Dairy-based ingredients

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.

Animal-free dairy seeks EFSA approval: What we know so far

17-Apr-2024 By Flora Southey

Precision fermentation-derived dairy players have started submitting novel food applications for pre-market approval in the EU.

How much time should dairy cows spend outside?

17-Apr-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

To have a fulfilling life, cows arguably must be allowed outside. But what constitutes a ‘free-range’ cow is ambiguous. For optimum welfare, farmers must balance time outdoors and time indoors.

Nestlé’s top tip for communicating regen ag in dairy? ‘Show, don’t tell’

17-Apr-2024 By Flora Southey

Setting up regenerative agriculture practices is no mean feat, but communicating the benefits to consumers may be even tougher.

Heatless technique does the same job as pasteurisation, but keeps key protein intact

16-Apr-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

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.

Could keto diet delay early Alzheimer's?

16-Apr-2024 By Donna Eastlake

The keto diet has been linked to multiple health benefits, including lowered blood pressure and reduced blood sugar, but could it also help to combat the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease?

Inside Danone’s methane strategy: ‘This is the most immediate opportunity we have to slow global warming’

15-Apr-2024 By Flora Southey

Methane reduction may not be well understood by consumers, but Danone wants to bring them along on the journey.

Why are consumers turning away from dairy?

10-Apr-2024 By Donna Eastlake

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?

Organic alternative to chemical pesticides discovered

09-Apr-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Scientists believe they’ve found an organic solution to chemical pesticides

Food security: How can we create resilient food systems for the future?

08-Apr-2024 By Donna Eastlake

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?

Foodborne bacteria can adapt to cleaning methods, research suggests

04-Apr-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Foodborne bacteria such as listeria can adapt to cleaning methods in ready-to-eat food factories, new research suggests, pointing to a potential explanation for high levels of infections.

Dairy in potatoes? Molecular farming newcomer teaches spuds to act like mammals

03-Apr-2024 By Flora Southey

Molecular farming newcomer Finally Foods is emerging from stealth mode to produce casein from plants – with the help of AI.

‘Vegan’ or ‘free-from’? Tackling lack of awareness of the difference between allergen and dietary labelling

26-Mar-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

A ‘vegan’ label does not mean a food is safe to eat for those with allergies to animal products. New research shows the public is dangerously unaware of this distinction.

Is the UK investing enough in food and drinks manufacturing?

25-Mar-2024 By Donna Eastlake

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?

NPD Trend Tracker: From Easter-egg ice cream to dairy-free chocolate eggs

25-Mar-2024 By Donna Eastlake

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...

Changing freshwater cycle: Are we on a collision course with disaster?

22-Mar-2024 By Donna Eastlake

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?

Behind FrieslandCampina’s foray into lab made lactoferrin

21-Mar-2024 By Flora Southey

FrieslandCampina Ingredients is expanding its precision fermentation focus beyond HMOs. But will parents be open to feeding their babies precision fermentation-derived dairy?

How is the food industry supporting childhood nutrition?

21-Mar-2024 By Donna Eastlake

From infancy through to adolescence, nutrition is essential in ensuring a healthy body and mind for our youngsters. So how can this be achieved and what it the food industry doing to help parents?