Consumers, market researchers tell us, want foods that are ‘wholesome’, ‘authentic’, and above all ‘natural’, although few of them can articulate what this means. And they are not alone. Regulators have not had much of a stab at defining ‘natural’ either,...
Food and drink manufacturers need to think harder about how to design and market packaging for older consumers, according to Benjamin Punchard, senior packaging analyst at Mintel.
Speaking to BeverageDaily.com at InterBev in Las Vegas, Euromonitor International analysts Claire Moulin and Jonas Feliciano characterize the world’s shifting taste in soft drinks in art history terms.
Dirk Ebener, CEO and MD of NürnbergMesse North America, tells BeverageDaily.com how satisfied he was with his firm’s first InterBev, after it bought the show from the ABA last September.
Renowned attorney Justin Prochnow talks to Ben Bouckley in Las Vegas about the threat class actions pose to beverage brands, from 'all natural' cases to a new wave of flavor characterization claims, and firewall strategies firms can use to scupper...
A flood of stevia-containing products will arrive over the next 12 months, with beverages leading the way, says Mel Jackson, VP of science for Sweet Green Fields.
A product that will stabilize and solidify fats and oils, such as margarines and shortenings, with lower saturated fat and zero trans fats could be on the market in 12 to 24 months, says Adriene Eiffes, marketing specialist for Ashland Specialty Ingredients.
Global demand for almonds is increasing, with snacking driving a lot of opportunities. China is the premier snack growth region, says Bill Morecraft, General Manager of Blue Diamond Almonds Global Ingredients Division.
The credibility question over ingredients sourced from China are ‘well earned’, says George Pontiakos, president and CEO of BI Nutraceuticals, but the US FDA is doing a great job on bringing standards up to speed.
The award winners at IFT 2012 in Las Vegas are at the edge of innovation in food safety and health and wellness, says Dr Roger Clemens, President of IFT, but the overarching theme to emerge from this year’s show was in relation to the question, “What...
Manufacturers of everything from bread to sports supplements are now incorporating beta glucan-based ingredient Wellmune WGP into their products as consumer demand for immune health products grows, says brand owner Biothera.
The first novel algae products to emerge from a joint venture between French food ingredients giant Roquette and Californian microalgae expert Solazyme have just hit the market.
Huge demand for chia will see chia become a ‘great crop’ for the key growing regions, says George Pontiakos, President of BI Nutraceuticals, as consumers embrace the super seed.
The next generation of high oleic soybean oils will give the food industry a cost-effective and healthier alternative to partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (HVOs) with flavor and stability current alternatives cannot deliver, according to biotech giant...
New apple varieties are gaining in popularity in the produce section, opening opportunities for food and beverage companies to incorporate their distinctive flavors into new products, says Virginia Dare's Anton Angelich.
Guar gum prices have taken a rollercoaster ride over the past couple of years - and at IFT in Las Vegas, hydrocolloid expert Dennis Seisun said all bets were on regarding their future direction.
What does ‘heat’ really mean in a flavoring system? Heat that burns at the back of the throat or tingles on the tongue? Heat that lingers or heat that provides an intense sensation on the tip of the tongue?
Nanotechnology has become just one of many tools available to food companies looking to improve food safety, delivery of nutrients, or food packaging, transitioning from the 'Wild West' of science, according to deputy director of the National...
We've all heard the statistics - almost 36% of Americans are now obese. But 50 years ago, it was just 13%. So why did we get so fat, so quickly? And what role did sugar - and specifically high fructose corn syrup - have to play?
The range of 'free from' foods available on supermarket shelves has skyrocketed in recent years, alongside increasing incidence and diagnosis of food allergies and intolerance. In this video interview, COO of American Key Food Products (AKFP)...
A completely new source of the coveted long chain omega-3s EPA and DHA should be commercialized by the end of the decade thanks to a multi-million-dollar tie up between ingredient giants BASF and Cargill to produce the next generation of canola oils.
Fernando Sampaio, director of the Brazilian beef exporters' association (Abiec) talks to GlobalMeatNews about the sector's outlook, obstacles to overcome, and the country's trade relationship with Argentina.
The International Meat Trade Association (IMTA), the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Brazilian Association of Beef Exporters (ABIEC) discuss the environmental progress made in Brazilian livestock production, and the challenges ahead.
Manufacturers need to think about the market potential of Millennials (Generation Y), but understanding how they differ from Boomer is key, says a well-known marketing expert.
Why do people adulterate foods for economic gain? Which foods and ingredients are most at risk? And how is it possible to prevent adulterants from entering the food supply? This guest video from US Pharmacopeia attempts to address these questions.
FoodNavigator-Asia spoke to suppliers at the recent Vitafoods show in Geneva about launching new foods and supplements on the Asian market. What are the main challenges? And where are the most promising opportunities?
Understanding the sensorial aspects of salt with sensory science will help food manufacturers achieve success with reduced sodium foods, says a scientist from the Monell Chemical Senses Center.
Food science student numbers are rising, but how can industry tap into this next generation of enthusiastic professionals? FoodNavigator-USA asked Matt Cael, 2011-2012 president-elect of the IFT Student Association.
When it comes to potassium bicarbonate, size matters, according to UK firm Kudos Blends, which has come up with a highly innovative solution to sodium reduction for cakes, pancakes and biscuits.
The convergence of food and supplements combined with other factors such as convenience is driving the move towards simplicity, a trend that is not only here to stay, but also represents 'the future', says Jeff Hilton from the Integrated Marketing...
The rise of specialty flours with nutritional and textural functionality is opening doors for food formulators in a range of applications, from bakery to soups, and the potential is impressive, says Corn Products International’s VP of research.
The food industry and NASA share mutual goals in producing higher quality, more nutritious foods, and lessons learned on both sides could ultimately help feed astronauts on missions to Mars and beyond, says a scientist working on NASA's advanced...
Consumers want to get their nutrition from a healthy diet, not from popping pills. But why do so many functional foods tick all the right boxes on paper, but fail miserably on shelf? Elaine Watson caught up with George Pontiakos, chief executive of BI...
Food science student numbers at the University of Massachusetts have tripled in the past five years but food science wasn't always such a popular choice.
Food manufacturers need to do a better job educating consumers about the solid science that backs the nutrition and safety of their food products, according to IFT president Dr. Robert Gravani.
A new microencapsulation technique that produces smaller more uniform particles could replace less accurate microencapsulation techniques, according to researchers at Dutch institute TNO.
Paul Collins, managing director, GNT International, charts the growth in interest of clean-label natural fruit and vegetable-based colours “that use food to provide the colour to food”, as the industry moves away from chemical alternatives.
Salt is a major contributor to the taste intensities of foods, and large reductions in salt levels can severely affect taste and consumer preference. But does low salt always mean lower taste?
Jim May of SweetLeaf tells how he came across the sweet leaves from Paraguay almost three decades before they captured the imagination of the mainstream food industry.
Representatives of stevia suppliers PureCircle, GLG Life Tech and Blue California spoke with FoodNavigator-USA.com at IFT about areas in which members of the stevia industry can work together - even as competing companies.
The FoodNavigator-USA team was out in force at IFT in Chicago last month. We caught up with Jerry Bowman for an insight into how the show went – and prospects for the food industry in general.
After an afternoon volunteering at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Mike Stones discusses food insecurity in a wealthy city – and IFT’s links to the Feeding America network.
The IFT awards the hottest innovation in the food sector at its annual meeting and trade show. Chairman of the judges Peter Clark explained what caught his attention this year - and how innovation and trends have changed in the 42 years that he has been...
Food firms are increasingly discussing the sustainability of their activities, but they must communicate with consumers using practical messages rather than euphemisms and jargon, says brand expert.
At last week's IFT show in Chicago, FoodNavigator-USA's Stephen Daniells met Ilene Gordon, CEO of Corn Products International, to discuss the wider implications of the company's National Starch acquisition last month.
Welcome to this seasonal holiday video from Decision News Media. As we prepare to celebrate our tenth anniversary next year and first year as part of William Reed Business Media, we present 10 fun number facts about our company. And, later this week,...
CEO of JK Sucralose Alex An tells FoodNavigator-USA.com why his company is so confident in the future market for sucralose that it has invested to expand production capacity to 4000 tonnes by 2020.
This year is the 70th anniversary of IFT – and the 70th anniversary of the publication of Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck. Since then, have poverty and hunger been wiped out in California?
Last month, major industry players got together in Anaheim, California for this year's IFT trade show - and the FoodNavigator team was there to cover all the latest developments.
