FOOD

REBECCA GREGSON: Despite the established health and ecological benefits of a plant-based diet, the decision to eschew meat and other animal-derived food products remains controversial. So polarising is this topic that anti-vegan communities, groups of individuals who stand vehemently against veganism, have sprung up across the internet. To date, very little is known about these communities and the individuals who join them. Accordingly, in this study, we take a close look at the r/AntiVegan community on the popular platform, Reddit, and the social psychology of its members publicly…

VIJAY KUMAR MALESU: In a recent study published in Scientific Reports, a group of researchers assessed the sustainability of various diets based on protein sources, considering environmental, health, economic, and nutritional aspects... The study harnessed data from the NutriNet-Santé cohort, focusing on diets, nutrition, and physical activity's links to health. Participants, all internet-using adults in France, supplied information via regular questionnaires, including lifestyle and dietary habits... The study focused on a population primarily composed of women, making up 75%, with an…

JOACHIM STOBER: A recent survey of hundreds of veg*ns found that over half of them had experienced situations of everyday discrimination because of their veg*nism... Almost 10 per cent reported that at least one of their family members broke off contact after respondents revealed they were veg*n, and a similar percentage reported not being hired for a job because of their veg*n lifestyle... Consider the reaction from journalist Janet Street-Porter after seeing Tesco’s advert for vegan ‘pork’ sausages. The advert led to an opinion piece in which Street-Porter compared vegans to Stalinists…

GFI EUROPE: The Danish government has published the first ever national action plan outlining how the country can transition towards a more plant-based food system. The plan, released by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark, is part of a political agricultural agreement from 2021 and sets out how the government wants to strengthen and promote the Danish plant-based sector. The government’s vision is for Denmark’s production and consumption of plant-based foods to inspire the rest of the world. Actions include providing training to chefs in public and private kitchens…

ANAY MRIDUL: German retailer Lidl has announced that it will be introducing price parity for the majority of its plant-based alternatives to animal-derived foods via its own-label brand Vemondo. The grocer will also place these vegan products directly next to their conventional counterparts across all its stores in Germany. Lidl introduced its Vemondo range in 2020, which now boasts over 100 products (the retailer stocks a total of 650 vegan items across seasons). Now, most of the products under this label – which include plant-based milk, yoghurt, ice cream, cheese, meat products and ready…

JORDI CASMITJANA: As the number of vegans grows, so does the number of vegans who say they are experiencing discrimination in their workplace, in their schools, in hospitals and institutions and even on public streets during protests. All over the world, vegans have been unfairly discriminated against for upholding a philosophy that could save the planet. However, a growing number of vegans who’ve experienced prejudice and discrimination have taken their fight to the courts. Their success could become a cultural game changer. UnchainedTV’s Jane Velez-Mitchell gathered a panel of experts on…

MARINA ZHANG: In September, Moms Across America (MAA) submitted food samples from 10 popular American food chains to the Health Research Institute, an Iowa-based nonprofit laboratory that tests food for nutritional value, biofunctionality, and contaminants and toxins, requesting that the laboratory test the samples for over 100 common veterinary drugs and hormones. MAA is a nonprofit activism group formed by mothers intending to bring awareness to food that contains genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and pesticides. Molecular and chief scientist at the Health Research Institute, John…

ANAY MRIDUL: As governments and stakeholders discuss potential meat taxes to reduce animal consumption and help mitigate the effects of climate change, one major argument against these levies is that they would unfairly overburden lower-income households. A new study shows this does not have to be the case... Researchers from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research’s (PIK) FutureLab and the EU Commission’s Joint Research Centre have debunked the theory that meat taxes always harm low-income populations. The study, published in the Nature Food journal, examined how these taxes can…

MARTIN KUEBLER: A German cultivated meat startup has taken the first steps toward getting lab-grown sausages made from animal cells on supermarket shelves. In mid-September, The Cultivated B began early discussions with the European Food Safety Authority to eventually have its "hybrid sausage product composed of vegan ingredients, including significant amounts of cultivated meat" approved for sale. While that step is still likely months, or years, away, it's already a reality overseas. US regulators gave the green light for the sale of lab-grown chicken in June 2023, after Singapore became…

ALMA ELISABETH SCHOLZ: Vegetarian or vegan diets are not yet popular with most men, though they are beneficial for both health and the environment. Men's low preference for such diets might stem from the prevalent association of meat with masculinity, and of veganism with femininity. Accordingly, linking vegan nutrition to masculinity might help to develop a favorable attitude toward plant-based diets in men. The present study examined the effects of a masculine framing of vegan dishes on men's attitudes toward vegan food and veganism, and explored whether adherence to traditional forms of…