FoodIngredients First

The F&B alternative protein industry is moving into a more demanding phase, as market demands converge with evolving consumer expectations and a tightening regulatory environment. Consumers increasingly prefer products with shorter and simpler ingredient lists, pushing manufacturers to balance clean label demands with challenges around scale-up and cost control.

Ingredion has unveiled Ask Ingredion — a “conversational” AI-powered ingredient assistant that helps R&D and technical teams overcome formulation challenges faster and more effectively. The launch reflects how F&B ingredient suppliers are increasingly using AI to support NPD, moving beyond manual searches for insight-led guidance.

Clean label innovation is entering a more demanding phase. Ahead of IFT FIRST 2026 in Chicago, US (Jul 12–15), ingredient suppliers say brands are moving beyond simple replacement claims and looking for natural, transparent solutions that can withstand the realities of commercial production. 

That demand means natural colors must perform through heat, pH shifts, an...

At IFT FIRST in Chicago, FoodChain ID will showcase the next phase of its connected intelligence framework with live demos of its Mentor AI platform. At the US-based tradeshow (July 12–15), the company will preview Mentor’s AI innovations, including real-time regulatory and market intelligence monitoring.

Food tech company Circular Grain is set to launch Tremi — a nutrient-rich milk alternative made using spent brewer’s grain, a byproduct of beer production often used as animal feed. The innovation will feature alongside nine others at this year’s Amazon Sustainability Accelerator program. The program is focused on upcycling waste products from various industries into new ever...