylamide in food, but will push for greater clarity on safe levels and product categorization in the final document due in September.
Amica Chips and ICA Foods have pledged to stop advertising to under 12s and communication with primary schools unless asked as part of a voluntary EU scheme.
Instant hot cereal is rising in Russia as urban consumers seek healthy, convenient options, but beware - indulgence remains top of mind, says an analyst from Canadean.
Stevia in bakery faces huge technical hurdles given baking temperatures and duration and it’s an area that warrants hefty R&D efforts, says the chief scientific officer of Stevia Leaf.
Eating almonds may reduce the risk of heart disease by increasing levels of the antioxidant alpha-tocopherol in the blood stream, reducing blood pressure and improving blood flow, according to UK researchers.
Consumers are open to fortified foods just as much as those that contain naturally occurring functional ingredients, according to the International Food Information Council (IFIC).
Proposals to shift focus to vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium on the US FDA’s Nutrition Facts Panel make sense, but could remove incentives to fortify with other essential micronutrients, warns DSM.
Food and beverage manufacturers are holding their collective breath in anticipation of the proposed changes to the Nutrition Facts panel put forth by the Food and Drug Administration and likely to be finalized next year.
Picking through ideas with Saatchi & Saatchi X on shopper behavior: Part II
Snacks have the power to drive positive emotional shopping behavior, but too much focus on health and a lack of in-store innovation could kill the joy factor, says the VP of shopper psychology at Saatchi & Saatchi X.
The natural sweetness and antioxidant properties of dates could add value to dairy, pastry and meat products, and would reduce waste of a fruit that was not being eaten fresh, Spanish researchers say.
Breakfast biscuit makers should reduce sugar and calorie content and develop healthier variants if they want to secure continued growth, says Euromonitor International.
The US is considerably behind the UK in terms of sodium reduction, but is catching up and demand will boom over the next year, the CEO of Kudos Blends says as it secures US distribution with Brenntag North America.
Alpha-linolenic acid-rich canola oil, in combination with a low glycemic index diet, may help improve blood sugar control and other measures of heart health, says a new study from Canada.
Healthier products remain a top consumer demand, interpreting and communicating health claims is an ongoing challenge, and food safety is top of mind amid eco-friendly advances, according to Leatherhead Food Research.
Eating instant oatmeal for breakfast may help to manage hunger better than the leading oat-based, cold cereal, says a new study funded by Quaker Oats with implications for weight management.
Non-wheat cereals have huge potential for nutritional breads, but further in-depth research is needed to overcome dough difficulties and nutrient retention concerns, say researchers.
US bakery, snack and cereal manufacturers should look to Europe for lessons on clean label and better-for-you products that don’t scream health, says Mintel’s innovation head.
Nestlé has filed a patent for high-carb and high-protein bite-size dough snacks for athletes and health-conscious consumers looking to manage nutritional intake before and during exercise.
DIGGING INTO INNOVATION AND NPD WITH DATAMONITOR CONSUMER
The Federation of Bakers has designed ‘breakfast boots’ to hold toast as part of an on-going campaign to promote bread as part of a healthy, balanced diet, its director says.
General Mills has developed a high-protein variant of its flagship cereal brand Cheerios using soy – a product it says will sit comfortably in the mainstream breakfast aisle.
The future of snacks will be positioning them as part of a 'meal bridge' solution that hits on convenience, value, taste and health, says the marketing head at Snyder’s-Lance.
Popcorn has exploded and thins have sliced into action in snacking – both riding on the wave of being indulgent with a healthy slant, according to Euromonitor International.
Vital Solutions Swiss will publish in vitro research that shows its mango powder Careless mimics caloric restriction but the company is keen to invest in human trials, its CEO says.
Craft snack brands will lead innovation because of their fresh take on an old market, and balancing health and indulgence will be top of the agenda, says Innova Market Insights.
Increasing interest in cinnamon’s health properties has led to its use in more foods, but heavy rainfall in producer countries has affected supply, a leading ingredients company has warned.
The ‘right’ type of snack can improve diet quality in children under the age of 11, according to researchers looking into how snack and meal frequencies affect total energy intake and diet quality.
In this special edition article BakeryandSnacks.com takes a look at some of the key suggested benefits of fiber, and how manufacturers can utilize it to benefit consumers.
When it comes to fiber, baked goods are king. That might sound obvious, but in a world where the nutrient, its source and end application are often separated, it is worth stating.
Fortifying cereal-based products with fiber is less about nutrition and more about technical, formulation functions that align with mega-trends like sugar reduction and gluten-free, claim suppliers.
High cereal fiber intake after a heart attack may improve long-term survival rates, research suggests, but these benefits could be achieved with a balanced, healthy diet, rather than through fortified goods, says British Heart Foundation senior dietician.
Nutritious snacks have not boomed because manufacturers overwhelmed consumers in a category where indulgence remains more important, says the head of food and drink at Datamonitor Consumer.
Nanotechnology to deliver nutrients or flavors into bakery remains nascent, but that will change over the next decade, says RNI Conseil’s scientific and regulatory affairs senior consultant.
![The breakfast biscuits sector needs healthy innovation to secure future growth, says Euromonitor International. BelVita [pictured] kickstarted the market.](/var/wrbm_gb_food_pharma/storage/images/_aliases/news_teaser_medium/7/8/4/9/1789487-1-eng-GB/Euromonitor-Breakfast-biscuits-threatened-by-health-concerns.png)
