Proteins

‘More than mylk’: Alternatives to coffee, cocoa, salt and sugar on the table at Mylkcubator 3.0

27-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

The Mylkcubator programme has largely focused on next-gen dairy innovation to date. But for the incubator’s third edition, dairy-major Pascual wants to expand its focus to alt coffee, cocoa, salt, sugar and more.

Cultivated meat ‘breakthrough’: Media supplement achieves full muscle maturation on scaffold within 48 hours.

26-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

Having achieved muscle and protein gains in 2D environments, Profuse Technology is celebrating a ‘breakthrough’ in cultivated meat growth within 3D environments, CEO Guy Nevo Michrowski explains.

‘There will be trade-offs’: How the Belgian meat industry can make progress in sustainability

25-Sep-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

As the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy continues to outline key sustainability regulations, which are sure to impact the food industry significantly, the Belgian meat sector must learn to manage the effects of such regulations. According to speakers at the...

Fruit seed-based alt dairy to quadruple production capacity, ‘double down’ on NPD

25-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

Kern Tec, which makes dairy alternative ingredients from stone fruit seeds, has closed a €12m Series A funding round. Co-founder Luca Fichtinger tells FoodNavigator the investment will help the team ‘double down’ efforts on NPD.

EU-27 countries exceed biocapacity, driven in large part by the food system: study

22-Sep-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The food system is a significant contributor to harming the natural world, often stretching its biocapacity beyond breaking point. Now, a recent study shows that the EU-27 countries have exceeded biocapacity within Europe, and the food system in partly...

‘The only barrier now is regulation’: UK cultivated meat company urges urgent approvals overhaul to allow industry to flourish

22-Sep-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Ivy Farm Technologies sounded the warning it will look to open its first production facility in another country, likely the US, if the Food Standards Authority drags its feet on giving regulatory approval to this fledgling industry.

‘We’re not trying to mimic milk’: Rude Health backs nutrition-forward strategy amid plant-based ‘shakedown’

21-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

The breakfast brand’s commitment to clean label – or as clean label as functionality allows – will see it through the current plant-based ‘shakedown’, co-founder and brand director Camilla Barnard tells FoodNavigator.

How is meat consumption affecting climate change?

20-Sep-2023 By Natasha Spencer-Jolliffe

A recent Oxford University study explores various diets and their impact on the environment, advocating for the reduction in animal-based food consumption.

Better taste, better bite: Can ingredient and tech innovations fire-up plant-based meat sales?

20-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

Can technological innovations help turn the tide on plant-based meat? We ask ingredient suppliers which technologies might be letting down the category, and what tools can be leveraged to reignite consumer excitement.

The FoodNavigator Podcast: Why avoiding terms like ‘vegan,’ ‘vegetarian,’ or ‘meatless’ may boost the plant-based market

20-Sep-2023 By Oliver Morrison

As arguments rage about the use of ‘meaty’ or ‘dairy-like’ names for plant-based versions of animal-based foods, we ask could plant-based sector momentum be improved if meat and dairy alternatives avoid imitating the names of animal-based products.

From ‘pandemic peaks’ to sales slumps: Grasping the rollercoaster of plant-based meat consumption

20-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

Why are consumers turning away from plant-based meat? And how can industry renew excitement for the category?

‘A vitamin B12 deficiency can have very unpleasant consequences’: Can B12 work in plant-based meat?

20-Sep-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Despite the abundance of NPDs for plant-based meat in recent years, concerns about nutrition still resound in the sector. There are many nutrients, critics claim, that are difficult to find outside of animal products. One of these is B12. Yet it is possible...

GUEST ARTICLE

How to revive flagging demand for plant-based meat

20-Sep-2023 By Katy Askew, managing director, IFIS Publishing

The food industry has responded to bullish predictions of a boom in plant-based meat alternatives with a gold rush mentality. But as sales slow and interest dips, can advances in food science come to the rescue of a category that is struggling to live...

Is a ‘climate cost’ model set to shake up supermarkets’ sustainability stances?

19-Sep-2023 By Natasha Spencer-Joliffe

German discount store Penny’s recent week-long trial saw it raise product prices based on their environmental impact, prompting the food sector to consider whether a ‘climate cost’ model is coming to our retailers and wholesalers.

Danone teams up with Chr Hansen on dairy and plant-based innovation as part of Partner for Growth initiative

19-Sep-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

In a wide range of areas as diverse as transportation, education and plastic collection, Danone has teamed up with a range of companies across the private sector in its new ‘Partner for Growth’ initiative. The initiative will begin with a joint business...

Organix eyes ‘window of opportunity’ to introduce new flavours and textures to kids

19-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

Organix wants to help parents and carers introduce new flavours and textures to kids in the 6-18-month ‘window of opportunity’ prior to food fears kicking in.

Public investment in alternative proteins is strong, but conventional meat still dominates

18-Sep-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

With research into cultivated meat becoming ever more abundant, a report from the Good Food Institute shows that funding is strong. However, a study from Stanford University reveals that traditional meat is still receiving more public funding, and a more...

Unilever R&D tie-up develops vegan döner kebab that cooks vertically, mimics ‘shaving and grilling behaviour’

15-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

Unilever-owned The Vegetarian Butcher has partnered with döner producer The Düzgün Group to reinvent the traditional döner kebab with plant-based ingredients.

Is the EU stepping away from commitments to sustainable food systems and animal welfare?

14-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

In her 2023 State of the Union address this week, EC President von der Leyen made no reference to the Sustainable Food System law nor animal welfare. With some stakeholders fearing they’ve been dropped, we asked the Commission to weigh in.

Cultivated meat researchers get €1.2 million to solve commercialisation barriers

14-Sep-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Researchers from Germany, Israel and the UK have been given €1.2 million in funding to work on solving the barriers to creating cultivated meat at scale, and thus to provide it on a commercial basis.

WATCH: How Birds Eye grows, harvests, and processes its frozen peas

13-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

FoodNavigator visits Birds Eye during harvest season to learn how the company works with partners to cultivate, harvest, and freeze its peas for the UK market.

‘It’s a change of agricultural practice‘: Danone’s regenerative agriculture programmes with dairy farmers

13-Sep-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

For dairy major Danone, regenerative agriculture isn’t just about the land; it’s also about animal welfare, GHG emissions reduction, and the livelihoods of its farmers.

Keto diets a ‘double-edged sword’ in fighting cancer, research suggests

08-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

The popular high-fat and low carbohydrate diet is popular for weight loss. But fresh research suggests it may also have positive – and negative – impacts on some cancers.

AI-powered plant-based meat: Non-profit boosts extrusion tech for alt protein players

08-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

Meet GreenProtein AI: the non-profit leveraging artificial intelligence and advanced machine learning to help innovators improve the texture of their plant-based meat products.

Biotech non-profit launches to mitigate food insecurity in Africa through cell- and plant-based hybrids

07-Sep-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Biotechnology has many uses. According to a new non-profit, the Plenty Foundation, one of these is the creation of plant-based foods to mitigate food insecurity. Through a combination of R&D and philanthropy, and partnerships with NGOs, governments...

Yeast ingredients show ‘great potential’ as alternative proteins in the food industry, project reveals

07-Sep-2023 By Oliver Morrison

More than 70% of German and Swedish consumers liked appetizer spreads made with fermented yeast ingredients, claims the NextGen Proteins project.

How does a cultivated chicken cell line meet kosher standards?

07-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

A cultivated chicken cell line has not only met kosher standards for the first time, but the world’s largest kosher certification body has recognised cultivated meat as both kosher and meat.

‘The final objective for us is to demonstrate that the meat industry can be and is sustainable’: How the Belgian meat sector is aiming to become more sustainable

06-Sep-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Can the meat industry be sustainable? This is the question on the lips of multitudes within the food industry. In a new scheme, Belgium’s meat producers aim to keep track of sustainability, with a focus on aspects such as eco-friendly practices and labour...

Milk made from carbon dioxide and electricity backed by EU

06-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

A four-year project aimed at developing whey protein from CO2 and electricity has been selected for investment by the European Commission via its innovation programme.

Maolac NPD: Gut support and anti-inflammatory activity targeted with AI and breastmilk

05-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

Israeli start-up Maolac is launching two new products made from biofunctional proteins in breastmilk (sourced from colostrum) that can be used in functional beverages, sports bars and smoothies.

‘Environmental arguments are ethical arguments’: Peter Singer on ethics and meat consumption

05-Sep-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Australian philosopher Peter Singer, best known for his 1975 book Animal Liberation, spoke to FoodNavigator about his views on the ethical implications of meat eating and veganism.

NPD Trend Tracker: From plant-based tuna to allergen-free health snacks

04-Sep-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

In this week's NPD round up, we look at two different types of plant-based tuna, a new alcohol-free spirit, and the redesign of a classic chocolate brand.

Adding ‘complex component’ of milk to infant formula confers long-term cognitive benefits

04-Sep-2023 By Oliver Morrison

New research into milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) suggests early exposure to these nutritional components contribute to the long-term structure and function of the brain.

‘A strong vote of confidence’: Alt protein made from spent yeast backed by Lesaffre

04-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

The world’s largest producer of ‘natural’ food ingredients derived from microorganisms is taking a 10% share in Israeli alternative protein maker Yeap.

Alternative protein research hub to be opened in UK

01-Sep-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

A new £15 million research hub will look to improve the UK’s alternative protein sector: how to improve taste and texture of alternative proteins, reduce the cost and scale up production of alternative proteins, and even improve best practice.

Report pushes for more sustainable proteins investment in UK

30-Aug-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

A report published by the Good Food Institute Europe (GFI Europe) suggests that the UK government should invest between £245m and £390m, or between £49m and £78m annually, between 2025 and 2030 into the growth of sustainable proteins such as plant-based...

A ‘pioneering’ process for spent cell culture media: Rejuvenation tech expected to bring down price of cultivated meat

29-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

Bioprocessing company CellRev has signed a joint development agreement with fluid management-focused Saint-Gobain Life Sciences to rejuvenate spent cell culture media for the cultivated meat sector.

Interest in eating insects can be increased, study shows

24-Aug-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

At a time when meat consumption is increasingly being seen as unsustainable, eating insects is for many a comparatively better option. However, many people in the West find insects difficult to stomach. A new study shows that it is possible to increase...

‘The condition is very rare, but the impacts can be traumatic’: FSA to consider label warnings as protein shake death sparks debate

24-Aug-2023 By Oliver Morrison

After a death of a schoolboy, the UK Food Standards Agency is to look at whether labels on high-protein drinks and supplements should feature a warning about the potentially fatal risk of a sudden spike in protein for people with undiagnosed disorders.

MadeRight: Mycelia-based packaging pioneer mushrooms with investment

24-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

Israeli start-up MadeRight has secured funding to expand its development team and refine its fungi-based packaging production process with the aim of achieving a commercially viable prototype.

‘An integral part of culture and socialisation’: Attitudes to meat consumption and sustainability in South Africa

23-Aug-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Sustainable food consumption is a significant market in Europe. However, in urban South Africa, a new study suggests, meat consumption is a symbol of prosperity to a greater degree than in Europe, while conversely, those least concerned about environmental...

Six new innovation hubs in UK to explore interaction between diet and health

21-Aug-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Six new innovation hubs in the UK, as a partnership between academia, industry and policymakers, will explore and tackle global health and the contribution of unhealthy diets to disease and illness. They represent an investment of nearly £15m (€17.5m)...

ENOUGH prepares to double mycoprotein production: ‘We’re the largest new protein facility built this decade’

21-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

Mycoprotein supplier ENOUGH has raised €40m to scale up production in the Netherlands. And if global demand increases, the company will look to replicate its model further afield, CEO Jim Laird tells FoodNavigator.

The ‘world’s first’ edible vegan bones developed from plant protein

18-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

Plant-based meat maker Juicy Marbles is preparing to launch an early prototype of its ‘edible vegan bones’, made predominantly from plant protein, in EU, UK, and US markets.

Food environments push consumers away from healthy and sustainable options, report shows

17-Aug-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

A new report shows that food environments, from promotional offers to the placement of food in shops, can influence consumers to make less healthy and less sustainable food choices.

Germany has ‘greatest market potential’ for plant-based dairy in Europe, finds research

16-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

An investigation into the drivers and barriers of plant-based dairy consumption in six European countries suggests Germany to have the highest sales and greatest market potential.

‘The key ingredient is water’: Plant proteins transformed to provide juicier texture

14-Aug-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

One of the barriers to consumer acceptance of plant-based proteins is often considered to be texture – a dry, non-juicy texture that doesn’t accurately replicate the succulent nature of meat. A new study has found that plant proteins can be given more...

Discovery of lupin ‘sweet gene’ could eliminate bitterness, encourage plant protein diversity

11-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

The causal mutation responsible for sweetness in white lupin beans, a traditionally bitter legume, has been identified by researchers. The discovery could help encourage greater diversity in plant protein cultivation and consumption.

A temporary blip or a sign of oversaturation? Beyond Meat’s woes and the future of plant-based meat

11-Aug-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

This week, it was announced that revenue for plant-based meat brand Beyond Meat had fallen by more than 30%. Does this say more about Beyond Meat or the plant-based sector in general? Why are some consumers rejecting plant-based meat?

From taste to texture and nutrition: How can plant-based meat reboot category growth?

10-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

Faced with a global market slowdown, plant-based meat players are looking is renew demand and encourage repeat purchases of their vegan beef, pork, and seafood alternatives. Pulling levers from taste to texture and nutrition, how can plant-based meat...