EthniChain AZTI

© AZTI

Science

EthiChain DNA Analysis System Gives One Hour Verification for Vegan Products

EthiChain, an EITFood project, is developing a portable device that in just one hour will be able to identify animal DNA in contaminated “vegan” products. EthiChain hopes its ethical food authentication system will increase trust in the European food supply system and stop food fraud. The complexity of most food supply chains makes them extremely vulnerable to food fraud, meaning some consumers in the vegan community may have food trust issues. In this context, the EIT Food-funded EthiChain highlights how transparency and proper communication of this transparency to the consumer are crucial. Also to be used for religious requirement foods such as halal and kosher, EthiChain is currently working on rapid and portable DNA analysis devices that do not require specialized personnel and will be …

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Bolt Threads Mylo

© Bolt Threads

Textiles

Bolt Threads’ Mushroom “UnLeather” Mylo Awarded Prestigious Vegan Certification

Eurofins | Chem-MAP announces that Bolt Threads‘ innovative plant-based material Mylo Unleather has been verified as a vegan material following the successful completion of the Eurofins Vegan Verification Programme, which involves the analysis of all inputs for the presence of animal DNA. Mylo is one of the first vegan new materials to receive this verification. “A planet of 10 billion people cannot live like a planet of 1 billion people and in our resource-constrained world, now is the time for meaningful innovation” Mylo looks and feels like animal leather and as such is currently used by world-leading brands such as adidas, Stella McCartney, lululemon and Kering. Created from mycelium – the underground root structure of fungi – the material is certified bio-based and is developed …

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Logo Vegan Society

© The Vegan Society

Society

What is the Consumer’s Value of Vegan Verification? An Insight From the Vegan Society

The marketing and labelling of new products are notoriously tricky areas to get right. Balancing brand aesthetic and visual appeal against vital consumer information and legal requirements – in ways which please both loyal and new customers – can be a minefield. Further complexities arise when trying to communicate not only what the product does contain, but also what it does not contain. In recent years we have seen consumers demanding more transparency from all industries about various issues including animal testing, ingredient sourcing, and manufacturing processes. Consumers want more clarity behind their purchasing decisions, but they also want convenience. Hence, quickly relaying information through independent registration schemes is an effective way to gain consumer confidence via trusted, external credentials.  For nearly every moral cause …

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