Mexico’s Ecomondo expo provided clear proof that agriculture can be a profitable market for green waste treatment companies.

The European Commission has decided to register a European Citizens' Initiative titled “Stop Fake Food: Origin on Label”. The organisers of this initiative call for the Commission to propose measures to ensure that European consumers have access to transparent information about the food they buy and that their expectations in terms of high quality and sustainability standards are met.

Kazakhstan's agricultural sector is undergoing significant development efforts. The National Agro-industrial Project targets to enhance the sector's productivity and value by transitioning to high-value products and modernising equipment. Despite challenges like extreme weather and outdated machinery, opportunities arise for Hong Kong to partner in modernising Kazakhstan's agriculture, expanding exports, and accessing new markets.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has modified its fees for three programmes under its jurisdiction: the expedited import programme, the food facility and importer re-inspections, and the accreditation of third-party food safety auditors.

Food safety has become a prime concern for consumers worldwide. Increasing numbers of countries and regions, including mainland China, the US and the EU, have implemented ever more stringent controls on food, whether locally produced or imported.

Food security is the second of the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Technological breakthroughs in agritech are offering new ways to increase the productivity and profitability of farming yields, while innovations in foodtech are improving the processing, storage, logistics and safety of food. Stakeholders in the Hong Kong foodtech ecosystem are embracing new technologies, business models, infrastructure and perspectives to revitalise the food value chain.

Food production needs to be doubled by 2050 to meet the world demand. In addition, there is growing consumer discomfort about the health impacts and sustainability of conventional animal protein. HKTDC Research interviewed Thomas Chen, the Senior Associate of Lever VC, to understand how they assess the prospects of foodtech companies, the trends in alternative proteins development, and the business potential of foodtech in Hong Kong.

Startups generally seek various support including capital, professional and technical advice, managerial expertise and so on. A Hong Kong-based venture capital firm, The Mills Fabrica, focused on accelerating techstyle and agrifood tech innovations through its venture capital fund and incubation programme. Cintia Nunes, General Manager and Head of Asia of The Mills Fabrica. shares how investors identify and measure foodtech companies’ potentials.

The European Commission announced last month that the EU Council, representative of the Member States, has officially approved a proposed ban on bisphenol-A (BPA) in food contact materials, set to take effect in 2026. Some transition periods will extend towards the end of the decade. The Commission noted that "limited exceptions where there are no available safe alternatives and transition periods will apply," provided they do not pose a risk to consumers.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is revoking effective from 2 August its authorisation for the use of brominated vegetable oil in food. The agency states that this action is being taken because there is no longer a reasonable certainty of no harm from the continued use of BVO in food.