Food safety

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast

What it takes to earn a place in today’s snack cart

Economic pressure, growing health awareness and AI-powered product evaluation are making shoppers more selective, forcing snack brands to prove their value beyond price, says NielisenIQ’s Chris Costagli

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast

Can regenerative agriculture become food’s next big growth story?

Kiss the Ground CEO Evan Harrison and FOND Regenerative founder Alysa Seeland explain why rising consumer awareness is attracting retailers and what must happen before regenerative products can scale

News Bites

How CPGS are rewriting ‘better-for-you’

Cleaning up labels is no longer enough – value-driven consumers are forcing the industry to rethink the balance of price, health and convenience

How are Nestlé, Danone and Muscle Milk rethinking reformulation?

Additives and artificial colors and flavors continue to be axed from formulas as the industry balances a meeting consumers’ health goals with nutrition policy

The next tobacco fight? Marketing to children enters UPF debate

Campaigners warn that food companies are using increasingly sophisticated tactics to build brand loyalty from childhood

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast

What happens when apple growers spend more on labor than their crop is worth?

That question, and concerns about nutrition programs, food safety oversight and packaging mandates, was at the center of the produce industry’s lobbying push on Capitol Hill last week

Taste still rules, but may no longer be enough to win in the snack aisle

New Circana data shows consumers increasingly expect functional benefits alongside flavor, driving a shift from ‘better-for-you’ to ‘nutritious and delicious’ snacks, like those showcased at Sweets & Snacks Expo by Barebells, Belle’s Gourmet Popcorn and...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast

Are marketers misreading women?

Women drive 85% of consumer spending, but new research from NIQ discussed in the latest episode of Soup-to-Nuts podcast suggests outdated assumptions about women shoppers are giving way to more individualized ‘micro-realities’ that are influencing the...

Nestlé’s global footprint extends reach of startup Helaina’s protein

The partnership is a crucial milestone toward meeting infants’ nutritional needs in larger populations given Nestlé’s global footprint that would be difficult for the startup to achieve independently

Climate Smart Food: Is sustainability good for business?

FoodNavigator and AgNavigator’s new event will explore the business case for sustainability

Nestlé doubles down on growth in bold strategy shift

Nestlé resets growth strategy with shift away from price hikes and back towards volumes, brands and execution

Can infant formula catch up to breast milk?

A new generation of infant formula that recreates the immune, digestive and developmental benefits of human milk is creating regulatory challenges

The F&B jobs AI is targeting, but is it really that dire?

AI is accelerating reformulation, automation and data-led decision making at a pace that is already reshaping roles across the food and drink workforce

Has the ‘better-for-you’ boom gone too far in kids’ snacks?

As wellness claims flood the kids’ snacks aisle, some brands warn parents are becoming more sceptical of ‘better-for-you’ marketing and more focused on what products actually contain

Inside the science of making healthier food consumers will actually buy with ADM

ADM argues food makers can no longer tackle sugar, sodium or clean label goals one at a time without risking taste, texture and cost

Processed foods aren’t going away, but they are evolving

In the gap between consumers’ intention and reality, is there room for processed food in a healthy diet?

Why coffee is make-or-break for alt dairy

To appeal to coffee aficionados, alt dairy brands must prove barista-level functionality, compete on taste and flavour innovation, and look beyond sustainability

Nestlé and Danone: Baby food pouches under fire as microplastics found

Microplastics detected in Nestlé and Danone baby food pouches spark safety concerns

Why packaging decisions can’t be left to the last minute

Packaging isn’t just a container, it’s a decision that affects cost, brand, sustainability and compliance, so it should be planned early, not tacked on later

How connected packaging is closing the private label gap

The package is now the platform

The most creative beverage packaging innovations

Looking for beverage packaging inspiration? We explore some of the most innovative ideas from across the beverage universe

Why thinking like an AI agent matters to marketing

Generative engine optimization is reshaping how brands get discovered

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Big Food’s leadership crisis: Why CEOs are falling faster than ever

C-suite exits are mounting across Big Food, but behind the scandals lies a deeper performance and innovation problem

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FDA takes aim at BHT and ADA in new post-market food chemical safety program

With BHT and ADA already on their way out of the food supply, some experts question whether FDA’s “swift” action is too little, too late

From cereulide to botulism: Exposing the fault lines in infant nutrition safety

From recalled product remaining on shelves to weak marketing guidance, regulatory gaps across infant nutrition remain stark

Horizon Organic plays down impact of multi-state milk recall

The largest US organic dairy brand pulled thousands of flavoured milk cases across four states

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The snack barometer: The Iran conflict and the limits of consumer resilience

Food companies are becoming some of the clearest observers of the economic fallout from the Iran conflict as fuel volatility, inflation fears and changing spending habits begin reshaping behaviour across the supermarket aisle

Strategies to decarbonize the supply chain

Partnerships to cut methane emissions from rice offer a blueprint for reaching Scope 3 goals across the food system and underscore the importance of pre-competitive partnership across the supply chain

News Bites

GLP‑1 nutrition, Nestlé’s reset and the rising reformulation crunch

Food companies are being pushed to rethink everything from product design to portfolio strategy and ingredient standards

Beyond chatbots: How agentic AI can boost productivity and decision-making in food

More autonomous, flexible forms of AI are being rolled out by the biggest names in the business, from Nestlé to Danone

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How Coca-Cola is winning in a K-shaped economy

Coca-Cola enjoyed a strong start to the year with net revenues up 12% in Q1. What is the beverage giant doing right?

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How big a problem are microplastics?

The first global study of its kind quantifies the problem in the food and drink industry

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FRESH Act of 2026 explained: FDA, GRAS reform and industry pushback

Should reform expand FDA’s pre‑market authority or narrow it in exchange for uniformity and predictability?

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Aldi ramps up clean-label push with 44 new ingredient bans

Move affects 90% of store assortment as private-label-focused retailer responds to consumer ingredient concerns

Letter from the editor

Sustainability at a crossroads

From upcycling to carbon-neutral claims, the food industry weighs real progress against rising costs, scrutiny and skepticism

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World’s first cell-based chocolate bar developed with Mondelēz

The first-ever milk chocolate bars made with cell-cultivated cocoa butter have been produced

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US patent for Solar Foods’ air-based protein production opens door for scaling

The approval gives the Finnish company exclusive rights to produce its air-derived Solein protein in the US and reinforces its intellectual property position as it prepares for major factory expansion

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What if coffee was the missing ingredient in plant-based meat?

A surprising ingredient could help plant-based meat tackle one of its biggest problems: taste

Future Food-Tech San Francisco

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Clean label vs shelf life: A new food-tech solution removes the tradeoff

Startup BioBlends – a runner up in the Americas heat of the Global Food Tech Awards – leverages gas-based technology to extend freshness without additives to address clean label and food waste concerns

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Iran conflict: Is ceasefire too little, too late for global food?

A two-week ceasefire is now in place in the war between US-Israel and Iran, but much is still uncertain about how long-lasting the impacts of damage done thus far will be and what still lies ahead for the global food sector

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast

Peptides move from fringe biohacks to functional food frontier

As demand surges for targeted health solutions, Nuritas’ Nora Khaldi discusses how AI is transforming peptide discovery, and why food and beverage may be the industry’s next big play

Future Food Tech San Francisco

AI assists, but active ingredients still lead in wellness innovation

Industry leaders at Future Food Tech said AI tools are helping product developers, yet rigorous ingredient science continues to set the pace for better-for-you foods and beverages

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Can brands cut sugar without killing taste, texture or trust?

As sugar shifts from ingredient to liability, food and drink manufacturers are rebuilding sweetness from the ground up using rare sugars, fibres and fermentation-driven innovation

Opinion

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The new paradox: Protein vs processing

Protein is the snack industry’s hottest claim but if the foods delivering it are still ultra-processed, the sector may be building its next health halo on shaky ground

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New light-scattering additive to replace shunned titanium dioxide

Safer whitening may be on the horizon for confectionery, bakery and dairy, thanks to a new alternative to one of food’s most controversial additives

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Confectionery sector braced for shortages as Iran conflict escalates

As conflict disrupts key trade routes and energy supplies, the confectionery sector is among the first to feel the strain. How vulnerable are manufacturers, and what can be done to protect the industry?

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GLP‑1 drinks take off as brands race for $3.5bn functional growth

From protein shakes to collagen coolers, brands are reinventing beverages for the GLP‑1 era and the race for dominance in this fast‑growing $3.5bn category is just beginning

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RFK Jr targets food dyes, SNAP and UPFs in MAHA rally keynote

The MAHA Rally for Real Food echoed RFK Jr’s agenda to clean up US food, including a formal definition of UPFs expected next month, but critics worry a lack of evidence-based policy will confuse consumers and impact companies’ bottom lines

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Global formula fallout: The crisis that’s redrawing an industry

The cereulide contamination crisis sent shockwaves through the global infant formula market, accelerating a sector‑wide reckoning on quality, transparency and brand resilience

News Bites

News Bites: Are food policies getting clearer — or more confusing?

America’s food system is facing growing confusion as shifting definitions, patchwork state laws and controversial federal guidelines leave consumers and brands searching for clarity and consistency