Food news from Europe

• Seaweed granules may be used to replaced salt. It has similar nutritional content but less sodium (3.5% compare to 40% in salt), and can inhibit microbial growth just as salt.
• 'Portion size' may not be a good way to control food intake of people as consumers understanding of portion size is the amount of food to be eaten in order to benefit optimum level of nutrition rather than as index to estimate personal food intake. So, portion size is not associated with the 'appropriate amount to eat' in the minds of consumers.
• Self-assembled emulsion droplets encapsulated in carrageenan-based gels may one day be able to deliver flavours and nutrients in food, says preliminary research from Nestle.
• UK consumers are buying less salt in foods.