Flavours and colours

From peel potential to functional florals: AI trend platform Spoonshot emerges from stealth mode with future forecasts

01-Oct-2019 By Katy Askew

Food artificial intelligence company Spoonshot has today emerged from an intensive 18-month R&D process to launch a new tool that it says will ‘raise the bar for insight-led innovation’ in the food and beverage sector.

Thew Arnott divests color business to German distributor

30-Sep-2019 By Gill Hyslop

UK specialist ingredients supplier Thew Arnott Group has finalized the sale of its food color business to German partner Extrachem for an undisclosed amount.

BASF bulks up in biotech: ‘An efficient and sustainable route to produce natural ingredients’

30-Sep-2019 By Katy Askew

BASF is entering the natural flavours and fragrances space through two deals that will extend its aromas portfolio in this segment.

‘We are entering the era of functional foods’: Tastewise

25-Sep-2019 By Oliver Morrison

Consumer interest in functional foods is soaring, according to data provider Tastewise, but not always for the reasons you assume.

NPD trend tracker: From 'sizzling' meat-free bangers to 'festive' nut butter

23-Sep-2019 By Katy Askew

In this week's round-up of hot new products hitting the shelves in Europe, we bring you details of a plant-based sausage that claims to deliver the 'sizzle' of its meaty counterparts through a ground-breaking algae skin.

Plant-based Radicle range launched by Kerry

18-Sep-2019 By Aidan Fortune

Kerry Taste & Nutrition has a new portfolio of plant-based food solutions.

Bell launches hemp flavours: 'The hemp trend is going mainstream‘

18-Sep-2019 By Katy Askew

Bell Flavors & Fragrances is launching a range of natural hemp flavours and botanical hemp extracts in Europe. We spoke to the company about what is driving hemp, how the trend has developed and which categories are best-placed to capitalise.

Flavour and cost remain clean meat’s major hurdles, but ‘customisable products’ are on the horizon – Study

18-Sep-2019 By Pearly Neo

Flavour and high costs remain two of the biggest challenges that the cell-based meat sector needs to overcome before production for everyday consumers can be realised, but its potential benefits for customisation are unrivalled, according to a recent...

Clean label Holy Grail? Two-ingredient bar made with ‘no preservatives, no additives, and no processing aids’

17-Sep-2019 By Flora Southey

Perry Court Farm is selling fruit bars made from just two ingredients: apples and raspberries. Director Charlie Fermor says he uses a slow drying technique to retain the fruits’ natural flavour while ensuring a long shelf life.

Clean labels and the sustainability agenda: Does the drive for natural food hurt nature?

17-Sep-2019 By Katy Askew

Consumer interest in clean label or natural ingredients continues to rise. However, given our finite natural resources, is this inhibiting the development of products that could be better for the environment?

‘A mandatory approach may be necessary’: Campaigners slam out of home operators as supermarkets make more progress on reformulation and labelling

12-Sep-2019 By Katy Askew

A new survey has revealed high levels of ‘hidden’ sugar and calories in breakfast options sold through restaurant chains and other out of home channels. UK campaigners are now calling for mandatory labelling and reformulation to spur progress and 'level...

NPD trend tracker: From food-to-go falafels to centre-plate veggies

09-Sep-2019 By Katy Askew

This week's NPD round-up brings you information on the latest products to be hitting the shelves across Europe. Highlights include Iglo's efforts to deliver centre-plate vegetable options in Germany and Dina Foods' offering for the fast-paced...

Frutarom upcycles organic soy germs for shakes, pasta and baked goods

04-Sep-2019 By Flora Southey

Israeli ingredients company Frutarom Health has developed an organic version of its SoyLife Complex soy isoflavones with zero waste.

Dr. Oetker slammed over E171: ‘Stop using titanium dioxide’

30-Aug-2019 By Katy Askew

A consumer watchdog has launched a campaign calling on Dr. Oetker to stop using the controversial ingredient titanium dioxide (E171) in its bakery ingredients and decorations in Germany.

Chr. Hansen ‘future proofing’ innovation might with new R&D centre

29-Aug-2019 By Katy Askew

Danish ingredient supplier Chr. Hansen has said it wants to ‘future proof’ its innovation capacity through the development of a new research and development centre.

‘Consumers are not satisfied with its taste’: FMCG Gurus research flags shortcomings of stevia

27-Aug-2019 By Katy Askew

Consumers are increasingly working to cut their sugar intake. But, according to a recent poll from consumer research and insight provider FMCG Gurus, shoppers are also unconvinced by one of the most common natural alternatives: stevia.

Nestlé upgrades vegan burger with meatier texture, launches plant-based mince

23-Aug-2019 By Flora Southey

The food giant is expanding its Garden Gourmet range with a new ‘cook from raw’ plant-based mince, and swapping out its vegan Incredible Burger for a juicier, meatier version.

Nine products that reach NutriScore, NOVA, Yuka and Siga consensus: Capital

21-Aug-2019 By Flora Southey

French business magazine Capital has published nine food products approved by a range of well-known rating methods, from nutritional composition-focused NutriScore to processing-driven NOVA.

Could clean label help bolster the vegan cheese market? Mintel

16-Aug-2019 By Flora Southey

As consumer demand for nutritious and responsibly produced food grows, Mintel suggests the vegan cheese sector could benefit from taking a clean label approach to formulation.

French food label exposes ultra-processed products: ‘Food is more than a sum of its nutrients’

12-Aug-2019 By Flora Southey

French start-up Siga has developed a label that ranks food according to its degree of processing. The system aims to help consumers select the ‘most natural and healthy’ products on the shelf, CEO Aris Christodoulou tells FoodNavigator.

Food for a ripe old age: Researchers develop nutrient-dense product for the elderly

12-Aug-2019 By Flora Southey

A ‘yoghurt type’ product has been developed with the ageing population in mind. According to researchers from Lithuania, the food is nutrient-dense, fortified, and easy to swallow.

‘Great taste, texture, stretch, and melt-behaviour’: Avebe innovates for vegan cheese market

09-Aug-2019 By Flora Southey

Dutch starch manufacturer Avebe has developed a 100% plant-based alternative to cheese with no ‘off-taste’ and a dairy-like melt.

ScotBio increases phycocyanin in spirulina for ‘enhanced’ blue

05-Aug-2019 By Katy Askew

Scottish biotech company ScotBio has developed a patent-protected method of enhancing the amount of phycocyanin, the blue pigment, produced in spirulina. The company says this innovation will make indoor grown spirulina a cost-effective option for the...

‘The need and the technology came together’: Meet the start-up turning salads into wafers for snack satisfaction

30-Jul-2019 By Katy Askew

Satisfied Snacks sits at the valuable intersection of technology-driven innovation and mega-trends around health and flavour. We speak to founder Dr. Heather Daniell about how she is meeting demand for healthy, convenient and tasty snacks.

Affordable and scalable: 3F Bio's ‘first-of-its-kind’ mycoprotein biorefinery

23-Jul-2019 By Katy Askew

A consortium of ten partners – including 3F Bio, Mosa Meat and Vivera - has launched a project to build a ‘first of its kind’ large-scale integrated biorefinery. “Our focus is on sustainability and for us that means sustainable both environmentally and...

Hydrolyzed plant protein sector expected to hit new heights – but MSG a bottleneck

22-Jul-2019 By Oliver Morrison

Shifting consumer preferences towards vegan products in Europe are expected to drive growth of the hydrolyzed plant protein sector, predicts a global market study, which adds the negative impacts of MSG will curb the sector’s advances.

‘Sales of aspartame should be suspended’: EFSA accused of bias in safety assessment

22-Jul-2019 By Katy Askew

EFSA’s decision-making process may have been biased by ‘conflicts of interest’ and the distribution and sale of aspartame in the EU should be suspended, says the author of a new research dossier calling the safety of the sweetener into question.

Brown rice sprouts: The next superfood set to shake up plant-based innovation?

18-Jul-2019 By Katy Askew

Packing a powerful nutritional punch, brown rice sprouts are unique ingredient poised to become the ‘next superfood’, plant-based producer MozzaRisella believes.

Baobab: the next superfruit flavour?

17-Jul-2019 By Oliver Morrison

Could the fruit from the majestic African baobab tree flourish in the clean label flavour space?

Deep dive: Six mega-trends shaping innovation in flavours and colours

17-Jul-2019 By Katy Askew

Shifting consumer demand is shaping innovation in food flavours and colours. FoodNavigator speaks to experts in the field to bring you a rundown of the top six trends delivering disruptive innovation.

Equinom delivers 'game-changing' non-GMO soy with 50% more protein

16-Jul-2019 By Katy Askew

Israeli seed breeding specialist Equinom has developed a non-GMO soy with a protein content higher than other conventional varieties.

GNT delivers ‘higher intensity’ blue with spirulina powder

12-Jul-2019 By Katy Askew

Colours supplier GNT has developed a range of blue powders derived from spirulina that, it says, deliver ‘significantly higher colour intensity’.

Cracking the egg-free market: Egg-secution key to boosting quality perception

10-Jul-2019 By Katy Askew

Demand for egg-free packaged foods is growing. But poor quality-perception and formulation challenges make the increasingly competitive sector a tough one to crack.

Beyond ‘smart food’: Start-up Ambronite serves up clean label meal replacement innovation

09-Jul-2019 By Katy Askew

Finnish nutrition start-up Ambronite is launching a new range of meal replacement products. When compared to other ‘smart food’ options on the market, Ambronite believes it delivers something different: complete, sustainable nutrition with a clean label.

‘A unique mix of health, nutrition, flavour and sustainability’: Univar Solutions seeks seaweed success with Seaweed & Co. tie-up

09-Jul-2019 By Katy Askew

Ingredients distributor Univar Solutions has entered into an agreement to sell Seaweed & Co. ingredients in Europe. The ‘exciting new portfolio’ of ‘innovative seaweed ingredients’ will help meet consumer demands around health, taste and sustainability,...

Givaudan’s ‘breakthrough’ masking solutions for plant-protein formulations

08-Jul-2019 By Katy Askew

Flavours and fragrances giant Givaudan has developed ‘breakthrough’ new solutions to mask off-notes in plant-based protein formulations and extended its ‘SmartTools’ programme to make product development faster and cheaper.

Mondelēz taps calcium salt to enhance flavours in chocolate

05-Jul-2019 By Flora Southey

Confectionery giant Mondelēz has developed a method for enhancing flavours in sweet and savoury foods, including salty, spicy, sweet, bitter, and fruity flavours in chocolate.

DuPont narrows strategic focus with sale of natural colours

03-Jul-2019 By Katy Askew

Ingredients manufacturer DuPont has sold its natural colours business to DDW, The Colour House.

Chaucer Foods rebranding reveals a company ready to move beyond freeze-dried strawberries

01-Jul-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

Freeze-drying strawberries may account for three-quarters of Chaucer Foods’ business, but according to the company’s CEO Scott Jacobson the company can offer much more to manufacturers looking to tap into consumer demand for healthier products that also...

Diversifying plant protein sources for the meat analogues of the future: Roquette plans 2020 fava launch

27-Jun-2019 By Katy Askew

Demand for meat analogues is booming as ever more sophisticated plant-protein products are developed. Future growth of the sector will benefit from diversified protein sources, ingredients specialist Roquette predicts.

NPD trend tracker: From discount fusion to 'healthy' treats

24-Jun-2019 By Katy Askew

This week's round-up of innovation from across Europe sees the opening of a meatless butcher and the launch of some unusual 'fusion' cuisine from discounter Aldi. Healthier options are also on display, with the introduction of 'better-for-you'...

Five types of consumer make up the ‘unbelievable’ plant-based trend: Givaudan

21-Jun-2019 By Oliver Morrison

Launching a plant-based product? You can forget the meat, but don’t forget to ask what type of consumer you’re targeting, says Givaudan.

Meat analogues: A ‘big opportunity’ for improved quality

19-Jun-2019 By Katy Askew

Growing demand for meat-free products that suit consumers who are adopting vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian diets has resulted in a proliferation of meat analogues hitting the market. However, the taste, texture and nutritional profile of these products...

Fermented chickpea miso is ancestral flavor enhancer, says Missô Origem

18-Jun-2019 By Niamh Michail

Slow-fermented chickpea miso is full of natural umami notes, making it a great way to enhance flavor, reduce salt and add beneficial bacteria to food, says Brazilian company Missô Origem.

Interest in clean label expanding to a ‘greater breadth’ of product: Ingredion delivers a starch targeting ‘delicate’ flavours and colours

18-Jun-2019 By Katy Askew

Ingredion has developed what it describes as a ‘breakthrough’ clean label starch suitable for use in products with ‘delicate’ colour or flavour profiles. According to the company this is necessary because consumer demand for simple ingredient lists continues...

Givaudan opens flagship innovation centre in drive for ‘speed efficiency and new solutions’

17-Jun-2019 By Katy Askew

Givaudan opened its new ‘flagship’ innovation centre in Switzerland last week. To mark the occasion, FoodNavigator caught up with Louie D’Amico, head of the group’s flavours division, to learn about the company’s innovation priorities.

Flavors

Natural vanillin: Is it the stable flavor source the industry needs?

14-Jun-2019 By Kristine Sherred

We sat down with the Solvay team at the recent International Food Technologists’ annual expo in New Orleans, Louisiana, to discuss its expanded line of natural vanillin and why it matters as vanilla bean prices soar.

Brussels Bulletin: EU Council adopts ban on single-use plastics

31-May-2019 By Oliver Morrison

The EU Council has adopted a total ban on single-use plastics by 2021, farmers are angry as the Mercosur deal inches closer, while environmentalists have warned about a failure to tackle agriculture’s contribution to climate breakdown. FoodNavigator brings...

Vanilla for Change: Unilever leveraging tech to tell sustainable sourcing story

29-May-2019 By Katy Askew

Unilever hopes to leverage growing consumer interest in sustainable sourcing and present the “human” side of its vanilla supply chain through its new ‘Vanilla for Change’ marketing campaign.