Animal-product Imports, Microbial Fats and Butter Consolidation

New EU import barriers affect foods of animal origin, ÄIO digitises fermentation scale-up, and Royal A-ware plans to acquire LaBan Foods

From 3 September, an additional EU positive list will determine market access for foods of animal origin from third countries. ÄIO and TFTAK are combining fermentation with digital process control, while Royal A-ware plans a targeted expansion into butter specialities through LaBan Foods.

Animal-product Imports: Antimicrobial Status Also Matters from 3 September

From 3 September 2026, a further market access requirement will apply to certain animals and foods of animal origin from third countries. The products concerned must not come from animals given antimicrobial veterinary medicinal products for growth promotion or increased yield. The use of antimicrobial substances reserved in the EU for treating certain infections in humans is also excluded. Imports require an official certificate and inclusion of the country of origin and commodity category on the new positive list [1][2].

The list in Annex XVIa to Regulation (EU) 2021/405 distinguishes between animal species and product groups. An ‘X’ indicates guarantees provided by the third country itself; a ‘Δ’ identifies goods produced exclusively from animals or products originating in approved countries. General EU market access for a third country is therefore not sufficient. Procurement and import teams must bring together the specific combination of country, animal species or commodity category, listed establishment and certificate.

Brazil makes the practical scope particularly clear. The Commission has deleted its previous entries for bovines, equines, poultry, aquaculture, honey and casings because it had not received sufficient guarantees of implementation by the deadline [2]. This is neither a maximum residue limit nor a batch-specific non-compliance finding. The decisive factor is the regulatory status of the system in the country of origin. As long as the listing is absent, additional testing of the finished product cannot close the gap.

Exemptions include composite products, gelatine, collagen, certain highly refined products, wild game, insects and samples intended solely for analysis and quality testing [1]. These exemptions make classification particularly demanding: for processed foods, the first question is whether the goods themselves are covered or fall outside this specific regime as composite products. For ongoing third-country supplies, the country–commodity matrix applicable from 3 September and the certificate actually used should be checked before authorising dispatch.

Microbial Fats: ÄIO Moves the Bottleneck to Process Control

Estonian biotechnology company ÄIO and research centre TFTAK are launching DigiFoundry 2.0, a three-year development programme for microbial oils and fats. Estonia’s Business and Innovation Agency, EIS, is supporting the project with up to €1.94 million; the total budget is approximately €2.53 million. The programme combines strain development, fermentation, automation and digital process control [3][4].

The development scope has expanded. The preceding project, running from 2023 to 2026, built a prototype for automated strain development and tested a design–build–test–learn cycle. DigiFoundry 2.0 now aims to connect biological development with fermentation control, real-time data and industrial reproducibility in a production system. ÄIO identifies carbon-rich side streams from the food, agricultural and wood industries as substrates; the target products are functional oils and fats for foods, cosmetics and other applications [3][4].

For food manufacturers, the underlying cost dynamics are decisive. With fermentation-derived fats, scalability and raw material flexibility depend on yield, oxygen and heat transfer, the by-product profile, downstream processing and batch consistency. If the side stream changes, the system must detect process deviations without allowing uncontrolled changes in the fatty acid profile, sensory properties or functionality. Integrated data management may shorten development cycles; robust industrial-scale cost and performance data are still outstanding.

Funding is not an authorisation to market a food. Whether a specific oil, lipid-rich biomass or derived component is classified as a novel food depends on the organism, manufacturing process, composition, history of use and intended application. A novel food requiring authorisation may be marketed only after inclusion in the Union list and subject to the conditions specified there [5]. For project partners, process scale-up and the regulatory dossier therefore remain separate but coordinated development pathways.

Royal A-ware: LaBan to Add Butter Specialities to the Portfolio

On 24 August, Royal A-ware announced its proposed acquisition of LaBan Foods. The Dutch dairy group intends to integrate specialist knowledge and a proprietary range of butter specialities. The transaction has been notified to the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets, ACM, and remains subject to its approval; financial terms have not been disclosed [6].

LaBan Foods has produced herb butter and other flavoured butter specialities since 1993. The company describes itself as the market leader in herb butter and highlights bespoke product development at a specialist facility in Bodegraven [7]. Royal A-ware would thus gain application-focused formulation, packaging and customer expertise alongside its raw milk and standard butter capacity.

The proposed acquisition illustrates the direction of part of the dairy sector’s consolidation. Value is increasingly created by combining fat ingredients, flavoured formulations, small formats and packing suitable for retail or foodservice. A larger owner may strengthen investment and supply capability for customers. At the same time, dependence on a more broadly integrated supplier increases. Until approval is granted, it remains unclear whether and how ranges, sites, supply contracts or contacts will be combined.

Wishing you a pleasant weekend, Andreas Gebhart

Sources

All sources last checked and accessed on 27 August 2026.

1. VO (EU) 2023/905, Art. 1–6.
2. DVO (EU) 2026/1189, Art. 1 und Anhang XVIa.
3. EIS: ÄIO erhält knapp 2 Mio. Euro für kostengünstigere mikrobielle Öle, 25.08.2026.
4. ÄIO: DigiFoundry 2.0, 25.08.2026.
5. VO (EU) 2015/2283, Art. 6–10.
6. Royal A-ware: Proposed acquisition of LaBan Foods, 24.08.2026.
7. LaBan Foods: Company.

Note: These updates provide technical context and do not replace legal, technological or product-specific assessment of an individual case. Image: AI-generated.