https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/rssfeed/industry/plant-based%20meat plant-based meat https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/4197/eu-approves-first-whole-food-mycelium-ingredient-opening-new-chapter-for-alternative-proteins.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/4197/eu-approves-first-whole-food-mycelium-ingredient-opening-new-chapter-for-alternative-proteins.html Tue, 30 Jun 2026 15:43:14 +0530 The European Union has authorised the sale of Fermotein, a whole-food mycelium ingredient developed by Dutch food technology company The Protein Brewery, marking the first approval of a novel mycelium ingredient under the bloc's Novel Food regulation. The authorisation represents a significant milestone for the alternative protein industry and establishes a regulatory precedent for whole-food ingredients produced through biomass fermentation. The European Commission has adopted an implementing regulation permitting the commercialisation of Rhizomucor pusillus mycelium and adding the ingredient to the Union's list of authorised novel foods. The decision follows a positive scientific opinion issued by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in December 2025 and a favourable vote by the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed in May this year. The regulation will come into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union, after which The Protein Brewery will be permitted to market the ingredient across EU member states. Under the authorisation, the company has secured exclusive rights to the scientific studies and safety data supporting the ingredient's approval for a period of five years, in addition to protections linked to its patented production process. Fermotein is produced through the biomass fermentation of Rhizomucor pusillus, a non-fruiting fungal species related to microorganisms traditionally used in Asian fermented foods such as tempeh. The ingredient contains approximately 50 per cent complete protein, including all essential amino acids, along with around 30 per cent dietary fibre and naturally occurring micronutrients and bioactive compounds. Industry observers view the approval as a landmark for European food innovation because it demonstrates that whole-food mycelium ingredients can be successfully evaluated and authorised within the existing EU regulatory framework for novel foods. The European Commission's decision to classify the ingredient specifically as "Rhizomucor pusillus mycelium" also provides greater clarity regarding its identity and intended use for both manufacturers and consumers. The ingredient has been approved for use in a wide range of health and wellness-focused food and beverage applications, including protein powders, dietary supplements, nutrition bars, dairy alternatives and other better-for-you products. The authorisation is expected to enable food manufacturers to formulate products with higher protein and fibre content while meeting growing consumer demand for nutrient-dense and sustainable ingredients. The regulatory approval concludes a process that began in May 2020 when The Protein Brewery first submitted its dossier to the European Commission. Over the subsequent years, the company worked closely with European regulators and scientific bodies to demonstrate the safety and nutritional profile of the ingredient. Commercially, Fermotein® is already available in Singapore and the United States, and the company is now preparing to expand production to serve the European market. The Protein Brewery expects to supply around 600 metric tonnes of Fermotein in 2027 from its production facility in Breda, supported by customer commitments in Europe, the United States and Singapore. The company is also planning a substantial scale-up in manufacturing capacity, targeting production of more than 2,000 metric tonnes by 2029. In parallel, the company is pursuing regulatory approvals in several other markets, including the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia and New Zealand, with the first additional authorisation expected in the UK later this year. The ingredient has also received growing industry recognition. In May 2026, Fermotein won the Vitafoods Startup Challenge in the Most Innovative Sustainable Solution category, highlighting increasing confidence in whole-food mycelium as a next-generation ingredient platform for sustainable nutrition. The EU approval is expected to accelerate the commercialisation of biomass fermentation technologies and strengthen Europe's position in the rapidly expanding alternative protein sector, where companies are increasingly seeking ingredients that combine nutritional value, sustainability and functionality in a single product. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/4184/how-ai-is-accelerating-cultured-meat-revolution-and-creating-573-mn-market-opportunity.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/4184/how-ai-is-accelerating-cultured-meat-revolution-and-creating-573-mn-market-opportunity.html Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:55:17 +0530 The global AI in cultured meat market, valued at $54.65 million in 2025, is entering a phase of accelerated growth and is projected to increase from $69.13 million in 2026 to approximately $573.45 million by 2035. The rapid expansion of the market is being fueled by growing consumer demand for ethical and environmentally sustainable meat alternatives, increasing concerns over the ecological impact of traditional livestock farming, and the industry's ongoing efforts to reduce production costs and improve scalability. According to a recent report by Towards FnB, artificial intelligence is becoming a critical enabler of the cultured meat industry by addressing some of its most significant challenges, including process optimization, production efficiency, and commercialization. AI technologies, including machine learning, predictive analytics, computer vision, and digital twins, are being increasingly integrated into cultured meat production to optimize cell line development, formulate cost-effective growth media, monitor bioreactors in real time, and improve the quality, taste, and texture of cultivated meat products. North America emerged as the dominant regional market in 2025, accounting for 58% of global revenue. The region's leadership is underpinned by robust research and development activities, a thriving startup ecosystem, and supportive regulatory frameworks. The North American market is projected to expand from $40.1 million in 2026 to nearly $332.6 million by 2035. In the United States, companies are increasingly leveraging AI and machine learning technologies to overcome scientific and commercial barriers in lab-grown meat production, enabling significant improvements in production efficiency and cost optimization. Asia-Pacific is expected to witness the fastest growth over the forecast period, driven by rapid urbanization, rising disposable incomes, and a significant increase in protein consumption. The region has become a major hub for innovation in biotechnology and artificial intelligence, with countries such as China and India investing heavily in alternative protein research to strengthen food security and reduce the environmental burden of conventional meat production. Indian companies such as Biokraft Foods and ClearMeat are among the pioneers in cellular agriculture, employing advanced technologies including 3D bioprinting and innovative cell culture techniques to develop lab-grown meat products. The report highlights that culture media formulation accounted for the largest application share in 2025, as it addresses one of the most significant cost components in cultivated meat production. Artificial intelligence is enabling companies to significantly reduce research timelines by identifying the optimal combinations of nutrients and growth factors required for specific cell lines. Meanwhile, bioprocess monitoring and control is expected to emerge as the fastest-growing application segment as manufacturers increasingly rely on AI-powered systems to manage complex cellular environments with greater precision and efficiency. From a technology standpoint, machine learning dominated the market in 2025 owing to its ability to analyze complex biological datasets and optimize critical production parameters. The digital twins segment is anticipated to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period as companies increasingly adopt virtual simulations to improve manufacturing processes, identify bottlenecks, and optimize resource utilization without incurring the costs associated with physical experimentation. Cultured meat startups represented the largest end-user segment in 2025, accounting for 40% of the market. These companies are driving innovation across the industry and are leveraging artificial intelligence to improve production efficiency, reduce manufacturing costs, and accelerate commercialization. At the same time, traditional food and beverage companies are increasingly entering the cultivated meat sector as they seek to diversify their product portfolios and capitalize on the growing demand for sustainable protein alternatives. The poultry segment held the largest share of the market in 2025 due to strong global demand for chicken products and the relative ease of cultivating poultry cells in laboratory settings. However, the seafood segment is expected to record the fastest growth over the coming decade as artificial intelligence enables companies to recreate the highly specific environmental conditions required for cultivating marine species. Cloud-based AI platforms accounted for the largest share of deployment models in 2025, representing half of the global market. Their scalability, flexibility, and cost efficiency have enabled startups and smaller companies to gain access to advanced artificial intelligence capabilities without significant infrastructure investments. Hybrid AI systems are also expected to gain momentum as organizations increasingly seek to combine the scalability of cloud computing with the security and control offered by on-premise systems. Government support and evolving regulatory frameworks are further strengthening the industry's outlook. The United States has established a collaborative regulatory framework involving the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture to oversee cultivated meat products, while countries such as Israel and the United Arab Emirates are introducing initiatives aimed at encouraging innovation and investment in alternative proteins and advanced food technologies. As the global food industry undergoes a fundamental transformation toward sustainability and resource efficiency, artificial intelligence is expected to become an indispensable catalyst for the commercialization of cultured meat. By significantly reducing production costs, enhancing manufacturing precision, and accelerating innovation, AI is poised to reshape the economics of cultivated meat and pave the way for broader consumer adoption in the years ahead. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/3621/safety-science-behind-cultivated-meat.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/3621/safety-science-behind-cultivated-meat.html Mon, 09 Mar 2026 14:44:03 +0530 Dr. William Chen discusses NAMs, AI, and the future of risk assessment for cell-based foods With cultivated meat emerging as one of the most promising innovations in alternative proteins, regulators and scientists worldwide are working to establish robust safety frameworks for these novel foods. Unlike conventional meat, cultivated meat is produced through cell culture and advanced bioprocessing technologies, raising new questions around safety assessment, regulatory oversight, and long-term consumer exposure. In an exclusive interview with AgroSpectrum, Dr. William Chen, Michael Fam Endowed Professor at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, explains that existing regulatory systems largely focus on hazard identification within production processes, but may not fully capture the complexities of cell-based foods. He advocates for the adoption of food-relevant New Approach Methodologies (NAMs)—combined with AI-driven predictive toxicology and systems biology—to enable more comprehensive risk assessment while supporting innovation and global regulatory harmonization. Cultivated meat challenges decades of conventional food safety doctrine. Are existing risk assessment frameworks fundamentally fit for purpose—or do they require a regulatory reset built specifically for cell-based systems? The main challenge for cultivated meat industry is to scale up. The scale up is not just about producing more animal cells (these are not muscle cells like in the meat) in the bioreactor, but to produce large amount of differentiated muscle cells that function like meat. Current application dossier for regulatory approval generally focuses more on the production system (bioreactor), including contaminations in culture medium from the environment (microbes) or new components from replacement of animal serum by various substances. My sense is that this is important but it remains as providing a list of potential hazards without any proper risk assessment (importantly: Hazard May Not Be Risk). The listing of the potential hazards is currently followed by searching what has been known about their risk profile from the existing publications, rather than assessing their risk by proper technology (see NAMs in the later part of my comments). More attention should be placed in the safety assessment of differentiated muscle cells, starting with the emerging New Approach Methodologies (NAMs). This is an animal-free in vitro testing system developed for risk assessment of cosmetics and environment pollutants. New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) are gaining traction in pharmaceuticals and toxicology. How can NAMs—such as in vitro assays, computational modeling, and omics-based profiling—be credibly adapted for cultivated meat safety validation? Many are trying to simply apply such NAMs (including in vitro assays, computational modeling, and omics-based profiling) to food safety risk assessment. However, there are two fundamental differences between food and cosmetics/environment pollutants: mixture (foods seldom exist as one ingredient) and digestion (enzymes in the digestive system break down food through hydrolysis which change the potential toxicity and allergenicity in foods). For reference, risk assessment of cosmetics and environment pollutants usually deals with single molecules which do not go through our digestive system. These two differences need to be reflected in the food-relevant NAMs for the data interpretation of food safety risk assessment to be useful and meaningful. The production process is the product. In cultivated meat, where bioprocessing conditions shape final composition, how should regulators evaluate variability across cell lines, growth media, and scaffold materials? Proper application of food-relevant NAMs should generate differential risk assessment data based on the conditions of cultivated meat product (cell lines, growth media, and scaffold materials). Again, most of current literature and published papers on cultivated meat stays at the stage of Hazard Identification, which is the first step of flow risk assessment. NAMs application is moving the needle as we are now talking about Hazard Characterization. There are 2 other important components involving consumers for the proper food safety assessment: Exposure Assessment and Risk Characterization. But food-relevant NAMs represents an important step forward to cultivated meat safety risk assessment. Transparency versus proprietary protection remains a tension. How can companies safeguard intellectual property while providing regulators with sufficient data for rigorous, science-based risk assessment? Companies may provide cultivated meat product for NAMs analysis through a neutral party (for example, Singapore Future-Ready Food Safety Hub – FRESH). Regulatory approval would now shift to analysing the risk assessment data generated from the NAMs, rather then scrutinizing the list of components in the respective cultivated meat production, as such list is still the hazard identification but means little to the safety risk assessment. This shift would then help company protect their IP to a large extent.   Global regulatory divergence is emerging. With Singapore among the first movers in approving cultivated meat, what lessons can other jurisdictions draw from its science-driven framework—and where are harmonization gaps widening? Working with global organizations (FAO, WHO among others) would help us bridge the gap in global regulatory divergence. One example is the Joint Action Plan between WHO and NTU Singapore on NAMs application in novel foods. Through the joint action  plan, there would be greater communications on work done in Singapore and provide greater transparency for discussion and collaboration among regulatory agencies. This would then contribute to the harmonization of the food safety risk assessment  across different countries. Public trust is as critical as scientific validation. What role should independent academic labs and open-data consortia play in stress-testing safety claims and avoiding regulatory capture? Having a neutral and trusted party such as FRESH involved in the food safety risk assessment, trusted with its technology innovations and partnerships with stakeholders in both public and private sectors, would enhance public trust. Long-term exposure data for novel proteins is inherently limited. How can predictive toxicology, AI-driven modeling, and systems biology reduce uncertainty without delaying innovation? While food-relevant NAMs is a huge step forward to food safety risk assessment, it is not the holy grail for the novel food safety assurance. What NAMs does is more or less like a first round of fast and cost-effective profiling of potential risks in an in vitro setting.  As it is animal-free, exposure studies in consumers are needed to validate the NAMs data but much less in sample size. Once in the consumer setting, variability in consumer profile (genetic makeup, composition of gut microbiome) and the resulting data would increase dramatically. Here machine learning tools combined with systems biology approach would be extremely important for the predictive toxicology. Looking a decade ahead, do you foresee cultivated meat safety assessments becoming more dynamic and real-time—embedded within digital bioprocess monitoring systems—rather than relying solely on static pre-market approvals? Certainly. Current pre-market approval process are also evolving with the advances in technology. Through the ongoing collaboration between the Singapore Food Agency and FRESH, I see a huge potential in moving the cultivated meat safety risk assessment from the current way of hazard identification (list of potential hazards and evaluate their potential risk based on what others have done in a different context, e.g. most likely environmental pollutants) to food-relevant characterization (NAMs) to exposure assessment. More importantly, proper risk assessment of cultivated meat product should be expanded in hybrid food products where cultivated meat is an ingredient. --- Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agropsectrumindia.com) ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/3509/from-additives-to-spices-cac48-redraws-rules-of-global-food-trade.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/3509/from-additives-to-spices-cac48-redraws-rules-of-global-food-trade.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 11:50:16 +0530 Codex and FAO officials detail how updated standards aim to protect consumers without triggering disproportionate trade disruption for export-dependent economies In an exclusive Agrospectrum and NUFFOODS Spectrum interview with global food-standards leaders — Sarah Cahill, Codex Secretary; Lingping Zhang, Food Standards Officer, Codex Secretariat; Markus Lipp, Senior Food Safety Officer, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); Gracia Brisco, Food Standards Officer, Codex Secretariat; and Hilde Kruse, Senior Food Standards Officer, Codex Secretariat — CAC48 emerges as a decisive moment for Codex amid rising geopolitical fragmentation. The experts reaffirm Codex’s science-based, consensus-driven mandate, which shaped major reforms including additive reviews, aflatoxin updates, pesticide-residue reference guidelines and new maximum lead levels for spices. They underline how improved Codes of Practice, surveillance support and harmonised quality parameters enable consumer protection while minimising trade disruption for export-reliant economies. Looking ahead, they highlight the Codex Strategic Plan 2026–2031, which places digital traceability, climate-risk foresight, and advanced analytical technologies at the core of modernising global food safety governance. Edited excerpts; Codex at a Geopolitical Crossroads The 48th Session saw critical standards adopted across additives, contaminants, and fresh-produce quality. At a time when food systems face geopolitical fragmentation, supply-chain shocks, and rising protectionism, how does Codex ensure these standards remain science-led, globally harmonized, and insulated from political pressure? The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) is a Member-driven body with its commitment to a science-based approach to standard setting enshrined in its procedures. Its work is guided by its strategic goals, and its core values of collaboration, inclusiveness, consensus building and transparency. Codex texts are the benchmark for food safety under the World Trade Organization’s (WTO’s) Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) and are relevant to the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) where WTO members refer to harmonization with international standards such as the Codex Alimentarius for food-related issues such as labelling. Codex standards play an important role in addressing specific trade concerns or for dispute settlement cases. Wherever you are, whatever you do, safe food is an everyday need. And it is a global commodity. These aspects are integral to every discussion in the Codex Alimentarius Commission. “Together” was also the theme of CAC48, which served to highlight that when it comes to food safety and quality it is only by working together that we can effectively and efficiently ensure food is safe and of good quality.  The GSFA Overhaul: Science, Safety, and Consumer Trust More than 500 food additive provisions were reviewed, leading to revocations and new inclusions. What principles guided the reassessment—particularly for colourants like annatto extracts—and how does FAO ensure regulators and industry transition smoothly to these updated provisions without disrupting product availability or trade flows? All Codex work is conducted following approval by CAC. Thus, the decision for reassessment was taken by Members. In the case of annatto extracts, this decision was based on: The need to align the General standard for food additives with relevant sections of commodity standards. In this case, for example, there was a need to align with the Standard for fermented milks, which does not provide for the addition of annatto extracts in plain milk. Codex texts are developed through consensus by all its Members in a deliberate manner that often spans a timeframe of several years. The national Codex contact points serve as a primary node to disseminate all applicable information to national stakeholders. In addition, FAO provides support when requested by Member Countries to strengthen national Codex structures, thereby enhancing national capabilities in disseminating all relevant Codex texts to national stakeholders. Aflatoxins in Peanuts: New Science, New Responsibilities The revised Code of Practice on aflatoxins integrates updated agronomic science, maturity-stage tables, and roasting effects. How will FAO help producing countries—especially smallholder-dependent economies—translate these best practices into field-level change? Are new surveillance, extension, or capacity-building mechanisms planned? FAO stays ready to support its members needs and will respond to requests by its members for additional capacity building measures correspondingly. FAO and Codex furthermore have published numerous guidance documents, codes of practice and related texts that is publicly available, ready to be used by any other organization that would like to use this information in order to support producers of peanuts. Lead Limits in Spices: Balancing Public Health and Trade facilitation With new maximum levels now set for dried bark (cinnamon) and culinary herbs, exporting nations such as —India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia—face compliance pressure. How does Codex balance the dual mandate of protecting consumers health while ensuring fair practices in trade, in this case, preventing trade disruptions for economies reliant on spice exports? The mandate to protect consumer health and ensure fair practices in the food trade is the statutory purpose of CAC. This means that, when it comes to food safety standards such as maximum levels for contaminants in foods, CAC will not establish more stringent measures than necessary to protect consumers health so that the measures themselves do not become a technical barrier to trade which may then translate in trade disruption that may impact economic growth and ultimately food security.   Although spices and culinary herbs are consumed in small amounts, as opposed to other foods, it remains important to assess the safety of lead levels in these foods due to the impact of lead toxicity on human health that may include neurodevelopmental effects such as decreases in Intelligence Quota (IQ) and attention span in children, impaired renal function, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, impaired fertility, and adverse pregnancy outcomes and therefore the ALARA continued to apply when CCCF discusses risk management considerations related to health and trade so that while ensuring the safety of the food, this does not imply high rejections rate of lot consignments, at import control point. CCCF does provide support to Codex Members to enable them to comply with MLs, by developing codes of practice, a compendium of risk management measures and practices to assist in reducing food contamination, in this case CAC40 adopted in 2017 the Code of practice for the prevention and reduction of mycotoxins in spices (CXC 78-2017). FAO does have a role to play in assisting countries with the implementation of the CoP, helping them to identify specific risk management measures that may not be included in the CoP, as they are usually overarching texts, that can complement the measures applicable worldwide that are described in these CoPs. The Codex Alimentarius Commission has now adopted MLs for lead in spices and culinary herbs, specifically, dried bark (cinnamon) and dried culinary herbs. The MLs are 2.5 mg/kg for lead in spices, dried bark and 2.0 mg/kg for lead in culinary herbs, dried and will now be added to the General Standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed (CXS 193-1995).  Pesticide Reference Materials: A Quiet but Critical Reform The guidelines allowing extended use of pesticide reference materials beyond labelled expiry dates could significantly reduce laboratory costs and waste. What drove this reform? And how does FAO envision it strengthening residue monitoring systems in low- and middle-income countries where testing infrastructure remains limited? Pesticide residues in food are a subject of particular concern for consumers and in the food trade. To ensure the safety of food, the regulation of pesticide use, and relevant residues, must be enforced and guaranteed. Part of the process of testing for pesticide residues relies on laboratories being able to access what are known as reference materials, or RMs. But these are costly and sold with 2-to-5-year short-term expiry dates, though there is no requirement to find maximum shelf life. This can force laboratories to buy new RMs more frequently than potentially necessary. This leads to additional work and additional costs, and that can hinder how much testing can be done.  The Codex Alimentarius Commission has now adopted guidelines that provide a scientifically sound framework to monitor the purity and stability of reference materials under defined conditions, which, if implemented correctly, may allow continued use of RMs beyond their expiry date - where purity remains within acceptable limits. This reduces recurring costs, minimizes waste, and ensures confidence in the reliability of pesticide residue analysis.  The work on the development of guidelines for monitoring the purity and stability of reference materials of pesticides during prolonged storage commenced at CCPR51 in 2019, when some delegations expressed concerns regarding the limitation of the use of reference materials beyond the expiry date, leading to significant recurring costs for laboratories. As chair of the electronic working group (EWG), India led the work to develop these guidelines. FAO stays ready to support its members needs and will respond to requests by its members for additional capacity building measures correspondingly.  Read more about this work in the 2025 edition of the CODEX magazine   Standard for Fresh Dates: Trade Enablement for Climate-Stressed Regions The new standard comes after a decade of negotiations and is deeply important for date-producing regions across the Middle East and North Africa. How will harmonized quality parameters—size, colour, uniformity, defects—reshape global trade? Can such standards help climate-stressed producers secure better prices in high-value retail markets ? By adopting the new Standard for fresh dates, Codex Members now have an international reference that provides the baseline for international trade of this commodity upon which trading partners can agree on additional quality provisions based on their consumers’ preferences. For producing countries, this opens up trade possibilities across the globe, which, in many cases, will support the livelihoods of small producers, bolster economies and provide a safe, good quality product for consumers worldwide. Castilla Lulo (Naranjilla): Regional Standards as a Strategic Tool This new regional standard reflects the fruit’s cultural importance and emerging trade value in Latin America. What criteria does Codex use to decide when a product merits a regional rather than global standard? And do regional standards serve as testbeds for potential future global adoption? When considering new work proposed by FAO/WHO regional coordinating committees, CAC considers, amongst other things, whether the new work is justified on the grounds that the product in question is significantly traded intraregionally and that there is no significant trade between or within other regions When a commodity for which there is a regional standard, sees increased trade at a global level, the coordinating committee concerned, or a Member, can propose extension of the territorial application of the standard. This involves new work, which has to be approved by CAC. CAC48 approved, for example, new work on converting the Regional standard for laver products (Asia) to a worldwide standard, work that will be carried out by the Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products (CCFFP). The Next Frontier: Modernizing Codex for a New Era of Food Risks From AI-driven food systems to precision fermentation, novel ingredients, and climate-linked contaminants, food safety risks are evolving faster than many national regulatory systems. What are FAO’s top priorities for modernizing Codex over the next decade? How will future standards incorporate digital traceability, climate risk modelling, and new analytical technologies? FAO is a parent organization of Codex, together with the World Health Organization (WHO). However, work prioritization in Codex is the remit of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. CAC47 adopted the Codex strategic plan 2026–2031 and CAC48 its monitoring framework. The purpose of the Codex strategic plan and its renewal and renegotiation every five years is to ensure that Codex work is aimed at achieving the most appropriate objectives. FAO has a very long-standing tradition to inform the Codex Alimentarius Commission and its subsidiary bodies with all relevant information to facilitate forward looking workplanning. FAO continues to offer its support to all its members and the members of the Codex Alimentarius Commission to assist in national capacity building activities to strengthen food control systems, food safety governance and all related aspects. The new strategic plan has as its first Strategic Goal to: Respond to Members’ needs for protecting the health of consumers and ensuring fair practices in the food trade in an evolving global landscape, by developing science-based standards and related texts 1.1 Foresight and horizon-scanning activities are used to support the identification of issues likely to impact food safety, quality and trade. 1.2 Scientific advice that addresses the needs identified by CAC and its subsidiary bodies is primarily provided by FAO and WHO and their joint scientific advisory bodies, informed by globally representative data and appropriate international expertise and methodology. 1.3 Scientific advice is used by CAC and subsidiary bodies in line with Codex risk analysis principles. 1.4 Codex standards and related texts are developed, reviewed and adopted in a timely, transparent and inclusive manner. Thus, with reference to FAO’s foresight programme ( https://www.fao.org/food-safety/scientific-advice/foresight/en/ ), Codex will aim to keep ahead of emerging trends Codex work is already addressing some of the key emerging issues and adapting based on Members’ priorities: Digital traceability is already a key topic of discussion in the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS), and work is ongoing to develop texts for the digitalization of national food control systems. CAC47 adopted the Codex Committee on Food Labelling’s (CCFL’s) Guidelines on the provision of food information for pre-packaged foods to be offered via e-commerce New food sources and production systems have been discussed extensively in Codex in recent years. In this context several areas of new work are under discussion which will help define how codex addresses this emerging area moving forward. Changing climate is also impacting food safety and this is also impacting the standard setting work of Codex. For example, the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food (CCCF) elaborated and CAC47 adopted the Code of practice for the prevention or reduction of ciguatera poisoning, in response to the evolving nature of this issue, which is related to climate factors. The Codex Committee on Food Hygiene developed and CAC46 adopted Guidelines for the safe use and reuse of water in food production and processing in response to Members concerns about the need to ensure that in the context of water resource challenges, the safety of food was not negatively impacted. There is a continued emphasis, particularly within CCCF, on the issue of mycotoxins, the threat of which is evolving and possibly expanding as climate factors change. —---- Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agrospectrumindia.com) ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/3181/australias-nourish-ingredients-expands-footprints-for-world-first-fermentation-based-animal-free-fat.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/3181/australias-nourish-ingredients-expands-footprints-for-world-first-fermentation-based-animal-free-fat.html Wed, 13 Aug 2025 10:25:39 +0530 Expands plant-based and hybrid protein market presence for Tastilux®  The proprietary Mortierella alpina biomass from Australian Nourish Ingredients (S11) has been approved by the FEMA Expert Panel for use as a flavoring in food. Tastilux® will now be available for immediate commercial sales in the United States since biomass is the primary ingredient in Tastilux®, a breakthrough meat flavor fat. Tastilux® is a breakthrough meat flavor fat made from biomass. This opens the door to commercialization in the United States. Tastilux® is the world's first animal-free fat, created from natural ingredients and scaled through fermentation. It offers an authentic meat-eating experience without using animal products. Tastilux aims to address key challenges in the plant protein market, such as taste, labeling, and delivering a genuine experience, which have limited mainstream consumer appeal. When cooked, it undergoes the natural Maillard reaction, producing the meaty flavor, aroma, and taste associated with traditional meats like chicken, beef, and pork. Tastilux® is anticipated to expand beyond the plant-based and hybrid protein market into other lucrative food product categories, such as snacks, ready-made meals, and tallow replacements. It offers an authentic flavor at low inclusion rates and competitive pricing. The FEMA GRAS program is a rigorous scientific assessment process used to evaluate the safety of flavour ingredients for use in human food. Through expert review and analysis of comprehensive scientific data, the program determines whether ingredients are considered safe for consumption under their intended conditions of use as a flavouring. Recognised as a trusted benchmark within the flavour and food industries, FEMA GRAS helps ensure that flavour ingredients meet the highest safety standards for public consumption. James Petrie, Founder and CEO, Nourish Ingredients, "This regulatory milestone represents a major commercial breakthrough for our proprietary potent fats and technology, enabling us to deliver a true-to-meat experience that has been missing in the market.” Tastilux® delivers rich, authentic meaty flavour profiles for food manufacturers looking for natural alternatives to traditional flavour systems. With partnership agreements already in motion across the Middle East, the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, the ingredient is poised for global commercial rollout. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/1762/trends-2024-asia-pacifics-fb-industry-anticipates-a-slew-of-new-trends.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/1762/trends-2024-asia-pacifics-fb-industry-anticipates-a-slew-of-new-trends.html Mon, 29 Jan 2024 07:22:00 +0530 By Christian Philippsen, Managing Director, BENEO, Asia Pacific With every new year that unfolds, Asia Pacific’s F&B industry anticipates a slew of new trends. Among them, is the predicted rise of the adventurous consumer. According to Mintel, “amid ongoing uncertainty and anxiety, consumers will seek experiential food and drink that is enjoyable, fuels productivity and transports them to new realms.” How do you foresee the potential plant-based alternative protein industry holds for the future? A global study found that 7 in 10 consumers have a desire to experience interesting textures, and to be surprised in some way. 2 Specifically, countries in the Asia Pacific region such as the Philippines have almost 8 in 10 consumers saying that eating and drinking is the main way they connect with family and friends. 3 This connection can be further fuelled by novel, adventurous food choices that bring variety to the table, and increase connectivity amongst different generations due to a shared experience of new taste sensations. But while the adventurous consumer is eager to set forth on their culinary journey, they have alsounderscored the need for a balance between taste, price, health, and sustainability. These individuals are seeking food products that not only transport them to new dimensions, but also meet their nutritional, economic and social criteria. In light of this emerging trend, food manufacturers are looking towards sectors such as the plant- based industry to captivate the adventurous consumer. The industry holds enormous growth potential, and plant-based products are well positioned to meet this proliferating consumer demand. However, in an environment where the appeal for plant-based burger patties has dwindled, food developers must look towards creating new offerings that keep consumers wanting more. What are the novel strategies at alternative meat industry adopted to elevate palates and textures of Plant-Based Products?To pave the way for a new plant-based future, manufacturers must prioritise taste, texture, and indulgence. Taste stands out as a critical component of plant-based success, and advancements such as BeneoPro W-Tex, a textured wheat protein, allows manufacturers to craft a diverse range of flavours. This flexible meat substitute can also be infused with a variety of tastes, herbs, and spices. Moreover, consumers are seeking plant-based alternatives that mimic the textures of popular, everyday foods. For instance, BeneoPro W-Tex can be utilised in a wide range of applications, especially products with meat analogues such as sausages and chicken nuggets. With a protein content of at least 65% (on dry matter) and a unique alveolar structure, it facilitates the development of a juicy-like texture. Elevating Palates and Textures of Plant-Based ProductsTo pave the way for a new plant-based future, manufacturers must prioritise taste, texture, and indulgence. Taste stands out as a critical component of plant-based success, and advancements such as BeneoPro W-Tex, a textured wheat protein, allows manufacturers to craft a diverse range of flavours. This flexible meat substitute can also be infused with a variety of tastes, herbs, and spices. Moreover, consumers are seeking plant-based alternatives that mimic the textures of popular, everyday foods. For instance, BeneoPro W-Tex can be utilised in a wide range of applications, especially products with meat analogues such as sausages and chicken nuggets. With a protein content of at least 65% (on dry matter) and a unique alveolar structure, it facilitates the development of a juicy-like texture. Increasing the Feel-Good FactorIndulgence will also be key in satisfying the adventurous consumer this year. A recent study found that product packaging should steer clear of mentioning the words ‘alternative and substitute’ as they may evoke feelings of sacrifice. 4 Instead, careful wording that underscores the indulgent and gratifying nature of plant-based products enhances their appeal to the adventurous consumer. How can the food industry broaden the Plant-Based alternative protein ingredient horizon? Ingredients such as rice, a popular Asian staple, can play a crucial role in creating guilt-free sweet treats. For instance, BENEO’s functional native rice starches generate high stability for foods with demanding processing conditions, such as low pH values or high shear forces. In addition, rice starch is mild in taste and neutral in colour, and is especially attractive to consumers who are lactose intolerant and experience other digestive health issues. Its instant variant is also particularly suitable for products that are processed cold, such as desserts or bakery cream. It also enables the development of plant-based cocoa bars, providing a nice flavour, good snap, smooth mouthfeel, and excellent melting behaviour. Rice ingredients are also a viable solution to the demand for clean-label products. In fact, rice starch and rice flour score highly in this context as consumers perceive them as a natural and familiar cupboard ingredient, with 61 and 71 % of consumers worldwide regarding rice starch and rice flour as natural respectively. Beyond prioritising taste, texture, and indulgence, food manufacturers can broaden their horizons by exploring new product categories that resonate with the adventurous consumer. One such category is Asian-inspired recipes, an increasingly popular and attractive group of foods among consumers globally. By harnessing innovative ingredients such as BENEO’s textured wheat protein or rice starches, manufacturers can craft plant-based versions of traditional Asian dishes such as xiao long bao, Thai basil pork, siew mai, and steamed buns. In 2024, placing a heightened emphasis on taste, texture, and indulgence will be pivotal, especially as food manufacturers expand their product categories in the plant-based sector. This provides an opportune time to harness plant-based ingredients and transform them into exciting, unique products that live up to the demands of the adventurous consumer. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/1702/koreas-unlimeat-expands-its-k-vegan-reach-in-us-retail-markets.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/1702/koreas-unlimeat-expands-its-k-vegan-reach-in-us-retail-markets.html Tue, 09 Jan 2024 14:14:54 +0530 Plant-based Korean BBQ and pulled pork alongside new Korean vegan creations, including frozen kimbap and mandu UNLIMEAT, a leading plant-based Korean food brand, has recently broadened its US retail sales, introducing a variety of Korean-inspired vegan foods like frozen Kimbap and Mandu. Starting this month, the brand is taking its commitment to K-vegan options a step further by introducing new products in Northern California. The company successfully launched its plant-based Korean BBQ and pulled pork offerings in the US market last year, receiving an impressive response to its products available at Albertsons grocery stores. Building on this success, UNLIMEAT has expanded its footprint to include natural and organic retailers like Berkeley Bowl, Mollie Stone's Market, Lassens Natural Foods & Vitamins, and Good Earth Market, where it has continued to receive positive feedback. UNLIMEAT first focused its retail sales efforts on Northern California and is now expanding its reach through shelves in New York City boutique grocery stores, such as Brooklyn Fair and Orchard Grocer. Additionally, the company has expanded their K-vegan product line and recently revamped their packaging. UNLIMEAT plans to further expand its retail sales and food service collaborations throughout the US next year to make its products more accessible to Americans. Ryan Chung, Co-CEO of UNLIMEAT, emphasized that the brand's aim to create delicious, balanced, plant-based Korean food that appeals to both plant and meat eaters. "We're so excited to launch our K-vegan products in the NorCal area. Expanding our partnership with grocery stores and food service in many areas, including New York City, allows us to bring our balanced wholesome Korean vegan products to even more people, expanding the overall addressable market,", he remarked. UNLIMEAT's frozen Kimbap, a modern twist on the beloved Korean rolls, comes in multiple varieties, featuring either UNLIMEAT plant based Bulgogi or Tuna, giving it a nutritious and exceptional flavor profile. Its frozen Kimbap remains fresh and its outer seaweed remains crisp for up to 12 months while only taking two and a half minutes to heat up. Their Mandu, is a plant-based version of contemporary Korean pork dumplings and contain 11% less sodium and 50% less fat than regular pork dumplings. The company's Chapssaruni, a gluten-free cake made from glutinous rice, is shaped like a baby bundt cake and a soft, chewy texture reminiscent of mochi. This plant-based dessert, free of gluten, dairy, and animal products, is currently the best-selling vegan item in Korea. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/1672/koreas-cj-food-nutrition-tech-reinforces-rd-leadership-to-boost-alternative-protein-supply.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/1672/koreas-cj-food-nutrition-tech-reinforces-rd-leadership-to-boost-alternative-protein-supply.html Thu, 28 Dec 2023 09:05:31 +0530 Appoints of Minhthy Nguyen as R&D Chief Technology Officer CJ BIO, a South Korean biotechnology and solution company, is a subsidiary of CJ CheilJedang, the leading food and biomaterial company. By utilizing the advanced research and development capabilities in bio-based materials and microbes, CJ BIO aims to strengthen its Plant Nutrition & Health (PNH) business and expand its strategic partnerships in the agricultural industries. Dr. Minhthy Nguyen, Ph.D., has been appointed as the new Chief Technology Officer for Research and Development of CJ Food & Nutrition Tech. Dr. Nguyen will be the key leader in research & development, which includes alternative and cultured protein.   The appointment of Dr. Nguyen serves as a reaffirmation that CJ Food & Nutrition Tech is poised to align its business strategy with global food and nutrition trends, consumer needs, and cutting-edge technological innovations. CJ BIO has used fermentation technology and strain development for more than 60 years to develop microbial products that are extremely effective within a short period of time. By utilizing CJ BIO's extensive microbial library and advanced automated systems, such as the robot-arm, "HTS" (High-throughput Screening), specific functions can be efficiently selected. CJ BIO's fermentation, plant and biological data scientists have used these systems to screen powerful microbes that can replace chemical fertilizers and pesticides.  Furthermore, they developed large-scale fermentation systems and developed high-cell density microbial products. In addition, they have created strains that perform better in the field due to optimization. Meanwhile, various international research institutions, including some from South Korea, are conducting large-scale field evaluations. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/1586/planetarians-brings-plant-based-meat-to-cop28-uae-2.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/1586/planetarians-brings-plant-based-meat-to-cop28-uae-2.html Fri, 01 Dec 2023 11:11:28 +0530 Global leading brand in micro irrigation solutions, Rivulis, launches, available for free, to farmers and agri-businesses around the world the most comprehensive body of knowledge about drip irrigation in one place. A market-leading initiative that allows anyone involved in drip irrigation to upskill themselves and make sure their irrigation operation is world-class to maximize quality and yield. Remaining commercially viable in farming is becoming more challenging as margins continue to come under pressure. Climate change adds further complexity and getting your irrigation right is more important than ever before. With all farming operations, the key objective is to improve yields and quality, which is achieved through nutrition, water, genetics, and climate. Water is one of these big four that can be controlled through drip irrigation solutions like those provided by Rivulis, which deliver water and plant nutrition directly to the plant root, using less water and nutrients. The Irrigation Drip Guide includes four modules and is housed in the Rivulis Knowledge Hub. "Decades of knowledge gathered from the combined experience of Rivulis, along with our legacy companies, Plastro, T-Systems, Roberts, Eurodrip, and NaanDanJain, we understand how to optimize drip irrigation for the best performance. In developing the Knowledge Hub, we didn't want to overwhelm farmers with unnecessary jargon. Instead, we wanted to provide the critical information that growers need, in a clear, easy-to-understand format, to get the most out of their drip irrigation system," says Matt Clift, Director of Global Product Management and Marketing. The navigation of the Knowledge Hub has an intuitive menu and search function that allows you to discover the specific drip irrigation-related issue or technical aspect you require. It includes a range of formulas commonly required, whether it be how much water is required to meet the plant water requirements, pump considerations, irrigation scheduling, and chemical calculations for maintenance, all with both metric and US measurements. "It is everything you wanted to know about drip irrigation but until now you got only confusing, contradicting answers so that you make the right decisions for your farming business," shares Nir Aloni, Chief Agronomist, Agritask. If you are new to drip irrigation, you can use the Rivulis Drip Guides to understand the key determining factors in designing and deciding on what drip irrigation solution is right for you. For those already using drip irrigation the Drip Guides provide detailed information on maintenance like filtration, pressure, flow, flushing, and fertigation. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/1341/plant-based-meat-industry-in-asia-expert-opinion.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/1341/plant-based-meat-industry-in-asia-expert-opinion.html Tue, 29 Aug 2023 11:47:34 +0530  Christian Philippsen, Managing Director at BENEO Asia Pacific Evolving from a niche fad into a full-fledged lifestyle for consumers, the plant-based portfolio has tremendously expanded in recent years to include a variety of everyday products for consumers to fit their daily needs. This expansion has come on the back of the adoption of the flexitarian diet, which is a mostly vegetarian diet with occasional consumption of meat and fish. According to a plant-based consumer survey, 4 in 5 consumers globally adopted or are on the way to reducing meat consumption in their lives. The rise in flexitarian diets has been driven by an increasing consumer focus on health, wellness, and the environment. Simultaneously, many governments have also been advocating for the plant-based movement due to climate change goals. A recent report found that in order to reduce carbon emissions and achieve the Paris Agreement goals, Asia’s 10 biggest economies must diversify between 30% to 90% of their protein production to include alternatives by 2060. Nevertheless, consumers are unlikely to purchase without proper consideration. In uncovering the primary drivers for flexitarians when purchasing meat and dairy alternatives, considerations include how natural the ingredients are, whether they help them take care of their bodies, and the variety they deliver to diets. It is not surprising that taste also emerged as a leading factor for repeat purchases. Broadening the Plant-Based Toolbox On the back of this widespread adoption, meat and fish alternatives have proven to be popular plant-based substitutes for consumers looking to diversify their diets. But while there is strong interest from  manufacturers to add these alternatives to their portfolio, many companies are struggling to cope with scaling up their operations to meet mass consumption needs and remain competitive in the market. This is because speed is one of the most vital determinants to success, and food developers who optimise and streamline their R&D and production processes will stay ahead of the curve. Furthermore, such substitutes must also align with consumer preferences for taste and texture. The good news is that recent advancements by ingredient manufacturers have enabled the plant-based market to evolve immensely, with alternatives having a similar taste and texture to original foods — a crucial factor for consumers, especially flexitarians, when selecting plant-based options. This is due to an increased focus on a product’s organoleptic profile (its taste, sight, smell, and touch), which is often about the combination of different plant-based ingredient solutions. Keeping this in mind, BENEO uses faba bean protein concentrates and flours, which are suitable for enriching foods such as baked goods, snacks and pasta with protein as well as texturising solutions for meat, fish and dairy alternatives. They can also be used as an alternative to eggs in plant-based baked goods as well.  With its portfolio of textured wheat protein (BeneoPro W-Tex) BENEO offers an ingredient which is especially ideal for use in meat analogue products. It contains at least 65% protein (on dry matter) and has a unique alveolar structure that allows for the development of a meat-like juicy texture. In addition to enabling the creation of meat-free products with a meaty texture and a granular, fibrous structure, BeneoPro W-Tex can be flavoured with a variety of tastes, herbs, and spices — making it a flexible meat substitute. Additionally — with the acquisition of the Dutch company Meatless B.V. — BENEO now offers textured plant-based ingredients derived from different raw materials (i.e., rice, faba beans, wheat, pea, and quinoa). This range fully complements its ingredients portfolio and allows for exciting new combinations with regard to the development of meat and fish alternatives. As more consumers look for ways to incorporate sustainability into their lives, the time is ripe for manufacturers to play a leading role in creating a more environmentally friendly and socially responsible food system while satisfying consumers — and especially flexitarians — sophisticated taste buds. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/1090/cult-food-announces-partnership-with-dr-sarah-dodd-focused-on-cell-cultivated-proteins.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/1090/cult-food-announces-partnership-with-dr-sarah-dodd-focused-on-cell-cultivated-proteins.html Fri, 23 Jun 2023 08:13:45 +0530 Dr Sarah Dodd will collaborate with Noochies! on product formulations and cell-cultivated proteins for pet foods CULT Food Science Corp has partnered with Dr Sarah Dodd, a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, to support Noochies! product formulations and the design, analysis and validation of nutritional tests with Noochies! ingredients and products. In addition, Dr Sarah Dodd has joined the company's Advisory Board. Dr Dodd graduated from the veterinary science program at Massey University in New Zealand in 2016, after which she completed her MSc and PhD degrees at the University of Guelph in Canada. In 2021, Dr Dodd passed her certifying exam and was recognised as a diplomate of the European College of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition by the European Board of Veterinary Specialists. Dr Dodd's research specialises in plant-based nutrition for companion animals and clinical practice she predominantly formulates specialised diets for cats and dogs with complicated health conditions. In addition to her nutrition speciality, Dr Dodd is also a practising veterinarian and she enjoys working with farmed animal sanctuaries and dog and cat rescues. With Dr Dodds’s support, CULT Food Science will continue to revolutionise pet foods with cell-cultivated approaches to create nutritious, enjoyable, and sustainable food for pets. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/1075/cult-food-science-announces-ai-partnership-for-taste-optimisation-in-cultivated-foods.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/1075/cult-food-science-announces-ai-partnership-for-taste-optimisation-in-cultivated-foods.html Fri, 16 Jun 2023 19:42:15 +0530 A new partnership with Alcheme Bio leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to accelerate cellular agriculture products to market CULT Food Science Corp. announced a partnership with Alcheme Bio to utilise a flavour optimisation platform to accelerate the development of cellular agriculture products for the Company and its portfolio companies. Alcheme Bio's proprietary approach utilises artificial intelligence and machine learning to revolutionise how cultured product companies optimise for flavour and nutrition. Experience targets are determined early in development which significantly reduces R&D time and costs while machine learning is utilised to design the best taste experiences and determine how those tastes should be implemented in development. The outcome is products that consumers love to eat which is vital in ensuring the adoption of cultivated meats, dairies and other cell-cultivated foods. "When it comes to food, taste and cost are king. Regardless of how sustainable a product may be, something that tastes amazing is key for cultivated foods to be adopted. The production process is multistage, and continuous improvement is a pivotal part of high-quality manufacturing and that's why we're a big supporter of what Alcheme Bio is doing" said Lejjy Gafour, CEO of CULT. "Flavoring is an afterthought for most cultivated companies right now because of the limitations of today's flavouring approaches. Alcheme Bio is pioneering a unique approach to flavouring that reduces R&D costs instead of increasing them. We're excited to be building out our platform in partnership with CULT." said Vanessa Small, CEO at Alcheme Bio. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/917/mosa-meat-opens-worlds-largest-cultivated-meat-centre.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/917/mosa-meat-opens-worlds-largest-cultivated-meat-centre.html Wed, 10 May 2023 12:31:07 +0530 The facility is designed to grow as demand increases with regulatory approvals and regional market entries Netherland's Mosa Meat, the pioneer and a leader in the cultivated meat space that grows beef directly from animal cells, opened a new scale-up facility in Maastricht. This fourth facility completes the new Mosa C.A.M.P.U.S. or Centre for Advanced Meat Production, Upscaling, and Sustainability for a total footprint of 7,340 square metres (79,007 square feet). “As this scale-up facility comes online next month, we will have the capacity to make tens of thousands of cultivated hamburgers. The facility is designed to grow as demand increases with regulatory approvals and regional market entries, up to hundreds of thousands of cultivated hamburgers per year. And in combination with our contract manufacturer in Singapore, even a lot more. We are excited to debut this great-tasting hamburger today that even hardcore carnivores will love,” said Maarten Bosch, CEO of Mosa Meat. “When we introduced cultivated meat to the world, we predicted it would take 10 years to create a consumer product. Now, almost exactly 10 years later, we have a consumer product that we can start making in larger quantities and that we can start serving to consumers in Singapore, pending regulatory approval,” said Mark Post, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Mosa Meat. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/901/whats-driving-plant-based-meat-sector-in-apac.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/901/whats-driving-plant-based-meat-sector-in-apac.html Mon, 08 May 2023 13:12:10 +0530 The global plant-based seafood market is projected to reach $1.3 billion by 2031, growing at a 42.3 per cent Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) from 2022 to 2031. The market size for plant-based seafood was valued at 42.1 million in 2021, accounting for 62.7 per cent market share.  The seafood segment is expected to remain dominant during the estimated period, with products like burgers, fillets, cutlets and tenders in high demand.  As the numbers and outlook for the future are looking optimistic for the industry, let’s examine this growing Alt-food source. Plant-based meat was first developed in Asia and now, plant-based seafood is in demand in the region. According to a recent report by the Good Food Institute APAC, consumers in Asia are increasingly changing their dietary habits to include plant-based seafood due to concerns about heavy pollution in the ocean. Plant-based seafood or alternative seafood is emerging as a new source of food in Asia. Plant-based seafood is made from legume proteins, soya protein, wheat protein, rice, vegetables, seaweed and plant oils. The global plant-based seafood market is projected to reach $1.3 billion by 2031, growing at a 42.3 per cent Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) from 2022 to 2031. The market size for plant-based seafood was valued at 42.1 million in 2021, accounting for 62.7 per cent market share.  The seafood segment is expected to remain dominant during the estimated period, with products like burgers, fillets, cutlets and tenders in high demand.  As the numbers and outlook for the future are looking optimistic for the industry, let’s examine this growing Alt-food source. The Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture report 2022 states that fisheries and aquaculture production globally has reached 214 million tonnes, including 178 million tonnes of aquatic animals and 36 million tonnes of algae. Since 1961, per capita consumption of seafood has increased by 3 per cent annually.  Although global seafood production is in better condition, environmental concerns, health issues, and overfishing of certain species have led to a surge in demand for alternative seafood or plant-based seafood.  According to a Good Food Institute survey, seven of the top ten seafood-consuming countries are in Asia, including China, Myanmar, Vietnam, Japan, India, Malaysia and Indonesia. This indicates a significant potential market for plant-based seafood products. Investors are also ready to invest in plant-based seafood products. In 2021 plant-based seafood companies raised $175 million and more than 120 companies are manufacturing and developing plant-based seafood mostly from, East and Southeast Asia.  The global plant-based seafood market is projected to reach $1.3 billion by 2031, growing at a 42.3 per cent Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) from 2022 to 2031. The market size for plant-based seafood was valued at 42.1 million in 2021, accounting for 62.7 per cent market share.  The seafood segment is expected to remain dominant during the estimated period, with products like burgers, fillets, cutlets and tenders in high demand.  Plant-based seafood or alternative seafood is emerging as a new source of food in Asia. Plant-based seafood is made from legume proteins, soya protein, wheat protein, rice, vegetables, seaweed and plant oils. Mirte Gosker, Acting Managing Director of the Good Food Institute APAC said, “As with all foods, the taste is the single most impact factor in determining the commercial success of alternative seafood products but it is not the only one. Consumers also want products that can match or exceed the nutritional value, freshness and affordability of the conventional seafood they know and love. Satisfying these demands will require substantially more investment from the public and private stakeholders into open-access research and development aimed at improving the quality and cost of plant-based seafood products. For the sake of achieving Asia’s ambitious food security goals and preserving the richness of our oceans amid a world of surging protein demand, we should all hope that alternative seafood producers can live up to consumers’ high expectations.”  To read more click on: https://agrospectrumindia.com/e-magazine ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/896/singapore-develop-plant-based-cell-culture-scaffold-meat-which-can-be-3d-printed.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/896/singapore-develop-plant-based-cell-culture-scaffold-meat-which-can-be-3d-printed.html Fri, 05 May 2023 11:03:12 +0530 Besides speeding up the process for cheaper, more sustainable lab-based meat cultivation, these edible scaffolds can be 3D-printed using widely available plant prolamins A research team from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has successfully used common plant proteins to 3D-print an edible cell culture scaffold, allowing more affordable and sustainable lab-grown meat to be served on the table. The research team has successfully cultured meat that is similar in texture and overall appearance to real animal meat. Lab-grown meat has become an increasingly popular source of dietary protein, as consumers become more conscious of the environmental and ethical ramifications of their protein source. Cultured meat or cell-based meat is produced by taking skeletal muscle cells from animals and growing them on three-dimensional constructs called scaffolds, which provide structural support as the cells multiply and develop into tissues. “Scaffolds made from plant proteins are edible and have diverse and variable peptide sequences that can facilitate cell attachment, induce differentiation, and speed up the growth of meat. In contrast, synthetic scaffolds such as plastic beads used for cultured meat have no functional group which makes it difficult for animal cells to attach and proliferate. In addition, synthetic scaffolds are not edible and extra steps are required to separate the scaffolds from the meat culture,” elaborated Prof Huang. However, cell culture scaffolds are typically made from synthetic or animal-based materials, which are either too expensive or inedible. In search of an alternative, the team led by Professor Huang Dejian, Deputy Head of the NUS Department of Food Science and Technology, turned to plant proteins. These proteins are biodegradable and biocompatible with animal cells. Crucially, plant proteins also satisfy common food consumption requirements, making the resulting scaffold suitable for culturing meat. The researchers used mixtures of prolamins derived from corn, barley and rye flour, also known as zeins, hordeins and secalins, respectively. These mixtures then acted as the ink for electrohydrodynamic printing, a high-precision 3D printing technology commonly employed in biomedical applications. “By using readily available cereal prolamins as biomaterials for high-precision 3D printing technology, we open up a new method for manufacturing edible and structured scaffolds to produce cultured muscle meat slices with fibrous qualities,” said Prof Huang. For scaffolds to be of any use in cultivating meat, they need to be biocompatible with muscle cells from agricultural animals, meaning that they need to be able to accommodate these cells and support their growth and development. Researchers found that the cells divided extensively on the scaffolds, when seeded the prolamin constructs with stem cells from pig skeletal muscle, reaching a maximum count 11 days after they were inoculated. The stem cells grew comparably well in both zein/hordein and zein/secalin scaffolds. Of significance, when compared against a standard polycaprolactone scaffold, a common tool in tissue engineering, pig cells seeded onto the prolamin constructs proliferated much faster, demonstrating that the plant protein-based scaffold was more feasible for cultured meat production than standard synthetic polymers. These results further verify the potential of the proposed prolamin-based scaffolds in cultivated meat production. Prof Huang and his team are actively working on refining the plant protein-based technology ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/863/aleph-farms-launches-new-product-brand-aleph-cuts.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/863/aleph-farms-launches-new-product-brand-aleph-cuts.html Fri, 28 Apr 2023 14:15:49 +0530 The world’s first cultivated steak is anticipated to launch in Singapore and Israel later this year Aleph Farms, an Israeli food technology company announced the launch of its first product brand, Aleph Cuts. Under the Aleph Cuts brand, the company will market its first product, the Petit Steak, the world’s first cultivated steak anticipated to launch in Singapore and Israel later this year, pending regulatory approvals. Developed in partnership with brand and experience design agency, BOND, this branding initiative distinguishes Aleph Farms’ products and builds momentum ahead of commercialisation and subsequent engagement with customers and end consumers. “With the launch of Aleph Cuts, we are introducing our product through an epicurean lens to connect people to our incredible ‘new take on steak,’ sharing what this choice means in an engaging and authentic way,” said Nicky Quinn, VP of Marketing at Aleph Farms. “Iconic brands aren’t built overnight or by one person or team. We look forward to co-creating our brand over time with consumers, so we can best serve their evolving needs.” The visual identities for Aleph Farms and Aleph Cuts are part of a unified system designed to support the scale of Aleph Farms’ growing product portfolio. The brands are related through visual elements such as the wordmark, icon, and colour palette but evoke different aspects of the Aleph ethos: Aleph Farms is more pragmatic and focuses on technology and innovation, while Aleph Cuts is more emotional and focuses on educating about the product and celebrating culture through the lens of food. They share a new icon inspired by the company’s previous ox head symbol, reflected in the letter A in Aleph but flipped, creating a mirror effect that compels the viewer to see familiar things in a new way. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/842/asean-level-framework-for-alternative-proteins.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/842/asean-level-framework-for-alternative-proteins.html Wed, 26 Apr 2023 10:06:46 +0530 Stabilizing and harmonizing regulatory policies around alternative proteins is crucial to promoting fair trade competition in alternative protein products across ASEAN, explains Ankur Chaudhary, a thought leader in ASEAN Public Policy sector The global meat industry emits 17.3 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases a year, representing approximately 35% of global emissions. As the global population continues to grow both in numbers and wealth, meat consumption is predicted to continue growing. This will increase the detrimental environmental and biodiversity effects of this industry. Alternative proteins have become a key substitute food source that promises to reduce many of these detrimental effects significantly. In the ASEAN region, interest in alternative proteins' game-changing potential is rapidly increasing among consumers, firms, and governments. Governments need support and a regulatory framework to effectively capture alternative proteins' wide-ranging benefits. Alternative proteins refer to various protein sources different from traditional animal-sourced proteins such as beef, poultry, and fish. Alternative proteins include plant-based proteins, cell-cultured proteins, and microbial proteins. Plant-based proteins are derived, for example, from soybeans, peas, and rice, and are used to make products such as plant-based meat substitutes, protein bars, and milk alternatives. Cell-cultured proteins, also known as cultivated meat or lab-grown meat, are produced by culturing animal cells in a laboratory setting and can be incorporated into produce meat products such as burgers and sausages. Microbial proteins are produced by microorganisms such as fungi, algae, and bacteria and can be used to make protein powders and snacks. Alternative proteins have garnered international attention due to their potential to change the game against climate change. According to scholars from the University of Michigan, plant-based burgers generate 87% less greenhouse gas emissions than a beef burger. For a cell-cultured meat burger, the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is even bigger at 96%, as a study published in Environmental Science & Technology finds. Additionally, both plant-based and cell-cultured meat requires 95% less land (University of Oxford, ES&T) and up to 90% less water (University of Oxford) than traditional meat production.  In addition to their climate-positive effects, alternative proteins also have beneficial societal outcomes. Alternative proteins can also increase food security by providing a sustainable source of protein not dependent on traditional animal agriculture. This is particularly critical in regions of the world where protein access is limited. According to a report by the World Economic Forum, alternative proteins have the potential to address food insecurity by providing a more sustainable and efficient protein source. Furthermore, traditional animal agriculture relies heavily on antibiotics, which contributes to antibiotic-resistant bacteria development. Cell-cultured and plant-based proteins do not require antibiotics to make them. Across the ASEAN region interest in alternative proteins is rapidly increasing, with a growing number of companies and startups developing plant-based and cell-cultured protein products. Singapore has been at the forefront of alternative protein innovation in Southeast Asia, with several startups and research institutions developing plant-based and cell-cultured meat products. In 2019, Singapore became the first country in the world to approve the sale of cell-cultured meat and has since seen the establishment of numerous cell-based meat companies, such as Float Foods, Unmeat, Turtle Tree, etc. The Thai government has also supported the industry's development, with the National Innovation Agency launching a program to support startups in the alternative protein space. Indonesia has seen the emergence of several plant-based protein companies, including Green Butcher, which produces plant-based meat alternatives, and Green Rebel Foods, which produces plant-based chicken and beef. As the demand for these types of proteins increases, regulation is needed to ensure their safety and quality. Regulation around alternative proteins is necessary to promote fair competition in the market. Without regulation, some companies may misrepresent their products or use deceptive marketing practices. This could mislead consumers and give them an unfair advantage. Regulation can protect public health by ensuring alternative protein products are safe and free from harmful contaminants. This is particularly pertinent for cell-cultured proteins grown in a lab which may be more susceptible to contamination. Regulation can help to promote sustainability in the food industry by encouraging the development of alternative protein sources that are more environmentally friendly than traditional animal-based proteins. As ASEAN has diverse food regulations, an ASEAN-level framework for alternative proteins could contribute to harmonizing regulations across member countries. This would enable companies operating in the region to navigate regulatory requirements more easily and facilitate trade in alternative protein products across ASEAN. An ASEAN-level framework could help ensure that alternative protein products sold in the region meet certain safety and quality standards. This would help protect consumers and build trust in alternative protein products. A harmonized regulatory environment could also support and promote sustainability in alternative protein production and consumption. By setting standards for environmental impact and resource use, an ASEAN-level framework could encourage the development of sustainable alternative protein products. It could also contribute to promoting innovation in the alternative protein industry by providing a clear regulatory framework for companies to operate within. This could help attract investment and talent to the region and help ASEAN countries become leaders in the alternative protein space. In summary, a framework around alternative proteins is essential to ensure the safety and quality of these products. It is essential to promote fair competition in the market, protect public health, and encourage sustainability in the food industry. Author: Ankur Chaudhary, Speyside Group (Public policy, Government and Regulatory affairs); Scholar at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/835/lypid-launches-worlds-first-plant-based-pork-belly-product-in-taiwan.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/835/lypid-launches-worlds-first-plant-based-pork-belly-product-in-taiwan.html Tue, 25 Apr 2023 12:10:51 +0530 Lypid pioneers fat encapsulation technology to make plant-based vegan pork belly taste like the real thing using PhytoFat Taiwan-based innovative food technology start-up, Lypid has launched its plant-based, vegan pork belly product, supporting cruelty-free and eco-friendly food products. Made from 100% plant-based ingredients and patented PhytoFat technology (special encapsulated technology for canola or olive oil), Lypid’s pork belly has a juicy, smoky flavor simulating real meat. In addition to taste and texture, it is high in protein and free of antibiotics. To make plant-based meat tastier, Lypid uses PhytoFat. Lypid targets a growing food segment that identifies itself as vegetarian, or flexitarian with a preference for plant-based food. Lypid unveiled its newest innovation, serving as a major ingredient in vegan macaroni and cheese, as well as a pizza topping. Pork belly from Lypid offers a wide range of possibilities to fill the gap in the alternative meat market. Furthermore, compared to traditional pork bacon, the derivates have been proven to be lower in cholesterol, 85% lower in saturated fat, 39% lower in calories, and 69% lower in sodium. Lypid's pork belly cooks and sizzles just like traditional pork, making it a perfect substitute for a variety of recipes and cooking scenarios. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/771/wakao-foods-is-all-set-to-go-global-with-its-foray-into-singapore.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/771/wakao-foods-is-all-set-to-go-global-with-its-foray-into-singapore.html Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:23:32 +0530   Wakao Foods is entering the Singaporean market with Seven plant-based products. Wakao Foods, a leading plant-based food brand, is pleased to announce its foray into the Singaporean market. The company will launch seven popular products, including Butter Jack, BBQ jack, Raw Jack, Continental Burger Patty, Jack Supreme Burger Patty, Hot & Spicy Sausages, and American Herbs Sausages, in the Singapore market. These products will be available at retail stores such as Everyday Vegan Grocer and HoReCa and online on popular e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, Amazon Singapore, and Redmart. In addition to retail stores and e-commerce platforms, Palate Sensations, a culinary school in Singapore, will also use Wakao Foods' products. The school is known for its innovative and sustainable approach to cooking, and Wakao Foods' products are a natural fit for its philosophy. Wakao Foods has a reputation for creating plant-based foods that are both delicious and nutritious, and their foray into the Singapore market is an exciting milestone for the company. Wakao Foods' plant-based products are a perfect fit for the Singaporean market, which has seen a surge in demand for plant-based foods in recent years. "We are thrilled to be bringing our range of delicious and healthy plant-based products to Singapore," said Sairaj Dhond, Founder and CEO of Wakao Foods. "Our products have high-quality ingredients, and we believe they will be well-received by the Singaporean market. We are excited to be partnering with Everyday Vegan Grocer, HoReCa, and various e-commerce platforms to make our products easily accessible to consumers across the country." VK Vidyarthi, General Manager of Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), said that the vegan sector can benefit small farmers by using jackfruit for companies like Wakao Foods to reduce wastage and create employment. APEDA supports plant-based firms like Wakao through its National Programme on Vegan Products. Sanjay Sethi, Exec Dir, Plant Based Foods Industry Association said India has potential to lead in plant-based foods. Success of companies like Wakao Foods is a testament. PBFIA supports members such as Wakao Foods as they expand and make plant-based foods more accessible globally. Their foray into Singapore is an example of how Indian brands can leverage export opportunity to promote growth. We look forward to continuing our support for the entire plant-based foods industry for a sustainable and healthier future. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/660/cell-agritech-to-build-malaysias-first-cultivated-meat-facility.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/660/cell-agritech-to-build-malaysias-first-cultivated-meat-facility.html Thu, 23 Mar 2023 13:16:56 +0530 Invests RM20 million to bring cost-effective portfolio of cultivated meat, starting with tuna and eel Malaysian firm Cell AgriTech Sdn Bhd is setting up the country’s first cultivated meat production facility in Penang worth some RM20 million. The new facility will span three to four acres in size, with a 1,000-liter production volume. Cultivated meat is made by growing the stem cells of meat from animals in a device called a bioreactor. Cultivated meat as being safer than meat from slaughtered animals – supposedly being free of antibiotics and zoonotic diseases Cell Agritech’s plant will start by focusing on cultivating fish meat, especially premium meats, such as certain species of tuna and eel — and attempt to sell it at a matching price with the same type of meat sourced from slaughtered animals. The goal is to achieve price parity with conventional seafood. Cell AgriTech plans to be in full production by mid of 2025 while regulatory approval is under progress for cultivated meat. The company made the factory announcement during the first Malaysia Cultivated Meat Conference held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center in March 2023. The US Food and Drug Administration and its Department of Agriculture are still evaluating the product. Cell AgriTech founder and vice-president of manufacturing Jason Ng Chin Aik said that cultivated meat can cut down on food wastage, as many inedible parts of slaughtered animals are usually thrown away. Explaining the food production process, Mihir Pershad, founder of Singapore-based Umami Meats — which is sharing its technology and expertise with Cell AgriTech — said that the stem cells in the bioreactor are fed a “Gatorade-like solution”. The plant in question will be using “immortalised cell lines” that allows the company to perpetually cultivate meat for “decades” after sourcing cells from a single slaughtered animal source. Representatives from several national universities, the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia, the Health Ministry, the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry, and also the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation attended. The global cultivated meat market is expected to grow from $176.48 million (RM791.87 million) in 2022, to $321.71 million (RM1.44 billion) by 2027. Singapore was the first country to approve cultivated meat products for sale, back in 2020. Cell Agritech is currently working on qualifying suppliers that may potentially be more environmentally friendly ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/578/unveiling-global-trends-for-plant-based-nutrition-innovation-in-2023.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/578/unveiling-global-trends-for-plant-based-nutrition-innovation-in-2023.html Tue, 21 Mar 2023 17:20:54 +0530 Recent studies have shown that, more than half (52%) of global consumers now consider themselves flexitarians, incorporating both animal-based and plant-based or other alternative proteins into their diet. Within that 52%, nearly two-thirds are defining their eating style as “trying to use more plant-based foods,” leading to more demand for expanded protein options. ADM, a global leader in human/animal nutrition and agricultural origination leveraging technology development and precision technologies to support industries around bio-based products, including alternative protein, in Singapore and the wider Asia-Pacific region. ADM leverages a portfolio of plant-based proteins, in conjunction with science-based ingredient development and functionality, to formulate alternative proteins that are delivered in taste, texture and nutrition. New research based on ADM's far-reaching global network highlights trending focus areas for consumers around the world. Dissecting the intersection of health and well-being, sustainability and food security, ADM has identified eight spaces that detail consumers’ evolving behaviors, attitudes and aspirations. The eight areas serve as anchor points to inspire innovation, ushering in a new wave of products and services for 2023. In a recent cinverstation with AgroSpectrum Asia, Susan Chua, Head of Market and Consumer Insight, Asia-Pacific, ADM shared some of the consumer trends identified by ADM that are powering purposeful design and ingenuity for human, animal and pet nutrition and throughout supply chains. What initiatives have ADM implemented in the alternative protein sphere? What innovations can we expect from here? The alternative protein sector is expected to climb to $125 billion by 2030. As demand grows, brands can look to introduce alternative protein in a variety of flavours, textures and formats. We have a diverse and regionally sourced pantry of alternative proteins and nutrient-dense ingredients to help brands meet evolving consumer needs.  Last year, we announced our joint venture with Temasek’s Nurasa to provide contract development and manufacturing organization services for precision fermentation in food applications. In the same year, ADM and New Culture, a pioneering animal-free dairy company, formed a partnership to accelerate the development and commercialization of alternative dairy products. Demand for alternative protein will continue to rise, and as a pioneer in the alternative protein industry, ADM will continue to innovate by delivering on evolving consumer taste and texture expectations over the next decade. Could you briefly summarize the recent ADM report on “global trends for nutrition innovation in 2023”? ADM’s recent global consumer trends for 2023 highlights three enduring consumer trends: Health and Wellbeing, Food Security, Sustainability and eight market growth drivers that are expected to shape the food, beverage, and animal nutrition industries in the year ahead.  These eight market growth drivers outline consumers’ evolving behaviour, attitudes and aspirations that drive their purchasing decisions as well as demands and expectations of brands. The eight growth drivers identified for 2023 are: Balanced Wellness, Proactive Personalisation, Experiential Eating, Expanded Protein Choices, Trust and Traceability, Earth-Friendly Production, Social Impact and Modern Pet Parenting These growth drivers present opportunities for forward-thinking manufacturers to innovate and create products that meet the evolving needs of consumers today. ADM continues to be at the forefront of consumer trends, and brands can leverage our deep pantry of ingredients and solutions, technology, technical experts and scientists to innovate and manufacture products that appeal to today’s consumers. How do you foresee the trends and prospects in the APAC nutraceutical market for the year 2023? How has the 2022 progress been? Globally, consumer sentiments around health and wellness have increased dramatically over the last few years. This is mainly driven by increasing health consciousness in part due to the global pandemic and a rise in global disposable incomes. As we continue to see consumers take proactive steps to improve their health and wellbeing, increasing consumption for dietary supplements and functional products is expected in 2023. How will these trends benefit manufacturing in the nutraceuticals and dietary supplements sector? The Asia-Pacific nutraceuticals market is predicted to continue growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.9% from 2022 to 2032. Further, the Asia-Pacific population is ageing rapidly, with the number of older persons (over the age of 60) in the region predicted to triple to reach 1.3 billion by 2050. This fuels the demand for nutraceuticals as consumers look for food and beverage products that meet their nutrition needs. 69% of consumers think nutritional supplements have been effective in helping them support their health goals. As this trend grows, developers have the opportunity to support consumers’ wellness goals through dietary supplements that focus on supporting healthy lifestyles and active ageing. ADM responds to this by helping food and beverage brands develop nutrition solutions to meet evolving consumer needs to support healthier living. What is the outlook for investment in the nutraceutical industry in APAC? Could you highlight the sectors which might lead the industry in the coming years?  Globally, 68% of consumers have made changes to their diets and lifestyles in the last twelve months to improve their immunity levels. The nutraceutical industry in Asia-Pacific will see a similar trend in terms of growth, as consumers seek out supplements and functional food and beverage products to support their health and wellbeing. Being much more in tune with their health and wellness needs today, consumers are defining wellness differently and look to purchase “better for me” solutions that support their personal goals. The microbiome has emerged as a key growth area, with 68% of consumers recognizing the link between their immune system and digestive health system. Over 8 in 10 consumers are also more aware of related health ingredients and demonstrate a high awareness level of probiotics products. With this trend predicted to lead the industry in the coming years, ADM supports developers through science-backed microbiome-supporting solutions, including prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/466/taiwan-to-promote-plant-based-food-follows-new-climate-bill.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/466/taiwan-to-promote-plant-based-food-follows-new-climate-bill.html Wed, 25 Jan 2023 14:30:01 +0530 The bill says that the Council of Agriculture must promote waste reduction and low-carbon diets Taiwan has approved a climate bill to promote low-carbon diets which mandate the countrywide promotion of low-carbon diets, with specific reference made to plant-based foods. The bill says that the Council of Agriculture must promote waste reduction and low-carbon diets, with the latter category including plant-based and locally-produced foods. According to article 42, all levels of government should promote these foods, and mandate support for civil society organisations working towards low-carbon diets. The legislation makes Taiwan one of only a small number of regions to reference plant-based foods in their climate laws. The government’s target of net zero emissions by 2050 has also been made legally binding, with government agencies required to implement plans to reduce emissions. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/446/good-meat-partners-with-hubers-worlds-first-butchery-to-sell-cultivated-meat.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/446/good-meat-partners-with-hubers-worlds-first-butchery-to-sell-cultivated-meat.html Fri, 20 Jan 2023 12:25:24 +0530 GOOD Meat’s partnership with Huber’s is the latest in a series of exciting announcements for the company. GOOD Meat, the cultivated meat division of food technology company Eat Just, announced that Huber’s Butchery, one of Singapore’s premier producers and suppliers of high-quality meat products, will become the first butchery in the world to sell and serve cultivated meat. With the introduction of the latest version of GOOD Meat’s cultivated chicken, the family-owned and operated business is thrilled to add a new, locally produced offering to its display case and bistro menu. “Offering this new approach to making meat at a butchery is another historic moment in the long road to making our food system more delicious and sustainable. I’m very proud to partner with the Huber’s team to give people a whole new way to experience our cultivated chicken," said Josh Tetrick, co-founder and CEO of Eat Just. “When we founded our butcher shop, we made it our mission to provide top quality and exceptional tasting meat products with the highest food safety standards at an affordable price. Partnering with GOOD Meat is in keeping with that vision and the realities of our ever-changing food system,” said Ryan Huber, Huber’s Butchery Managing Director. “Cultivated meat could be one of the solutions to over-farming due to increased population size and density and an increase in animal protein consumption in many parts of the world,” added Andre Huber Executive Director. GOOD Meat’s partnership with Huber’s is the latest in a series of exciting announcements for the company. GOOD Meat won regulatory approvals for its chicken in Singapore in November 2020 and December 2021. It remains the only cultivated meat producer in the world with the ability to sell to consumers. Since its launch, the company’s chicken has been featured on menus at local fine dining establishments, roadside hawker stalls and via food panda, Asia's leading food and grocery delivery platform. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/443/good-meat-receives-approval-in-singapore-to-use-serum-free-media-for-cultivated-meat.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/443/good-meat-receives-approval-in-singapore-to-use-serum-free-media-for-cultivated-meat.html Thu, 19 Jan 2023 14:16:43 +0530 This technical and regulatory milestone will lead to greater scalability, lower manufacturing costs and a more sustainable product. GOOD Meat, the cultivated meat division of food technology company Eat Just, announced that it has been given a new, first-in-the-world regulatory approval by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) for the use of serum-free media for the production of cultivated meat. This technical and regulatory milestone will lead to greater scalability, lower manufacturing costs and a more sustainable product. It also paves the way for the production of larger quantities of real, high-quality chicken made from cells instead of slaughtered animals. GOOD Meat obtained approval from SFA for its first chicken product in November 2020 and subsequent approval for new formats of its pioneering poultry in November 2021. With the latest regulatory approval for serum-free cultivation media, the U.S.-based food tech firm will soon transition to a more efficient and favourable production process. “Not too long ago, observers thought removing serum was a major limiting step to scaling cultivated meat. I could not be prouder of our team for doing just that and receiving approval to commercialise it this week. It's yet another step forward for our company, the cultivated meat industry and the health of our planet,” said Josh Tetrick, co-founder and CEO of Eat Just. Regulatory news comes as bioreactors are being installed as part of the construction process of GOOD Meat’s Singapore production centre that will have the capacity to make tens of thousands of pounds of meat. The facility will house the single-largest bioreactor in the cultivated meat industry to date: a 6,000-liter vessel built in partnership with bioreactor technology leader ABEC, Inc. The demonstration plant is slated to open in 2023 and will be running the serum-free production process. “Removing serum from cultivated meat production can drive down costs and set the stage for expanded commercialisation of sustainable protein. Given Singapore’s reputation as a global launchpad for scalable food security solutions, we’re hopeful that other nations will also soon embrace this smarter way of making meat,” said Mirte Gosker, Managing Director of the Good Food Institute APAC. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/442/israel-joined-the-united-nations-treaty-for-the-conservation-of-genetic-diversity.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/442/israel-joined-the-united-nations-treaty-for-the-conservation-of-genetic-diversity.html Thu, 19 Jan 2023 13:24:14 +0530 The Treaty focuses on steps and actions for the preservation and cultivation of 64 specific plant crops defined as having a special benefit to human health and food security. The State of Israel, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and in collaboration with the Volcani Institute, joined the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). This Treaty is aimed at serving as a platform for global cooperation, in order to preserve genetic sources for plant food crops of special nutritional importance and to encourage the cultivation of a variety of species resistant to extreme climate conditions. This, in order to ensure the continuation of production, improvement and maximisation thereof, is a tool to establish a regular supply of fresh plant-based food even under the reality of an extreme and changing climate. The Treaty focuses on steps and actions for the preservation and cultivation of 64 specific plant crops defined as having a special benefit to human health and food security, such as Wheat, carrots, chickpeas, lentils, oats, etc. As part of the Treaty, the participating countries undertake to act to preserve biodiversity, which helps in cultivating food sources, at two key levels: Preservation within the genetic bank as plants growing in the fields, and preservation outside the site. In this manner, access is provided to those genetic sources for research and cultivation purposes, which allows work to be done towards reducing the continuous erosion of these sources, in conjunction with the expansion of the genetic pool of the crops through gene banks from all over the world, and the promotion of cultivation processes that will minimise the sensitivities of certain crops and genetic dilution (erosion), as a result of climate change. The Ministry of Agriculture explains that the State of Israel's joining this Treaty will first and foremost allow researchers, developers and farmers to gain access to central genetic resources for the development of varieties adapted to climate change, through collaborations between the Israeli Gene Bank and various genetic repositories from all over the world, in parallel to fostering the State of Israel's position as a key actor in globally gearing up for climate change. Yakov Poleg, Senior Deputy Director General of the Centre for Foreign Trade and International Cooperation at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said "The signing of the Treaty is another important milestone in the gearing up on the part of the State of Israel for the climate crisis and it expresses our commitment in the matter of the preservation of the genetic diversity found in the sovereign domains of the State of Israel." Dr Einav Maizlish-Gati, Director of the Israeli Gene Bank at the Volcani Institute, stated, "The signing of the Treaty will allow us, at the national level, access to additional genetic sources in order to increase the range of attributes available to us when we come to deal with climate change and to ensure food security for the residents of the State of Israel. Our joining the Treaty is of additional importance in making the unique biological diversity, that exists in Israel, accessible to our partners in the world in a manner that will allow us to maintain sovereignty over the local genetic sources." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/393/steakholder-foods-receives-grant-of-1mn-to-develop-3d-printed-structured-eel.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/393/steakholder-foods-receives-grant-of-1mn-to-develop-3d-printed-structured-eel.html Fri, 06 Jan 2023 11:35:53 +0530 The initiative is being funded by a grant from the Singapore Israel Industrial R&D Foundation. Steakholder Foods an international deep-tech food company at the forefront of the cultivated meat industry has received its first grant to develop 3D-printed structured eel and grouper products with Singaporean cultivated fish and seafood company Umami Meats. The initiative is being funded by a grant from the Singapore Israel Industrial R&D Foundation (SIIRD), a cooperation between - Enterprise Singapore (ESG) and the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA). Steakholder Foods' partnership with Umami Meats offers a unique opportunity for market entry in the only country in the world where cultivated meat has regulatory approval. The collaboration aims to develop a scalable process for producing structured cultivated fish products. Steakholder Foods will use its newly developed technology for mimicking the flaky texture of cooked fish that was recently submitted for a provisional patent application. The project's first prototype, a structured hybrid grouper product, is expected to be completed by Q1 2023. The product will be printed using Steakholder Foods' proprietary 3D bio-printing technology and bio-inks that will be customized for Umami Meats' cells. Yair Ayalon, VP of Business Development, Steakholder Foods said, "Industry collaborations are a critical aspect of our long-term business strategy. Our partnership with Umami Meats is especially meaningful following our recent patent application for fish texture and because it is being supported by a joint Israeli/Singaporean government initiative of which we are very proud to be a part." Mihir Pershad, CEO and Founder at Umami Meats said, "We are thrilled to be combining our deep knowledge and experience in cultivated seafood with Steakholder Foods' innovative 3D bio-printing technology. We believe this partnership will help us advance our vision of a new, more sustainable food system for preserving our marine ecosystems while delivering exceptional, high quality seafood to meet growing consumer demand." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/362/paving-the-way-for-meat-innovation.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/362/paving-the-way-for-meat-innovation.html Fri, 30 Dec 2022 13:19:40 +0530 US and China regulatory authorities and industry dialogue on cultivated meat   The AgFood Future Centre of Excellence (AGF) and the Agriculture Food Partnership (AFP) co-organised an online event where, for the first time, regulatory experts from two of the largest potential markets for meat innovation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and China National Centre for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA), conferred on the regulatory approval process and prospects for cultivated meat in these two major markets. The event was supported and attended by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) and the China Meat Association (CMA), who are also major influencers in developing China's protein innovation market. The Agfood Future Centre of Excellence (AGF), the main organiser for this event, has been facilitating protein innovation development in China since 2018, including partnering with AFP to organise ongoing policy dialogues between Chinese and U.S. regulators and industry representatives. "These meetings provide opportunities for start-ups, financiers, and ultimately all players involved in protein innovation," said Ryan Xue, the Chairman of Agfood Future. Xue believes "This in-depth sharing between the U.S. and China will have far-reaching significance for governments and industries interested in seeing the adoption of food innovation that will help shape food innovation and the future of food in the U.S., China, and the world." In the words of Jennifer Lee, the Executive Director of AFP, Only by bringing together industry leaders, technical experts, investment institutions, and regulators around protein innovation can we realise food production and systems that deliver safe, quality, affordable, and nutritious food to consumers while achieving food security. Jeremiah Fasano, Senior Policy Advisor, at the FDA's Regulatory Review Office, provided a keynote at the event. Fasano played a key role in Upside's pre-market approval process and is an FDA expert on cultivated meat. He expressed FDA's ongoing support for food technology innovation, encouraging industry representatives to connect "early and often" to "discuss the development of food technology, promote industry development, and solve food safety problems together." Xiaohong Wang, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's (MARA)'s Deputy Director of China's Institute of Food and Nutrition Development, expressed that while Chinese regulatory authorities continue to attach great importance to food safety and will continue to conduct safety assessments on innovative meat products, they will also consider the contribution of the development of new technologies to meet the market's increasing demand for the supply of protein, while also comprehensively considering consumers' acceptance of cultivated meat and other products.  A platform for international collaboration, AgFood Future is a nonprofit that connects 400+ of the world's leading organisations around the common goal of agri-food sustainability for food system transformation in China and throughout global supply chains. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/154/new-version-of-cultivated-chicken-launches-at-u-n-climate-summit.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/75/154/new-version-of-cultivated-chicken-launches-at-u-n-climate-summit.html Wed, 09 Nov 2022 11:20:05 +0530 According to a 2022 UNIPCC report, cultivated meat has the potential to deliver substantial reductions in direct emissions from food production. Good Meat the cultivated meat division of food Technology Company Eat Just, Inc., announced that it will launch a new version of its pioneering cultivated chicken at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP27. A series of historic dining experiences organized in partnership with the Singapore Pavilion will showcase GOOD Meat’s real, high-quality meat made from animal cells for the first time outside of the Southeast Asian city-state where it debuted nearly two years ago. In a first for the fast-growing global cultivated meat industry and for the U.N.’s annual climate summit, food system transformation and sustainable diets will be on the menu – literally and figuratively – in the host city of Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (UNIPCC) heralded cultivated meat as a “transformative” approach to mitigating emissions and cited conventional animal agriculture as one of the top causes of greenhouse gas emissions. According to a 2022 UNIPCC report, cultivated meat has the potential to deliver substantial reductions in direct emissions from food production. “These technologies have lower land, water and nutrient footprints, and address concerns over animal welfare,” the report stated. Josh Tetrick, co-founder and CEO of Eat Just said, “Singapore was the first country to allow the sale of meat made without tearing down a single forest or displacing an animal’s habitat, and we look forward to other countries following in their footsteps.” GOOD Meat won regulatory approval for its chicken in Singapore in November 2020 and remains the only cultivated Meat Company in the world with the ability to sell to consumers. Since its launch, the company’s chicken has been featured on menus at local fine dining establishments, roadside hawker stalls and via food panda, Asia's leading food and grocery delivery platform. The latest version of GOOD Meat’s cultivated chicken will become available in Singapore following its debut at COP27. ]]>