Breaking News on Food & Beverage Development - North America EU edition

Smart Choices front-of-pack labeling under attack

09-Sep-2009 - The industry-led Smart Choices front-of-pack labeling scheme has come under attack from nutritionists in the mainstream press this week, but program representatives say the coverage distorts its aims.

Imperial Sugar expects rebuilt refinery to recoup custom

09-Sep-2009 - Imperial Sugar expects to recoup all lost custom once its Port Wentworth refinery returns to full capacity in the fall after an explosion put the plant out of action last February.

Kraft defiant over Cadbury valuation

09-Sep-2009 - Kraft Foods has defended its valuation of the Cadbury business and insisted that it remains the most logical buyer for the UK confectionery manufacturer.

Time-starved working parents reach for convenience

09-Sep-2009 - Parents with poor working conditions are less likely to make healthy choices like preparing home-cooked meals and taking healthy food to work and more likely to rely on convenience options, says a pilot study.

News in brief

Pork industry gains $30m deal for nutrition programs

08-Sep-2009 - The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has said that it will buy a further $30m worth of pork products this year for national food and nutrition programs following urging from industry.

Cost still an issue for Reb A, claims Rabobank

08-Sep-2009 - Cost issues remain for stevia-derived sweetener Reb A although annual sales are likely to reach $700m over the next five years, according to a new report on the US stevia market from Rabobank.

Weekly comment

Acrylamide: The consumer health scare that isn’t

08-Sep-2009 - Consumers love to get their teeth into a good health scare. So how is it that acrylamide has slipped under the radar?

Exclusive interview

Is any publicity good publicity for food science?

08-Sep-2009 - The food industry has experienced a spate of attacks with books and films like Food Inc. and In Defense of Food making headlines recently – but could food science actually benefit from this negative press?

Crop forecast promises good walnut supply

07-Sep-2009 - Walnut users and growers are preparing to celebrate a good harvest, according to the California Walnut Commission (CWC), following the release of promising USDA crop estimates.

News in brief

National Enzyme Company launches traceability software

07-Sep-2009 - The National Enzyme Company (NEC) has introduced digital tracking that boosts product traceability and gels with US Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standards.

US shoppers choose local over organic

07-Sep-2009 - US consumers are far more likely to regularly buy locally grown fresh produce than organic, even at the same price, new research has discovered.

Action on acrylamide: Interactive timeline

04-Sep-2009 - As the US, Canada and the EU are all revising their stance on suspected carcinogen acrylamide, we track the developments in research and legislation since 2002 with our exclusive interactive timeline.

Nearly a third of Americans ‘very or extremely’ worried about food safety

04-Sep-2009 - As a high profile food safety bill awaits consideration in the Senate, a new survey shows the number of Americans who are very or extremely concerned about food safety has remained constant since late 2007 – at about a third.

Consumers stay loyal to organic food

04-Sep-2009 - US shoppers are staying loyal to organic food even though the majority admit to having changed their cooking and eating habits because of the state of the economy.

Processed cheese growth keeps cheddar volumes steady

04-Sep-2009 - The volume of cheddar sold globally remains steady thanks the growing popularity of cheddar-based processed cheeses in emerging markets, according to a new market report.

Americans don’t know they’re unhealthy, says Mintel

04-Sep-2009 - Americans have an unrealistic perception of their health and are particularly unaware of their weight problems, according to a new survey from Mintel.

News in brief

Foods for kids: Read more, weigh less

04-Sep-2009 - Teaching children to read food labels and choose healthier options contributed to “significant” weight loss during a two-year government-funded study.

Consumers still skimping on food spend

03-Sep-2009 - Consumers are continuing to trim the cost of their food bill despite the first signs of recovery in world economies.

Nutrition will drive boom in baby foods market

03-Sep-2009 - Products with enhanced nutritional benefits and burgeoning demand from Asian countries are predicted to drive strong growth in the global baby food market.

Research shows US consumers ‘unaware of acrylamide’

03-Sep-2009 - The majority of US consumers are unaware of acrylamide even as major North American governments are taking action to deal with the suspected carcinogen, according to new consumer research.

News in brief

USDA seeks industry input on fruit and veg guidelines

03-Sep-2009 - The US Department of Agriculture has announced a public meeting to provide information and draft US positions to be discussed at the 15th Session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables.

Canadians shunning meals in favor of convenience

02-Sep-2009 - Almost one in five Canadians skip their lunch break in favor of surfing the internet or working at their desk, says a new survey that supports the development of convenience foods.

Store brands match big names in blind tests

02-Sep-2009 - Private label foods matched and even beat their big brand rivals in blind head-to-head tests set by the magazine Consumer Reports.

American snacking on the up, says NPD

02-Sep-2009 - Americans are snacking more than ever and the trend is set to increase as ‘grab-and-go’ foods become more varied and easily available, according to new report from the NPD Group.