Breaking News on the Food and Drink Manufacturing Sector

News headlines > Ingredients

Bulk of UK/German wheat harvest now in, but quality questions remain

02-Sep-2010 - More than three-quarters of the UK and German wheat harvests are now in, but questions remain over the quality of what's still in the ground.

Tapioca starch prices reach record levels

01-Sep-2010 - More price hikes for tapioca starch look to be on the cards as drought and pink mealybug infestation of Thai cassava crops has driven up raw material prices to unprecedented heights – with no relief on the horizon.

British Sugar in cane processing trial at Newark

01-Sep-2010 - Beet sugar giant British Sugar could produce another 120,000t of sugar a year from refineries in Wissington, Newark and Bury St Edmunds by introducing raw cane sugar inputs to its refining process, the firm has revealed.

Givaudan to move savoury flavour production to Hungary

31-Aug-2010 - Givaudan plans to streamline its savoury flavour manufacturing production in Europe, with a new plant in Hungary designed to take over most of its current production from the UK and Switzerland.

Record Californian raisin imports show UK appetite for dried vine fruit

31-Aug-2010 - UK imports of Californian raisins increased by 26% during the 2009/10 season, according to the trade organisation representing the largest Californian growers.

News in brief

Unilever and Co probe new sources of black, white and blue food colours

31-Aug-2010 - A patent search conducted by Leatherhead Food Research (LFR) during research for a report on food colours has revealed a flurry of activity by firms to identify new sources of black, white and blue colours: shades the food industry has always struggled to source from nature.

EFSA set to mass reject 100s of herbal health claims

27-Aug-2010 - Hundreds of proposed botanical-health relationships ranging from antioxidant activity to skin health to immunity to gut health will almost certainly be rejected if the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) holds to its current methodologies, according to an EU herbal group.

Sourdough may enable amaranth-based gluten-free bakery

27-Aug-2010 - Amaranth-based gluten-free products may be edging towards wider acceptance after German scientists provided key information on preparing amaranth-based sourdoughs.

Electicity and ultra sound boost potatoes’ antioxidant content by 60 per cent

24-Aug-2010 - Treating potatoes with electricity and ultra-sound could improve their antioxidant activity by up to 60 per cent, according to new research from Obihiro University in Hokkaido, Japan.

Senomyx and PepsiCo collaborate on sweetness enhancement

17-Aug-2010 - California-based flavor firm Senomyx has entered into a four-year partnership with PepsiCo in order to develop sweetness enhancers and natural high-intensity sweeteners for new PepsiCo products.

Protein mix could increase emulsion stability

17-Aug-2010 - New research suggests that mixing different protein emulsifiers could create more stable emulsions – reducing the need for surfactants.

‘Household names’ trial new fruit-based sweetener as R&R Ice cream prepares new desserts launch

16-Aug-2010 - ‘Household names’ in food and drink manufacturing are conducting trials with fruit-based sweetener Sweet Freedom following its successful launch in the retail market.

Cheese trial next after bakers slash salt with ‘micro’ particles

11-Aug-2010 - The firm behind a new breed of microscopic salt crystals that can help manufacturers slash sodium and retain their clean label status is conducting its first trials on cheese.

NZ firm eyes EU entry for natural sweetener from monk fruit

10-Aug-2010 - The New-Zealand-based firm driving the commercialisation of an intense natural sweetener from monk fruit (luo han guo) is seeking clearance to market it in the EU following successful trials with some of the world’s leading food and drink manufacturers.

Still hope for soy protein/cholesterol claim

06-Aug-2010 - The consultancy that lodged a high-profile health claim application about soy protein says it remains confident of achieving a successful claim despite last month’s controversial negative opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Solae: EFSA soy-cholesterol opinion is “disconcerting”

03-Aug-2010 - Leading soy supplier Solae has criticised the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for a selective approach that saw the agency’s health claims panel dismiss upward of 30 human intervention studies contained in an article 14, soy protein, cholesterol-lowering dossier.

High price to pay

01-Aug-2010 - The soaring cost of crucial food ingredients is hitting manufacturers hard.

DD Williamson looks to organics

01-Aug-2010 - US-based colours processor DD Williamson is targeting Europe with ingredients that would potentially suit organic products.

Feature

In search of the Holy Grail

01-Aug-2010 - Salt replacement and anti-microbial properties are being studied, says John Dunn

British Sugar forms stevia joint venture with PureCircle

27-Jul-2010 - British Sugar has joined forces with natural sweeteners firm PureCircle to develop new bulk sweeteners combining sugar and extracts from the stevia leaf.

Northern Foods steps up to plate on sustainable palm

26-Jul-2010 - Northern Foods subsidiary Green Isle Foods has become the first food manufacturer to use a new pumpable shortening containing certified sustainable palm oil.

Food companies go quiet on nanotech research activity

19-Jul-2010 - Many major food companies have become hesitant to promote their research into the potential of nanotechnology for fear of piquing consumer concerns while it is still in its infancy, according to an expert from market researcher Lux Research.

Flour prices up 15-20% as harvest approaches, says Premier Foods

16-Jul-2010 - Flour prices could head further north this summer, driven by a combination of lower-than-anticipated corn planting in the US, reduced wheat production forecasts in Russia and Canada and lower yields in Europe, Premier Foods is predicting.

We need to glamorise 'lavatorial' fibre, claims academic

12-Jul-2010 - Food manufacturers must challenge “lavatorial” perceptions of fibre to market products more effectively, according to the boss of food research group MMR.

Feature

Sugar 
Fix

02-Jul-2010 - Keeping consumers sweet and healthy is a tricky business when it comes to reducing sugar in food, reports Hayley Brown

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