Health and nutritional ingredients

Plant-based milk less nutritious than cow’s milk, finds research

26-Jul-2023 By Flora Southey

Just 12% of the milk alternatives studied had a comparable or greater amount of nutrients calcium, vitamin D, and protein, compared to that found in cow’s milk.

Want more people to buy your vegan or vegetarian products? Then don’t label them as such

25-Jul-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Vegetarian and vegan labels on food do more harm than good, research says.

NPD Trend Tracker: From Arabic honey to watermelon kombucha

24-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

This week, we have a range of products aiming for sustainable packaging: from wine and spirits, to coffee, to ketchup. We also have kombucha made from watermelons grown in Italy, honey from the UAE, and bread from Danish bakery Ole and Steen.

The success of Plumpy’nut, the barriers to producing ready-to-use therapeutic food, and the fight against hunger

17-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Levels of hunger around the world are rising. Plumpy’nut, a peanut-based paste (or sometimes biscuit) is able to feed children experiencing severe malnutrition, often saving lives. But how cost-effective is producing like this, with food costs rising...

High-intensity sweetener uncovered in truffles ‘potentially game-changing’ for sugar reduction

17-Jul-2023 By Flora Southey

MycoTechnology says it is ‘standing on the brink of a sweet revolution’ having discovered a sweet protein derived from honey truffle. “Proteins are widely recognised as the future of sweeteners,” says MycoTechnology CEO Alan Hahn.

How Oddbox is combatting food waste in the UK

13-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Every year, 4.5 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables are thrown away in the UK. But this isn’t just by consumers – often it’s by growers as well, before they’ve even sold their produce. Sometimes this is because the fruit and veg are too big, sometimes...

'We were used to it, but we lost it...' Why Dr. Schär is reviving new varieties of ancient grain millet

11-Jul-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Italian gluten-free specialist Dr. Schär is investing in new millet varieties with improved nutritional characteristics and better adapted to changing environment, FoodNavigator hears.

Heura collaborates with schools to provide plant-based nutrition

07-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Plant-based meat company Heura has collaborated with schools across the Iberian peninsula to bring more plant-based meat to the diets of schoolchildren. Across 450 schools, it has introduced plant-based meat into school meals.

Young consumers ‘partial’ to gene-edited crops as EU seeks revised GMO rules

05-Jul-2023 By Oliver Morrison

As the European Commission proposes allowing the use of new genomic techniques to grow climate-resistant crops with better nutritional value, young Europeans would be support genetically modified (GM) food if it gave them a health boost, new research...

Ideological objects in the practical world: How plant-based meat shapes food practices

05-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

While the consumer market for plant-based meat does not completely consist of vegetarians and vegans, choosing a vegan burger over a meat one remains a conscious rejection of meat-eating. This provides plant-based meat with a meaning, its presence in...

EU novel foods regulation ‘hindering innovation’ in meat alternatives sector

04-Jul-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Notoriously costly and time-consuming novel food rules potentially limit advancement in the category, FoodNavigator’s Protein Vision event heard.

‘It's almost like the grass was jumping out at you’: The benefits of grass-fed dairy

03-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Ireland’s dairy cows are famous for their grass-fed diet. But this diet isn’t just about giving the cows a tasty meal – it affects their health, has strong benefits for sustainability compared to other feeds, and creates better quality milk as an end...

NPD Trend Tracker: From chocolate covered bananas to worker's tea

03-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Our latest NPD Trend Tracker looks at a range of new fruit juices, healthy snacks and interesting beverages. From historic tea and ocean conservation-supporting wine to vegan protein powder and paper-packaged straws, scroll through the gallery for more....

'We've overcome the first wave of vegan and vegetarian alternatives': Protein Distillery posits brewer’s yeast-based protein as the next stage in the market

26-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

As alternative protein develops, brewer’s yeast is emerging as a strong driver of the market. Start-up ProteinDistillery has created a protein, developed from brewer’s yeast, that can not only be used for meat and dairy alternatives, but also to replace...

More funds for the start-up promising AI ‘superpowers’ for crop growers

21-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Holland’s Source.ag has received more investment to provide the world's fruit and vegetables growers with ‘next level’ AI for greenhouse agriculture.

Vegbloc: Meet the start-up substituting, not imitating, meat with a clean label

21-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Meat substitutes, especially those aiming to mimic the real thing, can be 'ultra-processed' in nature and associated with e-numbers and additives. But some plant-based meat substitutes, such as newcomer Vegbloc - which aims to replace meat in...

'The need is much greater': How might the delay for buy-one get-one-free ban impact UK consumers?

19-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Plans by the UK government to ban buy-one-get-one-free (BOGOF) deals on foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) has been pushed back to 2025. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stressed the importance of consumer choice during a time of rising food prices. But...

Eastern promise: why the UK’s Norfolk and Suffolk are vying to unlock their agri-tech potential

19-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The two agriculturally important counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in the east of the UK are aiming to untap their ‘high potential opportunity’ in plant science for nutrition, FoodNavigator learns.

Seaweed sector buoyed as 20 species of sea lettuce found on Baltic and Scandinavian coasts

15-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The number of species of the green alga sea lettuce in the Baltic Sea region and Scandinavian coast is much larger than what was previously known.

How sensory science can drive innovation and cure current food system ills

14-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

In the highly competitive, complex landscape manufacturers are now in, product acceptance is more than ever about the emotions a product generates, FoodNavigator hears.

'The ultimate goal is to foster innovation and accelerate the go-to-market of new products': Inside Roquette's new food innovation centre

13-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

French ingredients company Roquette has opened up a new food innovation centre, focusing on developing a wide range of foods with a small number of ingredients, prominently pea protein, wheat protein, polyols, soluble fibres and starches. FoodNavigator...

Versatile high-fibre 'superfood' Madhūka arrives in the UK

12-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Found in the forests of South and South East Asia, the Madhūka flower provides a versatile ingredient that can be used as nibs for cereals, snacks and museli, as powder for coffee and milkshakes, and as tea. Now, ōForest, a new brand, is bringing it to...

Artificial intelligence designs soda for Swiss market: ‘We were gripped by AI fever’

09-Jun-2023 By Flora Southey

It took just two days for Swiss beverage company Vivi Kola to develop the artificial intelligence-designed beverage using ChatGPT, Midjourney and Unreal Engine.

Danish project seeks to upcycle fish farming waste into fibre- and umami-rich algae for food sector

08-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

A major new innovation project led by the University of Copenhagen will convert nutrients and CO2 from shrimp and fish farming into seaweed for the food sector.

‘This opens up a new category’: Meet the start-up making a 'game-changing' low GI, quicker-cooking rice

07-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Spain’s Rice in Action is using innovative technology to produce a healthier, sustainable and easy to cook rice which can help boost productivity for food service providers and appeal to time-poor consumers lacking culinary skills.

Good news for innovation or backward step into food nationalism? The ‘Made in Italy’ bill unravelled

07-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Following its criticisms of Nutri-Score and cell-based foods, Italy’s government is seeking to put its famous gastronomic heritage at the heart of its economy and national identity.

Plant-based fat mimics the texture of animal fat in bakery products

07-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Some products, such as croissants, need a bit of butter to get their unique texture. Israeli startup Gaven Technologies hopes to provide a vegan replacement of butter and other animal fats in bakery products, with its new plant-based fat FaTRIX.

Health, environment or lactose intolerance: Why do people drink plant-based milk?

05-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Plant-based milk is one of the most successful categories of alternative protein, predicted to reach a value of $47 Billion by 2030. But why is it so successful? The driving force behind any alternative protein’s success is the motives people have for...

Study reveals UK is truly confused about all issues relating to how to stimulate a healthy gut

31-May-2023 By Oliver Morrison

A new YouGov study of 2,000 UK adults commissioned on behalf of MOJU sheds light on the true extent of the nation’s confusion over gut health.

UK project aims to grow ‘tasteless’ pea protein to solve ‘beany’ off flavour problem

31-May-2023 By Oliver Morrison

A ‘ground-breaking’ £1 million project has been announced in the UK, which aims to both produce peas that are tasteless but retain nutritional value and have a significant impact on reducing the need for UK imports of soya.

Plant-based diets become more popular indicator of masculinity among male athletes

31-May-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Traditionally, eating meat has been considered a cornerstone of masculinity, especially for professional male athletes. A recent small study, however, suggests that attitudes towards plant-based diets are changing among athletes.

Why on earth do Africans need ‘to get more excited about plant-based diets’?

30-May-2023 By Oliver Morrison

As ProVeg International, a group wanting to replace animal consumption with alternative protein by 50% by 2040, opens an office in Nigeria – where most people already follow a plant rich diet, and where greenhouse gas emissions are low compared to developed...

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Let them eat plant-based cake

26-May-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Why is the dairy industry embroiling in a silly battle about the labelling of plant-based alternatives?

Ex-UK food tsar pleads for industry ingenuity to fix ‘malfunctioning’ system

26-May-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Henry Dimbleby is bleak in his stinging assessment of the food system’s current ills, namely diet-related disease and environmental destruction, which are damaging both our dietary and planet’s health. But we can look to the past for solutions, he says,...

Boomer time: Time to target food and beverages at older consumers

25-May-2023 By Oliver Morrison

There’s a big opportunity for the food and beverage industry to launch products and ingredients formulated help meet the specific nutritional requirements of older consumers and help them stay healthier for longer, the recent FoodNavigator Positive Nutrition...

Upcycled fermented seaweed and rapeseed meal combined to develop new alternative protein

23-May-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

In the food industry’s search for alternative protein sources, upcycled ingredients are becoming more useful and more popular. But it is often with difficulty that they are developed – upcycling products into edible and palatable foods often requires...

'The acceptability of insects is influenced by their visibility': Consumer perceptions of edible insects explored

22-May-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Edible insects have many benefits. They are a good source of alternative protein, a rival to plant-based meat; they are often considered more sustainable than conventional meat; some insects are even higher in protein than beef. However, many consumers...

Education, government intervention, and anti-obesity drugs – The future of treating obesity

18-May-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

How are attitudes changing towards tackling obesity? And could new technological developments help mitigate the epidemic? Oxford biologist Sir Charles Godfray, the keynote speaker at this year’s City Food and Drink Lecture at the Guildhall, London, weighs...

"Even relatively large reductions in salt content go unnoticed by consumers" - Action on Salt takes on the saltiness of the pizza industry

17-May-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

New research by campaign group Action on Salt has revealed the vast salt content within pizzas, with one in two pizzas containing at least the entirety of daily recommended salt levels. The group, which is made up of experts and based in Queen Mary University...

‘Plastic is yesterday’s material’: Sustainable packaging innovator Xampla on how it can allow global food and beverage brands to deliver ‘breakthrough’ new product developments

17-May-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Meet Xampla, the British company innovating solutions for two separate industry challenges: plastic pollution and the protection of valuable vitamins and nutrients. Food-Navigator Europe caught up with Stanley Mitchell, Head of Business Development at...

‘Food and feed safety risks are not static’ - How the Border Target Operating Model could impact Great Britain-Europe trade

16-May-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

On 11 April, the UK government released the draft of the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM). The BTOM will, if accepted, have a significant influence on the import of food from Europe into Great Britain (Northern Ireland is not affected). An online...

Start-up looks to benefits of mother’s milk to bring new bioactive ingredient for medical food space

16-May-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Israel’s Exosomm has developed proprietary immune supportive natural exosomes from upcycled whey.

WATCH: Paleo talks animal-free myoglobin, regulatory challenges, and the ‘vegan’ opportunity

15-May-2023 By Flora Southey

The taste, appearance, and nutritional profile of plant-based meat analogues can be improved by a single ingredient, according to Belgian start-up Paleo: myoglobin. We catch up with co-founder and CEO Hermes Sanctorum to ask about this novel, animal-free...

Boosted by biotech: How scientists hope to deploy genome sequencing tech to disrupt the food and supplement space

15-May-2023 By Oliver Morrison

It is estimated that two-thirds of European countries now use whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in food safety programmes. But it is time the technique is used to bring greater health benefits to functional foods, Dr Thomas Gurry, co-founder and CEO of gut...

NPD Trend Tracker: From vegan pepperoni pizza to wellness coffee

15-May-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

From hot-chocolate beads to oven-ready Italian food, from sugar-free plant-based milk to premium tiramisu, our latest NPD covers some of the most interesting products of the past week.

Rapeseed cake can be altered to become an alternative protein source, study shows

11-May-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Rapeseed is very high in protein. The rapeseed cake, which is left over after the oil is extracted, contains a significant amount of the crucial nutrient. However, because of glucosinolate defence compounds that reduce its nutritional value, there are...

'Animal agriculture is extremely wasteful': Start-up makes 'carbon negative' protein using up to 500 times less land than animal agriculture

10-May-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Farmless claims to be making 'carbon negative' protein. The Dutch start-up has developed the means to make this protein using between 10 and 25 times less agricultural land than your average plant-based protein, and between 250 and 500 times...

WATCH: Collagen in functional food and drink – the next ‘hot trend’ after CBD?

10-May-2023 By Flora Southey

The collagen trend has been building over the last few years and Romain Quillot, co-founder of functional collagen food and drink brand Humble+, expects it to continue. We ask about the challenges of incorporating collagen into products, the functional...

Study finds chewing well can help Type 2 Diabetes patients

09-May-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes (T2D), is a major killer around the world. In 2021, 6.7 million deaths linked to diabetes were recorded. Yet, a recent study has shown that something simple may impact how much blood glucose people with T2D have:...

DSM and Firmenich complete merger to become ‘trailblazer’ in nutrients, flavours, and fragrances

09-May-2023 By Flora Southey

One year after DSM and Firmenich announced plans to combine their food, beverage, and taste businesses, the merger is complete. The new company, dsm-firmenich, launches today.