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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Amaranth, Mexico’s native grain is now part of the country's 'basic basket' of goods, an official come-back for this nutritious superfood that was sacred to the Aztecs. We look at how manufacturers can use it in their products.
Argentina's food waste law, which encourages food businesses to donate surplus produce to food banks while protecting them from prosecution, has entered into force.
Brand familiarity and trust create a protective 'shield’ that leads consumers to perceive a product as healthy – even if a red warning traffic light is telling them otherwise, according to data from Ecuador and Chile.
The Cuban government wants more international investment in the country's food industry - a tempting proposition given there are few foreign competitors. But how easy is it to do business in a communist country?
Arcor’s head of nutrition development tells us how it is making its products healthier, from reducing sugar with prebiotics and researching fat crystallization to applying nutrient thresholds and shrinking portion sizes.
One in 10 products is failing to meet mandatory maximum salt levels in Argentina, according to a survey, prompting health campaigners to call for stricter government monitoring.
Sixty percent of Chileans were willing to try an empanada filled with insect protein, according to a study by the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.
Brazil’s Institute of Consumer Protection (IDEC) has launched a platform that allows the public to identify ‘misleading’ or ‘abusive’ food advertising.
The NOVA food classification bears "striking similarity" to the way ordinary Brazilians classify food, increasing its efficacy, according to a study. "This classification has introduced a new way of thinking about food," they write.
Stevia, allulose, and fiber are Tate & Lyle’s three key ingredients for successful sugar reduction in Latin America. “These will show the biggest growth in Latin America for sugar reduction,” it says.
Nestlé Brazil's legal vice president Flavio de Souza, the new chair of Brazilian trade association ABIA, has slammed warning nutrition labels as misleading and alarmist.
Nuts are "delicious, nutritious and tailor-made for the functional food market"- but the market in Brazil is stagnating. FoodNavigator-LATAM caught up with the president of trade association ABNC about how it plans to change this.
In price-sensitive markets such as Latin America, does clean label reformulation to make products healthier or more natural offer a return on investment?
Chili peppers are an essential part of Mexican cuisine, and the country's hot sauce category is a very busy space. So how can products stand out? We spoke to some companies that claim to be doing things differently.
Adding the Nutri-Score to food and drink resulted in Colombians choosing more green-labeled products - not fewer red ones - and spending more overall in-store. “This is a potential financial incentive to stores,” say the researchers.
Mexico's leading coconut milk brand talks about new product development and how healthy drinks can compete with soda. "Coconuts have been popular in Mexico since forever. It's just that now companies are transforming them into everyday...
We hit Mexico's ANTAD Alimentaria last week to seek out the latest trends in finished products. From cactus snacks to green banana flour; matcha horchata to lemon popcorn, this is what we saw.
Maza Real is creating a market for native, Mexican-grown maize by buying red, blue and white criollo varieties from farmers. Consumers want to go "back to natural and back to their roots”, it says.
One of the world's favorite flavors, vanilla originates from Mexico, and the vanilla produced there has its own aromatic profile with balanced vanillin, chocolate and spice notes, according to supplier Zanilli.
'What we're wrestling with is whether CBD is an ingredient play, or something huge brands can be built around'
The fact that CBD is not a legal ingredient in foods and supplements - at least not yet - did not deter scores of exhibitors at Expo West, who added it to everything from soda to protein bars (absent any claims), with some opting for isolates, but most...
Latin American consumers want to buy better, safer food and companies need to react, according to R&D company AINIA. 'The dual forces of consumer awareness and legislation are evolving the market,' says its director of international projects.
In a global ranking for CBD potential and cannabis market 'readiness', Latin America ranks second. We spoke to experts about how big a role Latino countries could play in an industry predicted to be worth US$2.5 billion by 2026.
Brazilian craft chocolate brand Mestiço was founded by a Bahian cocoa farmer who saw artisan chocolate as a way to escape the uncertainty of the fluctuating cocoa commodity market. We spoke to its founder and CEO.
Mexican bakery giant Grupo Bimbo posted record sales in 2018 and has expanded its presence in Chile with the acquisition of biscuit and cake manufacturer Nutra Bien.
Chile's strict food regulations are helping mothers - and even children - make healthier food choices for the family, according to a study. The findings are “overwhelmingly positive”, say the researchers.
The Maize for Colombia partnership will invest US$1 million over the next five years to develop non-GMO corn varieties that are resistant to climate change.
Specialty nut and seed oils from the Amazon, such as murumuru, could be used to replace cocoa butter or to boost the nutritional profile of products such as margarine, Brazilian researchers say.
Young Argentinians' and Ecuadorians' perception of ultra-processed food is closely aligned with the original definition, recent research suggests, and the results can help manufacturers with successful new product development.
Most packaged food products in Latin America are meeting regional salt reduction targets, according to a first-of-its-kind survey - but this is probably because the targets were set too high, researchers say.
Chile is on a drive to increase investment and innovation by offering tax breaks for research and development (R&D) in any sector. “Chile is the natural laboratory for companies who want to see how the market responds to a product," says InvestChile
Chile's Gelymar is developing a "completely new" range of apple fiber products and making seaweed sourcing more sustainable. "Natural, unique and sustainable are the three pillars that will dominate the future hydrocolloid industry,"...
Latin American manufacturers are interested in cleaning up food labels but the region's lack of harmonization is limiting uptake, says Chr. Hansen’s LATAM vice president.
Reformulating to remove warning labels by cutting salt and fat makes a product seem healthier than creating a health halo by adding fiber or vitamins, Chilean researchers have found.
There is a high level of public support for front-of-pack nutrition warning labels among the Uruguayan public, according to a 1,400-strong survey. “In the Latin American context, the Chilean scheme seems particularly appropriate," write the researchers.
The caramel and fruity notes of sapote make it ideal for both creamy dairy and acidic beverage applications, and can help manufacturers appeal to Latin American consumers, says supplier Aromatech.
