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Recent innovations in emerging science are poised to provide food manufacturers with the various tools necessary to develop products that are better for consumers. In the past year, scientists have found new ways to incorporate fiber into products, discovered more about the taste of fat, and continued more research on the microbiome and plant-based proteins.

From the impact the gut microbiome has on overall health to using microorganisms to solve big problems, emerging science was all about thinking small in 2015. Researchers uncovered a strain of yeast that has the potential to produce sustainable palm oil and manufacturers are working on harnessing the power of small aquatic plants, such as algae and water lentils, to address the looming issue of feeding 9 billion people by 2050.

Indeed, many of the notable innovations in emerging science in 2015 revolved around the large issue of sustainability. As we predicted in 2014, food waste has continued to be a major issue for the food industry. On-going droughts around the world, most notably in Brazil and California, have made water conservation a top issue this year. Considering the strain food production puts on the world’s water supply, food lost or wasted has become a pressing issue, as it not only wastes food but valuable water too. Some companies are taking steps to reduce the amount of water they use while other innovations look to repurpose foods by creating functional ingredients from by-products of processing typically discarded.