If you love plant-based food and work in the industry, you do not want to miss The Plant Base’s Taste Challenge! The Plant Base has announced its esteemed judges for the upcoming competition. We are thrilled to reveal that these experts are not only experienced in their respective fields, but they are also passionate about all things plant-based. Plant-based enthusiasts should be sure to tune in and watch the full stream. It promises to be a captivating event with insightful discussions, practical demonstrations, impressive displays of culinary creativity and, of course, lots of tasting! Chef Mike Colletti Our first judge, Chef Mike Colletti, has become a pioneer of plant-based innovation, bringing his classical fine dining and Italian culinary background to the table to craft the plant-based fast foods of the future. In 2019, Chef Mike co-founded PLNT Burger and delivered a menu that featured classic comfort foods reimagined and reconstructed with plants. As an authority on plant-based products and the Director of Culinary Innovation at PLNT Burger, Chef Mike continues to shape the future and push the limits of plant-based deliciousness. PLNT burger now has 14 locations and is positioned to take over the world of planet-friendly, plant-based fast food. Rebecca (aka Vegan Bodegacat) Stepping out of their digital screen, our second judge Rebecca, more commonly known as Vegan Bodegacat on Instagram, is a NYC based food content creator focusing on vegan restaurants, recipes and hidden gems for affordable plant-based options. We spoke with Rebecca to find out what she is looking forward to seeing from this year’s challenge: “In the past few years particularly, vegan options have become more accessible and innovative than ever before and it’s been such a pleasure seeing the plant based food industry grow”. She will be judging on the following criteria: Market Need: Does this product fill a current hole in the plant based market and does it do it well? Innovation: Does this product showcase a novel ingredient or technique application to produce an impressive texture, flavour, or nutritional profile? Nutrition: Does this product merely mimic the taste/texture of a typically non-vegan product or does it provide protein, micronutrients, etc? Taste/Texture: Would I be excited to show this product to a non-vegan? Or does something about its appearance/taste/texture make it something only an experienced vegan would eat? Melissa Bradshaw And last but not least is The Plant Base’s own editor, Melissa Bradshaw. In her role, she often finds herself fascinated by how the plant-based industry is evolving and adapting in line with wider food and beverage trends. To grab her attention, businesses must offer something truly unique and ahead of the game, whether that be a juicier-than-ever plant-based meat cut made with innovative new ingredients, or a branding strategy that encourages even the most carnivorous of consumers to give vegan food a try. “I’ll be looking for sensory qualities – taste, texture, mouthfeel – that achieve both what the consumer wants and what the developer is aiming to deliver, whether that be mimicking a much-loved non-vegan product or delivering an entirely new, unique taste experience”. The Plant Base is proud to have these amazing individuals on board, and we can’t wait to see what the competition holds. So, make sure to tune in and watch the full stream. This promises to be a captivating event that will leave you feeling inspired and empowered to take your plant-based game to the next level! Make sure to check back on Thursday 7 September to watch the feature-length stream via The Plant Base’s website and social media accounts. For those joining us at Plant Base World Expo in New York, we look forward to trying and tasting your products! #PlantBasedTasting #PlantBasedWorldExpo #NewYork #TasteChallenge #judges

We are ready to announce the World Plant-Based Innovation Awards 2023 expert judging panel! This esteemed list will be responsible for evaluating and recognising the most innovative and exceptional plant-based products of the year. Now in its 4th year, these awards celebrate those in the industry pushing the boundaries of what we eat in the plant-based sector. To ensure we celebrate the latest innovations, FoodBev Awards introduced 5 new categories this year dedicated to the particular attributes that assist plant-based product innovation, including health, ingredient and technology innovations. Make sure to join The Plant Base at Plant Based World Expo North America, Thursday 7 September, 3:15pm at the Learning Garden Theater for a special ceremony where we will announce this years winners! Stay tuned for our shortlist announcement in the next few weeks by subscribing to our free plant based newsletter. Without further ado, let’s get to know the World Plant-Based Innovation Awards 2023 judging panel: Florence Dusseaux Vegan Expert, Vegg2Food Florence Dusseaux is a vegan expert for consulting agency Vegg2Food. She helps the transition towards a plant-based food system, through marketing and communication, strategy, business development and project lead. Florence has been a vegan since 2015 but passionate about food since the beginning of her entrepreneurial career. In 2021, she was nominated as an influential plant-based food promoter among eight other French influencers for the first plant-based food award in France. Florence is also co-founder of La Pondation de Félicie: a sanctuary for laying hens. Florence helps companies around the world (Canada, UK, India, South Africa, Caribbeans) to promote their plant-based alternatives from the idea to the final destination: consumer plates. Every week she decrypts food tendencies in the plant-based innovative sector in France and around the world. Her motto is: Changing the world through plant-based food, one meal at a time. Marina Carli Innovation Director and Co-founder, Solucionaria It’s an honour and pleasure once again to be part of the judging panel at the World Plant-Based Innovation Awards 2023. Last year the awards were incredible and this year I hope to be impressed by all the innovation in the plant-based industry. Working as a consultant for plant-based food and beverages, I have experienced many challenges through my clients. Innovation is not only about the flavour, it has to bring a whole experience (process, ingredients, nutrition, package, purpose and sustainability). When developing a new product, you need to think beyond what the company desires and delve into what the consumers crave. Dive into the trends, talk to people, take a look at the shelves of the supermarket and check what your competitors are doing. Collect all the information to make sure it is the right path before you start, don’t rush. Knowing what you want is important, but knowing what your consumer wants is the key to a killer product. As an entrepreneur I am a huge fan of disruptive innovations, such as 3D printing and cultivated meat, but I recognise that “smaller” innovations can also be life-changing, especially when it comes to bringing them to the big masses, making plant-based food accessible for all people. That is my main goal: to work toward more sustainable, feasible and, of course, delicious food. Francesco Benazzi Senior Vice President for Dairy Alternatives, Growthwell Foods Singapore A C-Level professional with almost 20 years of experience in Asia, Francesco Benazzi stepped into the plant-based world in 2015 in Hong Kong, where he led the launch of the OraSi brand in 12 countries around Asia. Currently he is senior vice president for dairy alternatives at Growthwell foods, a Temasek invested company. Lactose intolerant, a coffee lover and a plant-based food enthusiast, he is married and the father of two beautiful kids. Melissa Bradshaw Editor of The Plant Base, FoodBev Media In my role, I often find myself fascinated by how the plant-based industry is evolving and adapting in line with wider food and beverage trends. To grab my attention, businesses must offer something truly unique and ahead of the game, whether that be a juicier-than-ever plant-based meat cut made with innovative new ingredients, or a branding strategy that encourages even the most carnivorous of consumers to give vegan food a try. I will be looking for: Mission: What key challenges is your business aiming to solve? For me, stand-out entrants will have considered what is important to them, where the real gaps in the market are and how they can make a real, lasting positive impact. Eating experience: I’ll be looking for sensory qualities – taste, texture, mouthfeel – that achieve both what the consumer wants and what the developer is aiming to deliver, whether that be mimicking a much-loved non-vegan product or delivering an entirely new, unique taste experience. Sustainability: For many plant-based consumers, having a positive impact on the planet is a huge driving factor behind their dietary choices. It’s important that companies are considering their environmental impact, and I’ll be looking out for evidence of this during the judging process. Nutrition: Nutritional health is another critical consideration in many plant-based consumers’ dietary choices. I will be on the lookout for products able to offer a balanced nutritional profile alongside meeting high standards of quality and taste. Personality: The way that businesses are communicating with their target demographic has become smarter. I’ll be looking for witty, stand-out branding and a tone of voice that really draws the consumer in. Bao Zhan Chief Scientist, Vesta Food Lab Bao Zhan is the chief scientist of Vesta Food Lab, a meat analogue manufacturer in China. He has worked for BASF in Germany and Singapore on nanotechnology and macromolecules. He is a food writer and a science advisor for the food documentary “Once Upon a Bite”. He was one of the 15 named inspectors for the Meituan Black Pearl Restaurant Guide 2020 in China. He was also on the judging panel of World Plant-Based Awards 2022. The kind of innovation I am looking for: A product concept that is truly creative Innovations bringing huge potential to a new food raw material The first industrial use of new technologies in the food industry The first industrial use of a new packaging material in the food industry A small but ingenious twist on an old technology that boosts the efficiency Tawanda Muzhingi Director of International Programmes, Plant Based Foods Institute Tawanda Muzhingi is a food scientist, nutritionist and a development expert working with Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA)’s Plant Based Foods Institute (PBFI) as the director of international programmes. Tawanda joined PBFI from Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International’s Innovation Advisors Group when he was an Innovation Advisor in the Food and Agriculture practice. Prior to RTI, Tawanda worked at the CGIAR with the International Potato Center (CIP) and the Roots, Tubers and Bananas Program of the CGIAR as a Senior Scientist and Flagship Leader based in Nairobi, Kenya. At CIP and RTB, Tawanda led the market systems development, nutrition sensitive agriculture and commercialisation of roots, tubers and banana crops. Before joining CIP, Tawanda worked for ten years at the Jean Mayer United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Services (ARS) Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, in the Carotenoids and Health Laboratory at Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA. Tawanda obtained his PhD Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition and M.S. Food Policy and Applied Nutrition from the Gerald J and Dorothy R Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Boston, MA, USA, and Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition from the University of Zimbabwe. Tawanda is also adjunct professor in the Department of Food, Bioprocessing & Nutrition Sciences at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC. Tawanda is co-founder and chief innovation officer at a startup, YESBreadCo, based in Bloomington, IN. Marisa Heath Chief Executive, Plant-based Food Alliance Marisa Heath is chief executive of the Plant-based Food Alliance UK and has worked for over 18 years as a policy adviser and campaigner on sustainable and ethical food systems, climate change and animal welfare. She has run campaigns on behalf of a number of sector groups, relating to food production, food waste, nutrition, climate change, biodiversity and animal welfare standards. Marisa is also a founding member of the International Plant-based Food Working Group including the US, Canada, China, India, Mexico and the EU. Marisa’s particular interest is in novel foods and innovation. The Plant-based Food Alliance represents members from industry, NGOs and farming including Alpro, Oatly, Upfield, Sheese, Pro Veg and Quorn. It advocates for more policy support for growth of the sector and involves keeping government informed on key trends, opportunities in investment and export, regulatory impacts and the alignment to environmental objectives. Stephanie Lind Chief Development Officer, Elohi Strategic Advisors Foodservice continues to be a viable and reliable method for launching plant-based products. Consumers are willing to try new products and to pay a premium for something new and special in a foodservice environment. Especially for smaller companies, foodservice can also be a great way to manage resources, capacity and cash flow. Here’s what I’ll look for as I judge products: 1.Products that fill an operators’ three needs. More people: Will your product drive traffic? Will people go to a restaurant looking for that item? This can be difficult for manufacturers to control. Lower costs: Can you reduce labor and food costs? Is your solution a time-saver in the kitchen, or easier for back of house to manage? Does it increase shelf life, and reduce food waste? Higher checks: If your product means the vegan, the vegetarian, or the person who’s watching her cholesterol – the veto vote — can find something on the menu, then you’re helping people choose that restaurant rather than another one. 2. Products that taste good in foodservice applications. How versatile is your product? Will it work as a standalone? Will it work as an ingredient? Can operators use it across day-parts? Does it taste good and can it work across an operator’s whole menu? 3. Products with solid supply chains. What can you do in foodservice, and when can you do it? Do you have more than one production location? Do you own your manufacturing, or is it co-man? What certifications do you have? Products should have a strong supply chain – manufacturing, ingredients, packaging, logistics. And extend that all the way to having a clean message that resonates with foodservice. The best product is one operators and distributors can rely on receiving and that their sellers or waitstaff can sell. Stay up to date with our awards by visiting the dedicated FoodBev Awards website www.foodbevawards.com The shortlist of the World Plant-based Innovation Awards 2023 will be announced shortly. #judgingpanel #FoodBevAwards #awards #WorldPlantBasedInnovationAwards #judges

The World Plant-based Innovation Awards are back for 2024, and the FoodBev Awards team is thrilled to introduce the first of its esteemed panel of judges! Meet Marina Carli, returning to the judging panel for the third consecutive year. Read on to find out what Marina will be looking out for this time... I'm incredibly excited to join the World Plant-based Innovation Awards 2024 as a judge for the third consecutive year! This event is a fantastic celebration of the creativity and excellence in the plant-based food and drink industry. With a focus on manufacturing and production, it highlights the innovative final products that are shaping the future of food. With seven years of experience as a food engineer specialising in the development of healthy and vegan products, I've witnessed firsthand the rapid growth and increasing competition in the plant-based sector. Each year brings more products and cutting-edge technologies, making it both challenging and rewarding to stand out in the market. One of the biggest hurdles is staying ahead in a perpetually evolving industry. Innovation transcends merely creating delicious flavours – it encompasses crafting a holistic experience that includes ingredient selection, nutritional value, packaging, sustainability and a clear sense of purpose. Keeping pace with the latest trends, engaging with consumers, and scrutinising market data are crucial for maintaining relevance. Throughout these experiences, I've learned the importance of adaptability and continuous education. Embracing new technologies and methods while staying attuned to consumer desires is essential. Collaboration and an open-minded approach are key to navigating the complexities of product development and achieving lasting success. I'm passionate about driving impactful changes that make plant-based foods more accessible and appealing to a wider audience. My ultimate goal is to contribute to a more sustainable, practical, and enjoyable food future. This year's awards provide an excellent platform for plant-based brands to achieve global recognition for their innovation. Being shortlisted is a hallmark of success, highlighting the significant contributions these companies and their teams are making to the industry. I'm looking forward to seeing the innovative entries this year and celebrating the remarkable achievements within our vibrant community!

Soft drink brand 7Up is unveiling an exclusive three-piece barbecue condiment range in the UK, developed in partnership with Twisted. The collection draws inspiration from 7Up’s lemon and lime flavours. It includes a ‘Zesty Mayonnaise’, ‘Zingy Hot Sauce’ and ranch-style ‘Tangy Salad Dressing’. Each condiment, all of which are vegan-friendly, are designed to elevate UK summer barbecue occasions. A selected number of winners will be able to try the limited-edition range via a social media competition run by 7Up, or in-person via a giveaway at one of the brand’s ‘Coolbox’ pop-up installations. The installations will appear at popular UK locations such as London’s Battersea Power Station, and food festivals like Pub in the Park. Karina Carrico, senior marketing lead for 7Up, said: “We're absolutely fizzing with excitement to unveil the BBQ Range by 7Up, here to take the nation’s barbecue game up a notch this summer”. She added: “Our range features three standout products: the luxurious Zesty Mayonnaise, perfect for adding a citrusy twist to any dish; the aromatic Zingy Hot Sauce, sure to bring the heat to any meal; and the Tangy Salad Dressing, ideal for adding a smooth and flavourful finish to any food, levelling up every meal”. #7Up #UK

Miyoko’s Creamery, a US-based plant-based dairy brand, has unveiled two new oat milk butters in ‘Garlic Parm’ and ‘Cinnamon Brown Sugar’ flavours. The new oat milk butters use traditional dairy creamery methods to create a product that appeals to both ‘dairy and dairy-free enthusiasts,’ the brand said in a statement announcing the launch. Miyoko’s latest creations aim to bring a bold and complex flavour to meals, underscoring the brand’s commitment to creating high-quality dairy alternatives while uncovering new flavours in both sweet and savoury varieties. The new flavours are an extension of the brand’s classic oat milk butter product, made with a base of organic cultured oat milk. They are designed to enhance anything from sourdough bread and baking recipes through to sautéing. Stuart Kronauge, CEO at Miyoko’s Creamery, said: “With these fresh additions, we want to capture the simple joy and nostalgia of that first bite consumers experience when they crunch into warm toast topped with savoury butter. This represents our dedication to crafting rich tasting and satisfying products while remaining true to our values of utilising recognisable ingredients.” The new flavours will debut at Whole Foods stores across the US in a 6oz tub format, with a suggested retail price of $4.99. Top image: © Miyoko's Creamery #MiyokosCreamery #US

Apparo, a plant protein solutions company, has partnered with global ingredients specialist Döhler to deliver nutritious plant-based ingredients to the food and beverage market. The joint development agreement will see Apparo combine its proprietary processing approach and ingredients with Döhler’s pipeline of ingredient systems and integrated solutions for the food, beverage and nutrition industry. Apparo’s Total Crop Utilization System uses patent-pending processing technologies to upcycle protein, and other nutritional ingredients, from food byproducts. Its current focus is on upcycling sunflower protein. The company aims to meet the demands of the rapidly growing plant-based food and nutrition market, while reducing environmental impact. Ian Mackay, CEO at Apparo, commented: “We are enthusiastic about working closely with Döhler, an established and innovative supplier to the food and nutrition industry. We look forward to the development of significant commercial opportunities.” Döhler has more than 45 production sites, and 75 offices and application centres, operational in over 160 countries. Its workforce of more than 9,500 employees includes 1,000 staff in R&D, focusing on science, technology and innovation. #Apparo #Döhler

Umiami, a producer of clean label plant-based meat alternatives, has opened a new 14,000-square-metre factory in Alsace, France. The facility, which will produce plant-based meat and seafood products, was inaugurated this week following a total investment of €38 million. It was supported by €7.5 million funding from France 2030, €1.5 million from the Grand Est Region, and €1.5 million from European EDRF funds. Umiami carried out three years of development and scaling up of production, previously undertaken at a research centre in the Paris region, prior to launching the facility. Spanning a 3.7-hectare site, the food-tech factory employs 53 staff and boasts an annual production capacity of 7,500 tonnes. Umiami plans to increase this to 20,000 tonnes in the future. The inauguration on 18 March was attended by guests such as government officials, regional representatives and local leaders. Original investors and partners including Bpifrance, Astanor Ventures and Redalpine were also present to show their support. Umiami claims that the factory is a ‘world-first,’ focusing solely on large-scale production of plant-based meat and fish fillets using the company’s unique ‘umisation’ texturizing technology. This innovative approach was developed to accurately replicate the taste and texture of thick, whole pieces of meat or fish while preserving their nutritional integrity. Umiami’s plant-based fillets, based on a simple recipe of under ten ingredients, do not contain texturizing agents or additives and allow the brand to meet the rising demand for clean label products within the category. Nicolas Dufourcq, executive director at Bpifrance, commented: “The inauguration of this first factory marks a pivotal moment in Umiami’s journey, following years of development of a unique technology, and illustrates the ambitions of the SME and Industrial Start-ups plan that we are supporting”. He added: “Over and above the challenges of reindustrialisation in the Alsace region, the company is developing innovations that will help to promote our agri-food expertise, taking into account the challenges of a low-carbon transition, and we are proud to have supported it throughout the various phases of its development”. #Umiami #manufacturingplant #facilities #meatalternatives #plantbasedmeat #altmeat #France #alternativeproteins #cleanlabel

Paris-based start-up Edonia has secured €2 million ($2.1 million) in funding to leverage microalgae in the creation of protein-rich ingredients that promise to transform the consumption of meat alternatives. Led by CEO Hugo Valentin, Edonia is at the forefront of a burgeoning market for commercial algae, which is projected to reach a value of $25.4 billion by 2033. With this recent investment, the company aims to tackle one of the biggest challenges in plant-based foods: taste. Microalgae, while nutrient-dense, can have a bitter taste and unappealing green colour. Edonia’s “edonisation” process aims to change that by converts microalgae biomass into a textured super ingredient that features desirable attributes including enhanced taste, aroma, texture and nutritional benefits. The company’s flagship product, Edo-1, offers a meat-like texture and umami flavour, making it an ideal substitute for ground meat in dishes like meatballs. Moreover, Edo-1 boasts a 30% protein content, along with essential amino acids, minerals and vitamins. Beyond taste and nutrition, Edonia is also committed to sustainability. According to Valentin, Edonia’s product emits significantly fewer greenhouse gases compared to traditional ground meat and textured soy alternatives. This aligns with the growing consumer demand for environmentally friendly food options. Looking ahead, Edonia plans to scale up production and bring its microalgae-based ingredient to market by the end of the year. With an initial focus on European markets, the company aims to expand globally through strategic partnerships. The €2 million investment, led by Asterion Ventures and supported by BPI, will fuel Edonia’s growth efforts, including the development of a pilot plant and further research and development. The company has also welcomed industry experts Alexis Angot and Laurent Cardinali to its board. #Edonia #microalgae #plantbasedmeat #taste

The French government has this week published a decree that will ban the use of meat-related terms, such as ‘ham’ and ‘steak,’ in the labelling of plant-based meat alternative products. The decree was originally published in 2022, but was suspended following a complaint from Protéines France, an industry consortium of plant-based and alternative protein companies. Now, a revised version has been published detailing a long list of meat-related terms that will be prohibited in the labelling of plant-based meat alternatives. Prohibited terms include ‘ham,’ ‘steak,’ ‘escalope,’ ‘tendon,’ and ‘entrecote’ among others. These words, defined in the decree as relating to the names and groups of animal species, animal morphology or anatomy, will now be banned in the description, marketing and promotion of processed products containing vegetable proteins in France. A second list within the decree highlights words that may be used to describe food products of animal origin that do not replace animal products, but may contain plant proteins within their ingredients. It sets out the maximum proportion of plant proteins that may be used in such products using these terms – for example, products using the name ‘bacon’ must contain a maximum of 0.5% vegetable protein content, 3% for ‘chicken breast’ and 5% for ‘terrine’. The decree includes a clause stating that products that are manufactured or marketed in another member state of the European Union or in a third country are exempt from the ban. It will be brought into effect three months after its publication, after which time companies will be given up to a year to sell any products that were manufactured and labelled with the banned terms before the decree came into force. Breach of the restrictions will be punishable by maximum fines of €1,500 for individuals and €7,500 for companies. Martin Habfast and Tristan Maurel, co-founders of French plant-based meat brand Umiami, told The Plant Base that they are “dismayed” by the introduction of the legislation. They commented: “The French government had been championing innovation and the promotion of plant-based alternatives within the market. However, this development serves as a setback to the progress made by French food companies and manufacturers striving to offer sustainable and healthier meat alternatives.” “Our dedication lies in local production and economic development, driven by our pride in our expertise. Yet, this places us at a disadvantage compared to foreign competitors who aren’t bound by the same standards of transparency and precision.” Animal agri-food organisations in the country have been calling for tighter restrictions on the labelling of plant-based alternative protein products for years leading up to the ban, claiming that the use of ‘meaty’ terms is confusing and misleading for consumers. However, many plant-based industry players have spoken out against this, including ProVeg International. The company’s global CEO, Jasmijn de Boo, said that the decree is a “hugely disappointing and backward” development, adding: “Consumers are not confused by the use of meaty names for plant-based foods”. She emphasised that the government should be encouraging the consumption of “healthy, climate-friendly and animal-friendly food,” and that France should actively support the plant-based market’s growth through measures such as subsidies, research funding and public procurement contracts for alternative proteins. #Umiami #labelling #meatalternatives #plantbasedmeat #France #ProVegInternational #alternativeproteins

France’s Council of State (Conseil d’État) has suspended a decree brought forward by the French government in February, which would ban the use of names like ‘steak’ and ‘ham’ for plant-based products. This latest development marks the second U-turn in attempts to introduce such restrictions, with an original decree published in June 2022 suspended by the Conseil d’État in 2023 over legality concerns. In a statement published yesterday (10 April 2024), the Council affirmed that it has ‘serious doubt’ about the legality of the proposed ban – which was due to come into force at the beginning of May. Prohibited terms included in the February decree include ‘steak,’ ‘escalope’ and ‘tendon’ among others. Companies would face hefty fines of up to €7,500 if found to be in breach of the regulations once implemented. The Council said that the decree would cause ‘serious and immediate harm’ to manufacturers that are exclusively selling plant-based protein products in the country. Specifically, it added that implementing the ban in May would likely lead to a ‘significant drop’ in turnover for these companies. Costs linked to packaging, branding and other marketing strategies would impact manufacturers as a result of the ban alongside a temporary cessation of sales. As part of the proposed law, manufacturers who make their products in other European countries would be able to continue to use ‘meaty’ names to sell their products in France. In a statement offered to The Plant Base in February, French plant-based meat producer Umiami said this would “serve as a setback” to its business and others, placing it “at a disadvantage compared to foreign competitors who aren’t bound by the same standards of transparency and precision”. The Council of State is now awaiting a response from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) regarding the suspension, and whether the ban can go ahead. #Umiami #labelling #meatalternatives #plantbasedmeat #altmeat #France #alternativeproteins

UK meat alternatives brand Meatless Farm is continuing to roll back out across retail with the launch of a new pasta product, now available at Tesco. The new Chicken and Bacon Tortelloni SKU is filled with a chicken and bacon inspired base and plant-based cheese alternative, seasoned with garlic, salt and pepper. It joins the brand’s other plant-based meat-filled pasta products, which have also launched back into stores following the brand’s acquisition by VFC Foods in June. Other products in the pasta range include No-Duja Ravioli and Beef, Red Wine & Porcini Girasole. The brand is re-launching in Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Ocado, having made its retail return in August alongside the launch of a new pork and apple sausage product. Its plant-based mince has also now returned to Tesco shelves alongside the pasta line-up and its Chickenless Roast Joint. CEO of Meatless Farm and VFC, Dave Sparrow, commented: “Our customers and consumers are our number one priority, and we are delighted to deliver on our commitment of getting the range back on shelf for them, as well as launching NPD that continues to stretch the brand into different consumption occasions”. #meatalternatives #MeatlessFarm #Tesco #UK

From multi-million-dollar advertising campaigns aiming to convince viewers that plant-based meats are toxic and unhealthy, to misrepresented research findings giving rise to sensationalist headlines about meat alternatives ‘slowly killing’ vegans – the category has faced an onslaught of bad press over the past few years. Melissa Bradshaw, editor of The Plant Base, delves into the discourse around 'ultra-processed' plant-based meat. In recent years, ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have hit the headlines as numerous studies and reports bring awareness to potential health risks associated with this category of food products – a category largely dominated by pre-packaged convenience foods, often high in saturated fat, sugar and salt. The ‘ultra-processed food’ definition was conceived by researchers at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, as part of the ‘NOVA’ system – a classification framework that categorises foods according to their level of processing. It ranges from group one – minimally or unprocessed foods such as fruit, vegetables and unprocessed meat – through to group four: UPFs. The system defines UPFs as foods that have undergone industrial processing and tend to be formulated with a mixture of many ingredients, such as artificial food additives you wouldn’t find in the home kitchen, for enhanced palatability and increased shelf life among other purposes. The UPF category comprises food and beverage products you’d typically expect – calorie-dense foods such as chocolate bars, crisps, biscuits, ice cream and fizzy drinks. It also includes many consumers’ everyday diet staples such as packaged bread, flavoured yogurts and some breakfast cereals. Then, of course, there are ultra-processed meat products like sausages, ham and burgers – and their plant-based counterparts, many of which are created with additives to enable a more realistic imitation of the meat they emulate. But does ultra-processed automatically equal unhealthy? The issue may not be so clean-cut. In a world that loves to think in extremes, perhaps we could benefit from a more balanced view. Within plant-based, and more broadly, there is no denying the positive health benefits of a nourishing, whole foods-led diet. But not all UPFs are created equal. In studies assessing health risks associated with such foods, many tested UPFs contain high levels of sugar, sodium and saturated fat, while being low in other beneficial nutrients like fibre. We already know the health risks of consuming too many of these foods, and these unbalanced nutritional profiles are likely the main culprit behind negative health outcomes – rather than the processing itself. Additionally, it’s difficult to ignore the important role that food processing plays in preventing food waste. Many of the preservatives added to everyday food items are vital in extending shelf life and preventing spoilage, reducing environmental impact – around 6% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions are caused by wasted food. UPFs often also provide more convenience than whole foods – particularly for individuals who may lack the time, money, access to ingredients and cooking ability to prepare more ‘healthy’ meals on a daily basis. Alt-meat misinformation So what’s it all got to do with plant-based meat alternatives? Recently, as consumer awareness of UPFs has grown, pro-meat lobbyists have seized the opportunity to criticise plant-based meat substitutes. Many of these substitutes are classified as ultra-processed under the NOVA system, similar to numerous meat, bread and dairy products. Critics use this classification to undermine claims of health or environmental benefits associated with consuming vegan alternatives. The US group Center for Consumer Freedom – an organisation that advocates for the meat industry, funded by anonymous food industry members ‘from farm to fork’ – has launched a series of adverts in recent years targeting ‘fake meat’ and its ‘chemical ingredients,’ with one declaring: “If you can't spell it or pronounce it, maybe you shouldn't be eating it”. This has promoted alt-meat heavyweights like Beyond Meat and Impossible to launch their own advertising campaigns, bringing attention to the positive health and environmental impacts of their products as a replacement for conventional meat. Both companies also had their steak and beef alternatives certified by the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check Food Certification Program, which certifies products based on heart-healthy nutrition requirements. The latest blow to the category has come in the form of a slew of misleading headlines splashed across the mainstream media, reporting on a new study from the University of São Paulo and Imperial College London that was published in the Lancet Regional Health journal last week. The study assesses the impact of UPFs on heart health, finding that they are linked with worse health outcomes and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. It goes on to reveal that plant-based UPFs are linked with a 7% increase in the risk of cardiovascular diseases, compared with eating unprocessed plant-based foods. However, it classifies ‘plant-derived’ foods as products that don’t fall into the meat, eggs or dairy-based category – and includes foods that may still contain animal-derived ingredients even if not the ‘primary ingredient,’ like biscuits, pastries, confectionery, breakfast cereal, alcohol and salty snacks. Plant-based meat alternatives constitute the smallest food category within the plant-sourced UPF group, accounting for just 0.2% of the foods eaten by the study’s participants. Most of the foods within the plant-sourced UPFs group are consumed regularly by those following an omnivorous diet – not just vegans or vegetarians – and are already widely known to be associated with higher health risks if consumed in excess, many of them being classed as HFSS foods. With this in mind, the study doesn’t offer a huge amount of insight into vegan diets and plant-based meat in particular, instead showing relatively unsurprising findings about UPFs being less healthy than non-UPFs generally. Despite this, the findings have been misrepresented and the study direly misunderstood – headlines across major media outlets have used it to suggest that plant-based meat and ‘vegan diets’ are responsible for the health risks mentioned, rather than the categories taking up the largest share of the plant-sourced UPF group: packaged bread, pastries and cakes, and biscuits. One such headline published in The Telegraph, authored by a dairy farmer, reads: ‘Vegans are slowly killing themselves – there’s nothing healthy about ultra-highly processed fake “meat” products’. Commenting on the study, Hilda Mulrooney, reader in nutrition and health at London Metropolitan University, said: “The study remains limited to showing associations and causality cannot be demonstrated. It also relies entirely on the NOVA classification system and a number of concerns about this have been raised – particularly that it assumes that the health implications of a foodstuff are based only on the degree of processing, rather than their nutritional content.” She continued: “Although some may assume the message of this study is that all ultra-processed plant-based foods are bad for health, I think that in fact what the evidence in the study shows is that poor diets are associated with increased risk of chronic diseases. Too high an intake of any one group of foods is likely to result in imbalance, and I would have far more concern that healthy foods are made more affordable. Consuming lower quality foods is the only option for many people due to cost-of-living pressures.” What do we know about plant-based UPFs? It’s no secret to the food industry that many UPFs do have poorly balanced nutritional profiles and would not be considered ‘healthy’ options. The food industry should make efforts to improve the nutritional profile of these foods and continue to provide cleaner label varieties – while as consumers, we can certainly all work to include more whole foods in our diets and promote healthier lifestyles while keeping consumption of UPFs in moderation. The Imperial study showed that increasing the dietary contribution of plant-based non-UPFs by 10% was associated with a 13% reduction in mortality from all cardiovascular diseases, with a 20% reduction in mortality caused by coronary heart disease. This does demonstrate the benefits of adding more plant-based whole foods to our diets, regardless of where alt-meat plays into the picture. The focus on UPFs is not likely to dissipate any time soon – a recent World Health Organization report has identified UPFs and alcohol as two of the four products responsible for 19 million deaths worldwide each year. In particular, it states that 117,290 deaths per year in Europe are caused by diets high in processed meats and 252,187 by diets high in salt. However, as reported by FoodBev Media last week, food industry organisation FoodDrinkEurope’s science director, Rebeca Fernández, believes that the report – which groups UPFs and alcohol alongside fossil fuels and tobacco – is "highly misleading". She commented: “We all need food – and we all need processed food. Unfortunately, the WHO report does not acknowledge that there is no agreed definition of what ultra-processed foods are, let alone their impact on health, which is why last year the UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition and the Nordic Nutrition Guidelines concluded, respectively, that the evidence was insufficient to use UPF terminology to define public health guidelines and that it detracts from well-established food classifications and dietary recommendations.” She instead recommended that the best way to tackle dietary-related diseases is to focus on food’s nutrition content and the regularity of its consumption in conjunction with lifestyle, adding that European F&B producers are making efforts to reformulate products to cut salt, fat and sugars whilst boosting fibre and micronutrients. Elsewhere, a pan-European study published in the Lancet last year, as reported in The Plant Base magazine’s Feb/Mar 2024 issue, found that while higher consumption of UPFs was linked to increased risk of cancer and cardiometabolic comorbidity, this varied depending on the sub-category. It found animal-based products and artificially- and sugar-sweetened beverages to be associated with the highest risk, while plant-based alternatives were not associated with risk, suggesting that we need to approach the UPF category with more nuance – considering overall nutritional profile, instead, when examining the health benefits or risks of food and beverage products. When it comes to plant-based meat in particular, manufacturers and brands are paying attention to the clean label demand, endeavouring to provide tasty, nutritious and sustainable plant-based alternatives that are made with more natural ingredients and minimal processing. Start-ups such as Umiami and Planted are championing this area of development, delivering plant-based meat products that are made with short and simple labels and recognisable ingredients that won’t deter consumers from picking up a plant-based option. And bigger brands, like Beyond, continue to innovate to enhance the nutritional credentials of their offerings. The company’s latest Beyond Burger and Beyond Beef formulation provides 75% less saturated fat than 80/20 beef, 20% less sodium than Beyond’s previous iteration, no GMOs, and 21g of protein per serving, derived from peas, brown rice, lentils and faba beans. The products were the first plant-based meat alternatives to be officially certified by the Clean Label Project, which tests products based on the presence of impurities such as chemicals and heavy metals. Moving forward The food industry as a whole – including the plant-based category – must make conscious efforts to improve the health and nutrition of everyday foods consumed worldwide, encouraging healthier lifestyles and supporting consumers in making more beneficial and sustainable dietary choices. The recent Imperial and São Paulo study sheds light on the fact that we, of course, shouldn’t assume that any food is ‘healthy’ solely because its main ingredients are not of animal origin. Equally, we should consume more whole foods such as fruit, vegetables and grains, feeding our bodies a diverse variety of everything that nourishes it most. Research suggests that we should all be eating 30 different plant types every week for a healthy and diverse gut microbiome, as explored in the recent Netflix documentary 'Hack your Health: The Secrets of your Gut.' This includes fruit and vegetables as well as herbs, spices, pulses, nuts and seeds. In time, perhaps we will see a revised definition of an ultra-processed food, alongside further research into the effects of the processing itself. Until then, we can all make efforts to be more mindful of what we consume – with regards not just to food, but to the information we read about it.