Infographic: How branding and packaging affect the way consumers trust food

Three in four consumers check the ingredients list on the foods they buy, according to a new survey from consulting firm C Space exploring consumer trust in food. Another interesting finding: brands lose trust most often through media coverage of food, while they gain trust through quality. Read more at AdWeek...

Palm oil alternative could avert devastation caused by plantations

Using waste feedstocks, researchers in England are developing a yeast-based alternative to palm oil, an ingredient which raises concern because of the deforestation, water pollution and GHG emissions resulting from rapid expansion of palm plantations. Read more at Independent...

Russia wants to be the GMO-free food capital of the world

Russia has banned genetically modified organisms as well as most Western food imports. President Vladimir Putin told the Russian Parliament this week that the country will be self-sufficient in terms of food supply by 2020 and could become the largest supplier of quality healthy and environmentally friendly food. Read more at Munchies...

Grocery stores bring healthy options to checkout lanes

Some of the country's biggest retail chains are re-evaluating their checkout counter merchandising and removing junk food items that tempt customers (and their children) while they wait in line. But some aren't seeing profitability in putting healthier items in this prime real estate. Read more at the Sacramento Bee...

'Soymilk' ruling leaves NMPF frustrated

The U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California last week dismissed a class-action lawsuit alleging that Trader Joe's misled consumers by labeling a soy beverage not containing cow's milk as soymilk. "It is simply implausible that a reasonable consumer would mistake a product like soymilk or almond milk with dairy milk from a cow," the judge wrote. The National Milk Producers Federation, however, disagrees (of course). Read more at Dairy Herd Management...