Clean label & changing regulations: insights from Fi Europe

The recent Fi Europe trade fair in Paris proved once again that the food industry is undergoing a profound transformation. Pressure from stricter regulations is growing, while consumer demand for clean labels and functional naturalness is breaking new records for innovation.

We have summarised the most important highlights and strategic insights from the trade fair for you:

1. Game changers in ingredients

Some companies presented particularly impressive solutions in Paris:

• Alvinesa showcased a prime example of upcycling. The new grape seed extract "Vitifresh" from Spain is rich in polyphenols and antioxidants. It extends shelf life and protects against oxidation, while being 100% natural, solvent-free and without synthetic preservatives.
• Nutriearth presented its innovation from the world of insects. A new source of vitamin D3 was introduced, which is obtained purely mechanically from Tenebrio molitor (mealworm flour) without chemical additives.
• Prolactal: With a new casein-based protein bar, an impressive protein content of 90% was achieved.

2. The clean label pressure: colours & preservation

The presentations by Lux Research, Inc. made it particularly clear that the transition to clean labels is one of the biggest technical hurdles at present. This makes colourants one of the most innovation-intensive categories, as reformulation places enormous demands on stability and brilliance. The industry is focusing on three strategic pillars: classic extraction from natural substances, precision fermentation and microbial biosynthesis. These SynBio routes in particular are currently gaining massive importance as powerful alternatives.

At the same time, the regulatory environment is becoming more stringent: in the USA, the existing GRAS (Generally Recognised As Safe) self-affirmation system is coming under pressure. Delays at the FDA are leading to growing uncertainty about established safety approvals. Preservatives in particular are at the centre of this change; they are facing both a regulatory withdrawal of traditional active ingredients and a significantly higher burden of proof for their functional safety.

This systemic complexity is also reflected in sugar reduction. Sugar is no longer purely a sweetener issue, but rather a structural design challenge that significantly influences texture, labelling and metabolic response, for example within the MAHA framework. The solution here lies in the interaction of four key technologies: rare sugars, sweet proteins, bio-based stevia and advanced membrane filtration. While designer proteins are considered the most promising solution in the long term, they must first overcome the relevant regulatory hurdles in order to become marketable.

3. Global market & regulation

Today, global regulatory dynamics are much more than just a compliance hurdle; they play a decisive role in determining which technologies can prevail and scale in which markets. While the EU continues to maintain the world's strictest requirements for colourings and preservatives, setting the bar for innovation extremely high, the APAC region is significantly more flexible, particularly with regard to sweeteners, as the legal pressure to reformulate is currently lower there.

4. Conclusion

The innovations in Paris have shown that To be successful today, you have to think about innovation not only in the laboratory, but also in the context of global approval strategies. A good recipe is only half the battle. The regulatory hurdles for clean labels, novel colourants and upcycled extracts are becoming increasingly complex. To ensure that your products do not fail due to labelling errors or approval stops, we actively support you in the area of regulatory affairs.