Fruit, vegetable, nut ingredients

Spotlight on start-ups: 'Made in Africa' chocolate, food waste fruit jerky and umami butter

26-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

FoodNavigator will be starting a weekly feature ‘Spotlight on Start-ups’ where we interview some of the most innovative food start-ups operating in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Here we give a preview of three of them.

Italian agri-entrepreneurs cultivate kiss-friendly heritage garlic

25-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

Two Italian entrepreneurial farmers have launched KissinGarlic a mildly flavoured garlic that is easily digested and doesn't cause bad breath. But by cultivating a plant variety that was on the cusp of being lost, they're also on a mission to...

Raw foods on the rise as clean-label consumers crave more

25-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

From snack bars to spreads, chocolate to cheese, the trend for raw ingredients in processed foods is spreading across Europe, says Mintel, as consumer attention goes beyond the ingredient list to look at clean-label processing methods.

What's the future direction for sustainable sourcing?

22-Apr-2016 By Amarjit Sahota, director of Organic Monitor

Sustainable sourcing has become fashionable in the food industry, with a growing number of companies making such commitments. However, the increasing number of sustainability schemes raises questions about long-term developments.

Zero deforestation and meat-rich diets – possible but very tricky

21-Apr-2016 By David Burrows

Fear not – nine billion people can be fed by 2050 without further deforestation. The claim comes from researchers at the Global Institute of Social Ecology in Vienna, Austria.

Italy moves to ban 18-month expiry date for olive oil

21-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

The Italian Senate this month voted to remove an 18-month expiry date on extra virgin olive oil, a move that the Italian agricultural association has called a “grave error”.

Middle East & Africa beat 'lacklustre' Europe for fresh food sales in 2015: Euromonitor

20-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

The Middle East and Africa were the most dynamic markets for fresh food sales in 2015 as the Russian embargo hit Eastern European markets and Western consumers opted for convenience. But packaging innovations and the health and wellness trends could provide...

Energy & fibre intakes far below recommended levels

Paper offers insights into +85s diets – but huge data gaps remain

20-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The rapidly-growing age segment of over-85s has been neglected in both nutrition research and dietary recommendations, say UK researchers behind a large-scale trail-blazing study.  

The ultimate taste test: Insect burger, plant burger or meat burger?

20-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

The Belgian researchers' battle of the burgers threw up an interesting result: Although meat came out top, consumers liked the insect burgers more when told they contained mealworms, putting it on a par with the plant-based burger.

INTERVIEW

Venture capital fund seeks start-ups: Must be sustainable, innovative & ready to make money

20-Apr-2016 By David Burrows

New Crop Capital is a venture capital fund that only invests in sustainable start-ups developing cultured and plant-based meat, dairy and egg products. But it's not just about saving the planet: “There are billions to be made annually in this space,”...

Fresh fruit linked to lower risk of heart attack and stroke

19-Apr-2016 By Will Chu

Fresh fruit consumption has been linked with a lower risk of heart attack and stroke, according to new research.

Bühler aims to 'close the global protein gap' with algae, insects and pulses

19-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

Swiss giant Bühler has backed a series of research and development (R&D) projects looking at insects, algae and pulses as alternative protein sources.

Food firms improve sustainability promises - but are they following them up with action?

19-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

The world's top 10 food firms are improving their promises and pledges on sustainability, food security and workers' rights, according to Oxfam’s Behind the Brands report. But is there any action behind the words?

'THE GOAL IS TO REFORMULATE SO THEY CAN BE LABELLED 'EVERYDAY PRODUCTS''

Mars to label savoury products in global portfolio: 'Eat occasionally, once a week'

15-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

Mars will add labels to some savoury products in its global portfolio, such as Uncle Ben's and Dolmio, that don't meet its own nutrition criteria to say they should only be eaten 'occasionally'.

Mars: ‘Don't eat some of our products every day’

15-Apr-2016 By Michelle Perrett

Mars Foods is to advise consumers to limit the consumption of certain products in a bid to improve the nation’s health..

CO2 rises could fuel obesity as plants “carb-load”

14-Apr-2016 By David Burrows

The nutritional quality of food will plummet as carbon emissions rise, with every bite delivering less protein, fewer micronutrients and more sugars, according to a report released this week.

MEPs give glyphosate green light – with caveats

13-Apr-2016 By David Burrows

The European Parliament has voted in favour of re-authorising the use of glyphosate – the weedkiller that almost two thirds of consumers want to see banned - but have limited this approval to seven years.

Is the booming gluten-free baby food market about to get another boost?

12-Apr-2016 By David Burrows

New studies have prompted changes to some advice on the introduction of gluten. Could it have an impact on booming EU sales of gluten-free baby foods?

Retailers slammed for fictitious own-brand farm names - but is all fair in love, war and marketing?

11-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

Retail giant Tesco faced a backlash for using fictitious British farm names to sell produce from as far afield as Chile but it’s an EU-wide practice that hits farmers and deceives consumers, say unions. But are they actually in breach of EU food law or...

EU and Chile sign landmark organic trade deal

11-Apr-2016 By Kizzi Nkwocha

The European Union and Chile have finalised the first of a new generation of agreements aimed at facilitating trade in organic products.

Polish potential: Poland is Eastern Europe’s food innovation hub, says Mintel

11-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

Poland is leading the way for food and drink innovation in Eastern Europe accounting for over a third of product launches in the region – but as one of the fastest growing economies in the EU, it’s also an interesting export destination, says Mintel. 

Spanish firm Riberebro fined €5.2m for mushroom cartel

08-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

The European Commission has fined Spanish vegetable processor, Riberebro, €5.2 million for price fixing in a canned mushroom cartel from 2010 to 2012.

Heard of soursop, ditakh or cashew apple flavour? You'll need to if you want to break into Africa, says Aromatech

07-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

Flavour firm Aromatech has developed a range of flavours specifically designed to appeal to African consumers based on local fruit - but European consumers looking for new, exotic tastes will also love them, it says.

Can firms clean up vanillin's clean label image amid natural supply shortages?

04-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

It’s the world’s most popular food flavour but less than 1% of global demand for vanilla can be met by the natural vanilla orchid – and this year’s supplies have been hit by a poor harvest in top producing country Madagascar, sending prices skyrocketing....

Weight of the world: 20% of adults obese by 2025, study predicts

04-Apr-2016 By Will Chu

Around 20% of adults worldwide will be obese by 2025, if policies designed to slow down and stop the worldwide increase in Body Mass Index (BMI) are not revised and implemented, according to a study.

UN declares Decade of Action on Nutrition

04-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has declared a ‘Decade of Action on Nutrition’, placing nutrition firmly at the heart of its sustainable development agenda.

Risk-benefit assessment: Weighing up the pros and cons of foods

04-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

To have meaningful health recommendations for foods authorities should balance both the risks and benefits of consumption, say a group of Danish researchers backing the concept of risk-benefit assessment. 

Morrisons boss puts money where his mouth is

04-Apr-2016 By Noli Dinkovski

Morrisons ceo David Potts has demonstrated his confidence in turning around the fortunes of the retailer by investing a further £360,000 in shares.

Painted olives, monkey meat & fertiliser sugar: Europol's global food fraud crackdown

31-Mar-2016 By Niamh Michail

From olives painted with blue copper sulphate to monkey meat and sugar laced with fertiliser, Europol and Interpol have seized 10,000 tonnes of fake food in their biggest global operation to date.

Stevia passes muster with EU for approved use in mustard

31-Mar-2016 By Niamh Michail

The European Commission has approved the use of stevia as a sweetener in mustard in Europe, a decision welcomed by manufacturers as an opportunity for new product development.

A sustainable breakthrough? Dutch dietary advice cuts meat by almost half

30-Mar-2016 By Niamh Michail

The Dutch have slashed recommended meat consumption by almost half, citing both health and environmental reasons in what has been hailed as "a breakthrough" by sustainable food experts.

Cocktail of lime, stevia and β-glucans could open up opportunities for fruit beverages

30-Mar-2016 By Rachel Arthur

A trio of lime, stevia and β-glucans could open up opportunities for fruit based beverages that have an increased nutritional value yet are low in sugar, say Danish researchers. 

High protein diet has 'intriguing' double benefit of weight loss & improved sleep: Study

25-Mar-2016 By Will Chu

Consuming a high-protein diet while dieting may improve sleep in overweight and obese adults, according to a new research.

Meat substitutes market set to top €3.57 billion by 2016

25-Mar-2016 By Kizzi Nkwocha

Heightened health concerns over the consumption of meat as well as increased environmental awareness are likely to fuel the growth of the  global meat substitutes market to over $4 billion (€3.57 billion) by next year, according to market analysts.

The rise of the 'invisible ethical': Why consumers want sustainability throughout the supply chain

24-Mar-2016 By Niamh Michail

From non-GMO glycerine-based solvents to sustainably sourced hydrocolloids, more and more companies are seeking ethical certification for 'invisible' ingredients – but what’s fuelling this demand when consumers probably don’t even notice?

special edition: food fraud

Brexit should not affect amount of food fraud – NSF

23-Mar-2016 By Joseph James Whitworth

Brexit should not affect standards of food safety and quality or the amount of fraud in the system, according to NSF International.

Dispatches from Food Vision 2016

GreenOnyx on home-brewed mission to serve ‘missing nutrition’

21-Mar-2016 By Shane STARLING

How do you ensure nutrients are fresh? How about growing them in a ‘superfood machine’ in your kitchen? US start-up GreenOnyx has the technology, an Asian micro-vegetable called khai-nam and is set for launch on both sides of the Atlantic.

Healthy diet, healthy planet: UK dietary advice backs plant proteins over meat & dairy

18-Mar-2016 By Niamh Michail

The UK has put sustainability on the menu by backing plant proteins over meat and dairy for sustainability reasons in its updated dietary recommendation and healthy eating guide.

myfood24 – the online tool helping researchers get teenage kicks?

16-Mar-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

An online method of collecting diet data could help unlock intake information for teenagers, a group often neglected in government policy, say UK researchers.

FDF speaks on Brexit: ‘We should remain an EU member!’; FDE agrees

16-Mar-2016 By Niamh Michail

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has finally taken a position on the possibility of Britain leaving the EU, known as Brexit, as 71% of its members "overwhelmingly endorse" the decision to stay in the EU.

EU healthy eating funding discriminates against plant proteins: ENSA

15-Mar-2016 By Niamh Michail

The EU is discriminating against soy and plant-based proteins that are nutritionally similar – or even healthier – than the sugary dairy products it has pledged to subsidise, says the European Natural Soy and Plant-Based Foods Manufacturers Association...

Counselling for kids proves effective in promoting healthy eating

14-Mar-2016 By Will Chu

Children from families who participated in lifestyle counselling ate more vegetables and had a higher intake of important nutrients, a two-year follow-up study has shown.

DISPATCHES FROM FOOD VISION 2016

‘Demand-creation’ business model key to sustainability

11-Mar-2016 By Will Chu

How to create a new high-value, sustainable business model for African ingredients? By focusing on demand-creation first, production second and engagement with communities, says the founder of baobab start-up Aduna. 

GreenPalm palm oil goes greener – or does it?

11-Mar-2016 By Niamh Michail

GreenPalm sustainable palm oil certificates will now offer buyers traceability back to the mill, meaning it is now the only fully inclusive supply chain open to all growers, says the trading platform. But campaigners are still calling it a "false...

Smart sustainability: Save money by saving water, says report

11-Mar-2016 By Niamh Michail

The food industry needs to start using water resources in a more sustainable manner, says one business-led charity, which has published a step-by-step guide to doing so.

Naturex calls on start-ups for ingredient innovation partnerships

10-Mar-2016 By Niamh Michail

Naturex is calling on innovative start-ups with fresh ideas on plant-based ingredients, green technologies and novel farming processes to collaborate with it thorugh Ingenium, its open innovation accelerator scheme.

IARC urges action against mycotoxin contamination in developing countries

09-Mar-2016 By Joseph James Whitworth

The problem of mycotoxin contamination in developing countries has been ‘ignored for too long’ and it is time to ‘turn science into action’, according to the director of an organisaton behind a report on the subject.

EU delays glyphosate decision amid cancer concerns

09-Mar-2016 By Niamh Michail

The European Commission delayed making a decision on glyphosate yesterday as four member states, including the EU Presidency-holding Netherlands, said they would vote against renewing Monsanto's licence, leaving campaigners claiming a temporary victory. 

EU regulators debate future of glyphosate

08-Mar-2016 By Kizzi Nkwocha

EU regulators are today debating whether to extend approval for Monsanto's controversial pesticide glyphosate.

Introduce allergic-inducing foods to infants to build up tolerance, study believes

07-Mar-2016 By Will Chu

Introducing a broader range of foods at an early age may help infants that were breast-fed to build up tolerance to common food allergens such as peanut or egg, a British study has concluded.