A new report, published by Food Science and Technology Abstracts (FSTA), has revealed where the food and beverage industry is focusing its innovation efforts, highlighting current industry trends and revealing what consumers really want.
So, what do the current food science trends tell us about the food and beverage industry today and where it’s headed in the future?
FULL LIST OF FOOD SCIENCE TRENDS
What is food science?
Food science is the study of the physical, biological (including microbiological) and chemical makeup of food.
What are the current food and beverage industry trends?
The report, published in December 2024, reveals the top twenty trends in food science. And while twenty trends might seem like a lot, a quick scan of the list, uncovers some very clear themes. The first being health and wellness.
Health and wellness
Five of the top twenty food science trends are directly related to health and wellness. This is unsurprising as the health and wellness trend has dominated the food and beverage industry for the past five years; driven, in part, by the COVID-19 pandemic, which sharpened consumer focus on the importance of diet in impacting health.
The presence of Nutrition and Health, Functional Ingredients, Gut Health, Lifecycle Nutrition, Genetics in Food Science, and Beverage Innovation, in the top twenty, shows the sheer breadth of research the industry is doing into the health impacts of foods and beverages. What’s more, it’s clear this research is being driven by consumer demand.
“Frequently used keywords such as ‘nutrients’ and ‘health’ highlight the critical relationship between diet and wellness,” says a spokesperson for FSTA. “Research is uncovering the role of specific foods in preventing chronic diseases and promoting health.”
Additionally, the growing interest in research into Phenolic Compounds (antioxidant properties in disease and inflammation prevention) highlights the growth of the ‘food as medicine’ market, which is now worth an estimated $24.80bn, and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.13% over the next five years, according to Grand View Research.
Food technology
Another noticeable theme, emerging from the report, is the importance of innovation in food technology.
“Food Technology was a popular research theme in 2024,” says a spokesperson for FSTA. “The subject is at the forefront of innovation, reshaping food production, preservation, and delivery. Breakthroughs in equipment and machinery, nanotechnology, packaging, and preservation techniques are revolutionising how we produce and consume food.”
And it’s this level of research and development that has led to Transformative Food Tech taking the top spot for trends shaping the industry.
Transformative Food Tech was joined by Food Safety & Quality, in at number five, which focuses on innovations in rapid testing and blockchain technology for safety assurance.
This emerging theme will prove welcome news for the food and beverage industry, which has seen a gradual decline in innovation, particularly within the tech sphere, for over a decade.
“Declining innovation has happened across all CPG industries, but food and drink has been one of the worst offenders,” says Jonny Forsyth, senior director of food and drink at Mintel.
Plant based
The next key theme revealed by the top trends in food science is the continued strength of plant-based eating.
“Plant Products research emphasises the shift toward healthy and sustainable diets,” says a spokesperson for FSTA. “Innovations are enhancing plant-based protein textures, flavours, and nutritional profiles.”
And not only did it reach the number four spot in the Plant-Based Foods category, it also appeared indirectly through a renewed focus on the improvement of taste and textures in plant-based foods, in the Sensory Science and Taste and Texture Engineering categories.
“Researchers are developing predictive models for sensory attributes based on molecular interactions. These insights can be leveraged to create innovative food products with enhanced textures and flavours,” says a spokesperson for FSTA.
Weight loss
The final theme emerging from this list is weight loss.
The return of the weight loss, or weight management, trend is fuelling huge innovation within the food and beverage industry – so much so that it appeared within multiple food science research trends, including Nutrition and Health, Gut Health, and Carbohydrates.
Furthermore, the boom in GLP-1 drug innovation, within the food and beverage space, is likely to boost the research within this category going forward.
Top 20 food science trends
- Transformative Food Tech: Advanced machinery, nanotechnology, and smart packaging to optimise production and preservation.
- Nutrition and Health: Functional foods, nutritional bioavailability, and diets for chronic disease prevention.
- Innovative Analytical Methods: Spectroscopy and traceability tools combat food fraud and enhance quality.
- Plant-Based Foods: Alternative proteins, taste/texture innovations, and sustainable agriculture.
- Food Safety & Quality: Rapid testing and blockchain technology for safety assurance.
- Functional Ingredients: Focus on bioactive compounds like phenols and antioxidants for health.
- Sensory Science: Enhancing taste, texture, and aroma to meet consumer expectations.
- Gut Health: The role of microbiomes, dietary fibres, and probiotics in health and wellness.
- Animal Proteins: Immunological and physiological benefits of protein-derived compounds.
- Thermal Processing: Balancing texture, nutrient retention, and additive reduction.
- Microbial Biotechnology: Fermentation and metabolic engineering for food innovations.
- Phenolic Compounds: Antioxidant properties in disease and inflammation prevention.
- Oxidative Stability: Natural antioxidants minimise spoilage while aligning with consumer trends for “clean label” preservatives.
- Carbohydrates: Multifunctional roles in energy, satiety, and glycemic management.
- Food Economics: Efficient resource allocation, affordability, and market trends.
- Biology & Physiology of Nutrition: Understanding the metabolic effects of nutrients.
- Taste and Texture Engineering: Rheological insights improve sensory food properties.
- Beverage Innovation: Health-focused drinks, low-sugar options, and novel flavour developments.
- Lifecycle Nutrition: Tailored nutrition for different life stages, from infancy to old age.
- Genetics in Food Science: Nutrigenomics and personalised dietary strategies.
