Insights
Changes in consumer expectations and federal regulations are leading to constant shifts in the food and agriculture industry. To stay ahead, food research and development (R&D) leaders need to be aware of new developments, trends, and technologies on the horizon.
In July, RTI International attended the IFT FIRST Annual Event & Expo to network with decision-makers and discover new trends transforming the future of food. These trends, including artificial intelligence (AI), circularity, precision nutrition, and safety risks, are reshaping how food R&D leaders need to approach product development, formulation, and growth in today’s evolving food landscape. Based on our conversations, many leaders do not know where to start or lack the technical resources to identify and evaluate trend-driven opportunities with confidence.
Here are five actionable strategies for harnessing the potential of these trends to solve complex problems with measurable business value:
Design for the Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Era
Reduced intake and shifting nutrient needs present a critical opportunity to re-engineer products for enhanced metabolic impact, such as products that offer more nutrient density with less volume. Successful innovation requires the integration of metabolic science, in-vivo assessments, and behavioral insights to develop targeted nutrition solutions that meet new health expectations.
Opportunity: Drive innovation in novel product formats and formulations by leveraging precision nutrition for consumers with unique metabolic needs.
RTI has extensive experience in precision nutrition through our work on the National Institutes of Health-funded Nutrition for Precision Health initiative and proprietary wearable and biometric platforms. Our experts have helped clients model the nutrient needs of varied users and co-create product concepts that align science-based insights with market opportunity.
Use Regulatory Intelligence as a Catalyst for Ingredient Innovation
Pathways like the Make America Healthy Again and Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) reforms, along with shifting global policies, demand proactive alignment of regulatory strategy and commercialization planning. Embedding policy analysis into early R&D phases enables faster, more scalable innovation across markets.
Opportunity: Turn regulatory complexity into a competitive edge through compliance-integrated development.
RTI combines regulatory foresight with toxicology and safety science expertise, having helped clients progress toward GRAS recognition, navigate labeling strategies, and forecast reformulation costs under evolving U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture rules. We help teams anticipate regulatory shifts before they become roadblocks.
Embed Scientific Rigor into AI-Enabled Formulation
AI and digital tools are accelerating formulation cycles, but speed without scientific rigor risks credibility. To ensure that AI-enabled formulation is safe, compliant, and effective, data science must be paired with model transparency, validation frameworks, and regulatory alignment.
Opportunity: De-risk digital R&D and accelerate go-to-market timelines by embedding validation and regulatory readiness into AI-enabled platforms.
RTI pairs AI and data science with validation frameworks and has extensive experience building predictive models across ingredients, processing, packaging, and consumer behavior.
Reformulate for Trust: Reconcile Clean Label Goals with Functional Integrity
Consumers increasingly demand transparency with simplicity, but removing additives can compromise product integrity. Food R&D must reconcile clean label goals with taste, safety, and shelf stability by leveraging toxicology, safety science, and behavior analytics.
Opportunity: Reformulate with confidence using science-backed ingredient strategies and claims that build lasting consumer trust.
RTI has guided food and ingredient companies through clean label transitions by integrating rigor in scientific analysis, toxicology expertise, reformulation costs, and consumer messaging analytics. Our innovation experts help organizations balance transparency with performance so that reformulation builds brand equity.
Leverage Circularity and Functionality as Dual Engines for Growth
Sustainability and wellness are no longer separate innovation tracks. Upcycled and functional ingredients are converging to meet environmental and nutritional goals. Leading food R&D teams are designing products that deliver measurable impact across both domains by mastering waste valorization, bioactive development, and life-cycle modeling.
Opportunity: Build next-generation products that differentiate through multi-impact approaches, including nutritional efficacy and environmental stewardship.
RTI supports clients in transforming byproducts into new revenue streams, advancing bioactive ingredient development, and conducting life-cycle impact assessments. Our techno-economic and commodity modeling helps teams align product design with sustainability and profitability goals.
Emerging food industry trends highlight how science, strategy, and technology will define the next phase of innovation. RTI applies scientific rigor, regulatory foresight, and systems-level thinking to help food and agriculture companies translate these signals into a competitive advantage. Let’s explore how our science-forward, market-aligned approach to food R&D strategy can help you navigate challenges and achieve your goals.
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Disclaimer: This piece was written by Lawrence Blume (Food & Agriculture Sector Lead, Senior Innovation Advisor) and Micaela Cox (Innovation Advisor) to share perspectives on a topic of interest. Expression of opinions within are those of the author or authors.