Milk and cereal products fortified with iron and a combination of other micronutrients are more likely to help reduce iron-deficiency anaemia in children than foods fortified with iron alone, according to a new study commissioned by Nestle. Researchers from the Winterthur Institute of Health Economics in Switzerland analysed the combined results of 18 published trials involving a total of more than 5,400 children.

They found consumption of milk and cereal products fortified with iron and other micronutrients – such as zinc and vitamin A – were associated with a significant increase in the level of haemoglobin in young children’s blood. Anaemia – the state of having too few red blood cells and therefore too little haemoglobin – is commonly caused by a lack of iron in the diet.

The researchers found single iron-fortified products increased haemoglobin levels significantly more than similar non-fortified products. However, multi-micronutrient-fortified milk and cereals produced even more significant increases in haemoglobin than their single iron-fortified counterparts.

The study, published in the Bio Med Central Public Health journal, is believed to be the first analysis of the combined results of published studies examining the effect of micronutrient-fortified milk and cereals on the blood haemoglobin of children from the age of six months up to three years. The researchers identified about 1,000 potentially relevant trials from the last 45 years to pinpoint those suitable to include in the study.

Young children and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to iron deficiency because they need higher levels of the mineral for growth. The consequences of long-term lack of iron in the diet can include impaired mental development in children, decreased physical work capacity and impaired immune function.

The researchers’ findings help to explain in biological terms why multiple, rather than single, micronutrient deficiencies are responsible for a variety of health problems.

The study was commissioned by Nestle and the Nestle Nutrition Institute. Nestle has more than 140 years’ experience in improving the micronutrient profile of food products through fortification. The company’s first fortified product was an iron-enriched version of its founder Henri Nestle’s original infant cereal ‘Farine Lactee’, launched in 1867.

Today, Nestle offers a range of products around the world fortified with micronutrients including iron and vitamin A. The company’s dairy business makes fortified, affordable milks available in more than 80 countries around the world, where they are largely consumed by pre-school children.

A non-profit organisation based in Switzerland, the Nestle Nutrition Institute is committed to fostering ‘science for better nutrition’, by sharing scientific information and educational materials with health professionals, scientists and nutrition communities in an interactive way.

Latest research from Mintel reveals that for the first time, in 2011, the proportion of own label new product development (NPD) overtook branded in the UK. Historically, the proportion of new product development within food and non-alcoholic drinks has been higher for brands than for private labels. While brands held a 55% share of total NPD in 2010, the balance tipped in 2011 in favour of own labels as they accounted for 54% of NPD, compared to 46% for brands.

Today, some 57% of consumers think that own label products have improved in taste and quality, while 52% actually prefer them to brands in some cases. Furthermore, some 82% of adults think that own label products provide value for money, compared to just 16% for brands.

Today, some 80% of shoppers buy own label products (compared to 89% of consumers who buy branded goods), and retailers’ own products look set for further growth in 2012 as consumers expect to buy more of them. What is more, as many as 20% of those who buy branded products are set to buy less in the coming year.

Chris Wisson, senior food Analyst at Mintel, comments: “While there are signs that pressure on consumer budgets is slightly easing, 2012 looks set to see the majority of adults remaining watchful and discerning when shopping. Our research suggests that on balance, consumers expect to buy more standard and value own label foods while cutting back on brands.”

Mintel’s research reveals that the market for own label food and drink reached £37 billion in 2011, a 24% increase since 2006. This growth has come at a slightly faster rate in relation to the wider market, which grew by 23% over the same period. The own label market is expected to show similar growth trends in the coming years and is projected to reach £46 billion by 2016.

Today, 69% of British shoppers buy economy own label food and drink products. While there are signs of the recession easing somewhat, its continued impact is still being felt by consumers. Indeed, just 6% of adults who currently buy economy own label products expect to reduce their usage in the coming year, while one in eight (18%) current users expect to buy more in the year ahead.

Premium own labels have also fared well in recent years despite budgetary pressures and today are bought by 71% of UK consumers. Growth also looks set to continue in this segment, with 27% of adults expecting to buy more of these products in 2012 and only 12% to cut back.

The progress of own labels is such that over half (52%) of adults prefer the taste of own label products to branded equivalents in some cases, suggesting that they are increasingly becoming brands in their own right. However, despite over half of adults thinking that own label products have improved in taste and quality, 58% of adults still say that for some foods, only brands will suffice, with premium products in particular offering brands a safe haven.

UK consumers traditionally associate a wider range of positive attributes with brands than own labels, particularly being trustworthy (52%), traditional (51%) and authentic (44%), while just 2% of adults think that they are bland. However, own labels come to the fore for being family-friendly (45% versus 28% for brands) and, in particular, offering value for money (82% versus just 16% for brands). The most likely users to maintain their usage and support the own label market are men (46%), over-55s (49%), retirees (54%) and, surprisingly, ABs (48%) and households with an income of £25,000-49,999 (50%).

“Times have changed and there is no longer a perception about own label equating to lower quality. Our research shows that many affluent consumers do not necessarily dismiss own label products out of hand, but they appear to in fact be keen users in certain categories. The increasing credibility of private label products which, crucially, often undercut brands on price is a warning for brands who are under increasing pressure from consumers who are becoming more open to the idea of buying own label groceries,” Chris Wisson concludes.

Prometheus Laboratories, a company acquired by Nestle Health Science, has presented new research that confirms the effectiveness of its new diagnostic test designed to improve treatment management for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The test is designed to predict inflammatory bowel disease activity and measure the impact of infliximab, a drug used by patients to help prevent inflammation.

Over time, some of them become less responsive to the drug so it is vital for medical practitioners to be able to diagnose this early on so a different course of treatment can be found. The data, reported by the company at this year’s Digestive Disease Week event in San Diego, in the United States, provides evidence of the effectiveness of the company’s new monitoring test which will be launched later this year.

Nestle Health Science acquired Prometheus Laboratories mid 2011. Prometheus specialises in diagnostics and in-licensed specialty pharmaceuticals in gastroenterology and oncology and focuses on conditions such as IBD.

The test should help ensure patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disorders can be treated effectively. These include ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease which typically cause abdominal pain, fever and diarrhoea.

IBD is clinically difficult to diagnose and manage, with many patients requiring long term medical care. Currently the disease has no cure.  Recent statistics from the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America estimate that about 1.4 million people in the country suffer from the disease.

The new research into how to manage IBD supports Nestlé Health Science’s long-term vision and ambition to develop science-based personalised nutritional solutions. The company, established last year, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nestlé.

Building on its core HealthCare Nutrition business, Nestlé Health Science offers nutritional solutions for people with specific dietary needs related to illnesses, disease states or special challenges of different life stages. Nestlé Health Science has access to external scientific and technological know-how through Nestlé’s innovation network as well as a number of venture capital funds in which the group has interests.

Feeding cattle on grass throughout their lifecycle is the most environmentally sustainable way to rear beef, according to new research commissioned by the National Trust in Britain.

One of the biggest global challenges is how to increase food security whilst reducing the environmental impacts of food production. Livestock – like cattle and sheep – produce high levels of methane as part of the process of digesting grass. This has led to suggestions that intensive production methods – where cattle are fed largely on cereals, producing less methane – should be preferred over more traditional grass fed livestock farming.

However,  research at ten National Trust farms shows that while the carbon footprint of grass-fed and conventional farms were comparable, the carbon sequestration contribution of well-managed grass pasture on the less intensive systems reduced net emissions by up to 94 per cent, even resulting in a carbon ‘net gain’ in upland areas. The farms that had recently converted to organic status showed even greater gains.

Rob Macklin, national agriculture and food adviser at the National Trust, comments: “The results are contrary to recent thinking that livestock farming methods must intensify further in order to lessen carbon emissions to feed an ever-increasing world population. Maximising carbon efficiency alone is too simplistic. Many less intensive livestock systems would be classed ‘inefficient’ on the carbon emission scale, yet are much less reliant on artificial inputs and tend to have less impacts on water quality, loss of soil organic matter and reduced biodiversity.”

He adds: “We believe that optimised beef production – deliberately accommodating less than maximum output in order to secure stronger and broader ecosystem protection – is the best sustainable use for the grasslands in our care. The debate about climate change and food often calls for a reduction of meat consumption and a more plant based diet, but this often overlooks the fact that many grasslands are unsuitable for continuous arable cropping.”

Other recent research found that the health benefits of beef (and lamb) are greater when animals are fed totally on grass – their natural food. Omega 3 fatty acids – recognised as essential to good physical and mental health – are higher in meat from grass and the levels of saturated fat are a third of grain fed beef.

A new Food Technology and Knowledge Transfer Strategy to support Irish food companies has been launched in Dublin by Teagasc, the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority. Teagasc’s Portfolio of Food Technologies opens five gateways, or opportunities for food companies to utilize and exploit. These include a comprehensive resource of technology offers, updates, services, expertise and scientists, available to food companies to actively engage with.

Research is recognised as the path to innovation and commercialization and Teagasc already engages with over 300 Irish food companies annually, helping them to develop, create value and improve competitiveness. Teagasc invests over Eur15 million annually in food research to support science based innovation in the food sector. Working in collaboration with other scientific organisations, government departments and state agencies, Teagasc is developing scientific platforms to deliver solutions for the food industry.

The five Teagasc Food Technology Gateways are:

* Technology Offers; Patent applications have been filed for some technologies and partner companies are being sought for further development and licensing.

* Technology Updates: As new technologies are progressed and discovered regular updates will flow out to potential industry partners.

* Technology Services: Pilot Plant facilities in Moorepark and Ashtown are available and easily accessible by food companies.

* Technology Expertise: Technology services, expertise, facilities, technical training, consultancy and product development services are offered.

* Technology Profiles: Teagasc scientists work in collaboration with some of the best scientists and researchers from around the world.

The Teagasc Food Technology and Knowledge Transfer Strategy is the start of a continuous process, with live offers, regular updates and follow through for companies who are seeking innovative solutions in the areas of food bioscience, chemistry and technology, industry and development and food safety.

Teagasc director Professor Gerry Boyle says: “Achieving the ambitious targets in Food Harvest 2020 will require significant investment by food companies in innovation. Teagasc research can help food companies develop a stronger culture of innovation to achieve growth and enhance employment opportunities. This new technology transfer strategy supports the agri-food sector to turn knowledge into commercial products and processes.”

The Irish food sector had a turnover of Eur24 billion and exports of Eur8.85 billion in 2011. Two thirds of those exports came from indigenous Irish owned companies.

While celebrity chefs across Britain have spent recent years on a mission to make cooking more accessible, it appears youngsters still have a way to go when cooking the basic stuff. Indeed, according to latest research from Mintel, nearly a quarter (22%) of 16-24s who have eaten pasta in the past year agree that it is difficult to cook pasta to the correct texture.

Furthermore, over one in five (23%) of adults who have eaten rice in the past year claim to find it hard to cook rice properly, rising to nearly two fifths (37%) of 16-24s. The use of microwaveable rice as a ‘sure to succeed’ alternative remains hampered by the 52% of rice users seeing it as failing to match dry rice on taste.

Some 34% of men agree that fresh pasta is easier to prepare than dry pasta – rising to 39% of 16-24s. By contrast, women, are more confident cooking dry pasta with only 28% agreeing fresh is easier to prepare.

Alex Beckett, senior food analyst at Mintel, comments: “It appears that the efforts of some of Britain’s best loved chefs to make cooking easier and more accessible have gone rather off the boil. Indeed, it seems that this lack of confidence in being able to cook has resulted in an added cost being passed on, as consumers stump up for pricier chilled pasta as an easier option. That one in four rice users find it difficult to prepare rice properly is a likely barrier to more frequent usage of cheaper, dry rice. Knowing the basics of cooking from scratch rather than tearing open a pre-prepared packet could help young people improve their health as well as their bank balance.”

The lack of culinary skills among younger consumers contrast with the know-how of Britain’s older generation. Just 9% of rice users aged over-65 admit they find it hard to cook rice compared with 37% of 16-24s. And over-55s are the least likely age group to admit pasta is difficult to cook, with just 4% of consumers in the age group claiming to think so, as opposed to 22% of 16-24s.

Alex Beckett continues: “Britain’s more mature generations appear to be the most confident in the kitchen, suggesting our growing reliance on quick-fix foods is to the detriment of basic cooking skills. Television networks are crammed with cookery shows but their main aim is to entertain rather than educate.”

Pasta’s place as a staple of the nation is reflected in the fact that nearly a third (30%) of Brits eat it 2-3 times a week – rising to 38% of those aged 16-24. But while instant packet pasta may be perceived to be the domain of younger consumers – Mintel’s research reveals this is not the case. Indeed, while 26% of Brits eat packet pasta – this rises to 33% of those aged 25-44 – compared to just 28% of those aged 16-24.

The pasta and rice markets have benefited since recession as being an affordable meal solution – with 49% sales growth recorded for pasta 2006-11 and 26% for rice in the same period. Meanwhile, price hikes may have hit the pasta category in 2011, but a massive 86% of users agree pasta is still a cheap meal solution, reflected in its resilience even as household budgets have come under pressure. This rises to 89% of 16-24s and 45-54s and drops to 81% of 55-64s. And it appears its success is set to continue.

Based on anticipated hikes in underlying wheat and rice prices and growth in age groups engaged with the markets, Mintel expects the pasta market to grow by 52% to £1.35 billion, the rice market to grow by 24% to £509 million and the noodles market to grow by 42% to £306 million between 2011 and 2016.

Within British manufacturing, particular pressure is being felt by companies that supply the embattled UK retail sector. Some of the worst affected companies are food, non-alcoholic beverages and clothing manufacturers, finds new research from Company Watch. Company Watch, the financial health monitoring specialists, analysed the published financial accounts of the largest 681 UK food, non-alcoholic beverage and clothing manufacturers. It found that 173 companies or 25% are currently in its Warning Area, with health ratings of 25 or below out of 100.

The Company Watch research showed that many retail manufacturers in the Warning Area, while having acceptable levels of profitability, had weak balance sheets that lacked the strength necessary to support their trading. This makes these companies particularly vulnerable if their profits dry up in the face of sector pressures for lower prices from their powerful retail customers at the same time that their input costs are rising.

A particular feature of balance sheets of retail manufacturers is the prevalence of intangible assets, usually goodwill from past acquisitions, which have limited appeal to funders such as banks, especially during difficult trading conditions.

Examples of lowly rated companies include Premier Foods, the owner of many famous food brands including Hovis, Mr Kipling and Oxo, which has a Company Watch H-Score of only 14 out of 100 and has been in the Warning Area consistently for the past five years.

Also, Dairy Crest, makers of Cathedral City cheese and the Utterly Butterly and Clover spreads, fell into the Warning Area after its March 2011 results with an H-Score of 20 and was pushed deeper when its interim figures to September 2011 produced a lower H–Score of 16.

Drinks manufacturer Britvic, owners of the Robinsons, Tango and 7Up brands, is another manufacturer which is in the Warning Area with a current H-Score of just 17/100, a financial rating partially driven by the high level of intangible assets which are almost 15 times the company’s net worth.

Nick Hood, head of external affairs at Company Watch, comments: “The accounts we examined are mainly for periods ending during the latter part of 2010 and early 2011, which means that these figures do not yet reflect fully the upward pressure on manufacturers costs from rising energy and commodity prices. Once these feed through, we can expect the financial health of the sector to deteriorate further, with more manufacturing companies falling into our Warning Area and becoming vulnerable to insolvency or restructuring.”

Statistics on all UK companies for the past 14 years show that one in four companies in this ‘red danger zone’ have either gone on to file for insolvency or have undergone a major financial restructuring.

The analysis is based on each company’s last five years published accounts as processed through the Company Watch “H-Score” risk assessment model. The average H-Score across the whole retail manufacturers sample was 52 out of a maximum 100.

Nick Hood continues: “Our survey highlights the problems facing retail suppliers. They, like the retailers themselves, are suffering a knock on effect from a fall in consumer confidence and reduced disposable incomes of shoppers. At a time when like-for-like sales are falling and consumers are demanding ever more value for money through deep discounts, retailers are inevitably making most suppliers share the pain.”

Nestle is partnering with the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) to help make consumers more aware of what can be done to prevent Osteoporosis. It is a disease in which bones become fragile, weak and prone to fractures, and is a growing problem in both emerging and developed countries.

Recent statistics released by the IOF showed that osteoporosis affects about one in three women over the age of 50, with over 200 million women affected worldwide. It also affects men, as one in five over the age of 50 is at risk of an osteoporotic fracture.

“The new partnership aims to help increase awareness about the ‘silent epidemic’ of osteoporosis,” says Emma Jacquier, Nutrition and Science Manager for the Dairy Strategic Business Unit at Nestle. “Staying in good health at a low cost is becoming vitally important for the public, governments and businesses as the world’s population ages.”

Nestle’s partnership with the IOF will highlight ways in which consumers can protect themselves from the disease. “Eating the right foods and staying physically active are important in order to age healthily,” explains Patrice McKenney, chief executive of the IOF. “People of all ages can help promote good bone and muscle health by ensuring that they have a healthy diet rich in calcium and protein, enough vitamin D and taking regular weight-bearing exercise.”

Activities have begun in Argentina, Brazil, China, Indonesia and the Philippines. Nestle is offering people bone-health checks and access to expert advice on health and nutrition in supermarkets and stores. Other activities and initiatives will be organised to highlight World Osteoporosis Day in October.

The partnership is Nestle’s latest commitment to raise awareness about osteoporosis. Last year the company led a study on vitamin D deficiency in office workers in Australia. Vitamin D is produced naturally by the body through exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Deficiency in this vitamin puts them at greater risk of osteoporosis, muscle weakness and can be implicated in some other chronic diseases. Research revealed that one in three workers had a deficiency in this essential micronutrient during the summer.

Eating a moderate amount of dark chocolate every day can help reduce the hormones in your body that make you feel stressed, according to a Nestle study. Scientists from the Nestle Research Center (NRC) in Switzerland examined the biochemical basis for chocolate’s reputation as a comfort food. Their research revealed that the chemical compounds contained in dark chocolate may improve the disposition of people who experience higher levels of stress.

The Nestle study into dark chocolate’s effect on stress monitored 30 healthy adults for two weeks. Every day each participant was given 40g of dark chocolate – about four squares of a large bar. They consumed half the chocolate in the morning and the other half in the afternoon.

Those participants who recorded higher levels of stress at the beginning of the study experienced a reduction in the chemical reactions in their bodies associated with stress. The results showed the level of stress-related hormones reduced in all participants, including those who were not assessed as stressed at the start.

“When you are stressed your body’s chemistry becomes unbalanced,” explains Nestle scientist Dr Sunil Kochhar, who led the study. “In the long term this can be harmful to your health. We have found that eating a moderate amount of dark chocolate on a daily basis can help to balance the body chemistry of people who are stressed. It is possible to speculate that making dark chocolate part of a healthy balanced diet might lead to a chemical composition in the body that is better able to handle stress.”

The dark chocolate used in the study was made of up to 75% cocoa solids. These are rich in chemical compounds that affect your metabolism, the chemical reactions that happen in your cells.

“Anxiety and stress can have considerable effects on people’s wellbeing, causing a variety of physical and emotional conditions, and sometimes leading to more serious health concerns,” Dr Kochhar continues. “These results strongly support our ongoing research efforts to establish the impact of certain food ingredients on human metabolism, and how they affect our health.”

The study, published in the Journal of Proteome Research, is one of several conducted by the Nestle Research Center into the emerging health benefits of dark chocolate. Nestle scientists collaborated with experts from BASF, the world’s leading chemical company, and Berlin-based scientific organisation Metanomics on an earlier study. This examined the effects on microorganisms in the human gut associated with eating dark chocolate regularly.

The NRC has also collaborated with Loughborough University, a leading sports science institute in the UK, to investigate the use of dark chocolate as an effective snack alternative for active people.

China has overtaken the United States as the world’s biggest food and grocery retail market, according to the latest research published by IGD. The Chinese grocery sector was worth £607 billion at the end of 2011, while the US market came in at £572 billion over the same period and is the second largest in the world. By 2015, the Chinese market is forecast to be worth £918 billion compared to a US value of £675 billion.

Between 2011 and 2015, the US grocery retail market should see growth accelerating to reach a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2%, but China’s rate will be double this at 10.9% over the same period.

According to IGD, all the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) nations will be in the top five grocery markets by 2015, with India displacing Japan as the world’s third largest grocery market by value. The UK grocery market will be the eighth largest in the world by 2015, worth £162 billion, and achieving a CAGR of 3.2% between 2011 and 2015

Joanne Denney-Finch, chief executive of IGD, comments: “China’s grocery growth story is phenomenal. Between 2006 and 2015, the Chinese grocery market is forecast to triple in value and to be worth nearly a trillion pounds. This rapid expansion has been fuelled by three main factors: rapid economic growth, population and rising food inflation.”

She continues: “Despite its various logistical and bureaucratic challenges, China is a crucial growth market for many of the world’s largest grocery retailers. Even beyond the major cities there are huge opportunities – forecasts suggest there will be over 200 Chinese cities with a population over a million people by 2025. But given China’s size and diversity, it’s essential not to treat the country as one homogenous market.”

In the UK, IGD expects the online sector to perform well, with internet sales boosted by the increasing use of smartphones and tablet computers. Convenience stores, with their increased focus fresh food and tailoring the store depending on local demand, are also expected to be key performer.

Scientists and food industry experts in the UK are hatching a plan to turn egg shells into plastics that could be used to manufacture anything from food packaging to construction materials. They also hope to extract material from egg shells that may prove valuable in the pharmaceutical industry.

The Food and Drink iNet is funding a research project at the University of Leicester which is looking at eggs and egg shells in a new light. The project aims to find useful ways of recycling egg shells which are currently regarded as waste by food producers and which they have to pay to dispose of in landfill.

The Food and Drink iNet, which is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, with a team of advisors across the East Midlands, is managed by a consortium, led by The Food and Drink Forum and including Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the University of Nottingham. It coordinates specialist support to stimulate innovation in the food and drink sector to increase competitiveness, sustainability and growth.

Scientists in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Leicester, specialising in ‘green chemistry’ and sustainable materials are looking at how to extract glycosaminoglycans, proteins which are found in egg shells. GAGs are used in numerous biomedical applications and could prove useful in the pharmaceutical industry.

They are also hoping to identify ways to use the egg shells as fillers which could be used to ‘bulk up’ different grades of plastic, with all sorts of applications from ready meal food trays to shop fittings. The ultimate goal is to use the egg shells in packaging to protect egg products – giving a second lease of life to the egg shell in the very role it was created for – a true case of recycling.

The research team led by Professor Andy Abbott, professor of physical chemistry and head of the Chemistry Department at the University of Leicester, is working in conjunction with Philip Chatfield, director of Ashby de la Zouch project management company Integrated Food Projects. The project plans to involve a number of small and medium-sized egg-related companies in the East Midlands region.

For instance, Leicester hard-boiled egg and mayonnaise manufacturer Just Egg uses around 1.3 million eggs every week, creating around 10 tonnes of egg shells. Currently the firm spends approximately £30,000 a year sending about 480 tonnes of shells to landfill for disposal.

Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Food and Drink iNet has awarded almost £20,000 towards the project under its Collaborate to Innovate programme, which will include the sharing of the results with food manufacturers across the East Midlands and beyond. Interested companies are invited to get in touch.

Nestle is using the same specialised technology avalanche experts use to study snow to improve the quality of its ice cream. The company’s scientists are working with the Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research in Switzerland (SLF) to examine the microscopic ice crystals found in both snow and ice cream.

Their research relies on the only x-ray tomography machine in the world that allows long-term observation of tiny particles in a substance at temperatures of zero to minus 20 degrees Celsius. Experts at the SLF monitor the evolution of ice crystals in snow and how this affects its properties: key factors for understanding avalanche formation.

Ice crystals affect the properties of ice cream in a similar way, altering its texture and structure as they grow and change shape. The collaboration aims to help Nestle to solve a universal problem for all ice cream manufacturers: how to maintain the product’s original texture and structure for longer.

“Ice cream is an inherently unstable substance,” says Dr Hans Jorg Limbach, a scientist at the Nestle Research Center in Switzerland. “As part of its natural ageing process, the ice will separate from the original ingredients such as cream and sugar. When you store ice cream in the freezer at home for a prolonged period, you will eventually see ice crystals begin to form in the product. This is water from the ice cream itself.”

Across the ice cream industry, consumer feedback about boxed ice cream that is stored in the freezer often relates to its texture and appearance.

UK pharmaceutical manufacturer Pepceuticals has been awarded a European research contract to develop an edible coating for fresh meat which will increase the shelf-life of the product and ultimately reduce the need for oil-based plastic packaging. Leicester-based Pepceuticals is the only UK partner in this European research collaboration worth Eur1.6 million which is set to run for 18 months. The aim of the EU-funded project is to create a safe, biologically-active film which doesn’t affect the fresh meat and will replace the familiar plastic vacuum packs.

According to research by WRAP (June 2011)¹, UK consumers spend more money on meat than any other food item, and households are wasting around 570,000 tonnes of fresh meat each year, of which 260,000 (46%) is avoidable with a value of about £1.3 billion. The potential to apply an antimicrobial film in the processing factory should significantly prevent the deterioration of the fresh meat product, and save waste. It will revolutionise the look and feel of the traditional meat counter.

The same WRAP research reports that around 110,000 tonnes of packaging waste is produced, of which 81,000 tonnes (73%) are land filled. The majority of this material is cardboard and plastic that is mildly contaminated with blood following contact with meat. The need to improve the disposal of this material is a widely recognised issue so, if successful, this research project could provide a sustainable solution to the problem.

Pepceuticals managing director, Dr Kamal Badiani, says: “Antimicrobial peptides are widely used in the healthcare sector for tackling infection, so it is a natural progression to apply the same chemistry to food preservation.”

Pepceuticals, the UK’s leading manufacturer of peptides, was selected from a competitive tender process organised by business support organisation PERA, and now holds the license to sell the resulting meat-coat product across the UK. This is a significant development for the business and for the UK meat processing industry.

From using sound waves to cook, to foods that fill you up faster – up to £15 million is on offer to anyone who can come up with ways to transform UK food manufacturing and reduce waste. The money is part of a Government-backed drive to support pioneering research and development that unlocks the huge potential of the UK’s farming, food and drink sector, and helps drive economic recovery.

“The UK has a world class reputation for innovation. I want to take this strength and use it to the economic advantage of the whole country,” explains Food and Farming Minister Jim Paice. “That’s why the Government is investing £15 million in the development of cutting edge ideas that increase efficiency and reduce waste in farming, food and drink production and manufacturing.”

Two competitions are being launched. Funded in combination by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Scottish Government, the aim is to help industry develop new ideas and products that improve food production and manufacturing while having less impact on the environment.

Previous recipients of this type of award include a team at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland, which used ultrasound to improve the quality and nutritional value of bread and cakes while making production more energy efficient.

Up to £15 million in grants is on offer to bigger businesses to invest in projects that will increase the efficiency, sustainability and competitiveness of food processing and manufacturing. A further £500,000 will also be available to small and medium sized businesses, through grants of up to £25,000.

The farming, food and drink sector contributed £87 billion to the UK economy in 2010. It provides around 3.7 million jobs. Over 6,000 new products come to market every year showing the huge potential for growth within the sector. Defra spends approximately £65m a year on farming, food and drink research and development, while the UK Government overall spends £400 million.

Nestle is strengthening its global research programme by expanding its research and development centre in Singapore. The centre, which serves fast-growing markets in the Asia-Pacific region, leads Nestle’s expertise in micronutrient fortification and Popularly Positioned Products (PPPs). PPPs are food and beverages that provide nutritional value at an affordable cost, in an appropriate size, for lower income consumers.

Those developed by the company’s experts in Singapore include Maggi Masala-ae-Magic, a spice mix for consumers in India fortified with iron, iodine, and vitamin A, and iron-fortified Maggi Sajian Leluarga noodles for families in Malaysia.

Nestle’s investment of almost SFr4 million (Eur3.3 million)) in the centre will support product development in a number of categories including culinary, malt beverages and coffee mixes.

Nestle’s research and development centre in Singapore is part of the company’s global network of 32 R&D centres. Its success led the company to establish two other R&D centres in Asia: in Shanghai in 2001 and in Beijing in 2008. Products developed in Singapore are sold in 16 countries including India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan.

To receive your free sample copy of Food & Drink Business Europe please complete Form on our Subscription Page

Young British people are eating out more than they were two years ago, despite the economic squeeze. However they expect more for their money and are increasingly demanding about the quality of food and service they receive, according to a new report from online customer insight and research specialist Tpoll.

The Eating Out Report 2011/2012: ‘All wrapped up in guilt’, compiled by Tpoll with responses from online surveys of 16-24 year olds (also known as Generation Y), found that nearly half of respondents – 42 percent – are eating out more than they did two years ago. The trend coincides with a drop in alcohol consumption among this demographic as prices of alcoholic drinks and spirits rise, which could be making the eating-out occasion appear more affordable in comparison.

Steve Mellor, qualitative director at Tpoll, comments: “Whilst drinking, smoking, clothing and going out to eat tend to come much further down the list of priorities than ever before, eating out has actually risen during this period – and now represents a good-value activity compared with other ways to socialise, like a night in the pub.”

But young people are getting more demanding about the quality of food and service they receive and placing food venues under the microscope to ensure they get value for money.

Nando’s and Costa are winners with this segment of the population because they combine a good-value heritage with a ‘buzzing’ atmosphere. Also doing well on the sociability measure is Pizza Express – 46 percent of respondents say they visit more often than they did two years ago, against an overall average of 42 per cent. Tpoll’s Steve Mellor says this is indicative of how well Pizza Express has tapped into sociability and is maintaining this brand trait. The brand has also been at the fore of promotional discounting which has driven associations with value.

Health emerges as a complex issue for young people. Qualitatively, health is not felt to be a core needstate when eating out, but the Tpoll research indicates a level of guilt felt by young people when choosing unhealthy food, with venues that are not offering enough health cues, or delivering low prices, tending to be less attractive to this segment.

Steve Mellor explains: “When young people are considering health, it tends to manifest as a concern about how they look. Parliament has recently launched an All Party Parliamentary Group on Body Image due to the increasing preoccupation on body image by youth. The group highlights how ‘half of young people have been on a diet’, ‘one in 10 would take laxatives to lose weight’ and ‘the number of young men taking steroids has doubled in the last 10 years’ (the findings and recommendations will be shared in 2012).”

According to the Eating Out report, areas for improvement at restaurants include: providing healthier options; providing a greater number of cheaper options on menus; and promotional mechanics that tap into group bookings.

Brands that were associated with health included Subway, the sandwich chain which has a healthy image for some people partly because of the prevalence of salad and also because of its build-your-own option, allowing young people to choose be healthy.

The report also reveals engagement in social media is strong with eating out brands through either Twitter or Facebook .The list of brands followed included: McDonalds (Facebook); Yo Sushi! (Facebook, Twitter); Nando’s (Facebook, Twitter); Greggs (Twitter); Pizza Hut (Twitter) and Dominos (Facebook).

Importantly, of the brands that are followed, all are purchased from, confirming that when such relationships are rightly handled, they can yield dividends.

Steve Mellor concludes: “Young people represent an important and growing customer segment. It’s important to recognise that social media is primarily felt to be owned by consumers (especially youth), rather than the media owner or companies that attempt to engage fans and followers. From a tangible perspective, youth want to see the financial benefits of being involved with eating out brands in social media. Our research suggests the use of social media to generate online conversation will lead to a closer, more loyal, brand rich, intimate and modern relationship with eating-out brands.”

Despite having the resolve to lose weight, British consumers may not know how to go about it, reveals new research from Mintel. Indeed, just six in 10 (61) UK consumers say that they know what they should and should not eat to lose weight – dropping to only 55% of men.

Furthermore, over one in 10 Brits (12%) say that “I’d like to lose weight, but I don’t know how” and just 41% say that they know how many calories a day they should consume. The number of adults who try to eat a low-fat diet has also dropped between 2008-11, from 44% to for 37% of consumers.

Alex Beckett, senior food analyst at Mintel, comments: “Our research suggests that consumers are going on diets despite being uncertain about what they should eat. It also implies that advice surrounding calorie consumption is failing to register among a sizeable chunk of the population – especially men. This presents manufacturers with an opportunity to take the lead and help consumers understand the importance of calories via educational marketing activity. Consumers’ uncertainty about calories and what foods to avoid to lose weight stems from a wider lack of clarity about what is and isn’t healthy. To excite sales growth, diet food manufacturers must tackle this consumer confusion in a way that all people will relate to.”

Overall, the diet and weight control foods market is currently valued £1.6 million – by 2016, Mintel forecasts the market to grow 7% to £1.7 million. Today, half (50%) of consumers claim that “most of the time” they eat carefully to help control their weight. But in spite of the economic downturn and its aftermath, there has been little change in the number of consumers who have been on a diet, though the share of those who often go on diets has marginally declined, by 0.8 percentage points, between 2007 and 2011. However, the uncertain economic outlook may have an impact on future growth as consumers grow more concerned about their financial situation than their weight. Indeed, Mintel’s research reveals that “my own financial situation” was deemed a personal concern by 59% of adults in 2011 whereas “my health” was deemed a concern by just 41%.

Almost two thirds of people agree that they like to buy British food to support the local economy (65%). However, not as many follow through on these intentions as only just over a third (37%) try to ensure that the majority of their groceries are British sourced, according to a recent survey by Ipsos MORI, the leading UK research company.

The population is not clear about the expensiveness of British compared to imported food – 37% agree it is no more expensive – however 26% disagree, with the same number undecided. Similarly 39% sit on the fence when asked about their opinion of the taste of British food.

Interest in British food is very strongly skewed toward the older age group. Those who buy a majority of groceries from British sources tend to be older (20% of 55+ yrs compared to 7% of 15-34 yrs). They also seem to want to support the local economy through the purchase of food (34% of 55+ yrs compared to 10% of 15-24 yrs). This group also tend to pay more attention to where groceries are sourced generally. This is a somewhat worrying trend as younger people seem to be less aware and engaged in the provenance of their food.

The population of London is more apathetic about buying British food in order to support the local economy, than anywhere else in the UK. They are also less likely to pay attention to where groceries are sourced than other regions. London residents are least likely to buy British sourced groceries – only 38% agree – compared to 51% in the Midlands and 54% in the rest of South England.

Co-op main shoppers are more likely to buy mainly British food, than shoppers at Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s or Tesco (78% versus 45-58%).

“This survey confirms that the public clearly see British food as great value for money personally and great value for the economy locally, but it is still clear that other factors influence how people fill their shopping basket. The big challenge now is getting a wider audience to buy British,” says John Coll, director of Ipsos Marketing.

Probiotic bacteria have the potential to alter brain neurochemistry and treat anxiety and depression-related disorders, according to research just published in the prestigious international journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA.

The research, carried out by Dr Javier Bravo, and Professor John Cryan at the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) in University College Cork in Ireland, along with collaborators from the Brain-Body Institute at McMaster University in Canada, demonstrated that mice fed with Lactobacillus rhamnosus JB-1 showed significantly fewer stress, anxiety and depression-related behaviours than those fed with just broth. Moreover, ingestion of the bacteria resulted in significantly lower levels of the stress-induced hormone, corticosterone.

Professor John Cryan, Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, UCC.

“This study identifies potential brain targets and a pathway through which certain gut organisms can alter mouse brain chemistry and behaviour. These findings highlight the important role that gut bacteria play in the bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain, the gut–brain axis, and opens up the intriguing opportunity of developing unique microbial-based strategies for treatment for stress-related psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression”, says John Cryan, senior author on the publication and Professor of Anatomy and Principal Investigator at the Science Foundation Ireland funded Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, at UCC. The APC researchers included Dr Helene Savignac and Professor Ted Dinan.

The researchers also showed that regular feeding with the Lactobacillus strain caused changes in the expression of receptors for the neurotransmitter GABA in the mouse brain, which is the first time that it has been demonstrated that potential probiotics have a direct effect on brain chemistry in normal situations. The authors also established that the vagus nerve is the main relay between the microbiome (bacteria in the gut) and the brain. This three way communication system is known as the microbiome-gut-brain axis and these findings highlight the important role of bacteria in the communication between the gut and the brain, and suggest that certain probiotic organisms may prove to be useful adjunct therapies in stress-related psychiatric disorders.

The Nestle Research Center in Switzerland will collaborate with King’s College London on a joint research project into the relationship between food and genes. Due to begin later this year, the six-month project will examine the interactions between genes and food ingredients, and how they can affect human health.

It will look at how our genes and their encoded proteins determine important bodily functions; including how efficiently we metabolise food, respond to the environment and detoxify our bodies from potentially harmful agents.

The global market share of private/own label food products is set to double from the current 25% to 50% in 2025. However, A-brands will retain their importance for retailers to anchor categories’ price levels and give consumers choice and familiarity, according to a recent global research report titled ‘Private label vs Brands – an inseparable combination’ from Rabobank’s Food and Agri Research division.

The report shows that smaller secondary brands (B-brands) will have to strategically reposition to avoid being squeezed out of the market. Two strategies are open to B-brands suppliers – either invest in quality and target the premium market, or specialise in private label. A consolidation spree among private label specialists is inevitable to achieve economies of scale and to reduce the cost base.

Rabobank’s conclusion that global private-label penetration will reach50% by 2025 is based on assumptions about food retail market structure. The report lists 11 drivers for private-label growth including:

* Continued industry consolidation in developed food retail markets (Western Europe, the US and Australia).

* Adoption of modern retail in developing markets (CEE, Russia and Turkey).

* Increased consumer acceptance of private label following the recession.

* Further growth of the hard discount segment.

* Professionalisation of private label supply.

Author of the report Sebastiaan Schreijen, associate director processed food & retail at Rabobank, comments: “Our research shows that private label and A-brands are an inseparable combination. Like love and marriage, you can’t have one without the other. But where two’s company, three’s a crowd. This report is an early warning to B-brand suppliers to adapt their strategies to survive.”

New research shows that flavour and taste remain the most important factors to British shoppers when buying fruit, and the majority consider fruit quality as a key consideration when they decide where they shop.

The quantitative survey was conducted as part of South Africa’s Beautiful Country Beautiful Fruit promotional campaign to develop qualitative research carried out in 2010. It further investigates UK consumers’ purchasing habits and perceptions of South Africa, and explores consumer reactions to communication and promotional activity.

According to the research, consumers rank flavour above price when it comes to picking up fruit from the supermarket shelf, with appearance, juiciness and variety also important. When asked why they eat fresh fruit, consumers also rank taste highly, along with healthy snacking and its contribution five-a-day.

With over 80% of shoppers considering the quality of fruit as an important factor in deciding where they shop, nearly a third rate the quality of fruit in their regular supermarket as average or poor; and nearly 40% would shop somewhere else if they have a bad experience with fruit.

When asked about country of origin, most consumers would value clearer identification at the point-of-sale to help them make an informed choice with their purchase, with women and older shoppers finding this of particular value. In-store promotional activity also performed well, with over 60% of shoppers more likely to purchase if given the opportunity to taste the fruit in their supermarket before they bought.

Latest research from Mintel finds that while 88% of British consumers aged over 65 drink tea, penetration drops to 73% for younger (15-34 year-old) adults. With ever increasing competition in the soft drink sector and more consumers dropping out of the category than are actually entering it, the next generation of traditional tea drinkers may be in jeopardy.

Furthermore, Mintel’s exclusive consumer research shows that younger consumers are less enamoured with ‘traditional English tea’ than their older counterparts – just over half of 16-24 year olds (53%) drink it regularly (ie at least once a week), compared to 68% of over 55s. As a result, despite tea having a large penetration in the UK market with eight in ten UK adults drinking it, tea has been experiencing a long-term decline in usage. Indeed, the proportion of UK adults who drink tea has dropped from 87% in 2006 to 81% in 2010 – at a time when overall soft drinks revenue is on the increase.

With the market value of tea currently standing at £647m, the standard (or ‘traditional English breakfast’) tea segment which accounts for by far the majority (89%) of the value sales in the tea market, has seen declining volume sales as a result of failing to resonate as strongly with the younger generation as it does with the old. Instead, this generation are much more likely to be among the 23% of the population who drink standard ‘English breakfast’ tea alongside newer varieties such as herbal/fruit tea (eg green tea/rooibos) and speciality (eg Assam, Earl Grey) teas. A third (34%) of 16-34 year-old tea drinkers drink all three tea types, but among consumers aged over 55 brought up on traditional tea, this figure declines to 18%.

“Tea is capitalising on the short-term increase in the share of over-65s but failing to convert the younger generations in significant enough numbers to replace those falling out of the market. Our consumer research identifies a younger tea drinking generation who differ markedly from previous generations of tea drinkers. They have a much more adventurous attitude towards drinking tea, enjoying the variety of flitting between standard ‘English’ breakfast, speciality and herbal tea rather than just sticking to one type; and they are keen to try new tea brands and new flavours,” explains Jonny Forsyth, senior drinks analyst at Mintel.

And it seems the decline is not attributable to economic uncertainty either. Ironically, the recent economic downturn has been a short term help to sales. While value sales continue to rise due to rising commodity prices, volume sales from 2005-08 declined 5% (from 82.5m kgs to 78.5m), but 2008/10 saw an 8% increase to 84.6m as consumers spent more time at home and took solace in cheap indulgences – especially ones as psychologically reassuring as standard tea.

“The recent economic climate has played a big part in consumer attitudes to tea and two of the worst winters on record have also assisted the market, not to mention heavy discounting activity. However, the sector remains too reliant on traditional English breakfast tea, which is failing to resonate with younger consumers, and needs to do more to attract new consumers to the health benefits of herbal tea and the premium tasting benefits of speciality.” Jonny Forsyth adds.

Meanwhile, herbal tea hit the £80m mark for the first time in 2010 (up from £73m in 2009) and has grown its share of the market to stand at 11%. However, Mintel’s research reveals that almost a third (31%) of standard tea drinkers do not believe in the health benefits of herbal/fruit teas, which is a problem for a niche sector trying to broaden its user base.

47% of British adults who buy wine for themselves or others in supermarkets or off licences say that the first thing they decide upon is colour, according to new research published by the Wilson Drinks Report. 18% choose special offers on wine first, 13% choose the retail selling price, 9% decide on grape variety, 6% choose country of origin whilst only 3% choose the brand of the wine.

New consumer research carried out by YouGov for the Wilson Drinks Report also shows that 71% of British adults buy wine for themselves or others in a supermarket or off licence, a significant majority of the population.

Tim Wilson, managing director of the Wilson Drinks Report, comments : “This research is very interesting as it clearly shows that the very first thing that the average British wine shopper decides upon when choosing wine is colour. Supermarkets and off licences that mainly display their wines by colour are doing the right thing, according to our analysis. However, what is also very interesting is that grape variety is more important in shoppers’ decision making than either country of origin or brand. Few retailers display their wines specifically by colour and then grape variety, although some are now trialling wine style and food matching to encourage shoppers to buy better wines.”

The analysis by WDR shows 3 levels of decision making. Of the 47% of shoppers that choose colour first, 27% say that they then choose grape variety and the same proportion (27%) say that offers, including discounts, is their second decision after colour.

The research does not provide good news for wine brand managers. Only 2% of supermarket or off license wine shoppers who mostly drink red wine choose brand first when deciding which wine to buy. It is a similar story for those shoppers who mostly drink white wine : only 3% choose brand first when buying wine.

The appeal of diet foods in Britain appears to be thinning. Latest research from Mintel reveals some 60% of British consumer say they prefer food that is naturally low in fat or calories and two thirds (63%) of consumers who have dieted over the past three years have done so using reduced calorie foods. However, it seems just over a quarter (27%) of consumers do not find low-calorie foods as filling and a further quarter (27%) claim they end up eating more of them as a result.

Portion size is another concern for consumers buying diet foods, with almost three quarters of consumers (73%) claiming smaller pack sizes are often more expensive per unit. Instead, two fifths (41%) of consumers, prefer to eat smaller portions of regular food items to exercise their own portion control while continuing to eat the same regular food items they enjoy. Furthermore, while 38% of consumers say low-fat food has improved in taste and quality recently, over half (54%) of consumers claim to be more interested in taste than calorie or fat content. A sceptical 48% of consumers also feel that low-fat foods are not as healthy as they seem and 44% are concerned about the safety of some of the sweeteners used in diet foods.

Vivianne Ihekweazu, senior food and drink analyst at Mintel, says: “While manufacturers have been active in developing new product lines, consumers still take issue with the taste of many reduced calorie food items, and also feel that portion sizes of low-calorie foods leave them feeling hungry, leading them to overeat. The recent response from industry to this has seen a raft of new product launches that promise to keep consumers feeling full for longer.”

Vivianne Ihekweazu continues: “Consumers appear to be dispassionate about some aspects of the diet food sector, but demand is still there to be cultivated.  Given that two fifths of consumers consider their diet to be healthy, and just under a fifth claim to always choose light foods, the challenge for retailers will be to ensure that they offer consumers a broad range of healthy eating products to encourage them to buy more products from across the healthy eating ranges more regularly.”

Foods with a weight control claim made up 27% of new food product launches in 2009 – up from 18% in 2009. Low, no or reduced fat made up the majority of claims within weight control foods in the past year – with 62% of weight control foods making this claim. Low, no or reduced calorie was the next biggest claim with 39%, followed by no additives/preservatives with 30% and microwavable with 26%.  Low, no or reduced trans fat claims accounted for 19% of weight control foods launched in the past year.

The UK market for reduced calorie foods has continued to experience steady growth driven by innovation in the licensed food category. Between 2008 and 2009, value sales of reduced calorie foods increased by 1.8% to reach £2.1 billion while slimming aids grew by 6.2% over this period to reach £102 million. It seems the main grocery multiples have responded to consumer demand for low-calorie foods by stocking a broad range of products, with estimated retail distribution of reduced calorie foods up over 10% from 2006, with value now standing at £1.6 billion.

Just over a third of British consumers admit that they have been on a diet in the last three years and just under two million consumers belong to a slimming club. Indeed, it seems British consumers remain preoccupied with their weight, with just under a third (30%) of admitting that they are on a continuous quest to lose weight.

Mintel’s research also reveals that the top five reasons for dieting are: ‘to lose weight’ with 89% of consumers stating this as the motivating factor, followed by ‘to be more healthy’ (50%), ‘to make myself more attractive’ (31%), ‘to control my cholesterol level’ (27%) and ‘to maintain weight’ (17%). A further 14% of consumer say they have started a diet to control their blood sugar levels and 3% because of a food allergy or intolerance.

New research from YouGov SixthSense reveals that a generational divide exists in UK coffee consumption. 83% of over 55s has drunk a cup of instant coffee in the last month compared to 67% of 18-24 year olds. Younger generations are more likely to choose alternatives such as a cappuccino (43%), a latte (39%) and an americano (22%).

Commenting on the findings in the report, research director for YouGov SixthSense, James McCoy, says: “What we are seeing here are two very different coffee drinking cultures informed by two different consumer experiences. The younger generation has grown up with Starbucks, Costa, Cafe Nero etc. offering a more varied and comprehensive coffee menu. Also, young people are used to meeting with their friends at places like coffee shops where conversation can be carried out over a freshly brewed coffee, Friends-style. The previous generation hosted more and, therefore, was more inclined to resort to whatever was in the kitchen cupboard if and when a guest requested coffee.”

Starbucks’ recent foray into the instant coffee market reflects an industry-wide push to produce something closer to the taste of freshly brewed coffee in instant coffee form. James McCoy adds: “It is possible that moves by coffee house chains into the instant sector might see a slight rebalance in favour of instant in the home.”

Londoners exhibit a more discerning taste in coffee compared to drinkers in other parts of the UK – 12% of Londoners say that they regularly drink ‘freshly brewed coffee’ for breakfast during the week, compared to Wales (6%), the Midlands (5%) and Northern Ireland (1%).  A smaller proportion of Londoners (69%) has drunk a cup of instant coffee in the past month than anywhere else in the UK, while the North (84%) is the region with the most drinkers of instant brands such as Nescafe, Kenco etc.

Coffee’s appeal seems to derive from its image as a ‘stimulating’ drink, with 67% of consumers choosing to label it as such. In contrast, 79% of respondents view regular tea (ie not herbal) as traditional, while tea is also synonymous with Britishness for 63% of UK adults. Herbal tea provides a calming effect with respondents using terms like relaxing (53%), soothing (36%) and healthy (55%) to describe it. Almost half of respondents (44%) say herbal tea is a good alternative to standard tea.