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EIT Food aims to support the creation of 350 start-ups within seven years and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the European food system by 40% by 2030. ©iStock

Algae and alternative protein players in €1.2bn EU food project

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

A pan-EU sustainable food project sees Israeli astaxanthin supplier Algatechnologies, champion of pea protein Roquette and Dutch nutrition giant DSM among its 50 partners that will invest close to €1.2bn over the next seven years. 

©iStock/Clariant

Olam rejects green washing and 'black box' palm oil claims

By Niamh Michail

Agri-food giant Olam has defended its palm oil operations against accusations they are a 'black box' of secrecy that funnels palm oil linked to deforestation from rogue traders to global brands like Unilever and Nestlé. 

Deforested land cleared to make way for commodities. © iStock/Mihtiander

Confidence in secure commodity supply chains 'misplaced'

By David Burrows

Confident there’s enough soy, palm oil and beef to go around and your policies can weather the risks ahead on everything from climate change and deforestation to reputation and regulation? Think again, say the authors of two new reports.

©iStock/marrakeshh

Mind, body and spirit: The holistic tea trend

By Will Chu

Food Matters Live in London played host to a range of food and beverage makers all eager to show off the flavours and unique ingredients, which they think will continue to trend in 2017.

Pulses and soils can be 'strategic allies' in forging more sustainable food and agriculture systems, says the FAO. © iStock/bdspn

'Climate smart' pulses are key to global food security: FAO

By Niamh Michail

'Climate smart' pulses are essential to global food security by delivering high-nutrition protein to people and critical nutrients to soil, said the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on World Soil Day. 

'The FSI is a tool for policymakers and experts to orient their action [...] and for the public to conscientiously adjust their behavior for the food of our health and our planet,' says the report. © iStock

France tops global food sustainability index

By Niamh Michail

France is the top ranking country for tackling food waste and nutritional challenges while Germany is ranked number one for sustainable agriculture, according to a 25-nation food sustainability index by the Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition (BCFN).

'There are several incorrectly qualified and labelled products [because] the supervisory authorities do not have specific and adequate measures to regulate this kind of behaviour,' said de Castro. © iStock/Kuvona

MEPs oppose plant-based alternatives using meat terms

By Niamh Michail

The battle over plant-based terminology has moved into the meat arena with two Italian MEPs calling for laws to prevent vegetarian alternatives from using names such as prosciutto and mortadella.

Perceptions of what an 'imperfect' product is can depend on whether the ocnsumer is in the home or at the supermarket. © iStock

Fighting food waste with the right price discount

By Niamh Michail

Selling wonky vegetables or a dented tin on tomatoes at a discount can help reduce food waste - but the price reduction must be aligned with the product and its flaw, say researchers.

© iStock/Marilyena

ScenoProt gives a preview of Northern Europe's protein preferences

By Niamh Michail

Why do Finns give more importance to protein than Swedes? Are Germans more willing to eat an all vegetarian meal than Brits? And among the 13% of Europeans who have tried insects, how many would eat them again? Finland's ScenoProt survey is providing...

'I’m not in love with RSPO but nevertheless one has to admit that it has done a lot of good work over the last 12 years,' said United Plantations chief executive director, Carl Bek-Nielsen. © iStock/slpu9945

'Let me be frank: No other broad certification scheme for a sustainable agricultural crop goes as far as RSPO for palm oil.'

United Plantations chief defends RSPO

By Niamh Michail

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is battling a number of issues, from its own members adding 'palm oil-free labels' on product packaging to calls at an EU level to strengthen its certification criteria. But according to United Plantations...

Haze from Indonesia's forest fires last year spread to neighbouring countries, such as Krabi, Thailand, and has returned this year. © iStock/NuttKomo

Palm oil industry under fire as Indonesia’s haze drama continues

By Rick Beckmann & Kresna Panggabean

Haze from slash-and-burn agricultural has returned to Southeast Asia this year. Is it enough to wait for regulators to bring the (mainly palm oil) culprits to justice? Asian resource legal experts Rick Beckmann and Kresna Panggabean enter the storm.

© iStock/f9photos

What now for climate change & food?

By David Burrows

The climate change agreement struck in Paris a year ago entered into force on Friday. Some 55 countries representing 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions have ratified the accord and all of them, including the EU, China, India and the US, now have an...

The top brass signs the EVU partnership.

Unilever to add vegetarian logo to 500 products

By Niamh Michail

Unilever has partnered with the European Vegetarian Union which will see the 'V' logo added to around 500 of its products such as Hellman’s, Flora and Knorr by the end of 2017.

Tunisia’s exports could compensate for disappointing harvests seen in olive oil producing countries like Italy, where a strain of fruit fly has caused major damage to olive groves. ©iStock

Tunisian olive oil industry boosted by €5m loan

By Will Chu

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will loan €5m to Tunisia’s olive oil producers to support the sector’s development and bolster economic growth.

CEO Exclusive: Naturex goes back to start-up roots to drive growth

'Naturex was a start-up 20 years ago.'

CEO Exclusive: Naturex goes back to start-up roots to drive growth

By Niamh Michail from Avignon, France

The world’s biggest supplier of botanical extracts, Naturex, is on track to meet the targets of its growth strategy Bright2020 which aims to see 10% of sales coming from new products, according to CEO Olivier Rigaud.

Eight food industry players have already signed up to the project. © iStock

Just how nutritious are sustainable proteins?

By Niamh Michail

The need for sustainable proteins is on the rise, but are they as healthy and nutritious as their mainstream equivalents? A public-private partnership (PPP) coordinated by Wageningen University aims to determine just that, and is on the lookout for more...

Tossed Sal-ad: Leon has had to rename its 'superfood' salads but has the ASA gone too far?

Trademark/brand name defence rejected

Supermoan: UK bans superfood claim

By Lynda Searby

'Natural fast food' restaurant chain Leon has been ordered to remove the term ‘Original Superfood Salad’ from its menu after the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) found it did not qualify as a brand name exemption under the EU nutrition...

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