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Worker checking edible oil.

EU restrictions on Russian fertilizer threaten to drive up global edible oil prices

Europe is making it significantly harder and more expensive to import fertilizer from Russia, through a combination of new carbon levies, escalating tariffs, and fresh sanctions. Farm groups say fertilizer imports have already collapsed by more than 80%, and warn of a repeat of the 2022 price shock — when fertilizer costs surged globally, and food prices followed. For the food ingredients sector, one of the most exposed downstream markets is palm oil. Since January 1, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) — a carbon levy on imports of emissions-heavy products — has applied to fertilizers entering the bloc. At the same time, tariffs on Russian and Belarusian fertilizer that took effect in July 2025 are set to rise sharply.
Woman eating chocolate cookies.
Maximizing mouthfeel in healthier F&B: How ingredient innovators tackle texture challenges
Food and beverage brands are reformulating their products to better align with changing consumer preferences for healthier offerings and keep pace with the shifting regulatory landscape and government-backed dietary recommendations. Maintaining the texture and mouthfeel of F&B products is a central priority for manufacturers.
Woman measuring waist line.
Foodology by Univar Solutions flags GLP-1, “fibermaxxing” & AI in 2026 F&B trends
Foodology by Univar Solutions spotlights what it sees as the top trends reshaping food shelves in 2026 — from the GLP-1 movement influencing NPD to the “fibermaxxing” phenomenon, complex flavors, and AI-enhanced food and beverage innovation. Danielle Mailey, technical sales manager at the US-based company, speaks to Food Ingredients First about seven standout consumer and F&B market trends expected to gain traction throughout 2026 and influence how the industry will develop.
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ADM Texperien® Tapioca Starch Solutions
For foods with the ideal bite, ADM Texperien® tapioca starches offer the functionality to deliver superior texture and clean taste in a range of applications.This Technical Paper is brought to you by ADM.
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ISM 2026 recap: Alternative ingredients address confectionery industry challenges

Price volatility and dietary demands are changing confectionery’s core ingredients. Missy Green, editor of The World of Food Ingredients, explores how alternatives to cocoa, gelatin, and refined sugar are reshaping the confectionery industry on the ISM 2026 show floor.

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ISM & ProSweets 2026: Solving supply and reformulation challenges
At ISM & ProSweets 2026 in Cologne, Germany, innovation converged around supply chain resilience, product reformulations, and sensory excellence in confectionery and snacks. Exhibitors showcased cocoa-free alternatives, sugar-reduced solutions, and clean label colors and flavors. The show highlighted how collaboration, social media-driven trends, and smart ingredient designs are reshaping the future of scalable, high-quality confections and snacks.

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Cargill-Kokomodo collaboration poised to scale cell-based cacao
cacao beans in human palms
Kokomodo has joined forces with Cargill in a project supported by European food innovation initiative, EIT Food, to evaluate cell-based cacao ingredients for commercial food applications. It comes in the wake of the cocoa crisis, which saw prices skyrocket and heavily impact confectionery and chocolate brands.
Nestlé posts steady organic growth as infant formula recall casts shadow over...
Nestlé.
Nestlé has reported full-year 2025 sales of CHF 89.5 billion (US$101.5 billion) with 3.5% organic growth, driven by a second-half acceleration in real internal growth (RIG) from 0.2% to 1.4%. However, net profit dropped 17% to CHF 9.0 billion (US$10.2 billion) and the company’s 2026 outlook is clouded by the financial and reputational fallout from the recent global infant formula recall that triggered criminal complaints in France and product withdrawals across more than 60 countries.“I am encouraged by our performance during 2025, which reflects the targeted actions we have taken in a difficult external environment,” says Nestlé CEO Philipp Navratil. The underlying trading operating profit (UTOP) margin came in at 16.1%, down 110 basis points year on year, while free cash flow reached CHF 9.2 billion (US$10.4 billion). Navratil says improving organic growth, RIG, and market share trends in the second half “show that our actions are working.” 
Australian desert plant holds potential for sustainable protein alternative
saltbush plant
An Australian desert plant, saltbush (Atriplex nummularia) — containing the “ideal” amino acid requirements for human nutrition — could open up opportunities for high-protein functional food ingredient applications in powdered form, a study has revealed.
California food safety bill poised to overhaul chemical regulations
two female scientists talking in food factory
A bill introduced this week in the US California State Assembly, which could reform food chemical safety regulation in the state, is set to divide consumer health advocacy groups and F&B and chemical industry associations.
US FDA approval boosts Amai Proteins’ sugar substitute commercialization
woman's hand picking up juice bottle in supermarket
Israel-based Amai Proteins has received the GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) notice from the US FDA for its sweet protein Sweelin — meaning the company can run product trials and speed up US commercialization of the sugar substitute.
Outdated probiotics failing infants? Atlas reveals missing gut microbiome...
baby playing with globe on yellow background

Nutrition Insight

International researchers have mapped infant gut bacteria into an atlas, revealing opportunities for creating new, tailored probiotics. The global atlas includes diverse strains of over 4,000 bacterial genomes from 48 countries, some of which are not found in commercial probiotics. The authors point out that current probiotic strains on the market come from outdated bacterial populations and may not effectively colonize modern infants’ guts. The team identified and linked 36 strains to specific regions globally.
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Arnold Delhaize.
Business News
Ahold Delhaize’s reformulation drive elevates “healthy”...
Ahold Delhaize has reported fourth-quarter 2025 net sales of €23.5 billion (US$27.8 billion), an increase of 6.1% at constant exchange rates, with 52.1% of own-brand food sales now classified as “healthy” — a figure that signals the Belgian-Dutch retailer’s reformulation commitments and health-driven product strategy are succeeding commercially. Full-year net sales hit €92.4 billion (US$109 billion), with an underlying operating margin of 4.0%. Comparable sales excluding gasoline rose 2.5% in Q4, outpacing a US supermarket market where volumes declined 2% over the year. 
Man shopping for dairy products.
Food Ingredients News
Fonterra forecasts dairy protein surge as GLP-1s reshape...
Fonterra flags how increased GLP-1 use is fueling the demand for protein in its top five food and nutrition trends set to shape the year ahead in F&B. The global dairy exporter predicts a surge in demand for protein powders, ready-to-drink (RTD) protein shakes, and protein-enhanced snacks, as the number of weight loss medication users rises globally.
IFF.
Business News
IFF posts full-year net loss as US$1.15B write-down sets...
International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) has reported a full-year net loss of US$374 million for 2025, driven largely by a US$1.15 billion write-down on the value of its Food Ingredients business — a segment the company is now actively putting up for sale. Stripping out one-off charges, the underlying business grew 2% on a currency-adjusted basis and delivered US$2.09 billion in adjusted operating profit. Full-year reported sales came in at US$10.89 billion, down 5% from the prior year.The write-down — an accounting charge that reduces the stated value of a business when its expected sale price falls below what was originally paid — reflects IFF’s assessment that its Food Ingredients unit is worth less than the figure carried on its books since the 2021 merger with DuPont’s nutrition division. IFF placed the segment under strategic review in August and has since launched a formal sale process, taking a US$1.15 billion goodwill write-down to reflect the planned exit. 

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Consumers crave enhanced mouthfeel experiencesFeb2026

Data from Innova Market Insights shows that consumers are increasingly curious about texture when purchasing indulgent F&B products. They are drawn to smooth, creamy textures while also exploring ...

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Sweetener trends & insights: Opportunities for calorie-conscious innovation Feb 2026

Innova Market Insights reveals that nearly half of consumers globally are turning to sweeteners to satisfy their sweet cravings while aiming to reduce their calorie intake. This growing demand for lower-calorie options is fueling innovation in the sweetener market, presenting new opportunities for the development of novel sweetener solutions in F&B products.

Trend analysis

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Plant-based innovation: Beyond dairy and meat alternativesFeb 2026

Plant-based products now extend beyond dairy and meat alternatives, including both category replicas and standalone or hybrid products. Innova Market Insights data shows plant-based F&B launches have seen steady growth globally over the past five years, with Europe leading the way. Dairy remains the top category in these launches.

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ISM & ProSweets 2026: Döhler Thumbnail
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ISM & ProSweets 2026: Döhler spotlights cost-effective indulgence and trending flavors

Fruit inclusions and multilayered textures are helping add more indulgence to better-for-you products. Katharina Mahnken, product manager for Europe at Döhler, highlights solutions for overcoming challenging protein off-notes and discusses trending market flavors, driven by social media and...

Oliver Coppenuer
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ISM & ProSweets 2026: Vegetables marry chocolate in “Vegilate” creation
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ISM 2026 recap: Alternative ingredients address confectionery industry challenges
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ISM & ProSweets 2026: Valio on “permissible indulgence” and high-protein innovation
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