Fruit, vegetable, nut ingredients

Cacao guide aims to help producers communicate the quality of their cacao

25-Sep-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

For a long time, there has been no commonly agreed way of assessing and communicating the quality of cacao, the seed from which stems cocoa and chocolate. Now, however, a new initiative has been unveiled that will aim to do just that, with contributions...

‘If we take a conversational engine and we couple it with our data, you'll get something remarkable’: How Tastewise’s TasteGPT tool streamlines NPD

21-Sep-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

At Tastewise’s Generative AI summit last week, the company showcased its new TasteGPT tool, which uses generative AI to streamline concepts for NPD.

Organix eyes ‘window of opportunity’ to introduce new flavours and textures to kids

19-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

Organix wants to help parents and carers introduce new flavours and textures to kids in the 6-18-month ‘window of opportunity’ prior to food fears kicking in.

WATCH: How Birds Eye grows, harvests, and processes its frozen peas

13-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

FoodNavigator visits Birds Eye during harvest season to learn how the company works with partners to cultivate, harvest, and freeze its peas for the UK market.

Campaign targeting dramatic rise in global bean consumption eyes Kenyan consumers

31-Aug-2023 By Oliver Morrison

A campaign aiming to double global bean consumption by 2028 will focus on Kenyan consumers and producers in a pilot effort for East Africa.

‘The traceability is appealing to many consumers’: Halal food increasing in popularity in UK and Europe

29-Aug-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Halal food is growing in popularity in the UK and globally, suggests a new report from food futurologist Lyndon Gee, on behalf of halal convenience food manufacturer TAKUL. The report suggests due to both a growing Muslim middle-class spending more on...

MadeRight: Mycelia-based packaging pioneer mushrooms with investment

24-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

Israeli start-up MadeRight has secured funding to expand its development team and refine its fungi-based packaging production process with the aim of achieving a commercially viable prototype.

'Bruising contributes to enormous losses in productivity': New project aims to reduce potato waste

23-Aug-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The nine-month TuberTurgor project has been awarded funding by Innovate UK.

‘An important tool to foster positive change’: ‘Princes expands migrant worker scheme to support victims of modern slavery

22-Aug-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Napolina-owner Princes Group is continuing efforts to support migrant workers impacted by labour exploitation via a partnership with Casa Sankara, a voluntary association based in southern Italy that provides support to migrant workers who have faced...

Packaging pitches: Meet the start-ups rethinking plastic with fungi, algae and grains

22-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

Industry is approaching the plastic pollution problem in varying ways, with some companies turning to plastic alternatives made from unlikely materials, from fungi to algae and grains. Join pioneers in the plastic-free space pitch their innovations at...

New tool to boost fruit and vegetable shelf life and cut waste

21-Aug-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The technology – from Poland-based food-tech company Fresh Inset – promises to preserve freshness, vitamins and antioxidants.

Food environments push consumers away from healthy and sustainable options, report shows

17-Aug-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

A new report shows that food environments, from promotional offers to the placement of food in shops, can influence consumers to make less healthy and less sustainable food choices.

Germany has ‘greatest market potential’ for plant-based dairy in Europe, finds research

16-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

An investigation into the drivers and barriers of plant-based dairy consumption in six European countries suggests Germany to have the highest sales and greatest market potential.

A new kind of ‘free from’ category: From cocoa-free chocolate to bean-free coffee

15-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

Start-ups are rethinking how conventional products – such as coffee and chocolate – are made in an effort to reduce environmental and human rights violations in global supply chains. Join pioneers in the cocoa-free chocolate and bean-free coffee sector...

Discovery of lupin ‘sweet gene’ could eliminate bitterness, encourage plant protein diversity

11-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

The causal mutation responsible for sweetness in white lupin beans, a traditionally bitter legume, has been identified by researchers. The discovery could help encourage greater diversity in plant protein cultivation and consumption.

From taste to texture and nutrition: How can plant-based meat reboot category growth?

10-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

Faced with a global market slowdown, plant-based meat players are looking is renew demand and encourage repeat purchases of their vegan beef, pork, and seafood alternatives. Pulling levers from taste to texture and nutrition, how can plant-based meat...

From securing cross-sector collaboration to managing red tape: tips for food tech start-ups traversing today’s headwinds

09-Aug-2023 By Oliver Morrison

In a squeezed investment climate, we spoke to Fiona Choppe-Magal, Partner, Foodtech and Agritech, at Israel-based Cukierman Investment House, who reveals some crucial advice for Europe’s agrifood tech entrepreneurs to maximize their chances in dealings...

Nanotechnology: Challenges and opportunities in rolling out new tech at scale

08-Aug-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Nanotechnology – when matter is manipulated at the microscopic level – has the potential to be transformative in many fields. One of these fields is agriculture.

Don’t repeat the mistakes of West’s ‘broken’ food system in Africa, businesses warned

03-Aug-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Developing markets in Africa are keen to avoid the mistakes of Western food systems swamped by unhealthy and unsustainable diets, FoodNavigator hears.

Agricultural fertilizer can increase presence of parasitic infections, study finds

01-Aug-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The removal of an aquatic vegetation known as hornwart along the Senegal River, Senegal has reduced the presence of parasitic infections in the area, which are carried by aquatic snails, and helped food production recover. The removal was part of a study,...

Peas picked to frozen in 150 mins: Behind the scenes at Birds Eye’s ‘just in time’ operation

31-Jul-2023 By Flora Southey

At peak production, Nomad Foods-owned Birds Eye UK can produce 48 tonnes of frozen peas per hour. FoodNavigator visits its Yorkshire operation to see how ‘sweet and tender’ peas are produced for the masses within just 150 minutes, from field to freezer.

'It's so, so terrible': The rise of food allergies and the cost-of-living crisis

31-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

It is well-known that food allergies are increasing. Amid a cost-of-living crisis, this is a problem.

Specialised peanut variety unveiled for allergy treatment

27-Jul-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Scientists in Israel have developed a peanut strain to treat peanut allergies.

As vertical farms topple, can tech sow sustainability into controlled environment agriculture?

27-Jul-2023 By Flora Southey

Vertical farming, and controlled environment agriculture more generally, holds the promise of environmental sustainability. But rising energy costs and challenging economic conditions are straining the sector. Can technology help overcome obstacles to...

Less food waste helps reduce levels of hunger – but the rebound effect means environmental benefits may be lost

25-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

According to the World Food Programme, one third of food produced for humans is wasted. A new study shows that reducing this could improve global food security. However, due to the ‘rebound effect,’ reducing food waste does not have correspondingly high...

Want more people to buy your vegan or vegetarian products? Then don’t label them as such

25-Jul-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Vegetarian and vegan labels on food do more harm than good, research says.

NPD Trend Tracker: From Arabic honey to watermelon kombucha

24-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

This week, we have a range of products aiming for sustainable packaging: from wine and spirits, to coffee, to ketchup. We also have kombucha made from watermelons grown in Italy, honey from the UAE, and bread from Danish bakery Ole and Steen.

Döhler acquisition of SVZ to boost red fruit and vegetable ingredients portfolio

20-Jul-2023 By Flora Southey

German ingredients company Döhler has announced plans to acquire SVZ, a Dutch supplier of fruit and vegetable ingredients, from Royal Cosun. The move is expected to buildout Döhler’s portfolio, notably in red fruit and vegetable ingredients.

The success of Plumpy’nut, the barriers to producing ready-to-use therapeutic food, and the fight against hunger

17-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Levels of hunger around the world are rising. Plumpy’nut, a peanut-based paste (or sometimes biscuit) is able to feed children experiencing severe malnutrition, often saving lives. But how cost-effective is producing like this, with food costs rising...

High-intensity sweetener uncovered in truffles ‘potentially game-changing’ for sugar reduction

17-Jul-2023 By Flora Southey

MycoTechnology says it is ‘standing on the brink of a sweet revolution’ having discovered a sweet protein derived from honey truffle. “Proteins are widely recognised as the future of sweeteners,” says MycoTechnology CEO Alan Hahn.

Redefine Meat ‘bullish’ in face of consolidation of plant-based brands

14-Jul-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Redefine Meat is accelerating its UK distribution to meet demand with eight wholesaler partners. Its UK wholesalers now span national and regional brands including Albion Fine Foods, Braehead Foods, Brakes, Classic Fine Foods, Elite Fine Foods, Food Republic,...

How Oddbox is combatting food waste in the UK

13-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Every year, 4.5 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables are thrown away in the UK. But this isn’t just by consumers – often it’s by growers as well, before they’ve even sold their produce. Sometimes this is because the fruit and veg are too big, sometimes...

From the ‘dusty UHT shelf’ to the dairy aisle: Oatly’s journey to category disruption

13-Jul-2023 By Flora Southey

While significant disruption has already been achieved, Oatly says it’s ‘only the start’. We catch up with UK general manager Bryan Carroll to ask how the plant-based major is expanding the alt dairy aisle to entice new consumers.

'We were used to it, but we lost it...' Why Dr. Schär is reviving new varieties of ancient grain millet

11-Jul-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Italian gluten-free specialist Dr. Schär is investing in new millet varieties with improved nutritional characteristics and better adapted to changing environment, FoodNavigator hears.

Campaigners angry as EFSA identifies ‘no critical areas of concern’ over controversial herbicide glyphosate

06-Jul-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Health campaigners have reacted with disappointment after an EFSA risk assessment of glyphosate did not identify critical areas of concern.

EU novel foods regulation ‘hindering innovation’ in meat alternatives sector

04-Jul-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Notoriously costly and time-consuming novel food rules potentially limit advancement in the category, FoodNavigator’s Protein Vision event heard.

How the cooperative model can ‘empower the people behind our favourite foods’

03-Jul-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Why cooperatives are key to unleashing African food sector potential, says ingredients supplier ofi.

NPD Trend Tracker: From chocolate covered bananas to worker's tea

03-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Our latest NPD Trend Tracker looks at a range of new fruit juices, healthy snacks and interesting beverages. From historic tea and ocean conservation-supporting wine to vegan protein powder and paper-packaged straws, scroll through the gallery for more....

Inside the ‘supermarket of the future’ promising to waste less energy and less food

30-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Industrial firm Danfoss has just opened a 'Smart Store' in Denmark which employs up-to-date heating and cooling technology solutions in the hope of showing food retailers ‘the journey to a zero emissions supermarket’.

Exclusive

‘We know that time temperature indicators have huge potential to reduce food waste’: Behind HelloFresh’s push for regulatory changes to enable new food labelling solutions to be unboxed

29-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

As new research from HelloFresh reveals one in five consumers throw away perfectly safe and edible food because they rigidly follow date labelling, HelloFresh is urging the EU and UK to revise rules to allow innovative time-temperature indicators to minimize...

Alternative protein made from…broccoli? Stalks and leaves upcycled into ‘clean’ protein for industry

26-Jun-2023 By Flora Southey

A new project is harvesting broccoli stems, stalks, and leaves – which would otherwise be left in the field – and upcycling them into an alternative protein ingredient for food and beverage makers.

Industry tie-up for ‘meaty’ alt protein made from pumpkin seeds: ‘We don’t focus on replicating meat; our products stand on their own’

22-Jun-2023 By Flora Southey

Israeli start-up More Foods, which makes ‘meaty’ products made from pumpkin seeds, is announcing a strategic collaboration with Osem-Nestlé Group subsidiary Tivol.

More funds for the start-up promising AI ‘superpowers’ for crop growers

21-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Holland’s Source.ag has received more investment to provide the world's fruit and vegetables growers with ‘next level’ AI for greenhouse agriculture.

Upcycled ingredients: Challenges and opportunities in securing side stream supply

20-Jun-2023 By Flora Southey

How do upcycling innovators ensure they have abundant supply of side stream raw materials to develop new ingredients for the food and beverage industry?

Digital application launched to give ‘innovative advice’ on steps to improve soil health

20-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The Soil Health Scorecard aims to address the challenges of innovation and sustainability in agriculture.

Eastern promise: why the UK’s Norfolk and Suffolk are vying to unlock their agri-tech potential

19-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The two agriculturally important counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in the east of the UK are aiming to untap their ‘high potential opportunity’ in plant science for nutrition, FoodNavigator learns.

How sensory science can drive innovation and cure current food system ills

14-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

In the highly competitive, complex landscape manufacturers are now in, product acceptance is more than ever about the emotions a product generates, FoodNavigator hears.

Making chocolate without cocoa: Inside the R&D lab

14-Jun-2023 By Flora Southey

WNWN Food Labs is rethinking chocolate, without cocoa. FoodNavigator visits the start-up’s R&D lab to see how its dark and ‘milk’ chocolate alternatives are made.

Versatile high-fibre 'superfood' Madhūka arrives in the UK

12-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Found in the forests of South and South East Asia, the Madhūka flower provides a versatile ingredient that can be used as nibs for cereals, snacks and museli, as powder for coffee and milkshakes, and as tea. Now, ōForest, a new brand, is bringing it to...

Artificial intelligence designs soda for Swiss market: ‘We were gripped by AI fever’

09-Jun-2023 By Flora Southey

It took just two days for Swiss beverage company Vivi Kola to develop the artificial intelligence-designed beverage using ChatGPT, Midjourney and Unreal Engine.