Fats & oils

Plant-based innovators push back at ‘ultra-processed, ultra-unhealthy’ critique

28-Sep-2022 By Katy Askew

Vegetarian diets are often characterised as healthy options delivering higher nutritional quality. But the surge seen in recent years of plant-based analogue products that many classify as ultra-processed has placed this reputation under pressure. Are...

CSM Ingredients and Allozymes in strategic tie-up on rapid novel enzyme development

22-Sep-2022 By Katy Askew

CSM Ingredients has entered into a strategic partnership with Allozymes, a Singapore-based start-up that leverages proprietary tech to develop novel enzymes, FoodNavigator can reveal. In this global exclusive, we catch up with CSM CEO Aldo Uva to learn...

How mycelium innovation is ‘unlocking the potential of the fungi kingdom’

16-Sep-2022 By Flora Southey

From pea protein substitutes to whole cut meat alternatives and pet food, the versatility of mycelium is helping to attract a growing number of start-ups to the space. How are entrepreneurs innovating to bring this sustainable ‘root-like’ structure to...

From regenerative ag to reformulation: A deep-dive into how PepsiCo is ‘reimagining the way food is grown, made and enjoyed’

07-Sep-2022 By Katy Askew

Since the launch of its strategic ‘end-to-end’ transformation agenda, dubbed Pep+, the company has hit a number of milestones on topics ranging from regenerative agriculture to reformulation. FoodNavigator catches up with Katharina Stenholm, Chief Sustainability...

The ‘fat frontier’: Creating ‘indulgent’ cream alternative from GMO-free yeast fermentation

06-Sep-2022 By Oliver Morrison

Swiss-based Cultivated Biosciences has secured fresh funding to develop its solution to the challenge of improving mouthfeel and texture in plant-based dairy.

Plant- and meat-based hybrids developed from sunflower side-streams: ‘Sensory properties are key to alt meat acceptance’

26-Aug-2022 By Flora Southey

The potential for sunflower press cakes to be upcycled into vegan meat alternatives and blended hybrid products is being investigated by a new EIT-Food funded project.

Cocoa-free chocolate developed from oleaginous yeast and fermented oats: ‘There is no chance consumers could taste the difference’

22-Aug-2022 By Flora Southey

Brother-sister duo Dr Maximilian and Dr Sara Marquart are working to ease the pressure on cocoa supply chains with an alternative developed via traditional and precision fermentation techniques. FoodNavigator catches up with one half of the ‘chocolate...

Norway invests in cellular milk, egg, and meat production as a ‘new direction’ for industry

19-Aug-2022 By Flora Southey

The Research Council of Norway is funding the development of cellular agriculture technologies to produce the ‘food of the future’.

Researchers battle to combat ‘olive leprosy’ in Italy

18-Aug-2022 By Oliver Morrison

Olive oil brand Filippo Berio has teamed up with Italy’s National Research Council to investigate ways to make olive trees more resilient to pests such as the so-called olive leprosy as well as future-proof the industry.

Production of AOP Salers cheese suspended in France due to drought

15-Aug-2022 By Flora Southey

With not enough pasture to feed on, cows in Cantal are unable to meet AOP specifications for the production of Salers cheese.

How cultivated and plant-based technologies can unlock the next wave of innovation in the protein transition

11-Aug-2022 By Katy Askew

Growth in the plant-based space has been fuelled by the development of products that mimic meat with increasing accuracy. But formulation challenges remain as the industry works to develop high quality analogues that are also clean label. Could a synergistic...

Five years of Yuka: Co-founder talks strategy, impact, and evolution of food scanning app

11-Aug-2022 By Flora Southey

What are consumers most concerned about on-pack? Is Yuka having an impact on reformulation efforts? And what does the future hold for the popular food scanning app? FoodNavigator catches up with co-founder François Martin to find out.

What do Swiss consumers think of palm oil?

09-Aug-2022 By Flora Southey

Fresh research has investigated consumer perceptions of palm oil in Switzerland and whether they are familiar with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) label.

NoPalm Ingredients: Meet the ‘circular by nature’ start-up disrupting tropical oils with microbes

09-Aug-2022 By Flora Southey

NoPalm Ingredients envisages a palm and coconut oil-free future. Instead, the Dutch start-up is fermenting yeast with side stream inputs to produce microbial-based alternatives for the food industry.

Italian Government launches NutrInform Battery app as preferred diet tool

08-Aug-2022 By Flora Southey

Italy, which is publicly opposed to Nutri-Score, has developed a smartphone app to accompany its alternative nutritional labelling scheme NutrInform Battery.

Creating fat from thin air: Start-up hopes to bring tropical fat replacement made using carbon dioxide and electricity to market in 2024

05-Aug-2022 By Oliver Morrison

Sweden’s Green-On is developing a unique technology to produce food ingredients, especially fat for the food and feed industry, in a truly sustainable way.

How is clean label evolving? Mintel talks regulation, processing, and linking ‘clean with green’

04-Aug-2022 By Flora Southey

The ‘clean label’ trend does not remain stagnant. Mintel’s Emma Schofield, Associate Director, Global Food Science, reveals how the trend is evolving in the face of changing regulation, interest is degrees of processing, and environmentally friendly consumers.

Palm oil alternative made from fermented yeast prepares for 2023 launch in Europe

03-Aug-2022 By Flora Southey

British start-up Clean Food Group is developing a bio-equivalent cultivated alternative to palm oil. FoodNavigator hears from CEO Alex Neves to find out how.

Hybrid yogurt uses cell-cultured milk fat for improved taste and nutrition

29-Jul-2022 By Katy Askew

Cell cultured milk innovator Wilk has launched a project to develop what it claims is the ‘world’s first’ yogurt to use cultivated milk fat.

Gavan’s zero waste continuous extraction platform: ‘No part of the plant is left out’

26-Jul-2022 By Katy Askew

Israeli start-up Gavan Technologies has developed a novel continuous extraction method that utilises the entire plant. FoodNavigator caught up with CEO Itai Cohen to learn more.

Commodity prices are going off the boil but don’t break out the champagne, analysts warn

21-Jul-2022 By Katy Askew

Agri-food commodity prices have dipped, raising hopes that the input inflation spiral seen in 2022 was indeed transitory. However, analysts at Jeffries warn, it is too early to ‘break out the champagne’.

Dairy taste but plant-based? Synergy has the formula

21-Jul-2022 By Teodora Lyubomirova

Manufacturers of plant-based dairy products can take advantage of two new flavours that mirror the taste of dairy milk

Clean label claims boost sales, but what categories benefit most?

20-Jul-2022 By Katy Askew

The clean label ingredients market is witnessing continued growth, with evidence suggesting clean labels increase consumer willingness to pay a higher price point and build loyalty. FoodNavigator digs down into the trend to profile what categories and...

Inside CSM’s ‘net positive’ approach: ‘The time for action is now’

19-Jul-2022 By Katy Askew

CSM Ingredients has unveiled a 'novel' approach to sustainability in its ‘Thrive for Impact’ plan. The overall aim is to be what CEO Aldo Uva describes as ‘net positive’. But what does this mean? We caught up with the chief executive to ask...

IFT FIRST: Mintel highlights need for fat innovation in plant-based foods

15-Jul-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

While still a growing $7.4bn industry, plant-based foods have some significant hurdles to overcome around formulation especially in the area of fat content, according to Mintel.

High-protein edible crop variety developed that ‘thrives’ on fallow land

14-Jul-2022 By Flora Southey

In Switzerland, a seed variety has been developed that appears to do it all: the edible Jatropha curcas seed produces vegetable oil and protein, captures CO2 from the atmosphere, and thrives on previously unproductive fallow land.

Why Unilever is introducing ‘mini’ coconut trees to safeguard supply

14-Jul-2022 By Katy Askew

Unilever has introduced a project that it hopes will improve livelihoods and safety in the Indonesian coconut sector, while also securing future supplies of this versatile palm fruit. The European consumer goods giant is helping to introduce a specially...

Breastmilk antioxidant levels increase when extra virgin olive oil is consumed during pregnancy: study

12-Jul-2022 By Flora Southey

Fresh research out of Barcelona suggests consumption of extra virgin olive oil during pregnancy increases the level of antioxidants in both breast milk and in infants.

Plant-based peynir? Production and sale of 'vegan cheese' outlawed in Turkey

12-Jul-2022 By Flora Southey

The legislation has been condemned by plant-based and animal rights advocates such as the Vegan Association Turkey (TVD), which has filed a lawsuit against the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

Fungi-based butter: Mycoprotein maker develops ‘first prototype’ for alt dairy applications

08-Jul-2022 By Flora Southey

Mycorena claims to have made the first mycoprotein butter prototype. FoodNavigator catches up with CEO Ram Nair to find out how.

Nestlé develops ‘healthier’ cheese with research partner NIZO: ‘The fat-reduced cheese is a near-equivalent to full-fat Edam’

29-Jun-2022 By Flora Southey

Designed for frozen pizza, the fat-reduced Edam has ‘all the flavour, melting behaviour and shreddability’ of the full-fat version.

Meet the start-up making canned tuna without the fish: ‘We’re excited about the R&D potential of microalgae’

29-Jun-2022 By Flora Southey

In Germany, a brother-sister duo is developing seafood alternatives from microalgae, plant proteins, and other ‘natural ingredients’. The first product on the table? Vegan canned tuna.

What do consumers want from dairy-free chocolate? ‘Plants and indulgence can go hand-in-hand’

28-Jun-2022 By Flora Southey

With vegan chocolate ‘transitioning into the mainstream’, ingredient supplier Beneo is investigating what European consumers want and need from the category.

Greek blockchain specialists create genetic barcode to protect against olive oil fraud

27-Jun-2022 By Oliver Morrison

Extra virgin olive oil is a major target of unscrupulous food fraudsters, but perhaps not for much longer.

Sustainable nutrition in alt cheese and butter: ‘More than ever, plant-based alternatives need to have a high nutritional value’

20-Jun-2022 By Flora Southey

As consumer behaviour evolves, so too do brands working to align with these new demands. How are plant-based cheese and butter brands responding in order to appeal to increasingly health- and sustainability-focused shoppers? FoodNavigator investigates.

From surging energy prices to stockpiling: How is food retail most affected by the Ukraine conflict?

17-Jun-2022 By Flora Southey

The effects of the Ukraine-Russia war are being felt across the entire food industry in Europe, including in the retail sector. From the surging costs of refrigeration to managing shortages on-shelf, how is food retail most impacted by the conflict?

‘The health of people and our planet go hand-in-hand’: How conscientious consumption is driving sustainable nutrition

15-Jun-2022 By Katy Askew

Sustainable nutrition is key to the future of people and the planet. Providing it is an important opportunity for the food and beverage sector to engage with shoppers who are ever more focused on conscientious consumption, FoodNavigator hears.

Fertilizer plant closures ‘a blow’ to UK food security

10-Jun-2022 By Oliver Morrison

The closure of two of the UK’s largest fertilizer plants is ‘a massive blow’ to the already strained agriculture and food sectors in the country, FoodNavigator has been told.

Is reformulation forced by Ukraine sunflower shortage making foods unhealthier?

08-Jun-2022 By Flora Southey

Have food products’ nutritional profiles been negatively impacted by the substitution of sunflower oil – currently in short supply – for coconut and palm oil?

AAK acquires aquafaba-fueled plant-based 'butter' brand ForA: Butter: 'It can act as a 1:1 replacement for dairy butter'

07-Jun-2022 By Elaine Watson

AAK Foodservice has acquired ForA:Butter, a plant-based butter using aquafaba – the viscous liquid left over from cooking chickpeas – as an emulsifier to create what it claims is “the only plant-based butter with the performance skilled bakers expect."

What food tech innovations do incubators expect to see 10 years from now?

01-Jun-2022 By Flora Southey

We ask incubators and accelerators to gaze into their crystal balls and tell us what the future holds for food tech innovation 10 years from now.

Chewing the microbial fat: The potential for oleaginous yeast to replace unsustainable fat sources

30-May-2022 By Flora Southey

What is microbial oil, how is it produced, and does it have the potential to replace conventional fat in biofuel, feed, and food?

Notes from Iceland: How the blue economy can drive value and cut waste

26-May-2022 By Katy Askew

Iceland is forging a model for the ‘blue economy’ that has driven down waste and enhanced the value of fish. Supported by a vibrant innovation ecosystem, the seafood sector is working towards a zero-waste model that is better for both business and the...

‘A tough move for industry’: Europe sets MOAH limits in food effective immediately

24-May-2022 By Flora Southey

Under pressure from consumer organisation foodwatch, the European Commission has established limits for the presence of MOAH in food products. No transition period has been offered to businesses…is that fair?

ENOUGH and MeaTech3D collaborate the next generation of meat alternatives... ‘Hybrid products with cultured meat’

19-May-2022 By Katy Askew

Plant-based meat analogues are still striving to deliver a genuine ‘meaty’ taste, texture and mouthfeel. Could combining plant proteins with cultured animal fats offer a solution? Food tech innovators ENOUGH and MeaTech3D have launched a collaboration...

How to bring smallholders on the journey to zero-deforestation food systems

12-May-2022 By Katy Askew

To combat deforestation, interventions must support both development and inclusion. Smallholders need to be brought on the journey towards zero deforestation. A new research collaboration aims to assess what programmes see most success on these dual deliverables.

Cacao-free ‘alt choc’ mimics the real thing, with 80% fewer CO2 emissions

11-May-2022 By Flora Southey

UK start-up WNWN Food Labs is launching what it claims to be the ‘world’s first’ cacao-free chocolate. Made from two ‘hero ingredients’ – barley and carob – we ask co-founders Arhum Pak and Dr Johnny Drain what makes their product better than the real...

Palm oil opportunities? Indonesia’s export ban could mean big winnings for Malaysia – but timing is crucial

04-May-2022 By Pearly Neo

Indonesia’s palm oil export ban announced earlier this month has left the door open for Malaysia to swoop in and expand its market share – but this will very much depend on contract timings and labour viability, say industry experts.

Indonesia bans palm oil exports, should food makers be worried?

28-Apr-2022 By Flora Southey

A shortage of palm oil in Indonesia’s domestic market has prompted a ban on exports. Will food and beverage makers be impacted?

The tech behind ‘single-ingredient’ smoked salmon analogue revealed: ‘Our spirulina can act as a complete replacement for animal-based protein’

28-Apr-2022 By Katy Askew

An Israeli food tech company has developed a proprietary process leveraging spirulina to mimic ‘virtually any type of fish and animal tissue’. It’s first product: a ‘single-ingredient’ smoked salmon analogue. FoodNavigator catches up with co-founder and...