Emulsifiers, stabilizers, hydrocolloids

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...

Trendspotting at the IFT show 2018 part 2: From millennials and clean eating to Instagram-friendly food

25-Jul-2018 By Elaine Watson

Clean label is a longstanding trend in food formulation, but that doesn't mean you should start slapping the word 'clean' on food labels, said speakers at the IFT annual meeting and expo in Chicago. Check out part two of our gallery of...

Trendspotting at IFT 2018 part 1: From cellular ag and chickpea protein to GMO labeling

25-Jul-2018 By Elaine Watson

This year, cell cultured meat vied with chickpea protein, animal-free gelatin and almond protein for the spotlight at the IFT annual meeting and expo in Chicago, while the clean label trend continued to gather pace. Check out part one of our gallery of...

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,...

Your guide to IFT 2018: From cellular agriculture to smart snacks for kids

07-Jul-2018 By Elaine Watson

Is cultured (aka ‘clean’) meat ready for prime time? And can personalized nutrition really deliver? Check out FoodNavigator-USA's guide to the hottest topics at the Institute of Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting & Food Expo in Chicago on July...

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...

Carrageenan can continue to be used in organic products despite opposing NOSB vote, USDA says

05-Apr-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

USDA’s decision to allow carrageenan in organic products despite an expert panel’s recommendation to the contrary likely will be viewed as a victory to many in the industry, but some argue that it is the latest move by the agency to undermine the integrity...

Talenti founder rolls out Solero fruit bars, pops, to 10,000 stores: 'This category is ripe for innovation...'

03-Apr-2018 By Elaine Watson

They struck gold with gelato brand Talenti – sold to Unilever in 2014 for an undisclosed sum – but can Josh Hochschuler and Steve Gill find the winning formula again with their latest foray into the frozen food aisle, Solero crushed fruit bars and pops?

Bobo’s reaps rewards from retailers as it defies downward pricing pressure in nutrition bar category

29-Jan-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Despite downward price pressure in the nutrition bar category, Bobo’s continues to sell its organic oat bars for nearly three times as much as its competitors – helping it curry favor with retailers and earn prime in-store positioning that further boosts...

VIDEO: WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW 2018

nutpods CEO: 'We've done our homework online... now we're making our big push into retail'

27-Jan-2018 By Elaine Watson

The plant-based creamer category has grown considerably more competitive since nutpods launched in early 2015 with its coconut-and-almond-based wares, but revenues surged 500% in 2017 for the Bellevue, WA-based brand, which has just completed a series...

VIDEO: WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW 2018

Faba Butter co-founder: 'Our goal is that the dairy companies will see value in us and won't see value in suing us'

24-Jan-2018 By Elaine Watson

Faba Butter uses aquafaba – the viscous liquid left over from cooking chickpeas – to bind water, coconut oil and a plant-based liquid oil to create a vegan buttery spread claimed to blow rivals out of the water. Elaine Watson caught up with brand owner...

What are the key beverage trends - and companies - to watch in 2018?

Soylent CEO Bryan Crowley joins lineup at FoodNavigator-USA, BeverageDaily online beverage innovation event

23-Jan-2018 By Elaine Watson

One of the most exciting players in the fast-growing meal replacement space, Soylent built its business – and a highly engaged community – online, first on its own website, and later on Amazon, but has recently ventured into the bricks and mortar space...

Will 2018 be the year that low FODMAP diets explode?

12-Jan-2018 By Stephen Daniells

The US market for low FODMAP foods aimed at helping IBS sufferers is still small and consumer awareness is low, but companies large and small are targeting a category that could be bigger than gluten-free.

From Fabanaise to Faba Butter... aquafaba is the star ingredient in new plant-based spread debuting at the Fancy Food Show

11-Jan-2018 By Elaine Watson

Aquafaba – the viscous liquid left over from cooking chickpeas and the #2 ingredient in Sir Kensington’s Fabanaise mayo – is one of the vegan community’s best-kept secrets. But Faba Butter, a new plant-based ‘butter’ debuting at the Winter Fancy Food...

‘It’s a banana-based non-dairy nicecream …’

#1 ingredient: banana… Hakuna Banana creates new sub-category in dairy-free desserts

15-Dec-2017 By Elaine Watson

Most ‘banana’ ice cream or frozen dessert brands start with a dairy/coconut/nutmilk base, and then add sugar, and banana, or banana flavor. Hakuna Banana reverses this dynamic and starts with mashed bananas as the #1 ingredient.