{"id":22877,"date":"2025-05-16T02:39:48","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T06:39:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iff.com\/?p=22877"},"modified":"2026-06-18T14:33:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T18:33:00","slug":"from-crisis-to-catalyst-how-biosciences-will-shape-the-future-of-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iff.com\/es\/media\/stories\/from-crisis-to-catalyst-how-biosciences-will-shape-the-future-of-food\/","title":{"rendered":"From crisis to catalyst: How biosciences will shape the future of food"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Clementina Dellomonaco, Senior Vice President of Food Biosciences at IFF.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The food industry is at a breaking point. Climate disruption, volatile supply chains, and rising consumer demands have collided to create the most challenging conditions in decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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But this crisis is also a turning point, and biosciences are the breakthrough technology<\/a> ready to meet it. From enzymes that unlock better nutrition to microbes that enable sustainable sourcing, food biosciences are quietly powering a revolution behind the scenes. What was once niche science is now mission-critical for feeding a growing population on a warming planet.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Today, 75% of global consumers 1<\/a><\/sup> say they are willing to pay more for products that promise label-friendly* attributes, such as products made from familiar nutritious ingredients that are better for people and planet. Meanwhile, the cost of ingredients \u2013 from wheat to dairy, and everything in between \u2013 is edging up,2<\/a><\/sup> along with the cost of labor. And the impacts of a warming climate are being felt across the board3<\/a><\/sup>. There is more uncertainty around crop forecasts, negative impacts on raw material quality and higher disease pressure disrupting supply. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In the midst of this complexity, one thing is clear: biosciences<\/a> innovation has become a fundamental driver of building a more resilient food system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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By applying the power of enzymes, cultures, proteins, and microbes, food biosciences <\/a>are helping manufacturers adapt to today\u2019s challenges with solutions that are both scalable and sustainable. At IFF, this approach isn\u2019t theoretical; it\u2019s scientific. We’re applying decades of deep scientific expertise to help our partners produce more with less, reformulate to meet changing tastes, and re-engineer supply chains to reduce their environmental footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let us explain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2014 Consumers are driving the shift \u2014<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What consumers value in food is changing. In the past, taste, convenience, and price were dominant drivers. Today, they remain important, but they are increasingly filtered through a lens of wellness, ethics, and transparency. According to our research4<\/a><\/sup>, consumers are expected to place a growing emphasis on foods that support personal health while minimizing the impact they have on the natural environment.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The interesting thing is, this shift isn\u2019t isolated to niche markets. According to PANOPTIC \u2013 IFF\u2019s global insights platform tracking consumer shifts across health, sustainability, and technology \u2013 \u2018regenerative consumption\u2019 is no longer fringe; it\u2019s mainstream. People are now actively looking for products with a story of environmental responsibility and functional benefit. According to IPSOS, 80% of people globally5<\/a><\/sup> believe that we are headed for environmental disaster without rapid change. Shoppers want fewer additives and more plant-based alternatives. They expect ethical sourcing, lower emissions, and reduced packaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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And they want all of this without compromising on taste, texture, or performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In this context, traditional food processing approaches alone can\u2019t keep up. Manufacturers must now reformulate for purpose, not just profit. And food biosciences<\/a> offer the tools to do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 A tougher operating environment for food producers \u2014<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As consumer expectations rise, so do the pressures on food manufacturers<\/a>. Inflation continues to drive up costs across the supply chain, and raw material shortages are more frequent due to climate variability and geopolitical uncertainty. At the same time, retailers are tightening requirements on sustainability disclosures, and regulators are introducing more stringent health and nutrition standards. For example, variability in wheat quality has disrupted baked goods production across multiple markets in the last few years, while fluctuations in milk solids and energy costs have created volatility for dairy producers. Breweries, meanwhile, face increasing scrutiny over water usage and the greenhouse gas emissions tied to the grain that they source and the fermentation process in breweries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There\u2019s no single solution to addressing these problems. But bioscience<\/a> is well placed to help manufacturers re-engineer production systems in a way that makes them more resilient to these types of disruption. With targeted enzyme and microbial interventions, manufacturers can work with lower-grade inputs, extend product freshness, reduce waste, and increase yield \u2013 all the while keeping consumers more than happy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2014 Biosciences in action:<\/strong> The Science Behind Baking, Brewing, and Dairy\u2014<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In baking, our enzyme-based solutions allow producers to maintain consistent product quality, even when wheat quality is of lower quality, or unpredictable. By stabilizing dough behavior and improving flour performance, IFF enzymes not only reduce waste during production but also help to keep products fresh for longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We support bakery manufacturers in optimizing recipes to stabilize flour quality and reduce dependence on expensive or inconsistent ingredients. The approach helps to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n