Food science

The food science industry is innovative and extremely competitive. In particular sectors, patent protection is widely used to provide a competitive edge.

The HGF chemistry team has particular expertise in the food science field. The HGF chemistry team has particular expertise in protecting flavouring compositions, food preservatives, nutraceuticals, food and chewing gum formulations and food production and processing technologies.

Our IP expertise encompasses IP strategy advice, invention capture, drafting and filing patent applications, patent prosecution, portfolio management and infringement analysis. We also have experience of handling contentious proceedings and a number of our experienced patent attorneys specialise in opposition and appeal proceedings before the European Patent Office. We are regularly involved with complex and high-value multi-party oppositions.

We are well positioned to advise our clients in relation to all aspects of food science IP and have a reputation for providing high quality, pragmatic and commercially-focused advice.

Latest updates

HGF

UPC CoA confirms “gold standard” for added matter in Sibio v Abbott

Sibio Technology Limited v Abbott Diabetes Care Inc. [UPC-CoA-884/2025] – Court of Appeal of the UPC, Luxembourg (Kalden, Rombach, Simonsson, van der Burg, Rydman) – 13 August 2026 The Court …

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Microplastics in blue water

Cleaning up the laundry: Innovations in mitigating microplastic contamination from man-made fabrics

Microplastic contamination is widespread across our environment, and there are growing concerns about its effects on human health and ecosystems. In this article, we explore the issue of microplastic pollution …

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HGF

Patent restoration

Inadvertent or accidental loss of patent rights can be distressing for patent holders and indeed for IP practitioners. The most common reason for restoration is when a patent has lapsed …

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SPCs for Combination Products – Will CJEU need to look again?

Key takeaways National courts have diverged on the interpretation of the EU Court of Justice’s latest decisions on SPCs for combination products – in particular on whether data in the …

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Event - 16th September 2026

Basel seminar - New developments in SPCs

VENUE – Der Teufelhof Basel, The Archaeological Cellar Join us on Wednesday 16th September 5:30 – 8:00 pm (CEST) for our seminar on the latest developments in Supplementary Protection Certificates …

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Playing Loose – CJEU asked to decide on combination SPCs

In a new referral (C-262/26), the EU’s Court of Justice has been asked to decide whether a medicine which receives a marketing authorisation (MA) as a monotherapy, but labelled with …

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Excipient or active ingredient? Look to the marketing authorisation…

In his recently issued (non-binding) Opinion in the Halozyme referral to the Court of Justice of the EU (C-456/24), the Advocate General has delivered a decisive “no” to the question …

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Six Sectors. Six Golds. Financial Times: Europe’s Leading Patent Law Firms 2026

HGF has once again been recognised with ‘Gold’ rankings across all six sectors in the Financial Times Special Report – Europe’s Leading Patent Law Firms 2026. We are one of …

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Let's talk

If you would like to discuss how HGF could help you, contact one of our food science specialists.