The EU nutrition and health claims regulation (NHCR) put many health-related product marketeers noses out of joint. But having survived two years since legislative enforcement, are we now witnessing a positive and unpredicted consequence? argues Pegasus's...
Cereal Partner UK's advert for Honey Nut Shredded Wheat is misleading in its use of a 'no added sugar' claim meant for its Shredded Wheat Original counterpart, the UK’s Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) has ruled.
The number of UK consumers baking at home fell by 8% this year – a drop likely sparked by fears around sugar but one that could be remedied with stevia, says a Mintel analyst.
A test method pioneered by Irish diagnostic technology company Megazyme International has become the global method of choice for ensuring dietary fibre content is not 'double counted' on nutritional labels.
The Nutrition Facts Panel overhaul could fuel more micronutrient fortification in baked goods, helping the balancing act between sodium and nutrients, says the American Bakers Association (ABA).
The Marc Bakery aims to transform its $1m Russian snack business into $45m in just three years – a possible goal in a country where all-natural remains nascent, its founder says.
The oat beta-glucan industry is tough as prices remain too high for most manufacturers, but as bigger players jump aboard Garuda International says business should be bolstered.
New findings that the body is less efficient at metabolising folic acid than natural folates could inform policy-making decisions as the UK government considers mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid.
Grain Millers is developing fully-sprouted oats but says industry needs to clarify the definition of ‘sprouted’ to differentiate between fully and partially-sprouted grains.
Packaged bread innovation has been complicated by a consumer backlash on additives and carbohydrates, but manufacturers can still generate interest with healthy, artisan ingredients, says Mintel.
Michigan State University (MSU) has been awarded almost $400,000 by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reduce the Salmonella risk of low-moisture foods.
DIGGING INTO INNOVATION AND NPD WITH DATAMONITOR CONSUMER
US retail sales of gluten-free products surged 47% in 2013, with a significant chunk of the growth coming from snacks, according to flour milling giant Ardent Mills.
Andean Grain Products has received a positive draft novel food opinion from the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) for its chia seeds – deeming them sufficiently ‘equivalent’ to those already approved for market in the EU.
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 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)
