Cultures, enzymes, yeast

Galicia sets legal definition of artisan food

30-Apr-2018 By Niamh Michail

Spain's Galicia has set a legal definition of artisan food, which prohibits the use of artificial colours, flavours and tropical fats such as palm oil and coconut oil.

Clean label 2.0: Tapping into the trends of tomorrow

30-Apr-2018 By Niamh Michail

What will the clean label foods of tomorrow look like? From actively healthy additives to clean packaging and connected products, five industry experts share their views.

Regulation ‘could boost clean label’ and build trust

05-Mar-2018 By Katy Askew

There is currently no clear legal definition of what constitutes a clean label product. One marketing and economics expert argues certification and regulation could actually boost clean label sales.

Ultra-processed food may be linked to cancer: BMJ study

15-Feb-2018 By Niamh Michail

There may be a causal link between eating highly processed food and cancer risk, and four reasons why this could be, according to the authors of a 105,000-strong French study published in the British Medical Journal.

Orkla extends acrylamide-reducing yeast deal towards Eastern Europe

14-Feb-2018 By Will Chu

Orkla Food Ingredients has received the go-ahead to manufacture and sell an acrylamide-reducing yeast in Eastern Europe as part of an extended license agreement with Renaissance BioScience.

Tate & Lyle pleased with Q3 progress

08-Feb-2018 By Niamh Michail

Tate & Lyle on track to deliver progress in adjusted profit in line with its expectations, it said in a Q3 trading statement today.

What does a new CEO mean for Chr. Hansen?

09-Jan-2018 By Katy Askew

Chr. Hansen has named Mauricio Graber as the man who will succeed Cees de Jong as chief executive. What will change at the top mean for the ingredients supplier’s strategy and could it signal any portfolio shifts?

2018 and beyond: Five mega-trends set to shape the food industry

03-Jan-2018 By Katy Askew

FoodNavigator looks at five mega-trends that are set to influence the future of innovation in the food sector.

Investor interest in UN sustainability goals on the rise: Chr. Hansen

29-Nov-2017 By Lester Wan

Financial backers are increasingly concerned with food firms' sustainable activity, with Chr. Hansen saying investor interest was a key driver for its decision to assess all its products against the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development.

Yakult boss urges clarity from UK over Brexit

23-Oct-2017 By Cheryl Tay

Yakult's president has urged the UK to clearly define its Brexit strategy, but has pledged that the firm is committed to continuing its business in the country.

Chr Hansen taps into billion dollar trends with fermented plant-based yoghurt cultures

28-Sep-2017 By Niamh Michail

Chr Hansen has developed cultures for lacto-fermented soy and coconut yoghurts with the taste, texture and healthiness of traditional dairy.  ‘It’s still niche but we want to be the first innovators here,” the firm says.

Novozymes gets EFSA green light for two glucose syrup enzymes

31-Aug-2017 By Niamh Michail

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has given the green light for two Novozymes enzymes used to make glucose syrup.

WORLD FOOD SUMMIT 2017

Chr Hansen CEO: Fighting food waste is part of our business plan

30-Aug-2017 By Niamh Michail

Chr Hansen's bioprotective cultures are so effective at extending shelf life, the firm has set itself an ambitious target: to reduce global yoghurt waste by 2% before 2020, its CEO says.

Novozymes sees 'good' H1 momentum

11-Aug-2017 By Katy Askew

Novozymes said it saw “good” momentum across its food and beverage ingredients business during the first six months of the year.

From kefir to kvass: What's in store for Europe's fermented food trend?

27-Jul-2017 By Niamh Michail

From do-it-yourself kefir kits and lacto-fermented vegetable juices to kvass and spreadable cheese-style tempeh – what’s trending and what's next for the fermented food trend in Europe?

Ajinomoto 'disappointed' with EFSA glutamate opinion as EU says it will consider maximum levels

13-Jul-2017 By Niamh Michail

Umami seasoning supplier Ajinomoto is "disappointed" Europe's food safety authority has called for regulations capping MSG and glutamate additives in food, as the Commission confirms it will consider setting maximum levels.

EFSA sets safe intake level for MSG and glutamate additives, urging new maximum levels

12-Jul-2017 By Niamh Michail

Europe’s Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has set a safe level for glutamate food additives, but given many Europeans are over this level, it is urging the Commission to revise the current maximum levels permitted in food.

DSM on bringing fermented stevia to Europe: 'There could be an advantage in being first'

11-Jul-2017 By Niamh Michail

DSM is seeking approval to sell fermented stevia in Europe. We caught up with the director of its stevia platform to discuss how it could be labelled, consumer acceptance and when it expects EFSA to give the green light.

Nanomaterial’s growth in food use reined in by health risks: Review

06-Jun-2017 By Will Chu

The use of organic and inorganic nanomaterials (INMs) in food applications is growing, a review concludes, yet its short history has not completely revealed the associated risks. 

Grill or microwave mushrooms to preserve protein content, say fungal researchers

31-May-2017 By Will Chu

Microwaving and grilling are the best approaches to preserve mushrooms’ nutritional profile, a study reveals, trumping methods like boiling and deep-frying.

Orkla snaps up distribution deal for acrylamide-reducing yeast

30-May-2017 By Niamh Michail

Orkla Food Ingredients has inked a deal with Canada's Renaissance BioScience to exclusively produce and sell its patent-pending, acrylamide-reducing yeast Acrylow in Nordic and Baltic countries.

Tate & Lyle profits jump 85% as weak pound provides boost

26-May-2017 By Niamh Michail

British ingredient supplier Tate & Lyle has reported an 85% increase in profit before tax, putting the successful performance down to higher sales, a weak pound and fewer exceptional costs.

Austrian start-up taps into fermentation trend with umami-packed seasoning

28-Apr-2017 By Niamh Michail

With its umami-packed, fermented seasoning made from locally-sourced, organic lupin and oats, Austrian start-up Genusskoarl is bringing to the market its "soy sauce adapted to European tastes".

Food and drink drives ‘good start’ for Novozymes

26-Apr-2017 By Nathan Gray

Enzymes and food biotechnology giant Novozymes saw a 3% growth in sales in the first quarter of 2017, driven by strong performances in Food & Beverages and Bioenergy.

DuPont health & nutrition president on mega mergers, start-up successes and new product launch plans

21-Apr-2017 By Niamh Michail

Despite its recent mega mergers and billion-dollar business deals, DuPont is still very much focussed on collaborating with start-ups. “Not everything has to be invented in our labs,” its nutrition and health president Matthias Heinzel tells FoodNavigator.

Marmite on the mind? Research suggests Marmite impacts brain functioning

07-Apr-2017 By Nathan Gray

High consumption of vitamin B12-rich Marmite spread could alter brain activity by increasing certain chemical messengers, says new research.

Chr. Hansen posts ‘strong’ H1 with organic revenue growth of 10%

06-Apr-2017 By Nathan Gray

Food and nutrition bioscience firm Chr. Hansen says it is well positioned to deliver its ambitious full year targets, as it reports 10% organic revenue growth for the first half of its financial year.

DSM opens new Dutch biotechnology centre

03-Apr-2017 By Nathan Gray

Global food and nutritional ingredients supplier DSM continues its €100 million investment in R&D with the opening of a new biotechnology facility near its Delft HQ for food.

Solina strengthens Eastern European hub with Romanian acquisition

28-Mar-2017 By Niamh Michail

French supplier Solina will acquire the Romanian functional ingredients firm Supremia in what it says is a major step to creating a regional hub in Eastern Europe.

Baker’s yeast can be used to create high-value fatty acids: Study

23-Mar-2017 By Will Chu

Producing fatty acids from sugar in industrial quantities may have been cracked by German researchers, who believe the approach could be harnessed to create new types of molecules for the food sector.

Are you ready for the ‘Cheester’ Easter Egg?

22-Mar-2017 By Jenny Eagle

Food blogger Annem Hobson has partnered with Wildes Cheese to create the first ever ‘Cheester Egg’ for Easter.

Synthetic yeast creations pave way for improved food industry applications

21-Mar-2017 By Will Chu

Five new synthetic yeast chromosomes have been created could signal the advent of more nutritious food, less waste and improved processing efficiency, according to the team heading up the project. 

Dried surrogate bacteria could help with process validation, FSMA compliance

16-Mar-2017 By Hank Schultz

A new validation technique using dried surrogate bacteria that could help companies come into compliance with new FSMA requirements has been developed by French company Novolyze.

Milk and cheese quality not affected by extended lactation

07-Mar-2017 By Jim Cornall

On average, a Danish dairy cow calves once a year.  However, a recent study at Aarhus University suggests fewer calvings and extended milking periods may be more advantageous.

'The exposure of the population has remained high and virtually unchanged'

Acrylamide needs to be regulated at the source, says expert

14-Feb-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

Manufacturers should favour reduced sugar potatoes, specific storage temperatures and use acrylamide-cutting enzymes to reduce levels of the possible carcinogen, according to one expert.

Backing up health claims is key to marketing fruit, says kiwi producer

10-Feb-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

New Zealand kiwifruit producer, Zespri, says the best marketing strategy for fruit is to back up health claims, which is how it will position the fruit in its new European expansion. FoodNavigator spoke to Chief Operating Officer, Simon Limmer, to find...

Spanish supplier Indukern talks growth strategy for 2017

02-Feb-2017 By Niamh Michail

Indukern is intent on expanding in 2017 with ingredient launches from its recent research and development (R&D) laboratory in Barcelona and the latest acquisition of Mexican firm Cytecsa. 

Arla Foods to head Danish initiative to boost exports

15-Dec-2016 By Will Chu

A major push to create new jobs and increase exports in the Danish food sector by more than DKK 30bn (€4bn) has been backed by food industry giants Arla Foods, Novozymes and Chr. Hansen.

A-listed: Novozymes is top carbon cutter

04-Nov-2016 By Louis Gore-Langton

Novozymes has again been listed among the world’s top companies for climate action, but does its top spot on another scorecard really reflect a significant improvement in its carbon emissions, or is it merely a marketing tool?  

Norway could be next big nori market, experts say

31-Oct-2016 By Natalie Morrison

Norway could become the next big producer of nori, researchers say, after growing red algae ‘feather film’ in a local lab for the first time.

Sweet solution could see sugar alcohols store renewable energy forms

27-Oct-2016 By Will Chu

Sugar alcohols could be used to store solar and wind energy as researchers look to alternatives that are more environmentally friendly and sustainable. 

Brexit bites: Marmite maul will spread far beyond Unilever-Tesco

13-Oct-2016 By David Burrows

The spat between Marmite-maker Unilever and supermarket Tesco has made many of the front pages in the UK this morning, but this spreads much further than these two gorillas of the world’s grocery industry. SMEs could be hardest hit. 

Emerging Markets

Mastic and mojito: Innovating in the Middle East’s ‘reshuffled’ gum market

29-Sep-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

Lebanese company Master Chewing Gum & Candies has introduced a gourmet gum brand in unconventional flavors such as mojito as it looks to seize on the Middle East’s changing gum market.

Cornelius’ future suite-smelling as new lab opens for business

06-Sep-2016 By Will Chu

Ingredients distributor Cornelius has opened its new research and development facility which the company said would add ‘insight’ and ‘inspiration’ to new product development (NPD).

Soy may support metabolic health in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: Study

09-Aug-2016 By Will Chu

Soy isoflavones may help in improving the cardiovascular health of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a study has determined.

Mission possible: is Impossible Foods’ new plant-based burger a “breakthrough”?

05-Aug-2016 By David Burrows

It’s taken five years and a reported $80m (€72m) of research, but the meat-free burger that “bleeds” has finally arrived. The company behind it, Impossible Foods, believe its similarities to meat in texture, taste and smell make it a breakthrough product.

How can an olive oil waste product reduce industry use of artificial additives?

03-Aug-2016 By Will Chu

Scientists have developed a cheaper way to make high quality, natural emulsifiers and other valuable additives using the waste product from olive oil production.

‘Anti-blood clot’ fermented soybean extract safe, says EFSA

02-Aug-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

A fermented soybean extract that claims to help prevent blood clots is safe for use in food supplements, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has concluded following a novel food application from a Japanese company that sparked member state concerns.

Soybean by-product tipped as alternative prebiotic

01-Aug-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

By-product Okara, otherwise known as ‘soy pulp’ or ‘tofu dreg’, is a promising novel prebiotic, according to researchers testing the ingredient in a human gut model. 

Less fat, more protein: Quinoa can replace fat in dry-cured sausage

28-Jul-2016 By Niamh Michail

Replacing fat in dry-cured sausages with boiled quinoa could be an effective way to reduce fat and boost protein content without affecting consumer liking, Spanish researchers have found.