February 2026

Food Engineering

ON THE COVER:
► FOOD ENGINEERING’s 49th Annual Plant Construction Survey

FEATURES:
► AI: In Quest of and Fulfilling the Perfect Batch
► Connected Plants Lead to Advanced Packaging Line Optimization

FOOD ENGINEERING’s 49th Annual Plant Construction Survey

Food and beverage manufacturers continue to invest in their operations, but their capital expenditure is more deliberate under dynamic economic conditions

Alyse Thompson-Richards

February 17, 2026

Food and beverage manufacturers continue to invest in their operations, but their capital expenditure is more deliberate under dynamic economic conditions

AI: In Quest of and Fulfilling the Perfect Batch

Over the years, seeking the perfect batch may have seemed like the quest for the Holy Grail, but today, let AI/ML-based batch serve as your experienced guide.

Wayne Labs

February 13, 2026

You don’t have to go it alone when searching for and maintaining the perfect batch. Through machine learning and AI-based batch control, the arduous search becomes easier to realize.

Close-up view of transparent plastic containers filled with cookies moving along a blue conveyor belt in a production line.

Food Safety

Leveraging Packaging Technology and Design for a Safer Food Supply

A food manufacturer’s packaging line represents both the last opportunity to protect food and the last place where risk can be introduced. Treating the packaging line as a critical control point is essential to moving from reactive compliance to proactive prevention.

Jorge Izquierdo

February 24, 2026

How Food Manufacturers Can Prepare for the FDA’s Synthetic Dye Phase-Out

Chad Patterson

December 15, 2025

Compliance will require not only formulation changes but also process redesign, supply chain realignment and organizational adaptation.

Regulatory Update

HHS, USDA Unveil Dietary Guidelines Prioritizing ‘Whole Foods’ Over ‘Highly Processed’ Foods

January 7, 2026

These agencies cite chronic health conditions, including obesity and diabetes, and “pharmaceutical intervention” for the recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030.

Join Lynn Dornblaser, Client Advisor at Mintel, and Alyse Thompson-Richards, Editor-in-Chief of FOOD ENGINEERING, as they break down the 2026 Top 100 Food and Beverage Companies and discuss the factors affecting this year’s rankings.

Explore food safety strategies that strengthen sanitation, risk management, operational efficiency, and compliance across foodservice and facility environments.