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Pregnant woman carefully checking the nutrition label on a packaged food product while grocery shopping in a supermarket.

Reformulated but still “ultra-processed”? Inside the UPF classification dilemma

F&B manufacturers are reducing sugar or sodium levels in products to improve their nutritional profiles, but that does not necessarily mean the process of reformulation will lead to a change in classification. Reformulating out of the “ultra-processed” (UPF) category is complicated, partly because there is no universally accepted understanding of what “ultra-processed” actually means. Moreover, different frameworks can classify the same food differently.
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F&B trends 2027: How can brands turn nutrient density into new product opportunities?
Food and beverage innovation in 2027 will need to satisfy consumers who want more from each purchase: targeted nutrition, enjoyable experiences, and ingredients they trust. Innova Market Insights’ latest forecasts bring those demands together, with nutrient density leading its top ten trends. But while manufacturers refine protein quality and develop products for metabolic health, bold colors and unexpected textures help familiar formats feel new. 
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Penn State scientist: Human oversight must evolve as AI speeds food R&D
Information on food properties that affect quality, sensory performance, and safety is crucial for NPD and increasingly for training AI models as digital tools become embedded in food and beverage R&D workflows. However, most data is “scattered in literature,” making the development of food property databases time-consuming and difficult to scale, according to The Pennsylvania State University, US.Researchers at the university have developed AgentXtract — a tool combining human expertise and AI — to automatically transform scientific papers into databases that could help scientists overcome these challenges.
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One Fibre across the Food Industry
Less fat. Less sugar. More fibre. Cleaner labels. Today's formulators must do more with less and one fibre answers the brief. Upcycled from citrus peel, CEAMFIBRE® binds, texturises and enriches. Explore how this single ingredient delivers proven performance across fruit snacks, bakery fillings, dairy and meat applications.This Technical Paper is brought to you by CEAMSA.
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Let's reveal the grain potential: Innovate
Clean label has become a formulation constraint. (Re)formulating without compromising texture, stability, or taste demands a deep understanding of ingredient functionality. This session moves past the trend headlines to the technical reality behind them. We'll break down where beverage innovation is actually heading, what "clean" really means when it hits the ingredient list, and how cereal technology delivers functional performance without the additives.
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Biolev Plus Wall Yeast Biofermented Solution for Egg Replacement
Discover Biolev PLUS WALL, the yeast-based solution for total egg replacement in bakery, sauces, and savory products. Improve crumb structure, stabilize emulsions, and maintain volume without compromising texture. Achieve 100% plant-based, cholesterol-free formulations that lower raw material volatility. Contact Biolev for samples today.This video is brought to you by Biolev by Levapan.

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Barry Callebaut eyes recovery with Mondelēz deal and factory overhaul as...
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Barry Callebaut has signed a 15-year cocoa farming agreement with Mondelēz International, starting in Brazil, while approving manufacturing investments in Indonesia and Canada and proposing two plant closures. The announcements accompany FY2025/26 results showing that the chocolate and cocoa supplier still has ground to recover.
SupplySide Global 2026 review: Slushies, occasion-led drinks and mocktails...
Slushie wall at ADM stand.
Beverage innovation was a showstopper on the SupplySide Global 2026 show floor in Las Vegas, US, last week (Oct 28–31). Everyday drinks, RTDs, and functional beverages demonstrated how brands are tailoring drinks for consumer lifestyles and specific consumption occasions. Food Ingredients First unpacks some of the key beverage highlights from the event. 
ADM raises outlook as human nutrition and sweeteners face pressure
ADM office building at its facility in Decatur, Illinois, US.
ADM has raised its full-year 2026 earnings outlook as biofuels supported growth in the third quarter ended September 30, while its food ingredients businesses faced softer demand and cost pressures.
Beyond cocoa prices: Why manufacturers are rethinking recipes for long-term...
Woman biting into chocolate bar.
Easing cocoa bean prices have not removed the incentive for food manufacturers to rethink their confectionery recipes. According to Kerry and Symrise, continuing uncertainty over costs and availability is making cocoa optimization a longer-term product development priority, with taste, functionality, and sourcing resilience determining which approaches can succeed. Speaking to Food Ingredients First, the companies describe complementary routes to reducing cocoa dependence, from targeted sensory solutions that support lower-cocoa recipes to fermentation technologies and alternative agricultural ingredients. For Anna Kosubski, category manager Sweet for EMEA at Symrise, weather events, crop disease, aging trees, and concentrated sourcing regions continue to complicate the outlook.
Fi Europe 2026: FrieslandCampina Ingredients pushes clear protein into soda
People cheersing with red, clear drinks in glass bottles.
FrieslandCampina Ingredients will showcase a new pre-acidified whey isolate for clear protein drinks at Fi Europe 2026, alongside concepts that put protein into compact shots, drinkable yogurt, and confectionery-style bars. The company’s showcase in Frankfurt, Germany, (Nov 17–19), will focus on helping manufacturers develop protein-rich products with different textures and drinking experiences. Applications range from low-sugar soda to a marshmallow-inspired bar, with compact nutrition also addressing the needs of GLP-1 users. 
SupplySide Global 2026: Healthy aging drives GLP-1, gut & menopause launches
SupplySide Global 2026

Nutrition Insight

Healthy aging emerged as the common trend at the recent SupplySide Global 2026 trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada, US. Nutrition Insight spoke with Givaudan, dsm-firmenich, Akay Bioactives, Rousselot, OmniActive Health Technologies, and Formo about new product launches and research in gut health, metabolic support, cognition, women’s health, and protein. “Almost every category could now fit into this idea of healthspan and longevity,” said Brian Appell, marketing manager for nutra and the Americas at Givaudan. “We see a convergence of benefits.” “For example, cognitive health isn’t necessarily a category that stands by itself anymore,” he told us. “It’s about how it relates to different consumer groups, because the younger consumer group isn’t necessarily interested in memory the way an older consumer group is.” 
Highlighted features
Variety of food on the table, cooked in the air fryer.
Food Ingredients News
How Unilever is targeting the air fryer boom as cooking...
Air fryers are reshaping at-home cooking habits and influencing food innovation, creating opportunities for manufacturers as consumers seek convenient, flavor-led meals. From adapting existing products to exploring new formats and flavor profiles, the appliance — widely regarded as one of the most significant shifts in home cooking technology in recent years — is becoming an increasingly important consideration for food brands.
male chef in white apron with biscuit samples
Food Ingredients News
Barry Callebaut rewrites the chocolate flavor playbook with...
Barry Callebaut is bringing fermentation deeper into chocolate NPD with Flavourcode — its latest innovation platform designed to give manufacturers greater control over flavor differentiation at scale. The approach targets distinctive cocoa profiles while opening opportunities across finished applications, supply chain scale-up, and higher-cocoa, lower-sugar reformulation.
A person in the gym holds a protein bar as a healthy snack to refuel after exercise.
New Product Development
Ingredion webinar preview: Building better nutrition...
Consumers increasingly want foods and beverages to deliver more nutritional benefits without sacrificing the eating experience. Demand for protein, fiber, and sugar reduction is raising the bar for formulators, who must balance these benefits with expectations around taste, texture, convenience, and value, according to Ingredion.

Ingredient focus

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Unlocking protein opportunitiesNov2026

Innova Market Insights data shows protein ingredient use in food and beverage launches growing at a 5% CAGR from October 2021 to September 2025. Europe leads with 43% of launches, bakery is the top ca...

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Lallemand Bio-Ingredients

Product innovation

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Color solutions uncovered Nov 2026

Innova Market Insights data shows that 76% of consumers globally say that food and drinks can improve their mood. New product launches highlight how vibrant colors can enhance visual appeal, add a sense of fun, and make everyday eating experiences more enjoyable.

Trend analysis

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Natural preservation breakthroughsNov 2026

Innova Market Insights data shows F&B launches with natural preservatives growing at a 4% CAGR from October 2021 to September 2026. Consumers are driving this shift, with the majority saying they trust familiar natural ingredients over complex or synthetic ones. Europe leads with 47% of launches, while ready meals are the top category at 15%.

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June Lin, ADM
Video09:32
SupplySide Global 2026: ADM advances microbiome innovation with postbiotics and phagebiotics

ADM brought its microbiome portfolio to SupplySide Global, highlighting new research on the postbiotic Lactobacillus gasseri CP2305 and offering an early look at phagebiotics. The company also previewed findings from its upcoming Women’s Health Report and showcased application concepts,...

SupplySide Global 2026 Ingredion video thumbnail: Two smiling professionals at an Ingredion trade show booth featuring prebiotic supplements, gut health gummies, and carrot displays
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SupplySide Global 2026: Ingredion blends protein, fiber and sugar reduction for F&B innovation
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SupplySide Global 2026: Microdried brings dairy protein beyond the cold chain
Karlis Nollendorfs, Cargill
Video08:54
SupplySide Global 2026: Cargill talks “Beyond Nutrition” as consumers “self author” their health
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