Rationalist or Authenticity Seeker? The Truth About What We Eat & What We Believe

It's an interesting time to work in the media. Trump's second election win has shown us yet again that for most people, narrative matters more than facts. He is supremely talented at telling the stories his base (and the powerful elites) want to hear. His success, viewed in this light, is not entirely surprising. We are a species that values storytelling above most things. It's how we make sense of the world.

Which is why I am fascinated by the latest study from the Center for Food Integrity titled Truth Defined: Mapping Consumer Beliefs in Food & Agriculture. It splits Americans into five segments, each with its unique definitions of truth about food, which are based on factors like values, motivations, personal experiences and the sources they trust most - see the table below.

Turns out, when it comes to food, most Americans care more about feeling right than being right. A new study reveals that for 43% of consumers, "truth" means comfort and familiarity—even when science says otherwise. And while 19% of Rationalists still trust research and facts, they’re being drowned out by Authenticity Seekers (14%)—a small but powerfully influential group shaping nearly 75% of the population’s food choices. So, why does this matter? Because in a world racing toward 10 billion people, our food system desperately needs science-backed solutions—but right now, emotion is winning over evidence.

Meanwhile, misinformation is spreading faster than ever, with two-thirds of influencers skipping fact-checks and AI making fake content scarily convincing. The result? A polarized landscape where trust in future-friendly foods (like alt proteins) is crumbling, even as livestock farming guzzles resources and fuels climate change. The big question: Can we bridge the gap between what feels true and what is true—before it’s too late?

Note: This was not a small study. The researchers analysed the online behaviours of 4,000 Americans over two years and validated the results by studying another 4,000 consumers.

-Sonalie

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✅ Must-Read Headlines

🇰🇷 South Korea’s Intake secured ₩13.5 billion ($9.2 million) Series C funding to commercialise its precision-fermented dairy, meat and egg proteins.
💡Intake has developed a yeast strain from locally grown grapes with 1.5 times higher protein than conventional yeast, designed to replace whey protein - and it’s not classified as GMO.

🇺🇸 US food tech MycoTechnology received regulatory approval to sell its honey-truffle-fermented flavour modulator in the country.
💡MycoTechnology abandoned its meat alternatives plan (reflective of the tough market for alternative proteins) and shifted focus to its flavour and sweetener portfolio - a major market, especially in light of the changing landscape owing to GLP-1 medications. 

🍳 Eat Just is bringing its bestselling vegan egg to Europe after striking a distribution deal with Vegan Food Group.
💡VFG has invested £11.5 million to build a fully automated line to produce Just Egg at its facility in Lüneburg, Germany, starting later this year.

🥔 The Better Meat Co received its sixth patent in the US, which covers a method to produce mycelium proteins using potato waste as a feedstock.
💡The company turns low-value starch into a whole-biomass ingredient with all essential amino acids, a protein content of 50% by dry weight (higher than eggs), and a protein digestibility score of 0.87-0.96 (close to casein, beef and eggs).

🆕 Innovation News

🍫 Kraft Heinz launched the first ready-to-eat vegan offering under its iconic Jell-O brand: a dairy-free version of its chocolate pudding.

🇮🇳 Mumbai-based Biokraft Foods debuted cultured seafood prototypes in collaboration with the Indian government, and will apply for regulatory approval for its cultivated chicken this summer.

🧀 Bel Group France has partnered with portfolio company Standing Ovation to upcycle its whey waste into precision-fermented casein proteins.

🐈‍⬛ BioCraft Pet Nutrition is working with Prefera Petfood to manufacture a cat food product with 99% cultivated mouse meat.

🚮 Mill, a startup tackling food waste through a smart recycling bin, has reached $20 million in revenue and rolled out a product designed for the workplace.

🧫 Everything Else In Future Food

🥡 Food delivery giant Just Eat Takeaway’s German arm has introduced plastic-free food boxes using material innovator Xampla’s plant-based, 100% biobased Morro Coating.

🌱 French catering giant Sodexo is expanding its partnership with Greener by Default to roll out plant-forward menus at 400 hospitals in the US.

🤔 Plant-based proteins have come under heavy scrutiny for being ultra-processed, but current classification systems like Nova and Poti don’t fully reflect a food’s healthfulness, according to a new study from the University of Turku in Finland.

🇺🇸 A new survey from the Center for Food Integrity shows that US consumers value authenticity over science in their beliefs around food and agriculture, with a majority seeking truth as “simple, safe and familiar”.

🎸 A rising number of festivals are going meat-free amid a wider sustainability shift in the live music industry, reveals a new report by A Greener Future.

🌱🍔  Future Food Quick Bites 

In our weekly column, Future Food Quick Bites, we round up the latest news and developments in the alternative protein and sustainable food industry. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers This’ pasta partnership with Ugo Foods Group, Starday’s $11M Series A round, and a nomination for the Earthshot Prize.

📆 Scene & Heard

Now is the time to put science centre stage at the HackSummit

🇨🇭From the lab to the field, from markets to ministries, science belongs everywhere decisions are made. Don’t miss the HackSummit on May 15th-16th, where you’ll join 850 ClimateTech founders, funders, and operators building what matters most. Get your ticket here.

🚀 The Global Call for Startups is a competition for early-stage ventures aimed at transforming food systems to promote health, sustainability, and social justice at scale. EAT,  in partnership with global early-stage investing leaders Antler and Katapult, as well as Norrsken Foundation, will offer tailored support to help winning startups scale their impact. Learn more here.

💸 pladis is looking for companies with innovative solutions in personalised nutrition, advancing functional foods, and future ingredients to join its Accelerator Programme; find out more and apply here.

🌏 The Agritech ClimAccelerator Singapore is launching its first agritech programme in Asia-Pacific, powered by Better Earth Ventures. The initiative aims to empower climate-focused startups and drive bold agritech solutions in one of the most climate-vulnerable and agriculturally critical regions. Applications close 30th May; learn more and apply here.