Family farming is crucial to fighting the double burden of obesity and malnutrition, a "complex nutrition problem" present in Latin America, according to the FAO director-general, José Graziano da Silva.
Functional nighttime biscuits developed to relax and calm consumers before sleep is an area with great promise, particularly in Brazil where consumers seek guilt-free snacks that support emotional health, according to Mintel.
Sustainably sourced palm oil and soy have shot up the agenda of European retailers. According to Penny Coates, non-executive director of own brand retail solution providers S4RB, this is “just the beginning”.
The value of Argentinian food exports with the national quality seal ‘Argentine food: A natural choice’ has tripled in the first quarter of this year, reaching nearly US$16 million in value.
Cashew nut shells are commonly discarded as a waste product but a high antioxidant content could mean they have potential to be used as meat preservatives, say Brazilian researchers.
Children in Costa Rica are exposed to "an overabundance" of unhealthy food marketing on television with over 90% of adverts against World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, prompting calls for restrictions.
The future of cannabis in foods and supplements remains unclear for Mexico following the revocation of guidelines without any next-step plan, but a new regulatory instrument should come soon, says the principal of DPE International Consulting.
Eating a diet high in ultra-processed foods causes weight gain because the natural food matrix has been changed to remove fiber, according to the first randomized controlled trial (RCT) in this area.
PepsiCo has patented a process to co-ferment oats and dairy milk, creating a drinkable or spoonable product with "unique" metabolites and a versatile taste profile.
Bioactive peptides found in a common microalga inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and E. Coli bacteria by more than 90%, Colombian researchers have found.
Members of the International Food and Beverage Alliance (IFBA) have undertaken to limit the use of industrial trans fat (iTFA) in their products by 2023.
Brazilian politicians are trying to bring back the National Council of Food and Nutrition Security (CONSEA), suspending a provisional measure introduced by President Jair Bolsonaro that disbanded it.
Using hydrolysis to produce tequila allows Beam Suntory-owned Casa Sauza to save energy, waste less agave and improve the tequila’s flavor. We traveled to the town of Tequila to find out more.
The rare sugar nigerose can now be “easily” produced via a process that “can readily be scaled up for potential industrial purposes,” claims a breakthrough study.
A Korean pharmaceutical firm has patented the use of avocado oil fractions as active ingredients in the treatment and prevention of hearing loss, able to be used in dietary supplements and functional foods.
Barack Obama: ‘Laboratoria's success rate has been extraordinary’
Peruvian start-up Laboratoria trains Latin American women in tech, addressing the region's digital skills gap, helping companies hire diverse workers, fighting the macho mindset - and winning praise from Barack Obama and Mark Zuckerberg.
Corbion has launched a clean-label conditioning product that can improve the freshness and quality of tortilla products, a category that continues to grow with consumer demand.
Scientists have discovered the Vanilla bahiana orchid has 'good production potential' to become an alternative source of natural vanilla as it contains the right enzymes for vanillin biosynthesis.
Mexican start-up Xilinat has won first prize at Chivas Venture for its natural sweetener made from 'upcycled' agricultural waste thanks to a patent-protected process .
ConMéxico: 'This confirms the label is correct, truthful and transparent'
Mexico’s Supreme Court of Justice has ruled the country’s nutrition label, SEFAB, is constitutional and respects the public’s right to food, health and information, a decision welcomed by the food industry but decried by civil society.
Wind power will operate the company’s six confectionery and pet food facilities, cutting 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 – ideally 100% by 2040.
Nutrient-packed fresh spirulina has a neutral taste, creamy texture and is ideal for modern Mexicans to get the nutrients they are not finding in processed food, says supplier Spirulina Viva.
Mexico’s current nutrition label is deficient, incomprehensible and should be replaced by Chilean-style warning labels, a governmental advisory committee has said.
Amazonian fruits are valued for a plethora of functions like antimicrobial, antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory among other things, but the main benefit remains their antioxidant effect, a mini review finds.
More than two-thirds (66.1%) of the adult population in Argentina is considered overweight, according to a recent national survey, which FIC (Fundación InterAmericana del Corazón) Argentina believes can be attributed to the lack of effective public health...
Rappi, an on-demand food delivery service, has received an investment of "up to $1bn" from SoftBank and its 'Vision Fund', marking the largest technology investment made for a Latin America-based company to date.
A new global online database of 185 underutilized varieties of vegetables, fruits, grains, and wild edibles -- 78 of which are native to Brazil -- is readily available to food industry decision-makers with the goal of sparking new conservation and nutrition...
In a small cohort of overweight children, almost 25% were diagnosed with food addition, says a new study from Brazil. Among the factors associated with this diagnosis was a higher consumption of ultra-processed foods.
Kids’ products can often be divided into two groups, claims Chobani chief marketing and commercial officer Peter McGuinness: fun products that parents don’t feel great about buying, and ‘worthy’ products designed to appeal to parents but which lack appeal...
Nestlé wants 100% of its key commodities to be deforestation-free by next year. The company is leveraging technology as part of a “toolbox” to tackle risk areas and accelerate its journey towards a deforestation-free supply chain.
Front of pack (FOP) nutritional warnings do capture consumer attention and may steer them to a healthier choice within a category, says a new study from Uruguay.
The private sector forms a critical role in securing a universal health model across Latin America but it must be regulated and guided given how influential and complex industry is, says the High-level Commission of the Pan American Health Organization...
A plant-based diet cuts heart failure risk by over 40%, claims new research which strengthens the case that an intake of mainly of fruits and vegetables can reduce risk of heart disease.
The ongoing political, economic and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela has led to increases in both food insecurity and malnutrition, particularly among children, says a new study.
Açaí extracts have shown significant cytotoxic and antiproliferative action on prostate cancer cells in vitro, likely due to the fresh fruit's rich flavonoid content, warranting further investigation into potential use in clinical nutrition, says...
The Mexican bakery giant has refined the recipes of its Arnold, Brownberry and Oroweat bread brands to shrink ingredient lists – a move it said satisfies consumer demand.
Brazil moved one step closer to choosing a front-of-pack nutrition label as regulatory agency ANVISA publishes a report with over 33,000 public contributions.
By Brazil's ANVISA wraps up whole grain labeling consultation
Brazilian food authority ANVISA's open consultation on whole grain labeling ended last month, prompting public health experts to reiterate calls for stricter criteria.
Ecuadorian start-up Takay sources fruit that has been rejected by buyers for aesthetic reasons to create its healthy, ready-to-blend smoothie and ice cream mixes.
The Salvadoran government and Greet Climate Fund (GCF) will give over US$127 million to projects in El Salvador that build climate-change resilience in farming.
