Headlines

Should vanilla production be stopped?

Vanilla is one of the most common flavours for sweet treats around the world. But is the farming of this much-loved spice sustainable? And, if not, should we be consuming it at all?

How much freedom should cows have? Image Source: Getty Images/DaydreamsGirl

How much time should dairy cows spend outside?

To have a fulfilling life, cows arguably must be allowed outside. But what constitutes a ‘free-range’ cow is ambiguous. For optimum welfare, farmers must balance time outdoors and time indoors.

Paid for and content provided by Edelman

Food x Warming World: 9 key themes to watch at the intersection of food and climate

Sustainable and alternative practices are emerging in the food and beverage industry to reduce the impact of climate change.

If consumers don’t like a product, they won’t buy it. It has to meet their sensory requirements for flavour, texture and overall quality. GettyImages/Artis777

Expert vs consumer sensory panels: Best of both worlds?

If consumers don't like a product, they won't buy it. Testing with sensory panels can help determine consumer liking, so what kind of sensory panel should manufacturers go for?

Is ultra-processed food good, bad, or other? GettyImages/AndreyPopov

UPF watch: What’s the latest on ultra-processed food?

Ultra-processed food is making headlines. In our rolling coverage of UPF, we unpack the good, the bad, and the confusion around this classification of products. Here’s the latest…

Paid for and content provided by Faravelli, the Best Ingredient

Enhancing food quality: The role of functional systems

Improve food quality and stability with versatile functional systems to achieve outstanding results across different sectors.

Raslysation can perform the same function as pasteurisation, without heat. Image Source: Getty Images/Jonathan Knowles

Heatless technique does the same job as pasteurisation, but keeps key protein intact

Pasteurisation has always used significant amounts of heat. A new technology, however, can fulfil the same function without this heat, thus keeping key proteins intact.

Could keto diet delay early Alzheimer's?

The keto diet has been linked to multiple health benefits, including lowered blood pressure and reduced blood sugar, but could it also help to combat the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease?

Paid for and content provided by Fonterra Research and Development Centre (FRDC)

How dairy’s nutrient-dense profile can reinforce ‘food as medicine’ and promote holistic health

As the relationship between food and health continues to be explored, studies reveal how the nutrient-dense profile of dairy can support key areas of health.

The cooperatives streamline the buying and selling process of cocoa beans. Image: author's own.

Cocoa cooperatives in Côte d'Ivoire: A conduit for collective action

Cooperatives help cocoa farmers sell their produce, as well as work with ingredients companies to learn new agricultural techniques.

Improving animal welfare standards doesn’t come cheap. So who should pay? GettyImages/Natissima

Consumers want better animal welfare, but are they willing to pay for it?

Fresh research suggests consumers back legislation to improve farm animal welfare, but if reflected in product price, will they vote with their wallets?

Most, but not all, plant-based burgers are considered ultra-processed, according to the Nova definition of ultra-processed food (UPF). GettyImages/Hinterhaus Productions

Are ultra-processed plant-based burgers healthy? WHO investigates

The World Health Organization has funded research analysing the nutritional composition of ultra-processed plant-based burgers, and the findings are out.

Exercise does not negate the negative health effects associated with sugar-sweetened drinks, the study found. Image Source: Getty Images/The Good Brigade

How much does exercise offset the cardiovascular risks of sugar-sweetened drinks?

When we exercise, we often hope to offset some of the negative effects of the unhealthy foods that we’ve eaten while we do so. However, when it comes to sugar-sweetened drinks, exercise might not be enough to offset the significant increase in cardiovascular...

Plant-based: Why some consumers make the switch and others steer clear

Plant-based diets have grown in popularity in recent years, so what’s encouraging the increased interest in plant-based alternatives and why might others avoid them?

There are many facets to making functional foods appealing to consumers. Image Source: Getty Images/Tara Moore

Taste, appeal, health claims: Getting functional foods to consumers

Functional food brands face a range of challenges, from taste to health claims, in order to get their products to appeal to consumers, and educate them about product potential.

Gut health business is booming: What's next for this unstoppable health trend?

The gut health trend is one of the single biggest changes to hit the food and drinks industry in recent decades. So what are gut-loving consumers buying and what gut-friendly products will we see next?

How is the food industry tackling salt reduction?

High levels of salt in food is becoming an increasing concern for healthcare professionals and consumers as the dangers of a high-salt diet becomes more widely understood. So how is the food industry tackling this issue?

Organic alternative to chemical pesticides discovered

Scientists believe they’ve found an organic solution to chemical pesticides

Cocoa prices continue to climb on the futures markets. Pic: CN

Another week, another record high for cocoa prices

Market update: Analysts have described the upward trajectory of cocoa prices as ‘parabolic’ as cocoa futures rose another 2.7% to a new record of $10,760 a ton in New York on Monday (15 April) before falling back to £10,000 a ton after the dollar index...

‘Plugging the gaps’: Market consolidation in cultivated protein sector vital to overcome ‘disillusionment’

Singapore cultivated seafood firm Umami Bioworks believes that strategic mergers are crucial to overcome doubts about the sector and achieve buy-in from major brands which can help the category scale-up.