News & Analysis on Food & Beverage Development & Technology
Biotech companies like Brevel, SuperMeat and others are improving their fermentation processes, unlocking manufacturing and scaling efficiencies, which can lead to further progress.
Chile-based Luyef Biotechnologies secured two grants to research efficiencies in cell-cultivated meat production as the company seeks to close its $4 million seed round.
CPG companies must expand transparency efforts beyond sustainability to include emerging technologies like AI to win over concerned consumers, according to research from Ingredient Communications.
Oobli received a “no-questions” response letter from the FDA for its precision fermentation-derived monellin — the company’s second sweet protein to achieve Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status this year.
Natural plant-based color company GNT’s venture arm will invest in pre-seed and seed startups in 2025 to spearhead its 2030 sustainability agenda.
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
Eight in 10 consumers globally are limiting sugar in their diets, but where they are cutting back and where they continue to indulge varies as do their reasons for limiting sugar and how they prioritize sugar reduction alongside other values, such as...
Aldi's US president, Dave Rinaldo, laid out the grocers' aggressive US expansion plan with an emphasis on "not playing games" with consumers when it comes to pricing and pack sizes and working with food and beverage manufacturers to speed innovation at...
Food traceability software provider Starfish addresses transparency requirements in the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) with technology that simplifies supply-chain data without food and beverage companies changing their current system.
Israel-based alt-protein company PoLoPo is inching closer to commercialization of its molecular farming-derived ovalbumin powder, as the food-tech company raises seed funding for its US expansion and partners on product applications.
US consumers favor caloric sweeteners like honey, brown sugar and sucrose over their no- or low-calorie counterparts, despite shoppers acknowledging the health benefits of sweeteners like stevia, aspartame and erythritol, International Food Information...
CPG companies and retailers are moving beyond generative AI (gen AI) testing to realizing tangible business benefits of the technology, including increased revenues and operational efficiencies, Google shared in a recent report.
Bell Flavors & Fragrances' new Consumer Science Sensory Center provides CPG companies with a space to develop innovative new flavors and products that resonate with consumers.
Dairy innovation and trends
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...
Foodtech startup Daisy Lab is rethinking how to scale precision fermentation efficiently and economically to produce bioidentical dairy proteins without the cow by developing plug-and-play technology that can be dropped into existing, large-scale dairy...
The growing interest in animal-free casein, the key protein responsible for the flavor, texture and nutritional profile of conventional dairy, is driving innovation in the alternative dairy space as a solution that replicates dairy’s complex qualities...
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...
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
Research and advocates for 100% grass-fed dairy suggest the practice is better for people, the planet and animals – but is it better for business?
Biotech company LanzaTech is making strides in global microbial fermentation protein production with the launch of its proprietary LanzaTech Nutritional Protein (LNP), in collaboration with organizations like the US Navy to accelerate commercialization.
Food industry players across the value chain are frustrated by lingering questions about how to implement sweeping food safety changes that go into effect in little over a year, including fears of some stakeholders “going berserk” with new technology or...
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...
T. Hasegawa’s orange juice and cocoa powder replacers provide CPG companies with alternatives to these highly sought-after ingredients, as the flavor house focuses on research and development of alternative ways to deliver authentic taste experiences...
Biotech company, Novonesis, addresses core taste, texture and nutritional challenges in plant-based meat and dairy with its biosolution technologies, potentially reducing the ingredient label deck.
Soup-to-Nuts Podcast
Consumer interest in products made with ingredients from regional smallholder farmers or those practicing regenerative agriculture is on the rise, but CPG companies and suppliers are struggling to meet their demand in part because most farmers are unable...
Food-tech business The EVERY Company recently secured a patent for ovalbumin produced via precision fermentation, which has potential to introduce a “new class of product applications,” and “expand the size of the overall egg market,” CEO and Co-Founder...
Future Food-Tech 2024
There are myriad ways to design and create proteins. We spoke to some of the key players in this varied space.
Food and beverage industry stakeholders and consumer advocates are lauding FDA’s commitment to enhance its post-market assessment of chemicals in food, but they worry the agency’s proposed process is “thin on details,” including lacking sufficient...
Consumers increasingly want more from their beverages – more benefits, more flavor and more fun, but they do not want more sugar nor do they want to compromise on taste, which creates a challenge for manufacturers to find the sweet spot between shoppers’...
Building a net zero, water secure future in food & beverage
Increasing water scarcity is prompting stakeholders across the food industry to rethink and reup their stewardship practices, and in doing so they not only are reinforcing supply chains and the health of the planet, but market research suggest they could...
When PepsiCo recently surpassed its goal of 25% improvement in operational water-use efficiency from a 2015 baseline in regions facing high water risks two years ahead of schedule it was not because the company hit a lucky home run, according to Bryan...
Regenerative agriculture is emerging as a powerful marketing concept with recent research by ingredient supplier ADM revealing most consumers familiar with the tenets are more likely to trust and buy from brands that support the practice.
Long gone are the days when salt and pepper were sufficient seasonings for most Americans – now US consumers want bold flavors that will take their tastebuds on a global adventure, giving rise to a new class of frozen meals, sauces, spice blends and even...
Flavor exploration remains essential for consumers as they look for ways to manage their food budgets amid ongoing inflation, including by investing in herbs, spices and flavor blends that help them cook at home more and reinvent leftovers to reduce...
As US consumers embrace a wider variety of seasonings to flavor their food they increasingly want to know where spices come from, their safety profile and environmental and social impact – prompting the industry stakeholders to rethink spice supply...
Consumers are less willing to settle for basic flavor profiles, such as “beef” or “chicken,” and instead want increasingly complex and authentic options – like braised short rib or barbecued wings, according to flavor giant T. Hasegawa, which now can...
Ingredient supplier IFF’s portfolio reflects evolving consumer demands and emerging trends in weight management , including proprietary proteins, natural flavors and fiber solutions to support satiety, enhance taste and promote overall wellness.
As the US functional beverage market expands, consumers are looking for more from their drinks – including energy to fuel their activities, added electrolytes to support hydration and vitamins to boost their immunity as well as emotional and mental...
NutriFusion’s flexibility in minimum order quantities (MOQs) of its fruit and vegetable concentrate blends to startup companies can be a significant advantage for new and smaller brands looking to enter the competitive functional beverage market.
Bioscience company The Better Meat Co. is scaling up production of its allergen-free mycoprotein Rhiza with the help of a recent US Department of Defense (DoD) grant, as the company prepares its next round of funding.
Biosciences company Ummino achieved self-affirmed GRAS status for the enzyme to produce its bioidentical prebiotic bioactive lactosamine composition, Hummino, as it readies for commercial expansion of this fiber normally found in human breast milk,...
Food and drink manufacture contributes 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions and has a significant yet negative impact on biodiversity. So how can food and drink be more sustainable?
IFT FIRST 2024
Ingredient developer and supplier PLT Health Solutions is helping functional beverage brands move beyond basic benefits to meet consumers’ rising demand for more innovative health solutions that are sippable with a line of science-backed, water-soluble...
IFT FIRST 2024
With Red dye No. 3 soon to be banned in California and potentially in other states, and Red dye No. 40 along with the whitener titanium dioxide also in the crosshairs of some legislators and public health activists, food and beverage companies that rely...
IFT FIRST 2024
Colombia-based ingredient company Alianza Team revealed its AI platform Oleum, which is designed to speed up the development process of tailor-made lipids, at the 2024 IFT FIRST event in Chicago, the company’s Chief Growth Office Maria Mashali told...
Summer Fancy Food Show
Even though most Americans consume enough protein, they continue to want more and companies at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City are delivering with increasing innovation and sophistication across categories and occasions, including snacks,...
IFT FIRST 2024
With the rise of GLP-1 weight loss drugs, ingredient suppliers are developing science-backed, plant-based proteins and fibers to help consumers feel full while consuming fewer calories.
Creating a successful alternative protein company is not just about developing an innovative ingredient or product, but it also is about scalability — from building the right size facility in budget to hiring the right personnel and meeting regulatory...
Plant-based ingredient company Primient is partnering with biomanufacturing infrastructure developer Synonym on a pilot facility in Decatur, Ill., to spur bioproduct innovation and commercialization from startups as the University of Illinois...
Food ingredient discovery company Shiru is partnering with Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America to commercialize sweet proteins, leveraging AI to “understand the language of proteins” in the process, Jasmin Hume, CEO and founder of the tech...
IFT FIRST 2024
Tate & Lyle’s recently launched Sensation formulation tool and suite of sweeteners, soluble fiber and texture solutions, showcased at IFT FIRST Annual Event & Expo, can help food and beverage manufacturers meet growing consumer demand for healthier yet...
Sprouts Farmers Market enjoyed “impressive” growth in its second quarter thanks in part to its deliberate decision to no longer cater to “coupon-clippers” in favor of health-conscious consumers who continue to spend more on groceries despite high...