Australia food labelling under scrutiny as FSANZ weighs reforms
FSANZ is consulting on changes to food labelling rules as an investigation into food fraud and misleading labels raises fresh questions about Australia’s food labelling system
Regulation, policy & food safety
Arsenic for breakfast? Cereal’s contaminant problem exposed
New testing raises awkward questions about what ‘better-for-you’ breakfast really means
California passes non-UPF food seal, setting potential blueprint for other states
AB 2244 creates a voluntary government-backed certification for non-ultraprocessed foods and requires certain large retailers to prominently display certified products
Big Food’s colour promises are colliding with supply chain reality
The dye deadlines are closing in, but the alternatives aren’t ready
News Bites
Food’s new rules: Regulation, reformulation and the reinvention of legacy brands
Transparency, health and regulation emerged as the defining forces shaping the food industry this month
Terms including ‘burger’ and ‘sausage’ could be added to EU ‘meaty’ names ban
A range of terms have been added to the proposal
3 lessons from a year of high-profile food recalls
Food safety leaders say brands that prepare for recalls before they happen can better protect consumers and maintain trust
Avo oil under pressure: Science and lawsuits challenge the premium halo
A major authenticity study and proposed class actions against Utz and Campbell’s are exposing the risks behind snacks’ costly avocado oil makeover
FDA considers new natural food color petitions as synthetic dye phaseout looms
Petitions seek approval for safflower yellow, expanded uses for gardenia blue and changes to carrot oil production as food makers move away from synthetic dyes
One dead in UK-wide salmonella outbreak linked to imported eggs
One person has died and hundreds have fallen ill after an outbreak of salmonella affected all four corners of the UK.
Overturning 7 industry assumptions about the GLP-1 consumer
The newest evidence challenges some of the food industry’s most comfortable conclusions about GLP-1 consumers
FDA tracks progress as brands ditch artificial colors
CPG companies and private label brands are cutting petroleum-based dyes and they want credit for it
Can PFAS be kept out of food?
The chemicals should be removed at the source, before they have a chance to contaminate food
Beyond Nutri-Score: Europe’s other front-of-pack labelling schemes
Nutri-Score is unlikely to become mandatory anytime soon, so what other FOP labelling schemes does Europe have to offer?
HHS proposes new GRAS rules and addresses UPF definition
HHS Secretary RFK Jr. announced landmark proposals requiring food manufacturers to notify the FDA about additives and confirms a UPF definition is pending
Balancing founder input with institutional control
As food and beverage businesses grow and attract external investment, founders must adapt to more formal governance structures. Laura Gray, senior associate at law firm, Birketts LLP, explains...
Mars-Kellanova: What Brussels really decided about brand power
The EU cleared Mars’ $36bn Kellanova deal without conditions and its reasoning reveals how much bargaining power a brand really has left.
WK Kellogg Co to cut artificial dyes and BHT a year ahead of schedule
The cereal giant has faced intense scrutiny for its use of controversial ingredients like petroleum-based dyes and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Letter from the editor
Science, trust and the next era of food innovation
From combating food misinformation to redefining healthy eating and scaling AI-enabled innovation, IFT FIRST 2026 underscored how evidence-based science is reshaping the future of food
The GLP-1 effect reaches ANZ
New research suggests Australia and New Zealand are following the same GLP-1-driven consumer shifts seen elsewhere, offering an early indication of where the wider APAC food market could head next
Cyclospora outbreak reshapes grocery shopping and restaurant traffic beyond recalled lettuce
Fear and uncertainty surrounding the growing Cyclospora outbreak are driving consumers away from fresh produce and toward frozen foods, creating ripple effects for grocers, restaurants and produce suppliers
UPF legislation raises stakes for food labeling and child-directed marketing
The debate around the Childhood Diabetes Reduction Act signals rising political interest in warning labels, marketing restrictions and a federal definition of ultra processed foods
USDA pushes ahead with reorganization despite lawsuit and warnings of ‘brain drain’
Employees face relocation deadlines as the agency defends plans to move thousands of Washington-based staff to national hubs, while critics argue the overhaul is an effort to force workers out and threatens safety oversight
IFT FIRST
‘Facts aren’t enough’: IFT warns of growing food misinformation crisis
Nearly half of food science professionals are extremely concerned as viral content and distrust of institutions reshape the information landscape
Inside the UAE’s push towards a healthier food system
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) National Strategy for Healthy Nutrition 2031 has grand plans to revamp health and nutrition in the country — but lofty challenges lie ahead
Health halos mask sugar content: Children’s cereal claims face scrutiny
A new Canadian study finds that sugar levels in children’s breakfast cereals remain high, despite a proliferation of health claims
Cortisol: The viral trend that’s rewriting shopping lists
The internet’s favourite stress hormone is fuelling a fibre boom, and shoppers are being told to slow down and think again
The global evolution of smart food labelling
The landscape of smart food labelling has seen rapid evolution globally, but some markets are moving faster than others
Artificial colours: How Europe regulates differently from the US
The use of food colours in the EU is stringently defined but it contrasts with the US approach
First-ever global standard promises more consistent yeast for bakers worldwide
A first-of-its-kind Codex Alimentarius standard, adopted in Geneva this month, gives baker’s yeast a single global definition for the first time in its long history
From Ozempic to oat bars: Can peptide science cross into food?
Consumers already associate peptides with dramatic weight loss thanks to drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy, and that’s sparking curiosity about whether a food-grade cousin could follow
64% of consumers eating food past use-by dates amid cost concerns
Consumers are taking risks with food safety as concerns over rising food prices continue to impact on behaviour.
Florida subpoenas General Mills over bromate flour
General Mills is the first company to face a subpoena as Florida opens a consumer-protection probe into a century-old dough conditioner most of the world abandoned long ago
Is beef tallow becoming food’s next billion-dollar ingredient?
The resurgence of beef tallow is forcing manufacturers to ask whether the MAHA movement has created a lasting reformulation trend or just food’s latest political fad
ASA bans ads by Mars and Morley’s under new HFSS rules
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has revealed the outcomes of six rulings under the government’s new HFSS ad restrictions.
Obesity in retreat as GLP-1 use nearly quadruples: New data paints a different picture for manufacturers
America’s obesity rate is falling as GLP-1 use reaches record highs, with similar trends emerging elsewhere and raising fresh questions about the future of food demand
Is MSG still controversial?
The scientific consensus around the additive does not reflect common attitudes
International guidance on ‘may contain’ allergen labelling introduced
The guidance aims for more scientific standards
The coming UPF regulation revolution
The regulatory landscape surrounding ultra-processed foods is changing rapidly. Here’s what has already happened, what’s coming next and why manufacturers should be paying attention
12 brands that have nailed the ‘fricy’ trend
Beverages, snack, sauces and even ice cream are turning up the heat with ‘fricy’ offerings
Why food scientists still can’t crack the perfect natural red
Creating a heat-stable natural red remains one of food science’s toughest colour challenges
Has processing become the industry’s most misunderstood tool?
The UPF debate has given ‘processing’ a bad rap, yet new technologies are helping manufacturers reduce oil, cut waste and improve product quality – without adding a single ingredient
Nutri-Score in the dock: Why Lactalis is taking it to court
The front-of-pack labelling scheme is facing a legal challenge over its algorithm changes
British EUDR? UK government to introduce anti-deforestation rules
The proposal will affect imports from around the world, including coffee, cocoa, soy and palm oil
The next tobacco fight? Marketing to children enters UPF debate
Campaigners warn that food companies are using increasingly sophisticated tactics to build brand loyalty from childhood
The ‘Uh-Oh SpaghettiOs’ lawsuit vs the court of public opinion
As online commentators dissect everything from sterilisation processes to consumer behaviour, the dispute offers a glimpse into how food safety claims are increasingly judged in the digital age
Kennedy signals new course for food labels as FDA nears definition for ultra-processed food
A forthcoming federal definition for ultra-processed foods could influence front-of-pack nutrition labeling requirements, product reformulation efforts and compliance timelines across the food industry
Are reformulation demands moving faster than brands can respond? Hear from PepsiCo and industry leaders
As the reformulation goalposts continue to move, experts from PepsiCo, the European Snacks Association, the American Bakers Association, 210 Analytics and FDF Scotland’s Reformulation for Health Programme ask whether manufacturers can keep pace
Fed Up! campaign takes aim at UPFs, but the science debate persists
A new campaign on ultra processed food education highlights systemic nutrition barriers, while food science experts stress the need to define the polarizing term before linking it to health outcomes
Deepfake food fraud threatens global brands
Fake contamination claims, AI-generated complaint letters and manipulated food images are creating a new fraud risk that regulators, delivery platforms and food businesses are struggling to contain