A close-up view of a person's hand using a smartphone to photograph or scan a ripe, yellow cocoa pod hanging on a tree.

False confidence? Cocoa research challenges reliability of sustainability audits

A study of cocoa farms in Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s largest cocoa-producing country, has found that sustainability monitoring can be vulnerable to manipulated data. The researchers say their findings raise serious questions about how reliably companies and certification schemes can verify claims about the environmental and social standards behind products such as chocolate.
High protein food sources, raw meat, fish, eggs, legumes and nuts on wooden background.
The future of protein: Industry shifts toward a more diversified ecosystem
As food manufacturers face rising demand for protein alongside pressure on cost, supply chains, sustainability, and sensory performance, the F&B industry is moving beyond the idea that one protein source can answer every need. Plant proteins, dairy, animal proteins, fermentation-derived ingredients, and hybrid formulations are increasingly being viewed not as competing camps, but as complementary tools in a broader protein ecosystem.
Putting chocolate on pralines.
Syensqo director explains vanillin’s shift beyond flavor into reformulation
Syensqo is positioning vanillin as more than a flavoring ingredient, arguing that it has become a multifunctional formulation tool for F&B manufacturers grappling with sugar reduction, volatile cocoa prices, clean label demands, and supply chain pressures. Thibaud Caulier, global commercial and marketing director for Syensqo’s Aroma Performance Business Unit, tells Food Ingredients First that demand is increasingly shifting toward solutions that solve several challenges at once. We sat down with Caulier to hear more about how Syensqo is expanding into fermentation-derived natural options and emphasizing regional manufacturing, traceability, and supply reliability, as manufacturers seek to reformulate products without compromising taste or consumer expectations. 
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Case study: reformulate a sweet-and-sour marinade
For food professionals, product reformulation is often a complex challenge. How do you improve a product's nutritional composition without compromising on taste, functionality, consumer acceptance, or commercial results? Dutch Spices supports producers in addressing these issues and developed two case studies.This Technical Paper is brought to you by Dutch Spices.
AGRANA Fruit webinar promotional graphic showing a shopper reading a label beside text about gaps in functional F&B
When Healthy Isn't Enough: What's Missing in Today's Functional F&B?
As consumer demand for functional food and beverage products continues to rise, delivering health benefits is no longer a differentiator, it’s an expectation. But while brands compete on claims, many overlook a critical driver of repeat purchase: enjoyment.Taste, texture and sensory excitement often fall short, leaving consumers with products that are good for them, but not compelling enough to come back to. In this webinar, we explore the missing link in today’s functional F&B landscape: “fun.” Why is indulgence still important alongside functionality in many categories and how can brands bridge the gap between nutrition and pleasure without compromising on either.Join us as we unpack emerging consumer expectations, highlight key trends, and demonstrate how a holistic approach to product development can unlock both health and indulgence. Discover why the future of functional F&B lies in both what products do and how they make people feel.
Raisio video thumbnail: Smiling woman in front of wooden shelves displaying Elovena oatmeal, snack biscuits, and other packaged food products
Raisio Food Solutions: How oats can elevate gluten-free product development

At Raisio Food Solutions’ offices in Helsinki, Finland, Heidi Romu from international business development explores how oats can elevate gluten-free product innovation. From boosting fiber and nutritional diversity to improving texture, creaminess, and water binding, Romu discusses the versatility of oats, the requirements of gluten-free production, emerging global demand, and the next opportunities for better-for-you gluten-free foods and beverages.

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Wilmar H1 2026 profit rises as soybean crushing and tropical oil margins...
soy beans collection
Wilmar International has posted stronger first-half earnings compared with the prior-year period. Improving tropical oil refining margins and rising soybean crushing activity in China bolstered its agribusiness operations amid weaker sugar milling and lower palm crop production. The Singapore-headquartered agribusiness giant reported core net profit of US$641.5 million for the six months ended June 30, up 9.9% year over year. Pre-tax profit rose 12.8% to US$1.06 billion, while net profit increased by 2% to US$608.9 million. Revenue climbed 17.2% to US$38.56 billion. Wilmar attributed much of the revenue increase to the consolidation of AWL Agri Business, formerly Adani Wilmar, since December 2025, alongside higher selling prices across most product categories. 
NNB Nutrition & Axiom Foods unveil PeptiClear plant protein for food and...
Men and women drinking sports drink
As demand for high-protein products spreads across the food and beverage industry, NNB Nutrition and Axiom Foods have introduced a new clear plant protein for flexible formulations, PeptiClear. The companies also launched DL-185, a form of di-leucine peptide that performs similarly to leucine for muscle building. The ingredients are designed to address traditional challenges among plant proteins of undesirable off-flavors, grittiness, and opacity.
Olam’s ofi maintains stable earnings amid cocoa and coffee price volatility
holding cocoa beans in hands.
Olam Group’s food and beverage ingredients business, ofi, maintained broadly stable earnings in H1 2026 despite lower cocoa and coffee input prices, market volatility, and a weaker US dollar against the Singapore dollar. The results highlight how shifting commodity prices, supply risks, and capital pressures are continuing to shape the operating environment for major food ingredient suppliers. ofi, which spans Cocoa, Coffee, Dairy, Nuts, Spices, and its food and beverages platform, recorded revenue of S$12.0 billion (US$9.38 billion), down 18.1%, mainly reflecting lower input prices, particularly for cocoa and coffee. EBIT reached S$509.7 million (US$398.5 million), compared with S$535.8 million (US$418.9 million) in H1 2025. 
Peru’s front-of-pack warning labels drive food industry reformulation
Man and woman looking at food labels
Peru’s mandatory front-of-package (FOP) warning labels are reshaping the packaged food industry, pushing manufacturers to reformulate products with lower levels of sugar, sodium, and saturated fat, according to research. The findings are detailed in a new peer-reviewed pre- and post-operational study by the US-based University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Global Food Research Program (GFRP).
FDA proposes mandatory GRAS notifications as US moves to define ultra-processed...
The US FDA building.
The US FDA has unveiled its proposal requiring companies to notify the agency every time they conclude an ingredient is generally recognized as safe (GRAS). The move will close a route that the FDA says has allowed manufacturers to put substances into the food supply without informing regulators since 1958.
Vitafoods Asia preview: Aker BioMarine unpacks APAC omega-3 longevity trends
Vitafoods Asia 2025

Nutrition Insight

Aker BioMarine highlights longevity, cognition, weight management, and heart health as trending health areas in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. At the Vitafoods Asia trade show in Bangkok, Thailand (Sept 2–4), the company will spotlight innovations in krill and algae omega-3s, supply chain resilience, and delivery technology. Nutrition Insight discusses the APAC market for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) omega-3s with Ross Norris, general manager of Asia-Pacific at Aker BioMarine. 
Highlighted features
Medicine container bottle with weight-loss drug Wegovy tablet pills from Novo Nordisk inside
Food Ingredients News
EU Wegovy pill approval could deepen GLP-1 impact on food...
The approval of an oral version of Wegovy in the EU could broaden the impact of GLP-1 medicines on the food and beverage industry, as easier access to weight-management treatment potentially brings more consumers into a market already showing changes in appetite, purchasing behavior, and nutritional priorities.
Drought impacts agriculture. Farmer looks at dried up crops.
Research & Science news
Rabobank warns of rising El Niño risks across food...
A strengthening El Niño is putting a range of agricultural commodities under renewed weather pressure, with cocoa, palm oil, sugar, Robusta coffee, and Australian grains among the markets most exposed to adverse weather, according to Rabobank.
Glass of blackcurrant juice on a chopping board with blackcurrants.
Food Ingredients News
Blackcurrant carves out premium niche in food and beverage...
Blackcurrant may not have the global scale of strawberry or raspberry, but its distinctive flavor, intense color, and premium positioning are creating new opportunities for food and beverage manufacturers. As brands and manufacturers seek ingredients that deliver multiple benefits — from flavor and visual appeal to clean label credentials — blackcurrant is gaining traction across beverages, confectionery, dairy and functional foods.

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Clean label evolutionAug2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates that consumers globally are reducing artificial ingredients in their diets to eat healthier. Global data also shows that clean label claims are gaining ground in ...

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New frontiers in protein Aug 2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates a 6% average annual growth in F&B launches with protein ingredients and high/source of protein claims between April 2021 and March 2026. The top subcategories were Cereal, Dairy, and Meat Substitutes. Soup and hot drinks with protein ingredients were emerging. The top protein ingredients were milk protein, pea protein, and soy protein isolate.

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What’s next in Desserts and Ice Cream?Aug 2026

Innova Market Insights data shows that flavor still plays a vital role in ice cream and dessert choices, with the category growing at a 4% CAGR from July 2021 to June 2026. While ice cream accounts for the largest share of these launches, toppings and flavor combinations are becoming more creative areas for NPD. Sour flavors are also gaining attention in desserts, growing by 132% over the past five years globally.

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Raisio video thumbnail: Smiling woman in front of wooden shelves displaying Elovena oatmeal, snack biscuits, and other packaged food products
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Raisio Food Solutions: How oats can elevate gluten-free product development

At Raisio Food Solutions’ offices in Helsinki, Finland, Heidi Romu from international business development explores how oats can elevate gluten-free product innovation. From boosting fiber and nutritional diversity to improving texture, creaminess, and water binding, Romu discusses the...

Erika Milczek, Curie Co.
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