Food technology company Aliga Microalgae progresses its plans to scale the microalgae ingredient, chlorella, as an alternative protein after buying an existing production facility in Holland.
Sue Garfitt has been appointed the new CEO of Dutch alternative protein start-up The Protein Brewery. FoodNavigator catches up with Garfitt to ask what factors influenced her decision, what expertise she plans to bring to the company, and what’s next...
As calls to lower sugar levels in food and beverages louden, formulators and brands centre their efforts on improving taste, testing and technology in sugar-reduced products.
AINIA, the Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, and Productos Lácteos Romar embark on a new project to turn citrus, watermelon and kaki waste into functional food items.
From pea protein substitutes to whole cut meat alternatives and pet food, the versatility of mycelium is helping to attract a growing number of start-ups to the space. How are entrepreneurs innovating to bring this sustainable ‘root-like’ structure to...
A group of South Korean researchers plan to develop new supplements with functional claims using a mixture containing berry extract and soybean for controlling hyperglycemia, following positive human clinical trial results.
A public-private partnership aiming to produce 12 seaweed-based products – including fermented fibres for meat alternatives and biomaterials for packaging – has launched in the Faroe Islands.
Aliga Microalgae has acquired a state-of-the-art production facility from Duplaco in the Netherlands and will use the site to scale-up production of chlorella algae to meet demand for plant-based and vegan ingredients in global analogue food and supplement...
Colombian B4B chocolate manufacturer Luker Chocolate is hitting the caramel flavour with a new chocolate couverture, crafted at origin, using the company’s signature Cacao Fino de Aroma and incorporating its sustainability practices.
Swiss-based Cultivated Biosciences has secured fresh funding to develop its solution to the challenge of improving mouthfeel and texture in plant-based dairy.
Allulose, a novel rare sugar, is currently making its way through the Novel Foods process to gain regulatory approval in Europe. Does it have the characteristics that European shoppers are looking for in sweeteners?
Scientists have identified the key chemicals found in vanilla bean extract and combined this with sensory data to understand what consumers want from vanilla flavours.
Israeli start-up Pigmentum is producing biomolecules for the food industry in transgenic plants. Co-founder Tal Lutzky explains how the technology works, which hurdles stand in the way of commercialisation, and whether consumers are willing to drink ‘lettuce...
Brother-sister duo Dr Maximilian and Dr Sara Marquart are working to ease the pressure on cocoa supply chains with an alternative developed via traditional and precision fermentation techniques. FoodNavigator catches up with one half of the ‘chocolate...
German start-up Bioweg claims its bio-based hydrocolloid made from bacterial cellulose can improve taste, texture, and appearance of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives.
Growth in the plant-based space has been fuelled by the development of products that mimic meat with increasing accuracy. But formulation challenges remain as the industry works to develop high quality analogues that are also clean label. Could a synergistic...
In search for a ‘better sweetener’, researchers have identified a low-calorie mixture that they claim is as sweet as table sugar and also good for your gut microbiome.
The ‘clean label’ trend does not remain stagnant. Mintel’s Emma Schofield, Associate Director, Global Food Science, reveals how the trend is evolving in the face of changing regulation, interest is degrees of processing, and environmentally friendly consumers.
Fine chemicals co DIC and San Diego-based startup Debut Biotech are developing a vibrant natural red color that is heat-stable, light-stable, and stable across a wide pH range, using a novel hybrid approach combining microbial fermentation and ‘cell-free’...
Ice cream maker NORTHERN BL°C is growing rapidly as its plant-based treats resonate with UK consumers. With things on the up-and-up, we ask how the brand differentiates itself in an increasingly crowded category.
‘We eat first with our eyes’ – and the saying is all the more true in an age of social media. But color is not just about good looks: it’s also about meeting consumer demands for natural and sustainable alternatives. We take a look at some of the latest...
Israeli start-up Gavan Technologies has developed a novel continuous extraction method that utilises the entire plant. FoodNavigator caught up with CEO Itai Cohen to learn more.
Cambridge University spin-out Impossible Materials has developed a cellulose-based, white pigment to replace titanium dioxide in food applications. FoodNavigator catches up with CEO Lukas Schertel to find out how.
Children are more likely to prefer food they perceive as ‘natural’ over processed or lab-made alternatives, a new study from scientists in Scotland and the US has found.
Aliga Microalgae is a Danish food tech company that has developed a white Chlorella ingredient that, it says, packs the nutritional punch of algae with a neutral taste and white colour. FoodNavigator hears more.
The clean label ingredients market is witnessing continued growth, with evidence suggesting clean labels increase consumer willingness to pay a higher price point and build loyalty. FoodNavigator digs down into the trend to profile what categories and...
Unilever has introduced a project that it hopes will improve livelihoods and safety in the Indonesian coconut sector, while also securing future supplies of this versatile palm fruit. The European consumer goods giant is helping to introduce a specially...
Ohly, the yeast-based extracts and flavours business owned by ABF Ingredients, is launching its first carbon-neutral ingredients alongside a commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2030. FoodNavigator hears more.
Israeli tech firm Phytolon, which is biosynthesizing alternatives to synthetic food colors, has raised $14.5m in a series A funding round* led by DSM Venturing as it gears up to commercialize betalain pigments produced via fermentation of genetically...
In Germany, a brother-sister duo is developing seafood alternatives from microalgae, plant proteins, and other ‘natural ingredients’. The first product on the table? Vegan canned tuna.
Sustainable nutrition is key to the future of people and the planet. Providing it is an important opportunity for the food and beverage sector to engage with shoppers who are ever more focused on conscientious consumption, FoodNavigator hears.
Flavourings, extracts and essences formulator, Synergy Flavours takes inspiration from the 2022 Michelin Great Britain and Ireland guide to develop new flavour profiles and pairings.
Olam’s new direct-to-consumer (D2C) nuts brand Re- says it is tapping into three major trends – traceability, sustainability and health – as it eyes expansion from its Singapore launchpad into wider Asia, the US and UK.
Global ingredient and service solution provider Glanbia Nutritionals has launched TechVantage, a new functionally optimised nutrient technology platform.
The brainchild of wine-loving Italian and former chief R&D officer at Suntory Food and Beverage GB&I (previously Lucozade Ribena Suntory) Roberto Vanin, Bolle is a new low/no sparking brewed drink produced with ‘game changing’ technology that...
Firmenich and DSM have revealed plans to merge the two companies in a move that they believe will create an ‘unparalleled’ leader in nutrition, beauty and wellbeing.
At Vitafoods Europe, ADM were showcasing their latest concepts with experts on-site to answer questions about how they will be keeping the health-conscious consumer in mind.
Ingredient supplier Sweegen hailed its victory against PureCircle in a stevia Rebaudioside M (Reb M) patent battle as opening the door to ‘major expansion’ opportunities. However, FoodNavigator understands PureCircle owner Ingredion is already preparing...
Flavours giant Givaudan is developing Customer Foresight, a platform that leverages ‘advanced data technologies’ alongside artificial intelligence and human insight to predict the future of food.
Flavours are not currently defined by their most important functionality: taste. We speak to flavour tech innovator iSense about how it is using sensory data and digitalisation to develop a marketplace approach that delivers transparency to boost agility...
Givaudan has developed a patent-pending ‘synergistic combination’ of plant-based ingredients and natural flavourings that it says can be used as a nitrite replacement in meat.
Multi-sensorial food and beverage experiences can attract mainstream appeal despite the backdrop of the cost of living crisis, according to MMR Research.
To combat deforestation, interventions must support both development and inclusion. Smallholders need to be brought on the journey towards zero deforestation. A new research collaboration aims to assess what programmes see most success on these dual deliverables.
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...
Taste and nutrition company Kerry officially opened what it bills as ‘the largest and most advanced’ taste manufacturing facility on the African continent this week. FoodNavigator hears from Paul Hewitt, Vice President of Sub Saharan Africa, to learn...