One of the most fiercely debated and amended pieces of European Union food law history is playing out before our eyes, and its effects are beginning to be felt.
There was something magical about the recent news that the caloric value of both gum arabic and erythritol have been officially lowered, but whether it turns out to be a sleight of hand or a real change remains to be seen.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will not moderate its ‘gold standard’ approach to health claims and should not be criticised for doing so, according to the chair of its claims assessment panel.
As some of the world’s leading dairy groups attempt to play down their potential involvement in the Chinese melamine scandal, the European Commission says that its existing import rules on the country’s dairy goods remain sufficient.
Companies and research organizations within the US food industry will soon be able to benefit from the expertise of their counterparts in Europe through a new partnership initiative.
Lipid Nutrition has confirmed its Clarinol conjugated linolenic acid ingredient has received approval by the US regulator to be used as an ingredient in certain foods and beverages in that country, a move that comes as the firm continues to anticipate...
The sale of Tate & Lyle’s international sugar trading business to US oilseed firm Bunge is now unconditional, removing the UK sweetener group from the volatile sugar market.
European corn starch producer Hungrana ramps up production for this
popular thickening agent, announcing the completion of a major €100
million expansion project at its Szabadegyháza facility.
The European Parliament has adopted a legislative package that will
see products containing any of six artificial colours labelled with
a health warning for children.
The need for new European legislation on nutrition labelling has
been called into question by the CIAA (Confederation of Food and
Drink Industries in Europe), as a survey indicates that uptake of
its voluntary scheme has been significant.
The European Commission has culled its gargantuan nutrition
and health claims list from more than 40,000 to 1500 as the
health claims process moves closer to fruition in January, 2010.
The acrylamide-reducing enzyme Preventase has been granted approval
for use in Switzerland, marking a new step down the road towards
industry-wide adoption for biscuits and other baked goods.
Talks on the European Union's draft Renewable Energy Directive
should be postponed until after independent research into the
effects of biofuels production, argues the confectionery and
biscuit industry.
The European Union has slapped anti-dumping duties on Chinese
imports of citric acid after an investigation concluded two
European producers have been injured by unfair competition.
French sugar and food solutions company Tereos has confirmed it is
hoping to acquire Danisco's sugar business, and that it is bidding
against Germany's Nordzucker.
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has won approval for use in foods
and beverages within the European Union from the Food Safety
Authority of Ireland (FSAI).
There is evidence that European potato starch suppliers are losing
out to Chinese competitors, as anti-dumping measures drive rampant
growth for leading Chinese starch maker.
The European Commission has set tough import standards for
Ukrainian sunflower oil following the recent discovery that some
products were contaminated.
Leading sugar and starch producer in Central and Eastern Europe,
Agrana has announced it has acquired, subject to regulatory
authority approval, 50 per cent of the shares in the sugar sales
operations of the Studen Group, Vienna.
Rules authorising enzymes need to be updated and simplified, and
enzymes should be authorised only where the consumer benefits, said
Europe's Environment committee, clearing the next hurdle in a
new legal framework for enzyme...
The European Commission has extended its competition review of the
planned acquisition by Associated British Foods (ABF) of some parts
of GB Ingredients' business by one month.
Ingredients firm Tate & Lyle has entered an agreement with Fiji
Sugar Corporation for the supply of 300,000 tonnes of raw sugar per
year till 2015, amid developments in the EU sugar regime.
Members of Friesland Foods and Campina have voted in favour of the
proposed merger, marking a major step forward in bringing the two
dairy cooperatives and companies together.
"Subtle language differences" may confound regulators in
the midst of translating thousands of health claims ahead of a
pan-European 2010 approval deadline, according to various industry
sources.
Ingredients firm Cargill yesterday completed the expansion of its
Polish wheat processing facility, designed to meet consumer demand
across the European bloc.
The European Commission opened an in-depth investigation today into
Associated British Foods' plan to buy parts of Dutch yeast producer
GB Ingredients.
A 'soft landing solution' for the abolition of milk production
quotas within the EU is expected to ensure a smoother transition
for the industry than abruptly scrapping the system, according to a
new report.
The food industry is being asked to work with the European
Commission to implement testing measures for rice imports from
China to prevent unauthorised GM material entering the European
food system.
Rice imported from the United States no longer needs to be tested
for the presence of GM material both at the point of export and on
arrival in the EU, following an amendment to emergency measures
following the 2006 contamination...
The CIAA has highlighted several important areas of debate and
strategic consideration for food manufacturers, which it is
planning to address at its annual conference in November.
The European Commission's ambassador to the United States, John
Bruton, has strongly criticized proposals that would tax imported
dairy products to pay for US promotional programs.
The European Commission is proposing to test all guar gum from
India for presence of the contaminant PCP as an interim measure to
ensure ongoing supply of the thickening agent prior to the Indian
authorities implementing tighter controls.
Whether you call it parmesan or "Parmigiano Reggiano" the
famous hard cheese must now come from a specific area of Italy, the
European Court of Justice has ruled this week.
EU member states must recognise erythritol as an approved sweetener
by tomorrow, which is expected to increase its use in low-calorie
products across Europe.
Owen Warnock, partner and food law expert at international law firm
Eversheds, unpicks the new EU labelling proposal and assesses what
it may mean for food manufacturers.
The unstable political situation surrounding the cultivation of
genetically modified (GM) crops is restricting university research
and pushing small companies out of the arena, thereby restricting
competition, said a GM expert.
The European Food Safety Authority is expecting to complete its
evaluation of the safety of 2,800 flavouring substances by April to
allow for a positive list to be established, but is seeking for
more information from industry.
New legislation passed in Germany on Friday has paved the way for
increased biotech innovation and easier cultivation of genetically
modified (GM) crops.
The food industry can expect to see progress in novel foods
regulation, the Food Improvement Agents Package (FIAP) and the
labelling regulation during Slovenia's presidency of the European
presidency, according to an advisor.
As the EU debates retaining national bans on genetically modified
(GM) crops, one industry expert believes that failure to adapt
could grant foreign rivals using the technology an upper hand, not
least in terms of brewing a good beer.
Cosun's Suiker Unie is to close its sugar factory in Groningen, The
Netherlands, as part of measures to reduce production in line with
the new sugar regime.
Changes to the European novel food regulation could bring the
waiting time for approval down from around three years to just one,
according to the European Advisory Service.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has put together a
working group to provide the European Commission and EU member
states with scientific advice on the effects of food additives on
behaviour by the end of February.
Debate has been stirred in the UK over a future that could see GM
foods on supermarket shelves, as the government's outgoing chief
scientific advisor said he believes GM food to be safer than
convention food.
