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The Labour manifesto pledged a long-term strategy for the food sector

Election 2015

Labour’s manifesto: food industry implications

By Michael Stones

Labour pledged to expand the role of the supermarket watchdog to protect food producers, create better paid jobs and apprenticeships across the rural economy, while creating a “world-leading food, farm and fisheries sector” in its manifesto released yesterday...

There is still too much fat in Danes's diet

Too much fat in Danes's diet

By Nicholas Robinson

The Danish have increased their intake of fish and vegetables and reduced their consumption of sugary soft drinks, but are still eating too much fat, according to findings from the latest Danish national diet survey.

Clark: we are likely to see tougher regulation to stem rising levels of obesity in the UK

Food Vision

Tougher rules likely to curb UK obesity levels

By Laurence Gibbons

UK food and drink manufacturers could be hit by more stringent regulation in a bid to curb rising obesity levels and reduce the burden on the National Health Service, experts have said.

WHO issued a strong recommendation for sugar to form less than 10% of an individual’s daily energy intake

Food firms ‘sow seeds of doubt’ in WHO

By Rod Addy

World Health Organisation (WHO) sugar guidance is “disappointing” and suggests food firms have persuaded it to take a softer line on consumption, claims pressure group Action on Sugar (AoS).

Monster Khaos Energy + Juice was cited as an energy drink containing less sugar

Trade body shuns attack on energy drinks

By Rod Addy

The British Soft Drinks Association (BSDA) has rejected calls to ban the sale of energy drinks to children under 16, claiming they are not promoted to this age group.

High-protein breakfast key for people with Type 2 diabetes

Breakfast is key for diabetics

By Nicholas Robinson

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for people with type 2 diabetes, an international study has claimed.

It's health o'clock: innovation will help firms exploit three key trends

Innovation to shape food industry’s future

By Michael Stones

Innovation is likely to shape the future of the future industry in a market dominated by lack of growth, price pressure from food retailers and changing consumer behaviour, according to a new report from Rabobank.

Bruce-Gardyne: 'Gluten-free recipes are so difficult to change'

Business Leaders' Forum

Gluten-free sector would be hit hard by sugar and fat taxes

By Nicholas Robinson

Gluten-free (GF) food manufacturers would be hit hard by taxes on high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) content, as calls to make food and drink healthier would leave the sector struggling to reformulate, bosses have warned.

It was 'madness' to undermine the credibility of food science with unsubstantiated allegations, said the IFST

Food industry slams BMJ sugar row ‘madness’

By Michael Stones

Food manufacturers and scientists have hit back at “the madness” of British Medical Journal (BMJ), in publishing a survey which claimed the government’s scientific advisers on obesity were swayed by industry funding.

Progress at hand: by 2020 wearables will become commonplace

Wearable devices to track personal nutrition by 2020

By Rick Pendrous

Technology that helps consumers tailor what they eat to their specific health requirements – so-called ‘personalised nutrition’ – will take off over the next five years, the head of intelligence and economics at the Future Foundation think tank has predicted.

Salty snack sales could be hit as health-conscious consumers plan to cut down consumption

Consumers plan to buy less salty products

By Laurence Gibbons

Sales of salty snacks could be hit as health-conscious consumers plan to remove them from their shopping baskets in the year ahead, according to information and insights company Nielsen.

Responsible innovation will be the focus of the Food Vision 2015 event in Cannes between March 18–20

Food Vision focuses on responsible innovation

By Michael Stones

Responsible innovation is the theme of the Food Vision 2015 event, connecting leaders in nutrition and food and drink development, to take place in Cannes, south of France between March 18–20.

Growth rates in childhood obesity slowing - study

Sector not absolved by childhood obesity slowdown

By Nicholas Robinson

A slowdown in childhood obesity growth rates does not absolve the food and drink industry from blame, despite its efforts to reduce the fat, sugar and salt (FSS) content of its products, experts have said.

Top food industry concerns from business leaders

Business Leaders' Forum

Business Leaders’ Forum – in quotes

By Laurence Gibbons

Obesity, skills and the changing retailer landscape were some of the key issues debated at last week’s Business Leaders’ Forum at the Walkie Talkie building in central London.

Yacon is a natural source of fructooligosaccharides

Business Leaders’ Forum

Alara Wholefoods aims to create 17 new jobs

By Rod Addy

Alara Wholefoods aims to create 17 jobs over the course of this year off the back of strong demand for its organic and gluten-free muesli and other food lines.

Watkins said food and drink firms shoud prepare for the impact the General Election could have on their businesses

Business Leaders' Forum

Prepare for election threats and opportunities

By Laurence Gibbons

Food and drink manufacturers should prepare for the threats and opportunities arising from the General Election in May, according to law firm DWF.

Eaton: 'Much greater competition in manufacturing'

Business Leaders’ Forum

Business leaders tackle fat tax at industry forum

By Rod Addy

Debate about taxing ‘unhealthy’ foods provoked division at Food Manufacture’s Business Leaders’ Forum and was a top hot topic singled out by Geoff Eaton, chairman of New England Seafood International.

The BDA supports a taz on sugar

Drinks industry slams sugar policy

By Nicholas Robinson

The British Soft Drinks Association’s (BSDA’s) director general Gavin Partington has slammed the British Dietetic Association’s (BDA’s) new policy on sugary drinks for children.

The UK is not among the top 12 sugar-consuming countries

100 years for UK to reach global sugar target

By Rod Addy

It may take 100 years to cut UK consumers’ sugar intake to levels recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), according to market analyst Datamonitor.

Gallani argued too much focus on sugar, alongside fat and salt, had eclipsed other vital issues

Industry reacts to Andy Burnham’s Demos speech

Risks of unrealistic fat, salt, sugar limits

By Rod Addy

Setting unrealistic fat, salt and sugar limits for foods could spoil their quality, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has warned, responding to Labour shadow health secretary Andy Burnham’s policy proposals.

Haggis can't be imported into the the US if it contains lung

Haggis to tackle US obesity crisis

By Nicholas Robinson

Haggis would help tackle America’s obesity crisis, but its import ban into the US must first be lifted, Members of Parliament were told in a House of Commons debate yesterday (January 15).

The food industry must shout about its impact on health, says Whitlock

Oxford Farming Conference

Promote health benefits or risk political sidelining

By Laurence Gibbons

The food industry must promote about its health benefits or risk being sidelined in the lead-up to the General Election in May, according to the chairman of the Oxford Farming Conference.

Premier Foods boss Gavin Darby resolved to build closer relationships with suppliers and customers

Premier Foods joins New Year resolutions list

By Michael Stones

Premier Foods boss Gavin Darby has pledged to forge closer partnerships with suppliers and customers in a list of New Year resolutions submitted to this website by key industry figures.

Labour's Huw Irranca-Davies pledged a more joined-up approach to food policy if Labour is successful at the next's election

Oxford farming conference

Food policy to be key to next Labour government

By Michael Stones

Labour has pledged to put food policy at the heart of a new “industry strategy”, while introducing a more joined-up approach to food safety and health challenges, if it is successful after the general election on May 7.

Jebb: 'We may need to look towards other policy options'

Promotions failure signals Responsibility Deal change

By Rick Pendrous

The food industry’s failure to make progress on curbing the promotion of foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS), will set in train a major overhaul of the voluntary Public Health Responsibility Deal (PHRD).

Consumers want reassure about food and drink product safety

Consumer care is a new priority for food science

By Rick Pendrous

The food industry must engage more with consumers if it is to reassure them about what it does and get their buy-in for new advances in science and technology, according to a new survey published by research group Campden BRI on January 6.

Food Manufacture Group’s news of the year

The Food Manufacture Group’s year in pictures

By Laurence Gibbons

It’s been another busy year for the Food Manufacture Group. We travelled the country to bring you the latest news and views online and in print and event formats about the hottest topics facing UK food and drink manufacturers in 2014.

Consumers are increasingly questionning terms such as 'natural', said Leatherhead Food Research

Health Ingredients Europe

Consumers are ready to rumble false food claims

By Nicholas Robinson

Food and drink businesses that loosely use the term ‘natural’ on their products to make them appear healthy could soon be rumbled by untrusting consumers, experts have warned.

Emulsifiers and stabilisers are being used to reduce fat and thicken products

Food firms seek a high-fat feel

By Nicholas Robinson

Making low-fat versions of high-fat food and drink is something scientists will strive to do better, despite criticism, says Nicholas Robinson

Some children's juice drinks contain more sugar than regular Cola

AoS takes another pop at industry

By Nicholas Robinson

Action on Sugar (AoS) has slammed the manufacturers of “seemingly healthy” children’s fruit juices, juice drinks and smoothies, which can often contain more sugar than regular Coca-Cola.

Soft drinks are a significant source of sugar, according to National Diet and Nutrition Survey data

Sugary drinks tax slammed by nutritionist

By Rod Addy

Renewed calls to attack health problems by taxing sugary drinks have been slammed by a leading nutritionist, who claims cutting portion sizes and sugar content and tackling irresponsible retail promotions would be better.

Team Goosefoot wins culinary product development challenge for its vended quinoa bars

Healthy quinoa bars in Bristol NHS Trust vending trial

By Rick Pendrous

A healthy quinoa bar concept developed by a team of final year culinary arts management students has picked up the award in the ‘culinary product development challenge’, run by the Automatic Vending Association (AVA) in partnership with the University...

A woman's diet before and during pregnancy is crucial to her baby's health

Maternal diets dictate health of their children

By Rick Pendrous

Women’s diets before and during pregnancy can have a profound effect on the health of their offspring in later life, a leading public health nutritional scientist has revealed.

Hot stuff: hot food vending is likely to become much more popular in the UK

Vending machines to stock healthier items

By Rick Pendrous

Vending machines are about to undergo a revolution in the UK with new hot and cold food offerings set to create a completely new sales channel for manufacturers.

Food labelling will receive more attention if Labour is successful at the next election said Abrahams

Labour plans tougher food regulation

By Rick Pendrous

Labour is about to set out its plans for improving public health if elected next year and while tougher regulation can be expected, sugar and fat taxes will not be part of the mix, it has emerged.

Consumers didn't single out low-fat, salt and sugar products as particularly healthy

Natural foods win consumer vote for health

By Nicholas Robinson

Natural products with intrinsic benefits are healthier than food and drink reformulated to be more nutritious, according to consumer research.

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