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Maine Ingredient To Be Banned With the latest controversy regarding Bisphenol A or BPA, Maine is said to be the latest state to be considering banning the product. Proposed for January 2012, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, are looking to ban BPA from reusable food and beverage containers. A unanimous vote was held for a public hearing to be called on August 19th 2010. Although the final meeting has not been confirmed, the approval by the board would would act as a stepping stone for Maine's Kid-Safe Products Act, a legislature that was passed in 2008 and was used to limit BPA use in many products sold in-state. “BPA would be at the top of our list ” Steve Taylor campaign director for the Environmental Health and Strategies Centre added. The inven-
tion of BPA dates back over a century, and is a common chemical ingredient in polycarbonate plastic products such as baby bottles, cups and other food containers. Animal studies have shown the product can limit hormone flow and potentially growth. Following the hype, some larger organisations have already began to find alternatives and replace the controversial chemical with other additives. The U.S Department of Health and Human Services' National Toxicology Program has also expressed concerns over the mental effects of digestion of the chemical. There appears to be evidence of impact on the bran, infant behavioural tendencies and glands and foetus'. The FDA are joining the fight to find new and safer alternatives.
Illinois Corn Based Products Purchases ICI's National Starch
National Starch, previously part of the ICI group has been sold in a $1.3 billion deal. Despite only recently being purchased by Dutch firm Azkobel. The US food firm, renowned for its creation of fat replacers and thickeners commonly found in processed foods, has been purchased by Illinois- based Corn Products. Although Tate and Lyle were once a contender, the innovation firm employs 2250 people and last year made sales of $1.2 billion.
Quarter Of UK Weekly Shop Is Junk A recent survey of UK shoppers has found that a quarter of the nation ’s weekly supermarket shop is spent on junk food. The average grocery bill is £65 a week and on average £17.22 of that is spent on chocolate, crisps, alcohol and soft drinks. The study that was carried out by weight loss experts, LighterLife has shown that those buying food at Asda were inclined to spend the most on unhealthy food equating to £18.23. Those who shop at Tesco were the most health aware, spending £16.65 on junk food. A third of respondents admitted to overspending due to the temptation of treats whereas 81% of people bought snacks outside the weekly supermarket
shop. The average of £11.99 is spent on weekly top-ups and £20 on takeaways. Mandy Cassidy of weight loss organisation LighterLife identified the enticement of calorific food a form of “instant gratification ” for the consumer.
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2 / Food and Drink News Review - 23rd July 2010
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News In Brief
The Scottish food and drink industry revenue has increased from £1.4 billion to £1.83 billion between May 2007 and June 2010. BBC Radio Four's Food and Farming Awards 2010 are now accepting nominations. Two in three families want their food guaranteed to be non-GM, an English survey revealed this month. FISA – Food Ingredients, South America is now open for registration. Sales of convenience food hit £1.04billion in the past year. Figures had slumped from £1bn in 2008 to £967million last year however ready meals have made quite the comeback this year. The 19th Peterfood International Fair dates have just been released as the 15-17th November FISA – Food Ingredients, South America is now open for registration.
Every Little Helps – Tesco Win the Majority Following the resignation of Sir Terry Leahy this past month, Yougov.com has conducted a survey to see how the UK really feels about the UK ’s largest supermarket chain. Marginally, the overall result is in favour of Tesco however with age and geography both playing a large part in UK opinion. The younger generation
(18-34) recognised the convenience that Tesco offers and therefore 51% felt positive about the store. The young generation identified three main reasons for favouring Tesco including variety of choice, cheap prices and convenience. 45% of adults agreed with the initial two reasons however they also noted the benefits of added
employment created by Tesco. 42% of 35 – 55 year olds condemned the brand and 48% of over 55 year olds believed that it was “a bad influence on Britain today. ” Geographically there is controversy, the capital for example does not hold the supermarket chain is great esteem, 36% support the supermarket where 47% feel that it has be-
Health Concerns Over Soft Drink Industry One in Four adults in the UK blame soft drinks for the rise in obesity, according to Yougov. Three quarters of respondents (71%) clearly identified the damage the sugary drinks can do to our teeth however there was little connection made between ageing and soft drink consumption despite the recent study launched by Harvard University. The connection comes through the high levels of phosphate in the beverages and follows a recent discovery that liver damage may be related to over consumption of fizzy drinks. James McCoy of Yougov stated “The perceived health risks related to soft drinks... have been around for years. We are more likely to link soft drink consumption with tooth decay than to weight gain. It may be some time before new health concerns such as liver
damage, filter through to the wider population ”. 66% of adults are concerned about soft drinks company's influence on the younger generation, 29% believed advertisements should be banned for sugary drinks, this relates to 75% of respondents describing Coca Cola as “heavily advertised ” 51% of parents have allowed their children to drink Coca-Cola in the past year, 40% served Ribena and 57% prefer to serve their children Robinson's Fruit Juice.
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come “too powerful ”. Northerners show little support for the supermarket chain also with 48% of people believing it is a negative addition to the British economy. A large proportion of Scottish shoppers have backed the leading retailer with 57% describing it as a “good influence ” and only 27% identified Tesco as having an overwhelming power.
Agriculture Exhibition Says It's Not the Milky Way
A dairy farmer who has created a soft drink with a milky twist was told he couldn't showcase his creation at the New Zealand National Agricultural Fieldays near Hamilton. The carbonated milk drink created by Te Aroha farmer Richard Revell has been banned by the organisers of the agriculture exhibition at Mystery Creek.They say allowing it to be showcased would breach a commercial agreement with Coca Cola. Revell says he will keep trying and will give the drink away at the entrance to Fieldays if he can't reach an agreement with organisers. © Kennedy's Publications Ltd
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Health Products In Your Back Garden Kew gardens UK experts recently identifed British produce such as raspberries and elderflower could prove as valuable and exciting to new food developers as exotic fruits from Africa and S.America. Monique Simmonds, head of innovation has identified health promoting properties that due to cultivated versions had not been present however can be found in wild varieties of the fruits and plants. Experts at Kew are willing to work with food and drink companies that want to explore the healthy ingredient options and discover which varieties are more likely to contain the compounds. According to Simmonds, Kew are currently working with Nestle and GlaxosmithKline. She continued by saying “ There are scores of plants in our own backyard from rhubarb to elderflower that have potentially interesting properties. However, whenever you are using plants, you have to be sure that you are using the right varieties, and that the extracts you are using actually contain the active ingredients you are interested in ”. Kew
Hospitals Are New Target Of Soft Drinks Ban According to The Arab News, the Deputy Ministry of Health, Yacoub AlMazrou has announced the Ministry of Health's plans to ban the sale of soft drinks in hospitals and clinics. "The decision was taken at the fourth meeting of the Health Services Council held at its headquarters on Sunday night presided over by Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah," said Al-Mazrou. Attended by 40 officials, the meeting was held to plan national health strategy "While banning soft drinks we want to introduce fresh juices or dairy products as alternatives," he said. Al-Mazrou, who is also the secretary-general of the Health Services Council. There is already a ban in schools and therefore in order to enforce the ban, the MoH will work closely with the Ministry of Education.
Oh heaven help me! I am squeezed down to only 350 words, perhaps 500 if my very able production manager can ‘can ’ it in. So I lead you in, rather hurriedly I admit, to something that we discovered last week in the New York Times; The Candwich a sandwich in a can. We also discovered a host of other seemingly revolting creations by Waterford Funding (USA), check out the Pepperoni Pizza Pocket and French Toasts too, that you can almost buy. The brains behind the product, Mr Travis L. Wright, is in trouble with investors who thought he was going to use the massive $145 million they gave him to develop real estate … oops! The Candwich will probably get a lot of publicity especially with the pending lawsuit and I add, I am pleased to say that we are one of the first European b2b press to pick up on this. Although we have not tried it. Do you blame us? Peanut butter and strawberry jam sandwich in a can. Hmmm … would you eat one? Welcome to yet another unusual issue of FDNR which I am rather pleased with. You know why? Because it ’s outspoken and doesn ’t publish the same old acutely monotonous, predictable, overdone,badly written-I-can ’t-stand-and over-technical-features (JUST TO GET THE ADVERTS!). Oh no, alarms ringing folks word count says 237 words, so I have to move quickly on. I recently started a group on my linkedin home page. You know the sort of thing that will get us all together online and talking about complete crap? Well, my new group, you may be surprised to learn, is called “Groups are a Waste of Time ”, I guess it ’s rather the opposite of what most editors would do. I was truly elated when I discovered that after one year, moreover, no-one had joined my group! Thank you to all those of you for not joining my group and allowing it to remain pure and clean with no members.
are currently running an international project of which Simmonds has been keen to promote, where Kew are hoping to build upon a searchable database for names of plant species.
Write to me, please, a real letter, something I can read even! Can ’t just one of you write to me and not send a press release about your latest marketing director, which quite frankly, no-one really cares about. Angus Kennedy Editor editor@kennedys.co.uk www.foodanddrinknewsreview.com
FDF Fight Obesity Claims FDF have recently challenged the predictions made by Datamonitor, as the Department of Health has recently demonstrated through the figures published earlier this year that the historical rise in obesity levels among young children had in fact levelled off. They believe that the surge of effort from the Department of Health, Health care and professionals and the industry overall to tackle the issue are eventually beginning to reap the benefits of their hardwork. Granted there is a long way to go, however the new the DH look forward to working with the new government to continue to combat one of the country's greatest killers. FDF have announced that Datamonitor's release on childhood obesity was “an example of a shameless healine-grabbing PR stunt – rather than an attempt to provide any meaningful insight in to what remains a complex issue for us all ”.
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4 / Food and Drink News Review - 23rd July 2010
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M&S Pull Their Wheat
India – Further Inflation, Further Rises
Although Food and Drink News Review reported new heights in US Wheat Free Products, it appears the boom has hit Britain as it now the Fastest growing food category. Free From foods are flying off the shelves, described as the fastes growing food category in 12 months and 5% of food and drink products were labelled as “free-from ” . According to Allergy UK, the intolerances are said to hit nearly 45% of the country, more that 25 million people in the UK could be suffering although many self diagnosed celiacs may have misdiagnosed and perhaps hopped on the health conscious band wagon. In 2009 the gluten-free market grew 20% and hit £100million in sales, with available products doubling from 2007. Marks and Spencer recently created their own line of wheat free products with biscuits, muffins, rolls and loves using alternatives to wheat flour such as rice flour, tapioca starch and potato starch. Claire Hughes, a nutritionist at M & S has identified it as “by far the largest single query we have, there's clearly a demand for these products, and we're delighted we're now able to cater for customers who don't want gluten – but also don't want to compromise
India's food inflation could rise in the next two weeks, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, said on Wednesday. Food prices rose an annual 16.74 per cent in end May, adding upward pressure on headline inflation.
on taste ”. M&S have promised their ranges will accompany the appropriate holidays, e.g for Christmas free from cakes, puddings and mince pies will be available.
©Marks & Spencer
Dairy Confusing According to YouGov, who conducted a survey of 2,271 adults in the UK there is still confusion circulating health messages in the dairy industry. 82% of those that took part in the survey identified dairy as a healthy ingredient for children however were uncertain about the role of dairy in their own diet. The term “natural ” was regularly used by the respondents to describe the positive attributes of milk and therefore 65% claimed it to be beneficial. Women are more aware of the negative effects of dairy with 37% of
women restricting their daily intake. Only 26% of men are concious of negative effects that relate to increased cholesterol levels. 65% of respondents believe that milk is healthy and natural whereas 10% see it as a fattening ingredient. 66% have identified cream as fattening and 59% described it as 'indulgent'. The survey appeared to be slightly impartial to the odd cheese fan with 74% of respondents connoting words such as tasty, 74%, traditional. 59% and 50% describing it as a versatile ingredient. Cream connotes indulgent
whereas cheese was described as a valuable ingredient. Yoghurt is rarely described as a fattening ingredient as only 5% believe it to be unhealthy vs. 71% who see it as a healthy product. Research director James McCoy has suggested “Cheese, milk and yoghurt have all benefitted from the lasting perception that they are 'traditional' and 'natural' are subsequently less likely to be seen as fattening or bad for your health ”. In the UK, we do not shy away from these ingredients and their natural qualities only add to their overall popularity.
FDA Under Fire American watchdog, the Food and Drug Administration have faced heavy criticism recently regarding their rather lax outlook on contamination and outbreaks. A health advisory panel is believed to have urged a “cultural change ” from within the organisation. The stance taken on preventing outbreaks of illness, is “flat-footed ” according to the health panel. There has been criticism of the FDA's risk based management and lack of structure and money. The FDA's re-
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sponsibility to the entire nation is key however they have failed to target facilities and products that are commonly making people sick. The report that was issued from the Institute of Medicine, has detailed the FDA's ability to try and solve problems after disaster has struck whereas an ability to “head off problems ” would be far more beneficial. According to Dr. Robert Wallace of the University of Iowa's College of Public Health, the FDA require “a cultural change, a different way of doing business ”.
Land O'Lakes Reports Increased Quarterly Sales Land O'Lakes, US dairy company has shown an increase in sales for the first quarter of 2010. The increase has been recorded at $120 million over last years levels. Land O'Lakes is currently strengthening its financial position as over half the company's divisions delivered stronger sales. The dairy foods business has reduced losses in industrial processing and continually challenges the commodity markets volatility by continually producing results “particularly in the Eastern and Western milk procurement regions ”. The following business showed improved sales; shells eggs and crop inputs. Although this first quarter does show vast improvements, net earnings were set at $30.9 million which is drastically different to the $82.7 million recorded in the first quarter of 2009, which was a record breaking year for the company.
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6 / Food and Drink News Review - 23rd July 2010
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NEWS REVIEW
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What was SAID about the FOOD INDUSTRY last month... ing retailers including Tesco. As the new labelling system is set to span the EU, it is still unsure as to whether or not the UK will have to scrap their current labelling system in order to suit the requirements of the new EU scheme. The system appears to be a long way off, Renate Sommer, German centre-right MEP stated “When the regulation will come into force I can't tell you , but it'll be a long process ” she said.
One For The Breadwinner
EU Seeks New Labelling System
(Reuters UK, June 15th) According to Reuteurs, the EU has backed a proposal to urge companies to clearly label the energy, salt, fat and sugar content of their product on the front of packaging. This is part of an aim to restructure the way we tackle obesity in Europe, as levels of obesity are rapidly on the increase. This is not the only addition to European packaging, MEP's in Strasbourg, France have also voted for stricter country of origin labelling on meat, dairy, seafood, fruit and vegetables. The system that has been previously encouraged by consumer groups is the traffic light system. By using green, amber and red the relative levels of salt, fat and sugar are clearly indicated. However this has been rejected by the MEP's after much industry lobbying. The Corporate Europe Observatory campaign group has said that the food and drink industry had spent €1 billion to ensure the traffic light system did not come through despite consumer group's opinions that it is easier to understand. It was developed by Britain's Food Standards Agency and is currently used by Sainbury's and Marks and Spencer. The labelling scheme has been rejected by other lead-
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Telegraph, (June 6th) According to the Telegraph, Britain ’s most expensive loaf of bread retails at £21, overtaking last year ’s Harrods special that was priced at £15 per loaf. The loaf weighs 2kg and has been labelled ‘The Shepherd loaf ”. The bakery responsible is Hobbs House bakery and the creator is father of four, Tom Herbert. Herbert uses a 55year-old sourdough recipe passed down through the family, organic Somerset spelt flour, Cotwalds ’ spring water and Cornish sea salt. Herbert ’s customers can clearly distinguish a difference as he sells an average of 100 loaves a week. He also has a long list of celebrity clientele including Liz Hurley, Tony Adams, rock-star Keith Allen and artist Damien Hirst. Although Herbert is aware his price tag is a little steep, he believes that the 10inch by 10inch loaf is well worth the money, “I don ’t understand why people will spend £20 on some quality cheese and then eat it with supermarket bread – that just doesn ’t make any sense to me. ” Herbert is a fifth generation baker and believes his bread, which takes two days to make is significantly better than any mass produced product. The shepherd loaf can be ordered online at www.hobbshousebakery.co.uk.
Sainsbury's Sees Small Rise With Added Vu-Vu-Voom
BBC, (June 15th) The BBC has stated that Sainsbury's has seen its smallest rise in quarterly sales for five years. The reasoning behind this has been identified as low food price inflation and higher fuel costs which in turn limited consumer spending. The 12 weeks leading up to June 12th saw sales grow 1.1% however after the added return of VAT to 17.5%, there was a meagre growth of 0.3%. Tesco's quarterly growth was also set at 1.1% however with VAT taken in to account it only grew 0.1%. Tesco have similarly attributed the same causes for small growth. Justin King, CEO of Sainsbury's believes that the budget cuts are once again going to limit spending. “It is going to be flat across the market, and that is the key reason why... customers' budgets are going to be under strain ” he said. However he also commented on the World Cup and the sales boost the paraphernalia had given them, with 50,000 out of 70,000 vuvuzelas already sold.
Increase Taxes, Lower Obesity Levels
Reuters Chicago, (June 17th) Reuters have identified that raising the tax on sugary drinks will have a positive effect on the levels of obesity. US researchers have identified that the rise in soda prices by 35% caused sales to drop by 26% in a hospital canteen subsequently forcing the consumer to opt for a healthier, cheaper alternative. Dr Jason Block of Harvard University, stated “Obesity is at epidemic levels. It's an incredibly difficult and complicated problem... regular soft drinks make up about 7% of all calories consumed in the United States ”. He later described them as “a major driver ” of obesity. We cannot negelect the possibility of diabetes often associated with the consumption of sugary soft drinks, by increasing the tax, it is simply one more way to cut down the $147 billion spent on obesity each year by the US. Healthcare system. This raise in taxes follows first lady, Michelle Obama's 70 point plan to cut chidhood obesity. Here, she called for an analysis on the “impact of local sales taxes on consumption of less healthy foods. ” According to the American Beverage Association, a trade group who's companies include Coca-Cola, Pepsico Inc. Dr Pepper snapple group have strongly opposed the taxes and believe that sugar-sweetened drinks do not pose a risk in the great obesity debate.
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Sealing Of Soft Drinks Fakery
Daily Times, (June 10th) According to the Daily Times, Pakistan the health department and the police joined forces last night to raid a fake soft drinks factory. Three arrests have been made and the factory has been sealed with authorities seizing over 800 1.5 litre bottles of substandard product. They discovered drums containing chemicals, bottle caps, printing material and labels of famous drink brands within the building also. The factory owner managed to escape however a warrant is currently out for his arrest. The raid comes after a district food inspector had received complaints from a brand about a soft drink being marketed under their name.
Coca-Cola Increase African Investment
Africa News (June 27th) Coca-Cola are set to invest a further 1 billion annually in to Africa. The FIFA World Cup sponsor has made plans to double its current investment in order to increase presence. William Egbe, president of the South African division was reported as saying "Over the past decade we've invested half a billion US Dollars every year across the continent, we are doubling are investment". The investment is set to increase production of non-carbonated soft drinks including juices and water. Despite the hyperinflation, one of the largest growths is set to take part in Zimbabwe following the formation of a unity government last year.
Sweet Baby Food
The Vancouver Sun (June 29th) The Vancouver Sun this week reported the latest to be targeted in the high sugar content battle, is baby food. According to a study led by Charlene Elliot of the University of Calgary, toddler food is too sweet and 53% of pureed dinners and desert have 20% of their calories coming from sugar. Researchers from Elliot's team analysed 186 Canadian food products, marketed especially to feed toddlers. They compared the wide array of cereals, biscuits, yoghurts, desserts and dinners with similar adult food products in order to see if they were healthier. Professor Elliot was keen to dismiss the positive presumptions made about the balanced content of infant foods, 'There is a presumed halo effect around baby and toddler foods because people expect these foods to be held to a higher standard,' said Professor Elliot. The study did not include simple purees of fruits and vegetables, juices and beverages, infant formulas and infant cereals designed to be mixed with breast milk or water. Professor Elliot went on to say 'Assessing sugar levels in baby and toddler foods is challenging because there is currently no universally accepted standard,'. The study concluded that foods with more than 20% of their calories from sugar were of a poor nutritional quality (a previously established fact) and over 50 % of those products examined unfortunately met that criteria. The study, published in the Journal of Public Health, used established guidelines that suggest foods are of poor nutritional quality if more than 20 per cent of their calories derive from sugar. Forty per cent of products listed sugar - or some variant like corn syrup, cane syrup, brown sugar, or dextrose - in the first four ingredients on the label. 'While some products derive their sugar content from naturally occurring fruit sugars, many products also contain added sugars. It reCurrent News, News Review, Feature Trends, Opinion.
Food and Drink News Review - 23rd July 2010 / 7 mains fair to ask why it is necessary to add sugar to these baby or toddler products in the first place.' Continuing with the reoccuring theme of this month, Elliot also observed the packaging and labelling and concluded that perhaps the marketing material played to adult conceptions.
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American Farmers Face Criticism After Record Breaking Yeilds
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Associated Press, Champaign Illinois, USA (29th June) The Associated Press, USA have reported that American farmers are producing food at record levels. A federal advisory group has expressed concerns that the agricultural department is too focused on increased yeilds as opposed to the consequences of high production including water and air pollution. Advisory group member, Julia Kornegay chairs the National Academies' National Research Council who produced the recent report on high productivity has stated "If farmers are going to meet future demands, the U.S. agriculture system has to evolve to become sustainable and think broadly - past the bottom line of producing the most possible," Having collected research from a broad range of sectors, the report recommends that sustainabilty of farming needs to be improved. Gary Schnitkey, agronomist and professor at the University of Illinoise has counteracted this report by stating "We're still looking at a situation where we have population growth, so we've got to meet those needs...I think there's too little research on agricultural productivity. We've got to keep increasing output from these acres." An opposing recent report suggested that 158% more food is now being produced than 50 years ago and that sustainability possibilities are widely being explored. However in order to meet the needs of an ever increasing population, large yields must continue and do not yet quite meet the nations requirements. According to the authors of this study, The USDA and state universities need to work closely together on such research and increase their study of the economics and social effects of such practices. Two thirds of agricultural research at present is conducted to address a particular problem, for example, how to rid soybean fields of a particular weed, or how to increase tomato production while using less water. The authors of
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this report are suggesting that the USDA, the National Science Foundation, public universities and farmer-led groups should set up a research initiative focused on the effects farming has on land and watersheds. "Those emerging markets can motivate farmers to transition to farming systems that balance and meet multiple sustainability goals," the authors wrote. Schnitkey has also agreed that product orientated research can help in alleviating environmental concerns however can also keep the focus on Americas need to produce high yeilds.
80 Stone Family Saved My Life
Scottish Sun (June 30th) According to the Scottish Sun, another attempt to make the UK aware of the dangers of obesity is about to hit our screens. The series, entitled "Big Meets Bigger" starts on the 30th June. The programmer choses a variety of overweight and obese people from the UK and immerses them in the life of those bigger than them often overseas. Amereen, from Scotland is the first of the series and offers a success story at the end of it. Diagnosed with polysistic ovaries, she is told she needs to lose weight in order to have children. Having spent a week with Vangelina, Jenny and Elpida Manousakis who are morbidly obese, weighing a shocking 80 stone between them, Ameree changes her views on weight and urges her to shed the pounds. The most shocking part of the experience for her is the amount of fatty foods Elpida is plied with throughout the day. During the week, Amereen discovers she is pregnant, although timing not great, she has already lost a stone since her return. Let's hope that her experience helps her from doing the same to her child... and we can help this generation that are set to die before their parents!
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8 / Food and Drink News Review - 23rd July 2010
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Truth In Labelling By Katie Earlam
According to the Heart Foundation, we can keep our hearts healthy by “following a balanced diet ”. The central website dedicated to sufferers of Diabetes also indicated that “a healthy balanced diet will help you to control your diabetes ”. A balanced diet is commonly becoming the most overused term within the food and drink industry, with a plethora of products jumping on the “to be eaten as part of a balanced diet ” bandwagon. As new aversions from the food industry, suggest a pessimistic attitude toward the traffic light labelling system, we begin to question how products can get away with scrawling “ balanced diet ” across the front of their packaging if their calorie, sugar, far or salt content exceeds what is suitable for the consumer. Why the backlash? Doesn't a consumer have the right to know what they are buying and ultimately digesting? If the encouragement continues “to be eaten as part of a balanced diet ”, we will have a generation of dieters and bingers, whose presumptions that eating three chocolate bars a day is okay as long as they have some protein, fibre and carbohydrate alongside it. Where is the realisation that “as part of a balanced diet ” is a claim emptier than a genetically modified coconut? In some cases, it is a scapegoat for those companies producing food with excessively high sugar content. The term merely highlights their dependance on the consumer to eat a whole lot of fruit and veg alongside their product in order to allow for at least some form of bowel movement. Kennedy's has found that what the consumer regularly fails to recognise that a label that suggests “low ” is often substantially lower than the original product however there is often still high levels of the problem byproduct within the produce. Products labelled ‘low ’ contain less of a nutrient than those labelled ‘reduced ’ – but whether a food is labelled ‘diet ’, ‘light ’, ‘low ’ or ‘reduced ’, all of them are a healthier choice than standard versions of the same food. According to diabetes.com we must also bear in mind that some foods are naturally
low in fat, sugar or salt, or high in fibre. Starchy foods like cereals and pasta are always low in fat, yet some brands are sold with the claim ‘lowfat food ’. Consumer groups are becoming more prevalent as the issue of labelling surfaces. Websites, groups and petitions have been set up for more honest labelling. One organisation that has a very strong opinion about food and drink packaging is truthinlabelling.org. A US organisation that is continuing to gain support as it promotes the claimed dangers of aspartame and MSG alike. The claim made here is that, there is failure to distinguish dangers, if organisations are to continue to use ingredients that have even been suggested to pose health threats then they should be labelled as clearly as cigarette packages. Truthinlabelling.org points the finger of blame at the U.S FDA, as heavy warnings or even banning the ingredient lies in their hands. This statement was found on their website. “If the FDA banned MSG, the drug companies would lose billions. Think about how much money they make treating asthma, migraine headache, seizures, depression, heart irregularities and all of the the other reactions to MSG. And cancer, too. Acid hydrolysed proteins contain carcinogenic propanols. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) appears to be more interested in protecting the profits of big business than in safeguarding the health of consumers ”. It is estimated that over 1 billion dollars has been spent by food and drink companies campaigning against
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the traffic light system which on June 21st was rejected by EU parliament. The majority of respondents to our survey expressed concern as to why large amounts of money are being thrown to reject a campaign that ultimately exposes a product for what it really is. They also suggested that the money could be better spent funding the correct packaging or indeed finding alternatives to sugar, salt and saturates.
small English breakfast or a breakfast bar that offers the same sugar content as a large Victoria sponge with extra cream and jam. Or is this just the case, is the majority of everything that we consume that doesn't clearly distinguish itself on the outside of a packet, a hidden health scare. Honesty is the best policy, don't make consumers afraid to eat products just make them understand their role in a healthy diet.
Companies such as Cadbury's in the UK have adopted the “Be Treatwise ” campaign which is a packaging warning sign created in October 2006. A spokesperson for the British Nutrition Foundation commented that,
According to the Daily Mail the vast majority of shoppers would like to see the traffic light system installed on to all food and drink products. Social Media amongst the younger generation is increasingly on the quest for truth. Groups on Facebook such as “Food Labelling, no more Jargons no more Codes ”, “Campaign for Truth on Food Labels ” and “I want to know what is in my food ” suggest that the younger generation are becoming more concerned about their food.
“An approach such as this will help consumers to make informed choices and understand the place of treats in a healthy balanced diet ”. To be treat-wise means becoming aware, what is the difference of adding a colour scheme? The current RDA system that we find on packaging today is often misleading as to who is eating the product. A large sum of food companies are using Adult RDA ’s on products that are marketed at children however some organisations such as Rowntrees have altered their packaging to offer a child's RDA instead. We, as adult consumers know through years of practise, what is generally good for us and what is generally not. We know the difference between right and wrong. and only on occasion do we get caught out with a fruit juice that offers the same calories as a
The common denominator of these groups is that the food and drink industry have a responsibility to tell the consumer what they are eating. It is recommended and highly campaigned for by the following organisations, The Cancer Council, The British Heart Foundation, The Diabetes Organisation, Why with the nation's largest health charities and councils and the vast majority of all consumers is this labelling system not put in to action? BHF have vowed to continue the fight so watch this space. If you have an opinion about this topic and would like to voice it, please get in touch! © Kennedy's Publications Ltd
10 /Food and Drink News Review - 23rd July 2010
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Wallace ’s Double Choc Chip Muffin Kit Inspired by popular characters Wallace and Gromit, Wallace ’s Double Choc Chip Muffin Kit from Bacheldre Watermill makes eight double chocolate chip organic muffins. The 330g pack contains flour, sugar, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, baking powder and cases; all that needs to be added is butter or margarine, milk and a single egg. The home baking set won the Best Organic Food Product in 2009 at the Natural Organic Awards, and is available in the UK from Sainsbury ’s. Launched in June 2010, the product is suitable for vegetarians, comes in convenient packaging, and at just €3.61, it could be an ideal summer holiday activity for the children.
Savoury Garlic Flavoured Salt Described as an all natural low sodium salt, NutraSalt ’s Garlic Flavoured Salt is not only an excellent source of potassium but it is also claimed to help control blood pressure. Each serving is said to contain up to 66% less sodium than other salts. Kosher certified, the product has been available in the USA since February 2010, retailing in a 5-oz. jar. The salt was on display at the Fancy Food Winter Show in San Francisco, alongside its other varieties – Zesty Italian, Classic Curry, Sea Salt and African Medley.
Cooking Spray with Olive Oil Claimed to be the ideal alternative to conventional oils and fats, Cooking Spray with Olive Oil from Solesta is available in a non-spill aerosol and is suitable for frying, grilling, roasting, baking, health grills and seasoning. The product is suitable for vegetarians, CFCand alcohol-free, and the aluminium can is fully recyclable. Cooking Spray with Sunflower Oil is also available alongside the Olive Oil variant in the UK. Each pack costs €1.80 and the oils were launched in June 2010.
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Caribbean Hot Sauce The perfect blend of spices, Shiloh ’s Caribbean Hot Sauce is designed to awaken the flavour of steak. All natural and kosher certified, the product is free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives, as well as trans fat and MSG. Launched in the USA in April 2010, the 6oz. product is also available in Original Steak Sauce, Béarnaise Steak Sauce, Barbecue Steak Sauce, Harissa Steak Sauce, and Chimichurri Steak Sauce variants.
Fermented Red Ginseng Drink Made and fermented using bifidobacterium bifidum, GINLAC ’s Fermented Red Ginseng Drink contains premium ingredients said to boost energy. Retailing in a multipack containing 15 x 40ml packs was launched in South Korea in June 2010 and costs €19.61.
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Cut Sea Tangle A natural, alkaline food, Cut Sea Tangle from Ottogi has been naturally dried to retain both the original taste and the nutritional benefits. The 80g resealable plastic pouch is a convenient way to store the product. Also available is a Cut Seaweed variety. Launched in April 2010, the product retails at €1.33 and is available in South Korea.
Anise Flavoured Canistrelli Biscuits Translated Restonica Canistrelli Anis, this new product from Biscuiterie Restonica is traditionally prepared and made in Corsica. The premium, high-quality product retails in a 300g pack. Launched in France in June 2010, the pack retails at €3.17 and is also available in Lemon, Almond, Orange Blossom, Plain and White Wine varieties.
Popcorn Chicken Relaunched in Saudi Arabia with new packaging in June 2010, Pops2Go! Popcorn Chicken from Sadia has an updated design. Said to be free from artificial colours and flavours, the microwaveable product is certified halal and retails as 35 to 45 traditional pieces in a 250g pack. Cheese and Ketchup variations are also available in the range, which is available for €1.59.
Green Tea Concentrated Syrup The Nagomi brand has launched this Green Tea Concentrated Syrup, available in a 0.29-l. oz. bottle, which was on display at the Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show 2010 in Las Vegas.
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Food and Drink News Review - 23rd July 2010 / 11
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Green Cola Japanese Soft Drinks company, Asahi, have introduced a botanical cola free from colourants, caffeine and preservatives. Made with black malt, the cola retains its characteristic fizzy sensation. The brand ’s ‘fresh quality ’ technology, originally from the firm ’s cider division, brings out the flavour of the natural ingredients. Launched on the 25th May 2010, the product retails at €1.30.
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Peppermint Herbal Infusion Tea From Nerada Tea, organic Peppermint Herbal Infusion Tea is made from leaves grown solely from nature ’s resources. The specially selected herbs are cultivated without pesticides, fungicides or artificial chemical fertilisers. The 60g pack retails at €2.93, is made from 95% recycled material and contains 40 tea bags. The product has been available in Australia since June 2010.
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