Latest News in the food Industry
Natural & Clean Label
Functional Ingredients Offer the Best of Both Worlds
13 Oct 2014
Over the years Food & Drink International has reported on the industry, the functional ingredients sector has perhaps undergone the greatest change. It used to be the case that consumers would often have to make the choice between taste and functio...
Read moreIs Sugar Natural?
29 Sep 2014
One of the key challenges when considering any natural proposition is that it is difficult to actually define ‘natural’ and how it actually differs from other aspects such as ‘clean label’. The clean label proposition is generally considered to be seek...
Read moreBeetles: Love Me Do
23 Sep 2014
The South American beetle has been used as food colorant for centuries, giving bright red colouring to soup, ketchup, sauces, jams and canned fruits. You may have seen recent controversies with coffee outlets starbucking their Frappuccinos with crushed...
Read moreNatural Good Taste
8 Sep 2014
The flavours sector represents one of the largest within the global food additives market and the use of flavouring compounds is widespread as manufacturers continue to search for appealing new taste experiences. Sweet flavours, particularly those that...
Read moreCleaning up Colours
4 Sep 2014
The ‘Southampton 6 report’ from McCann et al (2007) highlighted potential issues relating to hyperactivity in children and suggested correlation to the use of six artificial colours: sunset yellow (E 110), quinoline yellow (E 104), carmoisine (E 122), ...
Read moreCochineal Sets an Example to us All
1 Sep 2014
If we look at history, the aesthetic aspects of food were not a major consideration until relatively recently, and began to change fundamentally with the onset of the Industrial Revolution. (Today, for example, a Spanish paella rice dish would be unacc...
Read moreBroadening Our Taste Buds, One Ingredient at a Time
5 Nov 2013
Our taste buds are programmed to favour and reject certain tastes almost instinctively. Sweet tastes are well-accepted, as traditionally they indicate a natural and safe source of energy – whereas bitter tastes tend to warn against toxic foods, a...
Read moreSweetness From Nature – Megatrend Versus Mainstream Business
22 Oct 2013
“All natural” is a megatrend in the ingredient industry these days. Many new innovations are taking place throughout the whole ingredient value chain – from farming and manufacturing through to the product formulators and the FMCG marketers. The trend ...
Read moreClean Label? Old Hat. Enhanced Natural is the Way to Go
24 Sep 2013
There once was a tussle between clean label and functionality, but no more. Today’s consumer expects the whole package – a natural product with functional properties which is also low in sugar and/or fat. And, if at all possible, it should also b...
Read moreThe Evolution of Natural in European Food and Drink Innovation
17 Sep 2013
Consumers are more wary about what they eat than ever before. It is clear, though, that the media coverage of the ‘evils’ of artificial additives has passed its peak. The mushrooming consumer demand for overtly ‘natural’ products seen in the last decad...
Read moreFood and Beverage Colours: Consumers Demand a Natural Rainbow
10 Sep 2013
Colour influences our food choices more than we realise. The main purpose of colour ingredients in food and beverages is to offset the colour that is lost during processing, or to enhance the naturally occurring colour. Nobody wants a fruit flavoured d...
Read moreTrend Watch: Oral Health
23 Jul 2013
According to Euromonitor International research, oral health is the sixth most popular positioning platform for health and wellness-oriented foods and beverages. We take a look at some potential new opportunities, including how the all-powerful natural...
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