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.
UK environment secretary Michael Gove has urged industry to embrace the potential of a fourth agricultural revolution: “We can guarantee a future for the UK as a major, global food producer.”
The rise in global trade wars and the recent EU decision to classify new plant breeding techniques (NPBTs) as genetically modified organisms will inevitably impact food safety and quality, experts warn.
It’s been one year since the end of EU sugar quotas but contrary to the hopes (of starch producers) and fears (of public health campaigners), Europe has not been flooded with isoglucose. FoodNavigator caught up with Starch Europe to talk isoglucose, Brexit...
The UK has confirmed it will ‘consider’ relaxing the European Union’s controversial decision to include gene editing techniques within its regulatory framework that restricts the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the food chain after Brexit.
The Commission's general food law proposal must be significantly amended to prevent companies withholding safety information on chemicals in food in the name of protecting trade secrets, ClientEarth lawyers say.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled on the so-called new plant breeding techniques (NPBTs). It said crops obtained by mutagenesis are GMOs as the techniques and methods of mutagenesis alter the genetic material of a plant in a way that does...
Consumers want clean, healthy food. But are companies providing it and what if demands for clean food are in direct conflict with food safety or sustainability? Four industry stakeholders debated the issue at this week's IFT in Chicago.
Magellan Life Sciences says its patent-pending fermentation process to scale up the sweet-tasting protein brazzein will make it the first company to market the natural, zero-calorie sweetener.
After a week of debates on the country's Agriculture and Food Bill, French politicians have backed mandatory labelling for GM animal feed and pesticide use on fruit and vegetables but rejected measures to stop marketing unhealthy foods to children.
In a radical revamp of its risk assessment process, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) could publish confidential data if deemed essential to protecting public health, according to draft rules aimed at boosting transparency and trust in science.
The European Commission has approved Bayer’s proposed acquisition of Monsanto, with the German pesticides supplier committed to selling off certain parts of its business as part of the agreement.
Since the horsemeat scandal of 2013 there has been a steady stream of food scares and scandals, which has played neatly into the hands of organic food. Sales were up more than 11% in Europe at the last count, but is the sector making the most of growing...
You wouldn’t want to be Margrethe Vestager at the moment. In the next few days (perhaps as early as tomorrow), the European Commission’s competition chief will publish the conclusions of her investigation into the proposed €55 billion deal between German...
French multinational retailer Carrefour is to extend its use of Blockchain technology by offering consumers total traceability of its popular animal and vegetable product ranges.
A “mistrust” of scientific advancement is “holding back” science-based innovation in the European food sector, European health and food safety commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis warned yesterday (23 February).
Free-from labelled foods seem healthier, with GM-free and palm oil-free labels having the strongest effect, according to a study of almost 2000 French, Swedish, British and Polish individuals.
DuPont Pioneer's soybean oil Plenish has been approved for the EU and, despite having to label on pack it as genetically modified, European manufacturers have already shown interest, says US trade group Qualisoy.
Opting for traditional or rare crop varieties, avoiding GM and sourcing ingredients from alternative cultivation regions are just some of the ways food manufacturers can help protect biodiversity, according to the European Business and Biodiversity Campaign...
The European Court of Justice Advocate General has issued an opinion that genetic engineering techniques such as CRISPR should be considered exempt from European regulations governing GMOs.
Educating consumers about the nature of emerging genome editing methodology and appropriate risk communication will be “essential” to developing a public discourse around this new technology, according to German research and scientific advisory body BfR.
Nearly half of all consumers class low-sugar or sugar-free products as “extremely” or “very” important when deciding what to eat or drink with similar results for products free from genetically modified (GMO) ingredients.
Social enterprise Divine Chocolate is pushing NPD innovation to capitalize on the growing higher cocoa trend evident in the popularity of its 85% chocolate bar.
Developments in genetic coding techniques open the doorway to crops that produce higher yields or have positive characteristics, such as drought or pest resistance. The EU regulates the cultivation and use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food...
Growing demand for premium and sustainable food products increases the risk of food fraud because of its higher price point, research firm Ecovia Intelligence suggests.
Cheap food has expensive consequences for people and the planet's health but how can we make healthier and more sustainable food a reality for a global population? Grass-root movements will be key but industry must also be receptive, says Carolyn...
Combining sweetness with fibre, is the aim of Taiyo’s new varieties of Sunfiber, an all-natural range of soluble dietary fibres which can also be used as a sweetener.
Specialty ingredient supplier Tate & Lyle will launch 17 non-GMO starches in order to meet a growing global demand, particularly in North America and Eastern Europe, it says.
The European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA) have revealed a new approach to assessing consumer exposure to food enzymes, tightening up their safety profile in line with current EU law.
The UK’s food sector will face “enormous challenges” following Brexit, both in relation to trade with Europe and within its own borders, according to a report by the House of Lords EU energy and environment subcommittee.
Oils and fats that provide the taste and food qualities while providing a rich source of the ‘good’ fats is an ongoing issue that has resulted in a range of oils that have laid claim to being the ‘next big thing.’
What’s next for the €250k lab burger? Can bugs and canola really replace beef and chicken? And why might novel proteins come up short when it comes to shifting consumer behaviour? Five things we learned at last week’s Future Proteins summit.
Researchers in St Petersburg say the majority of Russians see a ‘proper meal’ primarily in terms of health and nutrition, but do not have regular access to it.
EU member states yesterday voted against the introduction and renewal of GM grains in Europe but failed to reach a binding majority, leaving the president of the Commission Jean-Claude Juncker to make the final decision.
If in-vitro meat is to be successful it must be marketed as a natural meat substitute, because the negative perception of synthetic foods are too great to overcome the potential benefits for the environment, say Swiss researchers.
Five new synthetic yeast chromosomes have been created could signal the advent of more nutritious food, less waste and improved processing efficiency, according to the team heading up the project.
A new certification for French manufacturers of soy juice which will give consumers greater clarity in a confusing space, says Agrifood certifying body Afnor.
A trade deal with the US will give “the majority of the UK public food they don’t want” as well as open “a very new can of worms” in terms of food fraud, according to Chris Elliott, professor of food safety and founder of the Institute for Global Food...
When it comes to controversial science issues, scientists need to rethink their approach to engaging the public, according to the authors of a new study looking at women's attitudes towards genetically modified foods.
MEPs have voted in favour of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada in Strasbourg today with 408 votes in favour and 254 against.
French supermarket Super U has pledged to remove or reduce 90 “controversial” substances from its private label range, including palm oil, aspartame, monosodium glutamate, bisphenol A and fructose-glucose syrup, citing consumer fears and the cocktail effect....
As the UK government's white paper on Brexit calls for "frictionless trade", the National Farmers' Union has spoken out in favour of a level playing field with new trade partners, such as the US - could this trigger a race to the bottom...
