September 2022

Scientists have found a substitute for one of the most expensive spices in the world, saffron. The spice, known as “red gold” often gets overlooked in terms of production because of its price tag, limiting its place in the food industry. Research has now found an unexplored enzyme leads the way for the saffron pigment to be harnessed in other ways.

Typically, veggie burger patties are made from a mixture of soybeans, chickpeas and various sorts of seeds. Future recipes for these “alt meat” products could drive down environmental impacts even further by upcycling waste products from the production of these foods. Essentially, it’s about making nutritious food from what’s usually seen as trash.

North Carolina based Elo Life Systems aims to commercialize a new natural high-intensity sweetener ‘inspired by monk fruit’ in 2025 that boasts a ‘cleaner’ taste profile, more affordable price tag, and a higher sweetness intensity than monk fruit extracts currently on the market.

Consumers want indulgences with fewer calories to fit into their lifestyles, and taste is a priority for developing confectionery. This is fueling interest in zero-calorie sweeteners from plants such as stevia and fruit-based sweet proteins like brazzein and thaumatin.

A new study ‘ published a month after the World Health Organization (WHO) sounded a cautionary note about the long-term effects of zero-calorie sweeteners such as sucralose and saccharin ‘ suggests some diet sweeteners are not inert and can alter the microbiome in a way that may impact glycemic tolerance, claims that were immediately challenged by industry stakeholders.

Kellogg’s said the product was inspired by demand for more portable options. Instabowls come in four varieties: Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, Apple Jacks, and Raisin Bran Crunch.

TheFishSite

Thai Union and Chicken of the Sea have announced a partnership with plant-based seafood innovator The ISH Food Company, as industry watchers predict a surge in the plant-based market over the next ten years.

Beverages associated with health benefits, sustainability and better nutrition are soaring in popularity among foodservice consumers, according to a new analysis by Kerry. The company’s research into foodservice beverages shows consumers are seeking flavors that they link with health and nutrition benefits, such as strawberry, lemon and mango, but are also seeking excitement and a sensory experience through newer formats like Frappuccino and bubble tea.

The supplementation of nine essential amino acids has not shown to improve symptoms of dementia, according to a RCT funded by Ajinomoto.

BeverageDaily

China will implement stricter food safety and quality regulations for non-alcoholic beverages and dairy products, citing strict standards and requirements over areas such as sensory characteristics and ‘real’ product content.

Food IngredientsFIrst News

There is new evidence that consumers across Japan, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea and further in the US are growing accustomed to the novel food types of plant-based and cultivated seafood from cells. Alternative seafood – a small but growing industry – has the potential to play a major role in satisfying global seafood demand if products can appeal to consumers’ palates and wallets.

Food IngredientsFIrst News

Researchers are offering a set of “critical success factors” for mitigating the recent challenges faced by the food cold chains in China. The rapid urbanization in developing economies has posed challenges to the agricultural food cold chain (AFCC), which plays a key role in minimizing food wastage.

Food IngredientsFIrst News

Scientists have developed a technique to cultivate a fungi-based food product that could serve as a healthier, high-quality tasting, and greener alternative to plant-based protein. The protein is cultivated from fungi that grow on a base of nutrient-rich food waste, and is being scaled up with collaborators in New Zealand.

Food IngredientsFIrst News

Halal food verification will be boosted through a forthcoming online platform, Intersect, designed to improve halal food product sourcing, provenance and safety. Malaysia-headquartered supply chain company Fluree and supply management platform Sinisana Technologies are involved in the partnership.

Daily Tribune

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and members of his Cabinet discussed on Monday initiatives being carried out to attain sustainability and food security in the Philippines, Malacañang said on Monday.

Bangkokpost.com

Muslim population growth and trust in halal-certified foods are creating new opportunities in the world’s halal food market for Thai halal food traders, say exhibitors.

BusinessWorld

Fruitas Holdings, Inc. will venture into “cloud kitchen” that will carry the Nube Kuxina brand to provide customers with a wider array of Fruitas and third-party curated products, the firm said on Thursday. “We have been strategically acquiring food brands over the past two and a half years.”

BusinessWorld

Presidnet Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday said the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) will be reorganized, following the resignation of key officials who signed a sugar importation order without his approval.

The Malay Mail Online

Rainbow-hued and springy. Thick and thin, curly and flat. These freshly made noodles are a feast for the taste buds and the eyes. Nutritionists might rejoice too, these “nuudles” by Ah Ma’s Secret are made with vegetables too. Surely noodles can’t get any healthier than this? Ah Ma’s Secret is headed by Chong Yoke Kong, 46, who is the youngest son of the noodle company’s founder, Madam Chin Choon Thai.

The Jakarta Post

Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto said that the regional grouping needs to have a funding mechanism that would allow the shipment of basic food staples such as rice from one country to another in the event of a food scarcity problem in some parts of the region.

FoodNavigator-Asia

Thai Union has outlined ambitious goals for its in-house plant-based meat and seafood range OMG Meat over the next three years, including for its alternative protein sector to be bringing in US$30mn of revenue by 2025.