High fructose corn syrup, the sugar alternative used to sweeten sodas, cookies, condiments and cereals, is beginning to lose some ground in the packaged-food industry. |
More big-name food and beverage products—including Kraft Foods Inc.’s Wheat Thins —have begun dropping the ingredient in favor of sugar, despite a big difference in cost, saying they are responding to consumer preferences for ingredients perceived as more natural. |
In recent months, Kraft has taken high fructose corn syrup out of the recipes for its 100-calorie pack Nabisco cookies, Wheat Thins crackers and most of its namesake salad dressings. With Wheat Thins, Kraft said it saw discussions on its Web site on the subject of high fructose corn syrup and received comments directly from consumers, pushing it to remove the sweetener. Read more at online.wsj.com |
| The Sugar Policy Alliance has called on Congress to ease sugar import quotas, citing price inflation and reduced availability. |
The Alliance, which includes The Hershey Co., Kraft Foods, Inc. and others, wrote a letter to members of Congress as world sugar prices hit a 27-year high. |
Chairman of the Alliance, and NCA President, Larry Graham said: “Sugar prices are now higher than they were in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which closed two Gulf Coast sugar refineries and created major disruption in the industry. Yet USDA has not recognized the seriousness of the situation and has made no move to increase import quotas.” |
Oh, sugar, won’t you come down in price? Take your lead from other commodities.
Is sugar addiction a myth? This scientist says yes. Background & aimsTo consider the hypothesis that addiction to food, or more specifically sucrose, plays a role in obesity and eating disorders. |
ConclusionThere is no support from the human literature for the hypothesis that sucrose may be physically addictive or that addiction to sugar plays a role in eating disorders. Read more at www.journals.elsevierhealth.com |
| White sugar futures has hit a record high for a seventh straight trading session and dealers predicted further rises through $750 (€524) a tonne soon driven by increasing import demand by top consumer India. |
Raw sugar nudged close to a 29-year high on prospects for strong demand by key markets, including Indonesia, Egypt and Pakistan. This is despite countered pressure from the stronger dollar. |
$1 USD is about 46 Indian Rupees so 50 Rs is about $1.10. That is about $.50 per pound. | Sugar prices touched a record high of Rs 4,250 per quintal in the Delhi wholesale market raising apprehension that retail prices could even go up to Rs 50 a kg. High prices could also trigger a marginal hike in prices of biscuits, confectionery, chocolates, cold drinks and other processed foods of urban mass consumption. The actual reason for the sharp hike in price could be lower estimates for sugar output this year, compared to the earlier projections of 16 million tonnes. Industry monitors now project sugar production at only 15.5mt, at best. Read more at www.imagesfood.com |
There is no evidence that sugar-addictive behaviors suggested by animal studies exist for humans, claims the author of a new scientific review published in Clinical Nutrition.
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Psychology professor David Benton, who specializes in dietary influences on mood and cognitive function at the University of Swansea in Wales, examined a number of predictions starting from the hypothesis that it is possible to develop a sugar (sucrose) addiction.
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If sugar addiction exists, Benton suggested, addicts would experience increased food cravings, predominantly for sweet items; cravings would be especially strong in the morning, after an overnight fast; obese people would find sweet foods particularly attractive; and high sugar consumption would predispose people to obesity.
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| “There is no support from the human literature for the hypothesis that sucrose may be physically addictive or that addiction to sugar plays a role in eating disorders,” Read more at www.confectionerynews.com |
No one can believe it, but sugar doesn’t seem to cause hyperactivity in children. The kids are likely just hyped up from all the excitement of Christmas. More than a dozen large, double-blind, randomized controlled studies dating back to 1980 have found no relationship between cookies, cakes, candy and Billy racing around the table whirling his socks around his head. Read more at www.msnbc.msn.com |
Here in the U.S. we have high sugar prices that are artificially high due to protectionist policies, but things are a lot more dire in some places overseas, it seems. | The Pakistan Biscuit & Confectionery Manufacturers Association (PB & CMA) has decided to shut down production if no action is taken by the government to immediately bring down the price of sugar in the market. During the last five days, the prices of sugar have gone up by Rs 12 per kg, from Rs 48 to Rs 60 per kg An urgent meeting of PB & CMA was held here on Monday to discuss the unchecked escalation in prices of sugar which has made the industry unworkable.
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“Instead of suffering unbearable losses it is better to shut down the industry and sit at home,” said Maqsood Ismail, Chairman of the Association. He described the situation as “alarming” which required urgent measures by the government, especially by the Food & Agriculture Ministry.
Read more at www.pakwatan.com |
| A state-of-the-art cane sugar refinery will be built in 2010 as part of a venture agreement between three top sugar players. |
Construction of the bulk sugar facility in Gramercy, LA, is funded by Imperial Sugar Co., Cargill, Inc. and Sugar Growers and Refiners, Inc. The venture, Louisiana Sugar Refining, LLC (LSR) reportedly closed agreements of $145 million for the project, with $100 million in tax exempt Gulf Opportunity Zone Bonds allocated for working capital financing. |
Each member of LSR agreed to contribute $30 million in cash or assets as equity to capitalize the venture, according to Lonnie Champagne, general manager of Sugar Growers and Refiners. Read more at www.candyandsnacktoday.com |
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Despite Costs, More Packaged-Food Producers Replace High Fructose Corn Syrup
