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Arla Foods Ingredients: How aeration is reshaping texture in high-protein bars

High-protein bar manufacturers are thinking beyond traditional formats as consumers demand more than just nutrition — they now seek a variety of textures and exciting sensory experiences in snacks. Aeration, the process of incorporating air to create a lighter, fluffier texture in foods, is emerging as the “next frontier” in protein bar innovation, according to Arla Foods Ingredients.
Packaging designers discussing sustainable solutions.
Food packaging trends 2026: Sustainability, digital innovation & consumer-centric solutions
The food packaging industry is undergoing a significant transformation, shaped by evolving consumer expectations and sustainability imperatives. Key trends are emerging that will reshape how food products are packaged and perceived in the marketplace. Innova Market Insights’ Top Packaging Trends for 2026 highlighted “Substantiated Sustainability” as its leading trend, stressing the need for verified environmental claims amid stricter regulations like the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. The market researcher has found that consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable packaging but expect scientific proof to back up claims, reducing greenwashing.
A woman eating fruit-filled yogurt on a couch.
Functional food fortification: Agrana reveals evolving role of fruit preparations in dairy
Consumer demand for functional food fortification continues to grow. Protein-forward formats are driving innovation in yogurt and snacking dairy. At the same time, fiber enrichment, gut health, and prebiotic concepts are becoming baseline expectations rather than premium differentiators. Consumers must now navigate an increasingly crowded health and wellness landscape that is pushing brands and manufacturers to deliver benefits that are both meaningful and clearly communicated — without sacrificing the taste and texture experience that keeps them coming back.
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CEAMFIBRE a gut-friendly fibre solution
What's else, besides CEAMFIBRE's mutifunctionality? Could a citrus fibre be gut friendly? CEAMSA investigated whether CEAMFIBRE®—a partially soluble citrus fibre—may exhibit potential prebiotic and satiating properties using in vitro colonic fermentation models and enteroendocrine cell assays. Read the full study to find out.This Technical Paper is brought to you by CEAMSA.
Vitafoods 2026: Carbery & Synergy Flavours video thumbnail: Two people at an innovation expo beside sliced chocolate-covered desserts on a wooden board
Vitafoods Europe 2026: Carbery and Synergy Flavours tackle protein innovation and functional food trends

Fiona Rawlinson, head of marketing for Nutrition at Carbery, and Chris Whiting, business development manager for Nutrition at Synergy Flavours, discuss their collaboration to create high-protein, consumer-friendly ingredients. They address overcoming taste and texture challenges in protein bars and beverages, while also exploring innovation in functional foods targeting health outcomes and the growing GLP-1 companion product market.

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Vitafoods Europe 2026 preview: Nutraceuticals, functional food & targeted wellness
At the Vitafoods Europe 2026 trade show (May 5–7), the nutraceutical industry will showcase its ingredients, functional foods, and new product applications for increasingly health-conscious consumers. In Barcelona, Spain, suppliers will gather to present the latest innovations in gut health, longevity, women’s health, beauty-from-within, sports nutrition, pet care, and metabolic health. Exhibitors are set to highlight proteins, postbiotics, probiotics, prebiotics, botanicals, enzymes, and flavors. We preview some of the standout companies and innovations.

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Interpack 2026 live: Bühler Group debuts energy-saving chocolate and bakery...
Bühler Group booth at Interpack 2026
Bühler Group is exhibiting its new and improved food processing solutions in chocolate and bakery at Interpack 2026 in Düsseldorf, Germany (May 7–13) to address common pressure points in the global FMCG market shaped by a wide variety of product variants, seasonal demand impulses, and shorter innovation cycles. The Swiss F&B manufacturing specialist has made various upgrades to its systems and introduced new processes in chocolate roasting and mixing, as well as in biscuit and cracker baking, to ensure consistency and boost production yield.
Rethinking Coffee: Nestlé targets yield and resilience with robusta varieties
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With coffee supply chains under pressure from climate volatility and rising costs, Nestlé has unveiled new robusta varieties designed to boost yields and improve resilience — part of a wider industry push to future-proof ingredient sourcing.
Rising consumer interest in hybrid meat driven by taste, quality & price, finds...
food cart with chef cooking hybrid meat
Consumer acceptance for hybrid meat products — where plant-based ingredients replace part of the meat content — is rising, particularly among flexitarian consumers, a study by Beneo’s brand Meatless has revealed. The findings highlight why food manufacturers must prioritize taste, quality, and nutritional benefits in NPD, especially to increase hybrid meat’s appeal among flexitarian and health-conscious consumers.
Debut and Oterra to develop Red dye 40 alternatives amid stricter color...
pink yogurt
Regulatory scrutiny of synthetic food colors in the US is intensifying, pushing manufacturers to accelerate reformulation strategies that have long been under consideration. With the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) signaling a phase-out of certain FD&C-certified color additives by the end of 2026, demand is rising for alternatives that can match the performance of widely used synthetic dyes such as Red 40.
PepsiCo and Fertiberia to decarbonize potato and corn farming in Europe
Trucks of fertilizer
PepsiCo and Spain’s largest fertilizer producer Fertiberia have entered a long-term partnership to scale the utility of high-tech, green hydrogen-based fertilizers across Europe. Fertiberia has agreed to progressively supply PepsiCo with up to 150,000 metric tons of its Impact Zero crop nutrition solutions annually by 2030. The total volume is enough to cover approximately 400,000 acres (~162,000 hectares) of farmland used to grow key crops such as potatoes, corn, sunflower, sugar beet, and rapeseed, which are key ingredients for PepsiCo’s top brands such as Lay’s, Doritos, Ruffles, and Cheetos.
Bharat Nutraverse Expo 2026: India eyes nutraceutical dominance with underrated...
Speaker on stage during event

Nutrition Insight

India is hosting its second annual Bharat Nutraverse Expo 2026 (Sept 7–9) and is seeking eligible international delegates to attend the event in New Delhi. Nutrition Insight speaks with a government representative to discuss ambitions for the nation’s nutraceutical sector, particularly for trending Ayurvedic botanicals that hold global commercial potential in key markets.
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Vitafoods Europe 2026 in Barcelona, Spain.
New Product Development
Vitafoods Europe 2026 preview: Five key trends shaping...
Vitafoods Europe 2026 promises to showcase the growing integration of health and wellness ingredients traditionally found in nutraceuticals into mainstream F&B products. The event in Barcelona, Spain, next week, will demonstrate how functional ingredients have become key differentiators for brands looking to win over increasingly health-conscious consumers. Visitors can expect to find functional ingredients ranging from protein innovations for metabolic health to probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics for gut health. Meanwhile, beauty‑from‑within ingredients, such as collagen, will demonstrate how mainstream brands are tapping into the growing demand for products that promote both internal health and external beauty.
April 2026 F&B industry highlights.
Food Ingredients News
April in review: UN FAO food security warning, Coffee...
In April 2026, the UN FAO’s chief economist warned that a prolonged Strait of Hormuz crisis could result in a “global agri-food catastrophe,” urging anticipatory policy actions to mitigate a supply crunch for key agri-food inputs like fertilizer. PepsiCo boosted its revenue through consumer price cuts and healthier snack sales. Fonterra sold its global consumer business to global dairy leader Lactalis. Keurig Dr Pepper acquired JDE Peet’s to form an expanded coffee giant.
Activia yogurts in supermarket.
New Product Development
The year of fiber: How Danone turns surging demand into...
Fiber has moved from a nutrition afterthought to a formulation priority for F&B manufacturers, as Western consumers increasingly prioritize gut health to support their overall well-being. Food leaders like Danone view fiber as a long-term strategic ingredient, but success depends on balancing functionality, sensory performance, and scalable sourcing in fiber-enriched products. Innova Market Insights ranks fiber as the second most popular functional ingredient for consumers in the US, behind protein. Around two in five say they are highly interested in fibers, signaling a strong baseline demand. Although WHO recommends a minimum of 25 g of fiber per day, most consumers in developed markets fall significantly short, highlighting a persistent “fiber gap.”

Ingredient focus

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Sugar reduction solutionsMay2026

Innova data shows that consumers are actively reducing sugar in their diets. This trend drove +5% increase in reduced-sugar claims in F&B launches from 2021 to 2025. Europe accounted for the most ...

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Food packaging trends May 2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates a 5% compound annual growth in F&B launches between April 2021 and March 2026. The top packaging types were flat pouch, folded box, and bottle. More than half of launches were packed in plastic, while molded fiber packaging shows strong growth. Recyclable remained the top environmental claim, as reusable claims gain traction.

Trend analysis

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Innovative chocolate applicationsMay 2026

Innova data shows an increase in chocolate product launches globally. One-third of these launches were in a chocolate block format, while wrapped chocolate pieces emerged as the fastest-growing format. “Vegetarian” was the leading claim for chocolate, and nut flavor was the most popular flavor.

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Vitafoods 2026: Carbery & Synergy Flavours video thumbnail: Two people at an innovation expo beside sliced chocolate-covered desserts on a wooden board
Video07:53
Vitafoods Europe 2026: Carbery and Synergy Flavours tackle protein innovation and functional food trends

Fiona Rawlinson, head of marketing for Nutrition at Carbery, and Chris Whiting, business development manager for Nutrition at Synergy Flavours, discuss their collaboration to create high-protein, consumer-friendly ingredients. They address overcoming taste and texture challenges in protein bars...

Michiel Pronk, Cosun Protein
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Vitafoods Europe 2026: Cosun Protein unlocks fava bean’s potential beyond vegan consumers
Floor van der Horst, FrieslandCampina Ingredients
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Vitafoods Europe 2026: FrieslandCampina Ingredients on high-protein innovation and the future of dairy in F&B
Vitafoods 2026 Arla Foods Ingredients video thumbnail: AirBar protein bars in spicy cola and banoffee flavors displayed beside a portrait of a trade show representative
Video05:19
Vitafoods Europe 2026: Arla Foods Ingredients on GLP-1 trends and nutrient-dense dairy products
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