Weekly Roundup: Unlocking innovations to transform food systems

02 Jun 2023 --- Research commissioned by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) in the UK this week has revealed that many consumers feel meat-free products should be displayed separately from meat products to avoid confusion. Meanwhile, another new study flagged the conflict between farming and biodiversity and MGP Ingredients completed the acquisition of Penelope Bourbon.

In brief: Plant-based highlights
Research undertaken by AHDB’s Retail & Consumer Insight team set out to understand shoppers’ behavior toward vegetarian and vegan products designed to compete with meat. It found there is potential for confusion for shoppers, with shopping bays where meat and meat-free products were mixed and seen as potentially confusing by 52% of consumers. Products from unfamiliar plant-based brands, or historically meat brands that look very realistic, are the most likely to be unclear at first glance. Consumers also agreed that meat-free products are trying to replicate meat, with 69% agreeing that plant-based products try to describe themselves in a way that sounds like meat. Fifty percent of shoppers agree that meat-free products shouldn’t use words like “steak” or “bacon,” and 47% feel they shouldn’t use “sausage” and “burger.” 

In brief: Sustainability efforts
Nestlé is exploring different approaches to reduce dairy’s greenhouse gas emissions. The company is working with farmers, suppliers, universities, industry organizations, start-ups and local governments to research, test, validate and scale up different agricultural solutions and technologies, including for dairy livestock. One area of research is on feed supplements that can reduce methane emissions from enteric fermentation – the cow’s digestion process and the largest source of emissions in fresh milk production. In the US, for instance, Nestlé is facilitating research to assess the efficacy and the human, animal and environmental health and safety aspects of feed supplements, which have the potential to reduce enteric methane emissions.

PepsiCo unveiled its “most sustainable factory in Europe” as the industry increasingly recognizes the circular economy as a framework to help address global food system challenges. The Polish plant near PepsiCo unveiled its most sustainable factory in Europe.Środa Śląska will use new sustainability solutions that demonstrate aspects of a circular economy in action, such as collecting rainwater for reuse and generating its energy via rooftop solar panels, with the plant set to be climate neutral by 2035. The €300 million (US$321.4 million) project, the company’s fifth plant in the country, will produce for the domestic market and exported to over 20 countries, including Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.

Entries for the third annual Seeding The Future Global Food System Challenge are now open. Funded by the Seeding The Future Foundation and hosted by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), the challenge invites scientists, engineers, innovators, entrepreneurs and multidisciplinary teams from non-governmental organizations, non-profit organizations, social enterprises, universities, research institutes and start-ups to propose breakthrough innovations that will drive the transformation of the food system.

Renaissance BioScience Corp. revealed that the Government of Canada’s Pest Management Research Agency (PMRA) has approved its field study application for sustainable and eco-friendly RNA interference (RNAi) biopesticide delivery technology. Authorization from the PMRA, following a thorough review of the company’s extensive data dossier, indicates a mutual understanding of the composition, potential and low risk of the RNAi technology. It also provides the regulatory permission required to conduct in-depth field research throughout Canada this summer. 

The production of foods such as beef can have an outsized footprint when it comes to carbon emissions. However, a new study by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology has flagged that some of these staples can significantly affect biodiversity losses. One of the main problems results when food production overlaps with areas with the highest conservation priority. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science, ranks which commodities are sourced from regions with high conservation priorities. The results are expected to assist with the formation of policies that protect biodiversity while preserving global food security. The study covers 50 agricultural products sourced from 200 countries. It draws on farming data, a database of global supply chains, and new ecological models with conservation data for more than 7,000 species to estimate the conservation value of different areas.

Elicit Plant is accelerating its scientific developments and product roadmap by presenting the only technology platform offering biosolutions to help prevent climatic risks for field crops by reducing their water consumption by up to 20%. Elicit Plant unveils EliTerra that allows crops to adapt to climate change, particularly drought. This is being touted as a “world first” that will boost the marketing of new Elicit Plant BioSolutions with a favorable environmental profile.

In brief: Launches 
The results of the collaboration between Raisio and Nordic Umami Company, which started a year ago, will be available for sampling later this summer when samples of the “Härkis tomaattinenRaisio and Nordic Umami Company have been working to explore the possibilities of using the side streams of plant-based products in the production of natural umami. maustekastike” tomato sauce, made from production side streams, become available in selected K Group shops in Finland. Raisio and Nordic Umami Company have been working together to explore the possibilities of using the side streams of Raisio’s plant-based products to produce natural umami. 

In brief: Acquisitions
MGP Ingredients, a provider of distilled spirits, branded spirits, and food ingredient solutions, announced that its Luxco, Inc. subsidiary has completed the acquisition of Penelope Bourbon LLC. This deal brings innovation capabilities and deep expertise in high-quality whiskeys. It also extends MGP’s portfolio of premium-plus price tier brands and is expected to be immediately accretive to its Branded Spirits segment gross margin and consolidated earnings per share.

Darling Ingredients entered into a letter of intent with Butterball, LLC to explore the construction of a new poultry rendering plant adjacent to Butterball’s Mt. Olive, North Carolina, facility. The new facility being explored is anticipated to be able to process about 18 million pounds of material weekly through three lines. Pending permits and the execution of definitive agreements, construction would likely begin in early 2024 and be completed in 2025.

In brief: Other highlights
The UK government has revealed that up to £30 million (US$37.3 million) has been awarded to farming projects to boost food production, move toward net zero, and create a more resilient and sustainable agricultural sector. The projects will include genetics research, investigations into the use of drones and AI to inspect and monitor animals to enable farmers to take action should animals go missing or need attention, and efforts to develop biopesticides using fungal strains. The government has also made a further £12.5 million (US$15.5 million) available to fund innovative projects helping to deliver a more productive, resilient and sustainable agricultural sector. The funding is part of the Farming Innovation Programme, run in partnership with UK Research & Innovation and delivered by Innovate UK.

The 40th World Nut and Dried Fruit Congress, the flagship event of the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC), has taken place in London. Nearly 1,300 attendees from 65 countries gathered to share ideas on market development, the latest findings in health and nut allergy research, and the industry’s sustainable growth.

By Elizabeth Green

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