Media Release – October and November 2023

The Decision on Naming Beef ‘Veggie Burger’ to Be Resolved by the European Union (EU) Court, August 18, 2023

According to proponents of meat alternatives, the upcoming ruling by the EU high court needs to clarify the use of animal-related names for plant-based food products. While plant-based protein food products are gaining popularity in the European Union, uncertainty remains about how they should be marketed within the EU Single Market. The existing ambiguity is expected to be resolved as the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice (ECJ) addresses the 'veggie burger' debate. Elena Walden, senior policy manager at the Good Food Institute (GFI), stated, "This case will definitively determine whether the EU will adopt a harmonized approach to plant-based food labeling or force companies and consumers to navigate 27 different rules." According to Walden, the EU judges' interpretation will have far-reaching implications for the industry, as countries like Italy and Belgium are considering national laws to ban the use of meat-related terms for plant-based products.

Leading EU Health Organization Says Plant-Based Diet Can Combat Diabetes, August 16, 2023

Diabetes, a chronic metabolic disease characterized by high blood sugar levels, has serious effects on the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Over the past 30 years, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes, the most common form, has increased dramatically worldwide. With 422 million people affected annually and 1.5 million deaths directly attributed to diabetes, this global health crisis has prompted an urgent call for action.

Science has pointed to plant-based nutrition in addressing this issue. The global medical community has taken steps to make managing diseases easier. In this effort, the Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) has published new recommendations highlighting the benefits of plant-based diets in the management and prevention of diabetes. Published in the journal Diabetologia, these guidelines provide healthcare professionals with an evidence-based approach to care.

Global Developments

To Meet Decarbonization Goals, 50% of Asia's Protein Production Must Be Animal-Free by 2060, August 18, 2023

A new report highlights that countries in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific need to scale up alternative protein production by 2030 to help mitigate the climate crisis, as animal protein and related emissions should peak by the end of this decade. By 2060, alternative proteins will need to account for 50% of the region's total protein production to achieve decarbonization. The report, published by the Singapore-based Asia Research Engagement firm, emphasizes that alternative proteins are key to addressing the climate crisis on the world's largest and most populous continent. Focusing on China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, India, and Pakistan, the report calculated estimated emissions from protein production and revealed that none of these 10 countries are on track to keep their protein-related emissions under control.

New Study Finds Plant-Based Healthy Diets Slow the Aging Process, August 17, 2023, Vegconomist

A new study has found that a healthy plant-based diet may slow the aging process in the human body. The research was conducted over an extended period on a large group of Asian participants to explore the connection between plant-based diets and aging. However, since the aging process is complex and varies between individuals, the researchers used a newly developed biological age biomarker called MDage to measure aging in the study participants. MDage combines multiple biomarkers related to physical functions and provides insights into overall health. The authors revealed that this tool is a more accurate measure of aging than chronological age, as it better predicts all-cause mortality.

UN Climate Expert Says Extreme Heat and Water Scarcity Mean Global Food Supply Faces Major Risks Before 2030, August 14, 2023, Green Queen

Global food supply is likely to face significant disruptions long before temperatures rise to the 1.5°C target outlined in the 2015 Paris Agreement. Factors such as extreme heat, intense flooding, droughts, and harmful agricultural practices contribute to this risk. Former Ivory Coast defense minister Alain-Richard Donwahi, who led last year’s COP15 desertification summit, told The Guardian that “some very bad things, such as soil degradation, water scarcity, and desertification, could happen well before global temperatures increase by 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.” He emphasized that climate change is “a pandemic we must address quickly” and urged people to recognize how rapidly climate degradation is progressing.