Category: Food industry

While the world's beef consumption reached approximately 130 billion pounds in 2020, determining who buys the most beef involves distinguishing between total volume and per capita metrics. The United States consistently ranks as the top consumer by total volume, though other nations lead in individual consumption. This article explores the nuances behind these figures, highlighting major players in the global beef market.

Over 1.5 million children are involved in hazardous work on West African cocoa farms, and this is just one of many facets highlighting the profound ethical concerns of dairy chocolate. This industry, from the source of its cocoa to the dairy farms, is entangled in complex issues that consumers are increasingly becoming aware of.

The agri-food sector is a massive consumer of energy, accounting for approximately 30% of global end-use energy consumption. This reality makes understanding what is energy efficiency in food critically important, as it involves minimizing the energy needed to produce, process, transport, store, and prepare food while maintaining quality.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, insects are a nutritious and healthy food source, and several companies in the USA have embraced this, incorporating acheta powder into their products. This trend is driven by a focus on sustainable protein sources and a growing market for alternative food ingredients.

According to the World Health Organization, nearly 1 in 10 people worldwide fall ill each year from contaminated food. The mission statement of food safety acts as the guiding principle for a global effort to protect consumers from these preventable illnesses.

In a significant shift for the food industry, the FDA announced in 2025 that it is phasing out Yellow 5 and other petroleum-based food dyes from the US food supply. This decision responds to increasing public and scientific concerns over potential health impacts associated with these synthetic colorants.

In October 2024, McDonald's France officially launched Veggie McPlant Nuggets in collaboration with Beyond Meat, making it a permanent addition to the menu. This move solidifies the fast-food giant's commitment to catering to the growing flexitarian and vegan customer base in one of its largest global markets.

Palm oil is a component in almost 50% of the packaged products found in supermarkets, from cookies to cosmetics. So, why do they put palm oil in food with such frequency? Its ubiquitous presence is due to a compelling combination of functional benefits for manufacturers, its high yield as a crop, and its cost-effective pricing.

With annual US imports exceeding $3.6 billion in 2022, canola oil is one of the most widely used cooking oils for both home cooks and commercial food production. But why do they put canola oil in everything, and what are the main factors driving its ubiquity?

Over 50 different names for sugar are commonly used by the food industry, with many of these terms appearing in processed food products. This practice is a calculated strategy employed by companies to influence consumer perception, alter product texture, and manage costs, which explains why companies use different names for sugar.