Date: 27/01/2026

The global food industry enters 2026 in a new phase, marked by high production levels, stable consumption, and increasingly sustainable, transparent, and technically efficient practices. In this context, food ingredients take on a strategic role, moving beyond their traditional function to become essential tools for meeting regulatory, nutritional, and sensory requirements.

In Brazil, the record performance of plant and animal-based protein chains, combined with changes in consumption patterns and global projections from Mintel, a global market intelligence and research agency—points to a scenario in which technical innovation, functionality, and environmental responsibility advance in an integrated manner. In practical terms, this translates into greater industrial demand for operational efficiency, traceability, and portfolio qualification.

To stay up to date, explore the topics covered below:

Sensory Attributes as a Strategic Factor: Aromas, Textures, and Consumer Experience

Recent Mintel reports indicate that the sensory experience, comprising aroma, texture, flavor, and appearance, has become one of the main differentiators in food development, gaining relevance in purchasing decisions. Sensory marketing studies show that these stimuli create emotional connections and reinforce brand perception and identity.

The sensory characteristics of ingredients directly influence the perception of naturalness and quality of the final product. Aromatic ingredients such as natural flavors and meat extracts contribute to the development of profiles aligned with consumer expectations and market trends, assuming a strategic role due to their association with memory, emotional experiences, and their potential to add value to the formulations in which they are applied.

Another sensory attribute highlighted by Mintel is texture, a determining factor for product acceptance, especially in categories such as breaded products and processed foods. Breadcrumbs, for example, perform essential technological functions and provide sensory attributes valued by consumers, being responsible for delivering crispiness, texture, color, and a uniform appearance to the final product.

The selection of ingredients used in product formulation is therefore highly relevant and crucial in building the sensory profile. Beyond meeting nutritional or functional requirements, these ingredients are capable of combining technological performance, production efficiency, and sensory quality, reinforcing positive consumer perception and contributing to product differentiation in an increasingly competitive and innovation-driven market.

Alternative and Plant-Based Proteins: Complementarity and Efficiency

Although animal-derived proteins play a central role in many industrial applications, the food ingredients market is moving toward more diversified and complementary solutions. Plant-based proteins and alternative ingredients are gaining relevance as strategies for cost optimization, greater functional predictability, and reduced dependence on traditional sources.

In 2026, the focus shifts from simple substitution to intelligent ingredient composition, combining different protein sources to achieve improved digestibility, nutritional balance, and technological performance. Properly processed plant-based ingredients, with standardization and control of antinutritional factors, become important allies in developing more efficient and safer formulations.

Regulatory requirements are also advancing, driven by increased sanitary control, traceability, and transparency throughout the production chain. Concepts such as clean label are increasingly influencing ingredient development and selection./p>

A survey conducted by the GNT Group across ten countries showed that approximately two-thirds of consumers review the ingredient list before purchasing a product. This behavior reinforces the demand for clearer, more objective formulations aligned with expectations of health, quality, and transparency (GNT Group).

In this context, naturally sourced ingredients, with reduced inclusion of artificial additives and greater functional predictability, gain prominence. Ingredient traceability becomes a critical factor in ensuring safety, regulatory compliance, and access to increasingly demanding markets, reinforcing the importance of technically consistent suppliers aligned with current standards.

As a result of this movement, the food ingredients market observes consistent growth in alternative and plant-based proteins, driven by factors that go beyond consumer trends. The pursuit of greater supply predictability, production efficiency, and compliance with clean label criteria positions these ingredients strategically within industrial formulations.

From a technical perspective, well-processed plant proteins offer significant benefits, such as stable functional performance, application versatility, and contribution to the nutritional balance of formulations. In addition, they allow greater control over origin, standardization, and traceability—attributes increasingly valued in a more stringent regulatory environment and in globalized supply chains.

Within this scenario, textured soy protein stands out as a well-established solution in the industry, combining technological functionality, operational efficiency, and alignment with demands for transparency and sustainability. Its benefits reinforce the role of plant-based ingredients as strategic allies in developing more efficient, safe, and market-compliant formulations.

Functional Foods, Alternative Proteins, and Precision Diets

Functional foods are consolidating as one of the main trends for 2026, driven by growing consumer interest in gut health, immunity, longevity, and the prevention of specific conditions. This movement strengthens the development and application of food ingredients with well-defined nutritional functions, scientific backing, and measurable health benefits.

Within this context, alternative proteins and protein ingredients with a higher degree of functional processing gain relevance as strategic tools for precision diet formulation. These ingredients enable greater control over nutritional composition, digestibility, amino acid profile, and technological performance, meeting the specific demands of different consumer profiles and lifestyles.

The adoption of precision diets reflects the market’s evolution toward more personalized solutions, capable of addressing distinct nutritional needs, life stages, and specific health goals. For the industry, this advancement reinforces the importance of standardized, traceable, and technically consistent ingredients that support innovation, production efficiency, and regulatory compliance in an increasingly demanding environment.

Final Considerations

Projections for 2026 reinforce the transformation of the food industry into an environment increasingly driven by efficiency, functionality, and innovation. Human consumer behavior, combined with regulatory and technological advances, directly influences the development and selection of food ingredients.

In this scenario, ingredients move beyond their role as simple inputs and assume a strategic position in formulations, contributing to more efficient, responsible solutions aligned with B2B market demands. The role of suppliers with technical expertise, production consistency, and a long-term vision becomes essential to sustaining sector competitiveness.

MBRF Ingredients operates in the production of breadcrumbs, soy proteins, flavors, and meat extracts, delivering technical functionality, quality, traceability, and sustainability throughout the entire production chain. More than supplying ingredients, the company supports the industry in developing solutions aligned with the trends shaping the future of food ingredients.