Breaking News on Food & Beverage Development - North America EU edition

Country-of-origin labeling: Not so COOL?

14-May-2009 - FoodNavigator-USA.com asks its readers what they think of Canada’s World Trade Organization complaint over US country-of-origin labeling rules.

General Mills Cheerios cereal is a drug, says FDA

13-May-2009 - General Mills has been told to change the marketing of its popular Cheerios whole grain cereal, as the health claims it currently uses classify it as an unapproved drug.

Canada renews dispute over US COOL rules

13-May-2009 - Canada has renewed its World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute over US country-of-origin (COOL) labeling rules.

US state bans BPA in baby bottles

12-May-2009 - Minnesota has become the first US state to ban the use of the controversial chemical bisphenol-A (BPA) in baby bottles. Concern focuses on the possible effects of BPA leaching into babies' feed when bottles are heated.

Record FDA budget proposed as Hamburg clears Senate

12-May-2009 - Dr Margaret Hamburg, the Obama Administration’s pick to lead the FDA, easily cleared the Senate on Thursday, while the Administration proposed a record budget increase for the agency.

US to shelve Roquefort tariff hike

11-May-2009 - Proposed US tariffs of 300 per cent for Roquefort cheese are to be shelved under a new arrangement between the US Trade Representative (USTR) and the European Commission (EC).

How the EU health claims process could impact US

06-May-2009 - How will the new health claims system in Europe impact the state of play in the North American market? Lorraine Heller speaks to a leading international ingredients supplier about the potential marketing and regulatory implications.

Meat industry urges rethink on Chinese chicken

06-May-2009 - A group of meat industry representatives has sent a letter to President Obama urging a rethink of legislation banning imported cooked poultry from China, saying it breaches US trade obligations.

Plea for independent Canadian food agency

06-May-2009 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s dual mandate of public protection and food risk safety assessment is not working and should be replaced with an independent food safety agency, warns a leading food safety expert.

News in brief

Americans support subsidy cuts for large farms, says survey

05-May-2009 - Most Americans support cutting farm subsidies to large farming businesses, according to a new survey from www.worldpublicopinion.org .

Weekly comment

Food safety reform: Not a century too soon

04-May-2009 - On a summer’s day in 1906 Theodore Roosevelt pushed through new food safety regulation. The Food and Drugs Act passed that day over 100 years ago was the last time the US food safety system was modernized.

FDA relaxes prior notice rule for food imports

24-Apr-2009 - The FDA’s Department of Health and Human Services has published a new guide on the Prior Notice rule for small companies involved in the import and export of foods in the US.

Obama nominates USDA nutrition and research undersecretaries

23-Apr-2009 - President Obama made two appointments within the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Friday, to run the department’s public nutrition programs, and to oversee US agricultural research and education.

New report calls for stronger local-level food safety systems

20-Apr-2009 - Holes need to be plugged in local and state-level food safety programs in order to effectively protect the public from foodborne illness, says a new report prepared with input from regional health officials.

Anti-adulteration actions aren’t working, says FDA

14-Apr-2009 - The US Food and Drug Administration has said current regulations are not working to prevent deliberate contamination of food and pharmaceutical products and has called a public meeting to address the issue.

Farmers and food processors lobby for looser Made in Canada laws

03-Apr-2009 - The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) has teamed with Food Processors of Canada in an attempt to relax strict laws governing Product of Canada labeling implemented at the beginning of the year.

US and Canada to agree on organic equivalency by summer

03-Apr-2009 - The US and Canada have agreed to finalize negotiations on organic equivalency standards between the countries by this summer, according to the Organic Trade Association.

Obama administration upholds GM sugarbeet deregulation

01-Apr-2009 - The USDA has chosen not to change laws on genetically engineered sugarbeets in a lawsuit filed by the Center for Food Safety and Earthjustice requesting a review of deregulation for the beets last month.

News in brief

China upholds death penalty for tainted dairy execs

30-Mar-2009 - A northern Chinese court has upheld two death sentences in the country’s tainted milk scandal, according to reports from the state news agency Xinhua.

Food industry 'supports sensible fees' to boost safety: GMA

25-Mar-2009 - The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) has voiced its support of President Obama’s efforts to form a food safety working group, but it inspection fees are a work in progress.

Organizations clamour for more thorough GE controls

23-Mar-2009 - A consortium of 82 organizations is campaigning for more stringent evaluations of genetically engineered crops in the US, and urging a freeze on new approvals pending changes to the authorization procedure.

Industry welcomes regulator’s claim that BPA is safe

18-Mar-2009 - The New Zealand and Australian food safety regulator’s affirmation of the safety of bisphenol A (BPA) has been welcomed by trade group, the North American Metal Packaging Alliance (NAMPA).

Further calls for ban on packaging chemical

17-Mar-2009 - Democrats in the US Senate and House of Representatives have introduced legislation to ban the controversial packaging chemical, Bisphenol A (BPA) from all food and beverage containers.

FDA approves vitamin D fortification of soy foods

16-Mar-2009 - The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has amended its food additive regulations to allow for soy-based foods and drinks to be fortified with vitamin D.