Dairy-based ingredients

Butter, sugar and bakery prices rocket in Germany

20-Sep-2024 By Nicholas Robinson

Despite Germany’s producer prices dropping overall, some commodities have risen by over a third.

‘Precision’ technologies will reboot dairy industry profits

20-Sep-2024 By Nicholas Robinson

Dairy value sales will balloon to over $1tr in the next decade as the sector combats myriad issues by adopting emerging food technologies like precision fermentation and cellular agriculture.

How climate change is impacting food commodities

13-Sep-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

How is the food and beverage industry responding to the need to make its supply chains more sustainable? Find out at Climate Smart Food 2024.

Why is Danone removing Nutri-Score?

13-Sep-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

After a change in Nutri-Score’s algorithm, Danone has announced it will remove the front-of-pack labelling from some of its products. Why?

ADM and Carrefour among businesses ramping up cage-free food calls

12-Sep-2024 By Nicholas Robinson

Europe’s biggest food and beverage companies are rallying in support of a complete ban on caged food production.

Capturing ammonia: Materials to catch this crucial chemical

10-Sep-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Ammonia is crucial in many parts of the food industry, including food safety and the production of fertilisers. A new study looks at different ways to capture it.

Which cheeses still use animal rennet?

09-Sep-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Animal rennet is still prevalent in many of Europe’s cheeses, despite a shift towards vegetarian rennet. Geographical indicators are a key reason why.

F&B opportunity: Boosting protein intake earlier for elderly

09-Sep-2024 By Nicholas Robinson

Additional protein intake for older people should begin much earlier than most consumers think, providing food and drink manufacturers with a new market to profit from.

Welfare labelling and alt-meat investment recommended for EU food

04-Sep-2024 By Nicholas Robinson

Animal welfare reforms in the European Union are a step closer and could include pathways for alt-meat production, new import requirements and welfare labelling on meat and dairy products.

Mapping the ‘food microbiome'

02-Sep-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

New research, which maps the ‘food microbiome’, opens up a range of new avenues for study and points to significant overlap between food and human microbiomes.

The 'carnivore' diet trend: what is it and can it be profitable?

29-Aug-2024 By Donna Eastlake

The increasingly popular carnivore diet is shaping up to be a powerful new food trend. But what is it, why has it become so popular, and what opportunities does it create for food manufacturers?

How much can the protein transition reduce emissions?

14-Aug-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Reducing meat intake and shifting towards a healthier diet has the potential to moderate greenhouse gas emissions. But by how much?

PDO-protected cheeses rampant with diverse bacteria

13-Aug-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

PDO-protected cheeses are legislated to have unique geographical origins. This may impact the diversity of their microbiotas.

NPD Trend Tracker: From Belizean rum to drought-resistent beer

12-Aug-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

This week, we have a range of beverages, from beer using drought-resistant 'fonio grain', energy drinks made by Estonia's oldest brewery, and rum developed from raw materials on Belizean farms.

How to produce a clean-label beverage with a long shelf life

07-Aug-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Without artificial additives, ensuring that products have a long shelf-life is more challenging.

Danone and Microsoft to collaborate on AI to boost operational efficiency

05-Aug-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

In order to improve its operational efficiency, dairy major Danone has enlisted Microsoft. The two companies will collaborate to implement AI in Danone’s systems.

Five food tech start-ups working on dairy-free alternatives

01-Aug-2024 By Megan Tatum

As pressure grows on plant-based dairy to address concerns from taste and texture to environmental impact, European food tech start-ups are working on a dairy-free solution that ticks all boxes.

How can manufacturers prepare for the next wave of UK HFSS rules?

25-Jul-2024 By Megan Tatum

It’s a little over a year before the next set of HFSS restrictions come into force in UK stores. What should UK and European food and beverage manufacturers expect?

Start-ups that caught our eye at Bread and Jam 2024

24-Jul-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

At the Bread and Jam festival in London last week, we saw a range of start-ups try to plug perceived gaps in the market, in ingredients, cheese and alcoholic drinks.

First B-Corp certified farm in Europe leads on sustainability and animal welfare

22-Jul-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

A dairy farm in Europe has been certified B Corp, the first in Europe to acquire the coveted certification. How did they do it?

Fermented foods and beverages find favour with consumers

16-Jul-2024 By Donna Eastlake

The rise of fermented foods and beverages is an unlikely success story. But their popularity keeps on growing!

What is the role of circularity in a sustainable food system?

10-Jul-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The protein transition is often viewed as the path to a sustainable food system. How can circularity complement it in reducing emissions and land use in food?

Is the flexitarian trend waning in Europe?

05-Jul-2024 By Flora Southey

Fewer consumers plan to cut meat and dairy from their diet.

Consumers don't want cheap plant-based meat and dairy

02-Jul-2024 By Flora Southey

Conventional wisdom would suggest if a product is priced lower, consumers would be more willing to purchase it. But when it comes to plant-based, Europeans are bucking the trend.

HMOs recreated in plants, and not just for babies

01-Jul-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

While normally costly to artificially produce, new research shows human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) can be made at low cost from plants, including those difficult to produce using other methods.

Could a keto diet boost brain health?

27-Jun-2024 By Donna Eastlake

The keto diet has been linked to multiple health benefits, including lowered blood pressure and reduced blood sugar. Now scientists believe it could aid brain health.

The first carbon tax on farms has been set, and it’s in Europe

26-Jun-2024 By Flora Southey

Denmark is due to become the first country in the world to impose a carbon tax on agriculture.

How brands are capitalising on gut health

20-Jun-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Gut health is proving to be hugely popular with consumers and enormously profitable for food and beverage manufacturers. In financial terms, it’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Affordability still major barrier to plant-based adoption

18-Jun-2024 By Donna Eastlake

When it comes to promoting a plant-based diet, one consumer belief is proving tough to break.

Do emulsifiers increase the risk of diabetes?

12-Jun-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Emulsifiers are found in a whole range of foods, including yogurts, ice creams, chocolate bars, margarines and even some breads. But could this common food additive increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes?

Has the plant-based trend peaked?

30-May-2024 By Donna Eastlake

The plant-based trend has been on the up and up in recent years. But has it finally peaked and, if yes, can the plant-based industry do anything to prevent a decline?

Are protein bars and powders damaging to gut health?

21-May-2024 By Donna Eastlake

High-protein products and gut health represent two of the biggest food trends of the last decade, but is one bad for the other?

From peas to pintos: The new ingredients being tested in plant-based dairy

21-May-2024 By Flora Southey

Researchers are looking beyond soy and oat for plant-based dairy innovation. Which ingredients are being put under the microscope?

Trust in food industry declining

20-May-2024 By Donna Eastlake

As consumers become increasingly engaged in understanding the contents of the foods they’re consuming, it appears that trust in the food industry is plummeting. But can that trust be restored?

How brands communicate gut health benefits, creatively

15-May-2024 By Flora Southey

In Europe, food and drink makers tapping into the gut health trend find themselves hamstrung by health claims regulations. How can they communicate benefits, without breaking the law?

Case of mad cow disease confirmed in the UK: What we know so far

13-May-2024 By Donna Eastlake

This weekend brought the unwelcome news of a confirmed case of BSE, commonly known as mad cow disease, in Ayrshire, Scotland. Here’s what we know so far.

Prebiotics: What are they, what are the different types, and what is their future?

10-May-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Prebiotics are a unique part of the gut health trend. How are prebiotics used in food and how is regulation impacting the sector? The so-called Father of Prebiotics weighs in.

How to incentivise farmers to work longer

09-May-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

With an ageing population and youth reluctance forcing up the average age of farmers in Europe, how can they be incentivised to stay in a physically demanding job for longer?

Postbiotics: The lesser-known microbes in the gut health universe

09-May-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Prebiotics and probiotics are practically celebrities in the world of gut health, but have you heard of postbiotics? This lesser-known friend of pre and pro is quickly climbing the gut-health charts.

Nestlé's plan to expand its cold coffee footprint: ‘We like it with lemonade, tonic or orange juice’

08-May-2024 By Flora Southey

Nestlé is tapping into the growing cold coffee trend, and not only as a mixer for water and milk.

Low-histamine diet: Is this the new food trend to watch?

02-May-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Understanding of high-histamine and histamine-liberating foods is relatively new, but it’s quickly gaining consumer interest. So, what is this new trend towards consuming low-histamine foods and is it one to watch?

Which plant-based alternatives are healthier than animal products?

01-May-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Are plant-based meat and dairy substitutes healthier? Well, yes. And no. It depends. A new study investigates which substitutes do best, and worst, when pitted against animal products.

Does tax on ‘unhealthy’ foods lower obesity rates?

01-May-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Rates of obesity continue to rise globally, with governments taking various measures to tackle it, but is taxing unhealthy foods the solution?

Sustainability: More than just preventing climate change

29-Apr-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Sustainability focuses heavily on the protection of the planet and the prevention of climate change. But there’s so much more to it.

Unilever’s food and beverage growth driven by price, not volume sales

26-Apr-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Unilever’s first quarter sees growth in all of its categories, including nutrition and ice cream. However, growth in these two categories is driven by price, with volume sales falling.

Feeling Smug? Behind Kerry’s launch into hybrid dairy

25-Apr-2024 By Flora Southey

Kerry Dairy Consumer Foods is bringing ‘real innovation’ to dairy with a range of hybrid products – and tongue-in-cheek branding.

The price of butter keeps creeping up, why?

22-Apr-2024 By Donna Eastlake

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?

Novonesis F&B chief on post-merger strategy: ‘We’re now reaching 2bn consumers a day’

22-Apr-2024 By Flora Southey

How will the merger between Chr Hansen and Novozymes impact their now joint food and beverage division?

Nestlé accused of adding sugar to baby food in lower income countries

18-Apr-2024 By Flora Southey

Sugar is added to some of Nestlé’s baby food products sold in poorer countries, but not in its main European markets, claims a new report.

Antibiotic use in dairy: Could traces in milk put consumers at risk?

17-Apr-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

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.