The European food industry could see a unified version of labels on
foodstuffs, and accompanying cost-savings, as Europe's executive
arm calls for standardised labels across the EU, writes Lindsey
Partos.
On the eve of his move to Parma in Italy, to head up Europe's first
food risk agency, Geoffrey Podger affirms the authority has already
cleared the first hurdle, independence, reports Lindsey
Partos.
Representatives of the food industry yesterday filed a letter with
the FDA demanding that the government harmonizes the date for trans
fat labeling with the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer
Protection Act.
As Europe's food agency finally makes the permanent move to Italy,
a framework plan for 2005 consolidates the key objectives for the
EU's major risk assessor.
Food companies are expecting a tough year in 2005 with competition
and price pressures in the food chain rising to the surface as the
key issues, reports Lindsey Partos.
European panel of scientists concludes more data is needed before
reaching a firm risk assessment of consumer exposure to the harmful
furan chemical in food.
Tracking the harmful foodborne pathogen Listeria in the food chain,
UK firm Oxoid has designed a new broth that could accelerate
detection time for the food industry.
Tightening up traceability rules to slice away risk to the food
chain, with the entry of 2005 food industry firms are now required
to notify local authorities, suggesting food alerts may rise this
year.
New techniques to minimise the risk of the harmful food pathogen E.
coli in the food chain sees the launch of rapid detection system
that could speed up identification and reduce costs for the meat
industry.
Food makers are one step closer to being able to identify what
makes a protein more likely to become an allergen and consequently
slicing them out of food formulations with UK researchers finding
over a hundred allergens could be...
Markos Kyprianou, the new Commissioner for Health and Consumer
Protection in Brussels, will continue in his predecessor David
Byrne's foodsteps, pushing to maintain high levels of food safety
in the EU.
Brussels addresses the issue of consumer cynicism and fear of
agricultural biotechnology in European citizens, setting up a
thematic network on the safety risk assessment of genetically
modified food crops, the Entransfood project,...
US scientists confirm that food products contaminated with the
serious foodborne pathogen Escherichia coli were responsible
for a multi-state outbreak of urinary tract infections.
Genomic tools help scientists gain an insight into the roots of
foodborne disease and to identify clues about why some strains of
the bacterium campylobacter - which each year cause more than 400
million cases of gastrointestinal...
Australia and New Zealand consider changes to their food code,
inviting stakeholders to pass comment on a raft of propositions
from food additive approvals to labelling requirements.
The number of food-linked alerts in the European Union leapt by
over 40 per cent in 2003 on the previous year, with the majority
sourced in the 'old' member states.
A new Russian food standard (GOST) concerning consumer information
on packaged food products is due to come into force on 1 January
2005. Angela Drujinina looks at how the change will effect
consumers and food manufacturers, and its...
The announcement yesterday that DMV International and Arla Food
Ingredients could merge is a further example of how the rising
power and ongoing growth of the multiple retailers is putting
constant pressure on ingredients companies...
A USDA food safety and inspection service report suggests that an
interim final rule designed to reduce the incidence of Listeria
monocytogenes (LM) in ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products
is working.
Driving research in the area of chemical contaminants, nutrition
and microbiology the UK's food agency is calling for scientists to
fulfill a batch of new research requirements.
A USDA food safety and inspection service report suggests that an
interim final rule designed to reduce the incidence of Listeria
monocytogenes (LM) in ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products
is working.
Americans' attitudes about genetically modified (GM) foods remain
divided, although their opinions appear not be deeply held and can
be influenced by new information and events, according to a study
released this week, reports...
Europe comes closer to rubber stamping harmonised controls for
controlling mycotoxins in the food chain and the Scottish food
agency offers stakeholders a snapshot of recent talks.
A new version of the globally recognised British Retail Consortium
(BRC) Food Standard is about to be published next month, with a
view to coming into force on 1 June 2005.
EU health commissioner David Byrne has expressed his confidence in
the food chain as a contamination scare highlights the value of
traceability and the progress made in reducing risks to the complex
food production industry.
Clearing up any confusion over food labels, US food authorities
have given the green light for food ingredients firms to use
ethanol in precipitating food grade xanthan gum and to still allow
the ingredient to keep the 'xanthan'...
Clearing up any confusion over food labels, US food authorities
have given the green light for food ingredients firms to use
ethanol in precipitating food grade xanthan gum and to still allow
the ingredient to keep the 'xanthan'...
Europe's food watchdog reaffirms the safety of a GM sweetcorn
designed by biotech giant Monsanto on the back of new evidence
submitted by German scientists.
The glycemic index, a method established to rank foods based on the
rate of carbohydrate absorption they trigger, is seeing increasing
interest from researchers and the food industry, but there is still
much confusion as to what it...
Changes to the new food code in Australia and New Zealand are
underway as the food agency for the two countries calls for comment
from industry, government and consumers on a raft of fresh
proposals.
Europe tackles levels of cadmium contaminated foods, particularly
in children, finding that cereals and vegetables contribute two
thirds of the consumption of this toxic heavy metal that can cause
kidney disease.
GM starch and corn oil are cleared for use in European food
formulations after Brussels gives the green light on a genetically
modified maize line from US biotech giant Monsanto, reports
Lindsey Partos.
The US election has been dominated by Iraq and fears over
international terrorism, but whoever wins next Tuesday will also
have to deal with pressing domestic issues such as improving food
production and safety. Anthony Fletcher reports.
The FDA published this week the final 2004 Produce Safety Action
Plan aimed at minimizing the number of foodborne illnesses that are
contracted each year through the consumption of fresh produce.
An international task force meeting in Brazil last week under the
aegis of Codex Alimentarius, the global food standards body,
cleared a decision after difficult discussions on defining the
identity of reconstituted orange juice.
An international task force meeting in Brazil last week under the
aegis of Codex Alimentarius, the global food standards body, clears
a decision after difficult discussions on defining the identity of
reconstituted orange juice.
In a move that has split the government, Italian ministers block a
motion put forward by the agriculture minister aimed at regulating
the future introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in
Italy, reports CORDIS.
UK food watchdog warns this week it will bump up prevention actions
for food pathogens as salmonella cases are on the rise, but
contamination focus on Spanish eggs seems likely.
Food makers alert to the levels of a potentially carcinogenic mould
commonly found on crops as scientists back an extension barrier
levels for ochratoxin A to grape juice, coffee and wine.
An expert group in Brussels backs a Commission proposal for tighter
levels of the potentially carcinogenic compounds Polycyclic
Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) found in grilled meats.
A meat preserver, a gel-forming additive and an anti-microbial
agent face tougher European rules as Brussels adopts a proposal to
change the current food additive directive.
Tackling the ongoing issue of risk assessment in the food chain the
US food safety agency plans to release two draft risk assessments
related to the harmful food pathogen salmonella.
Mitigating residual moisture is an ever-present food safety and quality goal in any food processing environment. Yet there’s a Catch-22: Most conventional...
Food and Beverage companies need better food labeling solutions. Beyond that, most in the industry understand that “labeling” starts at the beginning,...
Scaling to meet the need of the rapidly growing global population while providing functional, nutritious, and diverse cuisine requires process optimization...
