All news articles for March 2015

WHO releases final sugar advice for children and adults

Academics and industry clash over WHO sugar advice

By Joyeeta Basu

Academics have welcomed the WHO’s recommendation to slash added sugar intake to 5-10% of calories – but the food industry has said it is misleading and based on weak evidence.

Scientists create natural grapefruit flavour from oranges

By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

The grapefruit flavour and fragrance compound nootkatone is one of the most expensive and challenging ingredients to source in the world – so a new way to create a naturally derived version from oranges could revolutionise supply.

FoodQualityNews withdrawals February and March 2015

Food Safety recall round-up 27 February - 5 March

Recalls: Allergens, plastic and pathogens

By Joseph James Whitworth

A recall round-up covering the final week in February and first week of March takes us to France, USA, Canada, Germany, Austria, the UK and Denmark.

The outlook for growth in the Eurozone looks to be modest at best

Prospects for the Eurozone in 2015

By Matt Incles, from Promar International

Matt Incles, from Promar International, describes the latest developments in the Eurozone and considers the impact on consumers and their meat purchase behaviour.

The University of Arkansas department of Food Science

Tests show salmonella, listeria and E.coli exist on RPCs for fresh produce, meat & eggs

Reusable Packaging Association calls for ‘extreme caution’ on biofilm research

By Jenny Eagle

The Reusable Packaging Association has called for ‘extreme caution’ on research by the University of Arkansas, which claims bacteria forms biofilms, including salmonella, listeria and E.coli, on reuseable plastic containers (RPCs) used to ship fresh produce,...

EFSA's new GM guidance document raises questions on how much information is legally required

EFSA GM guidance may require more data from biotech firms

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) may ask firms for more data on GM crop safety in applications for reauthorisation required after ten years, which experts say could lead to confusion and unnecessary paperwork for both company and assessor.

Should liquorice come with a warning label?

Should liquorice come with a warning label?

By Nathan Gray

Researchers in Italy have urged liquorice manufacturers to warn consumers about the dangers of overconsumption after a child suffered seizures after over-indulging.

 Environmentalists want the Commission to either match their targets or increase them.

Commission bins waste & recycling programme

By Joyeeta Basu

The European Commission (EC) has dropped an environment programme on waste, incineration and recycling laws because it did not “complete the circle” of creating zero waste in Europe.

It is anticipated that raw meat will be among the first items to be restored

Russia suggests mitigating food embargo for Greece and Hungary

By Vladislav Vorotnikov

Following the announcement by Russia’s deputy prime minister Arkady Dvorkovich that his government was considering ways to mitigate the food embargo, imposed in August last year, for a number of countries in the European Union (EU), Minister of Economic...

Olive oil prices paid to producers more than doubled during 2014 after a perfect storm of factors devastated European and North African olive crops

Dutch supermarkets delist major brands after pricing row

By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Dutch supermarkets Jumbo and C1000 have boycotted Bertolli olive oil and products from Ferrero and Douwe Egberts following a pricing row – although Douwe Egberts products returned to shelves last week after it reached an agreement with the retailers.

FSSC 22000 adds module to certification

FSSC 22000 adds quality module

By Joseph James Whitworth

FSSC 22000 has added a voluntary ISO 9001:2008 module to its existing scheme from the start of this month.

Global sugar prices fall 23% since last year

Global sugar prices hit five month low

By Joyeeta Basu

Latest figures show annual sugar prices dropped 23% year on year globally with expectations that a recovery in prices may be some time yet in coming.

The previous status quo allowed crops to be grown anywhere in Europe following EU approval, although only one GM crop, Monsanto maize variety MON810, is grown commercially in the EU.

Member states back national bans for GM crops

By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

EU member states have voted to allow national governments to ban or restrict cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops even when approved at EU level, meaning the new rules will be written into law.

The study found a minority of children ate the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables, and fibre, vitamin D and iron levels were lower than recommended, while saturated fat, sugar and salt intakes were generally higher

Poor dietary habits could raise disease risk from childhood

By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Children aged 6 to 8 may already be at increased risk of cardiometabolic disease if they eat a lot of low-fat margarine, red meat and sugary drinks and little vegetable oil, according to Finnish research.

ICA said it had been unaware of this inhumane practice

Swedish supermarkets threaten ban against Danish pork

By Gerard O’Dwyer, in Helsinki

Swedish supermarkets, led by major chain the ICA Group, are threatening to suspend imports of Danish pork following reports by animal rights organisations complaining about the culling of up to 500,000 under-weight newborn piglets, weighing less than...

The UV-C system came online in January

Campden BRI invests in cold plasma and UV-C tech

By Joseph James Whitworth

Campden BRI has purchased a continuous UV-C and installed a large scale cold plasma machine to give industry access to new technologies to develop ways of processing and preserving products.  

FSA would follow up with more supervision campaigns to check the labels

Norway warns companies against improper halal labelling

By Joyeeta Basu

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority (FSA) said some companies risked losing their credibility after an annual audit found 12 of 40 businesses had “dishonestly” labelled their products as halal.

Poultry producer Nortura is leading the fight-back against negative publicity

Chicken sales fall amid consumer health concerns

By Gerard O’Dwyer, in Helsinki

Negative media publicity surrounding infections in poultry flocks and farming practices in Norway has sparked a 15% to 20% drop in domestic chicken meat sales in the last six months, to mid-February.

Biased by industry? Do academic and business collaborations work?

CULTURED VIEWS FROM PROBIOTA 2015 IN AMSTERDAM

Biased by industry? Do academic and business collaborations work?

By Nathan Gray

Like many areas of nutrition research, probiotic and prebiotic science relies on strong collaboration between academic experts and businesses. But there are some who say such links create biased science.

“We do not think that the exclusion of certain food categories from marketing is the right approach and is likely to encourage reformulation,

Will WHO nutrient profiles spur reformulation?

By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Public health advocates have welcomed the WHO’s recently unveiled nutrient profiling model, while the food industry has said blocking some categories from marketing was unlikely to encourage reformulation.

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