Bulgaria's parliament voted 173 to 0 to ban fur farming, adding one more country to a European list that now stands at 24 [85].
02
Amyris, back from bankruptcy, agreed to acquire precision-fermentation sweet-protein maker Oobli for an undisclosed sum, closing in the coming weeks [38][54].
03
The UK's food regulator published export guidance for cultivated meat firms, but it has approved no cultivated meat for human food [51].
04
The Soil Association will stop certifying Scottish salmon as organic over persistent welfare failings, and the industry body says certification continues [97].
05
A Yale analysis of 51 clinical studies linked diet-and-exercise programs to lower epigenetic age and found little effect from over-the-counter supplements, though a younger-looking biomarker does not prove a longer life [1][6].
The Stories: the day’s biggest developments, in the sources’ own words
01▲Law & PolicyStory
Bulgaria's parliament bans fur farming in a 173-0 vote
Erik Karits (via Pexels)
Bulgaria's National Assembly voted on 13 November to ban keeping, breeding and killing animals for their fur, with every party in parliament behind it, according to the animal-protection groups that campaigned for it [85]. The country's last mink farm closed in early 2025, so the law stops fur farming from resuming rather than closing anything [85]. It follows Poland's December 2025 phase-out law and Denmark's plan to close its remaining mink farms by August 2027, while the European Commission has still not issued its final decision on the Fur Free Europe citizens' initiative [85].
“The bill banning fur farms is a major victory for animals. At CAAI, we have spent more than 10 years campaigning to ensure that animals can no longer be skinned solely for their fur.”
Amyris agrees to acquire precision-fermentation sweet protein maker Oobli
Photo: AgFunderNews
Amyris, which emerged from bankruptcy in May 2024, agreed to acquire Oobli for an undisclosed sum, with closing expected in the coming weeks [38][54]. Oobli makes brazzein, monellin and thaumatin by fermentation, all FEMA GRAS-affirmed as natural flavors, and the companies say the proteins are hundreds to thousands of times sweeter than sugar and cause no blood sugar spikes [38][54]. Production stays with Oobli's contract manufacturer for now, with no immediate plan to move it to Amyris' Brazilian plant [38][54].
“Joining forces with Amyris gives us the scale and resources to realize our ambition of making sweet proteins the global standard in sweetness solutions.”
UK regulator publishes cultivated meat export guidance while none is approved for human food
Photo: green queen
The Food Standards Agency, with Food Standards Scotland, published a process map for exporting cultivated meat from Great Britain to non-EU markets, merging requirements from HMRC, APHA and Defra, among others [51]. The guidance does not guarantee market access, and the FSA has yet to approve any cultivated meat for human food [51]. It comes out of the FSA's sandbox programme, which runs until February 2027 [51].
“Businesses have told us that understanding the cross-government export process was a priority, so we have worked across government to explain the path to export cell-cultivated products from Great Britain to non-EU markets”
Thomas Vincent, deputy innovation director, FSA · [51]
By the numbers
9steps in the export process, from checking destination-country eligibility to surviving border inspections [51]
At least 6human-food applications are under review, including Ivy Farm Technologies, Aleph Farms and Mosa Meat [51]
2cultivated products approved for pet food, which the FSA does not regulate [51]
WatchThe UK-EU summit on 20 November is where talks on the sanitary and phytosanitary agreement are set to conclude, which could shape timelines for novel food applications [51].
Soil Association drops organic certification for Scottish salmon over welfare failings
Photo: plant based news
The Soil Association, the UK's largest organic certifier, said it will no longer certify Scottish salmon as organic after a two-year review found welfare and environmental outcomes were not meeting its "high bar" [97]. Salmon Scotland, the industry body, says the UK Government has assured it that farms will keep being assessed against organic standards with no loss of certification, so the two accounts differ on what happens to the label [97].
“While our standards ensure lower stocking rates and prohibit the most damaging chemical treatments, the evidence suggests that welfare and environmental outcomes are not sufficient for us to continue.”
Helen Browning, chief executive, Soil Association · [97]
“We have been assured by the UK Government that our farms will continue to be assessed against organic standards with no loss of certification.”
Cook this weekend: VegNews' cashew ricotta stuffed shells use 1½ cups soaked raw cashews, spinach and nutritional yeast in 12 jumbo shells, baked 20 to 25 minutes [33].
Activism & Animals
Investigate Midwest reports that more than half of US feedlot cattle now get Elanco's Experior (over $200 million in 2025 sales), that six pre-approval studies showed more lameness at the highest doses and two showed bloat, and Elanco says it remains fully confident in the drug's safety [83].
The UK consultation on phasing out CO2 stunning of pigs, a method Viva! says is used on 90 per cent of the 10 million pigs killed in UK slaughterhouses each year, closes 21 December 2026 [84].
In a home test with 38 cats, the odds of meowing at a closed food box were about 16 times higher when the owner was in the room than when the cat was alone [81].
Research & Nutrition
UC Santa Cruz researchers replaced all fishmeal and fish oil in rainbow trout feed with microalgae, and the whole-cell version matched the fishmeal control on growth and feed conversion while the oil version grew fish more slowly [9][66].
Innovation
AgFunderNews' weekly roundup lists a positive EFSA opinion for Solar Foods' Solein with Fazer preparing an EU launch, and layoffs of six US staff at the Good Food Institute amid funding challenges [37].
One Good Thing
Nine juvenile green turtles fitted with GPS trackers in the UAE's Al Qurm Wa Lehhfaiiah Protected Area spent over 80% of their time inside it [68]. Their favorite spot is a basin dug in 2003 for a waterfront development whose plans later changed, and they have five times higher odds of being found there than in surrounding habitats [68]. Researcher Owen Exeter calls it "a happy accident," and adds that without the natural mangroves connecting the system, it's unlikely this would have occurred [68].
This buttery vegan stollen is filled with orange-infused dried fruit, almonds, and a soft marzipan centre, finished with a generous snowy coating of icing sugar.
300 min16 servings19 ingredients
See the ingredients
150 g sultanas
75 g raisins
120 ml orange juice
60 g candied mixed peel
Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed orange
60 g blanched almonds (toasted and roughly chopped)
400 g strong white bread flour (plus a little for shaping)
7 g fast-action dried yeast
60 g caster sugar
5 g fine salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
180 ml unsweetened soya milk (lukewarm, plus up to 20ml extra if needed)
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