Your addiction to that 3 pm chocolate bar may not be just a way to alleviate boredom - it could also give your brain a much-needed boost. Evidence is increasingly suggesting that chocolate flavanols improve cognitive function. [ + ]

In Australia, beer sales are dropping while cider sales are skyrocketing. This trend has been reflected in the UK - but things are changing. Beer sales in the UK are predicted to rise for the first time in five years, while sales of cider have begun to drop, according to Mintel. [ + ]

Think a Thermomix is impressive? How about kitchen appliances that shop for meals, monitor dietary needs and even 3D-print food on demand? If such changes are in store for consumers' kitchens, what will the food processing industry look like in 2050? [ + ]

Bisphenol S (BPS), which is often used to replace bisphenol A (BPA) in consumer plastics, may in fact be more harmful than BPA itself, new research suggests. [ + ]

Consumer tendency to eat on the go, plus a growing demand for individual treats, has seen a global increase in handheld ice-cream sales. Single-serve product launches have increased significantly, with a 22% rise recorded over the five years to October 2014. [ + ]

The cake and pastry manufacturing industry in Australia has been facing some serious challenges over the past five years including rising input prices and intensifying external competitive pressures. [ + ]

According to a recent Rabobank report, China's demand for foreign animal protein products shows great growth potential. However, the path to success for western animal protein companies in China remains complex and challenging. [ + ]

Who's eating all the pies? Not as many American consumers as you'd expect, apparently. Purchases of ready-to-eat grain-based desserts (RTE GBDs) such as cakes, cookies, pies, doughnuts and pastries fell by 24% in the US between 2005 and 2012. [ + ]

How much water is in your food? Not the actual liquid content, but how much water does it take to produce the sandwich you had for lunch? A UN Water study suggests that each person 'consumes' between 2000 and 5000 litres of water through their food each day. [ + ]

Increasing consumer demand for transparency has led to a growing number of food traceability certification schemes and analytical tools, according to Organic Monitor. [ + ]

After relying on rice and wheat for millennia, China could soon turn to a new staple: potatoes. The country's Ministry of Agriculture announced that by 2020, 50% of the country's production of potatoes will be consumed as a staple food. [ + ]

Universal Robots (UR) has announced plans to open its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore. This will be the sixth global office for the company. [ + ]

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has just received another blow to its already tarnished reputation: researchers have found that it is more toxic to mice than table sugar. [ + ]

A Tasmanian organic certifier is merging with the country's largest organic certification body. Tasmanian Organic-dynamic Producers (TOP) has announced that it will merge with Australian Certified Organic (ACO). [ + ]

Owens-Illinois (O-I) has announced several leadership changes, naming Andres Lopez president of glass containers and chief operating officer, and announcing the resignation of Erik Bouts, president of O-I Europe. [ + ]