Food, Drink and Nutrition

Here you'll find all my latest published articles and blog posts relating to the food, drink and nutrition industries. 

The Earth & I •

Vertical Farming Grows Up in Europe

While vertical farming (VF) enjoys opportunities and rapid growth—bringing the sector significant investment, hype, and hope as a potential provider of global food security—widespread concerns remain about energy costs, taste, nutrition, and VF’s adaptability to a broad range of crops. Will the VF sector expand to fill a niche or burgeon to successfully feed the world? Vertical farming—a rapidly growing sector of indoor agriculture—primarily produces hydroponically grown greens and herbs near a
foodmanufacture.co.uk •

PureCircle and Synergy collaborate to update Skinny Drinks with Starleaf Reb M extract

The newly-formulated range will be released as part of The Skinny Drinks Group’s tonic collection. The collaboration has seen the replacement the traditionally-used Reb A stevia extract, which can create flavour limitations, with the Starleaf Reb M stevia extract. By formulating with the new ingredient, the three companies aim to offer the most sugar-like taste available on the market. All the tonic, without the sugar ​ “Consumer demand for reduced and zero-sugar beverages has been on the rise
foodmanufacture.co.uk •

Reformulate: Fooditive's upcycled plant-based sweetener

We speak to the brand’s founder and chief executive officer Moayad Abushokhedim about its plant-based sugar substitute solution and its wider plans to tackle global sugar intake. Sugar substitutes are not often synonymous with being healthy and natural, but that's the focus of Dutch plant-based ingredient and sweetener innovator Fooditive. Launching in 2018 with its plant-based and chemical-free sweetener, Fooditive centres its efforts on improving the health status of products that use sugar r
foodmanufacture.co.uk •

Emerging Science: fresh produce and light manipulation

Food Manufacture speaks to Jen Bromley, PhD and head of plant research and development at London-based vertical farming innovator Vertical Future, to find out more. Food liking is a key driver that repeatedly brings consumers back to the same food choices. When it comes to product development, taste is paramount. In 2020, 88% of consumers confirmed that taste is the primary reason for buying a food item, the International Food Information Council Foundation’s survey found.​ Taste ranked above
The Earth & I •

Early-Life Diet and Exercise Impact Later-Life Microbiome

Excess fat and sugar in your diet during childhood can change your microbiome later in life, even if your eating habits become healthier, a new study measuring nutrition in mice suggests. The research study, conducted by the University of California (UC), is one of the first nutritional reports to explore the juvenile diet and its lasting effect on the microbiome following a significant washout period, which is the equivalent in mice of approximately six human years. Carried out by lead resear
foodnavigator.com •

Has the alternative meat market been slowed by COVID? Redefine Meat thinks not

During the COVID-19 pandemic, consumer demands for meat reduction and replacement options have temporarily decelerated, market intelligence company Mintel ​reported, with consumers relaxing their food habits. However, one company bucking the trend is meat alternative brand, Redefine Meat, as its CEO and Co-Founder, Eshchar Ben-Shitrit, reveals: “​During COVID-19 there has certainly been a spike in the popularity of alternative meat.”​ Emphasising the amount of funding given to the meat-free fo
foodnavigator.com •

A rainbow of opportunity: How fermentation biotech is creating ‘Agricultural 2.0’

In today’s market, consumers are actively seeking more sustainable and healthier products. Enter food biotechnology. Fermentation​ is a type of biotechnology that uses microorganisms to create a chemical change that can produce food additives and animal feed. Fermentation can offer a number of benefits for food producers—including sustainability, health and product performance. Talking about how fermentation delivers on these, Lindsay McCorkle, who is part of Rabobank’s FoodBytes! food and agr
foodnavigator.com •

Upcycling food waste into a biobased plastic alternative

US-based MiTerro has developed and utilises two-patent pending technologies to create plastic-alternative biomaterials that are made from agricultural waste. The technology is getting increasing interest from Europe as the United Nations’ sustainability goals near, and both regulations and leading industry trends in the continent focus on reducing wastage, strengthening supply chains and improving our food system. With its dedication to ending both food and plastic waste, MiTerro strives to re
foodnavigator.com •

Sustainability, storytelling, sport and sugar-free lead trends in 2020

When it comes to the key ingredients that LATAM consumers are demanding, consumers look for “natural ingredients that connect with their needs and concerns”, ​Julian Mellentin, food and beverage consultant at New Nutrition Business, highlighted. Ingredients that relate to key trends, including protein, good carbohydrates or low-carbohydrate alternatives, natural sugars and plant-based ingredients are attractive and prominent choices for food and beverage producers. Sharing insights on current...
foodnavigator.com •

Naturex unveils fermented mineral to boost plant-based, on-the-go nutrition

Speaking to NutraIngredients-LATAM, Amandine De Santi, Customer Marketing Manager, EMEA, Naturex, talks us through industry demands for nutritious plant-based, takeaway choices. Naturex, which is now part of Givaudan, after the Swiss flavor manufacturer completed the acquisition of Naturex in September 2018, is turning its attention to plant-based nutrition that provides consumers with healthy eating options, on-the-go. In 2018 and 2017, food and beverage launches tracked with an on-the-go lab
nutraingredients-latam.com •

Unlimitech unveils new sports performance and nutrition device

Daniel Morales Valdivia, Unlimitech's Peruvian founder, talks us through how its revolutionary sports performance and metabolic analysis technology plans to help improve sports nutrition and support nutritionists around the world. 1. Can you tell me a little about yourself and Unlimitech? ​ I am a business engineer, which is a mix of IT engineering and industrial engineering. I studied in Peru before working in the mining industry for five years. While working there, I set up the asset...
nutraingredients-latam.com •

Digestion leads nutritional health benefits in Brazil and Mexico probiotics

Consumers in Brazil and Mexico are increasingly reviewing products in the probiotic sector, latest data from insights provider on food and nutrition markets, Lumina Intelligence, revealed. Products in Brazil and Mexico with a health claim either on-pack and/or on their website achieved a total of 1,773 reviews as of January 2020 and saw a 68% increase in reviews since December 2017. While those with no health claim only increased by 24%, Lumina Intelligence’s data stated.
nutraingredients-latam.com •

DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences, APC Microbiome collaborate on infant research project

The scientific and microbiome-focused duo announced their large-scale infant health research project that will explore the role of the microbiome in human health. The four-year, $7 million (€6.3 mn) research project will use their findings that aims to produce a healthy microbiome in early life that will support individuals’ long-term health. The project, called Missing Microbes in Infants born by C-section (MiMIC), will explore the potential to improve infant health through understanding more...
foodnavigator.com •

EU 'farm to fork' strategy aims to feed sustainable food system

Sustainable production, processing and consumption are integral elements of the EU 'farm to fork' strategy. With the strategy’s current feedback period now closed, industry interest as to how strategic plans, specific targets and anticipated developments are set to advance are high. The background of the strategy Since taking office in December 2019, President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has published political guidelines that emphasise the importance of ensuring the Euro...
nutraingredients-latam.com •

Forging a strategy to tackle double malnutrition burden

We spoke with Stineke Oenema, Global Coordinator of the UN System Standing Committee on Nutrition about what the current double burden of malnutrition in low and middle-income countries looks like and what needs to be done to tackle its presence. In Lancet’s research series exploring the ​, the authors emphasize that it is no longer possible to identify countries as low-income and undernourished, or alternatively, high-income and therefore only experiencing obesity.
nutraingredients-latam.com •

Nestlé focuses on meeting “nutritional needs of Mexicans in all stages of life”

As it progresses its investment plans to support nutrition, food and health in Mexico, Nestlé turns its attention to innovating production processes, business models and reformulating products to meet what it hails as “the new nutritional needs of Mexicans​”. Nestlé plans to assign $700 million to upgrade and modernize its 17 factories in Mexico. By improving its production facilities with cutting-edge equipment, the company hopes these advancements will enable it to continue implementing its...
nutraingredients-latam.com •

DSM to acquire Glycom to develop infant nutrition

In a bid to advance early life nutrition, DSM has bought Glycom for an enterprise value of $831 million (€765 mn), the science company revealed. Tipped as the globe’s only fully-integrated Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) provider, DSM details how its product development, preclinical and clinical development, and regulatory and large-scale manufacturing will spur Glycom’s innovation capabilities to create “next-generation” HMOs. Found in human breast milk, HMOs are a group of carbohydrate...
foodnavigator.com •

World Food Programme and Islamic Development Bank MoU “saves and changes more lives impacted by malnutrition”

David Beasley, Executive Director of WFP and Dr Bandar Hajjar, President of the IsDB Group, signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), as the World Economic Forum was taking place in Davos, Switzerland. The partnership aims to focus on low and middle-income countries that are members of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation. Speaking to NutraIngredients-LATAM, WFP’s Geraldine Honton, Programme Coordinator Innovative Financing, Nutrition Division explained that while it is currently at...
nutraingredients-latam.com •

Nestlé expands medical nutrition business with Zenpep acquisition

Commenting on why medical nutrition is a core area of interest and growth for Nestlé, a spokesperson for the company confirmed that “medical nutrition is the original foundation of our business and it continues to be important to us in our markets around the world”​. Sharing how the recent acquisition of Zenpep supports this position, the spokesperson continued: Zenpep is “aligned with NHSc's approach of empowering healthier lives through nutrition and assuring optimal nutritional support...
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