When it comes to winning hearts and minds about the merits of genetically engineered ingredients (and whether to alert consumers to their presence on food labels), it’s fair to say that the biotech industry has not done a great job.
Genetic modification of oil seed crops will form an important part of the future omega-3s supply picture, according to Adam Ismail, executive director of the Global Organization of EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED).
Whether the food industry likes it or not, when it comes to GMO labeling, the “train appears to have left the station”, according to former FDA associate commissioner of foods Dr David Acheson.
Major retailers from five European countries have urged greater support of non-GM soy production in Brazil, as increased demand for genetically modified (GM) soy from China risks diminishing non-GM supply.
The Vermont House of Representatives has passed H.112, a bill requiring the labeling of all genetically engineered (GE) food sold in Vermont. However, there are plenty of hurdles ahead.
How can you get more bang for your R&D buck? How does Unilever gain deeper consumer insights online? Why don’t manufacturers share more information with key suppliers?
The price differential between Hain Celestial’s brands and mainstream grocery brands will close over time as the big guns in consumer packaged goods come under increasing pressure to source non-GMO ingredients, predict bosses at the organic and natural...
Founded in the same year that Edison created the first functioning light bulb, Thompson Brands is one of America’s oldest chocolate companies. But it hasn’t stayed in business this long by resting on its laurels, CEO Gene Dunkin tells Elaine Watson.
Nestlé USA and Mead Johnson Nutrition have dismissed calls to remove genetically-modified organisms (GMO) from their infant formula products in the US – citing the approved use of GMOs by several national and global regulatory bodies.
An Abbott Laboratories shareholder proposal to remove genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) from its natural products - including its Similac infant formula range - has been rejected, the company has revealed.
A bill requiring the labeling of GMO ingredients has been introduced at the federal level by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-CA and Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-OR. Even though the bill’s chances of passage are uncertain, observers see it as a watershed moment.
On day two of the 2013 Food Technology & Innovation Forum in Chicago, R&D bosses from the world's biggest food and beverage companies learned how Unilever gains consumer insights online, what Nestlé thinks about biotech crops and how McDonald's...
AquaBounty Technologies - which is hoping to become the first company to introduce a genetically engineered (GE) animal to the human food supply - says it has secured the necessary funds to “begin the initial commercialization program” should the FDA...
We have heard from attorneys representing food and beverage manufacturers about what Judge Richard Seeborg’s decision to throw out a lawsuit vs AriZona Iced Tea could mean for other ‘all-natural’ cases. But what do lawyers representing consumers in such...
Monsanto has joined forces with DSM to commercialize a genetically engineered soybean oil rich in the omega-3 fatty acid SDA (stearidonic acid) that can offer a more cost-effective means of adding omega-3s to foods without the flavor, stability and shelf-life...
Our approach to food is ripe for reinvention – and the food industry is just at the beginning of what it can achieve through innovation, according to Microsoft mogul and co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates.
Natural Food Certifiers (NFC) is offering an alternative to the non-GMO Project verified seal with the launch of a new product verification program called GMO Guard.
AquaBounty Technologies says it remains confident that there will still be a market for its genetically engineered (GE) AquAdvantage salmon if the FDA approves it, even though some leading food retailers now say they won’t stock it.
Big Interview: Terry Howell, director of business development, Suntava
Purple is hot (well, so says Dr Oz). From purple carrots, potatoes, tomatoes and cauliflower to blackberries, grapes, blueberries and cabbage, a deep purple hue is usually a good sign that fruits and veg contain a healthy dose of beneficial phytonutrients.
The Natural Products Association (NPA) has called for all foods containing GMOs to be “accurately labeled under a national uniform standard so consumers can make educated decisions about foods they purchase”.
As moves to secure GMO labeling continue to gain momentum at a state level, Whole Foods Market has “put a stake in the ground” and made a commitment to label all products containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in its US and Canadian stores by...
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) and Organic Voices, the group behind the Just Label It campaign, have announced a new collaboration to advocate for the labeling of foods containing genetically modified ingredients and to highlight the benefits of...
Organic Valley recently announced a plan to distribute more than $1 million in grants to fund research, education and advocacy on the production of organic foods. The grants have long term goals and a near term objective, with one of the biggest individual...
Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-OR is working on a bill that would make the labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms a matter of federal law, a spokesperson confirmed yesterday. If passed, the bill, which is still in its early formative stages...
AquaBounty Technologies - which has already spent years waiting for the FDA to decide whether to approve its genetically engineered (GE) salmon - will have to wait a little longer as the agency plows through almost 30,000 comments submitted since it gave...
GMO Inside, a national coalition of companies and organizations, has marshaled a public Valentine’s Day campaign to pressure Hershey and Mars to drop GMO ingredients or to label them in their chocolate candies.
Big Interview: Michael Shoretz, founder and CEO, Enlightened Ice Cream (Beyond Better Foods LLC)
Can ice cream actually be good for you - as opposed to just a little less bad for you? And if it can, will it sell? One man on a mission to find out is Michael Shoretz, founder and CEO of Beyond Better Foods, the start-up behind new market entrant Enlightened...
Herbal Papaya, a company founded on the health benefits of the fruit, will launch a complete line of food, beverage and supplement products at the Expo West trade show in March. A key part of the company’s message is that all of its products are non...
Supporters of a New Mexico Senate bill proposing mandatory labeling for genetically engineered food and feed say they are disappointed it died on the Senate floor last week, but remain confident that other states’ GMO labeling initiatives will succeed.
For Ben & Jerry’s, the Vermont-based ice cream company, taking the step to remove GMO ingredients from its supply chain was simply a matter of paying attention. Not necessarily to the news, to political pressure, or even to consumer attitudes. It...
Steviva Brands has launched a new stevia-based syrup blend designed to replace high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in beverages, and claims it is a no added sugar ‘magic bullet’ for sweetening drinks.
Sales of natural products featuring third party certifications surged in 2012, according to new data from SPINS, with non-GMO project verified products leading the charge (+18%), followed by Fair Trade USA (+17%), Certified Gluten Free (+17%), and Certified...
Cereal giants Kellogg and General Mills have both defended the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in their breakfast cereals in response to a January anti-GMO campaign against them.
Special edition: Protein-rich foods… the next generation
Protein has never been hotter - at least that’s what the market researchers tell us - and vegetarian proteins in particular are top of the pops right now.
New Mexico has joined Washington and California to become the latest US state asked to consider mandatory labeling for foods containing genetically engineered ingredients.
The boss of AquaBounty Technologies - which has spent years waiting for the FDA to decide whether to approve its genetically engineered (GE) salmon - says the tortuous process “has already had a chilling effect on research and investment in this field...
From new research into the relationship between excess dietary phosphorus and the risk of cardiovascular disease to questions over the accuracy of how we currently measure calories, 2012 was an action packed year in the field of food research. Check...
With a class action lawsuit filed almost weekly against firms making 'all-natural' claims, growing concerns over energy drinks, the specter of GMO labeling and new developments in the high profile legal spat over the labeling of high fructose...
In the second part of this FoodNavigator-USA special on what’s on the regulatory radar for the food sector’s key trade associations in 2013, we look at sugar, corn, dairy, and natural products & supplements.
What will 2013 hold in store for the food industry on the regulatory front? More changes to the school meals program? Action on energy drinks? Sugar reform?
Despite the ‘NO’ vote on Prop 37, the momentum behind sourcing non-GMO ingredients remains as strong as ever, with non-GMO Project verified sales up 66% and a new class action lawsuit against a major food brand over ‘all-natural’ claims on products containing...
While Prop 37 did not pass, the failure to disclose the presence of GMOs in foods that are marketed as ‘natural’ is still generating a steady stream of civil litigation, with Goldfish Crackers the latest brand to be targeted in a class action lawsuit...
As America went to the polls, FoodNavigator-USA and NutraIngredients-USA headed to Las Vegas for a week of partying, gambling (and a spot of networking) at Supply Side West.
Sales of organic foods and beverages rose 12.2% in the year to September 29 in the US retail market, significantly outpacing growth in the overall grocery market, according to data from SPINS.
Hain Celestial’s Greek yogurt brand Greek Gods has been shielded from the price wars raging in the Greek yogurt category and continues to go from strength to strength, with sales surging by 35% in the latest quarter, say bosses.
The ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ campaigns for Californian GMO labeling initiative Prop 37 kicked into overdrive this month ahead of the Nov 6 vote; Pepsi hinted at a big protein-based product launch, Unilever put Skippy on the block and Chobani faced some healthy...
Bosses at Amy’s Kitchen, Whole Foods Market, UNFI, Nature’s Path and Jimbo’s… Naturally have joined forces to tackle myths they claim are being perpetuated by opponents of Californian GMO labeling initiative Prop 37.
The dispute over whether Californian GMO labeling initiative Prop 37 will prevent manufacturers from using the term ‘natural’ on foods that contain no GMOs at all continues to rage, with Yes and No campaigns offering diametrically opposed interpretations...
