Carbohydrates and fibres (sugar, starches)

Danone, Synergy Flavors and LoSalt speak to Food Manufacture about reformulation. Credit: Top - Danone/Bottom - Synergy Flavors

Feature

Food and drink reformulation: the story so far

By Bethan Grylls

Accelerated by the health-conscious consumer and new UK rules, food and drink producers have been working hard to reformulate their recipes. But what have been the obstacles in their way, is there any benefit to these tweaks, and will it help curb obesity?

How does a FOSFA arbitration work? Credit: Getty/PM Images

Legal Brief

Preparing for dispute - understanding FOSFA arbitrations

By Mikhail Vishnyakov, Emily Davies and Mark Tushingham

Much of the world’s oil, grains, seeds and fats are traded via FOSFA contracts, but against a backdrop of supply chain disruption and agricultural shortages, we may see a rise in disputes. Here, three legal experts outline the key features of FOSFA arbitrations...

ABF continues to see growth led by its grocery division

News

Food sales support growth at ABF

By Gwen Ridler

Continued growth of food sales at Associated British Foods (ABF) have produced a strong set of results for the manufacturer in its third quarter 2023 trading update.

Food waste, sugar and animal welfare were the top concerns among consumers

Food waste top concern among British consumers

By Gwen Ridler

Food waste, sugar and animal welfare were among the top concerns for British consumers when buying food, according to a new report from the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Healthy indulgence continues to be a buzz-phrase in bakery

Digital feature: long read

Bakery & confectionery trends 2022

By Alyson Magee

Pressure to make products healthier for shoppers may have temporarily eased as prices have soared, but that doesn't mean processors are easing off reformulation or innovation, says Alyson Magee.

School children are confused about important areas of nutrition

Confusion reigns over important areas of nutrition

By Rod Addy

Widespread confusion about important areas of nutrition exists among UK consumers of all ages, according to the findings of a new survey from the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF).

Dimbleby: 'They have kicked stuff down the road to the Health Disparities white paper'

Government Food Strategy shows it's 'in pocket of food industry'

By Rod Addy

The Government Food Strategy has avoided backing 'bold, evidence-based recommendations' in Henry Dimbleby's National Food Strategy that would have significantly improved the UK food system – a 'shambolic' decision, pressure groups...

The conference will tackle fat, salt and sugar reduction as well as a host of other issues

Virtual Reformulation conference: one month to go

By Rod Addy

Some of the UK's foremost experts on food and drink reformulation will offer essential insight and guidance on vital topics at Food Manufacture's virtual conference Reformulation: What Next? from 29-30 March.

Intakes of added and free sugar should stay as low as possible, according to EFSA

Sugar intake levels in line with current recommendations

By Gwen Ridler

Intakes of added and free sugar should be as low as possible – in line with current recommendations – for a nutritionally adequate diet, according to a new report from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Twinings Ovaltine performed well in its interim period, ABF said

Sugar and ingredients soar as ABF offsets inflation

By Rod Addy

Associated British Foods (ABF) claims its sugar and ingredients divisions have delivered powerful performances in the 24 weeks to 5 March 2022, while Twinings Ovaltine proved a star performer in its grocery channel.

Collett: 'New ingredients are being introduced all the time'

Ask The Expert, in collaboration with the Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST)

Ask The Expert: sugar reduction in soft drinks

By Vicky Collett FIFST CSci

Vicky Collett, (consultant) global quality manager for a joint venture between PepsiCo and Unilever, explores the challenges of sugar reduction in soft drinks.

Buttriss: 'The overall package of nutrients needs to be centre stage'

Nutrition opinion

Nutrition a vital consideration in food system transformation

By Judy Buttriss

Amid concerns about the urgency of tackling climate change and the environmental impact of food systems, the fundamental importance of food as a source of nutrition and a means to good health is sometimes overlooked.

Bakery & confectionery trends: good for shoppers and the planet

Digital feature: bakery & confectionery ingredients

Bakery & confectionery trends: good for shoppers and the planet

By Michelle Perrett

The advent of COVID-19 in the UK sparked a major shift in the outlook of consumers: home baking surged and issues such as health and sustainability assumed greater importance.

Buttriss: 'We need to change the way we produce and consume food'

Nutrition Opinion

National Food Strategy Part 2: positive but chances missed

By Judy Buttriss

Part 2 of Henry Dimbleby’s recommendations to Government for a National Food Strategy, published on 15 July are ambitious and positioned to address the major challenges facing the food system: climate change, biodiversity loss, land use, diet-related...

British entrepreneur Henry Dimbleby is the author of the National Food Strategy

National Food Strategy Part 2: reactions

By Rod Addy

The National Food Strategy Part 2 has provoked mixed reactions, with big grocery retailers backing calls for mandatory reporting of key information, while others have criticised sugar and salt tax proposals.

New research into slowly digested starch could help tackle obesity

Slow release energy project secures second year of support

By Gwen Ridler

A PepsiCo and Quadram Institute-led project developing foods that slowly release energy to help battle obesity has been granted a second year of support by the European institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT).

The pay dispute at British Sugar has sparked a ballot for strike action by Unite members

Unite threatens strike action at British Sugar

By Gwen Ridler

Industrial action has been threatened across British Sugar’s factories in the east of England, after members of worker union Unite rejected a ‘not so sweet’ pay offer from the manufacturer.

Criticisms of ultra-processed foods could demonise healthy foods within the category

Ultra-processed food report risks demonising healthy options: BNF

By Gwen Ridler

Claims that excess consumption of ‘ultra-processed’ foods lead to health issues and obesity in children risk overshadowing other dietary risks and demonising some healthier food options, according to the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF).

New rules of HFSS foods risk damaging the sports nutrition industry, claimed ESSNA

Sports nutrition at risk from HFSS guidelines

By Gwen Ridler

Poorly defined restrictions on products high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) in the Government’s obesity regulation efforts could risk damaging the sport nutrition industry, the European Specialist Sport Nutrition Alliance (ESSNA) claims.

Continued impact from the pandemic is expected, but Tate & Lyle proved buoyant

Britvic, Tate & Lyle and Diageo post financial updates

By Rod Addy

Out-of-home declines at Britvic offset sales growth in at-home products in its first quarter (Q1), Tate & Lyle's primary product sales rose in the three months to 31 December and Diageo reported dented interims.

From 21 September half the plastic in CCEP's core portfolio comes from recycled sources

Coca-Cola eyes Costa Coffee, Topo Chico, energy NPD

By Rod Addy

Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) is gearing up for further growth and launches focused on ready-to-drink Costa Coffee products, Topo Chico Hard Seltzer and energy drinks among other areas in 2021.

This latest iteration of rice starch from Beneo suits a range of applications, including dressings

Beneo discusses first instant rice starch of its kind

By Rod Addy

Global food ingredients supplier Beneo discusses the launch of the first instant clean label rice starch able to withstand harsh processing conditions, which debuted at virtual trade show Fi Europe Connect 2020 earlier this month.