Future food processing: How transparency, sustainability & personalization drive industry innovation

Food processing technologies are evolving beyond the F&B industry’s efficiency and output focus to meet rising consumer demands for transparency and sustainability. As interest in ingredient sourcing grows, the future of food processing is shifting toward “multi-objective performance,” aligning with health goals and personalized diets, like those supporting GLP-1 medications.

Industry leaders tout next-generation processing methods, such as freeze structuring for improving protein texture, solid-state fermentation for clean label improvements, and AI for proactive quality control, to shape the future of food processing. Blockchain technology, sensors, and automated monitoring will play a key role in bolstering companies’ traceability and food safety initiatives.

Meanwhile, ongoing discussion around ultra-processed food (UPF) continues to spark industry debate, with consumers associating these products with unhealthy indulgence, according to Innova Market Insights. Consumer habits shifting toward cooking from scratch are driving the need for reformulation that offers the fresh, authentic characteristics consumers seek, according to the market researcher.

The need for more efficient, circular, and resource-optimized food processing systems is underscored by UN FAO data, which estimates that global food demand may increase by nearly 60% by 2050.

Food Ingredients First speaks with ABF Ingredients and Bühler to explore the future of food processing technologies and how key players are upgrading to meet evolving consumer demands for transparency, sustainability, and health-driven products.

Redefining food processing

Aaron Rasmussen, head of global applications at ABF Ingredients’ subsidiary Ohly, says consumers are no longer satisfied with a simple “natural” claim and are demanding transparency from manufacturers.

Aaron Rasmussen: Consumers want to know if food products align with their values on sustainability and responsible processing.“They want to know how a product is produced and where the ingredients in it come from. They also want to understand whether these products align with their values around sustainability and responsible (or low) processing,” he says.

Additionally, processing is no longer only about how food is made, but about how value is demonstrated, Lukas Frei, head of market segment, Proteins and Ingredients at Bühler Group, tells us.

“In the past, food processing was largely defined by capacity, food safety, and cost. The focus was on high overall equipment effectiveness, ensuring stable output and compliance.”

“Today, processing is being redefined by a convergence of pressures: volatile raw materials driven by crop-to-crop variability and supply chain disruptions; faster innovation cycles (including technologies such as solid-state fermentation, freeze structuring, and 3D printing); increasing scrutiny on sustainability; and consumers who evaluate not only the final product, but also how it is produced.”

Supporting sustainability

Innova Market Insights’ sustainability trends 2025 show that F&B products emphasizing sustainability and high quality have increased by 18%, with over 56% consumers open to new technologies that grow climate-resilient crops.

Citing fermentation’s example, Rasmussen explains that this technology continues to emerge as a “pivotal processing technique that allows manufacturers to meet this demand for cleaner, more sustainable ingredient solutions.”

“As fermentation scales across food, beverage, and biotech applications, producers need reliable nutrient mixes that deliver strong performance and predictable yield,” he says.

Ohly’s X-Seed yeast-based nutrients offer “reproducible and robust” fermentation performance and batch-to-batch consistency for manufacturers. 

“In addition, X-Seed bionutrients come with a ClimatePartner Certification, including a Product Carbon Footprint, providing manufacturers with the confidence and capability to scale fermentation efficiently and responsibly,” Rasmussen adds.

The ultra-processed foods debate

UPFs are driving a major conversation in the global F&B industry, yet “there is still no globally accepted legal definition,” notes Rasmussen. Multiple definitions of UPFs that do not align can confuse consumers and lead them to question the usefulness of such terminology.

Inclusion of whole grains and legumes drives re-engineering to meet consumer demand for higher fiber, plant protein, and recognizable crops, says Lukas Frei.“Regulators and manufacturers alike are working to understand and clarify what UPF really means for consumers and product developers. As we continue this conversation, greater transparency in labeling and better education around long-established processing methods will be essential steps in strengthening consumer trust.”

Frei says that while consumers recognize that “some degree of processing” is required to ensure food safety and quality, there is an increasing push toward fewer, less refined, and more recognizable ingredients.

“This means achieving the same sensory stability with fewer and simpler ingredient declarations while lowering the environmental footprint.”

He points to three key trends emerging in food processing: process innovations replacing complex formulations, whole grains and legumes driving reformulation, and sustainability integrated into engineering design.

“Consumers want higher fiber, more plant protein, and recognizable crops. This requires changes in milling, blending, conditioning, extrusion, and drying to manage performance and consistency.”

Building consumer trust

Rasmussen says manufacturers can create consumer trust in processed foods by reducing or removing ingredients that carry negative perceptions, such as preservatives or artificial colors.”

“This shift has helped drive innovation in clean label ingredients. As fermentation-derived ingredients, yeast extracts add depth of flavor, umami, and can support nutritional improvement, helping manufacturers achieve cleaner labels depending on the region and application,” he explains.

Meanwhile, Frei underscores that consumers have become more critical of the type and number of ingredients and additives used in food formulations due to the enhanced scrutiny of UPFs.

“As a result, brands of nutrient-poor products are under pressure to look for opportunities to boost health-promoting ingredients, especially fiber and protein.”

“What remains true is that health impact is driven primarily by overall dietary patterns and formulation choices, while processing often provides essential benefits: food safety, shelf life (less waste), affordability, and consistent nutrient delivery.”

Inside next-gen processing

Amid the next-gen technologies shaping the future of food processing, “freeze structuring” is gaining attention as a structuring tool, particularly in protein and fiber systems where texture is difficult to achieve without additives.

Ohly’s X-Seed yeast extracts provide consistent composition and performance, backed by decades of fermentation and precision extraction experience.“The method controls crystal formation and subsequent water redistribution, and helps form aligned, porous, or layered microstructures that influence bite, water-holding capacity, and mouthfeel,” says Frei.

Solid-state fermentation, which involves fermenting on moist solids rather than in a liquid broth, is increasingly relevant for cereals and legumes. It can reduce off-notes like “beany” flavors in legumes, improve digestibility, and create functional changes in dough and extrusion behavior through enzymatic activity.

Digitalization and AI help manufacturers move decision-making from human judgment to real-time data, reducing major failures and improving overall quality, as gradual drift caused by wear, fouling, or airflow degradation is continuously detected.

Rasmussen highlights the role of fermentation in Ohly’s operations, including ongoing investments at the company’s Hamburg, Germany, fermentation plant. The company produces yeast-based flavors, extracts, and other functional ingredients for various F&B applications.

“We’re upgrading the site with state-of-the-art, more efficient fermentation systems, energy recovery technology, and process improvements that reduce waste, water, and energy use, lowering our carbon emissions.”

“These investments support our goal of decarbonizing operations (across scopes 1 and 2) at our Hamburg facility by 2030, while continuing to deliver high-quality, yeast-based ingredients.”

Impact of personalized diets and global crises

As consumers seek health and longevity benefits from foods, Frei observes a rising demand for tailor-made diets, such as for GLP-1.

“Future lines will be designed for multi-objective performance. For high-volume categories, such as extruded snacks, puffed cereals, and pasta, the winning strategy is shifting from maximizing line speed to maximizing consistent functionality per unit of energy and water, minimizing waste, and being able to demonstrate these outcomes transparently,” he explains.

Describing extrusion as a “highly versatile technology,” Frei expects the method to remain crucial in processing final and intermediate products in future food systems, since it combines several unit operations, lowers contamination risks, and minimizes food waste.

Improved labeling transparency and better education on processing methods are essential for building consumer trust.He also points to the ongoing global crises affecting raw material availability, quality, and price, expecting the “variability tolerance in modern food lines” to further increase.

“A broader range of raw material qualities (such as variations in protein and starch content, wholegrain inputs, or higher legume inclusion) must be processed with minimal out-of-spec product and reduced downtime for process adjustments.”

A transparent and policy-driven future

As consumer interest in UPFs grows, Frei says the biggest lever in F&B processing advancements will be “purpose-based transparency.”

“Food manufacturers will increasingly be pushed — by consumers and policymakers — to explain what the process does and to demonstrate measurable outcomes (e.g., food-safety controls, nutrient-retention approaches, and waste reduction through improved shelf life).”

“Companies that communicate clearly and back it with data will be better positioned with both consumers and regulators.”

Rasmussen also emphasizes the importance of transparency between manufacturers and consumers for future success.

“Companies that will lead in innovation are those creating ingredients that consumers can easily understand, while delivering on expectations for sustainability, data transparency, and responsible processing. Success will come from developing solutions that balance transparency and function, with efficient and responsible manufacturing.”