Processing and Packaging

MadeRight: Mycelia-based packaging pioneer mushrooms with investment

24-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

Israeli start-up MadeRight has secured funding to expand its development team and refine its fungi-based packaging production process with the aim of achieving a commercially viable prototype.

Suntory to make fossil-free PET bottles from waste and residues like used cooking oil

23-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

Neste, a Finland-based supplier of renewable fuels and feedstock for plastics, is partnering with Suntory, ENEOS and Mitsubishi Corporation to enable the production of PET bottles with renewable materials replacing fossil alternatives (via a mass balance...

New tool to boost fruit and vegetable shelf life and cut waste

21-Aug-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The technology – from Poland-based food-tech company Fresh Inset – promises to preserve freshness, vitamins and antioxidants.

Lidl GB promotes kid-friendly packaging to increase sales of fresh fruit and veg snacking

18-Aug-2023 By Gill Hyslop

Earlier this year, Lidl GB reported sales of its Oaklands Funsize fruit range had increased by over a third since 2017 following the introduction of packaging design changes - including the use of quirky names and cartoon characters - to make it more...

Unwrapping the recyclability problem: From food packaging materials to consumer responsibility

17-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

If relevant stakeholders – from government to industry and consumers – play their part, recyclability can be improved and plastic pollution eliminated, believes NGO WRAP.

‘It’s brilliant the industry has stepped up’: The technology allowing partially sighted shoppers to ‘hear’ what’s on a product label

16-Aug-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Partially sighted consumers are a growing demographic. Solutions are coming aimed at allowing these shoppers to more easily access key on-pack product information and nutritional details.

Extending shelf-life through packaging: The complexities and variations

16-Aug-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Food packaging has a number of key roles. Firstly, it aims to keep food safe from its environment, so it doesn’t get dirty or contaminated. Secondly, it makes it more convenient to transport. Thirdly, it can serve to extend food shelf life. It is this...

GUEST ARTICLE

The top 5 trends driving innovation in packaging science

16-Aug-2023 By Katy Askew, managing director, IFIS Publishing

Packaging is the shop window for your brand, the primary interface through which food and beverage manufacturers interact with consumers. Packaging innovation, therefore, cannot be taken lightly. How are R&D teams leveraging packaging science to develop...

The FoodNavigator Podcast: Innovating our way out of the plastic problem

16-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

Plastic pollution is a global concern, with an estimated eight million tonnes of plastic enters the marine environment every year, wreaking havoc on the planet, ocean-life, and even humans. What role can innovation in food and beverage packaging play...

‘To the Moon, Mars and beyond’: Vertical farming for future space exploration

15-Aug-2023 By Sarah Rhynes and Flora Southey

Vertical Future will be the first UK-based company working in the agri-space sector after it received a grant to develop controlled environment agriculture (CEA) technology for future space exploration missions.

Greenwashing, greenhushing and confusion… Carbon market responds with clearer rules on offsetting

11-Aug-2023 By Oliver Morrison

What’s a ‘good’ carbon credit and how do businesses use them without fear of criticism from consumers? New guidance on carbon credits has been issued as attitudes shift among food and beverage companies towards using offsets to meet their climate targets.

A temporary blip or a sign of oversaturation? Beyond Meat’s woes and the future of plant-based meat

11-Aug-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

This week, it was announced that revenue for plant-based meat brand Beyond Meat had fallen by more than 30%. Does this say more about Beyond Meat or the plant-based sector in general? Why are some consumers rejecting plant-based meat?

Fears of ‘greenhushing’ in hospitality could stymie sustainability communication, roundtable concludes

08-Aug-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

It is important not to mislead consumers with sustainability claims. However, fears of inadvertently misleading consumers can, according to findings from a recent roundtable, contribute to ‘greenhushing’, when companies fail to share progress in sustainability...

How Kraft Heinz plans to cut virgin plastic use by 20% by 2030

03-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

Part of its strategy includes exploring alternative plastic materials, but the company wants to make sure new solutions don’t end up having a worse impact on the environment. “It’s a complicated puzzle, but it’s one we’re committed to solving,” Rashida...

Sustainable packaging start-up celebrates as seaweed burger box gets royal seal of approval

02-Aug-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The UK’s Notpla, which creates sustainable packaging solutions from seaweed and plants that disappear naturally to give consumers the convenience of single-use without the plastic waste, is cheering after Prince William unveiled ‘The Earthshot Burger’...

Plastic linked to cancer risk across production, use, and disposal: study

01-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

In what is considered a landmark study, a team of international researchers has identified cancer risk – and other human health findings – associated with the production, use, and disposal of plastic.

'It's so, so terrible': The rise of food allergies and the cost-of-living crisis

31-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

It is well-known that food allergies are increasing. Amid a cost-of-living crisis, this is a problem.

NOVA classification matches consumer instincts, study finds

28-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The NOVA classification system is used to ascertain whether foods are minimally processed, processed or ‘ultra-processed’. A new study has found that people’s perceptions of foods and their processing levels usually align with their NOVA classification.

'World’s first’ energy drink developed by artificial intelligence

28-Jul-2023 By Flora Southey

In Hungary, a beverage manufacturer claims to have produced the 'world’s first’ energy drink completely designed by AI.

Nestlé’s Income Accelerator Program in Côte d'Ivoire aims to enhance productivity in cocoa farming

26-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Nestlé has published a progress report on its Income Accelerator Program, which aims to support cocoa farmers in Côte d'Ivoire and incentivise them into greater productivity.

How Unilever is using AI and big data to transform its food portfolio

25-Jul-2023 By Flora Southey

Unilever is tapping into the power of AI and big data biology to optimise its current food portfolio and accelerate new product development.

Scientists stress ‘uncertainties’ in links between ultra-processed food and health problems

12-Jul-2023 By Flora Southey

In the UK, government scientists have pointed to ‘uncertainties’ surrounding the quality of evidence linking consumption of ultra-processed foods with adverse health outcomes.

Sainsbury’s steak packaging switches from plastic to cardboard in latest sustainability move

12-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Supermarket retailer Sainsbury’s has replaced the plastic packaging on its ‘by Sainsbury’s’ steak range. This will remove 70% of the plastic per tray.

Rot-resistant mutations and AI-fuelled robots – advancements in tomato cultivation

10-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Tomatoes are one of Europe’s favourite fruits, and are involved in a wide range of meals from pizza and pasta to salad and full English breakfast. Several advancements have introduced new insights into tomato cultivation.

A study of low connectivity: The risks of infectious disease in Austria’s pig transportation system

07-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Austria’s pig industry is mostly self-sufficient. But this doesn’t mean that bacterial infection doesn’t pose a danger to livestock. A new study charts how the different networks of communication between farms, slaughterhouses and other points in Austria’s...

‘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....

Inside the ‘supermarket of the future’ promising to waste less energy and less food

30-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Industrial firm Danfoss has just opened a 'Smart Store' in Denmark which employs up-to-date heating and cooling technology solutions in the hope of showing food retailers ‘the journey to a zero emissions supermarket’.

Exclusive

‘We know that time temperature indicators have huge potential to reduce food waste’: Behind HelloFresh’s push for regulatory changes to enable new food labelling solutions to be unboxed

29-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

As new research from HelloFresh reveals one in five consumers throw away perfectly safe and edible food because they rigidly follow date labelling, HelloFresh is urging the EU and UK to revise rules to allow innovative time-temperature indicators to minimize...

Tetra Pak on the decarbonisation of the packaging system

28-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Plastic packaging does an enormous amount of harm to the environment, taking up land in landfill sites and maiming wildlife on both land and sea. However, it also contributes to climate change, emitting high levels of greenhouses gasses into the atmosphere....

‘We return value to our members’: How cooperatives help to run Ireland’s dairy sector

27-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Founded in 1961 as the Irish Dairy Board, a government body tasked with exporting Ireland’s dairy produce, Ornua (meaning ‘new gold’ in Irish Gaelic) now exports to 110 markets around the globe each year, and is responsible for world-famous brands such...

'We need to have the right products, because the consumers are demanding it': How politics can drive recycling in plastic packaging

26-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The UK throws away around 100 billion pieces of plastic each year, much of which goes into landfill. Tetra Pak North Europe managing director Alex Henriksen told FoodNavigator about how inexorably politics and food packaging are tied together.

'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...

The packaging paradox: the balance between clean labels and shelf life

21-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

In today’s era of sustainability, rising ingredient and energy prices, reducing waste by extending shelf life is more imperative than ever. But what implications does this have for clean labels? Where do manufacturers draw the line between extending shelf...

Digital application launched to give ‘innovative advice’ on steps to improve soil health

20-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The Soil Health Scorecard aims to address the challenges of innovation and sustainability in agriculture.

'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.

Heat-damaged DNA in food could be linked to cancer, study shows

15-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Foods including red and processed meat have been frequently linked to cancer. A new study suggests that this could be because of the cooking process – food cooked at high heats could damage the DNA in the food, leading to increased cancer risk in those...

'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...

Parma Ham players aim to cure environmental impact of packaging

09-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The Parma Ham Consortium is carrying out research to identify more sustainable alternatives to the traditional packaging of the pre-sliced product.

'Like wine or scotch, people can find the profile they love' - The rise of single-origin coffee

08-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

From its origins in Ethiopia to its cultivation in the Ottoman Empire, coffee has always been international. But the popularity of single-origin coffee, demarcated by its origin from a single nation, is growing. What is the appeal of this kind of coffee,...

Ultra-processing metric added to environmental labelling scheme: ‘Our objective is to identify products with synthetic additives’

08-Jun-2023 By Flora Southey

Environmental labelling scheme Planet-Score is expanding its focus to include a product’s degree of processing, origin, and whether fair remuneration was paid to its producers.

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.

Mycoprotein and fungal proteins – The sustainability potential

06-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Mycoprotein and fungal proteins take up less land than animal farming, and can be used to aid in regenerative agriculture, explains mycoprotein major Quorn - perhaps the best-known manufacturer of mycoprotein-based meat substitutes.

Edible coffee cup developed to take bite out of single-use plastic sales

31-May-2023 By Flora Southey

Cupffee, a start-up making coffee cups from oats and wheat, is on a mission to stimulate demand for ‘sustainable edibles’.

UK to ban single-use plastics and EU suggests wide-ranging changes to plastic use

26-May-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

On 1 October 2023, the UK will ban single-use plastics, with the guidance having been released on 23 May. The EU have also released wide-ranging guidance on plastics.

'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...

German grocer becomes first in Europe to embrace first major jar lid innovation in 75 years

18-May-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The US company behind the EEASY Lid, claimed to be the world’s first aluminium lug lid designed to assist the rising numbers who wrestle with hard-to-open lids, has announced that Germany's largest supermarket EDEKA Kempken is the first to adopt...

"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...