Food Matters Live Podcast

584: AI's impact on NPD, with Antonio Weiss, Author and Tech Expert

Is AI going to revolutionise food and beverage innovation, or are we being sold a lot of hype?  While 85% of digital transformation efforts fail, companies like Coca-Cola and Carlsberg are already using AI for everything from trend-spotting to flavour prediction.  In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, recorded at our event in Dublin in November 2025, Antonio Weiss, author of "AI Demystified," cuts through the hype to reveal what's actually working in AI-powered new product development. Antonio explains why he believes large language models are useful for some parts of NPD (marketing, branding, trends), while the serious work of flavour prediction and demand forecasting requires specialist machine learning models like graph neural networks.  He maps out both optimistic and pessimistic scenarios. Can we maintain the human "through line" between creator and consumer, or will AI slop dominate our feeds? The answer may depend on the choices we make today.

583: Beyond the algorithm - the complexity of personalised nutrition

Is personalised nutrition about hitting the perfect bullseye with algorithmic precision, or is it actually more like a game of beach ball - bouncing insights back and forth between company and consumer? Despite two decades of DNA analysis, continuous glucose monitors, and proprietary algorithms, most personalised nutrition advice still boils down to "eat salmon, broccoli, and brown rice" - recommendations people are already following.  In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, recorded at our event in Rotterdam in September 2025, our panel of experts argues that the future of personalised nutrition must shift from linear expert advice to interactive learning relationships. They discuss the gap what the industry recommends and what consumers can actually use in daily life, the role of microbiota, and personalised fibre recommendations.

582: Managing competing trends in food innovation

What happens when precision fermentation, ultra-processed food backlash, GLP-1 drugs, and supply chain volatility collide?  The food industry faces unprecedented challenges - and opportunities - as multiple disruptive forces converge simultaneously.  In this panel discussion recorded at the Food Matters Live in Ascot in October 2025, industry leaders from across the value chain reveal how they're navigating what one panelist calls doing "everything, everywhere, all at once.” They discuss how engineering biology can create functional ingredients without the need for added additives, fermentation techniques from cultures outside Europe, and the delicate balance of meeting functional food claims like immunity while maintaining clean label credentials. They also delve into biometric data, GLP-1, and unstable cocoa supply chains.

581: Nutrition strategies for healthy ageing

What if the key to healthy ageing isn't just about living longer, but maintaining metabolic wellness, bone strength, and cellular youth throughout our lifespan?  As obesity and type 2 diabetes continue to rise globally, the need for evidence-based nutritional interventions has never been more critical.  In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, recorded at our event in Rotterdam in September 2025, we delve into the nutrition that is supporting health across the ageing journey. We look at dietary fibre as a natural regulator for blood glucose control, and how an EU health claim for reduced glycemic response offers manufacturers a science-backed reformulation opportunity.  We hear about research that suggests animal protein intake is associated with better bone mineral density in older adults. And we're introduced to a groundbreaking natural vitamin D3 source from mealworms that's three times better absorbed than conventional lanolin-based supplements. Can food reformulation and innovative ingredients truly support lifelong health, or are we still missing pieces of the longevity puzzle?

580: Rethinking alternative proteins

Can we really convert industrial CO2 emissions into complete nutrition without using any fertile land?  As deforestation claims a forest area the size of 18 football fields every minute to meet food and feed demands, the search for genuinely sustainable protein sources has never been more urgent.  In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, recorded at our event in Rotterdam in September 2025, three experts reveal radically different approaches to solving the alternative protein challenge - from breathing cultivation systems to the nuanced reality of ultra-processed plant-based meat. We discover how technological advances are putting microalgae at the centre of the alternative protein conversation, we delve into the debate around ultra-processed foods, and the hidden challenge: even the most sustainable ingredient innovation can fail if supply chain realities aren't considered from day one. From multifunctional water-soluble proteins that foam better than egg, to understanding why Swiss soybean variety selection requires bringing farmers and industry together early, our guests argue that alternative protein success depends on looking beyond the ingredient itself to the entire value chain and evolving consumer priorities.