Engineering R&D

Engineering for Uncertainty: How to Build Flexibility into Food Plant Design

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

In an environment defined by rapid changes in consumer behavior, long-term success depends not on guessing the future correctly, but on ensuring the facility can adapt when the future shifts.

Taking a Cross-Functional Approach to Food Industry Trends

Thompsona@bnpmedia.com (Alyse Thompson-Richards) — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Bob Garrison, chief editor of Prepared Foods, Kelley Rodriguez, editor-in-chief of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, and Alyse Thompson-Richards, editor-in-chief of FOOD ENGINEERING, discuss the biggest trends impacting the food industry in 2025 and beyond.

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

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 14:34:00 -0500

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

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

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 12:01:00 -0500

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

Circana: GLP-1 Users to Represent 35% of U.S. Food and Beverage Sales by 2030

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 09:41:00 -0500

The research highlights a pivot toward healthier lifestyles among GLP-1 users, driven by a 41-point increase in weight management being cited as their primary health goal since 2021.

From Farms to Aisles: What’s Fueling Change in the U.S. Food System?

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Rob Dongoski, global lead, agriculture and food, for management consulting firm Kearney, discusses major drivers for change in the U.S. food system, including generational purchasing patterns, growing interest in health and sustainability, and implementing technology to harness consumer insights and improve efficiency.

What’s Driving Change in Food Manufacturing?

Thompsona@bnpmedia.com (Alyse Thompson-Richards) — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

AI, automation and consumer trends continue to drive change in food and beverage manufacturing, according to our 2025 State of Food Manufacturing survey.

How Concentration Methods Impact the Transition to Natural Colorants

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

How natural pigment is concentrated can affect taste, shelf life and efficiency of use, but the latest technological advances in heat technology offer more options than ever before.

Nestlé Develops Technique to Get More Yield from Cocoa Fruit

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 08:00:00 -0400

The technique has the potential to increase the amount of cocoa material available to farmers, as well as to free up time for them.

Mars Invests $5M in Agri-Science to Pursue the Perfect Peanut

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 16:00:00 -0400

Backed by a five-year, $5 million investment, the plan will fund techniques — powered by genomic science — to grow hardier peanut varieties that can stand up to pressure from pests, disease and unpredictable weather.

MaintainX Raises $150 Million for AI Use in Asset Management and Operations

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 16:00:00 -0400

MaintainX’s platform puts AI-driven insights in the hands of both the technician on the shop floor and the executive in the boardroom – both of whom are accountable for uptime, safety and performance.

Heineken Opens Global R&D Center in Netherlands

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 16:00:00 -0400

The center is home to cross-disciplinary collaboration between Heineken’s international R&D teams, universities and suppliers, driving improvements in sustainable brewing and fermentation science.

Celleste Bio Closes $4.5M Seed Round to Scale Production of Cell-cultured Cocoa

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 09:36:47 -0500

Celleste uses a combination of AgTech, biotech and AI computational models to grow 100% natural cocoa from one or two beans in optimal, controlled conditions year-round.

Better Juice Adapts Sugar Reduction Technology for Fruit Sorbets

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 10:17:00 -0400

Better Juice’s enzymatic technology is based on non-GMO microorganisms that naturally transform fruit juice’s composition of sucrose, glucose and fructose into prebiotic oligosaccharides and other non-digestible fibers.

Feeding Progress: Celebrating Women Engineers in the Food Industry

Thompsona@bnpmedia.com (Alyse Thompson-Richards) — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In celebration of International Women in Engineering Day, Jayme Laser, Savannah Stellhorn and Jaclyn Navara share their experiences in the food industry and offer insight on how to support current and future women engineers.

Engineers will Explore Green Future For Food Processing at WSU-Hosted Conference

Tue, 21 May 2024 10:49:42 -0400

Launched in 1991, the biannual conference brings together food engineers and technologists from across industries, academic institutions and government to discuss emerging challenges and potential solutions for delivery of safe, nutritious and sustainable foods.

Raise Cold-chain Temps From 0°F To 5°F, Save Energy and Slash Carbon Emissions

Tue, 14 May 2024 05:02:14 -0400

What’s not to like about improving sustainability and protecting the environment while saving energy and money—and best of all, no equipment or software expenditures are necessary.

Industrial Heat Pumps are the Past, Present and Future

Wed, 01 May 2024 08:00:00 -0400

The threat of finite natural resources can be managed by switching to heat pumps—a move that will pay for itself in resulting energy-cost reductions.

SAMBAZON Acquires SunOpta’s Açaí and Smoothie Bowls Business

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 07:00:00 -0400

The acquisition will double the company's manufacturing capacity for ready-to-eat bowls.

Nestlé Health Science Announces Startup Challenge Winners

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 12:17:00 -0500

The winners will receive mentorship, strategy guidance and technical support along with a one-year membership on the Friedman School's Food & Nutrition Innovation Council.

Vacuum Fundamentals: Utility Applications and Oil Sealed Technology

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Defining the fundamentals of vacuum and discussing the utility applications of oil-sealed vacuum technology.

How Low-Temperature Absorption Chillers Can Optimize Food and Beverage Processing

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

As food and beverage manufacturers seek solutions to reduce operational costs and decarbonize, they may be surprised to find the answer in a solution that’s nearly a century old: absorption cooling.

Hamilton Process Analytics Unveils White Paper

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 15:53:25 -0500

The white paper addresses key challenges in cultivated meat production.

Eden Grow Systems Hires Innovation Advisor

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 11:20:53 -0500

Dr. D. Marshall Porterfield will serve in the new role.

Vacuum Thermodynamics in our Freeze-Dried Universe: A Christmas Study

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 07:00:00 -0500

The lessons learned from the principles and subsystems in play can and should be applied broadly to your own industrial vacuum system, whether freeze-drying is your game or not.

MicroHarvest Launches Pilot Plant

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 14:30:00 -0500

The company transformed a portion of its office space into a laboratory and pilot plant in six months.

Purdue University to Launch Trimble Technology Lab

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 16:00:00 -0400

The university is faciliting a learning environment for students of different majors and departments.

Heirloom Coffee Launches Regenerative Coffee Research Lab

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 13:00:00 -0400

The lab will be used for the research and development of regenerative coffee with 100% electric roasters.

C-Crete Technologies Gets Inaugural Concrete Pour in Seattle Building

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 11:14:00 -0400

The alternative to Portland cement produces almost no carbon dioxide in its manufacturing and absorbs CO₂ from the air over time.

Bunting-Newton Donates Equipment to Purdue University

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 10:45:00 -0400

The donation is for the validation and testing of extruded high moisture meat analogs.