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Nestlé and ofi launch global agroforestry partnership to curb cocoa-linked deforestation

Nestlé and ofi launch global agroforestry partnership to curb cocoa-linked deforestation

Nestlé and Olam Food Ingredients (ofi) have joined forces in the “largest-ever” cocoa agroforestry partnership to lower carbon emissions and fight deforestation. The announcement comes as the cocoa industry grapples with enduring social, ethical, and economic challenges of increasing demand amid supply chain disruptions, inflation, and environmental fallout. As part of the partnership, approximately 25,000 farmers will be supported in transitioning to climate-smart farming in key cocoa-producing countries, including Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and Brazil, over a five-year period.
Healthy indulgence: Going sugar-free and plant-based in the confectionery space
Healthy indulgence: Going sugar-free and plant-based in the confectionery space
As Easter approaches, the F&B industry is in the midst of profiting from the annual boom in confectionery sales. US consumers alone are expected to consume over 33 million kilos of chocolate, equivalent to over 1 billion 1-ounce Easter eggs. But while the snacking traditions continue, the public’s taste for seasonal treats has changed. Demand for healthier options, plant-based alternatives, and ingredient reformulation is at an all time high, with a breadth of new technologies and production methods available to manufacturers. However, taste remains non-negotiable for confectionery products like chocolate, according to producers, and products ticking the newly evolving “healthy indulgence” category are required.  
VTT: Stronger investment and advanced novel food regulation key to Finland’s cellular agriculture ambitions
VTT: Stronger investment and advanced novel food regulation key to Finland’s cellular agriculture ambitions
Cellular agriculture can help Finland transition to a sustainable and profitable food system while providing an opportunity to capture €500 million to €1 billion (US$568 million to US$1.1 billion), according to an analysis conducted by VTT Technical Research Centre (VTT), Natural Resources Institute Finland, and the University of Helsinki. However, integrating the process into the country’s food system will require well-planned capital investments, collaborative business models, and an advanced regulatory landscape for novel foods.
Beyond Preservation — Phenolea®: A Natural Approach to Freshness & Quality
Beyond Preservation — Phenolea®: A Natural Approach to Freshness & Quality
As consumer demand for clean-label and functional food ingredients grows, the food industry is seeking natural solutions for product preservation and quality enhancement. Natural solutions such as Olive Extract provide effective preservation while maintaining quality and freshness. This paper explores Phenofarm’s innovative Olive Extract, Phenolea®, and its role in extending food shelf life naturally.This Technical Paper is brought to you by Phenofarm.
Max Planck Institute: Replicating foie grass texture and flavor to reduce force-feeding concerns
Max Planck Institute: Replicating foie grass texture and flavor to reduce force-feeding concerns

A team of researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Germany has developed a process to manufacture foie gras, a delicacy often associated with concerns over force-feeding of ducks to increase liver fat deposits. Author Thomas A Vilgis explains the challenge of replicating the dish’s unique texture and flavor, and how the scientists overcame them by using lipase enzymes.

NPEW 2025 review: Top trends in healthier foods, functional beverages, and nutrition innovations
NPEW 2025 review: Top trends in healthier foods, functional beverages, and nutrition innovations
At Natural Products Expo West (NPEW) in Anaheim, California, US, the food and nutrition industries showcased their latest innovation in healthier food options, snacks, beverages, and supplements. Weight management, active nutrition, and products for gut, brain, mood, and women’s health took center stage. Exhibitors featured a wide selection of functional hydration, new delivery formats, low- or no-sugar foods, alt-dairy, fibers, and biotics. Protein reigned supreme, from plant-based options to whey, real meat, and eggs, across applications in sports bars, powder, snacks, pasta sauce, and clear drinks.

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Bioscience and natural preservation fuel shelf life innovation as industry balances freshness with clean label
A consumer shopping for dairy.
Increasing consumer awareness of sustainability and demand for cleaner ingredients is pushing the boundaries of shelf life extension technologies. Leading companies in the F&B industry are looking toward fermentation, clean label strategies, and data analytics to help manufacturers reduce costs while attaining freshness and transparency across food and drink categories.Food Ingredients First speaks with Corbion, International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF), and dsm-firmenich to understand what’s shaping the present and future of shelf life solutions in fast-growing categories like plant-based, dairy alternatives, and functional foods.
FDA cracks down on eight synthetic food dyes amid growing health concerns
A happy little girl in green tshirt eating a lollipop caramel on a stick
The FDA is set to ban the use of Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B in F&B products in the coming months as part of its broader initiative to phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the US food supply. As part of this strategy, the agency also plans to authorize four new natural color additives in the weeks ahead and speed up the review and approval of others to help companies find substitutes faster.
Spirulina-based smoked salmon poised for commercial launch within six months
Simpliigood's plant-based spirulina salmon alternative.
Amid the overfishing crisis, food innovators are making waves by developing plant-based alternatives. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has approved a new texturized fresh spirulina as a non-novel ingredient, opening the door to seafood analog commercialization.
Animal vs. plant protein: Global research reveals age-based longevity benefits
meat, eggs, salmon, nuts, legumes spread out
Adults who consume more plant-based than animal-sourced proteins have longer life expectancies, according to a recent study spanning 101 countries. The research analyzed publicly available demographic data between 1961 and 2018. “Higher animal-based protein supplies were associated with enhanced survivorship during infancy and early childhood, independent of total calorie supplies, while plant-based protein-rich environments were associated with improved survivorship in later life and overall life expectancy at birth,” the study reveals. 
Top food trends in China 2025
Chinese consumer eating food.
The food and beverage industry plays a vital role in Chinese society, creating shifting consumer preferences, fostering innovative culinary creations, and boosting the economy. Food trends in China are influenced by cultural heritage, evolving lifestyles, and technological advancements.
Beyond feeding: Africa advocates challenge aid and champion food sovereignty
Woman in africa happily buys vegetables in market

Nutrition Insight

As calls grow to decolonize African food systems, advocates push beyond aid and exports, calling for a change in the narrative to nourishment. Nutrition Insight explores how Germany’s trade and aid policies affect African food systems and why local control and nutrition must come first. We continue our conversation with experts from German Watch and Power Shift Africa, who call for a decisive shift — not just in funding but in power — toward African-defined priorities that nourish rather than merely feed, in a newly launched report. 
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Food Ingredients News

Cargill’s Easter trends: Nutrition, plant-based and ethical sourcing top 2025 consumer demands

European consumers are no longer approaching Easter with a sense of guilt over their chocolate intake, finds Cargill in its annual trends report. Rather, “indulgence with intention” is the year’s focus, as demand for healthy and ethically responsible confectionery options dominates the market. In its TrendTracker 2024 report, the F&B giant found that consumers are “embracing a new kind of sweet” and searching out seasonal treats that satisfy ethical, environmental, and health-conscious concerns. The findings reveal a wide range of opportunities for the industry to capitalize on current market developments.  

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Food Ingredients News

Slavery at sea: Indian Ocean tuna fisheries face rising pressure over forced labor in supply chains

The global tuna industry has been long tainted by human rights abuses on the high seas, where as many as 128,000 fishers are ensnared in forced labor aboard vessels. Economic giants like the EU, the US, Australia, and Japan are leading consumers of the US$42 billion industry. But with complex and opaque supply chains in places hard to get to, modern slavery is rife. The Global Tuna Alliance’s (GTA) new campaign, Lives On The Line: Protect Fishers, urges the development of crew welfare standards to address documented human rights abuses in Indian Ocean tuna fisheries, where a larger chunk of catches come from areas beyond national jurisdiction compared to the Pacific region. Over 90% of tuna sold in the EU comes from the Indian Ocean, according to the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC).

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Food Ingredients News

EU leaders scramble to counter Trump’s trade war with retaliatory tariffs and divestments

Policymakers and politicians worldwide are reeling in the wake of US President Trump’s sweeping tariffs, while global F&B industry stakeholders brace themselves for the hard-hitting realities of this new trade war with the US. Many are calling for diplomacy and a measured response as the world is plunged into trade chaos following Trump’s tariff announcement. On the other hand, some stakeholders and politicians want firm retaliatory action as they navigate the changes on a range of goods, including those targeting agri-food. 

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Shelf life extensionApr2025

Innova Market Insights data indicates a 5% CAGR in food and beverage launches with preservative ingredients between 2020 and 2024. Europe leads with 42% of global launches. Sauces & seasonings wer...

Product innovation

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Plant-based eggs are cracking into the market Apr 2025

Easter has long been associated with eggs, but now sustainability and health claims are transforming the tradition. Innova Market Insights data reveals a 13% rise in plant-based egg launches from 2020 to 2024, as brands innovate with vegan alternatives such as scramble substitutes, poached options, liquid egg replacements, and even reinvented traditional egg recipes.

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Plant-based innovation growsApr 2025

According to data from Innova Market Insights, 48% of consumers worldwide perceive plant-based products as a healthier choice. This growing preference has fueled market expansion, driving a 13% increase from 2020 to 2024.

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Max Planck Institute: Replicating foie grass texture and flavor to reduce force-feeding concerns

A team of researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Germany has developed a process to manufacture foie gras, a delicacy often associated with concerns over force-feeding of ducks to increase liver fat deposits. Author Thomas A Vilgis explains the challenge of replicating...

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Rousselot’s principal scientist talks peptides, collagens and GLP-1
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Ever After Foods: Balancing scalability and sustainability for “financially viable” cultivated meat
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