DGA sweetener warning sparks industry pushback
Dietary Guidelines pose a challenge for formulators around non-nutritive sweeteners
Health
Ingredients Compendium No 2: Trehalose
The little-known functional sugar gaining ground across food categories
As manufacturers grapple with sugar reduction, texture loss and longer shelf-life demands, trehalose is emerging as a functional ingredient to watch in 2026
Fiber is entering its protein moment – and it’s more multi-faceted than we think
How advances in fiber chemistry and sourcing may influence the next generation of food products and health
Whole food now at the heart of US nutrition policy
The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines focus on federal programs and procurement to drive whole-food consumption and reduce ultra-processed foods nationwide
The GLP-1 wake-up call for food makers: Appetite loss is exposing ‘weak’ products
As GLP-1s suppress appetite at scale, manufacturers are running into an awkward reality: when people eat less, nutritionally weak products are exposed fast
Mike Tyson Super Bowl spot puts MAHA nonprofit – and its backers – in the spotlight
The PSA‑style commercial introduces MAHA Center Inc. to millions of viewers, raising questions about the nonprofit’s opaque funding and deep links to Skyhorse Publishing
Fiber sells – when shoppers can find it
Americans want more fiber but don’t know where to find it – opening the door for clearer claims, education and better-tasting products, according to a survey by the International Food Information Council
Hain Celestial’s reset starts with snacks sale, but doubts about what is next linger
Q2 sales fell 7% as analysts pressed management on whether baby and kids’ food could face similar scrutiny
The 4 things food companies still don’t understand about GLP-1s
Although the biggest names in F&B are keeping a close eye on GLP-1 developments, knowledge gaps remain
Florida’s glyphosate bread test has bakers on edge
The US state’s decision to publish glyphosate residue results for supermarket bread has reopened questions around food safety, scientific context and how regulatory data is interpreted by consumers
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
Opinion
The GLP-1 tsunami isn’t a diet trend – it’s a stress test for the food system
GLP-1 drugs are shrinking appetites at scale, but they’re also exposing how thin modern nutrition really is and the food industry can’t dodge the consequences
Is the protein snack boom running out of steam?
Flattening consumer interest and growing format fatigue suggest the category may be hitting a ceiling unless brands evolve beyond bars and bold claims
Why GLP-1s have turned fiber-maxxing into a snacking strategy
As GLP-1 drugs suppress hunger and compress eating occasions, fiber is emerging as a way to make smaller snacks feel functional, tolerable and worth the calories
Clean label vs. functional foods: Can the two trends coexist?
Functional foods are often ultra-processed – but can they be clean label?
Are GLP-1 ranges healthy? What food brands must know
Top food brands are embracing GLP-1-friendly ranges. But are these products nutritionally-sound?
Fiber, FOMO and famous faces: Why brands are all-in on the Big Game
From cereal brands breaking decades-long silence to snack giants doubling down on celebrity and spectacle, Super Bowl 2026 is becoming a referendum on where brand marketing goes next
Why salt reduction is getting harder for food makers
Governments may be returning to salt reduction targets, but manufacturers say the era of easy reformulation wins is long over
First Nestlé, now Danone: The infant formula contamination is spreading
The detection of cereulide in a batch of Aptamil infant formula pushes Danone deeper into the crisis
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
Letter from the editor
2026 diet trends: What is in, what is out and what does it mean for CPG brands?
Consumers are redefining ‘healthy’ and rethinking nutrition to focus on their physical and mental well-being, which is creating opportunities and challenges for brands
Diet Trends
Fiber’s comeback: Why snacks are embracing the next functional macro
Fiber is making a comeback in snacks as gut health trends, GLP-1 use and clean-label demands reshape functional food innovation
Diet Trends
Circana maps 3 ‘healthy eating’ white spaces for food manufacturers in 2026
Study highlights how fiber, convenience-driven healthy meals and mood-boosting products are redefining better-for-you trends
Rye January reveals how little Brits know about what’s in their bread
New consumer research shows that most UK consumers eat bread every day without really knowing what’s in it
The 3 nutrients quietly shaping mainstream snacks
Fiber, protein and whole grains aren’t new ideas but in 2026 they’re doing more than any superfood to reshape snack portfolios
US Dietary Guidelines sideline MyPlate in favor of inverted food pyramid
The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans spotlight an inverted food pyramid, effectively sidelining MyPlate and sparking debate among nutrition experts and educators
Ingredients Compendium No. 1: L-theanine
The need for calm drives a green tea amino acid into the snack aisle
In a world that feels louder, faster and harder to switch off, L-theanine is finding a new role in snacks
From jerky breakfasts to chocolate superfoods: The smarter snacking NPD
Protein is everywhere, but it’s showing up in warmer flavors, softer formats and more inclusive designs as brands rethink what ‘fuel’ really means
Longevity vs healthy ageing: What’s the difference in food?
Consumers are often attracted to the same diets for different reasons
‘Highly-processed’ or ‘ultra-processed’? New dietary guidelines reignite a definitional food fight
The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans avoid the term “ultra-processed foods,” prompting both praise and criticism
McDonald’s India’s millet bun is a smart, subtle fix for the fiber gap
A quiet change to a burger bun in India says more about where fiber is heading than any claim ever could
Is cycle syncing the next big thing in women’s nutrition?
Cycle‑syncing nutrition is exploding, and brands are betting big. Is this the next major wave in women’s health?
Mythbusting Dry January: What brands need to know about the alcohol-free movement
Think you know Dry January? Think again. The movement is now a worldwide phenomenon: yet it’s not always completely understood...
Sugar, stocks and scrutiny: Mondelez, Kraft and General Mills caught in Trump’s nutrition reset
The market reaction to Donald Trump’s dietary overhaul isn’t about kale versus cookies – it’s about whether Washington has finally decided the packaged food sector needs firmer rules, not friendlier guidance
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
The Big Shift: Five trends transforming food and beverage
Discover the breakthrough ideas redefining how food is created, regulated and trusted
From kings’ cake to crunchy corn: Comfort snacks get a smarter glow-up for 2026
Indulgent treats aren’t being replaced – they’re being refined. This latest wave of NPD upgrades familiar formats with cleaner labels, global flavor cues and subtle functional gains
Performance nutrition booms as ‘everyday athletes’ take over
How the ‘everyday athlete’ is powering up performance nutrition
Top beverage trends for 2026
What are the top trends defining soft drinks in the coming year and beyond?
A bakery & snacks survival guide for 2026
10 top trends resetting consumer appetite in 2026
From GLP-1-driven taste shifts to protein pressure and portion realism, 2026 won’t kill indulgence – it’ll demand that bakery and snacks work harder for every bite.
The snackdown: Peanuts are the humble ingredient we’re too trend-obsessed to notice
A lifesaving therapeutic food made of peanuts should be a wake-up call to every snack developer still chasing novelty over impact
Conagra absorbs $968M impairment as outlook holds
A nearly $1 billion write-down and soft Q2 weigh on the stock, yet management reaffirms its focus on frozen, snacks and value-led innovation
Meet the futuristic functional ingredients reshaping human health
From the mental health crisis to keeping an ageing population active, state-of-the art ingredients promise to help humanity bio-hack its way to peak performance. Here’s how
Why is there a whey protein shortage?
High demand and limited supply, in part due to its use with GLP-1 prescriptions, are leading to shortages of the protein
From mithai to mochi: The rise of the fusion-forward bakery trend
Heritage meets hustle as bakers turn cultural mashups into mainstream must-haves
Scandals, shockwaves & shakeups: 12 of 2025’s most standout moments
From billion-dollar brinkmanship to red-dye revolts and zero-gravity corn chips, 2025 proved nothing in bakery and snacks is too big, too weird or too controversial to make headlines
USDA policy update: “Product of USA” labeling rules, SNAP waiver expansions and nutrition-focused purchases
Recent policy moves reflect USDA’s broader direction toward nutrition-focused food assistance, domestic sourcing transparency and support of American agriculture
Dark chocolate’s anti‑ageing link unlocks big opportunities
Could dark chocolate become the next big anti‑ageing ingredient? New research suggests it might, and the opportunities for brands are huge
Beckham’s snack play: How BEEUP plans to sting the competition
Forget celebrity sidelines, David Beckham’s actually in the test kitchen: CEO Peter Stearns lifts the lid on how that shapes BEEUP’s next phase