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
R&D
Could functional foods replace the need for GLP-1s?
As GLP-1 drugs disrupt the weight loss market, food and beverage players are racing to unlock the appetite-regulating power of functional ingredients
Sweeteners in focus
Sugar is no longer ‘benchmark’ for sweetness as consumer preferences shift to blends
Research by Ingredion suggests a paradigm shift toward plant-based and blended sweeteners over sugar, but consumer confusion about what is ‘natural’ and safe could hinder innovation and sugar reduction efforts
Mondelēz-backed Celleste Bio debuts cell-cultured chocolate-grade cocoa butter
The new ingredient is positioned as an ‘insurance policy’ against cocoa supply chain volatility and says the bio-identical ingredient could stabilize supply as climate change strains traditional crops
Groceryshop 2025
Shoppers hit a breaking point: How will price and value play out in 2026?
NielsenIQ’s latest outlook warns consumers are hitting their spending limits and are desperate for relief – opening the door for promotions, private-label and health-claims to drive sales
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
Gen X steps into spending power: Why marketers cannot overlook the middle generation anymore
After decades of being overshadowed by Boomers and Millennials, Generation X is poised to become the dominant global consumer group and are projected to spend $15.2 trillion 2025 and $23 trillion worldwide in 2035, according to new research from...
Diet emerges as a key driver for healthy aging – revealing challenges and opportunities for food and beverage brands
A US News & World Report survey shows nearly half of health professionals rank diet over exercise and sleep as a contributor to aging well, signaling a chance for food and beverage brands to showcase nutrient-dense and clean-label products
Purged NIH scientist: America sees historic reduction in biomedical research support
Kevin Hall, a former senior investigator at NIH, says MAHA children’s report fails to address ultra-processed food threat
Rise of the bioactivist: Health-conscious consumers create new growth pathways for food and beverage brands
Nearly half of all US adults fall under the category, according to Brightseed survey
NIH launches landmark study testing if mothers’ diet can prevent food allergies in babies
The ESCAPE trial will examine whether eating or avoiding peanuts and eggs during pregnancy and breastfeeding can shape infants’ immune responses before their first taste
Stealth marketing, real impact: How are food endorsements on YouTube influencing children?
Three-quarters of young children see branded food content on YouTube – and most of it flies under the regulatory radar
Back-to-school lunch trends: Balancing nutrition and budgets
With grocery prices up 23% from five years ago, many caregivers are wondering what to feed their kids for lunch - and how to pay for it - as they return to school
FBIF 2025
Meiji: Protein intake trumps exercise to build muscle gains
Meiji has urged consumers to focus on protein consumption over exercise for muscle growth and maintenance, across all groups from seniors to athletes
A turning point for ultra-processed foods?
A CDC report reveals a dip in calories consumed from ultra-processed foods, but highlights five categories that are sticking points for most Americans and which could represent white space for clean-label innovation
Why Gen Z might save UPFs from their doom spiral
In an age of chips with gut health claims, AI-designed snacks and soft drinks with electrolytes, the most radical thing we could do is stop hiding the fact that food is processed and start celebrating it
Gene-edited wheat delivers a dough performance upgrade
A surprise win for bakers: by deleting the most toxic gluten peptides, researchers have made wheat safer for the gluten-sensitive – and stronger for high-performance dough
5 game-changing retail trends brands and retailers can’t ignore
Retailers must embrace omnichannel strategies to thrive in an evolving landscape
Linoleic acid unlikely seed oil ‘bad guy’: Study
Omega-6 linoleic acid is more likely to be anti-inflammatory, and efforts to limit its consumption are not warranted, says a new study published in Nutrients.
Future Food-Tech Chicago
Coffee crisis: What will it take to close the looming ‘massive’ supply-demand imbalance?
Demand for coffee is rising, but current production is threatened by climate change and geopolitical tensions in regions where the crops are concentrated – creating an opportunity for new methods for creating coffee and alternatives
Clean label plant meat innovator lands $11m to boost production
With a fresh injection of funding, a next-gen meat alternative business is preparing to take a bigger bite out of the protein market
Future Food-Tech Chicago
Whipping up innovation: How 3 companies co-created a first-of-its-kind product in 3 weeks
An unlikely trio - Savor, Alamance and Thimus - used applied neuroscience, novel fats and agile frameworks to create a sustainable whipped topping and an innovation model other companies can use to fast-track product development
US Food Waste Pact debuts new frontline employee toolkit
A new food waste reduction toolkit from the US Food Waste Pact shows frontline workers how small improvements in their daily work can have an outsized impact
‘Plastic is last century’s material!’ Could the beverage industry leave plastic bottles behind forever?
Plastic bottles remain a staple across the beverage industry. Will it ever be possible to completely transition away from this format; and what alternative formats would take its place?
Future Food-Tech San Francisco
Sweet protein producer Oobli ramps up B2B strategy with partnerships
The company aims to normalize sweet proteins in sweetener and nutrition systems
Artificial sweetener can kill pathogenic bugs in a win against antibiotic resistance
A sweetener used in dairy, beverages and candies may be a game-changing solution to the global antimicrobial resistance crisis
Future Food Tech San Francisco
NotCo opens access to its game-changing AI technology to speed product innovation
Innovating packaged foods and beverages traditionally takes two to three years from concept to shelf, but companies are under pressure to launch products more quickly and with lower costs, a challenge NotCo says its AI technology can solve
Rethinking bioreactors: Ever After Foods and Bühler aim to lower cultivated meat costs
Redesigning bioreactors for food production could solve scaling and cost challenges in cultivated meat
Future Food-Tech San Francisco
Into the weeds: Marine Biologics’ data unlocks seaweed’s potential
Marine Biologics transforms seaweed with AI for functional, consistent food ingredients
Natural Products Expo West
Mondelez SnackFutures’ investments reveal playbook to tackle snack industry’s biggest challenges
Snacking may be here to stay, but what consumers want - and how companies source it - are evolving quickly, prompting Mondelez to narrow the aperture of its investment strategy
The Global Food Tech Awards 2025
Global Food Tech Awards 2025: Innovation shines in Americas heat as finalists announced
A novel bubble-based precision fermentation technology has scooped the top prize in the Americas heat of the inaugural Global Food Tech Awards
From tuber to egg replacements: The rising potential of potatoes
Protein-packed potatoes drive Polopo’s expansion for natural functional foods
Alternative proteins 3.0: Balancing health and taste
UPSIDE & Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors team to serve cultivated meat
UPSIDE’s partnership with Pat LaFrieda leverages the restaurant scene for consumer adoption of cultivated meat
Consumer panels are dead: Why it’s time to rethink product development
Foodpairing’s bold approach to product innovation is challenging long-held industry practices that no longer meet the demands of today’s fast-paced market. So, how can you ensure your products resonate with consumers while avoiding costly missteps?
Keto discovery set to boost sales
Latest discovery on Ketogenic diet could fuel major growth for the diet trend, which already boasts a huge market value.
Natural Sweetener Alliance aims to ‘democratize’ sweeteners
The partnership between Tate & Lyle and Manus addresses a secure and sustainable supply of Reb M
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
Persistent inflation will shape where and what groceries consumers buy in 2025
Consumer frustration and fear about their finances likely will continue to color their shopping behavior in the new year after the latest Consumer Price Index data released last week revealed prices – including for groceries – picked back up in November...
Quarter of Americans don’t know how much protein they need
Market research by dairy company Chobani spotlights dietary misconceptions around protein intake
Nuritas gets positive FDA safety opinion for PeptiStrong
AI peptide ingredient pioneer Nuritas has received an FDA Letter of No Objection for the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status of its muscle health ingredient, PeptiStrong.
New products: From limited-time holiday offerings & everything mint-chocolate to garlic & gluten-free
New product launches this holiday season are all about limited time offerings, including a barrage of peppermint-chocolate flavor extensions, and a smattering of inclusive allergen-friendly and better-for-you options.
Does new study pave the way for cocoa’s future as a functional food?
Researchers have found that cocoa flavanols can counteract the adverse effects of high-fat meals and stress
AI could improve dairy safety and QC, study finds
Machine learning can be used to detect anomalies in dairy samples by analyzing the milk microbiome, paving the way for improvements in safety and QC, according to a study.
Innovation watch: Natural clean energy drinks
Health conscious consumers don’t want sugar-laden, taurine energy drinks: but they still want a burst of energy to keep them powering through their day. How are brands providing that better-for-you buzz?
Cultivated freshwater eel tech opens new opportunities in Japanese market
A cultivated seafood tech business has developed a system of cell cultivation to allow for commercial freshwater eel farming.
Packaging with starch: Thai firm offers tapioca-based thermoplastic material as sustainable option for food industry
Thai Wah is aiming to use its tapioca-based thermoplastic starch (TPS) for its consumer food packaging to create a closed-loop solution starting with cassava cultivation and ending with eco-friendly waste that enriches the soil.
UMAMI Bioworks’ Arbiter technology improves food safety with rapid, cost-effective pathogen testing
Biotechnology company UMAMI Bioworks’ Arbiter technology provides food safety and quality validation, that can be integrated into existing testing labs or made accessible to customers directly.
Dairy innovation and trends
Letter from the editor: Innovations, trends & startups reshaping the dairy category
The dairy case is no longer a limited selection of fat-free, low-fat or whole milk in generic white bottles or a bare-bones choice between just “orange” or “white” cheese – rather an explosion of innovation in recent years has dramatically multiplied...
11 startups disrupting dairy across categories from the farm to store shelf
Dairy’s nutrient density and decadent eating experience create a powerful canvas for startups innovating across categories to offer better-for-you moments of permissible indulgence while simultaneously supporting the health of consumers, the planet and...
Personalised diet breakthrough signals future of industry
New gut health research could be beneficial to personalised nutrition brands fighting for consumer interest.
Algae, fungi and insects as alternative protein sources: Review
Proteins from algae, fungi and edible insects are as high-quality as animal proteins and demonstrate significant potential as a sustainable source of bioactive peptides, according to a new study.
Olfactive Biosolutions harnesses food ingredients for weight loss
Olfactive Biosolutions' Protenx Weight Loss is a patented (US 12,102,664 B2) line of natural food ingredients and additives that target weight loss and blood sugar reduction that could help brands meet the growing demand for functional foods in the GLP-1...