Meat, fish and savoury ingredients

WATCH

Brexit: The best and worst-case scenarios

26-Mar-2019 By Flora Southey

The fresh food sector may well be the hardest hit when the UK withdraws from the EU, with a no-deal Brexit potentially costing the UK food industry €1.3bn, according to market research provider, Euromonitor International.

Global standards on seafood traceability launched: ‘Knowing your supply chain is a must’

25-Mar-2019 By Katy Askew

A new global standard on seafood traceability has been launched in a collaborative effort to address the growing business need for traceability in the complex seafood supply chain.

EU urged to support local Fair Trade initiatives: ‘We see a willingness to buy sustainable and fair’

21-Mar-2019 By Flora Southey

The Fair Trade Advocacy Office has called on the European Commission and European Parliament to help boost the uptake of Fair Trade at a local level, which FTAO director Sergi Corbalán says could incite the food and beverage industry to source a larger...

How can the food industry accelerate action on deforestation?

21-Mar-2019 By Katy Askew

More food companies than ever are making commitments to tackle deforestation in their supply chains. However, there is an increasing concern that many are failing to translate their words into action on the ground.

Fresh potential: Is Amazon shaking up the UK grocery sector?

12-Mar-2019 By Flora Southey

The e-commerce giant made a splash when it rolled out its grocery business Amazon Fresh in 2016, but needs brick and mortar stores to truly disrupt the sector, says analyst.

WATCH

What’s in a name? 25% of consumers object to meat-related words for vegetarian products

12-Mar-2019 By Flora Southey

A survey has revealed that one in four consumers support a ban on traditionally meat-related words being used for vegetarian products.

BRUSSELS BULLETIN

Japanese milk hits EU shores, EC targets fishy behaviour, and glyphosate ruling is overturned: A round-up of EU news & views

08-Mar-2019 By Flora Southey

The last two weeks have seen the EU overturn EFSA’s call on unpublished herbicide studies, the unveiling of Africa-Europe food and farming initiatives, and the authorisation of Japanese dairy imports into the EU. FoodNavigator brings you the latest news...

GFSI CONFERENCE 2019

Food fraud: It takes scandals, higher penalties, and greater surveillance to catch cheats

05-Mar-2019 By Flora Southey

Weak legislation and insufficient surveillance in Europe have contributed to a growing food fraud market across the bloc, said experts at the GFSI Conference last week.

GFSI CONFERENCE 2019

M&S beef traceability pays off: Boosted sales and ‘dramatically’ reduced complaints

04-Mar-2019 By Flora Southey

Marks and Spencer first implemented a DNA sampling system across its beef supply chain in 2012. Seven years on, head of agriculture and fisheries Steve McLean says he has seen beef sales rise and customer complaints drop.

‘Food will define the future’: Compass CEO sees tech and trends transforming the food system

01-Mar-2019 By Katy Askew

More than any other sector, the food industry will be key to achieving a sustainable future. Technological innovations and emerging trends play an essential role in reaching this goal, says Compass CEO Dominic Blakemore.

Paying the price for animal welfare

01-Mar-2019 By David Burrows

Pressure from consumers has resulted in food businesses delivering year-on-year improvements in their approach to animal welfare. But further progress is being hampered by shopper’s unwillingness to pay a premium.

Five health & wellness trends transforming packaged food strategies

28-Feb-2019 By Natasha Spencer

As health and wellness and snacking trends emerge as leading influences in the packaged food industry, we explore how food manufacturers and brands can appeal to consumer needs in this competitive landscape.

NPD trend tracker: From Nestlé ‘on the go’ cereal to Kinder ice cream for kids

25-Feb-2019 By Flora Southey

As February draws to a close, Nestlé launches recyclable breakfast cereal boxes, Unilever and Ferrero bring Kinder ice cream to the UK, and a Welsh bakery champions historical legends in a range of packaged breads. FoodNavigator brings you the latest...

Brussels Bulletin

EDC policy under fire, General Food Law backed by ENVI, and MEPs address animal protection laws: A round-up of EU news & views

22-Feb-2019 By Flora Southey

BEUC has called on the future Commission and Parliament to make EDCs a top priority in 2019, the CAP reform vote has been scheduled for April, and Wales' only native plum has been granted PDO status. FoodNavigator brings you the latest news from...

Finland taps WeChat for entry into China’s cross-border e-commerce market

20-Feb-2019 By Flora Southey

Finland’s ‘clean, safe and pure’ reputation in Asia presents an opportunity for Finnish food SMEs, says Business Finland, which is piloting a WeChat platform to boost export channels to China.

Food for thought

Why the food industry can’t ignore the bioeconomy boom

20-Feb-2019 By David Burrows

Publication of the European Commission’s new bioeconomy strategy last October may have passed many in the food sector by. However, the agri-food chain lies at the heart of the concept.

France ups resale threshold to favour food distributors & farmers

14-Feb-2019 By Flora Southey

France has enforced measures designed to re-balance power in the supply chain and limit buy-one-get-one-free promotions.

NPD trend tracker: From climate-neutral ice cream to broccoli-flavoured breakfast cereal

11-Feb-2019 By Flora Southey

From an environmentally conscious organic ice cream, to a broccoli and almond flavoured breakfast cereal, and an aloe vera coconut water. FoodNavigator brings you the latest new product development trends in Europe.

BRUSSELS BULLETIN

Japan-EU trade deal, Polish beef recall, and EU sustainability targets: A round-up of EU news & views

08-Feb-2019 By Flora Southey

EU and Japan close ties, Poland recalls suspect meat, Europe addresses sustainability goals, and a French shellfish is granted PGI status. FoodNavigator brings you the latest news from Brussels.

Post-Brexit reform: New report calls for fairer allocation of fishing quotas

07-Feb-2019 By Flora Southey

The new briefing paper addresses overfishing, quota allocation, sustainability, and a ‘food-focused’ approach to fishing policy after Brexit.

Kemin combats microbial spoilage in processed meat with clean label ingredient

30-Jan-2019 By Flora Southey

A ‘clean label’ food safety ingredient made from buffered vinegar and plant extracts has launched in Europe to extend the shelf-life and stabilise the colour of processed meats.

‘We want to ensure labels are clearer’: UK mulls tougher allergy labelling regulations

29-Jan-2019 By Katy Askew

The UK government is looking at how “tougher labelling laws” can protect allergy sufferers and close loopholes in labelling requirements.

BRUSSELS BULLETIN

Controversial pesticides, single-use cutlery ban, GMOs and ‘dual quality’: A round-up of EU news & views

25-Jan-2019 By Flora Southey

A potential alteration to bee-safety standards, MEPs vote to ban throwaway cutlery, and EFSA says it will share data on an open-access platform. In this bulletin, we round some of the biggest news from Brussels over the past fortnight.

WEF embraces the fourth industrial revolution: ‘Food systems are ripe for technology disruption’

23-Jan-2019 By Flora Southey

Big data, the Internet of Things, artificial learning and blockchain technologies are largely underused in food systems, but present a major opportunity in accelerating their transformation, according to a World Economic Forum report.

Danish ‘foodshakers’ advise government on ingredients policy

15-Jan-2019 By Flora Southey

Denmark’s advisory board for the ingredients industry has issued recommendations to the government, detailing how to “reap the industry’s large growth potential up to 2030”.

Germany targets food waste with supermarket scanner tech

15-Jan-2019 By Flora Southey

A compact scanning device that determines the freshness of food in supermarkets is under development in Germany, where the Bavarian government is tackling food waste.

FuturMaster on 2019 supply chain trends: Machine learning, IoT and data sharing

11-Jan-2019 By Flora Southey

Food companies are increasingly aware that processing big data, and sharing selected sets with competitors, can help boost their bottom line, says FurturMaster sales manager, Martin Sewell.

Cargill enters Polish protein market with poultry acquisition

07-Jan-2019 By Flora Southey

US-headquartered Cargill has completed the acquisition of Polish food and fresh chicken firm Konspol, adding a feed mill, broiler farms, and processing plants to its Global Poultry network.

Study confirms carbon label efficacy: 'They had the predicted effect... lower-emission food choices'

04-Jan-2019 By Niamh Michail

An easy-to-understand, front-of-pack carbon label is effective in driving more environmentally-friendly food choices - and this is what it could look like, say researchers behind a recent study.

28,000-strong survey reveals Europeans' fish and seafood preferences

04-Jan-2019 By Niamh Michail

Most Europeans prefer buying fish and seafood frozen but consumers in Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Spain prefer fresh, according to a 28,000-strong European Commission survey.

Processed meat under fire over nitrate cancer risk

03-Jan-2019 By Katy Askew

A coalition of scientists, medical professionals and politicians in the UK have called for nitrates to be removed from processed meats, insisting that consumption of the additive can be linked to the development of bowl cancer.

UK manufacturers achieve 'mixed picture' on salt reduction targets

19-Dec-2018 By Niamh Michail

Manufacturers and retailers have achieved “a mixed picture” on UK salt reduction targets, according to a government report, although there has been clear progress in cutting salt since targets were first set in 2006.

Start-up nation? A round-up of France's top food start-ups

14-Dec-2018 By Niamh Michail

From plant-based sweeteners to clean label additives; urban farming to healthy eating apps, we round up some of the most interesting start-ups to come out of France in recent years.

EFSA okays efficacy of lactic acid dips for pork cuts

13-Dec-2018 By Niamh Michail

Spraying and dipping pork carcasses and cuts with lactic and acetic acid does not pose safety concerns but only lactic acid dips for pork cuts beats water washes for pathogen-killing efficacy, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) scientists concluded.

'An open trading zone covering one-third of global GDP'

EU vote puts EU-Japan trade deal on track to enter into force

13-Dec-2018 By EU-Japan trade deal to enter in force following EU vote

The EU Japan trade deal is set to enter into force on 1 February 2019 after receiving the backing of EU politicians yesterday.

'We're getting fatter but more healthy': The lifestyle trends having a 'profound impact' on UK food choices

12-Dec-2018 By Niamh Michail

Clean eating and health and wellness are having a “profound impact” on the UK’s eating and drinking habits, according to new research, but consumers still want to indulge. What does this mean for food brands and retailers?

France tops Food Sustainability Index

03-Dec-2018 By Niamh Michail

France has the most sustainable food system, according to the Food Sustainability Index, a data tool that should be used to drive a race to the top, say its creators.

WATCH

Could cooking with children reduce fussy eating habits?

30-Nov-2018 By Niamh Michail

Cooking with children might be key to increasing liking of 'problem foods' such as fish and seafood for fussy eaters, according to ongoing Norwegian research.

Commission puts on hold plans to relax mercury levels in fish

29-Nov-2018 By Niamh Michail

The European Commission has put on hold plans to increase maximum authorised mercury levels in fish, a move welcomed by consumer rights campaigners.

EFSA lowers safe level for toxic dioxins and PCBs

26-Nov-2018 By Niamh Michail

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has lowered the tolerable intake level for the toxic contaminants, dioxins and PCBs.

FAO and Coldiretti to promote family farming in Italy

22-Nov-2018 By Niamh Michail

Italian farmers' association Coldiretti and the United Nations' Food and Agriculture (FAO) will join forces to promote sustainable farming, such as organic and biodynamic food, in an agreement signed yesterday.

WATCH

Thermal tasters: Linking phantom taste, product perception and temperature

21-Nov-2018 By Katy Askew

People who are ‘thermal tasters’ report phantom taste responses when orally exposed to different temperatures. Understanding this phenomenon is important for product development in the food industry.

'We're helping reduce reliance on processed food,' says Gousto CEO

06-Nov-2018 By Niamh Michail

Meal kits can help reduce the UK's reliance on processed food and help Britons adopt more "European eating habits", according to meal kit delivery company Gousto.

Towards ‘a new generation of staple foods’: Manufacturers must diversify ingredients for better farming & food

05-Nov-2018 By Niamh Michail

By diversifying the ingredients in processed food, manufacturers can contribute to healthier diets and a healthier planet with more biodiversity, say the creators of a free-to-download indicator.

Eight reasons we need to stop focusing on nutrients – and what this means for processed food makers

31-Oct-2018 By Niamh Michail

The rise of nutritionalism – focusing on nutrient content rather than the whole food – has created a ‘nutritional cacophony’ that leaves people confused. Nutritionist Bernard Lavallée explains how manufacturers can create healthy processed foods.

From quinoa couscous to green banana chips: What we saw at SIAL

29-Oct-2018 By Niamh Michail

From quinoa couscous to green banana chips; organic ghee to 'raw' olive oil, FoodNavigator rounds up some of the most interesting products we saw at this year's SIAL in Paris.

Beyond Meat on upcoming European launch: 'We have a huge fan base already waiting for our products'

29-Oct-2018 By Niamh Michail

The reaction to Beyond Meat's plant-based burger in Europe has been "overwhelming" even before it has been officially launched, the company says.

Italian researcher on 3D printing tech for plant-based meat: 'We're bio-hacking plant protein structure at micro- and nano-scale'

18-Oct-2018 By Niamh Michail

While researching how to bioprint human tissues, medical scientist Giuseppe Scionti discovered a way to "bio-hack" plant-based proteins so they have a meaty texture.

Insects lack 'culinary identity' to pierce Western markets - but sushi's success could hold lessons

17-Oct-2018 By Niamh Michail

It’s not the yuck factor that is holding back insects in the West but the lack of culinary identity and authenticity, argues a Dutch researcher, and a multi-stakeholder approach is needed to create this.

FoodNavigator's biggest stories of 2018 so far

17-Oct-2018 By Niamh Michail

From the rise of foodtech to the end of the commodities era; from the organic sector's boom to the Mediterranean diet's bust, these are the most read stories on FoodNavigator this year so far.