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....
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.
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?
Sequencing the common bean’s genetic make-up is set to reap nutritional benefits as well as making the pulse resistant to drought, expanding its use beyond the food industry, a study has stated.
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...
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.
Swedish researchers have suggested that food labelled both GM and eco-friendly may become commonplace in the future - but is this an idea consumers will buy into?
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.
A study into long-term observational data by Seralini shows that GM Bt176 maize is “most probably” toxic in animals – but the paper has since ‘disappeared’ from the online journal after only one day online.
Labelling meat and dairy products as ‘clone derived’ or ‘clone-free’ would cost tens of billions to the European livestock industry, says a recently published report - so will the Commission 'set the limits on cloning' as MEPs urged it to do...
Organic farming body IFOAM EU has called for new plant breeding techniques that are still in the experimental stage to be classed as GM under EU law - but this is a “Pavlov’s dog” response, says the European Seed Association.
Flavour giant Firmenich and water management firm Veolia join Mars and Danone in an investment fund that boosts the security and sustainability of their supply chains while improving the livelihood of smallholder farmers.
A research paper that was referenced in an Italian government hearing on whether the country should allow GM cultivation is to be retracted after one of the authors was accused of falsifying research data.
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.
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?
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.
Just one tomato could provide the same amount of resveratrol as 50 bottles of red wine or the same amount of genistein as 2.5kg of tofu, say researchers.
From fibre-filled juice to bird-friendly coffee, cauliflower flour to pea bread, European demands for natural are being fuelled by a massive distrust of TTIP – and this will grow whether the treaty is ratified or not, says Mintel.
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?
There is a now a huge momentum in Germany to convert all private label meat sectors to GM free soy, said the German Association of Food without Genetic Engineering (VLOG).
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...
Scientists have identified a genetic defect in oil palms, called bad karma, which reduces yields – a finding that could save industry both time and money, they say.
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'.
Biotech giant Monsanto has said it will abide by requests from Latvia and Greece to be excluded from its application for re-authorisation of its MON180 maize in the European Union, but accused the countries of ignoring science.
A ban on genetically modified (GM) crops in Scotland would seriously undermine the nation’s food and drink industry, warn nearly 30 leading organisations.
A large consumer study* from market researcher Health Focus International spanning 16 major consumer markets includes this pretty jaw-dropping statistic: 87% of consumers globally think non-GMO foods are ‘somewhat’, or ‘a lot’ healthier.
Consumers must pressure retailers and manufacturers to ensure bread does not contain glyphosate, says the Soil Association – but all traces are below safe limits, insists industry.
“If you can understand how an eight-year-old thinks, you are a long way toward understanding a transformative change in consumer behaviour,” says futurist Mike Walsh, who gave the keynote address at IFT in Chicago last week.
From GM to junk food, many food industry issues go beyond the realm of the industry itself – they shape, and are shaped by, our world view says one expert at IFT. So what approach should companies take when dealing with such big issues that both impassion...
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?
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.
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.
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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.
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) will affect every European food company – for better or worse – according to a trade law expert at DWF LLP.
The European Commission is calling its Better Regulation initiative 'radical and different' - but consumer groups say power is being handed over to big businesses and that consumers will suffer from weakened food policy.
Chinese scientists have successfully reared beef cattle rich in the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA – which are traditionally associated with fish oils.
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.
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.
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.
