Is your food safety at risk from information overload?
New research suggests food manufacturers may be collecting more info than workers can realistically process – with implications for productivity, quality and food safety
Processing & packaging
Processed foods aren’t going away, but they are evolving
In the gap between consumers’ intention and reality, is there room for processed food in a healthy diet?
Are some ultra-processed foods good for you?
Not all UPFs are created equal, and a new expert panel says federal regulators should draw a clear line between those that are harmful and those that doctors recommend
Why packaging decisions can’t be left to the last minute
Packaging isn’t just a container, it’s a decision that affects cost, brand, sustainability and compliance, so it should be planned early, not tacked on later
Iran conflict drains the colour from snack packs
Calbee’s decision to strip colour from its packaging amid naphtha shortages is an early warning that the Iran conflict is beginning to fracture the petrochemical supply chains underpinning the global food industry
Do UPFs pose greater risk of plastic packaging harms?
Chemicals from single-use plastics may increase health risk to consumers
When paper packaging fails the sustainability test
While brands like Babybel are showing the shift to paper packaging can work, moving away from plastic is not universally viable. Here’s why
Up the food chain
Packaging under pressure: European Investment Bank’s deputy ops chief on war shocks and alt plastics
Elina Roine describes herself as a ‘banker with purpose’. With energy security under strain, climate pressure mounting and war back on the agenda, that purpose has never been more urgent
How big a problem are microplastics?
The first global study of its kind quantifies the problem in the food and drink industry
Why overwhelmed shoppers may drive a reset in natural food marketing
Go Raw’s first brand campaign starts with a simple premise: snacks have become too complicated
TaoKaeNoi taps Chinese celebrity star power to boost seaweed snack growth
Thailand’s TaoKaeNoi has appointed Chinese celeb Chen Zheyuan as its global ambassador, tapping rising demand for Asian snacks and building a healthy positioning
Looming deadline for state packaging laws places reporting pressure on CPGs
Seven states now require producers to track and report packaging data under extended producer responsibility laws, creating a fast-moving compliance challenge for food and beverage brands, importers and distributors
Hormuz blockade leaves food industry pricing in the dark as volatility becomes the baseline
Escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz are pushing up energy, freight and insurance costs – but the bigger challenge for the global food industry is managing risk in a market that is becoming increasingly unpredictable.
Can AI really sort the UPF mess the food industry is facing?
New tools promise sharper answers on ultra-processed foods as regulation struggles to keep up
Sweet proteins promise a sugar reset but new questions are emerging
Oobli’s CEO is betting on protein-based sweetness to cut sugar at scale, but the shift raises uncomfortable questions for regulators, manufacturers and the supply chain
Opinion
The ultra-processed foods debate has nuance - let’s recognise it
To understand how processing affects food consumption, don’t caricature either side of the debate
Industry, brace for change: Momentum builds behind Global Plastics Treaty
After negotiations failed to finalise a global treaty on plastic pollution last year, new hope is on the horizon
Automation’s promise falters as skills gap hits bakeries hard
Automation is reshaping bakery production, but new skills demands and training gaps are limiting the productivity gains manufacturers expected
Packaging under fire: Do legal risks trump production headaches?
As PFAS regulation tightens and litigation accelerates, brands are being forced to rethink packaging choices that once seemed low-risk and routine
Are bread bags holding back recyclable packaging?
A new ultra-thin mono-material bread bag suggests the biggest barrier to recyclable packaging may no longer be technology but habit
Clean label vs. functional foods: Can the two trends coexist?
Functional foods are often ultra-processed – but can they be clean label?
Candy in the crosshairs
‘Elevated’ arsenic in candy reveals industry-wide food safety and regulatory risks
Even without enforcement action, publicly released contaminant data could fuel lawsuits, consumer confusion and regulatory scrutiny, while also undermining federal oversight
5 lesser-known crops with big innovation potential
Rice, corn and wheat may dominate global crop consumption, but for food makers wanting to stand out from the crowd, there’s a wealth of untapped innovation potential in ancient grains
The global bread labeling gap is catching up with bread marketing
From the US to the EU and Asia-Pacific, bread labeling rules haven’t kept pace with modern baking models, forcing bakers and retailers to rethink how they use terms like ‘wholegrain’, ‘sourdough’ and ‘freshly baked’
After GLP-1: Weight regain, food fear and the industry’s next reckoning
With a growing number of people ditching GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, producers are being drawn into a far more complex conversation about nutrition, psychology and long-term eating behavior
Crack it, snack it, recycle it: Packaging that’ll rule 2026
Snack packs are finally starting to look like they belong in 2026 instead of 2006, and the pressure to keep evolving isn’t letting up
Slack-fill suit puts cereal packaging practices in the legal spotlight
A class action filed in California in December accuses General Mills of selling air-heavy cereal boxes, dragging a familiar packaging gripe back into court
Can AI finally tame sourdough’s wild side?
As sourdough scales up worldwide, new research suggests artificial intelligence could help bakers manage fermentation without sanding off what makes it distinctive.
Science Shorts: PepsiCo AI start-up winner, cell-cultured cocoa and more
PepsiCo AI start-up winner, cell-cultured cocoa and more feature in this edition of Science Shorts
A bakery & snacks survival guide for 2026
10 texture trends that will define bakery & snacks in 2026
Crunch isn’t enough anymore. In 2026, texture becomes the main event, not the supporting act
Opinion: The snackdown
UPFs enter a new phase of scrutiny in 2026
Ultra-processed foods have been debated endlessly. In 2026, they’re being regulated anyway and food makers are discovering that definitions matter far less once policy gets involved
General Mills says price cuts are working
Cutting prices on about two‑thirds of its North America retail lineup helped General Mills beat Q2 estimates and flatten volume declines
The gluten glitch hiding in compostable packaging
Some compostable packaging made from cereals has been shown to shed gluten into gluten-free food, a problem the sustainability push never thought to look for
San Francisco sues Kellogg, General Mills, PepsiCo, Mondelez and more over ‘engineered’ foods
City officials say some of America’s biggest brands helped shape eating habits that are now coming back to haunt public health budgets
Industry takes aim at Lancet’s deadly UPF report
The Lancet’s latest series linking ultra-processed foods (UPFs) to harm across multiple organs has reignited debate over their role in public health
Opinion
The snackdown: The Lancet just declared war on UPFs
The Lancet’s new UPF Series doesn’t politely enter the UPF debate – it kicks the door open and bakery and snacks are suddenly standing in the blast zone
5 pillars powering private label’s ‘super cycle’ growth
Savvy consumers are looking for more than discounts – smart products and marketing can drive loyalty, according to Kantar
Trendspotting 2026
Beyond taste: The rise of the experiential treat in 2026
Flavor still rules bakery and snacks, but in 2026, the way they feel is fast becoming the new measure of delight
The snackdown: The great UPF witch hunt
When the food industry finds itself smeared as guilty by association – it’s not just the definition of ‘processing’ that’s under fire – it’s the entire business model
Non-UPF Verified debuts standard for CPG brands
The standard includes ingredient criteria and processing intensity that align with nutrition research and food system realities
Sustainability gets real: It’s crunch time for Europe’s snack makers
New ESA president Christopher Gosau says the region’s snack makers must turn bold sustainability promises into measurable progress or risk losing credibility
Protein, please: NPD with real muscle
Protein’s still flexing hard, but it’s left the gym and hit the grocery aisle
AI helps Hovis, Mars and PepsiCo cut factory downtime
From bread lines to snack plants, manufacturers are turning to artificial intelligence to predict breakdowns and keep production running at full speed
Automation meets its match in muffins: Why bakeries are the toughest floors to robotize
From batter variety to data quality, bakery floors pose unique hurdles for automation, but cobots, AI and smart glasses are helping producers rethink consistency, safety and flexibility
How to turn ingredient chaos into market advantage
Cocoa’s up, eggs are unpredictable and consumers still want it all. Ardent Mills’ Matt Schueller reveals how data – not luck – is driving the next wave of bakery innovation
The UPF contradiction: What consumers really do
The anti-UPF noise is getting louder, but behind it lies a quieter truth about what people actually buy, eat, and believe
Why emulsifiers deserve a second look
They’ve been branded unnecessary by the clean label crowd, but their role in texture, stability and sustainability is hard to ignore
Healthy, hot and functional foods driving c-store growth
Prepared-food sales are climbing, and younger shoppers are leading the push for fresher, clean-label offerings
UPF labelling is coming - but in what form?
Ultra-processed foods could soon be immediately recognisable front-of-pack
IBIE 2025: Robots, resilience and the reinvention of baking
Las Vegas became a proving ground for AI, automation and sustainability. ABA and BEMA argue the industry’s future depends on marrying technology with tradition