The use of cocoa powder with a high concentration of bioavailable polyphenols could enable confectionery manufacturers to make greater health claims for their products.

The consumer trend towards healthy eating continues unabated. It is even making an impact on consumers choice of chocolate products, as demonstrated in this month's fats and oils feature, which reports on the introduction of new cocoa butter equivalents, lower saturated fat options, and a reduction of trans fats.

Today's consumers are calling for more natural ingredients - even in confectionery. Suzanne Callander finds out about some of latest offerings which can help meet these demands in the second part of our feature.

Natural fruit flavours for confectionery

Natural products are increasingly in demand, and flavours derived from fruits and plants are now especially popular. This growing trend for more natural products also has an impact on the confectionery industry. WILD can offer a wide variety of natural fruit flavours - from the traditional to the innovative.

Suzanne Callander investigates some of the ingredients now available to help confectionery manufacturers meet the demand for more healthy offerings.

There is no getting away from consumer demands for more healthy snacks. Fruit snacks and nuts are predicted to be the most dynamic subsectors of the snacking market by 2010, with health trends playing a crucial role in lifting sales.