Solar Foods clears EFSA; EU cage ban leaks with a 12-year wait
EFSA's safety opinion on Solar Foods' Solein leaves the EU authorization vote about seven to nine months away, which matters for gas-fermented protein in Europe.
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EFSA's safety opinion on Solar Foods' Solein leaves the EU authorization vote about seven to nine months away, which matters for gas-fermented protein in Europe. [75]
02
A leaked European Commission plan would ban laying-hen cages, but with a 12-year transition that campaigners call far too slow. [119]
03
The American Medical Association adopted a policy calling for dietary guidelines free of industry conflicts of interest, per the Physicians Committee, which is suing over the current ones. [17]
04
A mouse study found plant fiber and indigestible plant proteins steered gut bacteria away from compounds linked to worse health outcomes. [1]
The Stories: the day’s biggest developments, in the sources’ own words
01▲InnovationStory
EFSA backs Solar Foods' Solein as safe, with EU authorization seven to nine months out
Photo: green queen
The European Food Safety Authority issued a positive safety opinion on Solein, the protein Solar Foods makes by feeding microbes carbon dioxide, hydrogen and oxygen. [68][75] The Commission now drafts an implementing act that member states vote on, and Solar Foods says that takes seven to nine months, which pushes authorization past the 2026 date it had guided. [75] Fazer, Solar Foods' largest shareholder, says it can launch Solein products in Europe as soon as final authorization lands. [75]
“This is a defining moment for Solar Foods, as the positive opinion enables us to advance our offtake negotiations, financing and preparations for the final investment decision for Factory 02”
Rami Jokela, CEO of Solar Foods, a company claim · [75]
By the numbers
12,800 tonnesa year of Solein from Factory 02, expected to begin operations in 2028, against a Factory 01 capacity of 230 tonnes this year [68]
October 29, 2021is when Solar Foods submitted its novel food application to the European Commission [75]
WatchThe Commission's draft implementing act and the member-state committee vote; Solar Foods puts final authorization seven to nine months out. [75]
FromGreen Queenvegconomist the vegan business magazine
Leaked Commission plan would ban EU laying-hen cages after a 12-year transition
Photo: <strong
The End the Cage Age coalition says leaked European Commission proposals, reported in the media and not confirmed, would ban cages for laying hens but allow 12 years to comply. [119] The coalition says major food businesses have already switched within 5 years and that around two thirds of the egg sector has already transitioned. [119] The Commission's July Livestock Strategy committed to cage-ban legislation for hens and broilers by the end of this year, and for mother pigs in the first half of 2027. [119]
“What we’ve seen of the leaked proposals could mark a historic step towards ending the suffering of millions of animals, but a 12-year transition is far too long.”
Annamaria Pisapia, spokesperson for the End the Cage Age European Citizens' Initiative Committee · [119]
By the numbers
143 millionlaying hens a year would be freed from cages if the proposals are confirmed [119]
12 yearsis the proposed transition, which the coalition says leaves cage-free farmers at a market disadvantage [119]
over 1.4 millionEU citizens signed the initiative behind the proposals [119]
WatchThe court ruling in the End the Cage Age legal action against the Commission is due on 25 November. [119]
American Medical Association calls for dietary guidelines free of industry conflicts
Photo: physicians committee
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine says the American Medical Association adopted policy on Nov. 9 calling for federal dietary guidelines free of industry-related conflicts of interest. [17] The Physicians Committee sued on Aug. 19, 2026 to withdraw the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, alleging that eight of the nine authors of the underlying report had conflicts, including ties to beef, dairy, egg, pork and low-carbohydrate industries. [17] The group also says Calley Means, an architect of the Guidelines, resigned on Oct. 22, citing frustration with policy inaction. [17]
“strengthened transparency, disclosure, and management of financial and non-financial conflicts of interest in the development of federal dietary guidelines and related scientific reports”
the new American Medical Association policy, as quoted by the Physicians Committee · [17]
By the numbers
Eight of the nineauthors of the advisory report behind the Guidelines had conflicts of interest, per the Physicians Committee's lawsuit [17]
Jan. 7, 2026is when the Guidelines were released [17]
FromPhysicians Committee
04▬Research & NutritionStory
Mouse study finds plant fiber and indigestible proteins steer gut bacteria away from harmful metabolites
Photo: sciencedaily
Researchers led by Jenna AbuSalim and Joshua Rabinowitz of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research reported in PNAS that both plant fiber and indigestible plant proteins shifted gut bacteria in mice toward phenylalanine-derived metabolites, which are associated with healthy body weight and better gut health. [1] They shifted bacteria away from tyrosine-derived ones, which have been linked to worse outcomes in cancer patients and kidney disease. [1] Isotope tracing showed the potentially harmful phenols came from bacteria breaking down the host's own proteins, including those in the protective mucus layer. [1] This is mouse work; no human trial is reported. [1]
“But to devise effective therapeutic interventions, we need to understand what aspects of the diet control which microbial outputs.”
Joshua Rabinowitz, director of the Princeton Branch of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research · [1]
FromDiet and Weight Loss News -- ScienceDaily
Worth Knowing
Food & Recipes
Chaka Khan's sister location of Plantbaed Café just opened in Serenbe, GA, where the Chaka Bowl layers black beans, ground walnut meat, cilantro-lime wild rice and pumpkin seed and jalapeño pesto, and the Serenbe Cobb Salad uses king oyster mushroom "bacon." [41]
Innovation
Twelve of 27 EU member states tax at least one plant-based food more than its animal equivalent, per a European Vegetarian Union report; Hungary charges 27% on plant-based drinks against 5% on cow's milk. [73]
LIVEKINDLY Collective completed its acquisition of Greenforce Future Food AG, the Munich plant-based maker, at an undisclosed price. [72]
Rügenwalder Mühle takes over Endori's retail brand and will launch four vegetable-based products under it in early 2027. [69]
Wins & Culture
Denmark's government says it will work for a national and EU-level ban on fast-growing Ross 308 "turbo chickens" after a TV2 documentary alleged welfare breaches at a North Jutland farm. [139]
Activism & Animals
Chimpanzees appear to learn when to blow raspberries from adults: across 91 chimpanzees, groups with adult role models used the call in one stable context, and groups without them did not. [94]
One Good Thing
Scientists missed a 15,000-pound baby. Researchers in Quebec photographed an unidentified North Atlantic right whale calf off Anticosti Island in September, and the New England Aquarium confirmed it was born months earlier and slipped past the winter surveys. [104] Its mother is Silt, 38 years old, and the calf makes 24 for the season, the best count since 2009 for a species of about 380 whales. [104] The scientists who study them said they couldn't be happier to have been wrong. [104]
vegconomist the vegan business magazine
