Developing new food products in Brazil, a country of continental proportions, can be a daunting task. We caught up with Brazilian NPD consultant, Cristina Leonhardt, known as Mrs Innovative, to find out where to start.
Argentinian supplier DPAustral has developed an additive that prevents melanosis in prawns and other crustaceans, allowing manufacturers to tap into the global trend for sulfite-free products, it says.
Creating fusion foods, such as quinoa or amaranth gnocchi, is a good way to add value to native and nutritious Andean ingredients, according to Argentinian scientists.
Mexican food design agency Foodlosofia has worked with industry giants such as PepsiCo and Heineken to develop new products, retail concepts and eating experiences. We caught up with its CEO and creative designer to find out more.
Slow-fermented chickpea miso is full of natural umami notes, making it a great way to enhance flavor, reduce salt and add beneficial bacteria to food, says Brazilian company Missô Origem.
Everyone has heard of French mustard, Japanese wasabi, and Mexican hot sauce - but what about Brazil? SoulBrasil Cuisine is on a mission to create condiments that reflect Brazil's biodiversity and culinary heritage.
BioZen, which claims to be the first company to make kombucha in Brazil, is launching fruit kefir. We talked to its co-founder about low-sugar drinks, gut health and reaching male consumers.
Dried fruit and vegetable powders allow manufacturers to add extra nutrients and color to food and drink products, says Brazilian supplier Sylvestre Natural Ingredients.
São Paulo start-up Mun is bringing tempeh - a protein made from whole, fermented pulses that originates from Indonesia - to Brazil. We caught up with the co-founder at BioBrazil last week.
The rheological properties of fructans from the agave tequilana cactus make them useful as texture agents in food products, according to Mexican scientists.
'The future of food is unlocking the potential of proteins’ says CEO
Protera Biosciences enzymatically engineers the proteins in food to make them healthier and more functional; turning saturated fats into healthier, unsaturated ones is just one possibility. We caught up with its CEO and founder to find out more.
Sweet Green Fields has launched a patent-pending taste modulator derived from the stevia leaf that increases the perceived sweetness of high-intensity sweeteners.
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.
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 .
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.
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.
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.
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.
Argentinian scientists and tech firm EnyeTech have optimized the production process for mycoprotein, allowing for cheaper production both industrially and in the home. "We are decentralizing the production of protein in the world," says the...
Start-up accelerator TIC Colombia is on the hunt for innovative food, nutrition and agriculture start-ups to accelerate in its 2019 nationwide competition.
De-cocainized coca leaf extract makes diet cola sodas taste better, according to a patent, and the scientist behind it is promising "a revolution in soda beverages that benefits the people of South America, not anonymous multinationals".
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?
Through a diverse portfolio of products, ranging from commodity-style basics to premium products, Grupo Lala ensures it appeals to Mexico's diverse population. 'We want to be the number one leader in dairy R&D and product development,'...
Mexican start-up Bio B uses locally-sourced ingredients in smoothie mixes and protein bars, such as inulin from agave cacti, cocoa from Tabasco, and Mexican-grown moringa.
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...
DuPont is making its range of fermentation cultures for plant-based dairy alternatives, such as soy and coconut milk, available to manufacturers in South America.
Bezos Expeditions and ethical investment firm The Craftory will give Chilean plant-based start-up The Not Company US$30 million. “NotCo has the energy and capabilities to topple the traditional food production giants,” says The Craftory.
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.
Búho Soda is Mexico's first all-natural, low-sugar soft drink made using locally-sourced ingredients, according to its manufacturer - and inspiration came from the country's booming craft beer movement, the start-up founder says.
Demand for plant-based products in Mexico is small but growing fast, according to supplier DuPont, as it shows customers how to incorporate soy into traditional Mexican dishes at Carne y Lacteos in Monterrey.
With global demand for avocados set to rise by 15% annually until 2024, the boom is benefitting Latin American countries through job and wealth creation, according to the World Avocado Organization (WAO).
Danone Waters Brazil has launched 4U, a range of premium carbonated juices and flavored teas to meet demand for healthy, natural beverages in the country.
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.
The Social Gastronomy Movement, a network of farm-to-fork actors offering solutions to issues such as food waste and poor nutrition, is being rolled out around the world with pilot hubs in Chile and Brazil.
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.
