February 2021

The typical dinner plate in 2050 should be diverse and mostly plant-based, with less rice and highly processed grains, according to academician Eufemio T. Rasco, Jr., chair of the Agricultural Sciences Division of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) Philippines.

Sweeteners are instrumental in a longer-term sugar reduction strategy, while hitting the benchmarks of naturality and functionality remains a strong focal point. Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, industry’s leading formulators showcase a myriad of nature-derived high intensity sweeteners, which include wheat- and barley-based syrups, reduced-sugar glucose syrup and fermentation-based stevia extracts.

Polar lipids, specific amino acids, and psychobiotics are of ‘critical importance’ for normal neurodevelopment in young children, aside from the traditionally recognised vitamins and minerals, multinational research has suggested.

Global tropical fruit processor Frutco and plant-based ingredient supplier Fooditive have teamed up to fight food waste with a new sweetener line in Europe based on banana peels. As part of the collaboration, Fooditive and Frutco is constructing a multi waste- and residues-based biodiesel plant to process banana and tropical fruit side-streams into fruit extracts and sweeteners.

New research findings from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that the artificial sweetener saccharin did not alter the gut microbiota or induce glucose intolerance (an indicator of the development of diabetes) in healthy adults as previous studies have suggested.

Future Food-Tech is spearheading an Innovation Challenge in partnership with Kellogg Company and Unilever to scale up global start-ups. The F&B heavyweights are targeting emergent solutions that include new plant fibers, valorized waste streams and non-spore food stable probiotics. “Staying healthy is a priority for many of us now like it’s never been before.”

The Chinese government has issued a series of warnings and directives on the consumption of fermented foods, counterfeit foods and beverages on the back of a deadly mass food poisoning event and the rapid rise of food fraud cases in the past year.

Thailand-based Tera Food and Beverage Company Limited, which manufactures the curcumin drink QminC, has set a target of selling 20 million bottles this year, following its foray into the market in 2020.

Fast-food giant Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) tapped Yoshinoya International Philippines, Inc. for its first-ever Japanese food chain venture. In a regulatory filing on Tuesday, JFC announced it will be entering into a 50/50 venture to operate and expand the Yoshinoya brand locally, with 50 stores eyed for opening in the long-term.