Regulation

11-Aug-2011 - A former member of the government committee charged with assessing the safety of the first genetically engineered (GE) fish for human consumption says “few, if any technologies could survive” the flawed review process.

Senators: HFCS is being ‘significantly mischaracterized’

10-Aug-2011 - A group of US senators has written to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in support of the Corn Refiners Association (CRA) petition to allow food manufacturers to label high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as ‘corn sugar’.

Kids seeing fewer TV ads for sweets and snacks, study finds

08-Aug-2011 - The number of TV advertisements US children see for high-fat, salty and sugary foods and beverages has declined in recent years – but the majority of kids’ TV food advertising is still for less healthy choices, according to new research.

Melatonin brownie maker: ‘We’ll sell them as supplements’

04-Aug-2011 - The maker of the melatonin-laced ‘relaxation’ brownies at the center of a debate over where a dietary supplement ends and a food begins says it will make “all necessary changes to market and sell the product as a supplement”.

Agro groups: Derailing GM fish review would dent FDA’s credibility

04-Aug-2011 - More than 30 agricultural organizations have signed a letter to Congressional leaders urging them to allow the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to complete its review of the world’s first genetically engineered fish for human consumption.

News in brief

USDA allows continued use of 12 substances in organic production

04-Aug-2011 - The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published a final rule allowing the continued use of 12 substances in organic production and handling that were due to sunset this year.

FDA reopens comments on gluten-free labeling

03-Aug-2011 - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reopened comments on its proposed thresholds for gluten traces in products labeled as gluten free – four years after it originally proposed the guidelines.

CSPI urges revision of ‘understated’ serving size information

03-Aug-2011 - The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has sent a letter to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chief Margaret Hamburg, urging a revision of serving size regulations.

Coca-Cola, Del Monte, Dole and others dismiss lead-in-juice allegations

03-Aug-2011 - A troop of beverage companies in the US, including Coca-Cola, Del Monte and Dole, have made a move to dismiss allegations that their fruit juices contain harmful lead traces.

USDA allows extra specialty sugar imports to meet organic sugar demand

02-Aug-2011 - The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has set the 2011-2012 sugar tariff rate quota and allowed extra specialty sugar to be made available from August 5, in response to increased demand for organic sugar.

FDA announces reinspection fee rates under FMSA

02-Aug-2011 - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced fee rates for food facility reinspections and non-compliance with recall orders, as authorized by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FMSA).

Diageo in $16m settlement over bribery charges

01-Aug-2011 - UK beverage giant Diageo has paid $16m (€11m) to settle bribery charges against it by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Senators urge FDA action on gluten-free labeling

26-Jul-2011 - Two US Senators have sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging prompt action on gluten-free labeling laws, after a proposed rule on tolerable gluten thresholds for gluten-free foods has languished for more than four years.

News in brief

USDA proposes new labeling rules for injected raw meat and poultry

25-Jul-2011 - The US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has proposed a new rule for labeling raw meat and poultry products that contain injections, marinades or other solutions that may not be visible to the consumer.

GLG granted Stevia patent in China

20-Jul-2011 - A fully owned subsidiary of GLG Life Tech Corp has been granted a patent in China for its stevia extraction process.

Dairy reform Bill would damage exports, warn processors

18-Jul-2011 - Draft legislation designed to create more stability in the US dairy industry would damage exports and threaten jobs, dairy processors have claimed.

News in brief

Dean Foods proposes $140m settlement with dairy farmers

13-Jul-2011 - Dean Foods has agreed to a $140m settlement for a class action lawsuit in which Southeast Dairy Farmers and Dairy Farmers of America had accused it of working to keep prices artificially low.

ConAgra challenged over “100% natural” claim on Wesson oils

12-Jul-2011 - ConAgra Foods is facing two class action lawsuits that claim the marketing of its Wesson cooking oils as “100% natural” and "pure" is misleading because the oil is extracted from plants that have been genetically modified (GM).

Coca-Cola VitaminWater mediation to be rescheduled

12-Jul-2011 - Mediation between Coca-Cola and The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) over legal challenges to Coca-Cola’s VitaminWater range has been delayed following the launch of a new 'copycat’ lawsuit against the soft drinks giant.

US and Mexico resolve trucking dispute

11-Jul-2011 - US and Mexican governments have signed an agreement to end a 17-year trucking dispute that has seen Mexico impose tariffs on a long list of US exports, including many food and agricultural products.

News in brief

FSIS to expand meat and poultry salmonella program

11-Jul-2011 - The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has said it will expand its Salmonella Initiative Program (SIP) to support industry in reducing pathogens in raw meat and poultry.

Is soda tax a good idea? Your views...

05-Jul-2011 - Last week, we asked you, our readers, whether you thought taxing soda was a good idea. Here's what you said.

‘Ill-defined, irrational and costly’ GM approval process must be reviewed, academic

05-Jul-2011 - The system for assessing new GM crops with nutritional and environmental benefits must be improved to reduce the time and expense of gaining approvals and enable smaller players to get a look in, according to one leading academic.

Comment

EU researchers revolted as EFSA clears health claims vault

04-Jul-2011 - The European Food Safety Authority last week delivered the fifth batch of article 13, general function health claim opinions bringing the total issued to 2723. There are just 35 to go – to be published next month in a final mini-batch that will conclude the task begun in August 2008.

Soda tax wouldn’t work as obese people prefer diet drinks, study suggests

29-Jun-2011 - A tax on sugar-sweetened beverages may not work to reduce obesity – because obese people could have a stronger tendency to buy diet soda, suggests new research from Northwestern University.