California’s tortilla rule underscores the shift in market power
The Golden State’s folic acid mandate for corn masa shows how one state is once again reshaping national manufacturing
Regulation, policy & food safety
FDA delays beetroot red and spirulina color approvals amid stakeholder safety and labeling worries
Agency delays effective dates for color additives after GMO/Toxin Free USA and Obelisk Tech Systems challenge safety reviews and ‘no artificial colors’ labeling
Scaling precision fermentation: Why capital and collaboration remain the biggest hurdles
Industry experts cite massive CapEx, supply bottlenecks and regulatory complexity as key barriers
Rising grocery costs loom as Middle East conflicts disrupt supply chains
As oil and fertilizer prices squeeze margins, farmers and manufacturers must make tough decisions on pricing, pack sizes and innovation
Future Food-Tech San Francisco
From climate shocks to GLP-1 impacts: Why the food chain must adapt now
Industry and public-sector leaders say stronger collaboration and smarter policy are essential to building a sustainable, data-informed food system
Are calorie counts wrong or just outdated? David Protein lawsuit sparks debate
A lawsuit challenging the nutrition claims of David Protein bars is putting calorie counts under the microscope and highlighting a deeper debate over how those numbers are determined in the first place.
Sweet proteins promise a sugar reset but new questions are emerging
Oobli’s CEO is betting on protein-based sweetness to cut sugar at scale, but the shift raises uncomfortable questions for regulators, manufacturers and the supply chain
Why Big Food is reformulating growth not just recipes
From halted breakups to billion-dollar buyouts, the world’s biggest food groups aren’t just tweaking products, they’re rethinking how growth works
Glyphosate in baby cereal sparks safety alarm in South Africa
A watchdog report detecting herbicide residues in bread, flour and infant cereal is reigniting the safety debate and putting pressure on regulators to act
Inside Burlap & Barrel’s lawsuit against President Donald Trump
A small US-based spice importer is taking the Trump administration to court over sweeping tariffs it says threaten small businesses and global farming partners
Ozempic’s chocolate contradiction: Indulgence isn’t disappearing, it’s trading up
As appetite-suppressing drugs take hold, the real shift in snacking may not be how much people eat but how deliberately they choose to indulge
Opinion
The new paradox: Protein vs processing
Protein is the snack industry’s hottest claim but if the foods delivering it are still ultra-processed, the sector may be building its next health halo on shaky ground
New light-scattering additive to replace shunned titanium dioxide
Safer whitening may be on the horizon for confectionery, bakery and dairy, thanks to a new alternative to one of food’s most controversial additives
Half of US shoppers worry about artificial ingredients, want EU-style bans
A new Acosta Group study finds growing demand for transparency and cleaner labels as consumers push for stricter rules on artificial ingredients
RFK Jr targets food dyes, SNAP and UPFs in MAHA rally keynote
The MAHA Rally for Real Food echoed RFK Jr’s agenda to clean up US food, including a formal definition of UPFs expected next month, but critics worry a lack of evidence-based policy will confuse consumers and impact companies’ bottom lines
5 innovations desperately needed for EUDR compliance
Adhering to EUDR’s complex requirements isn’t easy, but the right innovations can help
The tale of two spin-offs: What the Kellogg breakup really achieved
Kellogg’s 2023 split was sold as a focus play. Less than two years later, both companies had been sold. So what was the split really for?
Opinion
The ultra-processed foods debate has nuance - let’s recognise it
To understand how processing affects food consumption, don’t caricature either side of the debate
At what point does ‘transparency’ become operational chaos?
In the US, the drive for ingredient transparency is beginning to feel less like steady progress and more like a stress test for the modern food system
A new California bill could change how food ingredients get FDA green light
In the absence of swift federal action, California is proposing to ban food additives it deems unsafe or poorly tested
FDA’s new ‘healthy’ rules are shifting power in the food supply chain
As manufacturers race to meet the FDA’s new ‘healthy’ definition, the real pressure point isn’t reformulation – it’s sourcing, leverage and timing
Industry, brace for change: Momentum builds behind Global Plastics Treaty
After negotiations failed to finalise a global treaty on plastic pollution last year, new hope is on the horizon
Supreme Court strikes down Trump’s tariff policy
The decision is likely to spark a wave of lawsuits from businesses across the food and beverage industry and beyond
FDA allergen threshold guidance could reduce liability for food brands
FDA guidance on allergen thresholds may help brands label products more consistently while reducing risk
EFSA refuses to confirm sucralose safety in biscuits and cookies
The food safety body has ruled that the sweetener is still safe, but not in bakery
Why governments across southern Africa keep bread prices on a tight leash
From subsidies to price caps, bread pricing remains politically charged across southern Africa, forcing governments to intervene to curb inflation and prevent unrest
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
From breakfast staple to cultural treat: The reframing of sugary cereals in a MAHA era
Sugary cereals are no longer breakfast staples, but they’re not disappearing either
Brand protection strategies in an evolving retail landscape
UK retail is operating in a challenging environment. Consumers are cautious, competition is global, and ‘dupe culture’ continues to blur the boundaries between inspiration and imitation, writes Michael Conway, partner in the intellectual property team at...
FDA to re-examine controversial BHA preservative, a move advocates say is overdue
The long-awaited re-evaluation of butylated hydroxyanisole could preview the agency’s future approach to food additives flagged under federal and state chemical safety proposals
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
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
FDA eases ‘no artificial colors’ labeling rules, paves way for natural color adoption
FDA eases ‘no artificial colors’ claims, but ambiguity over ‘petroleum-based dyes’ leaves manufacturers cautious
Food companies further limit advertising to children across digital media
Coca-Cola, Campbell’s, General Mills and other CPG and fast-food companies expanded voluntary advertising restrictions across digital platforms after research found most children encounter unhealthy food branding on YouTube
Inside Magnum and Ben & Jerry’s legal battle
A long‑running feud between B&J’s and its parent has escalated into a governance battle - here’s the latest
Are bread bags holding back recyclable packaging?
A new ultra-thin mono-material bread bag suggests the biggest barrier to recyclable packaging may no longer be technology but habit
What does clean label mean for bakery in 2026?
From synthetic color bans to rising scrutiny of processing, clean label is becoming less about claims and more about hard formulation and policy choices
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
Why the FDA is revisiting gluten disclosure
FDA’s latest Request for Information (RFI) could reshape how gluten-containing ingredients are disclosed – raising new compliance questions for brands and offering clearer signals for consumers who rely on accurate labeling
When trust turns toxic: Mars exec jailed in $28m fraud case that exposed insider risk
Former Mars executive Paul Steed’s 63-month prison sentence for stealing more than $28m exposes how insider fraud can persist inside global food companies – and why scale can magnify risk
Bread merger puts consumer affordability under global regulatory spotlight
A UK competition probe into a proposed bread merger is expanding beyond market structure, with regulators explicitly weighing consumer affordability and staple food supply
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
Danone and Lactalis embroiled in global infant formula crisis
Two dairy majors have pulled infant formula products as cereulide fears spread beyond Nestlé
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
Study finds dietary guidelines linked to forced labor risks in supply chain
Seafood, dairy and red meat carry a higher risk of forced labor, according to a new Tufts and University of Nottingham study that maps labor exploitation across popular US diets
How regulation will reshape the UK food and drink sector in 2026
Legal expert, Andrew Walker, partner in the MMT team at Morton Fraser MacRoberts, highlights the top three regulatory changes set to impact the UK food and beverage industry this year.
Nestlé’s F1 deal signals industry shift
KitKat’s Formula 1 move is more than a gimmick – it marks a potential new trend in confectionery