A Wageningen University spin-off is developing a plant-based fat ingredient from European-grown sunflower seeds, designed to boost alt dairy’s nutritional and sustainability profile, as well as mouthfeel.
The wording of approved EU health claims is prescriptive and precise. The intention of the regulation is to protect consumers from unfounded or overblown statements. But it is also to inform. Are health claims doing their job?
HowGood’s Latis database, which can rapidly verify the impact of more than 33,000 ingredients and products against 127 key environmental and social impact metrics, has added the EU’s Nutri-Score and French Eco-Score labelling systems into its metrics...
More than two thirds of the UK public want to see more information on their meat and dairy products about how the animals were reared, according to a poll commissioned by the charity Compassion in World Farming. But meat association BMPA says these labels...
The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) has announced an investigation into five companies using the Nutri-Score front-of-pack labelling scheme, raising suggestions different systems may eventually be deployed in different parts of the EU.
Food will become more expensive in Germany, it has been warned, after the new coalition government announced measures aiming to accelerate a shift to ‘sustainable agriculture and food systems’.
Packaging manufacturer Westpak has unveiled a series of new punnets and tray designs which it claims deliver a manufacturing breakthrough in packaging sustainability and offer grocery retailers and their suppliers a set of commercially viable paper-based...
In a dialogue between scientists, MEPs and citizens, the French Government is accused of acting in self-interest by supporting front-of-pack nutrition label Nutri-Score. “It’s no secret,” says Spanish MEP Adrian Vasquez Lazara. “I hope the European Commission...
EFSA has opened a public dialog on front-of-pack nutritional labelling and health claims as it works to finalise the scientific advice that will help decision makers develop an EU-wide scheme.
The UK Food Standards Agency Chief Scientist Robin May says urgent progress is needed on a unified eco-labelling system so that the food system can be set on a path to sustainability.
Differences in culture, language and enforcement policies between European countries mean consumers are failing to understand health claims on food packets.
With COP26 in full swing, consumer demand for so-called ‘green’ food and beverage products is reportedly on the up. But how does that sit in an environment of rising inflation? Not well, according to industry observers.
The sweetener producer claims combining functional ingredients with sugar alternatives can attract a new generation of customers to products that offer guilt-free indulgence and nutritional benefits.
Israeli start-up Maolac is leveraging artificial intelligence to develop human milk proteins for the food industry, with an initial focus on sports nutrition.
From in vitro to synthetic, lab-grown, cell-based, cultivated and cultured, slaughter-free meat grown from animal cells has been called a myriad of names in its relatively short lifespan. But which term is most appealing, and transparent, to consumers?...
A voluntary food label in France that signals the animal welfare standard and method of production to consumers is gaining traction, and Europe should take note, suggests Compassion in World Farming.
The European Parliament has signed off the EU’s flagship Farm to Fork plans, with a majority of MEPS voting in favour of the report (453 were for, 170 against, and 76 abstained).
Industry experts discuss the key trends informing new product development in the kids’ food category, and gaze into their crystal balls to offer future insights…
Fresh research out of the Netherlands has investigated whether graphic warnings on meat products eliciting disgust could reduce the consumption of meat.
Grocery-research body IGD has unveiled plans to develop a new environmental labelling network. Amid a host of competing schemes, it hopes to provide consistent and transparent information for consumers, so they can make better informed choices.
Traceability data is notoriously complex and difficult to handle. Start-up TrusTrace says its 'unique' approach leaves it positioned to become the ‘mission-critical’ operating platform for food brands solving sustainability and transparency...
A model that can be used to determine the origin of food in ‘an efficient and low-cost manner’ has been developed by botanists at the University of Basel.
New reviews on misleading claims in early 2022 will pressure companies to provide concrete evidence of their sustainability credentials in an increasingly green-focused and consumer-led market. What does this new regulation mean for brands? Caroline Greenwell,...
A recent study has come out in favour of mandatory front-of-pack labelling (FOPL) policies – for both directing consumer choice and encouraging the food industry to reformulate products.
The UK’s Environment Agency has announced a project to standardise metrics to measure the environmental performance of the food and drink sector. FoodNavigator asks the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) for its take on the initiative.
Belpork, owner of the BePork quality scheme, has developed an animal welfare standard for the Belgian pork sector. “It is the first time that a national animal welfare standard has been launched in our country,” Belpork coordinator Liesbet Pluym tells...
As pressure mounts to improve public health and reduce out climate footprint, industry is innovating to encourage greater uptake of healthier and more sustainable food and drink products. IGD examines what’s working, and why.
New research reveals the extent to which European children are exposed to marketing of unhealthy food products – and the results show that voluntary restrictions are only succeeding to ‘reassure policy makers on paper’ and ‘buy time’ for the food industry,...
Insects fed from industrial side-stream waste and then directly consumed as food have the ‘greatest potential to reduce the carbon footprints of European consumers’, claims a new study.
Despite criticism from producers that Nutri-Score’s ‘C’ ranking of olive oil penalises the product, fresh research out of Spain suggests the nutrition labelling scheme does not negatively impact consumer perception, nor intention to purchase.
Results of a new survey in Germany suggest many consumers are concerned about possible health effects associated with food additives, while at the same time expressing a lack of knowledge about such ingredients.
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has published a ‘Green Claims Code’ to help businesses ensure their green claims do not deceive their customers.
With only 9% of adults getting the recommended amount of dietary fibre a day, the UK’s Food and Drink Federation has launched a new initiative to boost the nation’s fibre consumption. But what’s the best way to make this health-boosting substance an appetizing...
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has published a report suggesting Nutri-Score is the most effective nutrition label in helping lower risk of NCDs such as cancer.
What we eat is contributing to some of the greatest challenges facing the world, from climate change to global health crises. Can a shift in consumption also be part of the solution?
The Consortia of PDO cheeses Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano have spoken out against nutrition labelling scheme Nutri-Score, suggesting its algorithm ‘misleads and deceives’ consumers.
How can fermented beverages boost immunity and gut health? Do consumers understand the health benefit of kefir and kombucha? And where are these sectors headed in the next five years? Kombucha Brewers International (KBI) and UK kefir maker Biotiful Dairy...
In response to a new European Citizens’ Initiative calling for reverse vending machines in supermarket chains, EuroCommerce has raised concerns that deposit return schemes are ‘only one solution’, and ‘not a silver bullet in all circumstances’.
With terminology ranging from cell-based to cell-cultured, cultivated, clean, and in vitro, how can consumer research help industry settle on one single term for next-gen seafood made from fish cells?
