The Prepared Foods Podcast

New categories of functional ingredients rarely emerge. Exosomes—bioactive compounds derived from milk—are just that, a new-to-the-nutraceutical world product made up of bioactive compounds that are their own natural delivery mechanism.Prepared Foods interviewed Rachelle Neumann, MBA, and Efrat Dvash-Riesenfeld, PhD, of Exosomm, Ltd., to learn more about this new category of better-for-you ingredients.

Throughout the year, Prepared Foods has explored the role vitamins can play in supporting immune health, including discussions on vitamins K and A with fermentation scientist Dr. Dana McCurdy. In this episode, Dr. McCurdy returns to discuss vitamin E and its potential role in supporting healthy immune function.

▶ Read More from Dr. Dana McCurdy

New food and beverage brands often face an uphill climb toward national distribution. In this episode, Jennifer Wiese, founder/owner of BeeFree, talks about her brand journey from cottage industry upstart to a national brand carried by Costco and other retailers.

Prepared Foods Executive Editor–Technical David Feder interviews Alisia Heath, VP of R&D for The Not Company, Inc., about how advanced AI tools such as Giuseppe-AI are transforming food product development. Heath explains how AI can help developers navigate complex regulatory requirements, evaluate thousands of formulation variables, reduce physical trial-and-error, and accelerate smarter formulation and reformulation—all while keeping food scientists and research chefs at the center of the innovation process.

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Dig inside ethnic food trends to understand the power of authenticity when developing products for both foodservice and retail with insights from Jane Hartgrove of Tres Picosos, a burrito specialist.

Read the story: Authentic Mexican Flavors Gain Ground

Learn how your company can develop a "better good" edge with insights from Scott M. Curran, a social impact lawyer with decades of work with organizations like Starbucks and Chobani, the United Nations Foundation, former presidents, and public figures.

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The rise of functional mushrooms in foods and beverages has been phenomenal, and while beverages such as coffee, teas, and energy drinks remain the primary vehicles for mushroom infusions, the use of these favored fungi has expanded into items such as chips, jerky, and other snacks.

Prepared Foods Executive Editor–Technical David Feder, RDN, interviewed Julie Daoust, PhD, Chair of the Functional Mushroom Council for an in-depth look at functional mushrooms and their potential for expanded use in foods and beverages.

A federal appeals court revived a lawsuit claiming Chobani’s "Zero Sugar" yogurt is misleadingly labeled for containing 4g of allulose per serving.

In this episode of the editorial series "Reasoned Opinion," the Prepared Foods network’s Executive Editor–Technical David Feder, RDN, exposes how using vernacular language in labeling can clash with technical accuracy and open the door to undesirable litigation.

Join Tracy Gensler, RD, a science writer engaged in public policy matters, as she discusses Pollack Communications and Today’s Dietician recently released results from a “What’s Trending in Nutrition” study, which includes information related to how health professionals are talking to patients about dietary needs surrounding GLP-1 medication.

David Feder, Group Technical Editor for BNP Media and Executive Editor Technical for Prepared Foods, interviews Professor Hinnerk Von Bargen of the Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio on natural curing and vegetable fermentation. Professor Von Bargen will share the techniques and ingredients used to both enhance flavor and preserve the product as well as mask certain unbalancing flavor notes.

Sponsored by Vibrant Ingredients

Sustainability is a journey, and each company's experiences in this vital area can offer insight. In this episode, Erika Anderson-Putman, Community Marketing Associate and Brand Experience Strategist at Agri-Mark and Cabot, talks about the company's B Corp status and other company initiatives and how they have impacted its sustainability strategy.

As consumer expectations continue to evolve, developers face the challenge of balancing nutrition, functionality, and sensory appeal. This discussion highlights the formulation challenges and how ingredient systems can create protein-rich, nutrient-dense products that excel in taste, texture, and real-world performance. Natalie Leuwer, a Category Manager for Food at GELITA since 2008, has extensive experience in marketing, innovation, and market intelligence, and holds a Master’s degree in Marketing.

Sponsored by GELITA

Prepared Foods’ Executive Editor–Technical, David Feder, reached out to regular contributor and internationally accomplished chef Hinnerk Von Bargen of the Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio. He shares his unique perspectives on the UPF controversy.

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Join Danone's SVP of Plant-Based Beverages, Kallie Goodwin, and BNP Media's Director of Content Strategy Doug Peckenpaugh, leader of the Prepared Foods team, as they discuss current trends and market strategies related to plant-based beverages, including Danone's pioneering Silk brand.

As demand for clean-label and naturally colored foods continues to rise, bakery remains one of the most technically challenging categories for going natural when it comes to color. Baked goods subject pigments to prolonged high heat, complex ingredient interactions, and post-bake handling stresses. Dr. Abbey Thiel, YouTube’s “Abbey the Food Scientist” host, discusses these challenges and what bakers can expect when replacing artificial colorants with natural colors in baked goods.

Sponsored by

As new federal rules push food and beverage makers away from artificial dyes, dairy developers are facing one of the toughest reformulation challenges yet. In Part 1 of our three‑part series, food scientist Dr. Abbey Thiel reveals why milk’s shifting pH, heat treatments, and constant exposure to light make natural coloring uniquely complex—and how carotenoid-based pigments are emerging as the secret to vibrant, stable dairy shades. Dive in to discover what it really takes to make natural colors work in dairy.

Prepared Foods Chief Editor Bob Garrison talks with Imbibe Marketing Director Ana Rodriguez about new tastes and trends in ready-to-drink coffee and tea beverages.

Bob Garrison, chief editor of Prepared Foods, Kelley Rodriguez, editor-in-chief of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, and Alyse Thompson-Richards, editor-in-chief of FOOD ENGINEERING, combine their unique perspectives and discuss the biggest trends impacting the food industry in 2025 and beyond.

Can upcycled egg components contribute calcium, minerals and collagen to other products? Prepared Foods Chief Editor Bob Garrison explores sustainable solution angles with Nate Hedtke, vice president, Innovation & Customer Engagement for the American Egg Board, and Dan Kurzrock, founder & CEO of Upcycled Foods Inc.

Alisia Heath, VP of R&D for The Not Company, Inc. chats about NotCo’s Giuseppe-AI, which the company describes as the ultimate R&D engine.