After the announced abstention of Germany and Italy, the vote for a key piece of European due diligence legislation which would have ensured companies, including food companies, root out human rights and environmental abuses from their value chains, has...
Palm oil is cheap to produce in large quantities but unsustainable production methods, notably deforestation, means the bad can far outweigh the good. As a result, brands are increasingly distancing themselves from the use of irresponsible palm oil in...
Picking up the baton from the World Cocoa Foundation Meeting, the Amsterdam Sustainable Cocoa Conference, organised by Chocoa, moved into the Beurs van Berlage for a further two days of discussion and debate on key policy issues affecting the global chocolate...
The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has announced that plans to cut pesticide use across the European Union have been dropped but environmentalists say the battle is far from over.
In the European Commission’s final text published this week, any mention of methane reduction has been omitted. So have links between dietary patterns and GHG emissions, critics lament.
Apart from farmer income/poverty, the most discussed topic on day one of the World Cocoa Foundation Partnership Meeting in Amsterdam was the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) that will be implemented at the end of this year.
The Border Target Operating Model (BTOM), the first stage of which came into force on 31 January, will have a significant impact on how the EU trades with Great Britain. Over three stages throughout 2024, new checks and declarations will be required for...
From confectionery to cakes, breakfast cereals to beer, sugar is a huge part of the modern diet, but why is the cost of one of our most indulgent ingredients increasing and how will this affect both food manufacturers and consumers?
Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) – a nationwide money-back initiative for plastic bottles and aluminum cans – launches this month in a bid to improve recycling rates.
The lack of a universal definition of what constitutes convenience foods risks hampering food and nutrition policy and health interventions, researchers have argued.
Despite common public understanding that the word ‘vegan’ means free from animal products, there is no legally binding definition for the term in the UK and EU. This means that products labelled ‘vegan’ can contain trace amounts of eggs or dairy. Furthermore,...
EverSweet, a stevia sweetener made via fermentation rather than stevia leaf extraction, is one step closer to market entry in Europe having received positive safety opinions in the EU and UK.
World Health Organization partners with Resolve to Save Lives to recognise countries working to remove industrially produced trans fat from their national food supplies.
The UK’s post-Brexit import controls are finally being implemented from January 31, 2024. But while their introduction will level the playing field for EU exporters who had enjoyed a relatively frictionless process until now, the additional cost and regulatory...
Proposals to loosen EU rules on gene edited crops have passed a significant barrier after the European Parliament’s Environmental Committee voted in favour of a proposal to introduce a new regulatory framework for New Genomic Techniques (NGTs).
Research revealing bees’ ability to synthesise specific nutrients, to support the colonisation of their gut bacteria, offers insights into the symbiotic relationship they have with their gut microbiota. But changes to their habitat is placing this delicate...
The world’s first regulatory approval for cultivated beef has been granted in Israel. For EU cultivated meat stakeholders, is the greenlight yet another sign the EU – which has yet to approve such a product – is falling behind? Or does it hold promise...
According to delegates from Italy, France and Austria, cellular agriculture practices represent a threat to primary farm-based approaches and ‘genuine’ food production methods.
December 30, 2024 marks the day by which supply chain stakeholders, including producers, importers, manufacturers, brands, and retailers within the European Union must ensure they are selling, importing and exporting EUDR compliant cocoa, coffee, palm...
Alcohol-free alternatives provide a welcome option to the increasing number of consumers who choose not to drink. But there are growing concerns that branding similarities to alcohol could mean that alcohol-free alternatives act as a gateway into alcohol...
In the wake of the delay of the UK’s landmark HFSS guidance on volume and price, UK company LoSalt is calling for greater salt reduction regulations and education from the government.
Just over one month has passed since COP28 closed its doors in Dubai, UAE, giving members of the Food4Climate Pavilion time to reflect on the climate change conference. Was food high enough on the agenda? And what’s on the menu for COP29?
An Indian court has ruled that PepsiCo India Holdings can finally claim a patent for the potato variety grown exclusive for its Lay’s potato chips – but this follows a protracted legal journey of lawsuits, arguments, judges orders and appeals.
European cultivated chicken ingredients may soon be winging their way to Asia if Vital Meat is successful in its novel food regulatory submission to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).
The French consumer affairs authority criticized butter producers’ and manufacturers’ lack of regulatory knowledge after an investigation showed ‘anomalies’ in the quality of some butters.
Ahead of the European elections in June 2024, The European Liaison Committee for Agricultural and Agrifood Trade (CELCAA) calls for better integration of agrifood trade interests in EU policy.
Agrifood research recognises Europe’s efforts to boost supply chain traceability with robust regulations and technological advancements, yet more can be done to enhance its capabilities.
The feed additive, which can reduce enteric methane emissions from dairy cows by 30% on average, has received market authorization and will be available in England, Wales and Scotland from early 2024.
The UK Government, in its recent National Vision for Engineering Biology policy paper, cemented its backing for the alternative protein sector. While many challenges remain, such as the lack of infrastructure to realise their development, the government...
A more granular approach to regenerative agriculture that considers farmer's experience and the local landscape will help drive positive outcomes for people, nature and climate says Regen10
The European Commission (EC) will allocate €185.9 million to promote expansion activities for sustainable and high-quality European Union (EU) agrifood products around the globe in 2024.
Food and farming organisations including CLEAR and its member organisations, Sustainable Food Trust and Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), have raised concerns regarding newly released eco-labelling guidelines from the IGD, which have recently been delivered...
As many know, the cocoa industry is sometimes opaque and complex. Still, confessed chocolate-lover Jon Trask, who is also CEO of Dimitra, says his company's recently developed Blockchain Deforestation Platform could provide a solution to help farmers...
Following uncertainty and disruption in 2023, potential political shifts in 2024 may spell further food labelling frustrations and challenges in the UK.
As the World Health Organization (WHO) publishes its latest information on additives, the food industry details how insufficient quality data is the biggest threat to their growth and management.
The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF), in collaboration with IDH and key government officials, highlighted significant strides in sustainable forest conservation efforts from the chocolate industry and the success of the Cocoa & Forests Initiative (CFI),...
From upcycling ‘spent hens’ into flavour enhancers to recreating breast milk in a lab, we round-up five of the most innovate start-ups we interviewed in 2023.
The Italian Government recently announced that it would ban cultivated meat production, at the same time restricting meat-related labels on plant-based meat alternatives. The decision has drawn significant criticism from some quarters, but from Italy's...
New wine labelling requirements come into force in the EU this week: requiring a list of ingredients and nutritional information to be included on wine labels. Beer and spirits, however, aren't covered by this regulation. What’s going on?
The competition watchdog will examine what influences consumer choice and what barriers exist for manufacturers to enter the ‘high concentrated’ market.
The industry has celebrated the revision of the Codex Standard for Follow-up Formula which brings tighter standards into place, but a baby milk action group questions the allowance of additives and sweet flavours.
Is the labelling of Nestlé’s plant-based ‘Vuna’ product too similar to conventional tuna? This was up for debate recently in Brussels, where stakeholders met to discuss ‘fishy’ labelling for plant-based alternatives.
Over 130 prime ministers and presidents have today signed the Emirates Declaration at COP28 – a first of its kind commitment to adapt and ‘transform’ food systems as part of action on the climate crisis.
The European Parliament has adopted its position on new EU packaging rules: which could see a raft of long-term changes for drinks packaging. The reaction from the European alcohol industry is mixed.
The cocoa and chocolate making industry has been warned that cocoa stocks languishing in EU warehouses during the 18-month transition period leading up to the European Union’s Deforestation law that kicks in at the end of December 2024 may have to be...
The European Parliament has voted in favour of banning BPA and ‘forever chemicals’ in food packaging, and MEPs want to eliminate ‘less necessary’ packaging such as very lightweight plastic carrier bags. But the plastic industry is concerned the vote is...
