Functional foods are products that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. These foods contain bioactive compounds, vitamins, minerals, or other nutrients that may help prevent disease, improve overall health, or support specific bodily functions like digestion or immune health. Surprisingly, the FDA does not have an official definition for functional foods. However [...]
The 2024 elections in the U.S. has brought nutrition and the term 'Big Food' to the forefront of public discussion. But exactly what does the term 'Big Food' mean? Big Food refers to the major multinational corporations that dominate the global food industry, controlling much of the world's food production, processing, and [...]
The current Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) system presents a notable vulnerability in the oversight of food safety, impacting manufacturers, distributors, and regulatory compliance in profound ways. This regulatory framework, overseen by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), allows food manufacturers to introduce new food additives to the market with minimal [...]
Technology is changing commercial kitchens driven by the convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. This isn't merely a technological upgrade—it's a reimagining of food production systems, with profound implications for operational efficiency, food safety, and competitiveness. The use of robotics and automation is gaining popularity in the industry and has the [...]
Carrageenan is a food additive derived from red seaweed. It has been the subject of controversy due to conflicting research on its safety and potential health effects. While widely used as a thickener and stabilizer in various food products, concerns have been raised about its possible link to inflammation and digestive issues, [...]
A 2024 report by The BMJ review included 45 distinct studies involving more than 9.8 million participants. The multitude of adverse health outcomes revealed by the review can be broadly classified into the following seven categories: Mortality: All-cause mortality, cancer-related mortality, cardiovascular disease-related mortality, and heart disease-related mortality Cancer: Overall cancer, breast [...]