Breaking News on Food & Beverage Development - North AmericaEU edition | Asian edition

EPA says saccharin should be taken off hazardous list

22-Apr-2010 - The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed that saccharin be removed from its “hazardous wastes, hazardous constituents, and hazardous substances” lists.

Majority of Californians support soda tax, poll finds

21-Apr-2010 - A majority of Californians support a tax on soda to help fund childhood obesity reduction programs, according to a poll carried out on behalf of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy.

Canadian government may loosen ‘Product of Canada’ rules

20-Apr-2010 - The Canadian government may loosen the labeling rules for food products to qualify as ‘Products of Canada’, to allow for ingredients that are difficult to source in Canada.

Small businesses support exemption from food safety bill

20-Apr-2010 - A group of food and farming organizations has written to senators urging amendments to the Food Safety Modernization Act that would exempt smaller businesses from tracing and record-keeping requirements.

Comment

Groundhog Day for European health claims?

19-Apr-2010 - “Many in industry are pinning their hopes on EFSA showing them the light at the meeting, including the likes of Danone, which withdrew three probiotic immunity/digestive health article 13.5 claims in April, citing clarification it is expecting on Big Monday as the reason.”

News in brief

FDA publishes guidance on egg safety rule

16-Apr-2010 - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published guidance for small egg producers to help them comply with a rule that was published last year in an effort to reduce salmonella contamination.

Revenue question crucial to NY soda tax acceptance

15-Apr-2010 - A new poll from Quinnipiac University suggests that consumers would be more likely to support a tax on sugary beverages if the proceeds were linked to paying for health care reforms.

Skepticism over NY proposal to ban HFCS

14-Apr-2010 - A bill introduced by New York State Assemblywoman Barbara Clark proposing an outright ban on the use or sale of high fructose corn syrup in the state has raised eyebrows today, as it followed in the footsteps of a proposed salt ban.

News in brief

Walnuts sued over omega-3 claims

14-Apr-2010 - A New York resident has brought a case against Californian company, Diamond Foods, for omega-3 claims being made for its walnut products.

Advocacy group’s plea for hotdog cancer warnings dismissed

13-Apr-2010 - A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed last July against several hotdog makers by vegan advocacy group Cancer Project that claimed hotdogs should carry a cancer warning label.

Comment

Time for Europe to send bisphenol A into the sunset

12-Apr-2010 - Bisphenol A (BPA) is living on borrowed time. And not just in the United States but now in Europe too where mounting consumer hostility and scientific concern over its safety have combined to push the chemical towards the point of no return.

Kellogg’s sued over salmonella-tainted snacks

12-Apr-2010 - A Florida man has filed a federal lawsuit against the Kellogg Company, claiming it failed to warn consumers that some of its products could have been tainted with salmonella.

Dean Foods antitrust case to proceed, despite ‘structural issues’

09-Apr-2010 - A federal judge in Milwaukee has denied Dean Foods’ motion to dismiss an antitrust lawsuit that was filed against it by the United States Department of Justice in January.

FDA food safety inspections and enforcement declining, auditors say

08-Apr-2010 - Federal inspections of food manufacturing facilities have declined over time, as have regulatory actions triggered by inspections, a government auditor reported on Wednesday.

News in brief

FSANZ deems two GM food sources safe

07-Apr-2010 - The Australian and New Zealand food safety body has signalled that it sees no safety problems in the consumption of food from two new GM soy and corn crops.

NY legislature rejects soda tax but negotiations continue

06-Apr-2010 - Both the New York State Assembly and Senate have rejected a proposed tax on sugary soft drinks in their budget resolutions, but a decision will only be finalized after negotiations with the state governor.

Comment

Slimmer cans could lead to bigger waistlines

06-Apr-2010 - Soft drink makers could end up swallowing a £10m bill for no good reason by embracing the Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommendations for new slim-line 250ml drinks.

Small soda taxes don’t affect childhood obesity, study finds

01-Apr-2010 - Small taxes on soda do not affect childhood obesity rates, but larger ones could, according to new research published online today in the journal Health Affairs.

Governor Richardson vetoes New Mexico food tax

29-Mar-2010 - A tax that would have applied to about 40 percent of foods in New Mexico was vetoed by Governor Bill Richardson last week, who said the $68m that would have been raised by the tax could be found elsewhere.

News in brief

New Zealand to merge food safety body into ministry

26-Mar-2010 - Plans are afoot to merge the New Zealand Food Safety Authority back into the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, 3 years after the risk assessor and risk manager were split out.

News in brief

Florida Senate passes tomato safety bill

25-Mar-2010 - The Florida state Senate has passed a bill that aims to ensure that tomatoes are safe from foodborne illness, according to an Associated Press report.

Looking forward to future food safety reform

23-Mar-2010 - Now that Congress has finally reached a conclusion on health care reform, could food safety reform be a little closer? Director of food safety solutions at DNV Kathy Wybourn thinks so.

FDA roasted over irradiation petition handling

22-Mar-2010 - A US Congressional watchdog has slammed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a catalogue of failings over its handling of petitions to use irradiation on food.

Audit finds flaws in National Organic Program

19-Mar-2010 - Enforcement and compliance problems continue to plague the National Organic Program (NOP) according to an audit report from the Office of Inspector General at the USDA.