Flavours and colours

Three innovations set to shake up sugar reduction

11-Aug-2020 By Katy Askew

With sugar reduction in the spotlight, Netherlands-based consultancy FutureBridge shares its predictions for three new bioprocesses ‘set to rattle the low-calorie sweetener market’.

Iberchem leveraging quality, speed and cost to grow in South Africa

07-Aug-2020 By Katy Askew

Spanish flavour and fragrance group Iberchem Group is expanding its presence in South Africa. FoodNavigator spoke to regional CEO Quentin Questiaux to learn more about the priorities for the market.

Ice cream start-up Gemelli on surviving COVID-19: ‘Gemelli was born from resilience’

06-Aug-2020 By Katy Askew

The coronavirus crisis has hurt many food and beverage SMEs, reliant on out-of-home channels, particularly hard. We spoke to the founders of French ice cream start-up Gemelli to hear how this company has responded.

Children and adolescents are ‘less sensitive’ to sweet taste: study

05-Aug-2020 By Katy Askew

Children and adolescents are less sensitive to sweet taste than adults, new research finds.

Food texture’s influence on ‘feeling fuller for longer’

04-Aug-2020 By Oliver Morrison

A new study says the next generation of ‘health conscious’ products should focus on food texture to enhance the feeling of being full.

The FoodNavigator Podcast: CBD-infused drinks, marshmallows, and peanut butter

31-Jul-2020 By Flora Southey

CBD is the latest hot ingredient to infiltrate the food sector, and agile start-ups have been quick to jump onboard. In this edition of The FoodNavigator Podcast, we speak with the founders of three UK-based food start-ups to get their perspectives on...

Unilever and Algenuity discuss the potential of microalgae: ‘Algenuity’s technology unlocks a wealth of food applications’

30-Jul-2020 By Katy Askew

Unilever has entered into a tie-up with biotech start-up Algenuity. FoodNavigator hears from both companies about the ‘huge potential’ to develop ‘future foods’ using Chlorella vulgaris microalgae as a nutritious and sustainable protein source.

Robot developed that 3D prints and grills meat analogues in 6 minutes: ‘We are completely disrupting the supply chain’

29-Jul-2020 By Flora Southey

Israeli start-up SavorEat has developed an automated, closed system that 3D prints and cooks plant-based meat alternatives for foodservice. “This robot can replace manufacturing practices,” CEO Racheli Vizman tells FoodNavigator.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Givaudan sees elevated demand for flavors across CPG categories amid ongoing pandemic

22-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Global flavor company Givaudan registered a 3.6% sales increase in its flavors division where it experienced a shift demand from foodservice and alcoholic beverages to retail CPG products including juice-based beverages, culinary solutions, nutritional...

Flavours and fragrance industries launch Sustainability Charter: ‘It establishes a framework, sets a bar and raises everybody’

15-Jul-2020 By Katy Askew

IOFI and IFRA, the industry bodies for the flavour and fragrance sector, have launched a new Sustainability Charter. The sectorial approach ‘establishes a framework, sets a bar and raises everybody’, representatives from the two organisations tell us.

Meet the brand ‘making kefir explode as a category’ in mainstream dairy

15-Jul-2020 By Flora Southey

UK-based Biotiful Diary is bringing kefir to the masses with 2,000-year old cultures sourced from founder Natasha Bowes’ native Russia.

Beneo eyes the rise of rice starch: ‘It is becoming ever more popular‘

13-Jul-2020 By Katy Askew

Beneo is investing €50m to increase its rice starch production capacity. Operations MD Roland Vanhoegaerden tells us demand is growing organically and being boosted by new applications.

Cubiq's 'smart fat' takes on coconut oil: ‘This is what plant-based companies are looking for’

10-Jul-2020 By Katy Askew

Spanish food tech start-up Cubiq Foods has developed a vegan ‘smart fat’ that, it claims, behaves like animal fat within product formulations. Addressing some of the functional constraints of coconut oil, CEO and co-founder Andrés Montefeltro tells FoodNavigator...

3D printed fish: Plant-based salmon with ‘complex structure’ under development for EU market

06-Jul-2020 By Flora Southey

Students in Demark aim to commercialise vegan alternatives to salmon and tuna in Europe, having developed 3D printing processes capable of printing plant proteins and binders in structured forms.

WATCH

When plant-based meets clean label: A sweet spot for future innovation?

22-Jun-2020 By Katy Askew

Demand for plant-based products is booming. However, meat- and dairy-free alternatives are facing something of a challenge as the nutritional content of products comes under the microscope. We suggest that the intersection between clean label and plant-based...

Stevia pioneer Morita sends ‘clear message to the market’ to respect IP around Reb M

18-Jun-2020 By Elaine Watson

Japanese stevia pioneer Morita Kagaku Kogyo Co has taken the unusual step of issuing a press release highlighting the extent of its intellectual property around sweet tasting steviol glycoside Reb M and naming the three partners to which it has licensed...

ADM sees growing demand for spicy meat flavors chili pepper & smokey chipotle

18-Jun-2020 By Jenny Eagle

ADM has a focused process in place for developing meat and poultry marinades to achieve a consumer-preferred flavor and sensory experience and is seeing a growing demand for spicy flavors like chili pepper and smokey chipotle, which bring vibrant color,...

Kerry talks sugar reduction in beverages: ‘It impacts the three most important sensory dimensions’

17-Jun-2020 By Katy Askew

The push to reduce sugar in products, supported by regulatory levers such as sugar taxes, has focused largely on the beverage sector. Kerry Taste & Nutrition weighs in on the challenges facing beverage formulators.

Hershey talks sustainability goals: ‘The challenge is the enormity of the work in front of us’

17-Jun-2020 By Katy Askew

Chocolate and confectionery maker The Hershey Company reached a milestone in its CSR strategy in January when 100% of the cocoa it sources was certified sustainable. FoodNavigator speaks to the company’s director of global sustainability and social impact...

Freeze-dried survival food specialist spots gap in care home market

16-Jun-2020 By Oliver Morrison

Fuel Your Preparation says it is hoping to tap into the care sector with its nutritious food which can be stored for up to 25 years.

Nanomaterials: Food agency identifies main uses, reveals ‘most affected’ food categories

12-Jun-2020 By Flora Southey

French food agency ANSES has identified the main uses of manufactured nanomaterials in food, and named the sub-categories most affected.

The FoodNavigator Podcast: Sugar reformulation part 1: Why reducing by stealth is key

12-Jun-2020 By Oliver Morrison

The food industry is under massive pressure to reformulate products with less sugar. And in light of the voluntary target in the UK for manufacturers to meet a 20% cut in sugar by 2020 unlikely to be met, campaigners are increasingly demanding that mandatory...

Corbion secures European patent for fruit ferments: ‘This is an exciting milestone’

09-Jun-2020 By Katy Askew

Ingredient supplier Corbion has secured a European patent for its fruit ferments containing natural organic acids and other flavour compounds. The company says the ingredients are a natural way to reformulate products and reduce food waste.

Emotional rescue: How tapping into food and mood can make or break a product

08-Jun-2020 By Oliver Morrison

A better understanding of the emotional impact of food can help manufacturers overcome the challenge of new products that fail, and also adapt to disruption in the industry.

Hooked on salmon: ‘World’s first’ shredded plant-based alternative eyes European market

03-Jun-2020 By Flora Southey

Swedish start-up Hooked is developing what it claims to be the ‘world’s first’ plant-based shredded salmon product. The aim? To meet the ‘rapidly increasing’ demand for seafood with healthy, tasty, and planet-friendly alternatives, the founders tell FoodNavigator.

‘They bring sunshine to food and drink’: GNT Group on its latest orange colours

26-May-2020 By Oliver Morrison

Netherlands-based GNT Group has launched two new food colorings to its Exberry range that deliver bright orange shades in powder and oil-dispersible formats.

Reaching the ‘left behind’: Systemic solutions needed to tackle farmer poverty in cocoa

22-May-2020 By Katy Askew

A new report from the Fairtrade Foundation and Mondelez International highlights that cocoa sustainability initiatives are failing to reach a significant proportion of cocoa farmers. FoodNavigator speaks to Cathy Pieters, director of Mondelez’s Cocoa...

NEWS IN BRIEF

Givaudan sells Dutch cheese unit: ‘We aim to strengthen the focus on our core’

18-May-2020 By Katy Askew

Swiss flavours group Givaudan has sold its Netherlands-based cheese business for an undisclosed sum.

How are smallholder farmers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic? Olam weighs in

14-May-2020 By Flora Southey

Smallholder farmers in Africa are particularly at risk amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Julie Greene, VP, Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at agri-food giant Olam.

‘Ethical foie-gras’: Cultured meat start-up taps duck egg cells to recreate French delicacy

14-May-2020 By Flora Southey

French start-up Gourmey is cultivating duck egg cells to bring foie gras into the 21st century, co-founder Nicolas Morin-Forest tells FoodNavigator.

A new northern industry: Norway eyes commercialisation of seaweed farming

12-May-2020 By Katy Askew

Researchers in Norway are examining how seaweed farming can be commercialised in the country. “Seaweeds may become a profitable piece of the green transition.”

‘A different level of complexity’: Meat alternative start-up mimics fibrous texture of pork whole-muscle cuts

07-May-2020 By Flora Southey

Barcelona-based Novameat has entered the pork alternative space with a 3D printed plant-based pork muscle cut. “The alternative meat industry is moving beyond ground meat analogues,” CEO Giuseppe Scionti tells FoodNavigator.

Feeding plant-based innovation: ‘Fermentation is the future of the alternative protein industry’

30-Apr-2020 By Katy Askew

The development of fermentation technologies will help the plant-based manufacturers deliver products that are healthier and tastier, Dr David Welch, director science and technology at the Good Food Institute (GFI) suggests.

From botanicals to CBD: replacing the ‘punch’ of alcohol in low to no drinks

30-Apr-2020 By Rachel Arthur

Consumers want less alcohol in their beverages – and yet alcohol is the very part of a drink that helps deliver a complex flavour profile and mouthfeel. So how can brands mimic alcohol and create a convincing low or no alcohol product?

Heura CEO on the future of plant-based R&D: Clean label, nutrition and price

28-Apr-2020 By Katy Askew

Heura is one of Europe’s fastest growing plant-based brands. We spoke to CEO Marc Coloma, founder of Heura maker Foods for Tomorrow, about what is propelling the company’s success, the impact of COVID-19 and the future of plant-based innovation.

Seakura: 'We are at the frontier of land-based seaweed cultivation'

28-Apr-2020 By Katy Askew

Seakura, an Israeli ag tech company, has developed a unique biomass production system that it believes will enable it to capitalise on growing demand for plant-based ingredients. We caught up with the company to find out more about its tech and international...

Making sweet food taste sweeter: Could coffee hold the key to sugar reformulation?

23-Apr-2020 By Flora Southey

Fresh research out of Denmark reveals that drinking coffee changes our sense of taste, making sweet foods even sweeter. Could these findings help inform sugar reformulation strategies?

Disrupting the disruptors: Next generation plant-based proteins bridge health and sustainability gap

23-Apr-2020 By Katy Askew

Plant-based products benefit from something of a health halo. However, the nutritional profile of these often ultra-processed foods is coming under increased scrutiny. FutureBridge forecasts four-up-and coming plant-based proteins that could disrupt the...

‘Powered by plants and biotech’: The next generation of raw tuna from Kuleana

14-Apr-2020 By Katy Askew

Plant-based seafood specialist Kuleana is targeting seafood and sushi lovers with what it describes as the ‘next generation of raw tuna powered by plants and biotechnology’. FoodNavigator speaks to co-founder and CEO Jacek Prus about developing plant-based...

Colouring evolution: New class of pigments could have major potential in natural food colourant development

01-Apr-2020 By Pearly Neo

A newly-discovered class of colouring pigments called auronidins could open doors for the development of more stable and intense natural, plant-based food and beverage colourants.

Confectionery start-up on COVID-19: ‘Am I actually going to try and sell people gourmet marshmallows during a pandemic?’

31-Mar-2020 By Flora Southey

While the coronavirus outbreak has prompted existential questions for The Marshmallowist, the UK start-up says consumer engagement has increased – as has basket spend.

Kerry: Umami and kokumi combination breaks new ground in savory flavors

30-Mar-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Umami, referred to as the ‘5th taste’ in the culinary world (in addition to sweet, sour, salty, and bitter), and kokumi, characterized as a ‘taste enhancer’ that heightens and lengthens flavors, could be the next winning savory flavor combination in packaged...

Coronavirus sparks ‘staggering growth’ in online searches for foods with functional benefits: report

18-Mar-2020 By Oliver Morrison

What foods are consumers looking to during coronavirus?

Ulrick & Short on the plant-based boom: ‘Meat analogue NPD is at a relatively nascent stage’

17-Mar-2020 By Flora Southey

As the plant-based trend continues to grow, food manufacturers and ingredients suppliers will be forced to adapt, Ulrick & Short’s Robert Lambert tells FoodNavigator.

Could ‘hybrid’ products meet booming flexitarian demand?

05-Mar-2020 By Katy Askew

Flexitarian consumers are a key segment driving the plant-based boom. But while this group might be motivated to reduce their meat consumption by health and environmental concerns, taste remains king. Could the development of ‘hybrid’ products, containing...

Fragmenting flavours landscape presents huge opportunity -- but in smaller pieces

05-Mar-2020 By Oliver Morrison

Demand for natural flavours and flavouring materials in food and beverages in Western Europe is up by 7.5% year-on-year and worth nearly €5bn, according to market data from Foodtrending.

Insect fat the new butter replacement? Researchers see potential in bakery products

03-Mar-2020 By Flora Southey

Researchers have examined the potential for black soldier fly larvae fat to partially substitute butter in cakes, cookies and waffles.

‘Texture is the new taste’: Puratos leverages Taste Tomorrow insight for ‘breakthrough’ innovation

27-Feb-2020 By Katy Askew

Belgian ingredients supplier Puratos wants to tap into the latest consumer trend with the launch of a new inclusion ingredient, Smoobees. ‘Texture is the new taste,’ CEO Daniel Malcorps declares.

Roquette says new pea protein enables ‘silent reduction’ of sodium in plant-based

26-Feb-2020 By Flora Southey

Roquette has launched a new pea protein ingredient to help customers create plant-based meat alternatives with less salt.

Accelerated pace of innovation a ‘strain’ for plant-based sector: ADM outlines seven trends to watch

26-Feb-2020 By Katy Askew

The ‘accelerated’ pace of innovation in the plant-based space is putting a ‘strain’ on food makers. As food makers look for ways to keep up, ingredients supplier ADM shares seven ‘trends to watch’ in 2020.