Latest news with #sugarfree
CTV News
3 days ago
- Science
- CTV News
Investigating a cool new way to preserve underutilized crops
A researcher at Lethbridge Polytechnic is taking her knowledge and skills of developing low-sugar and sugar-free ice cream to find new options to store sugar beets while maintaining sucrose integrity. A researcher at Lethbridge Polytechnic is taking her knowledge and skills of developing low-sugar and sugar-free ice cream to find new options to store sugar beets while maintaining sucrose integrity. Rajpreet Goraya spent years analyzing how ice cream can be used to preserve underutilized crops like Indian gooseberries and orange peels. She's now working at the polytechnic and researching new, long-term storage options for sugar beets. Her research aims to provide producers with another revenue source to reduce crop risk and increase revenue streams. 'We are successful in preserving our sugar beet crop for more than a year, but we only claim for six months for that, so we are good to go,' said Goraya. 'We are good to preserve it, and then they can use it in different products.' Sunday marked National Ice Cream Day, and Goraya is hoping her research will spark conversations about food sustainability, health and innovation.
SBS Australia
14-07-2025
- Health
- SBS Australia
Not so sweet: explaining the impact of sugar substitutes on the environment
Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts . In 2025, if you're dodging sugar to spare your health -you likely aren't going without the sweet stuff altogether. There are readily-available sugar-free soft drinks and even lollies - in fact, more than ever before. Food manufacturing giants have pivoted to artificially sweetened goods - but is zero sugar, zero harm? Not according to a new study in the Journal of Hazardous Materials - and the name of the publication gives a clue about the results. Dr Xuan Li from the University of Technology, Sydney, says it is the environment that is paying the price for a rise in artificial sweeteners. "So whatever we are eating will eventually discharge into wastewater and become concentrated in wastewater treatment plants. And our treatment plants are not easily able to degrade them as well. So they will be directly discharged into the environment. And this will gradually lead to the accumulation in the environment and eventually effect all the water creatures." The U-T-S study has found some of these fake or alternative sugar substances are building up in waterways around the world. They are designed to not be fully absorbed by the body – and for the same reason, they don't break down as easily in waterways or on the land. They become 'forever chemicals' that build in concentration and potential toxicity. And that is a bigger problem. Why? Because in an ecosystem, all organisms are connected. "Some fish may die early because of this. So in a fish it is like the bottom line is anything changing the fish will eventually impact the upper food chain and impact the other creatures. Like we have found algae can be impacted and they all of a sudden bloom and all of a sudden die, because of the build-up of artificial sweeteners." Not all sweeteners are created equal, and one scores worst in terms of its lack of ability to decompose - Sucrose - which is marketed as Splenda in supermarkets around the world. The sweeteners, saccharin and cyclamate particles were comparatively easy to remove from water. This isn't the first time sweeteners have come under fire for their environmental impact - major studies out of the E-U in recent years. Dr Li says its impossible to know how long it will take for the build-up of these microtoxins to have a detrimental impact on humans - and to know how severe that impact could be. 'We are talking a lot about P-FAS a lot in recent years, but actually artificial sweeteners have a similar accumulation pathway like PFAS in our environment. We just have not got enough attention on it. This is also partially because we have currently very mixed results, regarding the impact of artificial sweeteners.' There have been conflicting findings in numerous global studies about the impact of sugar substitutes we eat and drink. In March 2023, Food Standards Australia New Zealand reviewed the intense sweeteners permitted for use in the Food Standards Code. "A range of different sources of evidence were included such as sweetener use information and dietary exposure assessments. Steviol glycosides were reviewed in detail which included an analytical survey and risk assessment. No public health and safety issues were identified as a result of the review." But Dr Li says more research needs to happen - now - for the planet, ecosystem and our health. Meanwhile, we each have a choice. "As consumers ourselves, we can think twice when we are trying to purchase a product. I know artificial sweeteners can sound very tempting if you're trying to control your blood sugar level, your body weight. But the question is, do we really understand them well enough? If not, maybe the conventional sugary stuff will be a better solution."
Daily Mail
28-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
THE CANNY COOK: Cold-brew iced tea
In 20 or so years of writing about food, one of my greatest joys has been picking up clever little tricks from chefs. Simple, transformative things like adding a splash of water to onions as they fry (which helps them to soften and prevents browning too soon) or salting fish 10-15 minutes before cooking to firm up the flesh and enhance the flavour. A couple of weeks ago, while I was staying with a chef friend in Bristol, he offered me a glass of iced tea. Instinctively I turned it down, having never been a fan of its fruit-heavy, syrupy composition. But the drink he poured himself looked light and crisp, so I asked to try it. It was fantastic: elegant, refreshing, completely sugar-free and, it turns out, incredibly easy to make. He had simply soaked a couple of green tea bags (one classic, one with lemon) overnight in cold water. Cold-brewing is key as the tea releases fewer tannins than in hot water, resulting in a smooth and delicate finish. Aromatics (fruits and herbs) can also be added for extra flavour. As someone who is always searching for sugar-free summer drinks, I thought it a brilliant discovery, and I have been playing with variations since. If you fancy making a batch and need a nice carafe, Ikea has a great one with a cork lid for under £5. 1 mint sprig, 52p; 1 litre water, no cost METHOD Using a y-peeler, pare a long strip of zest from the lemon. Place inside a 1 litre carafe or jug, with the tea bags and the mint. If you don't have lemons, try adding slices of cucumber, rounds of orange or lime or strawberry tops (which you'd probably otherwise throw in the bin). Instead of mint, you could add basil leaves, lemongrass stalks or a sprig of rosemary. Fill the carafe or jug with cold water, put on the lid or cover, and leave to cold-brew in the fridge for 12-24 hours. Pour into glasses over ice and slices of the lemon and enjoy. *This cost assumes you already have some basic store-cupboard ingredients. Prices taken from Sainsbury's and correct at time of going to press.
Daily Mail
22-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Starbucks set to 'further MAHA' its menu, RFK Jr says
Published: | The specific changes were not revealed, but Niccol has previously said he wants his chain's drinks to contain less sugar and to include health-promoting ingredients — potentially including protein powder. Revealing the meeting on X, RFK Jr said he was 'pleased to learn' that Starbucks menus 'already avoid artificial dyes, artificial flavors, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners and other additives'. Last week, the chain revealed it was testing a sugar-free vanilla latte topped with protein banana cold foam, and earlier this year it removed sugar from its matcha powder — after which sales of the drink spiked 40 percent. The chain has also dropped the 80-cent surcharge on its nondairy milks — which they said was to improve customer experience. Starbucks is the largest coffee chain in the US, with nearly 17,000 stores nationwide — although it has seen sales decline recently. Its proposed changes come amid a 'MAHA-isation' of America's food supply, with major corporations rushing to remove additives and artificial dyes from their products to fall more in line with the new administration's Make America Healthy Again initiative. RFK Jr's supporters were quick to react angrily to the move, however, accusing the HHS Secretary of 'propping up' a big corporation and saying Starbucks' move was 'too little, too late'. One commenter on X said: 'Sir. Why are you doing this? There are 81 grams of sugar in Starbucks' most popular drink. 'Cool they're not using dyes, or high fructose corn syrup, I'm happy about that. But, this is not what we're here to prop up. These companies should be shamed for driving the chronic disease epidemic.' A second said: 'Mr Kennedy, that's all great and all, but you do realize those drinks have an enormous amount of calories, which will do more harm than dyes and sweeteners.' Others shared the long list of ingredients in Starbucks' staples like the sausage, cheddar and egg sandwich, which included Maltodextrin and Xanthan Gum, emulsifiers linked to a higher risk of colon cancer, and ammonium sulfate, an inorganic salt often used as a fertilizer. Starbucks has regularly faced criticism over the high calorie and sugar content of its drinks — with high consumption of these linked to weight gain. Its summer menu includes a berry iced drink called Summer Skies, which has 26 grams of sugar per 16-ounce serving, and a Summer-Berry Lemonade Refresher, which contains 33 grams of sugar in a 16-ounce serving. The American Heart Association recommends that men consume no more than 36 grams of added sugar a day, and women no more than 25 grams per day. During the 2024 election, Starbucks spent more than $1.5million on political lobbying efforts, donating $11,118 to the Trump campaign, records suggest , and more than $488,000 to Democrat candidates — including $158,365 to then-vice president Kamala Harris. The coffee behemoth is far from the only one making radical changes. Earlier this week, Kraft Heinz — the company behind Kraft Mac and Cheese and Heinz Ketchup — revealed it would remove artificial colors from its products by 2027. And General Mills, which produces Cheerios, also said it would banish artificial colors from its foods by the same year.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sweet Success: How Butter Baked Cake Co. Boosted Sales & Efficiency with CMTC Support
LONG BEACH, Calif., June 19, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--California Manufacturing Technology Consulting® (CMTC) recently partnered with Butter Baked Cake Co. to help the California-based specialty food manufacturer overcome operational and marketing challenges. Located in Oceanside, CA, Butter Baked Cake Co. manufactures sugar-free, gluten-free, and grain-free desserts that cater to health-conscious individuals without compromising on taste. Founded in 2018, Butter Baked's mission is to ensure no one misses out on the joy of delicious treats due to dietary restrictions. Butter Baked Cake Co. uses only high-quality, minimally processed ingredients to create indulgent options for everyone. Facing challenges in a competitive and saturated market, Butter Baked Cake Co. struggled with brand differentiation and inconsistent messaging. Butter Baked's digital presence – including their website and e-commerce platform – was underperforming, requiring improvements in user experience, SEO, and social media strategy. Butter Baked Cake Co. also lacked a structured plan for customer retention and engagement, making it difficult to foster repeat business and loyalty. Additionally, operational inefficiencies in production and fulfillment further hindered Butter Baked's ability to manage demand and scale effectively. To address Butter Baked Cake Co.'s challenges, CMTC conducted consultation sessions to refine brand positioning. These sessions, in combination with a messaging guide, helped to ensure a clear identity and consistent messaging for Butter Baked. CMTC also performed a comprehensive website audit which offered insights into improving functionality, SEO, and user experience, along with strategic recommendations for enhancing Butter Baked Cake Co.'s digital presence. To boost customer retention, CMTC advised on email marketing and loyalty incentives to encourage repeat business and led a SWOT analysis and competitive review to highlight market opportunities and positioning strategies. Finally, CMTC facilitated operational consultations to help with workflow efficiencies and automation tools in order to streamline production and fulfillment processes. As a result of their work with CMTC, Butter Baked Cake Co. estimates a $355,320 increase in sales, $25,000 in cost savings, 6 jobs added, and 6 jobs retained. "Working with CMTC has been truly transformational for Butter Baked Cake Co., providing invaluable support in marketing, finance, and strategy," said Owner Whitney Lounsbury. To drive continued growth, Butter Baked plans to make a capital investment of $95,000 into their business – this includes $2,000 in plant equipment, $3,000 in IT, $50,000 in co-manufacturing operations, $10,000 in business development, $10,000 in packaging, and $20,00 in marketing. For more information about CMTC's services, contact Rachel Miller at rmiller@ or 310-984-0096. About California Manufacturing Technology Consulting® (CMTC) Established in 1992, California Manufacturing Technology Consulting® (CMTC) focuses exclusively on manufacturing across California, delivering customized, consultative solutions tailored to each client's unique needs. Backed by seasoned industry professionals, extensive networks, and strong partnerships, CMTC offers cost-effective, top-to-bottom services — from the C-suite to the shop floor. As trusted advisors, CMTC combines deep business management expertise with a passion for helping manufacturers thrive, driving measurable ROI and long-term client success. View source version on Contacts Rachel Millerrmiller@ 310-984-0096 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
