FiE 2015: Our best bits

Oliver Nieburg’s Confectionery News highlight came from French company Roquette with its starch-based ingredient that promises to shake up the stagnating chewing gum sector. He explains what makes it stand out.

For Niamh Michail from FoodNavigator the focus was on sustainability and industry research from Gelymar and Eviagenics which is looking to maximise use of seaweed - a significant challenge given that around 80% is currently wasted.

Meanwhile, for the editor of Food Quality News, Joe Whitworth, a key takeaway message from the conference was transparency – it’s going to be big news in 2016 taking over traceability as top priority for food companies.

Senior editor of NutraIngredients Shane Starling had a startling revelation at FiE – the Golden Age of nutrition is over with the focus is no longer on investment into the science of new ingredients but on communicating and marketing existing portfolios. But is this a sign of a healthy industry?

For Annie-Rose Harrison-Dunn from NutraIngredients, the highlight came from a University of Wageningen researcher who debunked  the myth of so-called superfood proteins. The planet needs new sources of proteins – but should we really be placing all our hope onto insects, algae or chia seeds?

Finally Rachel Arthur of Beverage Daily discovered that the current backlash against sugar meant vegetable juices took centre stage at the show, increasingly used by juice manufacturers both as a focal ingredient or to give a subtle, stealth health boost in fruit juices.