Dubai, Jan 26–30, 2026 marks the launch of Gulfood 2026, the world’s largest annual food & beverage show, bringing together thousands of global exhibitors across food categories, from traditional products to cutting-edge food tech and plant-centric innovation.

Italy has its UNESCO cuisine moment, but Japan just slid in with something arguably more disruptive in the form of a dessert made from air. Ajinomoto’s conscious brand Atlr.72 has officially launched Mochelie, a mochi-filled almond tart powered by Solein, the world’s first commercial “protein from air.” It's just hit Singapore shelves in three flavours, and yes, it’s still a pastry, with a carbon footprint reading more like a rounding error.

Italy's cuisine has just been received an accolade even the most passionate nonna might blush over by convincing UNESCO its entire cuisine, the whole sprawling, tomato-splashed, pasta-shaped universe, deserves protection as an intangible cultural treasure. Forget individual dishes. The whole national food identity just got canonised.