The ageing population is a massive – if somewhat overlooked – opportunity for the food industry. Understanding consumer expectations in this segment is key to delivering relevant product innovations.
French start-up Tomm' Pousse swaps cow's milk for cashews to make its vegan Camemvert that is aged (and mouldy) like traditional Camembert. "Our product is for everybody - including the French," it says.
Juana Botero, director sustainability at Casa Luker, on how the cocoa industry is taking the fight to the drugs gangs by building a successful human-centred business with social inclusion throughout the supply chain based on empathy and support for the...
Social media provides an important insight into how people think and feel about food. Pinterest, in conjunction with Taste Week France, concluded a survey of what food trends are getting users excited.
Downing Street is expected to introduce a new policy that all flour is to be fortified with folic acid in an effort to reduce the number of babies born in the UK with neural tube defects (NTDs).
Ninety percent of global fish stocks are either fully or over-exploited yet consumer demand is rising. The Marine Conservation Society's Good Fish Guide helps buyers navigate sustainable fish purchasing.
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) creates ecosystems of entrepreneurship to solve the food industry's biggest problems. We spoke to its CEO about the challenges and the start-up success stories.
Nestlé announced it closed its joint venture with the Indofood Group last month, while PepsiCo reiterated its stance to not source palm oil – either directly or indirectly – from the company and its subsidiaries, purportedly linked to deforestation and...
It is well documented that certain things affect how we perceive flavour: from smell to visual appearance. But what about some of the less obvious factors, like the room in which you are eating or your expectations around price?
The Plastic Soup Foundation has partnered with VU University Amsterdam (Free University) on a three-year project to analyse the direct effects of plastics and additives in plastic.
Finnish food manufacturer Fazer has identified the top five food trends for Nordic consumers in 2019, based on a 4000-strong survey and analyst insights.
A human intervention trial conducted by Food for Health Ireland (FHI) scientists at University College Dublin, found that when Irish full fat cheddar cheese was consumed for six weeks, it did not raise blood cholesterol levels.
Scottish food tech group Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS) has opened its first demo indoor vertical farm in a bid to meet rapidly expanding demand for vertical farming solutions.
While phrases such as ‘eating clean’ are starting to appear more frequently in consumer marketing, Mintel research shows some consumers are confused by the term ‘clean’ when used on pack, says Stephanie Mattucci, Mintel’s associate director for food science,...
Sugar reduction and ambient drinking yogurt are two of the most interesting trends in Latin America at the moment, but both present technical challenges to food and beverage companies. Hydrocolloids are part of the solution, explains CP Kelco’s regional...
Using bio-optic smell sensors, French company Aryballe Technologies has developed a portable ‘artificial nose’ to help food manufacturers in quality control testing and new product development (NPD).
Why will cellular agriculture succeed? “Because people don’t want to stop eating meat, they just have an issue with the process beforehand,” says the founder and president of the Cellular Agriculture Society (CAS).
From a nutritious (and cheap) flour made from the by-product of tofu production to sugar, beer and biodegradable plastic made from almond husks, 'waste' is a dirty word in today's food industry. FoodNavigator found out more at this year's...
What do consumers really think of meat alternatives - and what are they actually looking for in products? FoodNavigator caught up with a global Mintel analyst at IFT to find out.
Cell-cultured and fermentation-based milk proteins, egg whites and meat are creating novel challenges for food marketers and regulators, but as long as products are safe and shoppers are not being misled, regulators should not stymie innovation by favoring...
As the world’s population increases and squeezes limited resources, everyone will have to do more with less – and one tool that can help with this is enzymes, such as those made by Novozymes.
The healthy fat profile of flax oil, high in omega-3 fatty acids, means manufacturers have traditionally focused on this. But the seeds also contain protein, fibre and lignin, all of which are interesting 'stealth health' ingredients, the company...
If plant-based ‘milk’ is keeping some parts of the dairy industry – and the FDA commissioner – awake at night, what might milk producers make of the latest innovation to emerge from Silicon Valley: animal-free dairy (casein and whey made without cows)?...
Naturex has launched a patent-pending blend of rosemary and spinach extracts that can replace the synthetic antioxidant ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) in lipid emulsions, such as mayonnaise or salad dressings.
Thousands of anecdotal reports collected by the Center For Science in the Public Interest and others correlating artificial dyes, such as Red 40, with behavior problems have prompted some parents to seek naturally colored products – many of which fall...
Using LED lighting, hydroponics and climate control, Farm.One vertical farm in New York is growing in success to deliver year-round fresh plants and herbs to its customers.
Innovation in Israel’s food tech sector is propelled by the country’s technological knowledge base, inward investment and governmental support. Ecosystems that encourage entrepreneurship and innovation are central to this endeavour. FoodNavigator visits...
Amid the growing number of clean meat start-ups, Israeli Supermeat says it has a difference. "Our technology is unique because we know that, from day one, that our products are scalable," said co-founder Shir Friedman.
The development of artificial intelligence solutions sits at the cutting edge of food tech. As an industry, the food sector is only just beginning to understand the potential that these developments offer.
The Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW), held in Glasgow last weekend, was a key opportunity for the red meat sector to gain an understanding into what the future might hold for the industry.
With good baking properties, a naturally sweet taste and no gluten, tiger nuts are a nutritionally dense superfood ideal for baking, milk alternatives and even pasta, says UK start-up The Tiger Nuts Company.
When Natural Machines printed a branded manufacturer's product using "fresh, real" ingredients, the company tried to shut it down. But this technology is coming and manufacturers can make it work for them, says the co-founder.
With provenance increasingly associated with quality in consumers' minds, flavourists are coming up with bold combinations to tap into this trend. Pine cone-smoked sea salt marinade, anyone?
Tentation Fromage is a company helping bridge the gap in France between traditional cheesemakers, who may not have an online presence, or only a rudimentary one, and consumers.
Colombia claims its palm oil is “unique and differentiated” and that it has 44 million hectares of under-utilised, already degraded land to develop it without causing any deforestation.
Quorn Foods’ rapid rise in the European meat-free segment is perhaps unsurprising considering the food taps into consumer desires to cut down on meat with a sustainable, affordable and tasty alternative.
FoodQualityNews was at Pittcon 2018 in Orlando, Florida and spoke to Thermo Fisher, Waters, Axcend, Zebra Analytix, Jeol USA, Leco, ACD/Labs, Viavi and Labvantage.
Consumer-focused innovation may take on another creative element with the adoption of big data but for Arla Foods the data-heavy approach is key to gaining a competitive advantage.
With booming populations and a growing taste for Western foods, are China and the Middle East the El Dorado for European food exports? FoodNavigator put the question to two experts.
Insects have a meaty, umami flavour with herby flavour notes - so why are most manufacturers using them in sweet products? It may be time for a category re-think, says one researcher.
New research showing organic farming more effectively restores soil carbon and reduces the cause of climate change compared to conventional techniques could sway more shoppers to buy organic – especially as conscious consumerism continues to rise.
In the future, we won’t cook with fruit, vegetables or meat. We will cook ‘note by note’ with the pure compounds responsible for taste and smell – and industry better start preparing, says molecular gastronomy inventor, Hervé This.
Sourcing to fair trade standards, such as UTZ, Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade, is an important first step for chocolate makers towards cocoa sustainability, but will not necessarily bring farmers out of extreme poverty, say supply chain actors.
Disruptive and emerging technology that may decide how the food industry interacts with consumers is asking big questions as to whether traditional foodmakers are prepared for this shift in opportunity.
Demand from Muslim millennials has fuelled the growth of a Halal food market in Europe keen to address negative perceptions and tap into affluent communities eager to spend the “Muslim pound”.
