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Protein Industries Canada Invests $19.2 Million to Develop Plant-Based Ingredients

Protein Industries Canada has announced a $19.2 million investment to develop sustainable Canadian ingredients, focusing on plant-based foods. Avena Foods, a key participant, will utilize the funding to create oat and pulse ingredients, replacing common ingredients and processing aids in products by Big Mountain Foods, Danone Canada, and Old Dutch. Leveraging the new ingredients, these companies aim to introduce innovative snacks and reformulated products, including plant-based beverages, veggie links, pastries, and tofu alternatives. Minister François-Philippe Champagne highlights Canada's contribution to meeting global demand, with Protein Industries Canada contributing $7.3 million to the project.

French Government Bans "Steak" Label for Vegetarian Products

France's government passed a decree on February27, 2024, prohibiting the use of terms like "steak" and "ham" on vegetarian product labels, following industry complaints of consumer confusion. Exceptions allow some products with minimal plant content to retain meat-related names. Violations could incur fines of up to €1,500 for individuals and €7,500 for companies, although a one-year transition period is provided for existing stock. Producers from other European Union countries can still sell items using “meaty names” in France.

Los Angeles County Implements Plant-Based Food Procurement Motion

Los Angeles County passed a motion to cut greenhouse gas emissions by altering food procurement practices, including purchasing, selling, and serving more plant-based foods. The legislation targets environmental, public health, and farmed animal welfare concerns. The law entails revising nutritional standards to prioritize plant-based foods in county purchases and suggests methods for departments to increase plant-based procurement. Recommendations for reducing animal-based purchases are included, with the Department of Health Services initiating data collection on food purchases to estimate greenhouse gas emissions, marking a significant step towards sustainability.

Protein Industries Canada Partners with Konscious Foods and Others for Plant-Based Innovations

Protein Industries Canada announced a new project with Konscious Foods, Avena Foods, and Canadian Pacifico Seaweeds (CPS) to enhance plant-based product offerings in Canada. The project aims to improve nutritional content and develop new items such as nori and tamagoyaki plant-based egg products. Protein Industries Canada contributes $2.3 million to the total $5.1 million investment to help foster innovation in the Canadian plant-based food sector. Konscious Foods will utilize pulse ingredients from Avena and locally sourced seaweed from CPS to create new plant-based alternatives.

Israeli Lab-Grown Milk Protein Approved for Sale in Canada

Remilk, an Israeli food tech firm, has obtained Health Canada's approval to distribute its lab-grown milk protein to Canadian dairy manufacturers and food companies. The "letter of no objection" permits the use of BLG protein, produced via precision fermentation, in dairy substitutes like milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. The protein, equivalent to cow-derived BLG but created without animals, is deemed environmentally sustainable and lacks lactose, cholesterol, and growth hormones. Health Canada confirms safety, asserting the product is nutritionally comparable to whey protein. Remilk aims to partner with Canadian food firms to offer innovative, guilt-free dairy alternatives, excluding direct consumer sales or infant formula use.

Amsterdam Becomes First EU Capital to Endorse Plant-Based Treaty

Amsterdam has become the first European Union capital to endorse the Plant Based Treaty, backed by twenty-five municipal governments, including Edinburgh and Los Angeles. In a statement, the City of Amsterdam Council said: “By signing the Plant Based Treaty, the municipality of Amsterdam supports the global call to cities, organizations, businesses, and residents to contribute to combating the climate crisis by changing dietary patterns.” Additionally, the city adopted a motion to promote plant-based options in public institutions, aiming to become a “Plant Based Capital” through partnerships with major employers and organizations to ensure access to healthy, fair, and sustainable food citywide.

University of Toronto Café Adopts All Vegan Menu for Month of January

La Taula Verde, a café located in the Gerstein Science Information Centre Building library at the University of Toronto St. George campus, adopted a fully plant-based menu throughout January 2024 in celebration of Veganuary. This shift mirrors global trends, with businesses capitalizing on Veganuary's popularity. The University's Plant-Based Treaty student club successfully influenced the café's decision, aligning with efforts to combat climate change by reducing carbon emissions, land, and water use.

Arizona Introduces Bills to Ban Cultivated Meat and Regulate Meat Alternative Labeling

Two bills introduced in Arizona aim to ban cultivated meat and restrict labeling of meat alternatives. The first, Arizona House Bill 2121, introduced by Representative David Marshall, aims to outlaw the sale or production of cultivated animal products and allows affected businesses to sue producers for up to $100,000. The second, Arizona House Bill 2244, presented by Representative Quang Nguyen, seeks to restrict the representation and labeling of meat alternatives, preventing the “intentional misrepresentation” of products not derived from livestock. The bill covers laboratory-produced items from animal cells and synthetic products from plants, insects, or other sources. These legislative moves highlight ongoing debates surrounding the regulation and labeling of emerging cultivated and plant-based meat products.

Quebec Superior Court Rejects Rawesome Raw Vegan Inc.'s Challenge to Cheese Labeling Rules

The Quebec Superior Court dismissed a lawsuit by Rawesome Raw Vegan Inc., a vegan cheese company, seeking a declaration that vegan cheese products are not required to adhere to the standards of composition outlined for “cheese” in articles B.08.033 to B.08.054 of the federal Regulations Respecting Food and Drugs. This comes after Rawesome successfully appealed a 2021 conviction that found them guilty of violating food labeling laws by describing their cashew-based products as “cheese.” The Quebec Superior Court overturned the conviction, finding that the labeling laws only applied to dairy-based cheeses. The Attorney General of Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency brought a motion to dismiss the case, citing no live legal question, as there was no current challenge by the government to Rawesome's ongoing use of the term “cheese.” The Court ultimately agreed, noting that Rawesome didn’t have sufficient interest in the matter. National animal law organization Animal Justice intervened in the case, arguing that banning vegan companies from using common words like “milk” and “cheese” is a violation of the Charter rights to freedom of conscience and freedom of expression.

Health Council Urges Easier Transition to Plant-Based Diets in the Netherlands

The Netherlands’ Health Council advised that it should be easier for people to opt for more plant-based diets and reduce their meat consumption in a recommendation to the Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, and the State Secretary of Health, Welfare, and Sport. Proposing a reversal of the current protein consumption trend, the Council suggests increasing legume intake and reducing red and processed meat consumption. This shift, in line with Dutch dietary guidelines, is anticipated to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The Council estimates a 25 percent decrease in the environmental impact of food production, emphasizing the need for government and business intervention to facilitate the transition. To support the transition, recommendations include prominent placement of plant-based products in supermarkets and catering training for healthy plant-based options in care institutions.