Italy

Hen running on grass

© stevew_photo-stock.adobe.com
Science

These Italian Researchers Are Developing Chicken Meat From a Feather

Researchers from an Italian university are studying how to obtain chicken meat from a feather. The project taking place via professors Luciano Conti and Stefano Maria Biressi at the University of Trento was assigned and financed by the Italian Save the Chickens Foundation, which contacts vegconomist with the news. Researcher Nike Schiavo, MSc Biotechnology, is overseeing the experiments for the project and is currently completing the draft report, according to the foundation’s representative. She explains that cells are obtained from “feathers obtained through petting the chick” rather than from feathers that have fallen to the ground spontaneously. “The cells that we manage to extract from the feathers grow well and so far we have managed to expand them for a few months, obtaining tens of …

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Spiber / Cavia brewed materials

© Spiber Inc.
Textiles

Cavia Presents New Brewed Protein Materials in Cooperation with Spiber

Spiber‘s Brewed Protein fiber was selected by Kering’s Material Innovation Lab (MIL) and Fondazione Pitti Discovery for the 7th edition of “S|Style sustainable style”. A collection was exhibited at Pitti Immagine Uomo from 13 to 16 June. The exhibition project “S|Style sustainable style” presented by Fondazione Pitti Discovery attracted top international buyers and media representatives and provided a platform for ten international and diverse fashion brands selected from around the world by journalist and curator of L’Officiel Italia, Giorgia Cantarini. According to the organizers, the ten emerging brands from the fashion industry embody “a harmonious blend of social awareness and environmental responsibility while maintaining creativity and design”. “The brewed-protein materials developed by Spiber are a powerful example of how technology can reduce the fashion industry’s …

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© DreamFarm
Cheese Alternatives

Dreamfarm Develops Healthy Plant-Based Italian Cheeses Made From Almonds

After two years of R&D, Italian startup Dreamfarm is set to enter the dairy alternatives market with plant-based mozzarella and spreadable cheese. Made from Mediterranean almond paste, the cheeses are low in saturated fat and are said to be better for the planet than dairy cheese. They are also free of many of the ingredients used in other plant-based cheese brands, such as coconut oil and modified starch. The products have received a Nutriscore of A (the highest possible) in recognition of their nutritional benefits. “After two years of testing, we are very satisfied with the first two products we are bringing to the market. It wasn’t easy to create healthy plant-based alternatives to two iconic Italian products while maintaining a similar texture,” said co-founder …

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GOOD_Meat_Cultivated_Chicken_at_the_Butchery

© GOOD Meat
Politics & Law

Italian Agriculture Minister Declares “Slush” Cell-Based Foods a Threat to Italian Culinary Heritage

Italy‘s Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida told Reuters that lab-grown food is potentially dangerous for human health, calling it a “slush” that would never taste like natural meat or fish. A member of the Brothers of Italy party led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Lollobrigida leads the renamed “Ministry for Agriculture and Food Sovereignty”. Erasing our culture tied to the land Arguing that consumption of cell-based products has not been proven to be safe, Italy’s government approved a bill to ban the production and sale of “synthetic foods” in Italy this March. The ban, which still needs to pass parliament, aims to protect the country’s culture and food heritage from technological innovations.  In 2020, Singapore became the first country in the world to approve cultivated chicken made …

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Tenderloin steak Redefine Meat

Tenderloin ©Redefine Meat
Food Service

Redefine Meat to Be Served at All 29 Enchilada Locations in Germany & Multiple Restaurants Across Italy

Redefine Meat announces the launch of its Redefine Burger at all 29 Enchilada restaurants in Germany, as well as the commercial launch of its New-Meat at several restaurants in Italy. Daniel Gantenberg, CEO of Enchilada Franchise AG, recently ranked 4th in the ProVeg ranking of vegan-friendly restaurant chains, explains, “The demand for plant-based alternatives is growing, both among vegans and vegetarians, but also increasingly among flexitarians who are looking for high-quality plant-based alternatives without having to sacrifice the taste of meat.” The New-Meat products, created with non-GMO plant-based ingredients using “a range of breakthrough technologies, ranging from material science and additive manufacturing to artificial intelligence and machine learning”, are now available at thousands of food service providers across the UK, Germany, Netherlands, France, Austria, Sweden, …

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Cultivated Chicken FDA

© GOOD Meat
Politics & Law

ProVeg and Cellular Agriculture Europe Respond to Italy’s War on Cultivated Meat

Two European organisations involved in food system awareness, ProVeg International and Cellular Agriculture Europe, have responded to Italy’s war on cultivated meat to protect the country’s food tradition. An approved bill that still needs to be passed by the parliament states that “lab food” in general, but particularly cultivated meat, is not guaranteed safe. Reportedly, the proposed text does not address the EU’s ability to approve a novel food such as cultivated meat. It has neither considered its environmental or economic implications nor contemplated the consumer’s right to choose. ProVeg and Cellular Agriculture Europe addressed the key issues omitted by the proposed measure in the name of heritage and tradition: Is cultivated meat safe? Cellular Agriculture Europe responded: “To enter the European Union (EU) market, food products must be …

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Italy proposes a ban on cultivated meat

© Mosa Meat
Politics & Law

Italy Proposes Ban on Cultivated Meat to Protect Food Heritage from Tech Innovations

Georgia Meloni’s right-wing government approved a bill yesterday to ban the production and sale of “synthetic foods” in Italy. The move aims to protect the country’s culture and food heritage from technological innovations, reportedly citing a lack of studies on the effect of synthetic foods, particularly on cultivated meat. If the proposal is passed by parliament, the Italian industry will not be allowed to produce any food or feed produced by cellular agriculture tech involving animal cells, which includes cultivated meat. The country’s agriculture lobby praised the government move, reported Reuters. Holding back scientific progress The draft law states that “meat which is the result of a cell cultivation process” would receive a fine of €10,000 – €60,000 for any violation of the proposed ban, …

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Easter Colomba Cake

© Seggiano
Sweets & Snacks

Seggiano Launches Its First Ever Vegan Easter Colomba Cake

Ethical artisan Italian food brand Seggiano is now offering a vegan Easter Colomba cake for the first time ever. Made in the shape of a dove, the traditional cake is leavened overnight with yeast and left to rise twice more. It contains ingredients such as cocoa butter, candied orange peel, natural vanilla, linseed flour, and turmeric. Before being baked, it is topped with a crunchy hazelnut glaze containing whole almonds. The Colomba cake is made at a small family bakery near Lake Garda and is free of industrial emulsifiers, stabilizers, binders, and preservatives. It is said to represent the Easter themes of hope, peace, and renewal. The new product has been launched after Seggiano’s vegan panettone, introduced last Christmas, received an extremely positive response. “Lovingly …

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felsineoveg's plant-based deli slices

© FelsineoVeg
Meat- and Fish Alternatives

FelsineoVeg: Tradition & Innovation Fuel Success of Plant-Based Deli Slices Made in Bologna

FelsineoVeg is an Italian manufacturer of plant-based deli slices, lardons, and burgers. The company started life as a new venture of the Felsineo Group — a Historic Brand of National Interest from Bologna, specializing in producing mortadella since 1963 — that launched a plant-based deli brand called Veghiamo in 2017. “It is an incontrovertible fact that the number of consumers choosing vegetarian and vegan products is growing,” said Andrea Raimondi, Felsineo’s president, at the time of the launch of the new brand six years ago. Immense success In 2022, FelsineoVeg’s Veghiamo rebranded to Good&Green with a diverse portfolio offering NPDs such as lardons, deli whole cuts, and alt meat, besides its deli slices range.  Recently, Good&Green introduced a new tuna-flavoured deli slice to its 100% …

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Good&Green / FelsineoVeg

© Good&Green / FelsineoVeg
Politics & Law

Italy Becomes Next Country to Propose “Misleading and Backwards” Restrictions on Plant-Based Meat Labels 

The Italian government becomes the next in a growing list of those proposing restricted labelling on plant-based meat from using “meaty” terms, in a move ProVeg describes as “misleading and backwards.” The bill notes that its efforts represent an attempt to protect livestock production in the country, even though animal agriculture is responsible for about 20% of greenhouse gas emissions globally, explains ProVeg. “Plant-based foods emit half the amount of greenhouse gases as animal-based foods, so we need to introduce policies that actively encourage people to switch to more flexitarian diets,” urges Jasmijn de Boo, Vice President of ProVeg International. Nutritional concerns Furthermore, the bill argues that if plant-based meat brands use traditional meat terms on their labels, consumers could be confused about their nutritional …

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Valsoia_Gelato

© Valsoia
Products & Launches

Valsoia Launches Vegan Gelato “Unlike Any Other Plant-Based Ice Cream on the Market”

Valsoia, Italy’s leading producer of plant-based products, launches a new line of Italian vegan gelato for consumers across Europe. New flavours such as Espresso Cones with Chocolate Chips, and Triple Pistachio Mini Sticks join an extensive non-dairy range which includes Cocoa Swirl and Roasted Almond Cones, and vegan ice cream sandwiches. The company states that its factory is 100 % dairy-free to avoid risk of cross-contamination with dairy products, and claims the “gelato is unlike any other plant-based ice cream on the market, thanks to expertly selected cashews, oats, rice, and soy, which provide the perfect canvas for a rich and delicious flavours experience.” The company produces a wide range of plant-based milks, yogurts, ice creams, puddings, cream cheeses, burgers and cutlets, pizzas, snacks, and …

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Whisky and Gianduja, WNWN Labs

© WNWN Food Labs
Sweets & Snacks

Cocoa-Free Chocolate From WNWN Selected by Milan’s Luxury Gift Service DLISH

WNWN Food Labs, which describes itself as the first-ever company to bring cocoa-free chocolate to market, announces a deal to supply its bean-free gianduja product to Milan-based luxury gift service DLISH.  The news closes a successful year for the London-based alt chocolate producer, which just last month announced the construction of a new facility in Hackney Wick, including space for R&D, manufacturing, a test kitchen, and offices, signifying an eight-fold increase in production space. Opulent gifts with prices into the thousands DLISH offers ultra high-end gourmet gift boxes of various themes from olive oil to alcoholic liqueurs to coffees and teas, selected by the company on the ground of sustainability, craftsmanship, and exceptional taste. As part of the DLISH collection, WNWN provides its gianduja; a …

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Veganuary France

© Veganuary
Charity & Campaigns

A Hundred French Companies Are Already Mobilised to Promote Veganuary 2023

At time of writing, around a hundred companies have committed to participate in Veganuary 2023 in France. An impressive increase; in 2022 there were 85 in 2022 and in 2021 there were only 30. For the third consecutive year, the French animal rights organization L214, which has been defending animals used as food resources since 2008, is supporting the French edition of Veganuary. Last week, the association organised the official launch of the 2023 edition of this challenge, in the presence of numerous participating companies such as Monoprix, Planet Sushi, Eatic, TyK Affinage, Heura, Jay&Joy and many others. The 629,000 registered participants for the 2022 edition came from 193 different countries. In terms of participation, France came in 12th place, so L214’s goal is to …

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vegan panettone served on a plate with a woman grabbing a piece

© OLIVIERI 1882
Products & Launches

OLIVIERI 1882’s Traditional Panettone Recipe Goes Vegan for Christmas

Italian panettone specialist OLIVIERI 1882 is launching an all-natural, vegan panettone for authentic Italian holiday celebrations. The new Vegan Christmas Cake is 100% prepared by hand, according to Olivieri. Surveys reveal that one in four consumers worldwide identifies as a flexitarian, and half of the consumers globally are interested in plant-based foods or beverages. With these trends in place, vegan sales expectations are high for this Christmas.   “Doted on by Italians for centuries, panettone reigns as the bel paese’s holiday treat of choice. The tall, dome-shaped sweet bread traditionally calls for butter and eggs, but Olivieri 1882’s take on the classic means vegans can have their cake and eat it, too!” says the company. Swapping animal ingredients OLIVIERI 1882 has been baking panettone for …

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© Aethera Biotech
Fermentation

Ergo Bioscience & Aethera Biotech Partner to Scale Up Animal-Free Ingredients

Delaware-based Ergo Bioscience has announced a collaboration with Italy’s Aethera Biotech to scale up its precision fermentation bioprocesses. Ergo uses precision fermentation to efficiently express complex animal proteins, while Aethera specialises in industrial plant cell culturing. The latter has a biotech fermentation platform called CROP, which has a capacity of over 120 tons per year. Together, Ergo and Aethera will use plant suspension to produce proteins on an industrial scale. The companies claim that this will be the first time the technology has ever been so extensively used for this purpose. Overcoming limitations The initial focus will be on improving the biotech processes for producing animal-free myoglobin and casein. These proteins have the potential to greatly improve the taste, texture, aroma, and colour of plant-based …

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Neat Burger

© Neat Burger
Fast Food

Neat Burger to Expand into Dubai and Italy, With Eventual Retail Launch Planned

As reported by FoodNavigator, plant-based QSR chain Neat Burger is set to expand into new markets following its successful launch in the US. Co-founded by Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, Neat Burger currently has eight locations in London and one in New York. The UK-headquartered chain will open its first Dubai location in November, and has also revealed plans to expand into Italy in the near future. Neat Burger says it will also eventually launch its products for retail, after first building up a customer base via its restaurants. The company cites other brands that have successfully made the transition, such as Pizza Express and Nando’s. Global expansion Neat Burger first announced plans to expand globally back in 2020, when it had just three restaurants. …

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Quorn ChiQin Hot Honey Wings_2

© Quorn Foods
Studies & Numbers

New Survey Reveals Meat Consumption is Declining Across Western Europe

A recent survey reveals that consumers are shifting to meat alternatives and choosing plant-based meats. Concerns about animal agriculture, the environment, and willingness to buy cultivated meat products were among the most relevant findings. The survey questioned 4,096 people across Germany, France, Italy, and Spain about their meat consumption habits and attitudes toward sustainable proteins.  The study was commissioned by the GFI, the leading NGO promoting and educating about alternative proteins, working with OpinionWay, a research company specialising in market research, communication, and opinion surveys. According to the results analysed by the GFI Europe, more than 50% of consumers from Germany, France, Italy, and Spain said they had reduced their meat consumption in the last five years.  Over 60% of respondents from each country believe that …

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vegan basil and sundried tomato pesto

© Filippo Berio
Products & Launches

Fillipo Berio’s Tofu-Based Vegan Pestos Arrive in the USA

Filippo Berio, a 155-year-old Italian producer of olive oil and pesto, introduces two vegan pestos to the US market, following a successful UK launch which took place this July. The pestos, which are both plant-based and gluten-free, debut in Basil and Sundried Tomato flavors and feature tofu as a cheese replacement. Additionally, the products are certified by The Vegan Society, allowing for greater consumer confidence. The brand’s product portfolio is available in over 75 countries. In the United States, Filippo Berio is marketed by Filippo Berio USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Salov Group, based in Lucca, Italy.   Vegan pestos in USA Filippo Berio states that the expansion into the vegan market takes place in response to consumer demand. “Filippo Berio recognized this …

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plant-based meat texture for chicken

© Food Evolution
Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Italy’s Food Evolution Unveils “New Plant-Based Meat Texture” For Vegan Chicken

Italian startup Food Evolution announces the development of a new plant-based texture for chicken that is claimed to offer cheap yet highly nutritious products. Food Evolution was founded by the Musacchio family, owners of the first vegetarian restaurant in Italy opened in 1979. The family is known for its plant-based cookbooks, its training activities for international chefs and now for producing innovative alt-meat products. Last year, the company completed a multi-million investment round to accelerate its alt-meat development. New plant-based meat texture for chicken Food Evolution is using a High Moisture Wet Extrusion technology, where Dutch scientists from Wageningen University were an integral part of the research process. Alberto Musacchio, CEO of Food Evolution, states: “We stretch the protein cell mechanically and manage to create …

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Food Landscape abillion

©abillion
Society

abillion App Now Available in Italian as Country Becomes Europe’s Fastest-Growing Plant-Based Market

An Italian version of the abillion app has been launched to cater to the country’s fast-growing vegan community. New users will automatically be directed to download the Italian app, while existing members will be able to change their language settings. Italian abillion users have left over 600,000 reviews on the site since its launch in 2018. According to the company, this makes Italy the fastest-growing market in Europe for plant-based foods and sustainability products. Abillion says that in future, it is intending to further localise its content for other regions. Giving Program abillion’s flagship Giving Program donates $1 to charity for each verified review left on the site. Members are able to choose from 60 nonprofit organisations focused on animal rescue, environmental causes, and food …

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