Henry Dimbleby is bleak in his stinging assessment of the food system’s current ills, namely diet-related disease and environmental destruction, which are damaging both our dietary and planet’s health. But we can look to the past for solutions, he says,...
In the food industry’s search for alternative protein sources, upcycled ingredients are becoming more useful and more popular. But it is often with difficulty that they are developed – upcycling products into edible and palatable foods often requires...
With experts in the dark as to why numbers of childhood allergies are increasing, safe food options are critical, says Kirsty Dingwall, founder of Angelic Free From – a UK brand that has launched what it claims is the first dedicated kids' top 14-allergen-free...
Edible insects have many benefits. They are a good source of alternative protein, a rival to plant-based meat; they are often considered more sustainable than conventional meat; some insects are even higher in protein than beef. However, many consumers...
From hot-chocolate beads to oven-ready Italian food, from sugar-free plant-based milk to premium tiramisu, our latest NPD covers some of the most interesting products of the past week.
One year after DSM and Firmenich announced plans to combine their food, beverage, and taste businesses, the merger is complete. The new company, dsm-firmenich, launches today.
The overconsumption of sugar can lead to many health conditions, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as well as mental health conditions such as depression. Some experts have suggested that it could be an addiction, similar to alcohol or cocaine....
CSM Ingredients wants to uncover ‘sustainable frontiers’ in fats and oils – including plant-based oil replacements made from microorganisms – with the inauguration of a new Innovation Center in Delmenhorst, Germany.
What new food and beverages are hitting the shelves? This week, we have squeezy chocolate peanut butter, low-carb chutney, takeaway pastries, and coronation-themed party food.
Using 3D-printed food, researchers have found it's possible to change the way we taste by the way food is structured. 3D-printing a structure of chocolate and cream cheese, they found that the order the two foods were printed in, which determined...
Norwegian academics have demonstrated how using the tropical plant Hibiscus sabdariffa can contribute to increased nutritional value in everyday foods.
Erythritol remains an important tool in long-term weight gain and disease risk, according to the international association representing the low- and reduced-calorie food and beverage industry, after research showed that the popular artificial sweetener...
Climate change, coupled with ‘deeply unfair trade’, means that some consumer staples could soon be missing from supermarket aisles, predicts the Fairtrade Foundation. What challenges and opportunities exist in encouraging industry to support ethical trade?
Macro trends, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, are driving uptake of products claiming to be both healthy and indulgent, according to ingredients suppliers.
Removing around 216 calories from the daily intake of people who are overweight or obese would set England on a path to halve obesity by 2030, according to research published by the innovation charity Nesta. The analysis found that it is possible to achieve...
UK scientists have uncovered what makes chocolate so popular: lubrication and fat release are key. This understanding, they say, can unlock opportunities to develop a new, healthier, generation of chocolate.
US-based MeliBio is partnering with organic food producer Narayan Foods to bring its plant-based bee-free honey product to Europe under the Better Foodie brand.
Unilever has said it is exploring making ‘cow-free’ ice cream and is hoping to soon launch a product made with dairy proteins made via precision fermentation, but admitted there’s a danger they will be ultimately be rejected by shoppers if they are perceived...
Israeli start-up Resugar has developed a 1:1 sugar substitute for food manufacturers, and ice cream major Froneri – owner of the Nestlé-Froneri brand in Israel – is amongst its first clients.
The chocolate major is ‘redesigning’ how it farms, ferments, and roasts cocoa beans to develop a range of chocolate. We ask Bas Smit, Vice-President, Global Marketing and R&D, how the company is putting ‘cocoa first, sugar last’.
Eliminating non-recyclable packaging from Nestlé’s Quality Street wrappers was no easy feat, suggests Bruce Funnell, Packaging Lead at Nestlé’s Confectionery Product Technology Centre.
Allulose, a novel rare sugar, is currently making its way through the Novel Foods process to gain regulatory approval in Europe. Does it have the characteristics that European shoppers are looking for in sweeteners?
Brother-sister duo Dr Maximilian and Dr Sara Marquart are working to ease the pressure on cocoa supply chains with an alternative developed via traditional and precision fermentation techniques. FoodNavigator catches up with one half of the ‘chocolate...
Cambridge University spin-out Impossible Materials has developed a cellulose-based, white pigment to replace titanium dioxide in food applications. FoodNavigator catches up with CEO Lukas Schertel to find out how.
The clean label ingredients market is witnessing continued growth, with evidence suggesting clean labels increase consumer willingness to pay a higher price point and build loyalty. FoodNavigator digs down into the trend to profile what categories and...
Nine in 10 UK shoppers would still buy sweets or chocolate if they weren’t on offer, yet most consumers think that less fat, sugar and salt in supermarket foods is a good idea.
The Swiss flavours and fragrances company has leveraged its flavour-masking expertise to address the bitterness of Sweet Victory’s botanical-infused chewing gum for kids.
The Hershey Company has filed a patent application covering the substitution of dairy solids with roasted grain flour, which it says yields ‘improved organoleptic and rheological properties’ over known dairy-free chocolates.
Cargill has unveiled its new 6,200-square-metre House of Chocolate at its Mouscron site in Belgium, which will include a state-of-the-art chocolate experience centre, a unique pilot plant with sensory expertise, and creative workspace for the company’s...
In a move which has satisfied trade bodies but disheartened health campaigners and some challenger brands, the UK government has announced a one-year delay to the proposed ban on buy-one-get-one-free deals for foods high in fat, salt or sugar.
Mars Inc hopes to make a positive contribution to the livelihoods of smallholder cocoa farmers. The chocolate giant is trialling two new programmes that aim to address some of the structural issues that stand in the way of living incomes in cocoa. FoodNavigator...
To combat deforestation, interventions must support both development and inclusion. Smallholders need to be brought on the journey towards zero deforestation. A new research collaboration aims to assess what programmes see most success on these dual deliverables.
Swiss-Ghanaian start-up Koa has secured two major investments to scale up its impact in the cocoa sector by successfully completing its Series A round raising a total of $4.7 million in equity – and a $3.5 million investment from climate adaptation and...
UK start-up WNWN Food Labs is launching what it claims to be the ‘world’s first’ cacao-free chocolate. Made from two ‘hero ingredients’ – barley and carob – we ask co-founders Arhum Pak and Dr Johnny Drain what makes their product better than the real...
Most food and drink content posted by German influencers on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube is so unhealthy it fails World Health Organisation (WHO) advertising standards for children, claims research from the Medical University of Vienna.
As a 100+-year-old company of some of the most well-known CPG brands, Mars Inc. sees innovation as the driving force behind the company's next chapter of growth and the key to maintaining consumer relevancy.
Dutch physicists and food researchers have shown it is possible to design edible materials to ‘optimise enjoyment’ using ‘metamaterials’ constructed in the lab. Their building material of choice: chocolate.
The founder of UK-based ‘super natural’ chewing gum start-up Milliways is also calling for a single-use plastic levy to make it easier for consumers to switch to a ‘more sustainable’ option.
From post-Arabica coffee to single-origin tea and completely traceable hot chocolate from bean to cup, what’s trending in the hot beverage category? FoodNavigator asks industry experts.
The Swiss-Ghanaian start-up, best known for its upcycling of cocoa side streams, has partnered with seedtrace and MTN Group to ‘disrupt transparency standards’ in cocoa.
CARE, a leading humanitarian organisation fighting global poverty with a focus on working alongside women and girls, has announced a new initiative to help transform cocoa growing communities in Côte d’Ivoire.
With prices rising faster than in decades and with wages failing to keep up, food manufacturers and retailers are vying to maintain volume, margin and growth, reveals IRI International.
Nestlé has launched an initiative that promises to help bridge the living income gap for cocoa farmers in its supply chain. With a focus on productivity, resilience, diversification and access to education the company is more than tripling its current...
Plant-based chocolate manufacturers have a new ingredient to add to their toolbox: Palsgaard AMP 4455, an emulsifier which Palsgaard claims is twice as efficient as lecithin and can reduce the amount of cocoa butter used in plant-based chocolate formulations...