Plinius Labs is turning flax shives into bio-based ingredients for cosmetics and food. The company uses a new process known as Ample to replace additives derived from petroleum with eco-friendly solutions.

Food and beverage companies are focusing on scalable, climate-friendly protein sources as consumer demand for protein grows. Burcon NutraScience is leading with plant proteins from sources such as pea, canola and sunflower, addressing taste and nutrition challenges with proprietary extraction technology. "The future of protein will be defined by choice, balance, and innovation, and new environmentally friendly sources such as plant proteins are desperately needed to assist in dealing with climate change and food security," says Martin Schweizer, Burcon's vice president of technical development.

Atlantic Fish is teaming with Revo Foods to make cell-cultured seafood products using mycoprotein and 3D extrusion technology. The mycoprotein serves as the primary carrier in this hybrid approach, potentially reducing costs while maintaining taste and texture.

Fermentation holds the potential to expand nutritional value by improving digestibility, bioavailability and flavor while reducing waste. Examples include the development of postbiotics to provide additional benefits and the creation of low-impact alternatives to conventional foods, such as chocolate made out of fava beans.

Researchers at Jinka University and the University of Gondar have developed a method to monitor organochlorine pesticide residues in sesame seeds, combining QuEChERS with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The method, described in the Journal of Analytical Methods in Chemistry, demonstrates high efficiency, reliability and sensitivity, addressing consumer safety and regulatory compliance.

Marine sources store the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA differently, according to a study in Marine Drugs. Microalgae primarily store EPA in glycolipids, while Schizochytrium have high DHA in triacylglycerols. Fish generally have more DHA than EPA, and commercial supplements vary in lipid structure, with krill oil having more phospholipids.

Researchers at Skoltech have adapted drug delivery techniques to enhance oil recovery by encapsulating surfactants in silicon dioxide nanoparticles. This method, tested on real oil-bearing rocks and described in Advances in Geo-Energy Research, improves surfactant efficiency by reducing adsorption, lowering oil-water tension and increasing rock wettability. The surfactants perform well in high-temperature, high-salinity environments, showing potential for future oilfield applications.

Connect with a community of chemists, technologists, nutritionists, engineers, researchers, and business leaders May 3-6 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

The technical program will feature the latest science and technology in fats, oils, proteins, surfactants, and related industries with 500+ presentations throughout 80+ sessions - plus special sessions and networking events across all career stages and interest areas.

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As demand for plant-based proteins grows, understanding ingredient variability matters more than ever. This study from Sustainable Food Proteins (SFP) compares pulse protein isolates and concentrates across pea, lentil, and faba sources -- highlighting differences in amino acids, micronutrients, and digestibility.

Read the full article here, which provides valuable insights for anyone developing next-generation protein products.