Emulsifiers, stabilizers, hydrocolloids

NOSB debates organic status of carrageenan, tocopherols, marine algae, hydroponics

16-Nov-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Organic industry stakeholders from across the nation are gathered in St. Louis today for what promises to be a highly contentious three-day meeting during which the National Organic Standards Board will debate the role of hydroponic production, carrageenan,...

US gluten-free retail sales rose 11% in 2015; will slow to +6% in 2016, says Packaged Facts

08-Nov-2016 By Elaine Watson

US retail sales* of gluten-free products rose 11% in 2015 and are predicted to rise a more modest 6% to $1.66bn in 2016, according to a new report from Packaged Facts, which predicts that as the market matures, growth rates are “expected to slow considerably.”

60-second interview, Beneo: Is rice still the first choice in gluten-free recipe formulation?

31-Oct-2016 By Elaine Watson

Rice flours and starches dominated the first generated of gluten-free goods, particularly in the bakery segment, but are they still the #1 choice in formulators’ toolkits? FoodNavigator-USA caught up with Pierre Donck, regional product manager at rice...

Sugar is sneaking up on preservatives & chemicals as most troublesome ingredient, CivicScience finds

31-Oct-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Consumers appear to becoming more sophisticated and specific about which ingredients or characteristics they find most troublesome in packaged foods and beverages, new research from CivicScience suggests. 

Nothing But Real’s Oat Chocolate & Protein pushes free-from trend into protein shake category

24-Oct-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

On a mission to “take back” food from the chemical industry which “hijacked” it, CPG manufacturer Nothing But Real is launching its debut product: Oat Chocolate & Protein – a vegan shake made without artificial or processed ingredients, says company...

Leadbetter's realigns to focus on allergy-friendly manufacturing: ‘Our growth curve is very steep’

13-Oct-2016 By Elaine Watson

San Francisco-based Leadbetter’s Bake Shop has stopped making English muffins, its flagship product, and changed its name to Better Bakeries as it focuses on building an allergy-friendly food manufacturing and co-packing business designed to bridge the...

American Egg Board to get 'ethics training' after USDA uncovers 'inappropriate behavior' over Hampton Creek

07-Oct-2016 By Elaine Watson

The American Egg Board (AEB) engaged in “inappropriate conduct” in a bid to counter the threat of egg-free mayo maker Hampton Creek, although evidence to support more serious allegations of misconduct is lacking, concludes a review from USDA’s agricultural...

Veggies in disguise? Outer Aisle Gourmet plays stealth health card with cauliflower-based grain-free sandwich thins, pizza crust

04-Oct-2016 By Elaine Watson

Cauliflower is a nutrient powerhouse packed with vitamin C, K, B6, folate, potassium, and fiber… and it also makes a surprisingly good bread substitute, says Santa Barbara-based start-up Outer Aisle Gourmet, which has secured shelf space for its cruciferous...

IBIE 2016 PREVIEW

Clean label: Small but growing part of bakery products mix, says DuPont

30-Sep-2016 By Douglas Yu

Clean-label products represent a small but growing part of the bakery market, according to ingredients supplier DuPont Health and Nutrition.

IBIE 2016 PREVIEW

Trends shaping NPD and consumer behavior in the US bakery market

30-Sep-2016 By Vince Bamford

Analysts identify the trends shaping product development and consumer behavior in the baked goods market ahead of the International Baking Industry Exposition in Las Vegas this week.

Cleaner labels can increase inefficency, but will ultimately pay off, says La Tortilla Factory innovation chief

14-Sep-2016 By Adi Menayang

California-based La Tortilla Factory is rolling out newly non-GMO verified products with new packaging and a simplified ingredients list.

Cargill R&D chief: 'When I started, food science was cool, now it’s viewed with suspicion'

30-Aug-2016 By Elaine Watson

Ironically, perhaps, just as open innovation is fostering a more open and collaborative culture in the notoriously secretive world of food R&D, consumers are becoming increasingly suspicious of scientists ‘meddling’ with their food, says Cargill’s...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast:The rise & future potential of grass fed claims

26-Aug-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Grass-fed claims on products are a beacon for consumers who are health-conscious, want minimally processed food and care about animal welfare, and as such manufacturers increasingly are using them on products across categories and channels to drive up...

New research tackles carrageenan safety concerns

25-Aug-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

New research attempts to set the record straight on the safety of carrageenan – a controversial but widely used stabilizer and thickening ingredient that has been called into question as a potential cause of inflammation. 

Geltor seeks to disrupt the gelatin market with potentially game-changing animal-free alternative

16-Aug-2016 By Elaine Watson

If you think producing gelatin from a genetically engineered micro-organism in fermentation tanks doesn’t sound like something Grandma would do; hydrolyzing collagen from animal skin, bones and connective tissues on an industrial scale isn’t exactly a...

IFT 2016 in review

Replacement ingredients fail to fulfill full functionality of eggs across platforms, AEB funded research shows

27-Jul-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

New research showing the superior function and flavor of eggs compared to replacement ingredients in baked goods is part of a larger effort by The American Egg Board to win back manufacturers that reformulated recipes with fewer eggs during the Avian...

Your guide to IFT 2016: From eBeam processing to brainfood, plant-based proteins & genomics

13-Jul-2016 By Elaine Watson

Are all these 'alternative proteins' as sustainable as we think? Is there real money to be made from acid whey? And will electron beam processing be as disruptive as high pressure processing? Check out FoodNavigator-USA's guide to the hottest...

Phantom fullness: It’s not the calories that count, it’s consistency

06-Jul-2016 By Niamh Michail

A thick, low-calorie milkshake will leave you feeling fuller than one that is high in calories but thin – a finding that could have the potential to help people lower their energy intake, according to new research.

Gores Group Holdings to take majority stake in Twinkies maker Hostess Brands

05-Jul-2016 By Elaine Watson

Private equity firm Gores Group Holdings will take a majority stake in Twinkies maker Hostess Brands LLC and plans to introduce it as a publicly traded company with an enterprise value of c. $2.3bn.

Federal GMO labeling bill hailed as 'true compromise,' but critics say it's woefully inadequate

23-Jun-2016 By Elaine Watson

Attempts to reach a federal GMO labeling solution have failed miserably to date. However, a bipartisan deal requiring mandatory GMO labeling (via smartlabels, symbols or as yet undetermined wording) thrashed out in the Senate on Thursday looks like it...

ConAgra announced removal of PHOs in all spread products, ahead of FDA deadline

14-Jun-2016 By Adi Menayang

Two years ahead of the FDA deadline, ConAgra announced that it will be discontinuing the use of Partially Hydrogenated Oils in all of its spreads.

Yasso nails everyday indulgence: ‘We are a bright spot in the frozen novelties category’

08-Jun-2016 By Elaine Watson

Five-year-old Yasso – which scored an industry first in spring 2011 with the launch of the first frozen Greek yogurt bars – continues to outpace its deeper-pocketed competitors in the frozen novelties category, driven by a new wave of 'ice-cream-centric'...

US organic food & beverage sales rose 10.6% to $39.8bn in 2015, says OTA

19-May-2016 By Elaine Watson

US sales of organic food and drink surged 10.6% to $39.8bn in 2015, significantly ahead of the 3% growth in the overall food market, with some segments up more than 30% year-on-year, according to the Organic Trade Association (OTA).

GRAS process for evaluating ingredient safety threatens FDA’s mission, Sen. Markey argues

27-Apr-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

The “loose structure” and voluntary process for companies to self-determine if new ingredients are “generally recognized as safe” without required input from FDA undermines the agency’s ability to ensure the US food supply is safe and should be strengthened,...

11th hour reprieve from the courts or from Congress increasingly unlikely

Bounty hunters could come after you from day one if you are not compliant with Vermont GMO labeling law, warns attorney

15-Apr-2016 By Elaine Watson

Private litigants, or so-called ‘bounty hunters’, may start targeting food manufacturers over alleged violations of Vermont’s new GMO labeling law from day one (July 1), lawyers at Hogan Lovells have warned.

Chr. Hansen’s new culture helps manufacturers offer premium cheese on a budget

12-Apr-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Today’s shoppers are demanding higher quality cheeses with new flavors and convenient formats, but often are unwilling to pay the higher prices necessary to cover the added cost of innovation – placing manufacturers between a rock and a hard place. 

Walmart & Otis Spunkmeyer join cage-free egg movement in the US

06-Apr-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Retail giant Walmart and baked sweets manufacturer Otis Spunkmeyer join the swelling ranks of companies switching to cage-free eggs, but both are doing so cautiously with long timelines that likely take into account concerns about potential supply shortages...

VMG Partners & TerraVia launch algae-fueled investment vehicle TerraBrands

05-Apr-2016 By Elaine Watson

It is only a matter of time before microalgae becomes a mainstream food ingredient, predict the founders of TerraBrands, a new partnership between private equity firm VMG Partners and microalgae specialist TerraVia (formerly known as Solazyme).

'We want to be clear what we stand for and ‘all-natural’ is not clear'

Good Food Made Simple to transition to organic: 'We want to be clear what we stand for, and ‘all-natural’ is not clear'

04-Apr-2016 By Elaine Watson

Good Food Made Simple – one of a new wave of companies on a mission to revitalize the frozen food aisle - is transitioning its burritos and wraps to a 'made with organic ingredients' platform and ditching the much maligned term ‘all-natural’...

Expo West 2016

Plant-based innovations help manufacturers meet consumer demand for animal-product alternatives

30-Mar-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Consumer interest in plant-based alternatives for animal products is driving innovation across categories from dairy and eggs to meat and desserts as showcased by manufacturers at Natural Products Expo West. 

Amazon for ingredients: New e-commerce platform rolls out with transparency and factory-direct pricing

23-Mar-2016 By Stephen Daniells

Ingredientsonline.com is promising to change the industry by allowing manufacturers in the US to purchase raw materials directly from overseas factories, providing considerable cost and time savings.

CFSAF: 'Gen Mills was forced to make decision because of Senate’s failure to act'

General Mills and Mars to roll out GMO labeling nationwide as Vermont deadline looms: 'We can’t label our products for only one state'

21-Mar-2016 By Elaine Watson

It was prompted by pragmatism, rather than an ideological shift, but General Mills and Mars have resolved to roll out GMO labeling nationwide as Congress has proved unable to hammer out a federal solution that all stakeholders can get behind before new...

GUEST ARTICLE: What’s in your Parmesan, (wood) pulp fiction or fact?

16-Mar-2016 By Jacob Harper, attorney, TroyGould PC, Los Angeles

Eating Parmesan is not going to leave you swallowing splinters.  But you’d never know it after reading articles such as, ‘The Parmesan You Sprinkle on Your Penne Could be Wood,’ ‘FDA Warns the Parmesan You Eat May Be Wood Pulp,’ and ‘Yes, Parmesan Cheese...

Highlights from the 2016 Beverage Innovation Summit: Suja's 'dog years', soda in a funk, and high pH water on fire

22-Feb-2016 By Elaine Watson

Want to know the size of the cold brew coffee prize, when Suja finally broke even, and what all the fuss is about over alkaline water? Check out the highlights of our 2016 Beverage Innovation summit, which aired live on Feb 18, and is now available on...

Unilever unveils egg-free spread under Hellmann's brand (but it's not calling it 'mayo')

02-Feb-2016 By Elaine Watson

Unilever has unveiled a new Hellmann’s egg-free spread, and an organic mayonnaise range using 100% cage-free eggs, in a move described by one animal welfare group as "a clear indicator that the market is heading towards increased plant-based options...

Traditional fats and French cuisine: Campbell predicts trends for the food industry in 2016

18-Jan-2016 By Adi Menayang

Campbell Soup recently released its Culinary TrendScape report for 2016, an annual effort that started in 2014, which lists the top 10 influential food themes researched by chefs, bakers, and culinary professionals.

No plastic: Simply Gum gains Vitamin Shoppe listing for all natural gum range

18-Jan-2016 By Douglas Yu

Simply Gum has gained distribution for its premium chewing gum line that’s made with a biodegradable chicle gum base in Vitamin Shoppe stores across the US.

Ingredion invests $30m into expanding production capabilities in Mexico

15-Jan-2016 By Elaine WATSON

Ingredion has pumped $30m into expanding capacity at its San Juan del Rio manufacturing facility in Mexico.

Got MALK? Start-up seeks to disrupt nut-milk market with organic, cold-pressed options

12-Jan-2016 By Elaine Watson

While the plant-milk market is maturing, there is still room for new entrants offering a premium take on the category, says the CEO and founder of Texas-based MALK, which uses high-pressure-processing (HPP), and no preservatives, thickeners, or emulsifiers...

The US egg market is recovering well, but will avian flu have a longer-term impact on industrial egg use?

07-Jan-2016 By Elaine Watson

While the US egg supply is rebounding well after last year’s devastating avian flu outbreak, it is too early to say whether manufacturers that reformulated products to reduce or replace eggs will revert to using the same amount of eggs they were using...

Race to use only cage-free eggs could create supply challenge, predicts exec from the happy egg co.

23-Dec-2015 By Elizabeth Crawford

As the race for manufacturers and restaurants to switch to 100% cage-free eggs in the US gains momentum, the speed of the transition could create short-term supply challenges for manufacturers and long-term opportunities for existing specialty egg providers,...

Agar shortage due to fluctuating yields and demand from other sectors - Merck

04-Dec-2015 By Joseph James Whitworth

Merck has confirmed a shortage of agar in the market and told us it has stopped sales of it as a raw material until further notice.

FDA denies GMO labeling petition: What matters is the characteristics of the food itself, not the process by which it was made

23-Nov-2015 By Elaine Watson

The FDA has rejected a citizen’s petition calling for mandatory labeling of foods from genetically engineered crops, arguing that labels are not warranted unless there is a material difference in the safety or nutritional profile of the foods in question.

Avian flu: Egg supplies nearly normal though just 14% of hens repopulated

29-Oct-2015 By Maggie Hennessy

Although it may be 18 months before the 35 million chickens, ducks and turkeys struck by avian influenza (AI) this spring are repopulated, egg supplies will be back to normal in just a few months, according to U.S. egg farmer cooperative United Egg Producers...

ADM to open first facility built under aegis of new WILD business unit

24-Sep-2015 By Hank Schultz

Archer Daniels Midland is set to open first facility built under the aegis of its new WILD Flavors and Specialty Ingredients business unit.  The new facility in Cranbury, NJ, will provide flavor and applications expertise to customers in the thriving...

Florida judge approves $3.99m deal in Kashi GMO false advertising lawsuit

08-Sep-2015 By Elaine Watson

 A federal judge in Florida has approved a $3.99m deal to resolve a proposed class action accusing Kashi of misleading shoppers by labeling products made with GMOs as ‘all-natural’.

Katjes creates first-to-market 3D printed gummies

03-Sep-2015 By Hal Conick

The first commercial 3D printer for retail will be used to create gummies in different shapes, sizes, colors and flavors, says creator Katjes Fassin UK.

Baobab poised to become the “queen of superfruits,” supplier says

18-Aug-2015 By Elizabeth Crawford

Antioxidant- and fiber-rich baobab is on the verge of stealing the crown from acai, goji berries and pomegranate as the “queen of superfruits,” thanks to awareness raised by recent and upcoming product launches featuring the ingredient, according to a...

FMC sells pectin division to Cargill, signals concern about omega-3s business

12-Aug-2015 By Hank Schultz

FMC Corporation has announced a restructuring of its pectin business in a deal with Cargill. This comes in the wake of disappointing overall earnings in the second quarter of 2015 and nutrition segment revenues that were impacted by continued slow demand...

IFT Annual Conference

Fibers from food waste offer clean label option

05-Aug-2015 By Elizabeth Crawford

Multifunctional fibers made from fruit and vegetable peals and pulps that would otherwise be thrown away can help manufacturers meet consumers’ growing demand for clean ingredient labels while also reducing food waste.