All articles by julian turner
julian turner
Artificial intelligence – clean-label product formulation
As the clean-label trend gathers pace, more manufacturers than ever are keen to position their products as ‘natural’. But through rejecting notionally ‘artificial’ ingredients, they may be forced to make some difficult compromises. Ingredients Insight talks to Rachel Zemser, a food scientist and independent consultant, as she explains why clean-label product formulation is often so complex.
Push the boundaries – the encapsulation process
Flavour encapsulation is becoming increasingly indispensable to the food industry, helping manufacturers protect their ‘tastes’, reduce contamination, and improve storage and handling. Abi Millar talks to Rob McCarthy of TasteTech to find out how the encapsulation process has evolved over time and what the future might hold.
Vitafoods Asia 2016 expands education programme
Vitafoods Asia, the only event dedicated to the nutraceutical, functional food and beverages, and dietary supplement industries in Asia, has announced a series of learning activities specially organised for 2016.
Dairy debates – investigating milk substitutes
The health benefits of milk have come under scrutiny in recent years, with a growing body of research challenging the existing recommendations. The market for dairy alternatives is, therefore, on the rise, presenting important opportunities for manufacturers. With dairy remaining a key component of the Western diet, however, the industry needs to ensure that new substitutes are up to scratch. Abi Millar delves deep into dairy to find out more.
Keep our coffee green – UTZ Certified
Behind every cup of coffee is a web of environmentally damaging processes. Soil erosion; the contamination of soil and coffee berries; the use of agrochemicals in coffee; the pollution and contamination of water, groundwater and coastal water; and deforestation – these are just some of the consequences of unclean coffee production. UTZ Certified explains what can be done to tackle this disturbing reality.
Sugar-free sweetness – Canadean Consumer’s 2015 Q2 global survey
As the sugar backlash continues, what opportunities exist for alternative sweeteners? With insight from Canadean Consumer’s 2015 Q2 global survey, the market can identify consumer perceptions of different types of sugars and sweeteners, uncovering which sweeteners appeal to key target consumer groups and future innovation opportunities in the sector.
Function by the rules – regulating functional foods
Functional foods are growing in popularity and importance to the food industry, but with regulatory standards growing stricter, manufacturers must do more than ever to substantiate their health claims. Dr Jin Ji, executive vice-president and chief technology officer at Brunswick Laboratories, tells Abi Millar where this market is heading, and how specialist manufacturers are positioning themselves to take advantage of it.
Change tastes sweet – clean labels in the confectionery segment
While clean labels have been high on the agenda for some time now, the confectionery segment is not the most obvious place to find all-natural ingredients and health-oriented marketing claims. That said, with the world’s biggest confectionery manufacturers moving away from artificial flavourings, the tide could be set to turn. Ingredients Insight investigates the growing trend.
Break the Grasse ceiling – the Women in Flavor and Fragrance Commerce
The flavours and fragrances industry has long been dominated by men in white coats, but efforts over the past half a century to open it up to women have steadily made their mark. In this special report, Sarah Williams takes a look at the work of the Women in Flavor and Fragrance Commerce, and speaks to current president and Trendincite founder Amy Marks-McGee about what the future holds for women in the industry.
In or out: the great divide – outsourcing product development
Consumer demand for supplements and functional foods remains high, and in today’s highly regulated environment, business models are changing and many brand-owners are looking to outsource aspects of product development. Paul Altaffer of RFI Ingredients and John Altenburg of Vit-Best explain what this means for the industry.