Emulsifiers, stabilisers, hydrocolloids

‘It doesn’t need to bleed like a beef burger’: Snacks disrupter The Curators on how the humble mushroom can shake up the meat-free space

09-Apr-2021 By Oliver Morrison

Best known for its nuts, biltong and pork puffs, UK start-up The Curators has ventured into meat alternatives with a range of mushroom-based products. The aim is to tap into the fast-growing consumer appetite for more natural plant-based meal solutions,...

End the cage age: Unilever and Nestlé petition to phase out caged hens in Europe

17-Mar-2021 By Flora Southey

Nestlé, Unilever and Mondelēz International are among the food majors calling for an EU-wide ‘phase out’ of caged hens in farming.

Unilever looks to fat alternatives in quest to hit €1bn plant-based sales target

16-Mar-2021 By Oliver Morrison

The FMCG giant recently tasked start-ups to find solutions that promise to improve the taste, texture, sustainability and affordability of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives. The winner? A French company with a patented plant-based fat that closely...

Researchers propose standardised testing methods to crack sensory challenge of plant-based milk

11-Mar-2021 By Oliver Morrison

Despite rapidly growing consumer demand, the quality of plant-based milk products very often underwhelms. The solution? More consistent testing at R&D stage.

Not all processed foods should be demonised, say nutritionists

22-Feb-2021 By Oliver Morrison

What do canned baked beans, low fat fruit yogurt, ice cream, pre-packaged sliced bread, ready-made pasta sauces, and breakfast cereals with added sugar all have in common?

The future of ‘clean label’? Radically transparent and naturally healthy

17-Feb-2021 By Katy Askew

‘Clean label’ is an industry term that speaks to consumer demand for recognisable ‘pantry cupboard’ ingredients. But, without a clear definition, the meaning of clean label is evolving. What other mega-trends will shape the future of clean label innovation?

Cracking the ‘world’s first’ animal-free egg white through fermentation

09-Feb-2021 By Flora Southey

Clara Foods is leveraging precision fermentation technology to develop animal-free egg proteins. While first concentrating on the North American market, Chief Technology Officer Ranjan Patnaik says the start-up intends to commercialise in Europe.

Cracking progress or not up to scratch? European cage-free egg pledges in focus

04-Jan-2021 By Flora Southey

Which food businesses are making progress in their transition to cage-free eggs? Are any going in the opposite direction? Compassion in World Farming shares its findings.

Consumers associate plant-based with clean label: There is a ‘disconnect’ between perception and reality

16-Dec-2020 By Katy Askew

Demand for plant-based products is booming and many consumers identify the sector as being ‘natural’, ‘healthy’ and ‘artisan’, new research reveals. “There is an apparent disconnect between the consumer understanding of natural products and the reality...

Nestlé’s net zero roadmap: ‘We have no time to lose’

04-Dec-2020 By Katy Askew

Swiss food giant Nestlé wants to halve its emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050. “We have no time to lose,” CEO Mark Schneider told journalists at an event detailing how the company plans to get there.

‘Mega trends’ in clean label revealed: ‘It’s what’s not on the label that’s important’

26-Nov-2020 By Flora Southey

For today’s consumers ‘clean label’ is less about the ingredients featured back-of-pack and more about what isn’t listed, be it preservatives, genetically modified ingredients or artificial sweeteners, according to L.E.K. Consulting.

DuPont ties-up with food futurists at IFTF to ‘better navigate uncertainties in the future’

24-Nov-2020 By Katy Askew

DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences is advancing its innovation strategy through a partnership with non-profit research organisation the Institute for the Future (IFTF). The collaboration targets ‘far sighted’ innovation and will allow the company to ‘better...

From immunity and sustainability to plant-based and clean label: Top trends out in force at Fi Europe CONNECT 2020

18-Nov-2020 By Katy Askew

Fi Europe is a red-letter event for the European food sector. This year, COVID-19 means things will be a little different. But the need to share ideas and innovation – as well as networking and business opportunities – has ‘never been more important’.

Alland & Robert to ‘massively increase’ acacia gum production following spike in demand

03-Nov-2020 By Flora Southey

COVID-19 has accelerated demand for FMCG, and with that, acacia gum, Alland & Robert tells FoodNavigator.

Kraft Heinz partners with APC Microbiome Ireland to unlock the ‘ultimate natural and clean label opportunities’

28-Oct-2020 By Katy Askew

The Kraft Heinz Company has entered into a research partnership with APC Microbiome Ireland aimed at developing new natural cultures for fermented foods. This could unlock the ‘ultimate natural and clean label opportunities’ for product development, the...