26 Sep 2018 --- Major Dutch snack manufacturer brand Mora is joining forces with De Vegetarische Slager (The Vegetarian Butcher). The first products, including a vegetarian croquette, will be available early next year in supermarkets, company canteens, cafeterias & hospitality establishments. The distinctive feature of the vegetarian version of this iconic snack is that it’s “so close to the original, you can barely tell the difference.”
20 Sep 2018 --- Protein snack brand, Stryve Biltong has received a total investment of US$10 million from Meaningful Partners, an investment firm focused on purposeful and mission-oriented consumer-facing challenger brands, and Murano group, a privately-owned holding company, among others.
20 Sep 2018 --- Taste & Nutrition company, Kerry, has opened its first plant in Russia, in the Istra district of Moscow. Production will begin immediately with ingredients for the meat processing and snacks market.
19 Sep 2018 --- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have approved Phageguard-E as a “GRAS” (Generally Recognized as Safe) food processing aid against E.coli O157. The new product consists of natural phages against E.coli and is produced by Netherlands-based phage technology development company Micreos, who have confirmed that industrial-scale projects with US meat processing companies are set to start shortly.
18 Sep 2018 --- Vaessen-Schoemaker has completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Agersol Sp. z o.o. (Agersol). Katowice area-based, Agersol is a Polish producer of innovative, functional ingredients for meat applications and predominantly focuses on the production of alginate-gel based casings. Vaessen-Schoemaker has established itself in ingredient functionality. The business is continuously looking to bring innovations to the food processing industry, adding new and optimizing existing features for protein (red meat, poultry, vegetarian and seafood), bakery and convenience applications.
13 Sep 2018 --- Metarom is targeting strong medium-term growth in South East Asian markets, which will be through the creation of a new entity based in Malaysia: Metarom ASEAN. In a separate, but an equally significant move for the French-headquartered flavor firm, it debuted a flavor modification blend that can be used to lower the fat content of baked goods. When applied in synergy with a sweetness solution, the “active” flavors can effectively reduce the fat content of a pound cake by 50 percent and the sugar content by 30 percent, while maintaining the organoleptic properties and sweetness of the reference product.
21 Aug 2018 --- Maker of McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets and major meat supplier to US fast-food chain restaurants, Keystone Foods, is being sold to Tyson Foods Inc. by Brazil's Marfrig Global Foods. The US$2.16 billion deal expands Tyson Foods’ value-added protein capabilities by serving major foodservice customers while strengthening its presence around the world and expanding its international reach.
20 Aug 2018 --- Bell Flavors & Fragrances EMEA, one of the leading suppliers of flavors, botanical extracts and ingredient specialties, has introduced its new range of natural chicken flavor profiles. The key taste profiles have been developed for answering today’s consumer needs for clean label products and can be applied to a variety of savory applications.
20 Aug 2018 --- Dartmouth scientists claim to have created a more sustainable feed for aquaculture by using a marine microalga co-product as a feed ingredient. The study is the first of its kind to evaluate replacing fishmeal with a co-product in feed designed specifically for Nile tilapia. The results are published in the open access journal, PLOS ONE.
17 Aug 2018 --- As cultured meat continues to attract attention from global investors, manufacturers and start-ups, a US firm is pioneering a technique of producing real seafood products directly from fish cells. The technology is tipped to be a disruptive game-changer to current industry practices. Just two months after the launch of the company, BluNalu, a trailblazer in the field of “cellular aquaculture,” has announced the closing of a US$4.5 million seed round.
13 Aug 2018 --- Sealpac’s FlatSkin pack combines extended shelf-life and enhanced design appeal with a plastic reduction of up to 75 percent. Danish seafood processor Vega Salmon A/S is one of the early adopters of the FlatSkin packaging system for its hot-smoked salmon products. The products are manufactured on a Sealpac A10 traysealer with 8-impression tooling for cardboard carriers measuring 260 x 130 mm. Each carrier has a double-sided print and hanger hole, which, combined with Sealpac’s unique OnTrayCut system, allow for an attractive vertical presentation at retail.
31 Jul 2018 --- Kepak Group has acquired the Red Meat business of 2 Sisters Food Group (trading as 2 Sisters Red Meat Limited) from Boparan Holdings for an undisclosed fee, as 2 Sisters aims to restructure its operations following a tumultuous year. Kepak Group is set to acquire the business and assets of 2 Sisters Red Meat including four UK-based production facilities and a storage facility in Truro, Cornwall.
18 Jul 2018 --- Mosa Meat, a spin-off company from Maastricht University which was behind the world’s first hamburger made directly from cow cells back in 2013, has raised €7.5 million (US$8.8 million) to bring cultured meat to market by 2021. The Dutch food start-up first inspired the emergence of an entirely new industry through pioneering work and proving the concept of cultured meat five years ago and now Mosa Meat is currently developing its first commercial products. This marks the first investment in a European cultured meat company, putting Europe on the map for the next generation of meat production.
06 Jul 2018 --- All food sold in retail stores in Australia has to be marked with the product’s country of origin, since new regulation came into force last week (July 1). But the Country of Origin Labeling changes do not cover the foodservice sector, which has led to calls for a widening of the regulation by trade bodies. For example, The Seafood Industry Australia (SIA) is now urging consumers to demand the same for foodservice sales.
06 Jul 2018 --- Food packaging innovators Sirane has launched a new microwavable pack which is capable of crisping bacon precisely to the preference of the individual consumer. The consumer need only adjust the cooking times to adjust the levels of crispiness. An absorbent board within the pack absorbs the hot fat released by the bacon during microwaving, ensuring ideal taste and texture every time.
03 Jul 2018 --- Food safety regulators are highlighting potential contamination issues as food business operators try to manage their carbon dioxide supply amid a shortage in the gas. The possible food safety issues can relate to the quality of “food grade” carbon dioxide, as CO2 can be a potential source of contamination in food. Therefore, carbon dioxide used in food or in contact with food must be fit for purpose, says both the Food Standards Agency of the UK and Ireland.
26 Jun 2018 --- UK supermarket chain, Morrisons, will encourage shoppers to bring their own plastic containers to the meat and fish counter in exchange for 100 loyalty card points, the equivalent of 10 pence. The move comes as part of a series of pledges to reduce plastic pollution, including guarantees that all own-brand plastic packaging will be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.
12 Jun 2018 --- Meat-free food producer, Quorn, plans to remove 297 tons of non-recyclable black plastic from its supply chain. The move comes as part of the brand’s ambitions to achieve 100 percent recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging by 2025. Quorn claims that their elimination of black plastics is a UK first from a major food brand and one that will help reinforce their identity as a leader in sustainable nutrition.
06 Jun 2018 --- Plastic nanoparticles – which are tiny pieces of plastic less than 1 micrometer in size – could potentially contaminate food chains, ultimately affecting human health, a study conducted at the National University of Singapore (NUS) has found. The study found that such nanoplastics are easily ingested by marine life and accumulate over time. This creates a risk of transference to the human food chain. They suggest this could threaten food safety and pose health risks.
28 May 2018 --- Nestlé is bringing the Garden Gourmet food brand to the UK, "offering delicious and healthy meat-free products for food lovers looking to cut down on meat but not wanting to compromise on taste." Answering the popular consumer lifestyle trend; flexitarianism, or eating less meat and more plant-based protein, Garden Gourmet is claimed to offer an exciting variety of “scrumptious meat alternatives” made with the highest quality ingredients.
