Healthier Choices covers dairy-free desserts, cultivated meat and grass-fed dairy
Bebop expands beyond Taiwan
Bebop is pursuing markets across the Asia-Pacific region with an ice cream made without dairy and based entirely on plant fats. The Taiwanese brand is seeking to scale beyond its home market while appealing to consumers looking for an ice cream option with fewer calories.
Its formulation combines cashew, coconut, almond, oats, soy and rice. Bebop uses the ingredients to reproduce characteristics associated with conventional ice cream, including creaminess and texture. The product is positioned as a dairy-free alternative rather than as a conventional dairy dessert.
China backs cultivated meat
China is supporting cultivated meat as part of efforts connected with food security. The country consumes almost one-third of the world’s meat and is the largest importer of meat and dairy, while having the world’s second-largest population. The subject is treated by President Xi Jinping and the Chinese government as a national-security issue.
The sector faces high production costs, limited investment and established consumer habits. Those conditions are identified as challenges for China’s cultivated-meat industry and for its ambitions in international markets. The material does not specify a production target or a timetable for commercial expansion.
Ireland presents grass-fed dairy in Asia
Ireland is targeting Asia’s expanding premium-nutrition market with its grass-fed dairy credentials. Irish dairy products are described as grass-fed across the European country, and grass-fed dairy has long been regarded as a premium category.
Studies cited in the material report that grass-fed dairy contains higher amounts of linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, as well as omega-3 fatty acids. These are essential fatty acids, meaning that people must obtain them from food. Ireland is presenting those nutritional characteristics alongside its dairy offering in Asia.
Women’s sports nutrition remains limited
PepsiCo is calling for more practical products and research aimed at women who participate in sport. The areas highlighted include hormonal health and sensitivities related to body image. According to the company, women remain underserved by targeted, science-based sports-nutrition products.
Data from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute cited by PepsiCo show that about 6% of sports-science research worldwide focuses on women. The figure was presented in support of the company’s call for greater attention to women’s specific nutritional requirements.
Artificial intelligence searches plant-protein candidates
Researchers at the University of Leeds in Britain have developed an artificial-intelligence process for screening plant proteins. The system can search among tens of millions of initial candidates for proteins that may function as emulsifiers.
The process has identified nearly 800 proteins. The researchers say these could be used in food and cosmetics, including as clean-label emulsifiers in plant-based products. Plant-based meat substitutes are identified as one potential application.
