While swapping out calorific sugars for a zero-calorie sweetener may seem like a common sense public health policy, some recent reports have suggested that the reverse may be true. We take a look at the evidence and arguments for both sides of the story.
Tea and beverage company Carela says it has taken the ‘horrendous’ taste of Asian bitter melon and turned it into attractive beverages for millions of Americans who are worried about their sugar intake.
Sugar-sweetened drinks may reduce stress levels and therefore be harder to reduce than aspartame say scientists - but campaigners are still calling on industry to reduce both.
The Children’s Food Campaign claims a 20p tax on sugary drinks could have major positive impact on health but academics and industry say evidence is lacking.
Energy drinks contain up to 20 teaspoons of sugar per 500ml serving – more than three times the maximum adult daily intake of free sugars a day, according to research released by Action on Sugar.
Tate & Lyle is launching a new ultra-low-calorie sugar that is found naturally in jackfruit and raisins, but is being made in commercial quantities via the enzymatic conversion of corn using a proprietary process.
Trendwatchers at Sensient Flavors have identified eight up-and-coming flavor trends for 2015 using the company's proprietary ‘Trends to Taste’ program, a predictive process that filters trends from the broad, consumer, macro level down to finished...
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) today filed an objection to a proposed settlement of the ‘copycat’ Vitaminwater lawsuits, claiming it only enriches lawyers and does nothing to stop what it alleges is the brand’s deceptive marketing.
Natural Products Expo East yielded a wealth of new trends and new product launches. In this gallery FoodNavigator USA looks as some of the most innovative launches and identifies some trends running through the natural products marketplace. Bold innovators...
Coconut water supplier ITI Tropicals claims that around 15% of coconut water sold in the US is adulterated with unlabeled added sugars – and is calling for industry action to retain consumer trust.
Comax Flavors agrees that the trend in the US towards greater flavour differentiation and localization is challenging for big beverage brands as it launches a range targeting Hispanic, Asian and younger consumers.
US sales of specialty foods & beverages topped $88.3bn in 2013, up an astonishing 47% since 2008. To find out what all the fuss is about and get up to speed with the latest beverage trends, from tart cherries to blossom water, FoodNavigator-USA headed...
The launch of stevia-sugar sweetened Coca-Cola Life into the UK signals a new era in sugar reduction, as it suggests stevia will soon be big in soft drinks, and may open up the use of sweeteners in foods, according to Professor Jack Winkler, former Professor...
Four out of five fizzy drinks on the UK market contain the equivalent to, or more than, the WHO recommended daily maximum for sugar intake, according to new data.
Amidst headlines over high sugar levels in juice, 89% of Americans believe the natural sugars therein are good for them, according to a YouGov poll of 2,000 people commissioned by Jamba Juice.
Wayne Lutomski from Welch’s Foods has hit out at ‘experts’ who describe sugar as a poison and says they don’t know what they’re talking about, as he defends the health and wellness benefits of 100% juice.
The healthy beverage segment continues to steal market share from sugar-sweetened soft drinks and diet soda, as consumers’ perception of the role of beverage in their diets evolves alongside changing policy and public health initiatives.
Despite a trend toward reduced sugar consumption in the US, many Americans are still getting far too much added sugar in their diets. But how do consumers really feel about sugar? And how should manufacturers address sugar and sugar reduction efforts...
Health groups in Australia have hit out at fast food chains that they say are “cashing in” by promoting seductively cheap frozen drinks that in many cases contain what they call “surprisingly large” amounts of added sugar.
A new global campaign will bring together experts and policy makers to tackle the current global epidemic of obesity and diabetes by reducing 'unnecessarily high' levels of sugar in food and beverage products.
Sugar-sweetened and sugar-free beverages produce similar satiety in children, says a new study that challenges the oft-quoted hypothesis that artificially sweetened drinks make people crave sweeter foods or serve as an appetite stimulant.
Stevia specialist Steviva Ingredients has developed an organic syrup combining blue agave nectar and stevia extract that is suitable for formulators looking to cut calories and maintain clean labels in sauces and dressings, bars, beverages and baked goods.
Carbonation alters the brain's perception of sweetness and makes it difficult for the brain to determine the difference between sugar and artificial sweeteners, a new study has found.
Royal Crown Cola International (RCCI) will launch its water-based liquid enhancers at Anuga 2013 amid claims beverage distributors can further capitalize on the growing bottled water market.
Inspired by an understanding of how the growing Latino population influences both Latino and mainstream new product development, Symrise has launched a new range of ‘grilled fruit’ flavors.
Changes to sugar policy in the United States enshrined in the 2008 farm bill have destabilized sugar prices and supplies, resulting in higher costs for consumers, manufacturers and now taxpayers, according to a new report from consultancy Agralytica.
Strong consumer demand for sugar-free gum – a ‘sweet’ spot of the industry – will lead to exciting new flavors and nutrient delivery, says ingredient supplier Ingredion, with the company’s new encapsulation matrix opening up product developers’ creativity.
Soaring intakes of sugar-sweetened drinks are associated with increased calorie consumption of other foods such as sweets and pizza in children, warn researchers.
A new survey from Mintel Research Consultancy (MRC) suggests that consumers are paying a lot more attention to how much sugar is in their foods, but are less concerned about its source, with just a tiny fraction of those who look at sugar levels on labels...
Coca-Cola has reformulated Glacéau vitaminwater for the British market by revamping packaging and reformulating its eight-strong range with a stevia-based sweetener that cuts sugar levels by 30% and cuts the calorie count by 30 per bottle.
Using tagatose to sweeten food and drink products has taken a step forward as Korean scientists report the ‘first quantitative data on the relationship between the sweetness of tagatose and sucrose over a range of sweetness levels commonly encountered...
Extracts from the South African plant Sclerochiton ilicifolius are amongst the ‘most potently sweet naturally occurring substances known’, report scientists from ingredients giant Cargill.
Flavour ingredients supplier Treatt has added two new ingredients to its TreattSweet range, to improve sweet flavours in products containing high intensity sweeteners, including stevia.
Cola makers in India might have a battle on their hands if a recent breakthrough in making a carbonated version of lassi, a traditional Indian yoghurt-based drink, is commercialised.
San Diego-based flavor firm Senomyx has discovered a new taste modifier ingredient that can enhance the sweet flavor of both high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and sucrose, allowing food manufacturers to use less of either sweetener in formulations.
On the eve of the Olympics, Oxford University academics writing in the British Medical Journal – in conjunction with the BBC Panorama documentary team – have damned sports nutrition products like GlaxoSmithKline’s Lucozade Sport for lacking scientific...
High purity stevia volume sales at PureCircle have increased by more than 20% year-on-year, PureCircle reported in a pre-close update for the second half of its financial year.
FrieslandCampina Kievit has launched a sweet creamer concept that can replace more than 40% of sugar in instant beverages and cut costs for manufacturers.
Israel's beverage behemoth Gan Shmuel Group claims it has developed low sugar pure juices that contain no added ingredients and are undiluted, yet retain a natural, sweet taste.
Flavour systems specialist Sensient Flavors Germany has launched a new line of energy drink compounds for products targeted at ‘mature and health-conscious’ consumers.
Beneo has told BeverageDaily.com that it does not regard ‘next generation sugar’ Palatinose as a stevia rival, while US energy and sports drinks are leading the way in terms of uptake.
The link between sugary drinks and high blood pressure has been cast into doubt after new research revealed sweet drinks are associated with high blood pressure – regardless of whether they are sweetened with sugar or artificial agents.
From stevia to monk fruit, oats, agave nectar and coconut palm sugar. In the second of our spring special editions, we look at what’s next for natural sweeteners.
PepsiCo UK and Britvic claim to have 'won the race' to launch the first UK soft drink containing stevia extract by formulating the high intensity sweetener within a functional water range from the end of April.
Calls for increased taxation and tighter regulation of sugar, to bring it into line with alcohol and cigarettes, have been branded ineffective, flawed, and naive, by academic experts and industry in Europe.
