Top 5 foods fuelling the brain health boom
Brain food is booming. As consumers seek sharper focus and long-term cognitive health, the food industry is responding with powerful ingredients and smarter nutrition
Science
Trump’s gluten labeling gambit puts industry on edge
The White House’s plan to make America healthy takes a swipe at gluten. And what looks like a win for consumers could leave food companies tangled in costly compliance and spark a new political fight over what belongs on a label
EU biscuits face acrylamide reckoning
A new study shows more than a quarter of biscuits on sale blow past EU safety benchmarks for acrylamide – a probable carcinogen that’s testing regulators’ patience and shaking consumer trust
Why General Mills is cheering on the GLP-1 boom
Weight-loss drugs threaten to cut calorie consumption, but General Mills sees opportunity in a leaner consumer, betting big on protein, fiber and smarter supply chains
Sustainable September
Sorghum-soy chips promise high protein, low GI crunch without the carbon
A new study suggests chips made from sorghum and soy tick the health and sustainability boxes without sacrificing taste. Could this be the crunch the snack aisle has been waiting for?
The snackdown: Can bread ever be clean with glyphosate in the mix?
Bayer’s latest push for legal immunity puts the future of ‘clean’ bread and cereal under the spotlight
Bach to snacking: The science of sonic seasoning
From a University of Bristol researcher’s track designed to make chocolate sweeter to studies showing how pitch, tempo and timbre can season food like sugar or salt, music is fast becoming the next frontier in flavor
From Europe’s baguette to America’s bagged loaf: What sets them apart
Americans often say bread in Europe feels lighter on the stomach. Differences in wheat, fermentation and regulation suggest they may be onto something
Sustainable September
What shoppers really think of climate-smart chips and planet-saving pastries
Shoppers swear they care about sustainability, but in the snack aisle it’s still price, taste and convenience that decide what goes in the basket. So are ‘climate-smart’ breads and biscuits set to stay niche or can they crack the mainstream?
The snackdown: MAHA throws a Froot Loop at Kellogg’s
Once the pride of America’s breakfast table, Kellogg’s now finds itself in the crosshairs of Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s Make America Healthy Again crusade. The fight over Froot Loops isn’t just about dyes – it’s a test of whether Big Food can survive a...
“Good bread has its own story”: A conversation with Poland’s first bread sommelier
Aleksandra Bednarek wants the baking industry to stop treating bread as background product. For her, every loaf carries value – in craft, in culture and in how consumers perceive quality.
Have children’s cereals quietly turned into empty calories?
Forget sugar for a moment. A new analysis shows kids’ cereals are steadily losing the very nutrients that once made them worth eating at all
Chewing over the next big idea: Snacks built for GLP-1 lifestyles
With GLP-1 users eating less often, chewy and long-lasting snacks like jerky, protein bites, gummies and gum are stepping up as the formats that make every portion count
Ozempic nation: Why GLP-1s are forcing bakers and snack makers to rethink everything
GLP-1 drugs are gutting demand for cookies, chips and bread – threatening billions in sales but opening the door to a new wave of protein- and fiber-driven snacking
The UPF lawsuit that fizzled – and why the next one might not
A US judge tossed the first big UPF lawsuit, but with mounting science and regulators circling, bakery, snack and cereal brands shouldn’t breathe easy just yet
Bar fight: RXBar founder Peter Rahal’s $85m snack startup dragged into US court over control of key fat
The $85m New York protein bar startup from RXBar’s Peter Rahal is battling a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York over its control of a key fat substitute
Cell-based dairy moves closer to market with Opalia-Hoogwegt tie-up
Start-up Opalia is on a mission to prove its cell-cultured milk can be used to make an entire range of dairy products: from cheese to ice cream
Britain’s babies fed a diet of ultra-processed cereals and snacks, say researchers
A University of Leeds study found baby cereals and snacks dominated by UPFs (ultra-processed foods), with sugar-laden puffs and bars misled as ‘healthy’, leaving parents duped and kids primed for poor health
What makes a GLP-1-friendly yogurt drink? Danone tells all
By formulating a dairy drink that specifically caters for weight loss medication users, Danone has set a new standard with Oikos Fusion
The underground secret that would put more nutrition in every loaf
A common soil fungus could help wheat grow bigger, more nutritious grains – boosting iron and zinc naturally, with no GMOs or chemical fortification
Mars bets on CRISPR to save cocoa from climate chaos
Mars teams up with biotech firm Pairwise to futureproof cocoa crops using gene editing
The snackdown: We need to talk about chips
Climate change isn’t just disrupting harvests - it’s coming for snack time
Funding and expert support up for grabs to drive healthier food reformulation
Scotland and Wales are putting real support behind healthier food, with government-backed grants and technical expertise now available to help producers cut salt, sugar and fat, without cutting corners
Gene-edited wheat delivers a dough performance upgrade
A surprise win for bakers: by deleting the most toxic gluten peptides, researchers have made wheat safer for the gluten-sensitive – and stronger for high-performance dough
Stevia’s functional edge: Fermentation unlocks cancer-fighting potential
As demand for natural sweeteners grows, stevia’s health potential could be a game-changer
Bridging the innovation gap: Turing Labs’ domain-trained AI streamlines innovation execution
Turing Labs’ upgraded Luna AI promises to modernize product development and market execution by replacing legacy tools with proactive, domain-trained agents that take tasks from start to finish seamlessly
Opinion
The snackdown: Why the war on UPFs is missing the point
Ultra-processed foods have become the industry’s favorite scapegoat and its biggest headache. But in the rush to condemn, nuance has vanished, and entire categories are caught in the crossfire
Rise of the fermented insect loaf: Mexico’s bold answer to the protein crisis
While insect-fortified bread isn’t new, a new Mexican study breaks ground with a world-first fermentation process that makes grasshopper flour more nutritious, digestible and delicious
Synthetic dyes are out. Here’s who’s in and how they’re achieving it
Major food companies like General Mills, Kraft Heinz, Conagra and Smucker are leading a sweeping shift away from synthetic colours. Here’s where the US food industry stands right now
GLP-1 and the rise of mood foods: A new appetite for functional indulgence
With satiety drugs on the rise, snack producers face a new question: how do you sell joy to consumers who aren’t hungry?
Latin America’s potato chip warning labels could shape global snack policy
Research by Colombian scientists finds front-of-pack messages are influencing snack choices, echoing earlier efforts to curb sugary drink consumption across the region and potentially shaping global labelling policy
UPFs: It’s time to focus on what food delivers, not how it’s made
Critics say the real problem isn’t processing - it’s how we’re measuring health. An outdated classification is distorting science and stalling innovation
Past the PFAS deadline: Hershey’s dual lawsuits highlight rising risk for snack brands
The FDA’s PFAS deadline has passed and US brands are now under intense scrutiny. Hershey’s two simultaneous class-action lawsuits underscore just how high the stakes have become for the industry
Can seaweed help fix the fibre gap without ruining your muffin?
A new UK trial has found seaweed offers bakers a new way to boost nutrition, reduce reformulation headaches and meet health targets without compromising flavour or function
Doctors sound alarm over toxic metal in France’s beloved baguette
France’s most cherished staple may be laced with cadmium, a toxic metal linked to cancer and heart disease. Doctors call it a national emergency
Bake smarter: Slash sugar, save costs
Sugar costs are soaring, but consumers aren’t willing to compromise on taste. For bakeries already operating on a knife’s edge, finding a smarter way to sweeten products has become mission critical
The real scoop on breakfast cereal: Science says it still delivers
While a new JAMA study flags rising sugar and salt in kids’ cereals, a major review in Nutrients finds the right bowl can still boost public health
The gold standard: How product developers can rise to the MAHA challenge
The US’ MAHA Commission is putting weak science and vague health claims on notice. Brands must now back every bite with credible, peer-reviewed research
Why ‘minimally processed’ is the next big thing in snacks
As the snacks market soars, an up-and-coming trend stands out from the crowd
The future of bread reimagined: Lesaffre’s bold vision for a better loaf
Baking with Lesaffre has redefined how the baking industry should think about the very essence of bread
Tropical fruit compound could cut cancer risk
Scientists reveal ‘food as medicine’ potential of popular fruits
Targeting the wrong crowd: How retailers miss out on sustainable food and beverage sales
US retailers are underserving high-potential markets for sustainable products by stocking more eco-friendly options in areas dominated by liberal, affluent shoppers, study finds
Could high-fibre foods be secret to anti-ageing?
Study reveals foods that truly support longevity
The 5,000-year-old bread recipe that’s gone viral
An archaeological discovery in central Turkey has captured the imagination of bakers worldwide, reminding us that tradition, storytelling and sustainability still resonate
Why ultra-processing should not be an argument against alt proteins
Ultra-processing is often cited as a key factor hindering alternative protein acceptance in Asia – but perhaps better communication is all that is need to solve this quandary
Industry told to cut fat to protect cognitive health
Evidence reveals risk to brain health after just three days of high-fat diet
Hue got it: The colour psychology behind top snacks
Before we even take a bite, colour tells our brain what to crave. And it’s not just the frosting that’s doing the talking – it’s psychology, marketing and a bit of regulatory drama
FDA inspections resume with help from states and AI as staff exodus continues
Amid concerns about FDA’s capacity to meet safety mandates following the departure of 3,500 employee since January, the agency signals a new direction for inspections and ability to do more with less thanks in part, it says, to new tools and processes
Snap, chew, satisfy: The science of texture consumers can’t resist
Texture is no longer just a ‘nice-to-have’ in food - it’s become one of the most powerful tools in the innovation toolkit. So, what does it take to create products that not only taste great but feel incredible too?
USDA approves first state SNAP waiver to ban ‘junk food’ – dozens could follow despite industry warnings of ‘disruptions’ and unintended consequences
It begins: USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins yesterday signed the first of what could be several state waivers restricting the use of government funds by low-income residents to buy select “junk” foods and beverages, such as soda and candy