Microbes are used by food companies for a variety of functions – from improved process efficiency to shelf life and flavour development. But an examination of patent filings over the last 20 years shows the food industry is prioritising one area above...
What is the ‘next big thing’ to hit the UK’s plant-based scene? FoodNavigator hears from start-ups making fresh alt milk, vegan Detroit-style pizza, premium cheesecake alternatives, and egg-free fresh pasta.
New research shows that people say they are more environmentally aware since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic but also reveals this is not translating to greener consumption behaviours.
From milk produced by cows fed on burp-reducing feed, to peanut butter powder containing 87% less fat than its 'regular' counterparts, FoodNavigator brings you the latest in new product development across Europe. In this round-up, we also look...
As a new fund announces it will invest up to €30 million in the most promising companies over a span of up to four years, EIT Food identifies to FoodNavigor the problems for which it is seeking solutions.
Turing AI is a food tech start-up that is exiting stealth mode. The company is already working with some of the world’s largest CPGs and retailers to address a food industry ‘bottleneck’: NPD. FoodNavigator speaks to founder and CEO Manmit Shrimali.
The use of PEF plastic – which is made entirely from plants, is fully recyclable and which degrades in nature much faster than normal plastics -- has the potential to become the standard in the food and drink industry, claims the company attempting to...
A new tofu alternative, developed from peas rather than the conventional soybean, is offering a sustainable addition to the meat alternative landscape, according to Peafu founder Tor Kemp.
Focus on quality for the year ahead is at its highest level recorded, driven by higher earners who have the disposable income to “trade up”, according to IGD’s latest Shopper Confidence Index.
A public-private partnership is repurposing leftover papaya in Ethiopia to develop ‘affordable’ and ‘nutritious’ fruit bars enriched with whey protein, vitamins and minerals for locals.
‘Significant proportions’ of the older population in the UK are lacking in required intakes of energy, protein, dietary fibre, vitamin A, vitamin D, riboflavin, folate, magnesium, potassium, selenium, iron, calcium, iodine and zinc, according to the British...
Greek-Canadian plant-based cheese firm Nafsika’s Garden has set its sights on the Middle Eastern market, looking to take advantage of the home-cooking and vegan consumer trends in the region, with India also on its hitlist.
Legumes have high potential to underpin the transition to healthy and sustainable diets targeted by the European Green New Deal Farm to Fork strategy, according to research.
With restaurants, bars and pubs in England now open for outdoor drinking and dining and preparing to resume indoor service from 17 May, a host of new technologies have been released promising to ensure customers feel safe and protected in busy venues...
French insect protein pioneer Ÿnsect has acquired Dutch mealworm specialist Protifarm in a move that the company says will give it a ‘strategic boost’ in the human nutrition market.
South Africa has seen large reductions in purchases of sugary beverage volumes since the country’s sugar tax was announced in 2016, according to a new study published this month.
Olam Food Ingredients (OFI) claimed its cocoa division has achieved 100% child labour and deforestation monitoring in its direct global supply chain, covering almost 183,000 households and 12,000 suppliers, respectively.
Tinkering with packaging or tweaking air miles won’t cut it with increasingly sustainability-savvy consumers, and instead food brands need to thoroughly trace the environmental impact of every ingredient they use to avoid accusations of greenwashing,...
Germany’s voluntary code governing marketing food to children has been updated. “Advertising must not induce children to eat unhealthily,” Federal Minister of Food Julia Klöckner stressed. What are the changes and do they go far enough?
Nactarome, an ingredient supplier majority-owned by private equity investor Ambienta, has completed its fourth bolt-on acquisition in three years with a deal to take control of the UK’s TasteConnection. FoodNavigator hears from Hans Udo Wenzel, Nactarome's...
YSUB, a pioneer in the Nordic CBD beverage space, is working to raise awareness of the barriers to market CBD manufacturers face in the region with a new advertising push: ‘Not for sale’.
FoodSparks – a seed fund tailored to support the most promising European early-stage enterprises – has been set up by EIT Food and capital fund manager PeakBridge, along with investors like Puratos, Givaudan and Stockholm-based investment firm Gullspång...
The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has made available guidance on how food firms can best display nutrition and health claims on their products according to the latest advice.
Europe’s olive oil industry is railing against the ‘unfair’ Nutri-Score algorithm and has launched the first international awards to assess the health benefits and flavour of olive oils in the hope the food labelling scheme will review its assessment...
As product safety worries, sustainability and traceability have all been placed firmly under the microscope, COVID-19 has accelerated our local shopping and sourcing habits. Now, we ask: What does the future hold for staying local?
Fairtrade urges EU to implement regulation to recognise the right to living income in cocoa sector in any forthcoming human rights due diligence regulation, as European Cocoa Association calls for an ‘enabling environment’ across the industry.
Apeel Sciences – the Santa Barbara-based firm behind an invisible plant-based edible skin proven to dramatically extend the shelf-life of fresh produce - has announced an expanded partnership network made up of 20+ avocado industry leaders in the US,...
Kellogg Company is collaborating with farmers in Spain, Italy, and the UK to encourage a transition towards more regenerative agricultural systems, says Dave Fitzgerald, Head of Responsible Sourcing at Kellogg Europe.
Eco-Score is a front-of-pack labelling system developed in France to communicate the environmental footprint of food in much the same way Nutri-Score informs consumers about nutrition. Launched at the beginning of this year, recent months have seen some...
Best known for its nuts, biltong and pork puffs, UK start-up The Curators has ventured into meat alternatives with a range of mushroom-based products. The aim is to tap into the fast-growing consumer appetite for more natural plant-based meal solutions,...
The UK Government’s restrictions on high fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) products to tackle obesity should not affect sports nutrition food products, says the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance (ESSNA).
UK start-up Halo Coffee is preparing to expand into continental Europe with its compostable coffee pods that are produced from a by-product of sugar cane processing. The company believes that this offers an important point of difference that will help...
The Berlin-based start-up has revealed plans to have a first prototype product in the form of fish balls or fish paste in 2022 after securing €7 million in funding.
An evaluation of the EU Strategy for Protection and Welfare of Animals has suggested sub-par results. “The EU clearly needs to do more,” animal welfare charity CIWF tells FoodNavigator.
A survey into food waste in the UK bakery sector has found that while food waste is certainly a real issue, action to reduce it is sadly not a main item on the menu.
The world's largest food and beverage companies and their suppliers must do more to create an equitable and sustainable food system for all, says Oxfam.
Gathered Foods, parent company of plant-based seafood brand Good Catch, has secured $26.35m in a B-2 Bridge Funding Round to ramp up product innovation and dramatically increase its retail footprint.
Ag-food tech company Moolec Science is expanding its alternative protein platform to cater to plant-based bakery and beverage categories. “Moving into egg and dairy alternatives was a natural next step for our roadmap,” explained CEO and co-founder Gastón...
Eating traditions must be preserved in order to maintain the benefits of the Mediterranean diet and promote the health of the younger generations, according to Spanish research.
The companies have tasked start-ups, via the next Future Food-Tech innovation challenge, to make products that can mimic whole meat cuts and deliver newer gastronomic experiences to consumers.
Scientists have shown how shown how chemical compounds found in highly processed foods play a role in chronic kidney disease, and are now turning their attention to new formulations and prebiotic ingredients that could help minimise the risk.
A new frozen ingredients supply venture in the UK will import frozen food ingredients from around the world, specialising in Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) fruit, vegetables, spices and herbs for further processing by UK and Irish food and eventually...
From an environmental and sensory standpoint, it makes sense to create ‘hybrid’ products from a blend of plant-based and meat proteins. Yet experts are dubious the category will take off.
