Nutritional choices

摘要

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. With the number of overweight children under the age of five now estimated to be more than 42 million globally, it is no wonder that consumers are looking for ways to adopt healthier lifestyles. UK consumer's tastes appear to have shifted from traditional hard to soft confectionery and soft fruits, including gums, jellies and pastilles. In fact, a UK report has shown that soft confectionery represented 36 per cent of the UK sugar confectionery segment, with gum representing almost 20 per cent of the total UK sugar confectionery market (1). This trend has been reflected in the increased interest in the use of functional ingredients in gum, jellies and pastilles.