Nutrition

There has been a ‘redefinition’ of portion sizes, says Mars director Rob Verhagen

FiE 2017

Halt portion-size ‘super-inflation’ to curb obesity

By Noli Dinkovski

Food and drink manufacturers need to halt the “super-inflation” of portion sizes if the global obesity epidemic is to be addressed, a senior innovation director at confectionery giant Mars has claimed.

Contract powder packer has blending expertise

Spotlight on mixing and blending

Contract powder packer has blending expertise

By Rick Pendrous

German contract retail pack manufacturer SternMaid demonstrated its expertise in blending powdered foods at the recent Food Ingredients Europe show in Frankfurt. The focus this year was on a new option for filling products into stand-up pouches.

Ice cream, breakfast cereals and biscuits are among the products targeted

PHE calls for more sugar reduction

By Paul Gander

Despite a positive overall picture and a “fabulous response” from some leading brands to its 20% cross-category sugar reduction target for 2020, Public Health England (PHE) has suggested that some categories are making more progress than others.

Disease associated with obesity costs the NHS about £11bn a year, said Susan Jebb

Smartphone app to help switch to healthier foods

By Rick Pendrous

People who are overweight and identified as being at higher risk of cardiovascular disease could soon have access to a smartphone app that provides them with advice about swapping to healthier foods, thanks to a collaborative research project involving...

Professor Buttriss: ‘A diet rich in fibre, fruit and vegetables is linked with lower risk of diseases’

OPINION

A healthy diet: why the sum is greater than the parts

By Judy Buttriss

Aspects of diet are often considered in isolation. However, this risks overlooking the likelihood that nutrients and other food components interact, either in the food matrix itself or when the food or meal has been consumed.

The Co-op plans to donate 100,000 meals over the festive period. Image courtesy of the the Co-op Group

Co-op to donate 100,000 meals over Christmas

By Gwen Ridler

The Co-op revealed plans to donate 100,000 meals to vulnerable people during the run-up to Christmas, in partnership with food redistribution charity FareShare.

Professor Christine Williams: ‘Many young people coming into research today are actually put off’

Food scientist industry link attacks unfair: professor

By Rick Pendrous

Nutrition scientists must not be “pilloried” for working with industry on research projects that could lead to advances in public health and a reduction in obesity, a leading academic in the field has argued.

Food and drink manufacturers have the opportunity to measure changes in their products

New Suffolk lab aims to improve shelf-life

By Noli Dinkovski

A new laboratory dedicated to improving the shelf-life of products through the use of natural herb, spice, vegetable and hop ingredients has opened in Mildenhall, Suffolk.

Evidence grows on reversing type 2 diabetes by sustained weight loss

Dietary evidence for diabetes reversal

By Rick Pendrous

Evidence has emerged and more is expected over the next few months to prove that dietary changes using low and very low energy diets in the initial stages of clinical interventions can be used to reverse type 2 diabetes and then sustain it in patients.

RapidOxy is a technique that could bring benefits to the edible oils and fats sector

Help needed for Campden BRI oils stability project

By Noli Dinkovski

Food manufacturers have been invited to participate in a project that aims to better understand a technique that rapidly monitors the oxidative stability of a range of oils.

Dr Alison Tedstone: food and drink sponsorship of sport is becoming a ‘moral debate’

Health boss slams food sector sports funding

By Noli Dinkovski

The government’s leading nutritionist has slammed food and drink sponsorship of sporting and health-related events as being an inadequate way of addressing the nation’s obesity crisis.

Healthier breakfast habits the focus at Food Ingredients Europe

FiE 2017

Healthier breakfast habits the focus at trade show

By Noli Dinkovski

A range of nutritional and functional ingredients that contribute to health and wellness for more people around the world will be a focus at this month’s Food Ingredients Europe (FiE), which takes place at Messe Frankfurt (November 28–30).

Ingredients for healthy snacks are a focus at Food Ingredients Europe

FiE 2017

Ingredients for healthy snacks under the spotlight

By Noli Dinkovski

Ingredients for healthy snacks will feature heavily at the forthcoming Food Ingredients Europe (FiE) and Natural Ingredients show, which takes place at Messe Frankfurt (November 28–30).

The platform allows food businesses to track recipe development and operating procedures

NEWS IN BRIEF

Database allows food firms to track nutrition levels

By Noli Dinkovski

A new cloud-based food composition database that enables manufacturers to monitor the nutritional content of products has been set up by Nutritional Information Solutions (NIS).

More foods needed to promote healthy gut microbiomes

Gut microbe health foods needed, says scientist

By Rick Pendrous

A leading gut health scientist and author has called for the development of more foods that stimulate beneficial microbes within people’s stomachs, following new research suggesting cancer sufferers with a healthy gut microbiome respond better to treatment.

Davies: ‘We have a real opportunity to tackle some of these challenges’

Brexit offers chance to improve food policy

By Rick Pendrous

Brexit offers the opportunity to improve the nutritional quality and labelling of food purchased by UK consumers, but government must not weaken regulatory controls on food safety and authenticity in the process, the strategic policy adviser at Which?...

Visitors to WFSI’s stand were able to try a drink containing Fibersol

Drinktec

Health focus at world’s leading drink show

By Noli Dinkovski

Ingredients dedicated to making beverages healthier and more natural took centre stage at last month’s Drinktec, which was held in Munich, Germany (September 11–15)

More should be done to boost the micronutrient content of plants, says professor Christine Williams

Plant-based diets ‘can be healthier and greener’

By Rick Pendrous

Plant-based diets were “probably” healthier and more sustainable for the planet, but further research was needed to confirm initial indications, an eminent nutrition scientist has claimed.

Sainsbury's Judith Batchelar called for concerted action on food portion sizes

BNF 50th Anniversary Conference

Sainsbury calls for standardised food portion sizes

By Rick Pendrous

Sainsbury’s director of brand has called for standardisation of food portion sizes to “create a level playing field” in the battle against growing obesity levels in the UK.

SACN’s advice is for the first year of life

Give babies iron and calcium from six months: science body

By Noli Dinkovski

Complementary foods for babies should be encouraged from around six months of age and should include iron- and calcium-containing foods, a draft report from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) has recommended.

Food manufacturers ‘cut salt’, despite claims

Food firms ‘cut salt by 8%’, says FDF after pesto claims

By Mike Stones

Food manufacturers have cut salt significantly in their products, insists the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), after a pressure group urged Public Health England (PHE) to “get tough on enforcing the 2017 salt targets”.

The starch is suitable for processed meats, chicken nuggets and meat-containing ready meals

Potato-based starch offers boost to meat yields

By Noli Dinkovski

A new potato-based starch is able to improve the yields of “cost-sensitive” meat products by 10–20%, while remaining effective in food cooked at lower meat core temperatures, according to its maker.

Nutrition is more important than the latest food trend, said Judy Buttriss

Food Manufacture’s 90th Birthday

Nutrition ‘more important’ than latest food fashion

By Matt Atherton

Providing healthy, nutritious food is more important than trying to identify the latest food craze, urged the British Nutrition Foundation’s director general Professor Judy Buttriss.

Patent applications for gluten-free bread machinery are increasing

Free-from foods trend drives patent growth

By Noli Dinkovski

The growth of clean-eating and free-from foods has led to an increase in global food and drink patent applications, a law firm has revealed.

Read the Food Manufacture Group's 90th Birthday supplement in the September issue of the Food Manufacture magazine

FOOD MANUFACTURE'S 90TH BIRTHDAY

Nutrition’s future is linked to epigenetics

By Matt Atherton

The science of food nutrition has advanced more over the past 50 years than at any time before, says the British Nutrition Foundation director general Professor Judy Buttriss.