Mexican food manufacturer Kua Foods, which has a mixed portfolio ranging from healthy smoothie mixes to candy, is following Mexico's nutrition label developments carefully. "We’re not worried, just waiting to see," says its business manager....
Brazilian consumers are interested in buying products made with nopal cactus, seen as a healthy functional food, according to a recent study. But how much export potential does the cactus really have in Latin America?
Demand for blue corn products in Mexico is booming and consumers are willing to pay a premium price of up to 33%, according to recent research by CIMMYT.
Native to Patagonia, maqui berries are packed with polyphenols, have a ‘rounded’ flavour and definite superfruit potential, says freeze-dry specialist SouthAm.
The business developer behind Oatly and a team of Bolivian scientists have developed Quiny, a patent-protected and naturally sweet quinoa powder for plant-based milks, and are gearing up for a Latin American launch.
From creating amaranth and cactus snacks to supporting nutrition labels in Latin America, PepsiCo is listening to consumer demands for healthy products and clear nutrition information, according to Ricardo Pimenta, vice president of nutrition at PepsiCo...
Brazilian supplier Duas Rodas has developed an aromatic herbal extract that allows beverage manufacturers to create botanical-based ingredients and drinks with an "expressive" taste profile.
Israeli ag-tech firm Equinom is breeding 'better' quinoa with more protein, higher yields and a less bitter flavor. We talk to its CEO about its potential to be used as a plant protein isolate.
LiveKuna is blending native superfoods, such as chia seeds and quinoa, with probiotics and adding them into convenient formats in order to expand their reach.
Toasted babassu oil is a perfect substitute for coconut oil thanks to its delicate flavor profile, lower price, and similar nutritional and functional qualities, says Concepta Ingredients.
Brazil’s ready meal market is small and options are uninspiring – think frozen lasagna. But regional dishes, fresh ingredients and cook-it-yourself meal kits could change this, says Mintel.
Produza's culinary oil, a blend of chia and extra virgin olive oil flavored with Mediterranean herbs, provides a good mix of healthy omega-3, 6, and 9 fatty acids and taste, it says.
Dairy-free start-up Zahini wants to grow Mexico's domestic free-from sector, starting with its range of coconut yogurt alternatives fermented with live cultures.
Acai's popularity is well established in Brazil but watch out for cocoa-like cupuaçu, says Frutos da Amazonia, which uses native ingredients from the Amazon in its range of premium products.
Newly formed, non-profit ProMaíz Nativo will promote Mexico’s native corn biodiversity with a front-of-pack logo to help consumers choose sustainably-grown, heirloom varieties.
Fortified chocolate and artisan vodka distilled from native varieties of potato are just two products to hit the market with the support of Peruvian investment program Innóvate Peru.
From probiotic cheeses in Brazil to mamey sapote-flavored drinking yogurt in Mexico, we take a look at some products tapping into Latin America's top dairy trends, according to market research firm Zenith Global
Despite Venezuela's spiraling economic and political crisis, Givaudan says it remains committed to its tonka beans sourcing partnership with non-profit Conservation International.
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.
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.
Tortillas may be an important source of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) exposure in Guatemala, a finding that has "major implications for public health", say researchers.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Brazilian farmers are gearing up to harvest guarana fruit as a two-year project to promote cultivation of higher-yielding and hardier guarana varieties comes to an end.
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".
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.
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.
The biodiversity essential for food production is disappearing by the day, says a damning report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) – yet there are areas for positive action. The first-of-kind report suggests steps manufacturers could take...
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.
People, seeds and soil are the fundamentals of agriculture and, when combined, are a tool to fight climate change, say researchers working with Mayan farmers in Southern Belize.
The high starch content of sweet potato, oca and arracacha makes them suitable for producing biobased foam trays to replace polystyrene, Peruvian researchers have found.
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.
Mexican students are transforming acidic agave waste from tequila production into a nutritious high-fiber flour. “We will create a new product to combat obesity and also have a cleaner Mexico,” they say.
From jabuticaba-flavored yogurt to guacamole mayonnaise, processed food firms are catering to Latin Americans demand for natural, healthy, and authentic foods, according to a survey by ingredient supplier Kerry.
By commercializing the Amazon's precious food resources through responsible supply chains, rainforest-to-table movement Cumari hopes to protect the rainforest. "We’ll only conserve what we value," it says.
Harvested wild from the Chilean forest, maqui berries have seven times more antioxidants than rival superfood açaí and their global popularity is growing, says supplier Arauco Nutrientes Naturales.
Nopal cactus is a native vegetable commonly eaten fresh in Mexico. But it's the high-fiber, high-calcium powder format that has true superfood status, says one Mexican supplier.
