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Nasekomo hails “breakthrough” in insect bioconversion with AI-powered platform

Nasekomo hails “breakthrough” in insect bioconversion with AI-powered platform

Biotech company Nasekomo says its proprietary insect farming platform, developed in partnership with Siemens, has achieved a 25% feed conversion ratio (FCR) — a performance level that sets a new benchmark for profitability and scale-up within the insect bioconversion sector.
Bakery trends: Industry taps functional ingredients as healthy indulgence demands rise
Bakery trends: Industry taps functional ingredients as healthy indulgence demands rise
Bakery experts are rising to the current challenges in the space as companies face price fluctuations, reformulation pressures to meet new regulations without compromising on quality, and ensuring they cater to budget-conscious consumers with high demands on health.
Making the Switch from Fiber Drums to Flexible Bags
Making the Switch from Fiber Drums to Flexible Bags
For ingredient manufacturers in search of sustainable, cost-effective packaging, the shift from rigid to flexible packaging offers significant benefits. Learn what industry trends are driving the shift to flexible packaging, factors to consider when moving from fiber drums, alternative packaging options, and what to look for in a packaging partner.This Technical Paper is brought to you by Fres-co System USA, Inc. 
Finally Foods: Molecular farming for animal-free casein production
Finally Foods: Molecular farming for animal-free casein production

Israel-based Finally Foods has conducted a field trial of potatoes containing casein, which it produces using molecular farming techniques. CEO Dafna Gabbay speaks with us about the need for animal-free casein and the associated regulatory challenges with commercializing it. She also shares why the team chose potatoes as a host for formulating the “complex” milk protein.

Drinking to Wellness
Drinking to Wellness

In this edition you will learn more about:

  • Top 5 Trends in Beverages, Alcohol for a New Generation, Plant-Powered Preservatives, The Graceful Aging Movement, Compostable Packaging
  • Circularity in Drinks Packaging, Beverage Highlights, “Neo-Hedonism” in Future Food, Nutrient Labeling Systems, Protein from the Extruder
  • Natural Colors in Lifestyle Beverages, Citrus Supply Chains, Trends in Soft Drinks, Vitafoods Preview, Sugar & Sports
  • Beverages Redefined, Live Microbes, Seaweed Hydrocolloids, Mental Performance Drinks, Synbiotics & On-the-Go Nutrition
  • View from the Top: Patrick Niels, president taste, texture & health at dsm-firmenich
NPEW 2025 review: Top trends in healthier foods, functional beverages, and nutrition innovations
NPEW 2025 review: Top trends in healthier foods, functional beverages, and nutrition innovations
At Natural Products Expo West (NPEW) in Anaheim, California, US, the food and nutrition industries showcased their latest innovation in healthier food options, snacks, beverages, and supplements. Weight management, active nutrition, and products for gut, brain, mood, and women’s health took center stage. Exhibitors featured a wide selection of functional hydration, new delivery formats, low- or no-sugar foods, alt-dairy, fibers, and biotics. Protein reigned supreme, from plant-based options to whey, real meat, and eggs, across applications in sports bars, powder, snacks, pasta sauce, and clear drinks.

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Clean labels: How consumer perception drives ingredient transparency and innovation
a man's hand holding a sauce bottle in the supermarket
If there were ever a contentious term in the F&B industry, “clean” would be it. Although many consumers may not be familiar with the term “clean label,” they will undoubtedly be acquainted with phrases like “additive-free” and “free from artificial ingredients.” However, choosing the ingredients that go into these products and understanding how customers perceive them remains complicated for companies trying to cater to this market. 
Roquette talks trend resets as consumer taste expectations drive functional beverage innovations
a group of friends cheering with healthy drinks in their hands in glasses
A sharpened focus on reducing sugar, gut health-friendly, and alcohol-free options is driving functional beverage innovations as consumers chase healthier lifestyles. From using AI to generate “mock-up” concepts to leveraging pea and fava bean protein for nutrition, manufacturers are ramping up R&D to develop “functional yet flavorful” drinks without the watery mouthfeel that often concerns consumers.
Hong Kong researchers develop AI-enhanced 3D food printing tech to advance personalized nutrition
The research team.
Researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) are advancing 3D food printing with an AI-assisted technology that combines infrared cooking with printing. This method can enable safer, more efficient, and visually striking food production compared to traditional 3D food printing, which involves post-processing steps that can result in unappealing ingredients, imperfect shapes, and possible microbial contamination.
The search for plant-based gelatin: Canadian researchers make strides with gum tragacanth
Gelatin.
Canadian researchers have developed a novel method of producing animal-free gelatin by using tragacanth, a natural gum produced from the sap of various Middle Eastern legumes. Gelatin is used throughout F&B, from candy to packaging. Gelatin’s gel-like structure and transparency are two useful qualities that make it difficult to replicate through plant-based alternatives. 
EU unveils “preparedness strategy” urging governments to stockpile food for disasters
Preserves.
The EU has launched a “Preparedness Union Strategy” to support Member States and enhance Europe's capability to prevent and respond to threats and potential disasters. All European households will be encouraged to stockpile 72 hours worth of food as part of the strategy. The plan comes as the EU is facing complex crises and challenges, from geopolitical tensions and conflicts, hybrid and cybersecurity threats, foreign information manipulation and interference, and climate change and natural disasters. 
Exploring multi-omics tools and sharing research insights to improve nutrition
Researchers meeting behind a computer

Nutrition Insight

Food systems are under growing pressure to support human and planetary health. The Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI) explores cutting-edge science to reshape nutrition, such as multi-omics tools — technologies that map food at the molecular level. PTFI states that these tools and collaborative research among its partners enable a holistic understanding of food composition and lay the groundwork for transformative innovations. Nutrition Insight continues our talk with Selena Ahmed, PTFI’s global director, and Mariana Barboza, research program manager for the Innovation Institute for Food and Health (IIFH) at the University of California (UC), Davis. 
Highlighted features
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Food Ingredients News

March in review: EU and US trade agri-food tariffs, NPEW 2025, Chocolate’s alt-cocoa future

This month, the EU leveled tariffs against the US as retaliation for US President Donald Trump’s levies on European products. The new rules target around US$28 billion in agri-food imports. We looked back at Natural Products Expo West 2025 (NPEW), where organic produce and weight loss medications took center stage. Also, we discussed the confectionery industry’s latest attempts to replace cocoa in chocolate products amid sharp fluctuations in prices and availability. Here, we recap the most significant stories of the month to ensure you stay informed about key F&B industry developments and insights. 

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Food Ingredients News

Compassion in World Farming issues warning over slow progress on poultry welfare standards

Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) calls for companies to commit to improving animal welfare and sign up to the voluntary Better Chicken Commitment (BCC), a detailed set of science-based criteria designed to improve the lives of chickens reared for food, build brand reputation, and meet expectations from consumers, shareholders, and investors.

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Food Ingredients News

Campaigners urge EU lawmakers to block industrial octopus farming after permits approved

Animal welfare campaigners in Europe are calling on EU lawmakers to prevent food corporations from establishing large-scale octopus farms throughout the continent following the recent acquisition of a hatchery permit by multinational fishing group Grupo Profand. While the license is specified for research purposes, animal protection organizations say it could open the door to cruel and environmentally damaging industrial production. Grupo Profand claims that the objective of its research hatchery plans, which were approved by the Spanish government, is solely to optimize the larval phase of the common octopus “without the aim of production or commercialization.” However, the project description on the permit request specifies research for “industrial exploitation.” 

Ingredient focus

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Fats & oils take the spotlightApr2025

Innova Market Insights data indicates that flavor reigns supreme — 40 % of consumers worldwide say rich taste is the key to an unforgettable F&B experience. Regarding fat and oil ingredients, Euro...

Product innovation

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Plant-based eggs are cracking into the market Apr 2025

Easter has long been associated with eggs, but now sustainability and health claims are transforming the tradition. Innova Market Insights data reveals a 13% rise in plant-based egg launches from 2020 to 2024, as brands innovate with vegan alternatives such as scramble substitutes, poached options, liquid egg replacements, and even reinvented traditional egg recipes.

Trend analysis

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Plant-based innovation growsApr 2025

According to data from Innova Market Insights, 48% of consumers worldwide perceive plant-based products as a healthier choice. This growing preference has fueled market expansion, driving a 13% increase from 2020 to 2024.

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Webinars49:02
Future-Proofing Food: How Consumer Needs Shape Tomorrow’s Market

The food and beverage industry is evolving rapidly, shaped by shifting consumer expectations and emerging trends.  
In this webinar, Valio, a Finnish dairy and food company, unpacks the key forces driving change—rising demand for personalized nutrition, protein-rich innovations, and...

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Video10:32
Finally Foods: Molecular farming for animal-free casein production
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Video12:05
Martin Luther University: Economist discusses how cost, not taste, is driving plant-based meat acceptance
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Video08:45
NPEW 2025: How the organics market can weather the storm amid tariffs and cutbacks 
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