Fotortec introduce its innovative food waste upcycling technology and mushroom-based ingredients into the Swedish market

© Fotortec

Fungi, Mushrooms & Mycelium

Mathilde Do Chi, Expert on Food Law, Part 7: Mushrooms and Other Fungi Wonders

Mathilde Do Chi is the CEO of Forward Food Law, a food law and regulatory consultancy in global alternative protein regulations. She is an international food law and regulatory consultant with expertise in alternative proteins, novel foods, the future of food, and much more. A frequent public speaker at numerous food and foodtech conferences, Mathilde helps VCs, startups and multinationals comprehend complex food regulations, assisting the likes of Blue Horizon, Planted, and Formo with their legal matters. In this seventh installment of her special series for vegconomist, Mathilde discusses the complicated world of regulations around edible fungi. Mushrooms and other fungi wonders, how they are regulated By Mathilde Do Chi Often grouped with plant-based ingredients although part of a different kingdom of life, fungi are …

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sushi rolls being produced

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Ingredients

Mathilde Do Chi, Expert on Food Law, Part 6: Innovative Food Ingredients & the Law

Mathilde Do Chi is the CEO of Forward Food Law, a food law and regulatory consultancy in global alternative protein regulations. She is an international food law and regulatory consultant with expertise in alternative proteins, novel foods, the future of food, and much more. A frequent public speaker at numerous food and foodtech conferences, Mathilde helps VCs, startups and multinationals comprehend complex food regulations, assisting the likes of Blue Horizon, Planted, and Formo with their legal matters. In this sixth installment of her special series, Mathilde discusses the challenges companies face when demonstrating the safety of novel foods since existing standardized testing methods may not fully capture their complexity. Demonstrating the safety of innovative food ingredients Necessary to improve our global food system, innovative food …

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single-cell organism alternative novel food protein meal powder pattern

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Politics & Law

Mathilde Do Chi, Expert on Food Law, Part 5: EFSA to Revamp Novel Food Approval Process by 2025 – What It Means for Food Innovators

Mathilde Do Chi is the CEO of Vegan Food Law, a food law and regulatory consultancy in global alternative protein regulations. She is an international food law and regulatory consultant with expertise in alternative proteins, novel foods, the future of food, and much more. A frequent public speaker at numerous food and foodtech conferences, Mathilde helps VCs, startups and multinationals comprehend complex food regulations, assisting the likes of Blue Horizon, Planted, and Formo with their legal matters. In this fifth installment of her special series, Mathilde explains how Novel Food, defined by EU Regulation 2015/2283 as any food not significantly consumed before May 15, 1997, requires pre-market approval from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which provides guidance but not detailed study design advice, with upcoming procedural updates expected by 2025. …

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Creativity and new ideas in business. Art collage.

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Politics & Law

Mathilde Do Chi, Expert on Food Law, Part 4: Why Patents Are Not the Safest Way to Protect Your Food Innovation

Mathilde Do Chi is the CEO of Vegan Food Law, a food law and regulatory consultancy in global alternative protein regulations. She is an international food law and regulatory consultant with expertise in alternative proteins, novel foods, the future of food, and much more. A frequent public speaker at numerous food and foodtech conferences, Mathilde helps VCs, startups and multinationals comprehend complex food regulations, assisting the likes of Blue Horizon, Planted, and Formo with their legal matters. In this fourth installment of this special series, Mathilde discusses the limitations and dangers around patents in food innovation. Why Patents Are Not the Solution for Protecting Food Innovation In the realm of food innovation, the question of how best to protect novel ideas and creations arises. Having worked with a lot of investors …

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Chicken Eggs in Carton

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Politics & Law

Mathilde Do Chi, Expert on Food Law, Part 3: Multi-Regional Approvals in Food Innovation, Or, Why Not to Put Your Eggs in the Same Basket

Mathilde Do Chi is the CEO of Vegan Food Law, a food law and regulatory consultancy in global alternative protein regulations. She is an international food law and regulatory consultant with expertise in alternative proteins, novel foods, the future of food, and much more. A frequent public speaker at numerous food and foodtech conferences, Mathilde helps VCs, startups and multinationals comprehend complex food regulations, assisting the likes of Blue Horizon, Planted, and Formo with their legal matters. In this third installment of the series, Mathilde discusses how simultaneously obtaining food regulatory approvals across multiple jurisdictions is crucial for companies looking to efficiently enter international markets, optimize costs, and gain a competitive advantage in the global food industry. Not putting your eggs in the same basket: the importance of simultaneous food regulatory …

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NovaMeat

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Politics & Law

Special Guest Series: Mathilde Do Chi, Expert on Food Law, Part Two – The EU & Novel Foods

Mathilde Do Chi, is the CEO of Vegan Food Law, a food law and regulatory consultancy in global alternative protein regulations. She is an international food law and regulatory consultant with expertise in alternative proteins, novel foods, the future of food, and much more. A frequent public speaker at numerous food and foodtech conferences, Mathilde helps VCs, startups and multinationals comprehend complex food regulations, assisting the likes of Blue Horizon, Planted, and Formo with their legal matters. In this second installment of the series, Mathilde addresses the challenges and opportunities surrounding novel food in the EU. As novel foods emerge, offering the potential for sustainable and ethical dietary options, they encounter significant hurdles: resistance rooted in protecting culinary heritage, regulatory frameworks biased towards traditional animal-based products, and the critical need for effective …

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Mathilde Do Chi headshot

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Politics & Law

Special Guest Series: Mathilde Do Chi, Expert on Food Law, Part One – Nomenclature & Alt Proteins

Mathilde Do Chi, is the CEO of Vegan Food Law, a food law and regulatory consultancy in global alternative protein regulations. She is an international food law and regulatory consultant with expertise in alternative proteins, novel foods, the future of food, and much more. A frequent public speaker at numerous food and foodtech conferences, Mathilde helps VCs, startups and multinationals comprehend complex food regulations, assisting the likes of Blue Horizon, Planted, and Formo with their legal matters. In this first instalment of a series from Mathilde, which will run at the beginning of each month to provide insights on food law for those in the space, she here addresses the increasingly complex issue of nomenclature in alt proteins and novel foods. Addressing the Inadequacy of …

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EFSA logo

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Approvals

Novel Food Applications in Europe: What do the Updated EFSA Guidelines Mean for Safety Assessments?

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has updated the guidelines for applications for novel foods in the EU. The updates include both scientific and administrative guidance that will apply to all new novel food applications from February 2025. The pre-announced changes to the framework are intended to ensure that the safety assessment of novel foods keeps pace with current developments in food research and legal requirements. Not only will the latest scientific findings be taken into account, but the experience gained from the previous evaluation of applications will also be used to create clarity and improve the quality of applications. The aim is to establish a more efficient procedure that continues to prioritise consumer safety. The following Q&A with Ermolaos Ververis, scientific officer in EFSA’s …

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Meatly's cultivated chicken for pets approved for sale in the UK, first products to hit shelves this year.

Image courtesy of Meatly

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Meatly’s Cultivated Chicken for Pets Approved for Sale in the UK, First Products to Hit Shelves This Year

The UK’s Meatly, previously Good Dog Food, announces that it has received regulatory clearance from relevant UK Government departments to produce and sell cultivated meat for pet food, making it the first company in the country to obtain such authorization. The company explains that its cultivated chicken has undergone extensive testing and has been confirmed free from bacteria, viruses, GMOs, antibiotics, harmful pathogens, heavy metals, and other impurities. Its production facility has also been approved to produce and handle its cultivated chicken. Meatly has successfully developed and manufactured the UK’s first cultivated chicken product for cats, Omni Feast, with its first commercial partner, the plant-based pet food company Omni. With this approval, the first samples will be launched in the UK later this year, making …

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The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is inviting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) working on novel food products to receive advice on the requirements for applications to obtain authorization to market their innovations in the EU market.

© The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)

Politics & Law

EFSA’s Call for Pre-Submission Advice for SMEs on Novel Food Applications Ends Soon

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is inviting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) working on novel food products to receive advice on the requirements for applications to obtain authorization to market their innovations in the EU market. As stated by EFSA, the initiative aims to support SMEs with no or limited experience by providing general pre-submission advice (GPSA) at two stages of their novel food development and application process: At the very early stage of developing the novel food, even before starting the studies that will be included in the application. At the latest stages of the application’s preparation, when most of the information that will be included in the application is already available to the SME. Selected SMEs will receive valuable advice from EFSA, from …

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Israel's Gavan Technologies has raised $8 million in an A funding round to commercialize Fatrix, a plant protein-based fat that replaces butter.

© Nimrod Saunders

Investments & Finance

Gavan Raises $8M to Introduce Clean Label “One-to-One” Butter Alternative in Europe

Israel’s Gavan, a food tech company focused on replacing animal fat with sustainable alternatives, announces it has raised $8 million in a Series A funding round. The funds will be used to establish a new European pilot production facility for its flagship ingredient, Fatrix, a plant protein-based fat that replaces butter “one-to-one” in bakery and dairy alternatives. The site is scheduled to commence operations in April 2025, aiming to debut its “cutting-edge” fat solution in the European food market. The round was led by MoreVC, with participation from Lever VC, EIT Food, and DarkBoot Group, a private equity firm involved in Gavan’s incubation. Co-founder and CEO Itai Cohen, shares, “This funding round opens the door for Gavan to enter the European food market, where we …

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Hamburg-based Infinite Roots announces the retail launch of the first mycelium-based products developed in partnership with South Korea's leading food manufacturer, Pulmuone.

Image courtesy of Infinite Roots

Fungi, Mushrooms & Mycelium

Infinite Roots Brings Mycelium-Based Meat to South Korea Via Pulmuone After Hitting Regulatory Roadblock in EU

Hamburg-based Infinite Roots (formerly Mushlabs) announces the retail launch of its first mycelium-based meat products developed with Pulmuone, one of the three leading South Korean food manufacturers along with CJ CheilJedang and Daesang Corporation. The initial line offered by this strategic partnership consists of mycelium-based meat burger patties and meatballs, which have launched under Pulmuone’s recognized Earth Diet line. The collaboration was initiated earlier this year to introduce a wide range of nutritious, clean-label, and sustainable protein products tailored to the preferences of South Korean consumers. By leveraging Infinite Roots’ technology and production capabilities and Pulmuone’s market power and trusted brands, the companies aim to unlock the potential of mycelium in food production. The new meat alternatives are labeled as 100% plant-based and combine mycelium …

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Dr. Kemal Aganovic & Dr. Andreas Juadjur, DIL

Dr. Kemal Aganovic & Dr. Andreas Juadjur © DIL

Interviews

German Institute for Food Technology (DIL): “The Production of Protein from Grass Offers Farmers in Grassland Regions a Promising Opportunity”

The German Institute for Food Technology e.V. V. (DIL) has been researching for several years how protein from grass can be made available directly to human nutrition. A special subject of research is the grass protein RuBisCO, the most common protein in the world. With this research area, the DIL wants to drive forward the sustainable transformation of the food system. Dr. Andreas Juadjur and Dr. Kemal Aganovic look after the grassland project at DIL. In this interview, they talk to us about the innovative process of how grass produces proteins for human nutrition and what opportunities and challenges arise here for agriculture. Can you tell us a little about the progress of protein production for human nutrition from grass? The cell wall components of …

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Bene Meat Technologies, a Czech cultivated meat company that made headlines this year by introducing a cultivated pet food product at Interzoo, announces a prototype for human consumption: cultivated meat burgers.

Image courtesy of Bene Meat Technologies

Meat

Bene Meat Technologies Introduces its First Food Prototype: Cultivated Beef Burgers

Bene Meat Technologies, a Czech cultivated meat company that made headlines this year by introducing a cultivated pet food product at Interzoo, announces it has developed cultivated beef burgers. The company explains that the team prepared 100% beef cell burgers — that closely mimic the appearance, aroma, and texture of conventional ground beef — after successfully cultivating a batch of meat at its pilot-scale plant. “Our goal is to focus on formulations that contain only cultivated beef cells along with spices, just as a regular burger is prepared,” Tomáš Kubeš, Head of Strategy Project, told Cultivated X. This milestone marks Bene Meat’s first showcase of a food product prototype. Since its establishment in 2020, the company has been committed to developing a sustainable and cruelty-free …

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Cultivated bacon on top of a burger

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Politics & Law

UK Invests £1.6 Million in Europe’s First Regulatory Sandbox to Fast-Track Cultivated Meat Approvals

The UK government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has announced £1.6 million in funding for a regulatory “sandbox” within the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS), specifically for cultivated meat and seafood. Claimed as Europe’s first, the sandbox aims to accelerate the authorization process for these novel proteins. Cultivated meat must undergo a comprehensive food safety assessment in alignment with the UK’s existing regulatory framework for novel foods and must be authorized by ministers before becoming publicly available. The sandbox aims to boost regulators’ scientific knowledge of cultivated meat, develop detailed guidance, and provide pre-submission consultations to companies to streamline approval timelines while maintaining safety standards. It will also review hygiene in production facilities, labeling, and nomenclature. Other initiatives, approvals, …

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plant based products on shelf

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Sustainability / Environment

The Intersection of Sustainability and Nutrition in Food Innovation

In the rapidly changing food industry, prioritising sustainability and improving the nutritional profiles of products has never been more crucial. Food companies can play an important role through responsible product development, reformulation, and fortification. ProVeg International’s latest New Food Hub guide dives into the intersection of these vital areas, giving food industry stakeholders actionable insights to drive positive change. Here, we highlight why this approach is important for the food industry’s future, sharing some insights from the guide. Where nutrition and sustainability meet The global food system faces immense pressure to feed a growing population while addressing climate change, resource depletion, and public health challenges. Traditional food production methods are no longer sufficient. The industry must innovate to produce food that supports both human health …

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Impos heme approved for sale of burger in EU

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Company News

Impossible Burger Closer to EU Market as “Bleeding” Fermented Heme Deemed Safe

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has deemed Impossible Foods‘ precision fermentation-derived heme — soy leghemoglobin — safe for consumption. Soy leghemoglobin is responsible for the famous “bleeding” meat-like color and flavor of the Impossible Burger and other beef products of the US plant-based meat company. The additive, intended to be used as a coloring agent in meat analogs, is proposed to be included at a maximum level of 0.8%. The EFSA did not find it necessary to set an acceptable daily intake for soy leghemoglobin, as reported by Bloomberg. Since its initiation in 2019, the approval process has involved an ongoing safety assessment, which is yet to be completed. The company’s next challenge before achieving market approval is undergoing a safety evaluation by the …

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The PHW Group will establish a new subsidiary focusing on traditional and precision fermentation to develop ingredients for alternative products.

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Fermentation

Poultry Giant PHW Enters Precision Fermentation Ingredients With New Subsidiary 

PHW Group, the largest poultry producer in Germany known for the Wiesenhof brand, will establish a new subsidiary later this year, focusing on traditional and precision fermentation to develop ingredients for alternative protein and blended products. The firm, which has invested millions in its plant-based meat brand Green Legend, intends to integrate plant-based, cultivated, and fermentation technologies under its roof to position itself as a critical player in the sector. As part of this expanding strategy, the company launched an ingredients platform in 2023 and recently invested in the Dutch company Mosa Meat, which focuses on cultivated beef and fats. “It is going to be a core technology” Marcus Keitzer, Board Member for Alternative Proteins at the PHW Group, told Cultivated X, “Precision fermentation technology …

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Organic fucoidan from Marinova

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Ingredients

Australia: Marinova Triples Manufacturing Capacity in Response to “Rapidly Increasing” Global Demand for Fucoidan

Marinova, an Australian biotech focused on the research, development and production of of high purity fucoidan compounds (for information on this ingredient see below), recently completed an AUD $5 million expansion to its state-of-the-art fucoidan extraction facility. Marinova says it supplies fucoidan extracts to leading nutritional and personal care brands in more than 35 countries and that the ingredient is particularly popular in formulations targeting immune support, gut and digestive health, and healthy aging. The company produces Maritech® organic fucoidan, which it claims is the world’s only high-purity, certified organic fucoidan with global regulatory acceptance. “Marinova’s branded Maritech® range is the world’s only high purity, certified organic fucoidan with global regulatory acceptance,” says CEO Paul Garrott. “Natural, clinically proven and sustainably sourced, they are ingredients …

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Fabio Ziemssen, chairman of the BALPro association, at the Bremerhaven Food Forum

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Interviews

Federal Association for Alternative Protein Sources: “There is a Need for Action When it Comes to Animal Products: a More Appropriate Price Must Be Charged for Meat”

How can alternative protein sources be given a greater role in the market? How can companies involved in plant-based, fermented, or cultivated products be supported? The Federal Association for Alternative Protein Sources (BALPro), which was founded five years ago, is an organisation that aims to do just that. It aims to promote dialogue between stakeholders from science, business, politics, and society. The association, which was founded in March 2019, now has around 130 members. Many well-known names are involved: Lidl and Rewe are among them, as are Danone, Dr Oetker and Burger King, as well as Rügenwalder, Iglo and the Müller Group. But not only the food industry is represented. Machine manufacturers, raw material traders, biotech firms and marketing companies are also involved. Startups, interest …

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