Four Routes to Natural Food Dyes: Which Technology Should R&D Teams Bet On Before the FDA’s 2026 Deadline?
27 of the world’s largest CPG companies, including Nestlé, PepsiCo, and Mars, are simultaneously pursuing color reformulation programs under the FDA’s voluntary 2026 synthetic dye phase-out. Four innovation routes are emerging for making potential replacements: Precision Fermentation, Botanical Extraction & Upcycling, Algal and Cyanobacterial Biomass, and Mineral-Based Colorants. Each route brings its own advantages. Algal […]
Who’s Next to Commercialize Cocoa Butter Alternative After Mondelēz x Celleste Bio?
The next cocoa butter alternative may come from an algae, brewery, or even carbon pulled from thin air. What was once experimental is now entering the market. Mondelēz and Celleste Bio have already shown that cells from a single cocoa bean can yield enough cocoa butter for multiple chocolate bars. SMEY is screening more than […]
PepsiCo’s Glycerol Trials Point to a Hyper-Hydration Product Launch in 18–24 Months
So far, glycerol-based hydration has been commercialized mainly in the supplement market. Niche and mid-size brands have sold it through powdered and liquid sports nutrition formats. Glycerol has not yet crossed into mainstream ready-to-drink hydration at scale. But PepsiCo may change that. In less than a year, the beverage leader has run three clinical trials […]