EU alternative protein market needs legal support to thrive

European alternative protein startups and researchers need a “clear and coherent strategy” from policy makers to make sure the EU does not lag behind the rest of the world, according to EIT Food and its recent policy brief.

In recent years, scores of manufacturers have ploughed their efforts into exploring and diversifying proteins to meet consumer demands for plant-based and environmentally-aware product developments.

However, while investment has been growing, legislative endorsement has bee

The UK prepares to open food security science centre

Amid global food insecurity, the UK government says it is committed to producing crops resilient to climate change and addressing hunger and malnutrition with a food security science centre.

In November 2023, the UK hosted the Global Food Security Summit, designed to bring international attention to the food security crisis.

At the event, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the UK will launch a food security science centre to produce crops resilient to climate change and spur more funding

EFSA tool predicts food risk for coeliac patients

On 7th December 2023, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) released the results of its exploration into how Europe can safeguard coeliac disease patients​.

EFSA researchers have investigated the causes of coeliac disease and developed a tool for screening proteins in food products and ingredients that might cause coeliac symptoms in patients. The discovery of these tools opens up opportunities for manufacturers to develop others and has the potential for use in various food safety areas.

Collaboration over competition? Cocoa companies push for equitable farming

Despite farmgate prices rising​ in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire from 1st October 2023, the Living Income Reference Prices (LIRP) remain unmet, cocoa companies including Tony Chocoloney and Fairtrade argue, prompting them to urge for better corporate responsibility to pay farmers an equitable share of profits.

“Tony’s and Fairtrade are aligned regarding the calculation of the Living Income Reference Prices (LIRP) for cocoa – hence we are also in agreement regarding the fact that regulated farmgate pr

Elixir Foods turns cocoa waste into health-conscious sweetener

Cocoa bean production is a sizable market, with more than 200,000 tonnes estimated to grow in the 2021-2022 harvesting season. However, while the cocoa bean undergoes extraction, drying, fermentation and processing as chocolate, the other parts of the cocoa fruit, such as the pod, pulp, shells and liquid, are discarded. “Today, 80% of the cocoa fruit is wasted or misused,” Rocha Gustavo Henrique, founder of Elixir Foods, tells Fi Global.

Cervical cancer technologies emerge to support screening

Cervical cancer is the fourth most frequent cancer in people with a cervix, and in 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated there were over 500,000 cases, representing approximately 6.6% of all female cancers. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), 14,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer yearly in the US alone, and more than 4,000 women die from it. Due to the high incidence of cervical cancer, the WHO has highlighted an urgent need for effective screening programmes.

Are we entering the era of biologics for COPD?

In 2023, the pharmaceutical industry will mark 20 years since Xolair, an anti-IgE antibody, became the first biologic approved to treat asthma. Since then, the US FDA, EMA, and other agencies have approved several biologic antibodies targeting the inflammatory cytokines IL-4, IL-13, IL-5, and others for asthma.

Approaches like bronchodilator inhalers focus on treating both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The same, however, is not true for therapeutic biologics. While th
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