January 2020

The evolution of plant-based snacks is on the rise and will go beyond soy and nut proteins to pea, mung bean, watermelon seed and hempseed flours.

German-based ingredients provider Beneo says there’s a growing desire for its low-glycaemic sweetener Palatinose among the video gaming community, who are keen to use the product’s slow energy release to stay focused.

New research suggests that children who drink whole milk are less likely to be overweight or obese than children who consume reduced-fat milk.

Plant-based foods are trending as consumers opt for healthy and sustainable food choices. Novish, a member of Foodvalley, specializes in 100 percent plant-based fish substitutes. According to the company, natural aromas inspired by seaweed and algae offer a delicious flavor. Novish products are 100 percent vegan, soy-free and contain no artificial additives including flavor enhancers, colorings and preservatives.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently added glucomannan to the existing list of isolated or synthetic non-digestible carbohydrates that it intends to propose to be added to the definition of dietary fibre.

What key flavours will spark consumer interest in 2020? Comax Flavors, Flavorchem, Bell Flavors and Fragrances, and Kerry Group share their predictions.

Asahi Breweries will start producing its non-alcoholic beer Asahi Dry Zero using renewable energy, following in the footsteps of some of Asahi Super Dry.

With consumers often turning to more sustainable and healthier food choices, innovation in the confectionery and snacking categories is prominent. Between 2018 and 2019, the number of global consumers who said that they expect companies to invest in sustainability increased from 65 to 87 percent.

A diet high in egg whites, and to a lesser extent whey protein, could help boost male fertility…but even ‘healthy’ fats appear to have the opposite effect.

Used for fast food frying, added to packaged foods, and fed to livestock, soybean oil is the most widely produced and consumed edible oil in the US, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

In a randomised, controlled trial, Penn State researchers found that eating walnuts daily as part of a healthy diet was associated with increases in certain bacteria that help promote health.

With more focus on the beauty of food, often inspired by celebrity chefs, food bloggers and social media influencers, there is a growing role for more colorful food and beverage products. In light of this, GNT will highlight how its Exberry Coloring Foods can help confectionery and snack manufacturers to meet the increasing demand for plant-based products at ProSweets Cologne 2020.

Firmenich, the world’s largest privately-owned perfume and taste company, has been recognized as the Most Sustainable Company in the Flavor and Fragrances Industry by World Finance magazine. Acknowledged as a leader in sustainability, Firmenich was praised for its comprehensive approach to sustainability, underpinned by its work to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

Cargill is looking to further extend its reach into various product categories across the Asian protein market with its new Radipure pea protein, which it claims to be exceptionally flexible for usage in new product formulations as a result of its neutral flavour and high solubility.

President Rodrigo Duterte has created a task force to address the root causes of hunger and to achieve food security in the country.
Executive Order No. 101 signed by Duterte on Friday, January 10, and shared with media Thursday, January 17

Food production is seeing an unprecedented wave of innovation, raising questions about whether eating processed lab food, for example, is a good idea. The programme Why It Matters looks at what dinner may look like in future.

LOCAL production of raw sugar continued to decline in late December, hitting 502,714 metric tons (MT), down 22.42 percent from 647,994 MT in the same month in 2018, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) said.
In its latest weekly supply and demand situation report, the SRA said total raw sugar output in terms of 50-kilogram bags reached 10.054 million in the period, compared to 12.959 million in 2018.
Demand for the commodity also went down by 9.

Malaysia’s initial plans to implement stricter regulations for all plant commodity export permit applications to Singapore have been put on hold after vehement protests from local fruit and vegetable firms.