Top Nutrition Trends 2027 webinar banner with gold capsules, event date, and register now button.
Consumer shopping in supermarket.

Ashwagandha targets mainstream F&B as formulation hurdles test suppliers

Ashwagandha (or Indian Ginseng) is moving beyond its traditional position in capsules and powders, as manufacturers explore its potential in functional drinks, coffee and tea blends, confectionery, bars, and dairy alternatives. The botanical’s established association with stress management and broader well-being gives brands a recognizable functional story, but incorporating it into everyday products presents sensory, stability, and sourcing challenges.
Woman shops for beans and pulses.
What makes food “good”? Inside the rise of “ethical nutrition”
For decades, the idea of “good” food has been closely tied to its nutritional credentials — less sugar, more protein, added fiber, vitamins, minerals, or a recognized health benefit. But the way consumers assess food is becoming more complex. Increasingly, consumers want to understand not only what a product delivers nutritionally, but what sits behind it: how ingredients are sourced, how people and animals are treated, and what impact production has on communities and the environment.
Person drinking pandan-based drink in glass.
Yeo’s bets on pandan as familiar beverage formats unlock Asian flavor discovery
Pandan offers opportunities for beverage developers to bring Southeast Asian flavors to wider audiences through familiar formats, according to Yeo’s. The multinational food and beverage manufacturer sees soy milk as an accessible introduction to the ingredient, drawing on its fragrant profile and associations with regional desserts. Pandan is a tropical plant. Its fragrant leaves are commonly used for flavoring in the cuisines of Southeast Asia. 
Image
Reducing sugar, raising innovation
Innova Market Insights data shows that consumers are actively reducing sugar intake as part of a healthier diet. Brands are responding with increased innovation: food and beverage launches carrying reduced-sugar claims grew at a 7% CAGR from July 2021 to June 2026. Soups and Sauces recorded the fastest growth in reduced-sugar launches over the period.
Image of bakery products with a title of the technical paper and company logo
Vegebrite® Orange Carrot & Golden Yellow: Clean labels, Indulgent colours
Vegebrite® colouring foods, obtained from ripe and vivacious fruits and vegetables, add a delightful visual appeal to foods and drinks. Vegebrite® orange carrot and Vegebrite® golden yellow are stable, simple label ingredients and create indulgent, eggy yellow cakes and brioches. Download the Vegebrite® white paper to learn more!

This Technical Paper is brought to you by Givaudan Sense Colour.
Image
Discover Flowhey®: High Fluidity, High Performance Sweet Whey Powders
Flowhey® sweet whey powders are designed to meet the highest standards of fluidity and quality. Thanks to their non-hygroscopic and free flowing properties, our powders are engineered to improve your storage management and production yield. Plus, our range is designed to meet the needs of various applications — Watch our video!

Latest headlines

View more
EU procurement reform could unlock new markets for sustainable ingredients
Cafe with a variety of dishes.
The European Commission’s proposed Public Procurement Act (PPA) could reshape how public institutions buy food, shifting the focus away from lowest-cost tenders toward broader considerations around quality, sustainability, and supply chain resilience. The proposed PPA aims to simplify existing rules while giving public buyers more flexibility to consider factors beyond price. The legislation would replace a complex framework of directives with a single regulation and introduce a stronger emphasis on the Best-Price Quality Ratio (BPQR). This would allow criteria like sustainability and social value to play a greater role in purchasing decisions.
True Nexus and Pasqal target F&B protein performance with AI and quantum tech
Two scientists working with laptops and other technical devices.
True Nexus and Pasqal have used neutral-atom quantum technology to analyze protein structures linked to protein gelation — a process that turns liquids into gels and creates texture and structure in foods. The extended partnership aims to make protein functionality more predictable, helping the F&B manufacturers design better-performing proteins for applications such as alternative proteins and functional foods. 
Vegetarian Society registers certification marks in EU amid rising F&B demand
Vegetarian Society certification marks in EU.
The Vegetarian Society has registered its modernized Vegetarian Approved and Vegan Approved certification marks in the EU. The move gives food and beverage manufacturers greater scope to use the labels consistently across European markets. The registrations form part of an ongoing international rollout, with further territories expected to follow in the coming months. The development concerns the registration and protection of the marks rather than EU regulatory approval of individual certified products.
Kirin and RIKEN target heat and drought resilience in wine grapes
Holding wine grapes.
Kirin Holdings and Japan’s RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (RIKEN CSRS) have launched a joint research project, to protect the quality and yields of wine grape varieties as climate consequences mount. The partners are investigating whether improving grapes’ ability to adapt to heat and drought can help farmers continue cultivating established varieties under changing climate conditions. Field trials have been underway since April 2026 at Château Mercian’s Mariko Vineyard in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. The research also seeks to support more effective use of limited water resources. While irrigation can help cultivators manage dry conditions, securing enough agricultural water remains a challenge in water-stressed regions. 
Nestlé bets on “fewer, bigger” innovations to drive scalable food growth
Nestlé offices.
Nestlé is rolling out a new generation of dessert solutions in Brazil and China. The move illustrates how the food giant is concentrating its innovation resources on scalable platforms that can be adapted to local tastes and emerging consumption occasions. The launches span Moça Pudding and Brigadeirão in Brazil and Nestlé Tiramisù and Cheesecake in China. Consumers can prepare the desserts in three steps, with less than 15 minutes of active preparation time.
Sweeteners cut sugar intake without weight or metabolic harm, review counters...
Woman hands holding sugar cubes and saccharin pills

Nutrition Insight

A narrative review suggests that substituting sugar with non-nutritive sweeteners (NNSs) does not impact weight loss, with blood sugar and metabolic markers remaining stable in various studies. It suggests that NNSs can help reduce sugar consumption without having a negative impact on health, while countering the popular belief that sweet diets lead to sweetness cravings. 
Highlighted features
Female scientist in lab.
Research & Science news
AI screening tool identifies hundreds of plant proteins for...
UK-based researchers have developed an AI-powered screening tool that could speed up the search for plant proteins with emulsifying properties. The technology could help food manufacturers reduce the time spent on lengthy trial-and-error testing. By combining machine learning and statistical physics, the platform identifies promising protein ingredients that could support the development of more sustainable solutions for applications such as dairy alternatives and plant-based meat. The computational screening system has identified nearly 800 plant protein candidates with potential emulsifying properties. Rather than creating finished ingredients, the tool helps scientists identify proteins worth testing before investing extended durations in extraction and laboratory experiments. 
US–Canada trade dispute.
Policy & regulation news
US–Canada trade dispute escalates as whey import ban and...
The US–Canada trade dispute has intensified, with Washington moving to ban imports of several Canadian whey products and Ottawa imposing tariffs of up to 50% on US dairy ingredients. Under a White House proclamation, the US import ban will take effect on September 29. It covers whey protein concentrates, modified whey, fluid whey, and dried whey, alongside certain molasses products and non-alcoholic beer.
Skyline in Jakarta, Indonesia.
New Product Development
Fi Asia Indonesia 2026 preview: Five trends reshaping...
Healthier products will not be enough to win Southeast Asian consumers if they compromise on enjoyment or price. At Fi Asia Indonesia 2026 (Sep 16–18), ingredient suppliers will showcase their latest solutions enabling manufacturers to combine improved nutrition and functionality with standout sensory experiences, affordability, and local market readiness. Mandy Zhang, director and marketing category lead for Texture and Healthful Solutions Asia-Pacific at Ingredion, sums up the tension facing manufacturers: “Today’s APAC consumers want it all. They are increasingly health-conscious and navigating emergent needs around affordability and convenience, yet they still continue to crave indulgent taste and textures.”

Ingredient focus

View more
Image

Bakery innovation boostsSep2026

Innova Market Insights data shows that consumers are turning to sweet baked goods to satisfy their appetite for indulgence, fueling innovation across the Bakery category. Product launches grew at a 4%...

Brought to you by:

Uelzena Ingredients

Product innovation

View more
Image

Reducing sugar, raising innovation Sep 2026

Innova Market Insights data shows that consumers are actively reducing sugar intake as part of a healthier diet. Brands are responding with increased innovation: food and beverage launches carrying reduced-sugar claims grew at a 7% CAGR from July 2021 to June 2026. Soups and Sauces recorded the fastest growth in reduced-sugar launches over the period.

Trend analysis

View more
Image

Sustainability claims gain groundSep 2026

Ethical and sustainable positioning continues to gain ground. Innova data shows that F&B launches featuring such claims grew at a 6% CAGR from July 2021 to June 2026. Clean ingredient sourcing is consumers’ top sustainability priority globally. Bakery leads in the number of launches making ethical and sustainable claims, while Hot Drinks is the fastest-growing category.

Multimedia

View more
Image
Video03:08
Discover Flowhey®: High Fluidity, High Performance Sweet Whey Powders

Flowhey® sweet whey powders are designed to meet the highest standards of fluidity and quality. Thanks to their non-hygroscopic and free flowing properties, our powders are engineered to improve your storage management and production yield. Plus, our range is designed to meet the needs of...

Image
Webinars25:45
The No-Compromise Formula: Ensuring Superior Taste in Nutrition-Focused Formulations
Free Jungbunzlauer webinar on functional eating in the GLP-1 era, Thursday 3 September at 09:00 CDT, 10:00 EDT, 15:00 BST, and 16:00 CEST.
Webinars33:50
The new math of functional eating in the GLP-1 era: addressing texture, nutrients, and health
Raisio video thumbnail: Smiling woman in front of wooden shelves displaying Elovena oatmeal, snack biscuits, and other packaged food products
Video05:24
Raisio Food Solutions: How oats can elevate gluten-free product development
Top Nutrition Trends 2027 webinar banner with gold capsules, event date, and register now button.
Subscribe to our newsletters
PlatformsFood Ingredients FirstNutrition InsightPackaging InsightsPersonal Care InsightsThe World of Food Ingredients
About usContact usAdvertisingSitemapArchiveEditorial team
Follow us
© CNS Media B.V 2026. All rights reserved.
Registered Office: Velperweg 18, 6824 BH Arnhem, The Netherlands
Publisher site|Privacy statement
Image