Search results: Cereal

I love “free-from” labels (no sugar, no salt, no GMOs, no gluten, etc).  My first question is always “OK, so what IS in them?”

But “free-from” works for marketing, as these articles show.

Special Edition: The rise of free from

What is driving the free from trend – grain-free, gluten-free, lactose-free, egg-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, fat-free and even free from additives, animal products and unrecyclable properties – and will it have legs?

Research shows consumers perceive free from (and clean label) products to be healthier and are synonymous with the wider trend of sustainability and social responsibility. However, the big challenge for producers remains to create products that have the same texture, taste and mouthfeel as regular products. Despite their desire for more natural foods, consumers are not prepared to sacrifice these ideals.

We examine the ingredients being developed to accommodate the consumer’s growing penchant for healthy snacking driving the growth of alternatives to traditional snack ingredients.

• Potassium bromate in bread: Outlawed in Europe, but considered safe in America: Bread has been baked for millennia using the same basic ingredients – flour, yeast, salt and water. However, what many Americans may not know is that some of their breads may also contain ingredients that are banned in many countries, including the EU and Canada… Read
• Will low FODMAP be the new gluten-free?  Industry trend watchers have hinted that interest in following a Low FODMAP lifestyle could grow in popularity to rival the gluten free trend… Read
• Overcoming the challenge to create vegan baked goods without compromising on taste and texture: Verity Clifton, applications technologist at specialist ingredients company Thew Arnott, looks at the challenges facing food makers of vegan products regarding texture and sugar… Read
• When product innovation, legal compliance and marketing collide: The labeling challenges of the vegan trend: Marjolein Regelink, international regulatory advisor at food labelling compliance expert Ashbury Labelling, looks at the challenges of labeling snack products like vegan chocolate… Read
• ‘The sky’s the limit’ for Kelloggs’ vegan jerky: The US cereal and snack giant unveiled Leaf Jerky at Natural Products Expo East in Baltimore, Maryland, earlier this month, mooted to appeal to vegan, vegetarians and flexitarians alike… Read
• Kind Healthy Snacks fingers synthetic dyes for retail failure of its Fruit Bites: Kind is pulling its line of better-for-you fruit snacks – made without dyes – from store shelves because of poor sales, noting kids ‘prefer to eat snacks that resemble candy gems.’.. Read
• At IBIE, Bartek hopes malic and fumaric acid can win over mass-scale artisan bread: The Canadian acidulant producer presented its ingredients at the International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) for the first time, following a refreshed marketing approach and private equity acquisition… Read
• Mondi, BASF & COROOS create prototype stand-up pouch from recycled plastic: Mondi, BASF and COROOS, a European company in the preservation of fruits, vegetables and pulses have produced a stand-up pouch that is safe for food contact, partly made with raw material, derived from chemically recycled plastic… Read

Here’s another study where I guessed its funder from its title.

Everyone knows whole grains are healthy and recommended.  Why do this study?  Maybe it helps to have more evidence?

Once you know the funder, you can also guess what the study will show.

To wit:

Whole Grain Wheat Consumption Affects Postprandial Inflammatory Response in a Randomized Controlled Trial in Overweight and Obese Adults with Mild Hypercholesterolemia in the Graandioos Study.  Hoevenaars FPM, et al. The Journal of Nutrition, 2019: nxz177, https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxz177

Objective: “The health impact of WGW [whole grain wheat] consumption was investigated by quantification of the body’s resilience, which was defined as the ‘ability to adapt to a standardized challenge.’”

Method: “A double-blind RCT [randomized control trial] was performed with overweight and obese…men (n = 19) and postmenopausal women (n = 31) aged 45–70 y, with mildly elevated plasma total cholesterol…who were randomly assigned to either 12-wk WGW (98 g/d) or refined wheat (RW).”

Conclusion: “Twelve-week 98 g/d WGW consumption can promote liver and inflammatory resilience in overweight and obese subjects with mildly elevated plasma cholesterol.”

Funding: “Supported by the public private partnership entitled “Combining innovation with tradition: improving resilience with essential nutrients and whole wheat bread,” financed by Topsector Agri & Food (TKI-AF 12083). This project was sponsored by TNO roadmap Nutrition and Health and co-funded by Cereal Partners Worldwide, the Dutch Bakery Center, and GoodMills Innovation GmbH. The funders of the study had no role in the study design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation, nor the preparation of the manuscript.”

Comment: As I keep saying (see Unsavory Truth), funders do not have to be involved.  Their influence starts from the get-go, and usually shows up in the way the research question is asked, as seen in this example.  This study is not about finding out about how whole wheat affects health (basic science); it is about demonstrating benefits from whole wheat consumption (marketing).  I’m in favor of eating more whole wheat, rather than refined, but wish food companies selling whole grains would stay out of conflicted research.

Food law used to be so boring that hardly any law schools taught anything about it.  Now it’s a hot topic.  To understand why, take a look at FoodNavigator-USA’s collection of articles, titled Food in the dock: Food & beverage litigation 

• Judge says lawsuit taking issue with added sugar levels in Clif Bar can proceed:  A court has rejected Clif Bar’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit* accusing it of duping consumers by presenting bars that are “loaded with sugar” as wholesome and nutritious – allegations the company describes as “absurd” and “implausible.”.. Read  
• General Mills prevails in false ad lawsuit over sugar content in cereals… after three-year battle:  <General Mills has finally prevailed in a false advertising lawsuit* over sugar levels in its cereals after three years of legal wrangling, with the judge concluding that the plaintiffs “cannot plausibly claim to be misled.”..
• Who is behind THC-infused STONEY PATCH gummies? Mondelēz Canada secures court order to find out: A California court has granted a request from Mondelēz Canada to compel Facebook and Google to release information associated with Instagram and Gmail accounts of a company selling THC-infused gummies under the STONEY PATCH brand… Read
• Tillamook presents deceptive image of milk sourcing strategy, alleges lawsuit; Tillamook ‘adamantly disagrees’:  Tillamook presents a bucolic image of a dairy brand sourcing milk from cows grazing on local small farms, when in fact most of its milk comes from industrial scale factory farms, alleges a lawsuit accusing the firm of deceptive practices… Read
• LaCroix: Natural flavors lawsuit is a ‘classic fishing expedition’:  The legal dispute over the ‘natural’ credentials of LaCroix sparkling beverages is heating up with brand owner National Beverage Corp urging a court in Illinois to enter a protective order shielding it from discovery that it claims would compel it to release trade secrets… Read
• Plant-based ‘meat’ battle heats up in Arkansas as Tofurky challenges ‘unconstitutional’ law: A law (Act 501) coming into force in Arkansas on July 24 puts plant-based brands between a rock and a hard place by restricting the use of ‘meaty’ terms to products derived from slaughtered animals, alleges a new lawsuit filed by Turtle Island Foods (d.b.a. Tofurky)… Read
• PBFA and Upton’s Naturals challenge Mississippi law restricting plant-based and cell-cultured ‘meat’ labeling:  The Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) and member company Upton’s Naturals have filed a lawsuit in Mississippi challenging a new labeling law that could make using ‘meaty’ terms to describe plant-based and cell-cultured meat subject to criminal penalties… Read
• Fairlife fallout… attorneys weigh in as the lawsuits pile up:  Four class action lawsuits have already been filed against high-protein milk brand fairlife, its founders, and JV partner Coca-Cola over alleged animal abuse at its flagship dairy farm in Indiana, but this could be just the beginning of the company’s legal problems, predict experts… Read

Nutritionism is a term coined by the Australian sociologist, Gyorgy Scrinis, and popularized by Michael Pollan.  It means reducing the value of a food to its content of specific nutrients.

This General Mills cereal advertisement is a perfect illustration of how nutritionism works.

Here is one of the six examples:

Chocolate Chex has more iron than black beans?

This may be a true statement, but it is misleading.

What General Mills is not saying is:

• Whether  iron is absorbed from Chocolate Chex as efficiently as it is from black beans.
• What nutrients are in black beans that do not appear in Chocolate Chex.
• How much sugar Chocolate Chex provides as compared to black beans.
• Which of these foods is better for your health.

Hence: Nutritionism.

One small table says it all.

For the record, I’m not related to the top ranked company.

BakeryAndSnacks.com’s Special Edition: Snackex 2019 introduces the concept of “Snackification,” which as far as I can tell is the conversion of three square meals a day to all-day snacking.  Alas, snacks have calories; the more snacks the more calories consumed.  And most are ultra-processed, the term used to describe foods that are best consumed in small amounts.   The more snacks consumed, the happier the snack-food industry will be.  Hence: the push.

• BakeryandSnack Chat Podcast: Everything you need to capitalize on the rise of snackification:  Sebastian Emig, director general of the European Snacks Association, outlines the upcoming Snackex – held every second year – that congregates the entire value savory snacks chain in one place… Listen now     
• How to capitalize on tomorrow’s snackification opportunities:  If you play in the snacking arena, you are urged to register for Snackex 2019 to fully understand the dramatically changing snacking landscape… Read
• Bell’s snack seasoning portfolio addresses consumer cravings for experimentation:  For the upcoming edition of Snackex – being held in Barcelona, Spain, on June 27 and 28 – Bell Flavors & Fragrances EMEA will be showcasing snack seasonings focused on the arising foodie culture, which addresses the current consumer crave for experimentation… Read
• Debut appearance for Brazilian peanut exporters at Snackex 2019:  Under the auspices of the Brazilian Chocolates, Peanuts and Candies Manufacturers Association (ABICAB), four Brazilian peanut producers will be showcasing their products at Snackex in Barcelona, Spain, on June 27 and 28… Read  
• Chilli & lime: Griffith Foods’ low sodium snack solutions pack a punch:  The Griffith approach – ‘To blend care and creativity to nourish the world’ – has over the past century distilled into a solid track record of innovation, new products and bespoke solutions… Read  
• The future of snacking revealed:  GoodMills Innovation has invested extensively in cereal ingredients that provide snacks with additional health benefits to enable producers to keep ahead of the rapidly changing snacking scenario… Read  
• Eggs and India: Visitors invited on a unique taste journey with ManeMane – a leading manufacturers of flavors, ingredients and fragrances – is bringing a touch of India to Snackex 2019… Read

Beer is a hot topic these days, so hot that the industry newsletter Beverage Daily collects its articles on the topic into MONTHLY BEER SPECIALS.  I’ve picked these from the June and July Specials.  The big issues: craft, low or no alcohol, cannabis, and sustainability.

Craft 

• Beer of the gods: Hong Kong craft brand evokes local culture and  folklore:  Just as a temple or village hall in southern China will always greet you with a door guardian, so does the entrance to Moonzen brewery in Hong Kong. Indeed, the carvings inspired the craft beer brand’s name and its appearance… Read
• Going green: How can craft brewers improve sustainability?  Craft brewers may talk the sustainability talk – but find it a lot harder to walk the sustainability walk. Tracking performance can help reveal effective ways to improve, say experts… Read  
• US craft beer slows while spirits take off: The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies (PMMI) has released a new report on machinery and automation trends among breweries and distilleries, who are scaling back on production goals and diversifying offerings to stay competitive… Read
• Kellogg’s expands craft beer lineup made from cereal waste:  Kellogg’s UK has extended its partnership with the Seven Bro7hers Brewery to release new craft beers made with rejected breakfast cereals… Read    
• UK craft beer: ‘The next 12 months are likely to be pivotal in setting the tone for our future direction’:  Is the UK craft beer bubble about to burst – or is the boom far from over? The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) says the state of the industry in 2019 paints a fascinating picture, noting the market has reached a ‘critical point’ in its evolution… Read  
• New investment for Ontario craft breweries:   The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing $1m in projects to help grow the craft beer industry in the province… Read
• Ten top tips for craft brewers:  From embracing ecommerce to eying up gluten-free growth, the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) sets out 10 top tips for UK craft brewers… Read  

Low and no-alcohol 

• Low and no alcohol beer: ‘We do not expect category growth to abate’:  The low and no alcohol beer category is growing. And while a desire to reduce alcohol consumption is attracting consumers to the category, this is not the only driver… Read  
• Zero alcohol in India: AB InBev to launch Budweiser and Hoegaarden non-alcoholic beers in the country:  Global brewing giant AB InBev will be launching non-alcoholic beers in India across the next three months under two major brands: Budweiser and Hoegaarden… Read    
• Anheuser-Busch on non-alcoholic beer: ‘We’re looking for new ways to capture the attention of consumers’:  Non-alcoholic beers offer an alternative to traditional alcoholic beers as consumers seek to moderate their alcohol intake. But it isn’t a case of choosing one or the other: Anheuser-Busch sees an increasing number of consumers mix both types into their social drinking… Read

Cannibis

• ‘This is the great unknown’: Cannabis-brewed beer prepares to enter the new Canadian market:  The world’s first beer brewed from cannabis will be ready when Canada legalizes cannabis beverages later this year. But preparing for a new product for a new market is no small challenge: “You’re setting sail in a ship that is totally not built yet, you don’t know where you’re going, and you don’t know what the conditions are,” says Province Brands… Listen now  
• US adults are drinking less and picking up low ABV drinks or alcohol alternatives. Cannabis is potentially the biggest market looking to snap up that audience, but can alcohol be replaced?.Read  
• Will ‘canna-curious’ adults ever ditch alcohol?  US adults are drinking less and picking up low ABV drinks or alcohol alternatives. Cannabis is potentially the biggest market looking to snap up that audience, but can alcohol be replaced?.. Read

Sustainability

• ‘How do we move forward in a sustainable way?’ Carlsberg CEO highlights the priority for the beer industry:  Carlsberg CEO Cees ‘t Hart says the most pressing issue for the beer industry today is to carve out a sustainable future – warning that millennials will walk away from the category if they don’t see environmental considerations taking a central role… Read

We are seeing intense pressure on food companies to adopt more sustainable supply-chain and production practices.  But can an ultra-processed food ever be sustainably produced?  Or, is a sustainable snack food an oxymoron?

In BakeryandSnacks.com’s Spotlight on Sustainability, snack food companies say what they are doing to reduce their impact on the environment:

• ‘Last 10% is always the hardest’: Inside General Mills’ push for sourcing, agriculture and communities: According to its 2019 Global Responsibility Report, the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based company sources 85% of its top ten ingredients in responsible ways. Read more 
• General Mills’ mega push towards healthy farming practices to lessen Big Food’s footprint: General Mills has committed to advancing regenerative agricultural practices on one million acres of US farmland by 2030. Read more
• General Mills reinvents cereal plan after crop failure of eco-friendly grain: General Mills’ plans to roll out a new cereal made from Kernza across the US have stalled. However, instead of crying over spilt milk, the company has put a new spin on marketing climate beneficial foods. Read more
•  Grupo Bimbo: One of the world’s most ethical companies baking bread for billions the world over: Mexico’s Grupo Bimbo began as a humble family store in 1945, growing into the largest baking company in the world and a relevant player in snacks, with net sales of $14.2bn in 2017. Read more
• Mondelēz on track to achieve 2020 sustainability and healthy snacking goals: Mondelēz has said it is on target to achieve its 2020 goals in healthy snacking and sustainability. Read more
• Mondelēz expands sustainable wheat program to cover 100% of European biscuits by 2022: The Oreo maker has announced it is expanding its Harmony program to ensure that its entire European biscuit production will be made from sustainable wheat within the next five years. Read more
• Barilla reconfirms responsible agriculture commitment with the launch of 100% sustainable wheat biscuits: Italian pasta producers Barilla has reconfirmed its commitment to responsible agriculture with the extended use of 100% sustainable soft wheat across its Mulino Bianco brand of products. Read more