Scientists have shown how shown how chemical compounds found in highly processed foods play a role in chronic kidney disease, and are now turning their attention to new formulations and prebiotic ingredients that could help minimise the risk.
Current food classification systems for ‘processed’ food are confusing and can be misleading, a new study argues. “It is over simplistic to assume that processed equals unhealthy,” the research’s lead author tells FoodNavigator.
By René Floris, NIZO Food Research Division Manager
In his latest column, NIZO Food Research Division Manager and FoodNavigator advisory panel member René Floris explores the role of in-vitro studies in substantiating health benefits of food products.
Researchers have highlighted nutrition as a possible factor influencing the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine, as recent news establishes a link between vitamin D levels and an adequate immune response.
UK food giants Unilever has ramped up its interest in the gut microbiome in a new partnership with Microba Life Sciences looking at the link between gut health and sleep quality.
Plant-based foods formulated with more wheat gluten was found to exhibit softer and less chewy texture compared to commercial tofu, mock meat and animal meat products.
For cell-cultured meat to be commercially viable, we’ll need to see significant movement in the price and availability of growth factors (signaling proteins that stimulate cell growth and differentiation) says UK-based CellRx, which says it can produce...
Parents of children with food allergies face ‘significant worry, severe anxiety and post-traumatic stress’, according to new research from the University of East Anglia.
Despite rapidly growing consumer demand, the quality of plant-based milk products very often underwhelms. The solution? More consistent testing at R&D stage.
New research concludes women diagnosed with breast cancer are 85% more likely to die from the disease if they drink non-diet soda five or more times a week.
‘Smart manufacturing’ can be leveraged to support food industry innovation, efficiency and sustainability. FoodNavigator speaks to Rockwell Automation to learn more about the latest advances in the space.
A large set of longitudinal data revealed a distinct gut microbiome signature that is associated with healthy aging and survival in the latest decades of life.
Barry Callebaut has joined forces with Swiss chemistry start-up Bloom Biorenewables to investigate upcycling chocolate side streams. The first result: vanillin produced from hazelnut shells.
Researchers from the French National Institute for Research into Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE) are hoping to buck the trend of falling white truffle production in Europe.
Scientists have discovered that a plant native to America could be grown in the UK and Europe, bringing huge potential benefits for ‘a balanced, sustainable diet’.
Researchers in Denmark have found that whole milk intake is associated with a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The same could not be said for cheese, however.
The coffee sector can look to ‘forgotten’ wild coffee species to mitigate the global impact of climate change, according to research from CIRAD and the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew. And coffee giants such as Jacobs Douwe Egberts, Nespresso and Starbucks...
High intake of highly processed (refined) grains is associated with higher risk of heart disease and death than whole (unrefined) grains, according to a study published by The BMJ.
UK biotech start-up CellulaREvolution hopes that a new funding round will help accelerate its vision to ‘revolutionise’ the cultured meat space. The company has developed technology that offers an important unlock for so-called ‘clean’ meat producers:...
Current price tags on dairy, animal- and plant-based foods do not reflect the environmental costs associated with their production. But if they did, what would the ‘true cost’ of these products be?
The UK Government is making its ‘biggest ever’ intervention to advance the sustainability of plastic packaging by opening its ‘largest scale’ grants to researchers and innovators across the country.
A new UK centre of excellence was opened this week by partners from the John Innes Centre and University of East Anglia (UEA) to develop projects that improve global food security.
South African scientists have warned that rising demand for affordable meat and the expansion of intensive animal agriculture creates the ‘perfect breeding ground’ for the development of viruses that could spark future pandemics.
Quantis is launching geoFootprint, a digital tool that the company describes as the ‘first’ to use satellite technology to map the environmental impact of food production on an interactive map. The innovation holds the key to ‘smarter, science-driven...
Ethnicity may play a role in how sensitive a person is to the bitter taste found in foods such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts and dark chocolate, as two studies demonstrate that Danish and Chinese people experience this taste differently owing to a difference...
A team in the UK has developed two methods – one hand-held, the other lab-based -- that can accurately detect adulteration of Basmati rice. The testing has the potential to save food manufacturers time and money in their attempts to protect their supply...
Recommendations to cut out or reduce meat from diets is not a universal solution, according to researchers, who stress livestock is critical to incomes and diets in low- and middle-income countries.
Eating avocado as part of a daily diet may help improve gut health by increasing the abundance and diversity of microbes in the human gut, according to recent research from the University of Illinois (U of I).
An international consortium of scientists has developed a hardy new wheat variety that is resistant to a particularly virulent fungal disease that threatens global food security.
Fresh research suggests that, for insect-based foods to catch on in western markets, manufacturers should focus on promoting them as ‘pleasurable’ rather than healthy or environmentally friendly.
Scientists have revealed a web of interactions among bacterial species are necessary for the coexistence of health-promoting microbes in the popular fermented milk drink, kefir.
Inflammatory compounds found in cooked meat are linked to a heightened risk of childhood wheeze, according to research published online in the journal Thorax.
Increased consumption of flavanols – molecules that are particularly abundant in cocoa beans – can increase your ‘mental agility’, fresh research suggests.
New technology developed at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland enables the use of pectin-containing agricultural waste, such as citrus peel and sugar beet pulp, as raw material for bio-based polyethylene furanoate (PEF) plastics for replacing...
New findings from Finnish researchers suggest that a blood glucose response benefit can be derived from eating a smaller portion of blackcurrants than previously thought, and from blackcurrants with added sugar.
A ‘greener’ Mediterranean diet consisting of more vegetables, less meat and topped up with water lentils, walnuts and green tea, may be even better for cardiovascular and metabolic health than the traditional version, suggests research.
UK scientists have created a new modified wheat variety that can increase grain production by up to 12%. They claim the innovation is a potential solution to help meet rapidly growing global demand, but also expect it to trigger heated debate around genetically...
Astronauts typically consume only 80% of their daily calorie requirements when in space, which could prove problematic on a long 36-month journey to Mars. Fresh research, which reveals links between food flavour and food intake, could help solve this...
