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Bulking, modulation and mouthfeel: Why bakery sugar reduction needs more than a sweetener swap

Industry experts say sugar in baked goods does more than sweeten. It builds crumb structure, holds moisture, browns the surface, and even helps extend shelf life. In yeast-raised products, it fuels fermentation itself. Remove sugar from the equation, and the consequences cascade across structure, texture, appearance, and stability. Bakery has been one of the slowest categories to move in sugar reduction for that reason. At the same time, ingredient suppliers say this cannot be solved by sweetener substitution alone — modern bakery reformulation runs on integrated systems. Bulking agents to rebuild what sugar does, enzyme systems to manage moisture and texture, and naturally-fermented antimicrobials to boost shelf life.
Chef piping chocolate onto chocolate-based desserts.
Chocolate innovation: Cocoa-free systems, functional reformulation and sensory optimization
Chocolate remains a staple confectionery category, but it has also become a useful base for experimentation across food and beverage development. Alongside conventional bars and coatings, manufacturers and ingredient companies are exploring ways to extend what chocolate can do in formulation — particularly where it can be partially reworked, blended, or rebuilt for different functional or cost requirements.
Machines pack salad into plastic containers for shipping on an assembly line.
Tetra Pak VP Automation & Solutions: How digitalization is transforming F&B supply chains
F&B companies today are navigating a “perfect storm” of rising input costs, unpredictable consumer demand, and pressure to meet sustainability goals. In such a high-pressure environment, speed and precision in decision-making are critical, which Tetra Pak says companies can achieve through automation and digitalization. The processing and packaging leader says integrating processes, equipment, and teams into intelligent, data-driven ecosystems can drive efficiency, resilience, and competitive advantage for businesses.
BiolevTP
Beyond the Shell: Cracking the Code of 2026 Egg-Free Formulations
This technical paper explores a Biolev high-performance yeast-based functional ingredient designed to replace eggs in bakery and sauce formulations. By leveraging specific protein fractions and emulsifying properties, Biolev PlusWall30 maintains structural integrity, aeration, and mouthfeel while addressing clean label demands, allergen reduction, and price volatility in food applications. This Technical Paper is brought to you by Biolev by Levapan.
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Nutrition solutions for healthy aging: Physical health & cognitive function
This science-driven webinar explores how targeted nutrition can support the evolving health needs of an aging population. Join industry experts as they discuss the role of advanced whey protein ingredients, including whey protein isolate, alpha-lactalbumin, glycomacropeptide, and other functional whey components, in supporting key aspects of healthy aging. Learn how these ingredients contribute to physical and cognitive health, including cardiovascular and metabolic health, cognitive function, sleep health, and gut health. The session will highlight emerging research behind these functional ingredients and their relevance across the aging lifecycle. Together, we will explore how this research can be translated into practical, evidence-based nutrition strategies aimed at maintaining strength, resilience, and overall wellbeing in the aging population.
Sue Bancroft, Ingredion
Vitafoods Europe 2026: Ingredion on the future of plant-based proteins and sugar reduction

Sue Bancroft, director of healthful solutions EMEA at Ingredion, discusses the evolution of plant-based proteins in bars and RTD formats, balancing texture, nutrition, and sustainability. She shares how stevia-based sugar reduction solutions maintain taste, highlights the importance of texture in product success, and explains how strategic partnerships are shaping the future of plant-based ingredient innovation.

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Tate & Lyle expands partnership with BioHarvest to drive sweetener innovation
Botanical Synthesis lab.
Tate & Lyle, a global leader in ingredient solutions for healthier food and beverages, has announced an expansion of its collaboration with BioHarvest Sciences, extending their joint sweetener development program to multiple plant-based sweetener molecules. The expanded collaboration builds on the initial 2024 agreement, reflecting strong technical progress and Tate & Lyle’s commitment to providing F&B manufacturers with a flexible toolkit of sweetening solutions tailored to diverse formulation needs.
Arla Foods acquires Australian cottage cheese producer Brancourts
Cottage cheese on toast
Strengthening its Australian dairy footprint, Arla Foods has moved to acquire family-owned cottage cheese producer Brancourts, while announcing plans to significantly expand local production. The acquisition is expected to come into effect in a few weeks. Further details of the transaction will not be disclosed. The deal will be completed through Arla Foods’ joint venture with Australian Mayers Fine Food, Arla Foods Mayer Australia (AFMA).
Armor Protéines highlights next-gen dairy innovation at Vitafoods Europe 2026
Armor Protéines highlights dairy innovation at Vitafoods Europe 2026.
At Vitafoods Europe 2026, Armor Protéines showcased its latest advances in dairy-based functional ingredients and precision fermentation technologies, reinforcing its position as a strategic partner for manufacturers developing the next generation of nutrition-focused F&B products. With growing demand for high-performance proteins, clean label functionality, and targeted health benefits, the company demonstrated how its expertise in milk fractionation helped brands improve both product performance and sensory appeal across applications ranging from dairy drinks to desserts.
Coalition urges Japan to rethink octopus farming research support
Octopus hanging from a rope above the ocean.
Japan’s ambitions in next-generation aquaculture are facing mounting scrutiny as global advocacy groups push the country to pull back public support for octopus farming research. The move comes as lawmakers in several markets advance bans on farmed octopus, raising questions about the commercial future of the sector before it has fully emerged.
German court finds Mondelēz misled consumers with Milka “shrinkflation”
milka bars on supermarket shelf
A German court has ruled that Mondelēz misled consumers by cutting the weight of Milka chocolate bars without clearly indicating the change on packaging. The ruling emphasizes the importance of clarity in “shrinkflation,” where products that look the same may contain less or cost more — risking consumer confusion.
Function & SuppCo offer biometric tests to personalize supplement shopping
Biometric test results

Nutrition Insight

US health tracking platform Function recently acquired SuppCo (The Supplement Collective), which offers an app that independently tests the quality of commercial supplements. Function now offers access to SuppCo’s assessments alongside its own health screening service — which includes lab work, imaging, and clinician guidance — enabling consumers to more comprehensively track how specific dietary inputs are shaping their biology. SuppCo oversees “Tested by SuppCo,” an independent certification program that anonymously purchases off-the-shelf supplements and verifies their active ingredients through an ISO 17025-accredited laboratory. It does not directly profit from the sale of supplements.
Highlighted features
Kinisla's cows in a field.
Food Ingredients News
Kerry Dairy Ireland rebrands as Kinisla and unveils €300m...
Kerry Dairy Ireland has announced a corporate rebrand under the name “Kinisla,” while also unveiling a €300 million (US$349 million) five-year investment plan across its Consumer Foods and Nutritional Ingredients business divisions. The new corporate identity is poised to “turbocharge” Kinisla’s innovation pipeline and marks the next phase of growth for the company. It also reinforces the company’s “bold outlook for the future,” while reflecting its return to Irish roots with the transition to full farmer ownership by 2035.
Sustainable Foods Summit Amsterdam
Food Ingredients News
Sustainable Foods Summit 2026: Regenerative agriculture...
From cultivated cocoa butter to precision fermentation, the food industry’s toolkit is diversifying and evolving to keep pace with a warming planet. Exploring these developments, Amarjit Sahota, founder at Ecovia Intelligence, speaks to Food Ingredients First ahead of the Sustainable Foods Summit (June 18–19). The event in Amsterdam, Netherlands, places emphasis on the need for better access to sustainable food systems in the long term. With various environmental factors straining food production and supply chains, experts are examining new innovations to more efficiently connect them to the consumer plate.
Tate & Lyle food scientist.
Business News
Breaking news: Ingredion and Tate & Lyle in talks over...
Tate & Lyle has today confirmed that it is in discussions with US rival Ingredion over a possible takeover. The British food ingredients company says it has received multiple approaches from Ingredion to acquire its business, which it reportedly values at £2.74 billion (US$3.70 billion). According to Tate & Lyle’s statement, Ingredion has made a conditional proposal regarding a possible cash offer for the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of the company.

Ingredient focus

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Next-gen taste enhancementsMay2026

Innova Market Insights data shows that consumers value rich flavor and taste to enhance their food and beverage experience. This has driven growth in product launches featuring flavor enhancers, with ...

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Product innovation

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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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Keith Cooney, Tirlán, Vitafoods Europe 2026, Dairy Proteins, Dairy Protein Innovation, Protein Innovation, High-Protein, GLP-1, Nutrition Trends, RTD Beverages, Protein Snacks, Dairy Ingredients, Func
Video04:36
Vitafoods Europe 2026: How Tirlán balances dairy protein innovation, cost and nutrition

Keith Cooney, marketing manager at Tirlán, discusses how dairy proteins maintain an edge over plant and fermentation alternatives, balancing functionality and cost in RTD beverages and snacks, and responding to nutrient-focused trends driven by GLP-1 therapies. He also explores how dairy...

Sue Bancroft, Ingredion
Video07:33
Vitafoods Europe 2026: Ingredion on the future of plant-based proteins and sugar reduction
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Webinars54:56
Nutrition solutions for healthy aging: Physical health & cognitive function
Vitafoods 2026 Cargill video thumbnail: Cargill representatives at a trade show beside a Vital Fuel beverage sample display with tasting glasses
Video08:19
Vitafoods Europe 2026: Cargill’s approach to scalable, health-driven F&B innovations
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