Good Food Awards Withdraws Climax Foods’ Vegan Cheese Nomination Over “Ingredient Concerns”
Climax Foods, a producer of plant-based cheese alternatives, was disqualified from the Good Food Awards just one week before the ceremony. The company’s Climax Blue, a cultured and aged blue cheese, had initially been selected as a winner in the cheese category, according to a confidential letter sent to the company in January. The disqualification stemmed from the use of kokum butter, an ingredient in Climax Blue. The Good Food Foundation (GFF), which oversees the awards, expressed concern that kokum butter might not meet the “Generally Recognized As Safe” (GRAS) designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The foundation also noted that the product was not “retail ready,” as the company’s offerings are currently exclusive to foodservice. Disputes over kokum butter Dr. Oliver …
