The Rethink Plastic alliance, in collaboration with a coalition of 81 organizations, is advocating for the integration of effective reuse systems into the European Union’s (EU’s) Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. This push aims to mitigate waste produced by single-use plastic takeaway packaging. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the collective’s push for the transition towards reusable packaging in the food packaging industry, asserting that it has significan...
Jun 22, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 115
The fastest growing beverage brands are those that have tapped into the consumer’s evolving demands, bringing to the table innovative products that combine taste, convenience, affordability and sustainability. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the top three fastest growing beverage brands in 2023 and what’s driving their success. The list is based on the Financial Times’ ranking of The Americas’ Fastest-Growing Companies 2023, a list of the 500 companies in the Ameri...
Jun 15, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 114
California-based Olli Salumeria, known for its high-quality, artisanal salami, recently announced that it’s launching the first preservative-free salami in the North American market. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the company’s history of tradition, its products and the new preservative-free salami. Nitrates and nitrites serve several purposes in food preservation since they inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria, help to maintain the pink or red color of cured me...
Jun 08, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 113
Manuka honey, a natural product renowned for its antibacterial and potential health benefits, has been at the center of a prolonged legal dispute between Australia and New Zealand. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the conflict, which involves the naming rights to “Manuka honey,” a product whose potential health benefits and significant price markup have made it a highly sought-after commodity in the international market. The Manuka honey trademark battle began in ea...
Jun 01, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 112
New World Health Organization (WHO) guidance advises against the use of sugar substitutes for weight loss purposes. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the WHO’s review, which suggests that while a mild reduction in body weight may occur in the short term, it is not sustainable over time. The review also highlighted potential negative effects associated with long-term use of sugar substitutes, including a slightly increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular di...
May 26, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 111
Cronobacter sakazakii, the bacteria linked to recent baby formula shortages and the Abbott infant formula recall, could soon join the federal disease watchlist. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about Cronobacter sakazakii, a bacteria that can cause severe infections, particularly in infants, and is associated with high mortality rates. It is commonly found in the environment, including in water, soil and dry foods such as powdered infant formula. In an outbreak that the C...
May 18, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 110
In the US, food waste is a pervasive problem, with an estimated 30 to 40 percent of the country’s food supply going to waste each year. This amounts to around 133 billion pounds of food, worth an estimated $161 billion, being discarded annually. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about Full Harvest and other companies that sell surplus or imperfect produce that would otherwise be thrown away. By using Full Harvest, farmers can reduce their waste and increase their profits, ...
May 11, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 109
As the 2023-24 US wheat marketing year approaches, there are concerns over a lack of moisture, which could limit yields and production of two of the three largest wheat varieties grown in the US, increasing the risk of above-average flour prices into 2024. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about why droughts can have a significant impact on flour prices and production, including the quality of wheat crops, the transportation of wheat and the overall demand for flour. The d...
May 04, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 108
Researchers at McMaster University in Canada have developed a rapid Salmonella test for detecting contamination in chicken and other foods, which could help to reduce the cost of food processing and improve food safety. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about new Salmonella test, which provides accurate results in an hour or less and does not require accessories or a power source. Traditionally, Salmonella detection was done through a series of tests that could take severa...
Apr 27, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 107
Ground Black Lime, Royal Cinnamon and Wild Mountain Cumin are among dozens of single origin spices sold by Burlap & Barrel, a public benefit corporation building equitable, transparent and traceable supply chains around the world. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the unique spice company, whose co-founders and co-CEOs discussed Burlap & Barrel’s mission and growth during a recent appearance on the television show “Shark Tank.” Founded in 2016 by Ori Zohar an...
Apr 20, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 106
Whether their names are directly attached to their product or they’re just one in a long list of investors, celebrities have been highly influential in the food and beverage industry; their popularity and ability to fund projects has catapulted celebrity food brands in recent years. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about five celebrity food brands from various pop stars and one celebrity chef. She discusses Rob’s Backstage Popcorn from the Jonas Brothers, Tingly Ted’s Hot...
Apr 13, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 105
California’s recently proposed Assembly Bill 418 would make it the first state to ban the sale and manufacture of foods containing titanium dioxide, among other chemicals and dyes. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about what titanium dioxide is, where it can be found and its purpose as a whitening agent in food and beverage products. While it’s unclear whether the bill has enough momentum to pass, it has intensified the search for titanium dioxide alternatives. The ingred...
Apr 06, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 104
This episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast features an interview with Kristin Demoranville, the CEO and founder of AnzenSage, a cybersecurity firm that provides resilience solutions to the food industry. Demoranville talks about her extensive career prior to entering the field of cybersecurity and founding AnzenSage, and why industry-specific cybersecurity is important. She discusses why the food industry is often targeted in cyber attacks, the risks and consequences of a cyber attack and how compa...
Mar 30, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 103
This episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast features an interview with Omer Eliav, head of R&D and co-founder of Vgarden, and Ben Dotan, head of innovation and engagements at Vgarden, an Israeli food tech company that offers a large selection of vegan products to the B2B market, including cheese, meat and fish alternatives. Eliav and Dotan talk about the company’s startup story, the importance of plant-based alternatives for a sustainable food system and Vgarden’s most recent product, canned veg...
Mar 23, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 102
Hershey, the maker of Reese’s, Hershey bars, Kisses and other chocolates and candies, recently announced two new plant-based products: Reese’s Plant Based Peanut Butter Cups and Hershey’s Plant Based Extra Creamy with Almonds and Sea Salt. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the new vegan sweets, which are both made with oat milk instead of cow’s milk and are designed to taste like milk chocolate. Despite experimenting with plant-based chocolate in the past, the new pr...
Mar 16, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 101
For the 100th episode Xtalks Food Industry Podcast, the team starts off by discussing their favorite episodes from the past two years. From turkey and Topo Chico, to coffee and baby formula, last year saw its fair share of food shortages, supplies for some of which are only now beginning to be replenished. Unfortunately, the new year has brought with it a new set of food supply chain challenges, including the most recent tomato shortage in the UK. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydn...
Mar 09, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 100
Starbucks’ newest line of beverages, Oleato, which feature extra virgin olive oil in coffee, recently launched in Italy as a series of beverages. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the beverages in the Oleato line, which include a latte, espresso, cold brew, iced shaken espresso and iced cortado. Beverages in the Oleato range are made with a spoonful of olive oil in coffee, adding 120 calories to the total calorie count. However, adding fat to coffee is not new, nor i...
Mar 02, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 99
Outstanding Foods, the maker of plant-based, better-for-you junk foods like cheese puffs and pork rinds, is set to debut soft-baked, gluten-free cookies and is also developing egg substitutes. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the Los Angeles-based brand’s products, which are formulated with pea protein and a blend of nutrients from broccoli, spinach, kale and more. Outstanding Foods brought on several high-profile celebrity investors, including rapper Snoop Dogg and...
Feb 23, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 98
In a post-pandemic economy, labor remains a challenge in the foodservice industry, but artificial intelligence startup Nala Robotics might be able to solve the labor shortage with its technology. This episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast features an interview with Ajay Sunkara, the CEO of Nala Robotics, which calls itself the “world's first fully automated restaurant.” Hear about the meaning behind the name “Nala” as well as the company’s various robots, including Spotless, the autonomous dishwash...
Feb 16, 2023•23 min•Season 1Ep. 97
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently updated its organic food regulations to tighten guidelines around organic products. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the update, which comes after a number of allegations claiming farmers have tried to sell non-organic or conventional food products with the lucrative white and green USDA “organic” label. Even though the USDA has stringent rules for what is considered organic, there are varying rules in different count...
Feb 09, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 96
Multinational medical device and health care company Abbott Laboratories is under investigation by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) following the closure of Michigan’s baby formula plant in February 2022. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the investigation, which is centered around Abbott’s unsanitary workplace conditions and fueled one of the worst baby formula shortages in recent history. Health officials found bacteria at the plant that can potentially cause dea...
Feb 02, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 95
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has added sesame to its list of major allergens, making it easier for people with sesame allergies to safely consume packaged food without fear of an allergic reaction. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the newly listed allergen and the labeling requirements that come with it. While the requirement that sesame be listed as an allergen came into effect at the start of 2023, consumers may still find food products for sale that ...
Jan 26, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 94
For many, a new year calls for resolutions, and for some, that may include giving up meat, dairy and eggs for Veganuary 2023. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney gives a brief history of Veganuary and details its growth over the past ten years. When Veganuary began in 2014, it garnered 3,000 participants. Last year, that number reached 630,000. While some people are vegan or vegetarian when they opt in, for the most part, participants who sign up to try Veganuary are meat-eaters. ...
Jan 19, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 93
Low-sugar, keto-friendly snack brand HighKey announced it will be launching a sugar-free sandwich cookie featuring two crispy chocolate wafers around a layer of vanilla crème. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about this new Oreo alternative that contains no sugar, two grams of net carbs, seven grams of fiber, 60 calories and is made with gluten-free, soy-free and keto-friendly ingredients. She discusses the downfall of Oreo Thins and the success of HighKey’s other healthy...
Jan 12, 2023•24 min•Season 1Ep. 92
As 2022 came to an end, many of the lessons learned and habits formed will continue to shape the food and beverage industry in the coming year. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the top three food and beverage industry trends to look out for in 2023. She interviewed Bradley Saxe, President of Mainline Foods, and Chef Michael Sanguinetti, business development and market specialist at INTUEAT, to hear their food and beverage industry predictions for the coming year. Af...
Jan 05, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 91
At the end of each year, food industry insiders and experts make predictions about the year to come — and last year was no exception. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about some of the predictions that were made for 2022 and looks at whether they panned out, as well as some of the food and beverage trends that dominated the industry this year. One trend that may not have panned out as predicted was plant-based alternatives. This could partially be due to the recovery of t...
Dec 15, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 90
Social media and video creation app TikTok has become the online home of food experimentation over the last few years, leading to TikTok food trends with record-breaking views and searches. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the top 10 most popular TikTok food trends this year. The list included cloud bread, baked oats, charcuterie boards, pasta chips and mug cake, among others. While other social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook are also home to recipe vid...
Dec 08, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 89
Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent out warning letters to five companies illegally selling CBD-infused food and beverage products. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the contents of the warning letters and the FDA’s rules regarding CBD. Currently, the use of CBD in food and beverage products is an unapproved food additive in the US. the agency also cited safety concerns regarding accidental or overconsumption of CBD, as well as drug interactions...
Dec 01, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 88
After many years of research and development, innovation and anticipation, lab-grown meat has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the historic approval, which was granted to San Francisco-based startup UPSIDE Foods to sell its lab-grown chicken. The product — which is biologically indistinguishable from traditional chicken — is made by growing animal cells in bioreactors, which are fed a mix of nutrients to de...
Nov 24, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 87
A new study suggests that consuming too much ultra-processed food — including chips, hot dogs, ice cream and soda — can have consequences beyond obesity and high cholesterol. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the study, which examined how the intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with premature, preventable death. She explains that ultra-processed foods contain more artificial ingredients than those that just have added salt, sugar or oil. They usually have ...
Nov 17, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 86
