The Good Food Insitute Europe

Europa-Flagge im Wind

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Politics & Law

EU Commission Deems Hungary’s Proposed Cultivated Meat Ban ‘Unjustified'”

Following the TRIS assessment, the European Commission has deemed the Hungarian ban on cultured meat “unjustified” and potentially harmful to the European single market, reports the Good Food Institute. According to the Commission, the ban could disrupt the harmonized authorization procedure for novel foods at the EU level, which involves scientific evaluation by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The Commission and some Member States also highlighted that Hungary had not provided evidence against cultivated meat to support the ban. Hungary proposed a ban on cultivated meat this July; the TRIS procedure prevents national parliaments from passing bills that could affect the European Single Market without consulting other member states and the Commission. The assesment of Hungary’s proposed ban underscores the importance of European review in …

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Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

The UK’s Food Standards Agency Agrees on Reforms to Streamline Approval Process for Novel Foods

The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) is set to modernise its regulatory procedure for cultivated meat and precision fermentation-derived foods to remove unnecessary delays in bringing these products to market.  At a recent board meeting, the FSA agreed upon new reforms that will apply to ‘regulated products,’ which include different food and feed products such as flavorings, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and novel foods (foods that have no history of consumption).  Streamlining the process One of the fundamental changes proposed by the FSA is the creation of a new public register of regulated products to streamline the process of approving new products for the market. As explained by the Good Food Institute Europe, currently, a Statutory Instrument must be presented before a new product can …

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The European Commission has published a new communication, Building the future with nature: Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU.

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Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

EU Commission Proposes Ambitious Biotech Initiative, Including Key Actions for Alt Proteins

The European Commission has published a new initiative, Building the Future with Nature: Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU, that summarises the sector’s challenges and proposes a line of actions to address these barriers in different industries, such as agriculture, health, marine biotech, and food and feed among others. According to the Good Food Institute Europe‘s policy team, the document provides three key actions pertinent to Europe’s alternative protein sector, as follows. Firstly, the document emphasises the importance of fostering public and private investments in biotechnology through the European Innovation Council’s accelerator program. It suggests including specific biotech-related challenges in the program to support innovative technologies and solutions. Furthermore, the document mentions exploring new investment support options from the European Investment Bank to boost …

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Adamo Foods' fungi-based steak

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Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

UK Government Invests £12M in Fermentation Hub for Alternative Proteins

The UK government has announced a £12 million investment in the Microbial Food Hub, a research centre focusing on fermentation-based foods to develop sustainable and innovative alternatives to animal products. Led by Dr. Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro at Imperial College London, the hub will explore technologies that use microorganisms, such as biomass fermentation to develop mycoproteins and precision fermentation to create bioidentical egg or dairy proteins and other ingredients. The hub will also explore traditional fermentation to improve the nutritional quality of plant-based foods. Experts from various universities, including the University of Reading, the University of Kent, the University of Aberystwyth, the University of Cambridge, and Rothamsted Research, will collaborate on the project along with industrial and food industry partners. The hub will receive the funds from …

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Aleph Cuts cultivated steak

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Politics & Law

EU Ministers Against Cultivated Meat Debate at EU Council Using Misinformation Says GFI

Yesterday, at an EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting, ministers gathered to discuss cultivated meat and its potential to benefit or threaten people and the environment. A coalition of 13 agricultural ministers, rather than 12 as initially reported by Euronews, led by Austria, France, and Italy, had sent a note to the EU council urging a revision of the regulatory approval framework for cultivated meat.  Supported by Czech, Cypriot, Greek, Hungarian, Luxembourg, Lithuanian, Maltese, Romanian, Slovak, and Spanish delegations, they raised concerns about the potential threat of cultivated meat to the economy, public health, and farmers while questioning its “naturalness” (fake meat) and sustainability. Austria’s Ministry of Health, which bears responsibility for food safety, has clarified that the note does not represent the stance of the Austrian government. A controversial …

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Three different dishes of cultivated meat: beef skewers, roast beef, and chicken breast

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Politics & Law

12 EU Agriculture Ministers Form Coalition Against Cultivated Meat

A coalition of a dozen EU agriculture ministers will push for a revision of the regulatory approval framework for the authorization of cultivated meat at the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council today. As reported by Euronews, Austria, France, and Italy proposed the initiative to The EU council, receiving support from the Czech, Cypriot, Greek, Hungarian, Luxembourg, Lithuanian, Maltese, Romanian, and Slovak delegations. The coalition sent a statement to the EU executive urging them to evaluate and initiate a public debate regarding the impact of cultivated meat, as they see the technology as a potential threat to the economy, public health, and farmers. The group is also looking to establish label guidelines that prohibit the names of animal products in “fake” meat and milk products. Despite Europe being …

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juicy marbles' plant-based whole cut loin pictured on a wooden board and being cut by a man

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Health

Report Finds Plant-Based Meat a Healthy Option: Challenging Ultra-Processed Myths

A new report by the Good Food Institute Europe suggests that plant-based meat in Europe offers a good nutritional profile on average, which may lead to various health advantages. The report, reviewed by food scientists and health experts, analyzed recent studies conducted in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden comparing plant-based and animal meat, to determine the nutritional profile of plant-based meat against EU guidelines. According to the figures, plant-based meats are a source of fiber, bioavailable proteins, and micronutrients, with low saturated fat. On the contrary, animal meat lacks fiber, is high in saturated fat, and can contain traces of antibiotics and bacteria. Furthermore, plant-based meat, which meets the EU definition of high-protein foods, offers similar protein calories to conventional meat in all categories …

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