Emulsifiers, stabilizers, hydrocolloids

FDA grants temporary labeling flexibility for non-allergen minor ingredients

22-May-2020 By Elaine Watson

With many food manufacturers experiencing difficulties in sourcing some ingredients during the pandemic, the FDA is allowing temporary flexibility in food labeling requirements enabling them to make minor formulation changes without updating labels, provided...

Tofurky’s expansion in non-dairy with Moocho shreds, spreads seeks to balance function & taste

07-Apr-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

After helping to trailblaze the now wildly popular plant-based meat category, the creators of Tofurky are hoping to work their magic again in the dairy-free cheese segment with the launch of new shreds and spreads under its sister-brand Moocho.

IFT 2020 annual meeting & expo to transition to virtual event

31-Mar-2020 By Elaine Watson

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) 2020 annual meeting & expo - scheduled to take place in Chicago July 12-15 - will transition to a virtual event, the organizers confirmed Monday, citing the need to "prioritize the health and safety of...

Beyond Meat rolls out frozen breakfast sausage patties, addresses pricing in plant-based meat sector

11-Mar-2020 By Elaine Watson

The latest innovation from Beyond Meat – the Beyond Breakfast Sausage - will hit the frozen breakfast meat section at ACME, Albertsons, Key Foods, Kings, Pavilions, Raley’s, ShopRite, Vons, Wegmans and Whole Foods later this month.

JBS enters plant-based meat arena via Planterra Foods with OZO brand

03-Mar-2020 By Elaine Watson

Meat giant JBS is making a big push into the plant-based meat arena via a new subsidiary – Boulder, CO-based Planterra Foods – which will make its debut in grocery stores across the US in mid-April with refrigerated burgers, grounds, and meatballs under...

WATCH: Nuttin Ordinary seeks new investment to take plant-based cheese brand nationwide

14-Feb-2020 By Elaine Watson

Made with five ingredients: cashews, water, Himalayan pink salt, nutritional yeast, and cultures, Nuttin Ordinary is seeking to stand out in the burgeoning plant-based cheese category with a short, clean ingredients list and a product that doesn’t try...

Are all hemp extracts the same? Ojai Energetics talks bioavailability as it teams up with LIFEAID on CBD beverage launch

13-Feb-2020 By Elaine Watson

After an explosive start in late 2019 (it sold 200,000 cans in 36 hours on Black Friday via its website) LIFEAID has secured listings in 350 Vitamin Shoppe stores (in CBD-friendly states), Lucky’s Market in Colorado, and New Seasons for its new CBD-infused...

Noblegen unveils vegan whole egg replacement featuring protein from ‘ancient micro-organism’ Euglena gracilis

05-Feb-2020 By Elaine Watson

Canadian startup Noblegen has unveiled ‘the egg’ - its first consumer product under the eunite brand showcasing the ‘ancient microorganism’ euglena gracilis, which it claims can produce proteins with exciting functional and nutritional characteristics......

Setback for acacia gum as FDA not yet persuaded it meets dietary fiber definition

05-Feb-2020 By Elaine Watson

Purveyors of acacia gum suffered a setback last week as the FDA concluded that they had not (yet) presented sufficient evidence to prove that the ingredient should be classified as a dietary fiber on food labels.

Citrus fiber can help plant-based dairy and meat brands clean up labels, says Fiberstar

27-Jan-2020 By Elaine Watson

Growing demand for dairy and meat alternatives with shorter, cleaner ingredients lists is driving demand for citrus fibers, which can replace everything from carrageenan, gellan gum, mono diglycerides, and lecithin in plant-based milks, to methyl cellulose...

Harmless Harvest moves into plant-based yogurt: 'We’re making it pretty differently than just about anyone else'

17-Jan-2020 By Elaine Watson

Harmless Harvest – which has carved a distinct niche in the coconut water category via its use of micro-filtration (instead of thermal pasteurization) – is promising to bring the same commitment to novel processing methods, organic ingredients, and clean...

Cargill and Renmatix explore expansion of a new set of clean-label, functional food ingredients

12-Dec-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Cargill has entered a joint development agreement with Renmatix to explore new applications and commercial opportunities to scale a proprietary, water-based process which converts unused plant materials into functional food ingredients with the clean...

Protein-based systems and clean label driving demand for gellan gum: CP Kelco

17-Sep-2019 By Stephen Daniells

Discovered in a Pennsylvanian lily pond in 1978, gellan gum has grown into a 5,000 MT global market, with its clean label profile and the rise of plant-based, alternative proteins helping to drive future growth.

NEWS IN BRIEF

CP Kelco expands its gellan gum production capabilities in the US

22-Aug-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

CP Kelco is expanding its gellan gum production capabilities in the US in response to rising demand for clean label, multi-functional ingredients.

Scientists create butter-like spread with 80% water

21-Aug-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Cornell University food scientists have created a low-calorie butter-like spread that consists of 80% water and minuscule drops of vegetable oil and milk fat, mimicking the look and texture of dairy butter without the use of artificial stabilizers.

60-second interview: NSF International updates Non-GMO certification program

05-Aug-2019 By Elaine Watson

NSF International has just updated its Non-GMO certification scheme and logo. FoodNavigator-USA (FNU) caught up with Sarah Krol (SK), global managing director of food safety product certification to find out what this means... and whether firms are ready...

Everything to play for in plant-based yogurt, says Yooga: 'No one has really cracked the code yet'

24-Jun-2019 By Elaine Watson

Yooga – a plant-based yogurt brand made with coconut cream and finely milled chia seeds – is rolling out into multiple accounts in Southern California this month before launching in new chilled innovation sets at 156 Walmart stores in July after a successful...

Kemin expands portfolio of clean label ingredients that balance shelf life and price point

10-Jun-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

‘Clean label’ is a must-have for many shoppers, but it comes at a higher price point that isn’t always easy for manufacturers to re-coup, which is one reason why global ingredient manufacturer Kemin Industries is expanding its range of label-friendly...

FOOD FOR KIDS: Ice-cream startup Peekaboo building a 'hidden veggie empire', says founder

06-Jun-2019 By Kacey Culliney

Miami-based startup Peekaboo is developing a range of vegan ice-cream variants to join its line of organic-certified, hidden veggie products targeting kids and adults looking for guilt-free indulgence.

Trendspotting at IFT 2019 part 1: From novel fat- and egg-replacers to CBD and plant-based innovation

06-Jun-2019 By Elaine Watson

Plant-based meat, dairy and egg alternatives got top billing at the IFT annual meeting and expo in New Orleans this year, while hemp-derived CBD also made its debut, regulatory uncertainty notwithstanding... Check out part 1 of our gallery of highlights...

The Ingredient House and Renmatix primed to scale maple fiber egg replacement

05-Jun-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The Ingredient House (TIH) and Renmatix are scaling up the production of a plant-based egg replacement ingredient made from maple fiber and water using a patented water-based extraction process.

Spero Foods seeks capital to ramp up manufacturing for plant-based eggs, cheese

17-May-2019 By Elaine Watson

Plant-based meat, eggs and dairy products that precisely replicate their animal-based counterparts might be more sustainable, but they’re not always more nutritious, and often come with a lengthy ingredients list and a high degree of ‘processing,’ says...

NEWS IN BRIEF

Corbion introduces clean-label, less-sticky tortilla solution

10-May-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Corbion has launched a clean-label conditioning product that can improve the freshness and quality of tortilla products, a category that continues to grow with consumer demand.

InnovoPro proffers chickpea as a protein that can overcome hurdles other plant-based options can’t

29-Apr-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

While the plant-based protein category is booming, none of the top-selling ingredients dominating the space offer a perfect solution in terms of function, nutrition, sustainability and consumer-experience – a gap in the market that the CEO of Israeli...

Soylent unveils new Soylent Squared 100-cal mini-meal bar, plans savory product launch in the fall

18-Apr-2019 By Elaine Watson

Almost three years after launching - and then rapidly withdrawing - its Food Bar from the market, Soylent has unveiled Soylent Squared, a 100-calorie ‘mini meal bar’ featuring 5g of soy protein, 36 essential nutrients and probiotics.

Natural and clean label trends 2019: Have you registered yet?

11-Mar-2019 By Elaine Watson

We clocked a number of brands using terms from 'clean candy' to 'clean protein' on the showfloor at Expo West, but what does 'clean eating' mean, is 'clean' a term that brands should use on product labels, and where...

Sprouts, Whole Foods, to rollout plant-based JUST Egg nationwide

06-Mar-2019 By Elaine Watson

JUST Egg - a plant-based scrambled egg alternative from Just Inc made with mung bean protein – is rolling out nationwide at Sprouts this month and Whole Foods Market next month, says CEO Josh Tetrick, who claims the product is “largely incremental to...

How to define clean label? 'There isn’t any one singular definition,' says Hartman Group

28-Feb-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The moving target of what qualifies as 'clean label' among consumers can throw food marketers for a dizzying loop, however there are a few general constants food brands and manufacturers can follow to appeal to consumers' clean label ideal....

Good Karma launches plant-based sour cream and dips, defends ‘plant milk’ labels: ‘This whole nutritional equivalency argument doesn’t even hold up within the dairy industry'

21-Feb-2019 By Elaine Watson

Good Karma – best known for its flaxmilk-based milks and yogurts – is moving into new territory with the launch of plant-based sour cream, ranch dips, and French onion dips, categories currently underserved when it comes to dairy-free options, says CEO...

48% of consumers buy plant-based and dairy milks, reveals IPSOS survey

24-Jan-2019 By Elaine Watson

Almost half (48%) of Americans have purchased both dairy- and plant-based milks over the past six months, according to an IPSOS survey of 2,006 adults commissioned by Dairy Management Inc.

PBFA members to FDA: Banning use of dairy terms on plant-based foods is a ‘solution in search of a problem’

03-Jan-2019 By Elaine Watson

Enacting new labeling rules for plant-based ‘milks’ “would create unnecessary, confusing, and costly label changes that likely violate the First Amendment and would be struck down in court,” members of the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) have told...

Final GMO labeling rule does not require labeling of highly refined ingredients from GM crops, if no modified genetic material is detectable

20-Dec-2018 By Elaine Watson

In its final GMO labeling rule - released this morning - the USDA says it will not mandate the labeling of highly refined ingredients from GM crops if no ‘modified genetic material’ is detectable, but it will allow manufacturers to make voluntary disclosures...

Retail sales of French-style yogurt Oui have topped $100m, says General Mills

31-Oct-2018 By Elaine Watson

US retail sales of yogurt have tailed off in the past two years as Greek has lost its luster. But this is just a temporary blip, predicts the president of General Mills’ US yogurt business, who is confident the overall category will return to growth.

Geltor raises $18.2m, gears up for 2020 launch of animal-free collagen proteins for the food industry

25-Oct-2018 By Elaine Watson

Geltor – a San Leandro-based start-up producing collagen proteins via microbial fermentation for the cosmetics industry – is gearing up for the 2020 launch of commercial quantities for the food industry after completing an $18.2m Series A round led by...

American Academy of Pediatrics’ advice to parents to avoid specific ingredients could impact CPG sales

22-Aug-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

The American Academy of Pediatrics is calling on FDA to undertake “urgently needed reforms” to the current regulatory review process for food additives to limit the risk of adverse health effects that correlate with the use of some colorings, flavorings...

Impossible Foods: 'Our goal is to beat burgers made from cows decisively in blind taste tests by the end of 2018'

08-Aug-2018 By Elaine Watson

Impossible Foods is gearing up to start a second shift at its Oakland production facility that will double production of its plant-based Impossible Burger by the year-end, and is planning a second factory at an undisclosed location as it seeks to “not...

'Common sense clean label?' In conversation with Otis Spunkmeyer

07-Aug-2018 By Elaine Watson

To the casual observer, ‘cleaning up’ food labels sounds like an eminently sensible thing to do. After all, who wants to ingest anything ‘dirty?’ But what, precisely, are these grubby imposters apparently lurking in our foods and beverages?

IFT 2018: Beneo talks clean label starch and FDA dietary fiber clearance

26-Jul-2018 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Starch can be found in nearly every corner of the CPG industry from shelf-stable pasta sauces and salad dressings to canned soups and jarred baby food because of its thickening and stabilizing properties. However, clean label options that deliver the...

JUST takes its plant-based scrambled egg alternative Just Egg to Europe

20-Jul-2018 By Elaine Watson

JUST (formerly Hampton Creek) has struck a deal with Italian egg producer and distributor Eurovo Group to bring its plant-based scrambled egg alternative Just Egg to consumers across Europe, and says it is also in talks with CPG companies interested in...

IFT’s Start-Up Alley offers solutions to today’s problems & tomorrow’s challenges

10-Jul-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

At IFT in Chicago next week, “future-forward entrepreneurs” participating in the NEXT Start-Up Alley will showcase new solutions to some of today’s biggest problems, including food safety and sugar-reduction, as well as emerging challenges of the future,...

If shoppers don’t trust bioengineered labels, GMO labeling will be a huge waste of time and money, say CPG brands

06-Jul-2018 By Elaine Watson

Public comments on USDA’s GMO labeling rule have exposed sharp divisions about whether it should include refined ingredients from GM crops, or foods produced via modern gene-editing techniques such as CRISPR. But they have also raised questions about...

Algama is using microalgae to disrupt how food is made – starting with mayo

05-Jul-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Sustainably produced and packed with protein and vitamins, microalgae holds significant promise to help feed the growing population without exhausting the Earth’s limited resources, but its strong flavor has stopped many manufacturers from using it –...

Excluding refined ingredients from GMO labeling rule would confuse consumers and erode trust in brands, warns the GMA

03-Jul-2018 By Elaine Watson

Consumers will lose trust in the food industry if USDA does not mandate that refined ingredients such as oils and sugars derived from bioengineered crops are subject to GMO labeling, says the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA).

Hershey, Unilever: GMO labeling should apply to highly refined oils, sweeteners

30-Jun-2018 By Elaine Watson

If consumers are to believe that the food industry is serious about transparency, highly refined ingredients derived from GM crops must be included in the definition of 'bioengineered' enshrined in federal GMO labeling legislation, even if they...

RXBAR sued over minimalist labels, ingredients declaration; but case is a stretch, say legal experts

25-Jun-2018 By Elaine Watson

‘We tell you what’s on the inside on the outside’ protein bar brand RXBAR has been hit with a proposed class action lawsuit* by the same law firms challenging the minimalist ingredients declarations of fellow bar brand That’s It.**

NEWS IN BRIEF

DuPont Nutrition & Health divests alginates business to JRS group

25-May-2018 By Adi Menayang

Global ingredients maker DuPont Nutrition & Health is divesting its alginates business to Germany-headquartered JRS Group, a specialist in functional additives and plant-based raw materials.

Flavorchem on clean label: 'People's definitions are all over the place'

17-May-2018 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Clean label seems to be as commonplace of a term as the contentious ‘natural’ moniker with many food and beverages retooling their ingredient formulations to conform to this vague industry expectation. According to Flavorchem, one thing is very clear,...

NEWS IN BRIEF

Kemin introduces plant-based alternative to EDTA for shelf life extension

16-May-2018 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Kemin has developed a “consumer-friendly” plant-based shelf life extension solution, NaturFORT RSGT, for ambient products such as salad dressings and sauces, using a blend of rosemary, spearmint, and green tea extracts.

‘There should be no ambiguity and no exemptions…’

First wave of stakeholders weighs in on ‘bioengineered’ labels: 'Exemptions make the useless rule even more useless...”

15-May-2018 By Elaine Watson

If the first wave of comments to its proposed rule on GMO labeling is anything to go by, USDA’s agricultural marketing service faces a daunting task as it seeks to nail down its national bioengineered food disclosure standard, with early feedback revealing...

USDA proposed rule on GMO labeling raises more questions than answers

03-May-2018 By Elaine Watson

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published a long-awaited proposed rule to establish GMO labeling standards (the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard), but still leaves most of the key questions – including how to interpret its...