Policy — The latest news about safe, sustainable and bio-based materials and products

EFSA Opinion on Risk Assessment for Biotech-Based Food and Feed Products

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has launched a public consultation on new developments in biotechnology applied to microorganisms and their products intended for food and feed use.

Climatetech Initiative in Massachusetts

The State of Massachusetts, US, announced a ten-year strategy to support technologies aimed at addressing climate change and promoting environmental sustainability. The sustainable and biobased materials, circular manufacturing, and innovations in sustainable foods that our clients are developing are at the heart of climatetech. We applaud the Healey-Driscoll Administration for their leadership.

Policy, Sustainability, Innovation, Leadership, Food Innovation, ESG, Bio-BasedFiona CaseFebruary 29, 2024new sustainable materials

Vireo and New Harvest publish regulatory and governmental perspectives on cultured meat safety research priorities

Vireo Advisors and New Harvest are excited to announce that we have published the outcomes of Phase II of the Cultured Meat Safety Initiative (CMSI). The paper catalogues key findings from an extensive series of interviews and workshops held with regulatory and governmental scientists worldwide.

Cultured Meat, Food Innovation, Safety, Regulation, PolicyFiona CaseJuly 8, 2023Cultured Meat, foodsafety

Nano and sustainable materials: testing, commercialization and regulatory roundup

Impactful updates to environmental, health and safety regulations and assessment methods for chemicals, advanced materials and foods headline our latest new roundup.

The UK reinstates a ban on animal testing for cosmetics ingredients

Another step towards more modern, mechanistic and humane approaches for the safety evaluation of new materials as the UK government responds to public pressure and reinstates a ban on animal testing.

Cultured meat commercialization and regulatory roundup

Our roundup of the latest cultured meat developments includes announcements from Mosa Meats, Meatable, Aleph Farms, Smart MCs, and UPSIDE, plus commercially-relevant research from Tufts, Kobe University, and Enzymit, FDA approval for consumption of gene-edited pigs, regulatory and governmental perspectives on cultured meat safety research priorities from Vireo and New Harvest, and new labelling requirements in Texas.

Refreshing nanotechnology environmental, health, and safety research

The U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) is seeking feedback from a broad cross-section of stakeholders as they refresh their Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Research Strategy and reflect on progress toward the goals set in 2011. We encourage individuals, non-governmental organizations, academic and research institutions, and the private sector interested in the responsible development of nanotechnology to join us as we contribute to creating an updated NNI EHS Research Strategy.

Nanomaterials, Safety, PolicyFiona CaseMay 9, 2023NNI

Cultured meat: commercialization and regulatory roundup

At Vireo, we keep close surveillance on commercialization and regulatory developments in cultured and alt-protein meat and seafood, and we have rarely seen as much activity as this! Here is our roundup of the latest developments…

FDA to modernize proposed rules defining the identify of foods.

The FDA announced today that they were withdrawing the “Food Standards; General Principles and Food Standards Modernization” rule, proposed in 2005 and were aiming to make FDA definitions and standards of identity for foods consistent with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and the standards used by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to inspect meat and poultry products.

Cultured Meat, Food Innovation, Guidance, Leadership, Policy, Regulation, SafetyFiona CaseFebruary 28, 2023FDA, Food Standards

New, open-access book highlights opportunities in the forest bioeconomy

Forest Bioeconomy and Climate Change examines how forests, forestry, and forest-based solutions can contribute to the development of a climate- neutral, circular-bioeconomy paradigm.