All news articles for January 2012

Study points to MRSA-infected pork in US

Study points to MRSA-infected pork in US

By Carina Perkins

New research has found that nearly 6.6% of pork sold at retail in America is infected with methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria.

‘Cheese makes you chubby’ New York billboards scream

‘Cheese makes you chubby’ New York billboards scream

By Ben Bouckley

The US-based Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has taken shock tactics to consumers by posting two huge billboards in New York warning of what it claims are the obesity-related dangers of eating cheese.

Salmonella

Judge upholds USDA requirement for raw almond pasteurization

By Caroline Scott-Thomas

A federal judge has again upheld a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) rule that US raw almonds must be pasteurized in order to mitigate risk of salmonella, after organic almond growers challenged the rule.

Tropicana’s Pure Premium returns to Florida oranges

Tropicana’s Pure Premium returns to Florida oranges

By Caroline Scott-Thomas

PepsiCo is returning to using only Florida oranges in its Tropicana Pure Premium orange juice, saying that its decision was based on more people becoming interested in where their food comes from, rather than recent concerns over fungicide traces.

Asian FMD boosts US pork exports

Asian FMD boosts US pork exports

By Melodie Michel

The US was the world’s biggest pork exporter in 2011, shipping 2.24m tonnes, mostly to Asia, Canada and Mexico, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has revealed. November was a record month, with export volumes and value up 22.5% and 35% respectively...

Gulf seafood ‘as safe as before the spill’, says FDA

Gulf seafood ‘as safe as before the spill’, says FDA

By Caroline Scott-Thomas

“Gulf seafood is as safe to eat now as it was before the spill,” FDA deputy commissioner for foods Michael Taylor has said, as government agencies continue to try and reassure the public about seafood safety in the region.

Ralcorp board approves Post cereals spin-off

Ralcorp board approves Post cereals spin-off

By Caroline Scott-Thomas

Ralcorp has outlined the shape of the company after it spins off its Post cereals business, four years after it bought the maker of Grape-Nuts, Raisin Bran and Honey Bunches of Oats from Kraft Foods for $1.65bn.

BASF has announced it will halt all GM operations in Europe due to a lack of acceptance.

BASF pulls out of European GM market

By Nathan Gray

Ingredients and chemicals giant BASF has announced it will pull the plug on its European operations in genetically modified plant development due to a lack of acceptance in the market.

Salt increases blood pressure by adrenalin, not volume expansion

Salt increases blood pressure by adrenalin, not volume expansion

By Caroline Scott-Thomas

It has long been thought that excessive salt consumption raises blood pressure by increasing blood volume, but researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine have conducted a research review that suggests another mechanism may be at work.

One more cup of coffee for the (non-diabetic) road?

One more cup of coffee for the (non-diabetic) road?

By Ben Bouckley

Heavy coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a new study by Chinese researchers published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Ethical claims create health halos, study suggests

Ethical claims create health halos, study suggests

By Caroline Scott-Thomas

Ethical production claims such as ‘fair trade’ may influence how consumers perceive calorie content, according to new research published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.

Fatty taste receptor may explain fatty food preference: Study

Fatty taste receptor may explain fatty food preference: Study

By Caroline Scott-Thomas

Scientists claim to have discovered a fatty taste receptor in humans, which could make people more or less sensitive to the fat content of food and influence food preference, according to a new study published in the Journal of Lipid Research.

Are weight loss efforts working?

US obesity fell (slightly) last year

By Caroline Scott-Thomas

The number of obese adults in the United States declined slightly in 2011, according to a new Gallup poll, from 26.6% of the population in 2010 to 26.1%.

Argentine government vows vigilance over FMD

Argentine government vows vigilance over FMD

By Stephanie Garlow, reporting from Buenos Aires

The Argentine government has promised to be steadfast in protecting its valuable beef industry in the face of a renewed foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in neighbouring Paraguay.

Orange juice price spikes after carbendazim scare

Orange juice price spikes after carbendazim scare

By Mark Astley

The price of orange juice futures hit a 34-year high, after news that US food safety authorities would block imports of the fruit containing even low-levels of carbendazim – a fungicide commonly used in Brazil.

ADM to slash 1,000 jobs

ADM to slash 1,000 jobs

By Caroline Scott-Thomas

Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) intends to cut 1,000 jobs, or about 3% of its global workforce, as part of an effort to save about $100m a year, the company said on Wednesday.

Brazilian citrus juice producers hope the current US carbendizem crisis won't leave them high and dry (Picture copyright: guigo.eu)

US juice trade association fights Brazilian fungicide fallout

By Ben Bouckley

The US Juice Products Association (JPA) has moved to allay consumer concerns that orange juice produced in the country is unsafe, after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it was blocking some Brazilian imports found to contain the substance.

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