Better-for-you claims in the crosshairs: Advertising watchdog scrutinizes health claims
National Advertising Division cases shine light on marketing missteps, making the case for food and beverage brands to rethink health-focused advertising
Regulation
AI goes mainstream in food and beverage in 2025
This year’s wave of tools – from trend‑spotting engines to autonomous R&D agents – turned AI into everyday infrastructure for food and beverage
5 ways 2025 upended the food industry
As Washington and the states raced to redefine food safety and trade, companies braced for higher tariffs, stricter ingredient rules and shifting consumer expectations
USDA policy update: “Product of USA” labeling rules, SNAP waiver expansions and nutrition-focused purchases
Recent policy moves reflect USDA’s broader direction toward nutrition-focused food assistance, domestic sourcing transparency and support of American agriculture
Whole and 2% milk returning to school cafeterias after 12-year ban
Congress passes the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act with bipartisan support, rolling back Obama-era nutrition standards despite objections from health groups
FDA targets recall breakdowns after ByHeart infant formula outbreak
FDA aims to strengthen enforcement around infant formula recalls as it moves to strengthen oversight following a botulism outbreak linked to ByHeart
2026 Trendspotting
Packaging trends to watch in 2026: Data, transparency and compliance will redefine innovation
2026 promises to be a pivotal moment for packaging for food and beverage CPG as innovation shifts from flashy materials to more precision, credibility and data-based decision-making
Can AI solve the cocoa crisis? Barry Callebaut is betting on it
Barry Callebaut partners with NotCo AI and Planet A Foods to tackle soaring cocoa prices and regulatory hurdles, leveraging digital formulation tools to future‑proof chocolate
Federal hemp regulation could open up beverage innovation opportunities
The Cannabinoid Safety and Regulation Act (CSRA) would regulate – rather than ban – hemp derived beverages
News Bites: Policy shifts, gene editing and 2026 shopper trend
Trump’s food price probe, research on what really drives acceptance of gene-edited foods and KeHE’s latest read on authenticity, function and global flavor exploration reshape the industry as the year winds down
IFT taps AI ‘co-scientist’ to advance food and beverage R&D
CoDeveloper platform mines 85 years of research to help food scientists formulate and reverse-engineer products
Texas’ ingredient label law sparks a major food fight
A sweeping Texas bill that reshapes ingredient labels has triggered one of the biggest courtroom clashes yet between lawmakers and the food industry
Trump orders sweeping probe into food price-fixing as grocery costs threaten GOP
Facing voter frustration and political risk, the White House directs DOJ and FTC to investigate potential price-fixing across the food chain as Republicans brace for midterm pressure
Coalitions urge Congress to accelerate US aquaculture as retailers lean into responsible seafood
The MARA Act aims to create a more straightforward path for expanding US offshore aquaculture in a way that’s economically viable, environmentally responsible, and responsive to retailers, foodservice operators and seafood brands looking for consistent...
San Francisco sues Kellogg, General Mills, PepsiCo, Mondelez and more over ‘engineered’ foods
City officials say some of America’s biggest brands helped shape eating habits that are now coming back to haunt public health budgets
EU bioeconomy strategy: What it means for food
The wide ranging strategy touches on both packaging and novel foods
Nestlé retains right to label Perrier ‘natural’ amid filtration scandal
A French court has rejected a case against Perrier’s owner Nestlé, who will now reclaim legal fees
Opinion
The snackdown: The Lancet just declared war on UPFs
The Lancet’s new UPF Series doesn’t politely enter the UPF debate – it kicks the door open and bakery and snacks are suddenly standing in the blast zone
Trump removes coffee, beef, cocoa from tariff list
Consumer Brands Association urges further tariff rollbacks on products like palm oil and tin mill steel
Infant formula recall exposes gaps in food safety oversight
The botulism-linked recall of ByHeart powdered infant formula is sparking urgent debate over whether US food safety systems can respond quickly enough
7,000-plus truckers blocked by English requirement add to supply chain stress
Executive order places non-English speaking commercial drivers out of service
Supreme Court to decide fate of Trump tariffs – and rising cost of coffee, beef
MAGA mutiny in the US Senate aims to block tariffs on Brazil in effort to lower food costs
Private sector steps in as USDA funds partial SNAP benefits
With federal resources stretched thin, private and retail sector efforts grow critical to sustaining access and demand across SNAP shoppers
SNAP funding shortfall puts pressure on food system as Instacart, retailers step in
With Congress gridlocked over SNAP funding, the food industry – from Instacart to grocery chains – is stepping in to keep families fed and stabilize supply chains
Government shutdown threatens CPG brands tied to SNAP and WIC
As the shutdown nears its fourth week, the SNAP and WIC funding crisis is rippling through retail supply chains, jeopardizing access to food and CPG category stability
News Bites
From vegan collagen to smart sweeteners: FDA and CPG shifts shape food innovation
FDA accelerates precision fermentation, General Mills refocuses on overlooked consumers and innovators redefine the role of sugar
Ultra-processed food regulation could backfire if paired with public health cuts, experts warn
Reduced funding for nutrition and obesity prevention programs and unintentional consequences of policymakers defining UPFs based just on the NOVA system could erase hard-won health gains and hinder food security
Cargill, ADM tap growth in natural, low-calorie sweeteners
As sugar reduction merges with functionality, global ingredient leaders are betting on advanced stevia solutions to hit the sweet spot
Retailers ‘scramble’ to comply with no-sweets SNAP laws
The payment system restructure could cost the industry $1.6 billion
Yuka brings aspartame fight to the US
Report calls for ban on ingredient found in thousands of common food and beverage products
What happens when nutrition science collides with politics? Kevin Hall found out
New book explores what the science really says about metabolism myths, UPFs and misinformation
FDA ‘no questions’ letter for Verley’s whey proteins unlocks new functionality for high-protein foods
The French startup’s FermWhey Native and FermWhey MicroStab expands formulation options for RTD beverages, shots and plant-based hybrids to better meet demands for consumers using GLP-1s and seeking support for active lifestyles and healthy aging
California’s ultra-processed food ban could reshape school meals and national policy
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a landmark bill yesterday requiring the state to define UPF and eliminate the ‘most harmful’ ones from school meals over the next 10 years – a decisive action in sharp contrast to national efforts and political MAHA rhetoric
‘No Coffee Tax Act’ offers potential reprieve for US roasters
Coffee stakeholders say the No Coffee Tax Act could ease rising costs, stabilize supply chains and protect consumers from price spikes
Oobli builds out sweet protein platform with third FDA ‘no questions’ letter
FDA acknowledges brazzein-54, advancing Oobli’s nature-identical sweet protein toolkit to reduce sugar
From awareness to action: Food waste at Climate Week NYC
From consumer habits to technological innovation, industry and advocacy leaders shared actionable solutions to turn awareness into measurable reductions in food waste
Healthy snacking trends
Better-for-you, built in: How Whole Foods stays ahead of healthy eating trends
The retailer’s chief merchandising and marketing officer Sonya Gafsi Oblisk explains how evolving quality standards, trendspotting and value-conscious innovation are shaping healthier snacking and shopping
Opinion
The snackdown: Trump calls ESG a scam – why snack giants call it survival
ESG’s under political fire in Washington, but the snack giants keep flexing. From Oreos to Doritos, their reports show that in today’s food industry, trust’s as valuable as profit.
News Bites
Regulatory shifts dominate food policy news this week
For food and beverage companies, staying ahead of these shifts will be critical as the rules of the game continue to evolve
USDA’s SNAP stocking overhaul is a ‘mixed bag’ for retailers and shoppers
While USDA says the update would double food choices and close loopholes, advocates warn it won’t meaningfully expand healthy options and could strain small, independent retailers
FDA greenlights Onego Bio’s bio-identical egg white protein that could ease supply constraints and volatile prices
Onego Bio says its animal-free, precision-fermented Bioalbumen is functionally identical to the protein found in chicken egg whites, and is gearing up for large-scale production following FDA’s ‘no questions’ GRAS letter
Trump administration lifts hurdles for immigrant farmworkers as harvest season peaks
Streamlined H-2A renewals promise to ease labor bottlenecks, though agriculture leaders say broader workforce reforms remain critical
FDA advances work on ultra-processed foods, allergens and food dyes
Comment period extended for federal definition of ultra-processed foods
GRAS under the microscope: FDA eyes reform as consumer trust wavers
CPG brands could face greater regulatory oversight, higher expectations for transparency and new risks if ingredient safety communication falls short
UPF litigation: What brands need to know now
Early preparation, thorough documentation and proactive governance remain the best defense in a landscape where litigation and regulation related to ultra-processed food are still evolving
California’s UPF school ban heads to Gov. Newsom’s desk, sparks divided reactions
The legislation received bipartisan support to ban ultra-processed foods in California public schools and is on its way to Gov. Gavin Newsom, while industry stakeholders express mixed support on economy, school infrastructure and nutrition
Three states propose laws targeting GRAS, while more than 100 more bills aim to block controversial additives
Surge in legislative proposals ‘comes in the background of misinformation’, according to one expert
FDA’s ‘Stork Speed’ initiative draws both praise and skepticism from formula stakeholders
Can FDA move at ‘Stork Speed?’ Industry voices support – and doubt
MAHA child health report calls for reforms, lacks specifics
RFK unveils sweeping plan targeting ultra-processed foods and pesticides, while critics call the proposal toothless
Stakeholders agree that nutrition belongs in medicine - the debate is how
While the link between diet and health outcomes is indisputable, the question of how nutrition knowledge should be integrated into medical training remains contested