Proteins

What are the top 10 natural and organic food trends that will influence the mainstream? From novel nut butters to purple corn

14-Jun-2013 By Elaine WATSON

Gourmet nut butters, pea protein, purple corn, yogurt for men and more chewy drinks?  Sterling-Rice Group identifies the top 10 natural and organic food trends that are starting to influence the mainstream grocery market.

FAO asks: Could quinoa become a worldwide staple?

14-Jun-2013 By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Quinoa’s relatively high price compared to staple grains may restrict consumption to health-conscious consumers in high-income countries for now – but it could play an important role in food security in the long term, according to the FAO.

Lakeview Farms and Oceans Omega claim industry first with gelatin cups fortified with omega-3 EPA and DHA

13-Jun-2013 By Elaine WATSON

Dips and desserts specialist Lakeview Farms and omega-3 emulsions expert Oceans Omega have unveiled what they claim are the first gelatin cups fortified with the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.

K-Cups generated $290m for Smucker in 2013, but growth rates slowed down as unlicensed players entered the market

11-Jun-2013 By Elaine WATSON

Jif peanut butter to Folgers coffee maker JM Smucker said sales of K-cups topped $290m in fiscal 2013 (ending April 30), compared with just under $180m in 2012, a 61% increase.

Maple Leaf Foods CEO: ‘A global food strategy must meet the needs of the many, not just the affluent few’

11-Jun-2013 By Elaine WATSON

Blanket opposition to genetically modified crops is “a morally unacceptable position to take on the basis of unsubstantiated suspicions and fears”, according to the boss of Toronto-based firm Maple Leaf Foods.

IFIC Food & Health survey 2013: What consumers really think about GMOs, calories, fructose, probiotics, and losing weight

07-Jun-2013 By Elaine WATSON

While polls suggest most Americans are in favor of labeling genetically modified organisms (GMOs), the percentage that spontaneously mention GMOs when asked an unaided question about what additional information they would like to see on food labels is...

Vegetarians have significantly lower mortality rates, reveals new study

04-Jun-2013 By Elaine WATSON

Further evidence that following a plant-based diet could improve your health outcomes was unveiled this week with the publication of a large study showing that vegetarian diets are associated with reduced death rates.

Go Veggie: ‘Food allergies are becoming part of the mainstream now’

03-Jun-2013 By Elaine WATSON

Not so long ago, cheese alternatives were pretty grim. They were a poor substitute for the real thing, and something most people unable or unwilling to eat regular cheese could manage without.

Major European retailers urge support of Brazilian non-GM soy

15-May-2013 By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Major retailers from five European countries have urged greater support of non-GM soy production in Brazil, as increased demand for genetically modified (GM) soy from China risks diminishing non-GM supply.

Plant-based protein craze drives renewed interest in peanut flour

14-May-2013 By Elaine WATSON

While peanut flour has been around for years, recent interest in protein - particularly the plant-based variety - has sparked renewed interest, particularly in the nutritional bars market, according to one leading supplier.

WhiteWave CEO: ‘Our almond business is quickly approaching the size of soy’

10-May-2013 By Elaine WATSON

WhiteWave Foods’ almond-based beverages and foods business has continued to show “torrid growth” in the first quarter of 2013, and is now approaching the size of its soy milk business.

Tofutti Brands claims industry first with launch of dairy-free mozzarella

01-May-2013 By Elaine WATSON

Dairy-free pioneer Tofutti Brands is targeting the pizza market with what it claims is the first dairy-free mozzarella.

Greek yogurt popularity drives Dannon's Oikos brand to top spot among 2012 food launches

19-Apr-2013 By Hank Schultz

The popularity of Greek yogurt in the US market has powered Dannon’s Oikos  brand to the top position among new food and beverage launches in 2012.

Bill Gates: Food industry innovation crucial for health and food security

08-Apr-2013 By Caroline Scott-Thomas

Our approach to food is ripe for reinvention – and the food industry is just at the beginning of what it can achieve through innovation, according to Microsoft mogul and co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates.

Fortified gum prospects in fastest-growing Mexican confectionery category

05-Apr-2013 By Oliver Nieburg

All confectionery categories will grow in Mexico over the next five years, but gum will grow the fastest and confectioners can capitalize with products enriched with vitamins and minerals, according to research from Canadean.

What next for canola protein? BioExx to close Saskatoon plant but in ‘advanced’ talks over JV in Europe

02-Apr-2013 By Elaine WATSON

BioExx Specialty Proteins plans to close its Saskatoon canola protein plant but says it is in advanced negotiations with potential joint venture partners about employing the technology used there at a brand new facility in Europe.

‘There’s a huge protein gap, and we’re going to help fill it’: RiceBran Technologies blazes trail with new rice bran protein range

28-Mar-2013 By Elaine WATSON

A firm that has made a name for itself by extracting value-added ingredients from rice bran - which always used to be regarded as a waste by-product of rice-milling - is hoping to score another industry first with the launch of high-quality rice bran...

Pea protein shows potential for gluten-free formulations

18-Mar-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

Adding pea protein to gluten-free bread may enrich the nutritional content of the product, with a sensory panel rating it ‘most acceptable’, says a new study.

Protein, fiber and flavor key to producing satiety, expert says

14-Mar-2013 By Hank Schultz

The obesity dilemma is complex and offers multiple avenues of attack.  Portion control experts boil it down to this: It’s a question of how much, not what we eat.  But many experts say how food is formulated can play a role in limiting intake.

30% of US adults trying to cut down on gluten, claims NPD Group

08-Mar-2013 By Elaine WATSON

Almost a third (30%) of American adults say they are trying to reduce or exclude gluten from their diets, according to The NPD Group, which conducted a consumer survey in January 2013.

Soy industry: FAO protein findings only useful in malnourished populations

07-Mar-2013 By Shane Starling

The European soy sector says a UN report that found dairy proteins offer a superior amino acid profile to plant proteins is only meaningful for the malnourished.

BioExx’s canola proteins: ‘Wholly comparable to soy protein isolate’

01-Mar-2013

Protein hydrolysates and isolates from canola are ‘wholly comparable to soy protein isolate’ for amino acid bioavailability in humans, says a new study from Germany.

Dispatches from the 6th International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition

Veg congress day one: The fact vegetarians are healthier than meat-eaters is ‘one of the most consistent findings of nutritional epidemiology’

25-Feb-2013 By Elaine Watson, Loma Linda, California

People on a plant-based diet are consistently slimmer and healthier than meat eaters, with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes, according to research unveiled at the 6th International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition (ICVN).

Special edition: New trends in weight management

Euromonitor: Boundaries between ‘diet’ foods and ‘regular’ foods are blurring

22-Feb-2013 By Elaine WATSON

As food marketers focus more on positive nutrition than ‘food minus’ concepts, the boundaries between ‘diet’ foods and ‘regular’ foods are becoming increasingly blurred, says Euromonitor International.

Special edition: New trends in weight management

Datamonitor: ‘Marketers are avoiding the word ‘diet’ like the plague’

19-Feb-2013 By Elaine WATSON

While obesity in America has reached epidemic proportions, manufacturers seeking to help us battle the bulge are avoiding the word ‘diet’ like the plague; cutting sugar, fat and salt by stealth; and instead promoting more positive messages about food...

Burcon: We’re encouraged by overall market conditions for protein

18-Feb-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

Launching high quality protein ingredients is ‘timely’ as the world seeks out sustainable, plant-based protein, said the COO of Burcon, as the Canadian protein specialist records its first revenues in its history.

Gatorade G Series Fit failed because it offered 'entry level products to advanced users at high prices’, says Euromonitor

14-Feb-2013 By Elaine WATSON

Growth in the US sports nutrition market has been pretty explosive in recent years, but the failure of high profile launches such as PepsiCo’s Gatorade G Series Fit range shows that even the biggest players sometimes get things badly wrong, says one market...

Special edition: Protein-rich foods: The next generation

Cost and supply benefits are 'icing on the cake' for soy proteins

30-Jan-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

After a few years of difficult market conditions, the soy protein market is enjoying ‘dynamic growth’, but what does the future hold for this ingredient, and what kind of impact will the GMO issue have?

Special edition: Protein-rich foods: The next generation

US pea protein market ‘ready to explode’

29-Jan-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

For a long time in the shadow of soy as a plant protein source, pea protein is establishing itself in food and beverage applications, with the US market set to explode, say industry experts.

Special edition: Protein-rich foods… the next generation

Could algae be the next big thing in the protein market? Part two: Aurora Algae

23-Jan-2013 By Elaine WATSON

Protein has never been hotter - at least that’s what the market researchers tell us - and vegetarian proteins in particular are top of the pops right now.

Could creaminess help carbs match protein for satiating power?

17-Jan-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

High-protein and high-carbohydrate food and beverages may produce similar satiety responses if the perceived thickness and creaminess are equal, says a new study by Danone.

Fear of the new: The importance of storytelling in the meat-free market

15-Jan-2013 By Caroline Scott-Thomas

It’s not enough to have a great-tasting product – manufacturers of meat alternatives must tell a positive production story, according to the maker of an award-winning product taking the Dutch meat-free market by storm.

Special edition: Reformulation

The lowdown on commodity prices, what they mean for food prices in 2013, and why 2012/13 is not going to be a repeat of 2007/8

14-Dec-2012 By Elaine WATSON

“While you can look at one specific cost and you can say it's gone down, I could give you a story for another raw material where it's gone up”, observed Unilever’s chief financial officer Jean-Marc Huet when asked about commodity prices during...

WhiteWave CEO: The cost advantage of plant-based food and beverages over dairy will continue to grow

11-Dec-2012 By Elaine WATSON

The economics of supplying plant-based foods and beverages over dairy will become increasingly compelling “because the cow is a relatively inefficient converter of grain into protein”, says the chief executive of WhiteWave Foods.

Sourcing non-GMO: Prop 37 supporters have lost the battle, but may ultimately win the war, predicts The Scoular Company

15-Nov-2012 By Elaine WATSON

Despite the ‘NO’ vote on Prop 37, the momentum behind sourcing non-GMO ingredients remains as strong as ever, with non-GMO Project verified sales up 66% and a new class action lawsuit against a major food brand over ‘all-natural’ claims on products containing...

Supply Side West 2012 in pictures: Prop 37, supergrains, protein, brain food and Coca-Cola on disruptive innovation

09-Nov-2012 By Elaine Watson

As America went to the polls, FoodNavigator-USA and NutraIngredients-USA headed to Las Vegas for a week of partying, gambling (and a spot of networking) at Supply Side West.

Fonterra consumer research reveals ‘fantastic opportunity’ to educate boomers on protein

07-Nov-2012 By Elaine WATSON

If manufacturers can present them in a more appealing way, there is a huge untapped market in the US for higher protein products appealing to baby boomers looking to stay active, according to consumer research from dairy giant Fonterra Nutrition.

Will the ‘processed food’ definition in Prop 37 really kill off ‘natural’ claims on pack?

26-Oct-2012 By Elaine WATSON

The dispute over whether Californian GMO labeling initiative Prop 37 will prevent manufacturers from using the term ‘natural’ on foods that contain no GMOs at all continues to rage, with Yes and No campaigns offering diametrically opposed interpretations...

Blended protein crisps broadens market options, says Batory Foods

16-Oct-2012 By Kacey Culliney

New protein blend crisps fulfil a marketplace demand for wider variety and better priced options, Batory Foods says.

Lawyer: Prop 37 will overtake Prop 65 as a source of consumer litigation in California

11-Oct-2012 By Elaine WATSON

Prop 37 is likely to surpass Prop 65 as a source of consumer litigation in California if the controversial GMO labeling initiative gets the green light next month, predicts one San Francisco-based lawyer.

Dispatches from the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE) 2012

Have you had your P.L.A.Y. today? PepsiCo targets women with new protein product launch

08-Oct-2012 By Elaine WATSON in Philadelphia

PepsiCo is developing a novel protein-based product designed to appeal to women that “won’t show up on a shelf the way you envision it”, revealed bosses at its Nutrition Ventures arm at the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE) this week.

Aurora Algae: ‘There is a lot more recognition of the standalone EPA story now’

27-Sep-2012 By Elaine WATSON

There is a “unique opportunity for high purity EPA as a standalone ingredient” as the omega-3 market becomes more sophisticated, says algal omega-3 specialist Aurora Algae as it prepares to break ground on a commercial-scale production site it claims...

How easy - and how expensive - is it to source non-GMO ingredients?

21-Sep-2012 By Elaine WATSON

With the debate over Prop 37 heating up, a new class action lawsuit over ‘all-natural’ claims on products containing GMOs filed every week, and Monsanto in the firing line following a damaging study on GM maize, more and more manufacturers are exploring...

DuPont antibacterial protein partnership targets E.Coli first

20-Sep-2012 By Rod Addy

DuPont Nutrition & Health aims to boost food safety, quality and shelf life by developing bactericidal proteins in partnership with US firm AvidBiotics Corporation.

Multibillion-dollar food manufacturer seeks solution to egg white protein problem

19-Sep-2012 By Elaine WATSON

A leading food manufacturer is looking for potential partners to pitch technologies that will help inhibit the aggregation and clouding of proteins when egg white is heated.

Sodexo pledges to switch to cage-free sourcing for shelled eggs

31-Aug-2012 By Caroline Scott-Thomas

Foodservice giant Sodexo has pledged to switch the sourcing of all of the 39 million shelled eggs that it uses each year to cage-free hens by July 2014.

Special edition: Meat alternatives

What’s new in the meat-free market?

09-Aug-2012 By Caroline Scott-Thomas

Meat-free burgers, sausages, and other meat analog products have come a long way in recent years, but there is still room for improvement in texture and taste, as companies continue to strive for more meat-like attributes – and a bite of the meat-free...

Special edition: Meat alternatives

Firm growth for meat substitute products

06-Aug-2012 By Rod Addy and Nathan Gray

The total market for analogs and meat free products is set to rise by 4.4%, from €2.85bn to €3.54bn, in the next five years, according to exclusive data from market analyst RTS Resource.

Special edition: Meat alternatives

Does the foodservice sector need to up its game on meat alternatives?

06-Aug-2012 By Elaine WATSON

How many options do vegetarians and flexitarians (meat reducers) have when they go out to eat (if they are not in the mood for bean burgers and Margherita pizza)?

Special edition: Meat alternatives

Tofurky boss targets meat-reducers: 'This is a big up and coming market'

03-Aug-2012 By Elaine WATSON

Back in the early ‘80s when his tempeh business was getting off the ground, the meat alternatives category was not exactly brimming with mouth-watering options, says Tofurky creator Seth Tibbott.