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AI as infrastructure: How Cargill is rewiring food innovation

Cargill has picked up a 2026 BIG Artificial Intelligence Excellence Award, presented by the Business Intelligence Group. The award recognizes the food corporation’s integration of AI across its value chain, from on-farm decision tools to supply chain optimization and customer co-creation. The award points to a structural shift in food and agriculture. Industry leaders like Cargill are no longer testing AI at the margins, but integrating it into their core workflows, from product development through to commercialization, in a sector defined by complexity, regulation, and tight margins.
Cereals.
Pioneering protein innovation: Inside the Nordic approach to next-generation F&B ingredients
Protein quality, bioavailability, and sensory performance are becoming the competitive frontier in F&B product development. Finnish dairy company Valio is creating high-protein, low-sugar application concepts targeting the fast-growing GLP-1 medication market, while compatriot Apetit Kasviöljy Oy is scaling its novel food-approved BlackGrain rapeseed ingredient to close the taste and texture gap in plant-based meat alternatives. Both companies are rooting their protein strategies in Nordic agricultural systems and circular economy principles. 
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Fonterra on why New Zealand’s grass-fed dairy standard is key to building consumer trust
The dairy industry is witnessing a rising demand for milk and dairy products from cows primarily fed on grass rather than grain-heavy diets, as consumer interest in transparency, regenerative agriculture, and minimally processed F&B grows. Amid heightened scrutiny around “grass-fed” claims, New Zealand uses a national standard to provide a clearer benchmark in a category consumers associate with health benefits, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare.
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Veriphyl® Greens: Credible source, incredible colour
Chlorophyll’s abundance in nature and vibrant green colour make it an ideal natural food colour. Extracted from edible sources and with a traceable supply chain, our Veriphyl® natural greens work well in a variety of applications. Download our Veriphyl® Greens white paper to learn more about these versatile and vibrant natural options.This Technical Paper is brought to you by Givaudan Sense Colour.
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Operating Through Uncertainty: Building Scalable Advantage in the Age of Ultra-Processed Foods
In this session, Innova Market Insights will share exclusive insights into consumer behavior, perceptions, and preferences around UPFs, as well as market insights and innovation opportunities within processed foods.      Frame & Flight will explore how leading manufacturers are responding by modernizing how product data flows across formulation, specifications, labeling, and compliance. Using connected digital workflows, teams can evaluate reformulation scenarios earlier, manage supplier change with confidence, and stay launch-ready — even as definitions, guidance, and expectations continue to evolve.      The result: less rework, faster decisions, and the ability to turn regulatory and nutritional uncertainty into a competitive advantage.    
Dr. Puja Kumari, Scottish Association of Marine Science
Scottish Association for Marine Science: Unlocking red seaweed for food flavor, color & hybrid proteins 

Scientists at the Scottish Association for Marine Science have developed a tank-based method to grow the valuable red seaweed Palmaria palmata (dulse). Dr. Puja Kumari explains how scalable cultivation creates opportunities to use the seaweed as a flavor enhancer, hybrid protein source, and functional ingredient offering bioactive peptides and natural colorants. She highlights how the method can support traceable, year-round sustainable seaweed supply for food manufacturers.

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Nestlé and Starbucks pursue cold coffee growth amid industry headwinds
Consumer pouring Starbucks Coffee Craft concentrate.
Nestlé and Starbucks have jointly launched Starbucks Coffee Craft concentrate, a premium concentrated coffee made with high-quality arabica beans that is said to deliver Starbucks’ signature taste. The coffee industry giants aim to reach more consumers and drive sales growth in the growing cold coffee market with this new product. The launch comes at a time of flux for the coffee industry. Although the global coffee bean supply is currently strong, the Middle East conflict is making the commodity more expensive to transport and produce. Longer term, climate-related weather patterns are expected to push coffee prices higher across the supply chain.
EU seed law reform: Can Europe balance modern breeding and crop diversity?
Seed breeding farmer.
As trilogue negotiations on the new EU seed law draw near (April 21), advocacy and seed preservation NGO Arche Noah warns the current draft risks creating a “de facto ban” on newly-bred, local conservation staple crop varieties, such as grains and potatoes, which could undermine agricultural biodiversity and F&B product variety. The EU’s Plant Reproductive Material (PRM) Regulation, initially proposed in July 2023, is a legislative overhaul aimed at unifying ten existing directives into a single regulation, governing the production and marketing of seeds, tubers, cuttings, and other plant reproductive materials.
OSF Flavors tackles protein off-notes with neuroscience-driven taste masking
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US-based OSF Flavors has developed a flavor masking technology to address unwanted neurobiological responses to beverage, dairy, and better-for-you bakery products. The method could help make protein-enriched products more commercially viable by improving their taste, texture, and smell.
dsm-firmenich’s new textured vegetable proteins enhance taste and juiciness in...
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dsm-firmenich has launched Vertis Textured Vegetable Proteins (TVPs), developed with its advanced taste modulation technology, ModulaSense. The solution helps manufacturers increase consumer acceptance of plant-based and hybrid meat products’ taste, as demands for better-tasting high-protein alternatives increase. The ingredients address unwanted bitterness and earthy off-note concerns in plant proteins and reduce reliance on masking systems.
Cargill expands Malaysian edible oil plant amid growing demand for specialty...
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Cargill has revealed plans to expand its edible oil plant in Port Klang, Malaysia, with a new specialty fats production line. The multi-million-dollar investment is aimed at boosting the company’s global portfolio with more comprehensive specialty fat products. These specialty fat products are expected to strengthen Cargill’s overall food solutions offerings, enabling customers to develop chocolate confectionery, bakery, and dairy products tailored to diverse market and consumer needs.
Leonie Health’s bioactive colostrum targets infant nutrition safety gaps amid...
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Nutrition Insight

The recent infant formula recalls linked to the cereulide toxin in arachidonic acid (ARA) oil highlight structural vulnerabilities in the industry, says Leonie Health. The company’s CEO tells us that new production methods can address these challenges, but require a different manufacturing and oversight model. Leonie Health creates bioactive human milk products from donor milk that are formulated to match colostrum — concentrated breast milk produced during the first 48–72 hours postpartum. In this time frame, colostrum provides infants with the nutritional foundation for immune and gut development. 
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Food Ingredients News
RaboResearch predicts food price surge in Europe through...
Food price inflation in Europe is expected to build throughout 2026 and intensify next year, driven by surging energy costs from escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Energy markets have been shaken since the initial attack on Iran five weeks ago, according to a new RaboResearch report, which details the predicted impacts on the highly energy-dependent food supply chain — affecting food production, packaging, logistics, and agricultural inputs.
Valio high-protein dairy products.
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Valio webinar preview: Turning wellness trends into...
Consumers globally are demanding more from their food, as wellness becomes a central lifestyle priority. GLP-1 medications, gut health, and high-protein consumer demands are transforming the food industry, but how can F&B brands capitalize on these fast-growing market opportunities? Finnish dairy and food leader Valio is set to explain how manufacturers can achieve nutrient-dense, multifunctional products that offer tangible benefits in compact formats in an upcoming webinar: “More per Bite: Turn wellness into market success.” You can register for free for the webinar here, which will broadcast on April 21, 2026, at 09:00 CEST/07:00 UTC and 15:00 CEST/13:00 UTC.
A woman holds oral GLP-1 medication pill.
Food Ingredients News
Formulating for GLP-1: Sensory solutions, compact nutrition...
The rise of GLP-1 medications and the transition to oral formats are doing more than shrinking waistlines — they could be set to dramatically impact the global food industry. With projections suggesting a structural drop in total food demand, manufacturers are facing a pivotal “once-in-a-generation” shift away from traditional volume-based growth toward a model of high-efficiency, “compact nourishment.”

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Salt Reduction Strategies: Meeting consumer demand for healthier indulgenceApr2026

According to Innova Market Insights, global consumers increasingly view reduced-salt claims as a vital element in making indulgent foods healthier and supporting healthy aging. This consumer shift is ...

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Pioneering protein innovation: Emerging trends and global launches Apr 2026

According to Innova Market Insights, more than half of consumers globally are actively seeking to increase their protein intake. In recent years, F&B product launches featuring protein ingredients have risen steadily. A variety of protein types are gaining traction, including milk protein crisp, yeast protein, cranberry protein, soy protein crisp, and tofu protein.

Trend analysis

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Healthy beverage trends: A growing market for functional drinksApr 2026

Innova Market Insights has identified “Beverages with Purpose” as one of the top F&B trends for 2026. Consumers worldwide are increasingly prioritizing health-conscious beverages, driven by growing industry support and innovation. This shift is accelerating the demand for functional drinks, with protein and biotic benefits leading the charge as key trends in healthy beverage development.

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Dr. Puja Kumari, Scottish Association of Marine Science
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Scottish Association for Marine Science: Unlocking red seaweed for food flavor, color & hybrid proteins 

Scientists at the Scottish Association for Marine Science have developed a tank-based method to grow the valuable red seaweed Palmaria palmata (dulse). Dr. Puja Kumari explains how scalable cultivation creates opportunities to use the seaweed as a flavor enhancer, hybrid protein source,...

Hugo Leclercq, Kerry, Sodium Reduction, Snack Industry, Salt Reduction, Snack Flavor, Taste Optimization, Fermentation, Natural Flavors, Umami, Kokumi, Food Innovation, Chips, Bitterness Reduction
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Kerry: Sodium reduction expert reveals key strategies for better snack flavor
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University of Oxford: Dr. Monika Zurek’s expert take on transforming global food systems
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IFE Manufacturing 2026: Inside Angel Yeast’s Clear Yeast Protein for functional beverages
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