ISM 2026 preview: Redefining confectionery colors with GNT and California Natural Color
ISM 2026 preview: Redefining confectionery colors with GNT and California Natural Color
Natural and plant-based color innovations are evolving to meet consumer and technical demands in modern confectionery, aligning vibrant, authentic colors with flavor expectations, sustainability concerns, and the growing clean label and wellness trends. While there’s growing demand for vibrant, natural, functional colors that reflect authenticity, sustainability, and health, the confectionery industry faces challenges in achieving consistent, high-performance results across different product types and maintaining cost-effectiveness.
Social media drives vibrant colors in F&B as regulations accelerate shift from synthetics
Social media drives vibrant colors in F&B as regulations accelerate shift from synthetics
In this digital age, social media continues to shape the visual appeal of F&B products, influencing purchasing decisions and amplifying their impact. Formulating recipes with captivating, striking colors is vital for brand growth, as TikTok, Instagram, and other sharing platforms heavily influence consumer popularity. There is no doubt that color in food and beverages is viewed as a strategic asset among the companies and brands innovating with bold and exciting hues to stand out in a crowded market — but formulating products with vibrant colors is about more than just being attractive and appealing to the eyes. 
MycoTechnology unlocks honey truffle sweet protein for sustainable sugar reduction
MycoTechnology unlocks honey truffle sweet protein for sustainable sugar reduction
As concerns about sugar consumption grow, the F&B industry is increasingly turning to innovative solutions to reduce sugar intake. Manufacturers are swapping traditional sweeteners for more sustainable, clean label ingredients, such as MycoTechnology. The company claims that its precision fermentation-based Honey Truffle Sweet Protein is the “first ever” honey truffle sweet protein to be created.
Colors drive F&B choices: From Instagram to health
Colors drive F&B choices: From Instagram to health
F&B color choices can influence consumer purchasing decisions in various ways, from appearance and palatability to flavor perception and “Instagrammability.” In a digital world, where younger consumers regularly photograph their meals, visual impact and novelty have become increasingly important. At the same time, a sense of “naturalness” remains non-negotiable, with Innova Market Insights finding that 1 in 4 consumers rank it among the most important factors when it comes to healthy eating.
CEAMFIBRE: A Natural, Multifunctional Ingredient for Food Applications
CEAMFIBRE: A Natural, Multifunctional Ingredient for Food Applications
What if clean label food innovation started with a citrus peel? CEAMFIBRE is a natural ingredient obtained from lemon, lime, and orange peels. This multifunctional citrus fiber provides tailored solutions, both soluble and insoluble, addressing specific technical and formulation needs to diverse end applications across the Food Industry, including bakery, dairy, meat or juices. This Technical Paper is brought to you by CEAMSA.
Cargill: How AI and consumer insights are shaping future food innovation
Cargill: How AI and consumer insights are shaping future food innovation

At Cargill’s European Innovation Center, VP Marketing Willian Oliveira discusses how AI and consumer data drive food innovation. He shares insights on healthier product development, balancing taste and nutrition, scaling R&D, and how evolving retail must respond to sustainability, health, and convenience trends.

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Nestlé reportedly launches sale process for €5B water business
Nestlé reportedly launches sale process for €5B water business
Nestlé has begun a formal sale process for its water and premium beverages business, with potential buyers being asked to submit first-round bids this month, according to Bloomberg.The business — which includes Perrier, S.Pellegrino, Acqua Panna, Vittel and Contrex — is valued at around €5 billion (US$5.2 billion). Banks are preparing €2–3 billion (US$2.1–3.1 billion) in debt financing to back a potential acquisition, with Rothschild & Co. advising Nestlé on the sale. 
Regulatory action? US FDA scrutinizes gluten warnings on food labels
Regulatory action? US FDA scrutinizes gluten warnings on food labels
The US FDA is gathering information to improve the disclosure of gluten ingredients in foods amid cases of inaccurate labeling. The move is part of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) directive and demands radical transparency in packaged food ingredients that affect health conditions and diet-related allergies.
Puratos acquires Vör Foods to boost nut-based innovation in the US
Puratos acquires Vör Foods to boost nut-based innovation in the US
Puratos has acquired US-based Vör Foods, which manufactures clean label nut pastes and nut-based fillings. The move intends to advance Puratos’ manufacturing footprint and nut-based innovation efforts in the US, as snack nuts gain popularity for their health benefits and versatility.
CEAMSA expands citrus fiber portfolio with new acquisition
CEAMSA expands citrus fiber portfolio with new acquisition
Texturizing ingredient firm CEAMSA (Compañía Española de Algas Marinas) has acquired the Finix fiber line and associated intellectual property of Dutch circular company PeelPioneers. The move will expand CEAMSA’s natural fiber solutions and advance its focus on citrus fiber as a natural ingredient with unique functional properties.
Barry Callebaut appoints ex-Unilever boss Schumacher as CEO
Barry Callebaut appoints ex-Unilever boss Schumacher as CEO
Barry Callebaut has appointed former Unilever boss Hein Schumacher to succeed CEO Peter Feld, as the chocolate industry struggles with the impact of rising cocoa prices, and the company reportedly considers separating its cocoa division from its chocolate business.
Kerry on 2026 tasty supplements: Dessert flavors and “swicy” nutrition trends...
Kerry on 2026 tasty supplements: Dessert flavors and “swicy” nutrition trends in Asia and Africa

Nutrition Insight

Kerry’s latest edition of the Supplements Taste Charts for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East and Africa (APMEA) spotlights how the nutrition industry has responded to evolving regional taste preferences, with new launches of confectionery-inspired product launches and “maximalist” flavor combos like sweet-plus-heat (“swicy”) pre-workout options that are a nod to heritage flavors.
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Regulatory News
Infant formula crisis spreads to Lactalis and Danone as...
French dairy giant Lactalis has become the fourth manufacturer to recall infant formula over contaminated arachidonic acid (ARA) oil, joining Nestlé, Danone, and Hochdorf in a crisis that has wiped billions from market valuations and prompted investigations into the first reported casualties. The company announced today (January 21) that it is recalling six batches of Picot brand infant milk across 18 countries due to cereulide in an ingredient from “an international supplier.” A spokesperson reportedly told Reuters the company “acted without waiting for results of the investigations conducted at the supplier.” 
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Food Ingredients News
Gut-friendly foods: GLP-1 drives increased demand for...
As the use of GLP-1 medications proliferates, interest in supporting gut health has exploded. The likes of Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Wegovy jabs amplify the importance of gut-healthy eating patterns that put fiber-enhanced and microbiome-supporting food and beverages at the heart of the diet.
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New Product Development
How Cargill is leveraging fermentation to tackle the...
Fermentation is one of humanity’s oldest food practices — but today, advances in biotechnology are turning this ancient process into a modern industrial platform. Food ingredient leaders like Cargill are leveraging fermentation to meet rising demand for high-quality protein with reduced reliance on animal sources, while lowering the environmental footprint of food production. During a recent tour of its European Innovation Center in Vilvoorde, Belgium, Cargill told Food Ingredients First it is positioning fermentation as an integrated, end-to-end industrial capability, rather than a standalone R&D activity.

Ingredient focus

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Confectionery market trends unwrappedJan2026

Global confectionery launches are on the rise as consumers increasingly opt for sweets, particularly chocolate, as a source of indulgence. Europe was the leading region for confectionery NPD, with var...

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Colors drive F&B choices: From Instagram to health Jan 2026

F&B color choices can influence consumer purchasing decisions in various ways, from appearance and palatability to flavor perception and “Instagrammability.” In a digital world, where younger consumers regularly photograph their meals, visual impact and novelty have become increasingly important. At the same time, a sense of “naturalness” remains non-negotiable, with Innova Market Insights finding that 1 in 4 consumers rank it among the most important factors when it comes to healthy eating.

Trend analysis

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Dairy innovation & trends: Taste tops consumer prioritiesJan 2026

Innova Market Insights data indicate that consumers find taste to be very important when choosing dairy products, with more than half choosing this option. The Dairy category shows small growth globally, while Europe leads in new product launches. Most new product launches came in the Dairy-based Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt subcategory, while Processed Cheese showed the fastest growth.

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Cargill: How AI and consumer insights are shaping future food innovation

At Cargill’s European Innovation Center, VP Marketing Willian Oliveira discusses how AI and consumer data drive food innovation. He shares insights on healthier product development, balancing taste and nutrition, scaling R&D, and how evolving retail must respond to sustainability, health,...

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Cargill’s European Food Innovation Center: Turning fermentation science into sustainable nutrition
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World Resources Institute: What the EUDR means for food ingredients supply chains
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Fi Europe 2025: Beneo scales functional ingredients for weight and glucose management
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