Emulsifiers, stabilizers, hydrocolloids

Innovation watch: Natural clean energy drinks

13-Nov-2024 By Rachel Arthur

Health conscious consumers don’t want sugar-laden, taurine energy drinks: but they still want a burst of energy to keep them powering through their day. How are brands providing that better-for-you buzz?

Can plant-based overcome UPF links to avoid future trust issues?

31-Oct-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Plant-based diets remain popular, but associations with UPF and low-quality ingredients has shaken consumer trust in alt meat, fish and dairy brands. So, what can the sector do to restore public opinion?

Milk alternatives lead plant-based dairy category

25-Oct-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Milk alternatives are the most consumed product in the plant-based dairy category, particularly among Gen Z consumers, while hybrid dairy products help narrow the gap for those skeptical of plant-based options' taste, texture and nutritional profile.

Growing functional food and beverage trend is an industry goldmine

23-Oct-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Brands are reformulating to create functional foods and beverages, catering to everything from gut health to improved sleep. So, how is the sector evolving to meet consumer demand?

UPF linked to type 2 diabetes - what does this mean for industry?

09-Oct-2024 By Donna Eastlake

New research has linked ultra-processed foods to type 2 diabetes. How will this latest blow impact the food and beverage industry and is reformulation the only solution?

Future Food Tech Alternatives Proteins

Startup Uncracked is unlocking seaweeds’ clean-label potential with proprietary SeaStack technology

28-Jun-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Consumers seeking clean labels historically have given a pass to plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, even though they have long lists of unfamiliar or difficult to pronounce ingredients, but that may be changing as the category’s health halo dims...

Study supports Sunfiber’s lower dose prebiotic benefits

14-Jun-2024 By Stephen Daniells

The prebiotic activity of Sunfiber, a partially hydrolyzed guar gum, may be observed at doses as low as 3 g per day, says a new study from the University of Minnesota.

Do emulsifiers increase the risk of diabetes?

12-Jun-2024 By Donna Eastlake

Emulsifiers are found in a whole range of foods, including yogurts, ice creams, chocolate bars, margarines and even some breads. But could this common food additive increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes?

5 top tips for selling soft drinks in convenience channels

30-May-2024 By Rachel Arthur

Soft drinks are now bigger than baked goods in UK convenience retail channels. How can shops make the most of this growth?

How might FDA’s determination of tara flour as ‘unsafe’ impact the reputation of tara gum, which the agency underscores has a ‘well established’ safety profile?

28-May-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

FDA’s determination that tara flour, a plant-based protein that could have sickened hundreds of people who consumed it in a Daily Harvest dish two years ago, is not Generally Recognized As Safe could have negative consequences for tara gum, a hydrocolloid...

Plant-Based 3.0 webinar: Tune in May 29 to discover what consumers want from meat alternatives, how to deliver on their taste, texture, appearance & nutrition demands

28-May-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Nearly two-thirds of Americans are willing to swap meat for plant-based alternatives, and more than half have tried an alternative protein – but of those that have tried, nearly a quarter have not done so a second time, according to research cited by...

Gelita launches Optibar for soft and sugar-free protein bars

24-May-2024 By Nikki Hancocks

Gelita has launched its new Optibar collagen blend to allow manufacturers to create "future-proof, next-generation" protein bars that are both soft and low sugar.

‘I’ve heard of ultra-processed food, but can’t explain it’: Demystifying UPF confusion

30-Apr-2024 By Flora Southey

What ‘ultra-processed food’ means to one consumer may not be what it means to another.

Startup Spotlight

Nourish Ingredients expands in animal-free specialty fats with Creamilux for dairy

18-Apr-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Nourish Ingredients, a pioneer in the emerging ‘animal-free’ speciality fat segment, is expanding into non-dairy with the debut of Creamilux – a low-inclusion lipid that recreates the rich, creamy mouthfeel, taste and emulsification properties of dairy...

Hydrocolloid market reaches ‘better equilibrium,’ but threats loom on horizon

11-Apr-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

The market for functional hydrocolloids used in foods is stabilizing after a “challenging couple of years,” in which supply chain disruptions during the pandemic triggered selective price hikes and a subsequent drop as food manufacturers scaled back purchases,...

Eat JUST relaunches condiment line after discontinuing in 2020

15-Feb-2024 By Deniz Ataman

The discontinuation of Eat Just Inc.'s Just Mayo and Just Ranch products in 2020, despite market success, was a strategic play to “put every bit of energy into JUST Egg,” the company’s flagship animal-free liquid egg alternative, before relaunching...

InnovoPro expands beyond plant-based with clean-label emulsification solutions for bakery, beverage & beyond

15-Feb-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Israeli company InnovoPro is bringing its clean-label, chickpea protein powered solutions to the broader food and beverage industry after proving its ability to bind, blend, foam and problem-solve other common challenges within plant-based categories....

[Video] Processing tech can boost food, but can transparency close the trust gap?

21-Dec-2023 By Deniz Ataman

A recent white paper published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) on the sustainable production of nutritious foods through processing technology highlights how various processing techniques can improve food and nutrition security. Yet the challenge...

FDA proposes banning brominated vegetable oil in food

06-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

The agency concluded that BVO is no longer safe for human consumption, citing new toxicological evidence of its potential health risks.

IFT FIRST: Avebe stretches what’s possible in plant-based cheese with PerfectaSOL ingredient

24-Jul-2023 By Ryan Daily

AT IFT FIRST 2023, ingredient company Royal Avebe released a potato protein and starch ingredient range, PerfectaSOL, to address texture formulation challenges in plant-based and to tap into the growing cultivated meat and plant-based, meat-based hybrid...

Alberta scientists discover high-protein, plant-based alternative to gelatin

21-Jul-2023 By Stephen Daniells

Scientists at the University of Alberta have discovered a way to create a plant-based gelatin substitute from pea protein and are already collaborating with a multinational leader in plant-based ingredients.

JUST Egg grows plant-based egg market in North America, adds more retail and food service locations

14-Jun-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Driven by consumer demand for healthy and environmentally sound products, JUST Egg’s pourable and folded eggs are now available in 48,000 retail locations in the US and Canada.

California Health Committee approves ban on five food additives in landmark bill co-sponsored by EWG and Consumer Reports

18-Apr-2023 By Deniz Ataman

In a controversial move that could have a ripple effect for food and beverage manufacturers nationwide, California Assembly’s Committee on Health approved AB 418 -- bringing the state one step closer to potentially banning brominated vegetable oil, potassium...

Ingredion: 78% of consumers will pay more for clean label, natural claims despite inflation

21-Feb-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Despite inflation pressuring some consumers to trade down or pull back on spending, more than three-quarters of shoppers globally still are willing to pay more for products making natural claims, according to the latest wave of Ingredion’s proprietary...

AI-powered startup The Live Green Co – a tech ‘enabler’ for broader food industry - unveils precision fermentation division

16-Jan-2023 By Elaine Watson

The Live Green Co – a startup deploying an artificial intelligence platform called 'Charaka' to mine databases of plants in search of replacements for animal-based ingredients, synthetic, or highly-processed ingredients from BHA to methylcellulose...

Pharma-style dispersal technology opens food, bev doors to wide array of botanical ingredients

02-Dec-2022 By Hank Schultz

New food and beverage applications have been demonstrated for a whole host of bioactive botanical ingredients via a new dispersal technology.

Scottish start-up turns to ‘food of the future’ seaweed to launch methylcellulose replacement

24-Nov-2022 By Oliver Morrison

OCEANIUM has developed a high-fibre seaweed-based one-for-one methylcellulose replacement for plant-based meat which can be used in other products applications including gluten-free breads and beverages. Farmed seaweed also boasts numerous environmental,...

Whipped cream made from lactic acid? Researchers develop fat-free alternative to whipped cream

11-Nov-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Researchers have uncovered a way to create a fat-free version of whipped cream using lactic acid instead of milk fat while maintaining a firm whipped consistency and texture.

Shelf-stable textured protein that delivers experience ‘much closer to whole muscle meat…’ IFF unveils tech breakthrough for meat alternatives

01-Nov-2022 By Elaine Watson

IFF has unveiled SUPRO TEX, a shelf-stable textured protein made via low-moisture extrusion claimed to deliver “a texture to meat alternatives close to what a high moisture extruded product is able to deliver,” at a significantly lower cost.

Plant-based cheese by numbers: Small declines in dollars and units overall, but big variations within category

24-Oct-2022 By Elaine Watson

SPINS data shared with FoodNavigator-USA ahead of our Futureproofing the Food System virtual summit (Nov 15-17) shows a mixed picture for US retail sales of plant-based cheese, with overall dollar sales down -2.3% to $218.94m and unit sales down -3.6%...

'The global emulsifier market is at capacity...' Kerry develops acacia-based alternative to sunflower lecithin

29-Sep-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Kerry has introduced Puremul, an acacia-based emulsifying ingredient that serves as an alternative to sunflower lecithin and mono- and diglycerides, responding to ongoing global sunflower supply challenges and manufacturers' need for a viable replacement.

SPECIAL REPORT: Bioengineered food labeling: ‘They kind of shot in the middle and missed every constituency’

23-Sep-2022 By Elaine Watson

Advocates arguing for greater transparency about the use of GMOs in food scored a minor victory this month after a district court told USDA to re-work the digital disclosure portions of the bioengineered food labeling law, which came into effect in January....

Kerry delivers cost-effective replacement for in-demand carob gum

15-Sep-2022 By Teodora Lyubomirova

The alternative costs up to 50% less than the real thing but delivers the functional benefits that ice cream makers have come to expect from the sought-after natural stabilizer.

Shiru teams up with Puratos to develop next generation egg replacers

31-Aug-2022 By Elaine Watson

Shiru – a California-based startup producing proteins via microbial fermentation – has teamed up with bakery ingredients specialist Puratos to develop the next-generation of egg replacers.

Study finds link between ultra-processed foods and mental health

29-Aug-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

A study exploring the connection between ultra-processed foods (UPF) consumption and reported adverse mental health symptoms found that participants who had a diet high in UPF were more likely to report instances of 'mentally unhealthy' and...

'Blind fury' prompted former co-packer's recent lawsuit over protein content and methylcellulose, argues Beyond Meat

09-Aug-2022 By Elaine Watson

A lawsuit* recently filed by former co-packer Don Lee Farms accusing Beyond Meat of “grossly” overstating the protein in its products is motivated by “personal vendetta" and should be seen as a “transparent attempt to gain leverage” on the eve of...

Sustainability in focus at IFT First 2022: ‘We don’t want regenerative ag to become the next ‘natural’ because then it doesn’t mean anything’

07-Aug-2022 By Elaine Watson

Sustainability “is probably on slide two or three of every customer presentation now,” notes Ingredion, but how can consumers cut through the PR noise to make meaningful comparisons between brands? Checkout our final gallery of trends at IFT FIRST exploring...

'Exceptional gel strength and elasticity...' Merit Functional Foods touts methylcellulose replacer

01-Aug-2022 By Elaine Watson

Recent applications work has demonstrated that Merit Functional Foods’ Peazazz pea protein isolate – in combination with an enzyme called transglutaminase - can replace methylcellulose, a binding and gelling ingredient widely used in meat alternatives...

Layoffs at Motif FoodWorks: ‘We’re pivoting our focus to key priorities that we know will return maximum ROI’

06-Jul-2022 By Elaine Watson

Boston-based foodtech firm Motif FoodWorks – which has raised $345m since spinning off from synthetic biology firm Ginkgo BioWorks in February 2019 – has just engaged in a round of layoffs, FoodNavigator-USA understands.

‘Eclipse’s ice cream is in a league of its own…’ Sozo Ventures leads $40m series B round at plant-based dairy co Eclipse Foods

28-Jun-2022 By Elaine Watson

While the meat alternatives category is suffering from some growing pains, investors’ enthusiasm for dairy alternatives continues unabated, with plant-based dairy specialist Eclipse Foods this week announcing a $40m series B round* led by Sozo Ventures,...

Is the party over for meat alternatives? It’s just getting started, says ADM

17-Jun-2022 By Elaine Watson

US retail sales of frozen meat alternatives were up a solid +10.1% to $76m in May 2022 vs May 2021, with volumes fairly flat at -0.8%; but sales of refrigerated meat alternatives continued their precipitous slide last month, with dollar sales slumping...

Minor Figures bolsters positioning in US market: 'The big secret and big challenge is to be localized in a community,' says CEO

10-Jun-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Minor Figures is gaining steam in the competitive oat milk category backed by a recent minority investment from Danone Manifesto Ventures and Hong Kong-based Green Monday Group as it executes on its specialized business model centered on the coffee community.

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."

Plant-based meat gamechanger? Rebellyous Foods tackles two key hurdles facing the industry: cost, and quality-at-scale

16-May-2022 By Elaine Watson

While even the analysts downgrading Beyond Meat’s stock in the wake of grim Q1 figures believe meat alternatives are “not a fad” (to quote Brian Holland at Cowen), the brand’s slowing sales and elevated costs have prompted some soul-searching about why...

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...

Smallfood targets alt seafood market with ‘wholefood’ marine organism combining high quality protein, omega-3 EPA+DHA, and seafood flavor

03-May-2022 By Elaine Watson

Halifax-based Smallfood is targeting the alternative seafood market with a novel marine-based whole food ingredient high in protein “with an amino acid profile similar to beef” and meaningful levels of the coveted long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and...

IFF unveils SEAFLOUR, a whole food seaweed stabilizer offering ‘exceptional stability’ in plant-based beverage formulations, and a clean label

03-May-2022 By Elaine Watson

IFF has launched SEAFLOUR, a hydrocolloid from red seaweed with particular potential in higher-protein plant-based milks made with pea or soy, enabling formulators to offer cleaner labels and shorten their ingredients lists.

‘Proudly genetically modified…’ Moolec ‘molecular farming’ co gears up to launch meat proteins from GM crops

25-Apr-2022 By Elaine Watson

Moolec Science – which has developed a ‘molecular farming’ platform to produce plants that express animal proteins – is developing genetically engineered peas and beans containing bovine and porcine proteins that it claims can improve the taste, texture,...

Israeli start-up is set to launch lab-grown collagen in 2024

08-Apr-2022 By Nicola Gordon-Seymour

Cultured food innovator, Aleph Farms, is moving to full production of lab-grown collagen and is on course for commercial launch by 2024.

WATCH: CHKP Foods brings compelling nutritional, sustainability attributes to non-dairy yogurt

23-Mar-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Worth an estimated $1.94b globally in 2020 and slated to grow at a compound annual rate of 17.7%, according to Research & Markets data*, the plant-based yogurt category is hitting its stride, even as manufacturers struggle to balance nutrition, mouthfeel...