Meat, fish and savoury ingredients

Geographical Indicators and Wales: Food and drink producers helped by Welsh Government to acquire coveted accreditations

13-Dec-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Be it for Welsh lamb and beef or single malt Welsh whisky, geographical indicators are a vital part of ensuring products are tied to their geographical region. The Welsh Government has provided industry stakeholders with vital support in attaining these...

Alternative protein producer Farmless plans expand production, maintain protein production efficiency

08-Dec-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Farmless, a startup producing protein using a feedstock which combines hydrogen, nitrogen, CO2 and renewable energy, is planning to build a pilot plant after a new injection of funding. Its purpose is simple – cutting down on the land used to create protein,...

What’s the Italian Government’s beef with cultivated meat?

07-Dec-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The Italian Government recently announced that it would ban cultivated meat production, at the same time restricting meat-related labels on plant-based meat alternatives. The decision has drawn significant criticism from some quarters, but from Italy's...

Domino’s innovation lead talks trends, nutrition and sustainability in pizza: ‘You couldn’t do this job if you didn’t love food’

05-Dec-2023 By Flora Southey

Innovation director at Domino’s Pizza Group, Louise Pilkington, talks us through the process of rethinking pizzas, sides and desserts for today’s consumer.

Recreating Willy Wonka flavours with food science: 'In principle, we could simulate any flavour'

05-Dec-2023 By Natasha Spencer-Joilliffe

Food and flavours collide with the film world and a fictional favourite as a University of Warwick professor explores the most famous creations of chocolate idol Willy Wonka ahead of its reimagined release premiering in December 2023.

‘It’s time to legislate’: EU seafood sector crabby about plant-based ‘fishy’ labelling

04-Dec-2023 By Flora Southey

Is the labelling of Nestlé’s plant-based ‘Vuna’ product too similar to conventional tuna? This was up for debate recently in Brussels, where stakeholders met to discuss ‘fishy’ labelling for plant-based alternatives.

Pork major Pilgrim’s UK cuts GHG emissions by 62.5%

01-Dec-2023 By Natasha Spencer-Joilliffe

In its inaugural sustainability strategy progress report, British pig farming company Pilgrim’s UK announces its reduced emissions as it sets out its net-zero targets.

Upcycling food waste into alt protein: On-site insect farming developed for manufacturers and retailers

01-Dec-2023 By Flora Southey

Modular insect farming technology has been developed for food businesses to upcycle organic waste on-site into a sustainable protein alternative.

‘Essentially real meat, just grown differently’: Ivy Farm’s CSO on cultivated meat production and commercialisation

01-Dec-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

UK-based Ivy Farm, which produces cultivated meat, began as a spin-off from Oxford University. Now, says its new CSO, Dr. Harsh Amin, commercialisation is in sight.

Nourish Ingredients releases animal-free fat to accelerate future food systems

30-Nov-2023 By Natasha Spencer-Joilliffe

Food tech company Nourish Ingredients launches its animal-free fat, Tastilux, calling it a “world-first” and “breakthrough” new product development designed to enhance global food security.

Scientists find nutrient in meat and dairy that helps fight cancer

28-Nov-2023 By Flora Southey

Fresh research reveals a fatty acid in meat and dairy products improves the ability of immune cells to fight tumours.

Increased consumption of plant-based substitutes does not increase consumer acceptance

27-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

A new study suggests that repeated consumption of plant-based meat over time does not improve consumer liking. However, the context – what meals the plant-based substitutes are used in – is highly significant to how they receive it.

NPD Trend Tracker: From wholegrain spelt to Christmas dinner pie

27-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

In this week’s NPD Trend Tracker, we have a range of festive products, including a festive wrap, festive ice-cream flavours and a pie containing an entire Christmas dinner. We also have a new flavour from Tate & Lyle, a wholegrain spelt from Merchant...

Consuming the right diet can add years onto our lives even in old age, study suggests

23-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

What are the main benefits of eating a healthy diet? Well, according to a new study, living longer for one.. In fact, some longevity-related diets, particularly involving whole grains and nuts, can increase our lives by up to a decade.

From pest to protein? 'Naked clams' a potential solution for sustainable nutrition, find researchers

22-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Naked clams, because of the abundance of nutrients they contain, are already highly beneficial to human health. A recent study showed that they can be made even more so, through combining their wood-based diet with an algae-based microencapsulated feed.

German Government to boost alternative proteins with €38m investment

20-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

In its 2024 budget, the German Government has allocated €38m for the promotion of precision-fermented, plant-based and cultivated meat and dairy alternatives.

‘Until recently, LCAs have been costly and labour-intensive’: DSM-Firmenich brings environmental footprints to meat, milk and egg products

20-Nov-2023 By Flora Southey

DSM-Firmenich and Sustained are collaborating to capture animal protein life cycle assessment impacts at the farm level, making it easier for food makers to assess and communicate the environmental footprint of their products.

Ultra-processed foods, but not bread or breakfast cereals, linked to multimorbidity: The Lancet

16-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

A recent study published in medical journal The Lancet has found that ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption is often linked to multimorbidity. However the study found no link between multimorbidity and consumption of UPFs including breakfast cereals,...

EU project pushes for adoption of Mediterranean diet as road to ‘healthy, active lifestyle’

15-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The EU is funding a project aimed at promoting the Mediterranean diet as a route to a ‘healthy, active lifestyle.’ Coined MEDIET4ALL, the project will work with ten partners across eight countries, brings together expert knowledge from Europe and Africa...

African cultivated meat facility to boost low-cost R&D

13-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

South African cultivated meat startup Newform Foods (formally Mzansi Meat Co.) has announced that it plans to open a demonstration facility for cultivated meat products in South Africa, collaborating with engineering company Project Assignments.

The ‘world’s first’ alt seafood association wants to close the protein, omega gap

13-Nov-2023 By Flora Southey

The Future Ocean Foods association has several activities on the agenda, including improving the nutritional profile of alternative seafood, with a particular focus on protein and omegas.

Exports of livestock for slaughter on the chopping block in UK

10-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Among the legislation announced alongside the King’s Speech on Tuesday was a ban on the export of UK livestock for fattening and slaughter. The decision, if it gets through Parliament, will have a keen impact on both animal welfare and animal agriculture...

WATCH – Down on the cultured meat farm with Ivy Farm Technologies

06-Nov-2023 By Flora Southey

Ivy Farm Technologies invites FoodNavigator to its pilot plant in Oxford, UK, to talk cultivated meat production, sustainability credentials, and plans for regulatory approval.

The possibility of ‘net zero carbon’ protein: DSM-Firmenich develops single-cell proteins for food and feed

03-Nov-2023 By Flora Southey

The Dutch-Swiss ingredients supplier has developed single-cell proteins it claims have the potential to offer ‘net zero carbon protein’ for the food, feed, and pet food markets.

‘For the industry to succeed, there will need to be a ramping up of investment’: The past and future of the cultivated meat market

02-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The number of deals in the cultivated meat market in the first eight months of 2023 has significantly declined since 2022, a report by financial advisory firm Oghma Partners shows. However, strong government investment and potential regulatory approval...

From deforestation to human rights: EU urged to put indigenous perspective at centre of EU policy

01-Nov-2023 By Flora Southey

Indigenous rights must be ‘at the centre’ of new EU policies looking to stamp out environmental and human rights violations from food supply chains, argues indigenous advocate Edson Krenak from NGO Cultural Survival.

‘A defining feature of stem cells is that they can become other cells’: Strategies for the use of stem cells in cultivated meat production

30-Oct-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The production of cultivated meat will need stable cell lines from multiple different species to be successful. It is produced from stem cells, which are highly flexible and can create yields with the potential to be far greater in volume than the meat...

How cultivated meat could be the key to avoiding the development of antimicrobial resistance

30-Oct-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

While the ‘routine use’ of antibiotics in animal agriculture is banned in the EU, increasing globalisation can make it difficult to avoid imported meat reared in this way. While the routine use of antibiotics can increase the risk of antimicrobial resistance,...

‘We want happy pigs’… welfare and health outweigh climate concerns for consumers

25-Oct-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Focusing solely on climate improvements in pork production is not what consumers care most about when buying pork, two studies reveal.

International food trade has overall positive effect on health, but red meat imports can lead to excess death, study suggests

19-Oct-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

While international trade in food can lead to positive outcomes, it depends on the food being traded. The trade in nuts, legumes, fruit and vegetables usually leads to improved health outcomes in the country that imports it. However, trade in red meat...

‘It is crucial for consumer acceptance’: Replacing animal fats in plant-based food

18-Oct-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

While with any food, ‘taste is king,’ texture is also extremely important, especially in products aiming to mimic meat. For optimal texture, many manufacturers argue, animal fats, which contribute significantly to the texture of real meat, must be replicated...

'What we do is not artificial': The Michelin-trained chef hoping to revamp the plant-based category

16-Oct-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Emma Bowe, who has worked alongside Heston Blumenthal and cooked for royalty and prime ministers, told FoodNavigator how she brings forth her experience in the culinary world to create her brand.

Catalonia invests €7m into alternative protein research

11-Oct-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The government of Catalonia, Spain has invested €7m into alterative protein research, one of the largest investments into the sector in Spain’s history. It will aim to scale up Catalonia’s plant-based and fermentation-made food production.

Quorn, mycoprotein and the push to grow a ‘third kingdom of fungi proteins’

10-Oct-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Mycoprotein and fungal proteins hope to offer a solution to the negative impact to the environment associated with industrial farming, heard FoodNavigator’s recent Climate Smart Food​​ digital summit.

Cultivated tuna company to accelerate pilot production after funding round

09-Oct-2023 By Oliver Morrison

FoodTech start-up Wanda Fish Technologies has secured $7 million (€6.6 mn) in seed funding to accelerate pilot production of cultivated bluefin Tuna.

The effect of masculine marketing on vegan diets

09-Oct-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

One of the most pervasive cultural perceptions around food consumption in general is that eating meat is for men and that, conversely, veganism is feminine. A new study explores whether reframing vegan dishes through masculine marketing alters men’s conception,...

NPD Trend Tracker: From plant-based steak to Children in Need jam

03-Oct-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

In this week’s NPD trend tracker, we have a range of new plant-based products, a new look for a dairy-free drinks range, and a jam’s partnership with Children in Need.

Cargill opens European Protein Innovation Hub to allow customers to create new protein products

02-Oct-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

As part of an investment of €50m into Cargill’s Saint-Cyr en Val facility in Orleans, France, American multinational Cargill is opening a protein innovation hub. The hub promises to give the company's customers the tools to trial, create and taste...

How can fisheries withstand climate change? The many aspects of climate resilience

26-Sep-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

With the impacts of climate change posing a significant threat to fisheries on a physical, ecological and social level, their operational health is vital to protect. A new study has created a framework for climate resilience for fisheries, which can be...

Cultivated meat ‘breakthrough’: Media supplement achieves full muscle maturation on scaffold within 48 hours.

26-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

Having achieved muscle and protein gains in 2D environments, Profuse Technology is celebrating a ‘breakthrough’ in cultivated meat growth within 3D environments, CEO Guy Nevo Michrowski explains.

‘There will be trade-offs’: How the Belgian meat industry can make progress in sustainability

25-Sep-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

As the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy continues to outline key sustainability regulations, which are sure to impact the food industry significantly, the Belgian meat sector must learn to manage the effects of such regulations. According to speakers at the...

EU-27 countries exceed biocapacity, driven in large part by the food system: study

22-Sep-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The food system is a significant contributor to harming the natural world, often stretching its biocapacity beyond breaking point. Now, a recent study shows that the EU-27 countries have exceeded biocapacity within Europe, and the food system in partly...

The FoodNavigator Podcast: Why avoiding terms like ‘vegan,’ ‘vegetarian,’ or ‘meatless’ may boost the plant-based market

20-Sep-2023 By Oliver Morrison

As arguments rage about the use of ‘meaty’ or ‘dairy-like’ names for plant-based versions of animal-based foods, we ask could plant-based sector momentum be improved if meat and dairy alternatives avoid imitating the names of animal-based products.

From ‘pandemic peaks’ to sales slumps: Grasping the rollercoaster of plant-based meat consumption

20-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

Why are consumers turning away from plant-based meat? And how can industry renew excitement for the category?

‘A vitamin B12 deficiency can have very unpleasant consequences’: Can B12 work in plant-based meat?

20-Sep-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Despite the abundance of NPDs for plant-based meat in recent years, concerns about nutrition still resound in the sector. There are many nutrients, critics claim, that are difficult to find outside of animal products. One of these is B12. Yet it is possible...

GUEST ARTICLE

How to revive flagging demand for plant-based meat

20-Sep-2023 By Katy Askew, managing director, IFIS Publishing

The food industry has responded to bullish predictions of a boom in plant-based meat alternatives with a gold rush mentality. But as sales slow and interest dips, can advances in food science come to the rescue of a category that is struggling to live...

Organix eyes ‘window of opportunity’ to introduce new flavours and textures to kids

19-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

Organix wants to help parents and carers introduce new flavours and textures to kids in the 6-18-month ‘window of opportunity’ prior to food fears kicking in.

Public investment in alternative proteins is strong, but conventional meat still dominates

18-Sep-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

With research into cultivated meat becoming ever more abundant, a report from the Good Food Institute shows that funding is strong. However, a study from Stanford University reveals that traditional meat is still receiving more public funding, and a more...

Unilever R&D tie-up develops vegan döner kebab that cooks vertically, mimics ‘shaving and grilling behaviour’

15-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

Unilever-owned The Vegetarian Butcher has partnered with döner producer The Düzgün Group to reinvent the traditional döner kebab with plant-based ingredients.

Cultivated meat researchers get €1.2 million to solve commercialisation barriers

14-Sep-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Researchers from Germany, Israel and the UK have been given €1.2 million in funding to work on solving the barriers to creating cultivated meat at scale, and thus to provide it on a commercial basis.