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
Science
Quaker is fighting global hunger with food science
PepsiCo’s Quaker brand is using science, local know-how and a bit of stubborn optimism to tackle one of the toughest global challenges
Protein, please: NPD with real muscle
Protein’s still flexing hard, but it’s left the gym and hit the grocery aisle
Inside the gluten revolution: The 3 breakthroughs bakers should pay attention to
From gene-edited wheat to a three-minute gluten test, scientists are rethinking gluten-free baking and the results could change everything
The silent revolution bubbling in your dough
Microbes are moving from background biology to bakery’s next big advantage - driving cleaner labels, longer shelf life and smarter sustainability
Can AI finally stop bakeries from getting burnt by price spikes?
An AI-powered insurance tool is giving bakeries a way to cap chaos in wheat, butter and packaging prices – finally turning forecasts into action
Could functional foods replace the need for GLP-1s?
As GLP-1 drugs disrupt the weight loss market, food and beverage players are racing to unlock the appetite-regulating power of functional ingredients
The great color reckoning: America’s breakup with fake dyes
With US states set to ban or label synthetic dyes, Sensient CEO Paul Manning unpacks the economics, supply pressures and sensory science driving America’s shift to natural color
NPD report: Bread innovation goes big on protein, purpose and planet
A new study is changing what bakers know about sourdough, while a wave of launches from Thomas’ to Sara Lee is proving bread can be nutritious, inventive and purposeful all at once
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
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?
Opinion
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?
Opinion
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
Opinion
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