Junk food has been linked to a number of health issues, including obesity, type two diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but could it also cause long-term damage to the brain?
The price of butter has risen steadily in recent years, with a 18.5% year-on-year increase recorded in the EU wholesale market between 2023 and 2024. But why is this happening? And is it a permanent trend?
Brands are getting creative and bringing a sense of fun to their new launches this week. We’ve got a bold pink “Barbiecue” sauce from Heinz and a caramel biscuit twist on a Dutch favourite. Elsewhere there are tea and coffee themed cocktails, peanut butter...
Personalised nutrition has been hailed as the future of effective nutrition. But how do consumers really feel about it? And is it truly the future of healthy eating?
PFAS, widely known as forever chemicals, have been found in foods, including fruits and vegetables, across Europe. But what are they? How did they get into the food chain? And are they harmful?
When antibiotics are used for livestock, it can put consumers at risk of developing antimicrobial resistance, for example in dairy when traces can get into milk. Regulations, therefore, are vital.
Vanilla is one of the most common flavours for sweet treats around the world. But is the farming of this much-loved spice sustainable? And, if not, should we be consuming it at all?
Pasteurisation has always used significant amounts of heat. A new technology, however, can fulfil the same function without this heat, thus keeping a key protein intact.
This is the question posed by researchers, who also wanted to find out whether swapping out sugar for artificial and natural sweeteners reduces blood sugar levels.
Starting a new business is an enormous challenge and takes a huge amount of courage. So what can you do to give yourself the best chance of succeeding?
The consumption of dairy products such as milk, butter and cheese is on the decline. But what’s the reason for this and can the dairy industry turn this trend around?
Concerns over the ‘health quality’ of Nestlé bottled water brands Perrier, Vittel, and others, have been raised by France’s food agency, according to a leaked report.
The rise of extreme weather events across the globe is posing a major threat to food security. So how can we create more resilient supply chains to ensure food supplies in the future?
The cost of food and beverages, including essentials such as bread and milk, have been on the rise for some time now. How have these increased costs influenced consumer behaviours?
Obstructive sleep apnoea and snoring have been attributed to a multitude of factors, including weight and gender, but could diet also play a significant role?
Functional food brands face a range of challenges, from taste to health claims, in order to get their products to appeal to consumers, and educate them about product potential.
Financial uncertainty has proved to be a major challenge for UK food and drinks manufacturers. But is the government investing in the industry and what more can it do to support them?
We’re getting ready for Easter in this week’s new-product roundup. There’s everything from egg-cellent (not sorry!) mini-egg ice cream to egg-citing (still not sorry!) dairy-free chocolate eggs. There’s also a range of drinks from energy-sparking mixers...
Human activity has significantly altered the freshwater cycle. But is this change reversible, and if not, what does it mean for the future of food and water supplies?
The gut health trend is one of the single biggest changes to hit the food and drinks industry in recent decades. So what are gut-loving consumers buying and what gut-friendly products will we see next?
Rumours are rife that the EU is planning to delay the EUDR deadline past 30 December 2024. But is this true, and if not, are suppliers and manufacturers ready?
Award winning actor Gillian Anderson is harnessing the power of botanicals to cater to an underserved market. We ask which ingredients align to which need state.
Brands have been quietly shrinking the size of some products for a while but consumers are getting wise to this moneysaving trick and voting with their wallets.
Plant-based diets have grown in popularity in recent years, so what’s encouraging the increased interest in plant-based alternatives and why might others avoid them?
Consumer appetite for gut-health friendly foods shows no signs of abating as understanding of its impact on overall health continues to grow. But how will this trend evolve and grow in the future?
Coffee is one of the world’s most popular drinks. While sensory questionnaires are a tried and tested way of assessing its quality, using technology to measure physical and mental responses can reduce biases and cut out the middleman. Now, researchers...
Healthy living is firmly on the agenda in this week’s new product roundup: There are immunity-boosting drinks, gut-friendly sweets and flapjacks, and an alternative protein source in the form of edible insects. Elsewhere we have a sparkling lemonade that's...
Spring is in the air and summer is firmly on the horizon in this week’s new product roundup: there are ice-cream inspired sweets and a seasonally special-edition menu. In other news we discover a supercharged apple juice, with heart-healthy properties,...
Food systems and supply chains can be confusing for consumers, often leaving them with little understanding of exactly where their food comes from and its environmental impact. Enter the Inclusive Food movement…
The largest bottled water company in the world is being accused of selling bottled tap water as mineral water and using illegal treatment methods to do so.
Variations in the properties of arabica coffee, such as in taste, caffeine content and disease resistance, are determined by chromosome mutations, according to a recent study. But are these findings purely academic, or relevant to industry? And how could...
The World Wildlife Fund is launching a campaign to not only get Europeans eating sustainably, but affordably too. So, what’s involved and can anyone give it a go?
Fermentation is, alongside plant-based and cultivated meat, one of the driving forces behind the alternative protein sector. A new investment from the UK Government aims to boost fermentation innovation.
Europe is not short of front-of-pack nutritional labels, with Nutri-Score, the Traffic Light scheme and Keyhole label dominating in different countries and regions. But with each label championing its own algorithm, do they yield different outcomes?
The market for non-alcoholic beer has steadily shifted away from niche in recent years, with many big brands releasing their own 0.0% and alcohol free brands. But consumers who drink alcohol-free beer are often looking for the same thing as those who...
Sales of meal-replacement drinks have surged in recent years, with brands like Huel taking full advantage of current consumer interest, but is this a foodie phase or a trend that’s just getting started?
In this week's NPD Trend Tracker, we see how high orange juice prices have led to the development of mandarin orange juice, and the rise of generative AI has led to the creation of an AI cookbook. Furthermore, we see a rebranding from Mallow &...
Less is apparently more when it comes to the amount of sugar used in the creation of the perfect chocolate bar. So will manufacturers reduce the amount of sugar they use in the making of this sweet treat and will consumers welcome the change?
Research from the University of Chicago has found that one of the most widely used food preservatives, nisin, has a damaging effect on the good bacteria in our gut
