The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office have announced that they have formed a partnership with a global nutrition charity to encourage major food companies to improve the impact of their products on consumers’ health.  

The aim of the partnership with the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNI) is to encourage some of the largest food companies to help people at risk of malnutrition make healthier choices, particularly vulnerable populations in lower-income countries, including Bangladesh, Kenya, and Tanzania. 

The UK’s £2 million package of support will allow ATNI to carry out assessments of the world’s largest food and drink companies, over a 2-year period, gathering data on factors including how healthy and sustainable their products are. They will also aim to capture for the first time how well they support and meet the needs of communities that are at risk of malnutrition and preventable deaths, specifically of women and children. 

You can read more in the official government press release here. 

The Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) have published a report on reformulation by the food industry in the context of high fat, sugar, or salt (HFSS) products.  

As part of the UK Government’s Childhood Obesity Strategy, legislation restricting the promotion of products which are high in fat, sugar, or salt (HFSS) was introduced in October 2022 in England. Further restrictions on advertising and volume price promotions are set to come into effect from October 2025. HFSS restrictions are currently under consideration within the devolved nations.  

The report looks at the reformulation action that food businesses have taken in response to the legislation and can be downloaded for free here. 

The EU Commission has published an overview report which focuses on eight Member Statues and how their competent authorities developed control arrangements and strategies to combat fraudulent practices in the agri-food chain.  

Based on a project which ran between 2020 and 2022, the report presents the challenges, opportunities, and several good practice examples in relation to fraud related controls in the Member States. 

Fraud in the agri-food chain affects industry and consumers economically, undermines consumer trust and may lead to serious health issues. The EU has recognised the importance of tackling fraudulent and deceptive practices in the agri-food chain and since 2019 Member States are required to carry out risk-based controls to detect fraudulent and deceptive practices. 

You can download the report here. 

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recently published a Rapid Outbreak Assessment regarding three clusters of Salmonella enteritidis ST11 infections linked to chicken meat and chicken meat products.  

Between January-October 2023, there have been 335 reported cases related to the outbreak across 14 EU/EEA countries, the UK and USA and they have affected all age groups. Most interviewed cases reported consumption of chicken meat, including chicken kebabs. Nine cases in three countries were hospitalised and one case in Austria died, highlighting the potential for severe and fatal infections from this outbreak. Traceability information revealed that three Salmonella‐contaminated kebabs shared several Polish food business operators.  

Given the information collected, contaminated chicken kebab and chicken meat are the plausible vehicles of the human infections reported in these three clusters. However, in the absence of conclusive microbiological evidence and comprehensive traceability, the role of the identified final producers, their meat suppliers, and the possible involvement of other food business operators as sources of the infections could not be confirmed or excluded. 

It is expected that new cases are likely to occur, and the assessment recommends further investigations to identify the potential locations within the chicken meat production chain where the contamination may have occurred. 

You can read the report in full here 

The UK Science Minister George Freeman has announced that regional clusters of world-class innovation across the UK are to be backed by a share of £75 million that will boost local economies and pioneer game-changing solutions. 

Following pilots in Liverpool and Teesside, launched earlier this year, a further 8 Launchpads, facilitated by Innovate UK, will be rolled out across every nation of the UK. These initiatives will build on existing clusters of high-tech innovation in each region, such as renewable energy in Southwest Wales, Agri-tech in East Anglia and digital health in Yorkshire.   

Launchpads is a programme that supports emerging clusters of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by providing each Launchpad up to £7.5 million from Innovate UK to fund innovation projects led by local businesses. 

The £7.5 million bespoke funding from each Launchpad will allow SMEs in each region to bid for support that is tailored to the unique needs of each business cluster, helping them drive innovation, expand operations, and boost their local economies. 

Launchpads concentrate their support in specific areas of the UK with strong innovation capabilities. This approach encourages close collaboration with local leaders and provides tailored support, including funding for research and development, access to specialised innovation resources, and opportunities for SMEs to connect, share ideas, and participate in joint ventures. 

Teesside University has so far taken the lead in net-zero research projects, investing in initiatives like waste diversion technologies to reduce landfill waste and protect the environment. Meanwhile, funding for Liverpool City Region is backing 23 green projects including an eco-friendly concrete block to help protect coastal communities against climate change-related flooding, which has supported dozens of jobs. 

The funding follows a competitive bidding process involving more than 40 proposals from across the UK put forward by local leaders and carefully evaluated by a panel of Innovate UK directors, sector experts and academics. 

The project aims to establish world-leading, globally interconnected innovation clusters, catalysing increased employment, economic growth, and productivity within these regions.  

The 8 clusters, following investment in Liverpool City Region and Teesside, to receive funding are:  

• Net Zero Industry Launchpad – Located in South West Wales, this Launchpad is dedicated to the pursuit of sustainable solutions in net-zero industrial emissions 
• Digital Technologies Launchpad – Positioned in North East England, this Launchpad will be at the forefront of digital technologies applied into fast growth and emerging markets 
• Health Technologies Launchpad – Based in West Yorkshire, this Launchpad is dedicated to pioneering breakthroughs in technologies that will improve healthcare outcomes. 
• Agri-tech and Food Tech Launchpad – Nestled in Eastern England, this Launchpad will revolutionise agri-tech and food technology, driving innovation in food production and sustainability. 
• Marine and Maritime Launchpad – Located in the Great Southwest, this Launchpad will support initiatives in marine and maritime industries, fostering growth and sustainability in this sector 
• Bio-based Manufacturing Launchpad – Positioned in Scotland, this Launchpad will drive innovations in bio-based manufacturing, promoting sustainable production methods.  
• Immersive and Creative Industries Launchpad – Centred on Coventry and Warwickshire in the West Midlands, this Launchpad will champion technologies for the creative industries and immersive experiences, paving the way for groundbreaking innovations.  Innovate UK will deliver this Launchpad in collaboration with the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) 
• Life and Health Sciences Launchpad – Situated in Northern Ireland, this Launchpad is dedicated to the advancement of healthcare solutions and medical breakthroughs.