Food safety

A first for photosynthesis- and agriculture-free food: Protein ‘made from air’ officially on the menu

19-Jun-2023 By Flora Southey

Finnish start-up Solar Foods is marketing its novel microbial protein Solein for the first time. In partnership with Singapore-based restaurant Fico, the duo has developed a dessert made with ingredients ‘derived out of thin air’.

Heat-damaged DNA in food could be linked to cancer, study shows

15-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Foods including red and processed meat have been frequently linked to cancer. A new study suggests that this could be because of the cooking process – food cooked at high heats could damage the DNA in the food, leading to increased cancer risk in those...

Fresh calls for food to be central to climate dialogue

15-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Most countries are yet to realise the full potential of including food systems in their climate action plans, according to a new report calling for food and agriculture to be at the heart of discussions.

UK start-up raises $30M to scale cultured meat using RNA technology

13-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Uncommon, formerly called Higher Steaks, leverages RNA, the molecule that contains the chemical instructions that direct cells’ natural machinery into making a protein, to create cultivated bacon and pork belly from animal cells.

UK mulls rule changes to allow faster cultivated meat and animal-free dairy approvals

09-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The UK is considering novel foods regulation changes that could speed cell-based meat and precision fermentation approvals.

Parma Ham players aim to cure environmental impact of packaging

09-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The Parma Ham Consortium is carrying out research to identify more sustainable alternatives to the traditional packaging of the pre-sliced product.

Princes claims ‘industry-first’ human rights assessment on Argentinian pulses

08-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Napolina-owner Princes Group has completed what it claims is a first-of-its-kind Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) into pulses from Argentina – taking a major step forward in evolving its approach to human rights due diligence and supply chain transparency.

SuperMeat on why its business model is key to overcoming cultivated meat industry bottlenecks

06-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

We caught up with Ido Savir, CEO & Co-founder at the Israeli cultured meat start-up.

Shoppers concerned about impact of growing ‘shrinkflation’ trend

06-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Cash strapped British consumers are switching away from products which have been downsized by manufacturers in favour of buying products in bulk which offer better value for money.

Alternative protein from leaves? ‘Industry first’ development to reduce reliance on soy and pea

06-Jun-2023 By Flora Southey

A new source of alternative plant protein from amaranth leaf is in development for the food industry, with the help of vertical farming technology.

Self-diagnosing dietary problems puts consumers at risk of nutritional deficiencies, UK dieticians warn

05-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Increasing numbers of consumers are diagnosing themselves with “gluten intolerance” when they’ve just eaten too much bread or pasta.

Researchers look to ‘brilliant whiteness’ in shrimp stripes to find E171 alternative

02-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

A new material discovered in the Pacific Cleaner Shrimp could inspire the development of new whitening materials in foods as a replacement for titanium dioxide (E171), say scientists.

Seafood without the catch? Cultivated salmon fat in development for ‘next level’ plant-based seafood

30-May-2023 By Flora Southey

In working to improve the taste of plant-based seafood alternatives, Dutch start-up Upstream Foods is cultivating fat from salmon cells for the B2B market.

Fungi breeding for food: Meet the start-up developing new fungal strains previously thought to be asexual

30-May-2023 By Flora Southey

UK-based Myconeos is creating new fungal strains for food applications ranging from cheese to plant-based products.

UK to ban single-use plastics and EU suggests wide-ranging changes to plastic use

26-May-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

On 1 October 2023, the UK will ban single-use plastics, with the guidance having been released on 23 May. The EU have also released wide-ranging guidance on plastics.

Brand unveils first children’s biscuit designed to meet the criteria in allergy free school policies

22-May-2023 By Oliver Morrison

With experts in the dark as to why numbers of childhood allergies are increasing, safe food options are critical, says Kirsty Dingwall, founder of Angelic Free From – a UK brand that has launched what it claims is the first dedicated kids' top 14-allergen-free...

‘Plastic is yesterday’s material’: Sustainable packaging innovator Xampla on how it can allow global food and beverage brands to deliver ‘breakthrough’ new product developments

17-May-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Meet Xampla, the British company innovating solutions for two separate industry challenges: plastic pollution and the protection of valuable vitamins and nutrients. Food-Navigator Europe caught up with Stanley Mitchell, Head of Business Development at...

WATCH: Working with fungi to ‘break the plant-based ceiling’

17-May-2023 By Flora Southey

Libre Foods is working with both fungi fruiting bodies and mycelia to boost diversity, functionality, and taste in meat-free offerings, CEO Alan Iván Ramos tells FoodNavigator.

‘Food and feed safety risks are not static’ - How the Border Target Operating Model could impact Great Britain-Europe trade

16-May-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

On 11 April, the UK government released the draft of the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM). The BTOM will, if accepted, have a significant influence on the import of food from Europe into Great Britain (Northern Ireland is not affected). An online...

Boosted by biotech: How scientists hope to deploy genome sequencing tech to disrupt the food and supplement space

15-May-2023 By Oliver Morrison

It is estimated that two-thirds of European countries now use whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in food safety programmes. But it is time the technique is used to bring greater health benefits to functional foods, Dr Thomas Gurry, co-founder and CEO of gut...

WATCH: Collagen in functional food and drink – the next ‘hot trend’ after CBD?

10-May-2023 By Flora Southey

The collagen trend has been building over the last few years and Romain Quillot, co-founder of functional collagen food and drink brand Humble+, expects it to continue. We ask about the challenges of incorporating collagen into products, the functional...

‘Difficult to source’ purple spectrum to be produced via microbial fermentation at scale

09-May-2023 By Flora Southey

Danish maker of bio-based ingredients Octarine Bio and US cell programming company Ginkgo Bioworks have partnered up to engineer a strain for producing violacein and its derivatives.

How next-gen protein innovators plan to win over consumers

08-May-2023 By Flora Southey

The taste and texture of meat and dairy analogues have come a long way. But according to alternative protein experts, ‘there is still room for improvement’. How will the next generation of innovators win over consumers, and what hurdles will they need...

‘New algorithm does not incentivise reformulation’: Nutri-Score pushback from soft drink makers

05-May-2023 By Flora Southey

Based on the new algorithm, a soft drink with a sugar level as low as 0.1g cannot score higher than Nutri-Score C, laments UNESDA Soft Drinks Europe.

'The most important agent of disease in plants is fungi' - Fungal infections threaten the world’s supply chain

04-May-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Fungal infections destroy a significant amount of crops worldwide. Scientists have warned that the crop losses due to fungal infections cause hundreds of thousands of people to miss out on calories they could have if the crops survived. And this will...

Ultra-processing: The solution for safer, greener, more nutritious food?

03-May-2023 By Flora Southey

As criticism around ultra-processed food builds, a panel of nutritionists and food engineers argue the practice has huge potential in producing safer and environmentally sustainable nutrition to the masses.

‘Don’t eat homegrown eggs’: Consumers warned of contamination risk in France

01-May-2023 By Flora Southey

The health authority for France’s Île-de-France region, which includes the city of Paris, is warning citizens not to consume eggs sourced from domestic coops due to risk of persistent organic pollutant contamination.

Consumers don’t know what ‘ultra-processed’ food is, but know they don’t want it

27-Apr-2023 By Flora Southey

Fresh research suggests consumers struggle to distinguish between ultra-processed and other processed foods, but want to cut back on both. Is a lack of trust at play?

Meat alternatives made from plants or mycoprotein can lower ‘bad’ cholesterol, finds research

24-Apr-2023 By Flora Southey

Swapping out meat with plant-based alternatives is likely to benefit cholesterol levels, and over a two-year period, could reduce the risk of developing heart disease by a quarter, say researchers.

‘Bisphenol A in food is a health risk’: EFSA sets new tolerable daily intake of BPA, 20,000 times lower

19-Apr-2023 By Flora Southey

Having identified potentially harmful health effects on the immune system, EFSA has set a new, significantly lower, tolerable daily intake of Bisphenol A.

Blending meat with alt protein: Does the hybrid category have a future?

17-Apr-2023 By Flora Southey

An overwhelming majority of delegates at FoodNavigator’s recent Positive Nutrition Summit see potential in the ‘hybrid’ category, but meat-free innovators are not convinced.

‘A laughably self-serving study’: Industry backlash over fake manuka honey claims

14-Apr-2023 By Flora Southey

New Zealand’s manuka industry is being accused of misleading consumers after it alleged honey derived from species other than the Leptospermum outside of New Zealand is inauthentic.

Fish 2.0? EU funds wave of algae-based fish substitutes

12-Apr-2023 By Flora Southey

Smoked salmon, canned tuna, tarama spread and roes…made from algae? The ‘Seafood Alg-ternative’ project, with support from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, is working to transform algae into plant-based seafood substitutes.

‘New sustainable frontiers’: CSM ramps up fats & oils development with microorganisms and plants

11-Apr-2023 By Flora Southey

CSM Ingredients wants to uncover ‘sustainable frontiers’ in fats and oils – including plant-based oil replacements made from microorganisms – with the inauguration of a new Innovation Center in Delmenhorst, Germany.

Low-density polyethylene film uses antimicrobial solution to extend shelf-life of strawberries

11-Apr-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

A new method developed by researchers has succeeded in extending the shelf life of strawberries. Researchers tested five low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films, each infused with solutions containing combinations of plant-derived essential oils and nanoparticles...

EC urged to adopt strict measures on nitrosamines after latest EFSA health concerns

06-Apr-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Experts are once again calling for a ban on nitrosamines after consumer exposure to the compounds that can form in food during its preparation and processing raised a health concern from the European Food Safety Authority.

Hybrid alt cheese made with dairy, faba and mealworms ‘similar or superior’ to the real thing

05-Apr-2023 By Flora Southey

Could a hybrid cheese analogue – which swaps out some dairy for faba protein and mealworm flour – improve nutrition and sensory properties? Researchers investigate.

Rotting ham and mislabelled meat? Pork scandal shakes meat industry

04-Apr-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

In the UK, a food processor has been accused by former employees of “washing” hams that are visibly gone off and mislabelling products as retail. The allegations have brought the meat industry as a whole, and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in particular,...

Anti-innovation and consumer choice? Italy moves to ban lab-grown meat, cheese and fish

03-Apr-2023 By Oliver Morrison

First it was Nutri-Score. Now Italy is waging war on lab-grown food to preserve its famous gastronomic heritage.

‘Safer’ PFAS replacements in food packaging still hazardous, finds research: ‘Polymers aren’t a harmless loophole’

03-Apr-2023 By Flora Southey

Replacement per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) thought to be safe for use in food packaging break down into toxic PFAS, according to fresh research.

Fibre intake reduces cognitive decline risk in older people: study

28-Mar-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Fibre intake is associated with a lower risk of developing cognitive decline in older people with the Alzheimer’s risk gene APOE4, according to a new study.

Cheese shop pulls products from shelves after Listeria outbreak

24-Mar-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

On 20 March, Wiltshire-based cheese shop the Old Cheese Room announced that they were recalling a selection of their products following a Listeria outbreak. Several other Listeria outbreaks have also taken place in the UK and Europe over the past year,...

Is interest in gut health propelling the pickled category? ‘Kimchi has moved into the mainstream’

20-Mar-2023 By Flora Southey

From kefir to kimchi, sauerkraut to kombucha, fermented foods are trending. Nick ‘The Pickles Man’ Vadasz puts this down, at least in part, to increased consumer awareness around gut health and the microbiome.

Researchers accelerate Danish cheese production with ripening 'shortcut'

20-Mar-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Once, Danish Danbo cheese would take at least a month to mature. However, researchers from the DTU National Food Institute have figured out a way of cutting down this time to just a few days – putting the cheese in a fermentation tank to create prime...

Unnecessarily cruel or a necessary solution? The octopus farming debate rages

17-Mar-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The world’s first commercial octopus farm is continuing to cause controversy.

Overdue for many years? Calls for zero tolerance on mineral oil hydrocarbons in food as EFSA launches public consultation after ‘possible health concerns’

16-Mar-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The European Food Safety Authority has launched a public consultation on the draft scientific opinion on the update of the risk assessment of mineral oil hydrocarbons in food after EFSA experts provisionally concluded that mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons...

GUEST ARTICLE

Industry Insights from NIZO: Developing a plant-based product? Don’t ignore Listeria risks!

15-Mar-2023 By René Floris, NIZO Food Research Division Manager

While Listeria is generally associated with ready-to-eat foods such as dairy cheeses and deli meats, manufacturers cannot ignore the potential risk in plant-based products, says NIZO.

Food Fermentation Europe: Advocating for ‘non-discriminatory, market-based’ regulatory framework for precision fermentation

15-Mar-2023 By Flora Southey

Precision fermentation leaders have banded together to launch Food Fermentation Europe (FFE), an alliance seeking to revamp current regulatory processes it describes as ‘far too lengthy and opaque’.

‘The race is on’: Is Japan’s commitment to cultivated meat another sign Europe is lagging?

14-Mar-2023 By Flora Southey

As another country, Japan, announces plans to develop a market for cellular foods, we ask stakeholders how Europe can remain competitive in the global race to develop cultivated meat.

‘We want to sell vegetables that people love to eat, and farmers like to grow’: Seed grower Harmoniz on the importance of innovation during every stage of the supply chain

14-Mar-2023 By Oliver Morrison

New company Harmoniz – created by the merger between TomatoTech and Nirit Seeds – explains how it is seeking to leverage molecular biology and breeding technologies to create tomatoes of uncompromised quality.