GM food

EFSA budget plateaus despite growing workload

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has announced plateauing budgets for the next three years and staffing reductions of 10% running up to 2018 – despite its increasing responsibilities.

French & German authorities weigh in on 'emotional' glyphosate debate

By Niamh Michail

Glyphosate cannot be classed as a probable carcinogen but its use in formulations could be a cause for concern, says the French food safety authority while the German safety body has called for scientific professionalism to spare consumers unnecessary...

The Russian government is encouraging organic food production partly because of the food import ban, said Organic Monitor director, Amarjit Sahota. © iStock

Can Russia's organic industry match Putin's ambitions?

By Niamh Michail

Russian president Vladimir Putin wants Russia to become the worlds biggest supplier of eco-friendly food - but the country still has a long way in terms of organic certification and production, say experts.

'It’s very difficult to say carte-blanche what a testing protocol should be – it’s completely dependent on the individual supply chain and supplier,' said Richard Werran, managing director of Cert ID Europe.

New tests needed to detect GM soy, says Cert ID

By Niamh Michail

New GM crops such as CV127 soybean are not detectable with older testing methods, and food producers must update their testing protocols to avoid GM ingredients going undetected and undeclared in the food chain, according to Cert ID Europe.

Evolva launches fermentation-derived valencene

By Niamh Michail

Evolva will begin producing valencene orange flavour through fermentation allowing for large scale production at a fraction of the cost of traditional extraction methods, it says.

EFSA backs glyphosate but should industry blacklist it anyway?

EFSA backs glyphosate but should industry blacklist it anyway?

By David Burrows

The European Commission’s standing committee meets today to discuss whether or not to renew approval for glyphosate. Chances are the controversial herbicide will get the green light. Should the food industry step in and apply its own ban?

“There’s a lot of work to be done to help consumers make the connection between meat and climate change,” said Catherine Happer.

COP21: Sustainability in focus

More headaches for "less meat" messaging

By David Burrows

Want to promote products with less meat or meat alternatives? Steer clear of environmental messages and focus on health, say researchers.

Glyphosate is unlikely to cause cancer, says EFSA

Glyphosate is unlikely to cause cancer, says EFSA

By Niamh Michail

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has concluded that glyphosate, a herbicide used on food crops, is unlikely to cause cancer and recommends raising safety levels.

Cargill's EverSweet fermented stevia launch

Will Cargill's EverSweet be a gamechanger for stevia?

By Niamh Michail

Extracted or fermented, blended or pure, stevia can take many forms - and the arrival of EverSweet will mean even more possibilities for positioning the sweetener, says Cargill. But will it get past the EU's regulatory roadblocks?

More than half of EU countries set to opt out of GM

By Niamh Michail

Sixteen countries have requested to opt out of GM cultivation in Europe – but while the Commission says the opt-out clause is necessary for such a complex issue, campaigners are calling it ‘Kafkaesque’ and one scientist warns Europe is walking 'an...

MEPs vote for 'comprehensive' cloning ban

By Niamh Michail

MEPs voted yesterday to ban imports of food from cloned animals and their descendants - but the European Commission has called the amendments 'disproportionate' and even 'legally impossible'.

Non-GMO labels are on the rise in Europe – but why?

By Niamh Michail

Non-GMO labels are on the rise in European countries – but unlike the US, EU legislation requires all food containing above trace levels of GM to be labelled. So is there even a need for GMO-free?

GM crops could become widespread in Europe after gaining a foothold in the Ukraine and Russia

Ukraine and Russia to be Europe’s GM springboard

By Rick Pendrous

Ukraine and Russia are likely to become the bridgehead for the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the rest of Europe, according to the ceo of the French agricultural seeds and grain co-operative Limagrain.

Rubis the lamb - bred to carry a jellyfish protein for the purposes of INRA's medical research programme - was sold by the abattoir and then most likely eaten in the Paris region last October.

GM 'jellyfish lamb' enters French food chain

By Niamh Michail

A genetically modified sheep carrying a jellyfish protein entered the French food system last year following what appears to have been a deliberate abattoir mix-up by a disgruntled employee, it was revealed last week.

Quiz: Are you sustainable sourcing savvy?

Quiz: Are you sustainable sourcing savvy?

By Niamh Michail

How clued up are you on all the issues surrounding sustainable sourcing - and how closely have you been reading FoodNavigator? Take our quiz and find out!

New Séralini study questions legitimacy of GM safety data

New Séralini study questions legitimacy of GM safety data

By Nathan Gray

The validity of safety tests for commercial pesticides and genetically modified foods has been called into question, after French researchers found control diets and historical diet data contained GM materials and possible carcinogens. 

EU regulatory deadlock welcomed by organic groups

By Niamh Michail

EU ministers have failed to reach an agreement on proposed changes to EU organic regulation, pushing back a vote until June – a standstill that is welcomed by organic farming associations.

Food companies face the challenge of increasing both production and sustainability through innovation without alienating consumers.

Is consumer scepticism stifling industry innovation?

By Niamh Michail

It is time for the food industry to demonstrate that the natural, healthy food we eat is the result of food science and innovation, says one expert – but opinion is divided over how to achieve this.

Many representations of GMOs, like this one, tap into intuitive ideas of unnaturalness - even though this is far from the reality of GM technology

Being anti-GMO may have ‘intuitive appeal’

By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Rejection of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) may be intuitive for many people, claims a paper published in the journal Trends in Plant Science.

Organic NPD vital to survive mainstream 'healthification'

By Niamh Michail

The organic sector has cultivated a culture of ethical awareness among consumers that conventional manufacturers are now cashing in on – and new product development is vital for the sector to retain its value, say experts.

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