A sector once plagued by ‘suspicion’ and ‘failed doping tests’ is turning the tide on non-compliance thanks to voluntary third-party certification programmes.
Sweden, Finland and Austria are the top performers in the 2021 Food Sustainability Index, with particularly strong results in managing food loss and waste and nutritional challenges.
Two thirds of all chilled sliced meats including sliced ham, chicken, corned beef and salami sold by leading grocery retailers in the UK are dangerously high in salt (i.e. >1.5g/100g) – with one in three (35%) failing to meet the national salt reduction...
The EU ban on titanium dioxide has created harmonisation across the bloc for food and supplements, but the colour is still legal in the UK as well as in medicine products, plus there is the challenge of reformulation.
International food standards body Codex Alimentarius has adopted a Framework for steviol glycosides that encompasses four different production technologies in a move that is expected to ‘benefit the entire stevia industry’.
The micronutrient content of ancient cereals and pulses is significantly richer than that of their modern counterparts. Can history help turn the tide on current issues in food quality and nutrition?
Food testing and authentication companies ORIVO and Imprint Analytics are teaming up to provide transparency to the seafood market through ‘highly advanced chemical fingerprinting analysis’.
Cargill claims to be the ‘first’ global edible oil supplier to commit to World Health Organization recommendations on trans-fatty acids across its entire fats and oils portfolio, including in countries where there is no legislative requirement to do so....
Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is on the rise, according to a new report from Planet Tracker, a financial think-tank that wants to see the loopholes tightened.
The European Commission has published results of the first ever EU-wide survey into herbs and spices authenticity, focusing on pepper, cumin, turmeric, saffron, and paprika.
How can industry achieve a circular bioeconomy in food packaging? The solution lies in valorising waste into packaging products that can later be biodegraded back into soil, according to Professor Jose Lagaron from the Spanish Council for Scientific Research.
The food system is exposed to increased food safety risks from climate change – a danger regulators must be mindful of, UK Food Safety Agency Chair Professor Susan Jebb suggests. Authorities also need to help the sector mitigate the contribution it currently...
The number of food recalls in Europe has increased as the food industry grappled with COVID-19, supply chain challenges and trade disruption. We hear from Tom Russell, managing director of The Food Incubator, about why focus on food safety is required.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has green-lighted the mung bean protein ingredient used in Eat Just’s egg substitute product, paving the way for the company to launch its JUST Egg plant-based alternative in Europe.
Swiss agrifood testing company SwissDeCode is working with confectionery giant Mars Wrigley to find an early detection solution that can identify Cocoa Swollen Shoot Disease (CSSD), a virus that can devastate cocoa crops.
Bread is an age-old staple that conjures up uncomplicated natural wholesomeness, however, the difference between theory and practice is miles apart. Certainly, mass producing bread demands specialised equipment that will pinpointedly control the process...
“Current data indicates that neither food nor food packaging is a pathway for the spread of viruses causing respiratory illnesses, including SARS-CoV-2,” according to a new guidance document from the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization...
An everyday chemical has been found to be highly toxic. Contamination of waterways is responsible for what had been the unexplained mass deaths of Coho salmon. We take a look at 6-PPD quinone, what it means for the food system and why it is important...
The European Food Safety Authority was asked to review the link between sugar consumption and various diseases. The results are in: “Based on the risk of developing chronic metabolic diseases and dental caries, the intake of added and free sugars should...
The European Commission’s Food and Feed Crisis Coordinators have agreed a mass recall of products containing E410 locust bean gum contaminated with ethylene oxide.
The European Commission has approved the use of Sweegen’s non-GMO Signature Bestevia Rebaudioside M (Reb M) for use in food and beverages. “We are opening the doors for product developers to explore a new toolkit for sugar reduction across all products...
Ecologists in Spain are demanding a 50% reduction of the use of pesticides - especially those more toxic and unauthorized - after data revealed a ‘worrisome’ level of exposure of pesticide residues found in food in the country.
The EFSA has given the green light on a Novel Foods application from Baïa Food for its ‘Dried Miracle Berry’ (DMB) ingredient. We caught up with the Spanish start-up to learn more about its innovative approach to sugar reduction.
In light of the recent ruling concerning titanium dioxide, French authorities have cast the net wider and urged caution over the use of nanomaterials in food as well as in antibacterial products.
Food safety is a business-critical issue. People worry about food safety and security as much as global warming, pollution and poverty, research from confectionery giant Mars reveals. FoodNavigator hears from Dr Guangtao Zhang, director of the Mars Global...
Royal DSM, a global science-based nutrition, health and sustainable living company, has launched Delvotest Accelerator Smart – a fully-automated system designed to be used in combination with DSM’s internationally validated Delvotest plates to optimize...
The Vegan Society is partnering with UK food testing laboratory Food Forensics to identify and flag animal derived materials or evidence of cross-contamination in products looking to carry the Vegan Trademark. We speak to Food Forensics’ Rick Sanderson...
The plant-based meat and dairy market is booming globally. But, as consumer concern over safety increases, experts from Kerry Taste and Nutrition stress that there is a need to develop food safety strategies that build consumer trust in the sector.
Detecting facial expressions and emotions of farm animals has the potential to improve animal welfare, according to Wageningen University & Research Associate Professor Suresh Neethirajan.
EFSA has updated its safety assessment of controversial food additive titanium dioxide, E171. The verdict: “Titanium dioxide can no longer be considered safe as a food additive.”
Meat and dairy are regularly targeted for their environmental impact. In the UK, for example, the government’s Committee on Climate Change has recommended a 20% cut in meat and dairy by 2030, rising to 35% by 2050 for meat only. Sugar may be next, warns...
Danish food tech start-up Lyras has developed a pasteurisation technology that it says has a lower environmental impact than traditional pasteurisation while also cutting food waste and delivering on safety and nutrition.
With the food industry under increased pressure to promote healthier diets, address obesity and reduce diet-related diseases, more evidence emerges to suggest environmental factors, specifically screen time and poor sleep, may go hand-in-hand with overconsumption.
By René Floris, NIZO Food Research Division Manager
The need to preserve protein functionality is prompting food makers to explore ‘milder processing’ than traditional heat treatment. In his second monthly column, René Floris, NIZO Food Research Division Manager and member of the FoodNavigator expert advisory...
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) is an internationally recognised method of identifying and managing food safety risk. In an area that is both strictly regulated and highly complex, setting up an HACCP system requires a ’great knowledge’...
SwissDeCode has closed its first venture round. The funds will be used to accelerate development of its technology for real-time certification of food authenticity and quality. We caught up with the start-up’s co-founders to learn about the company’s...
A new sensory analysis method that assesses the quality of raw materials and food products has been developed by Norwegian researchers. Branded ‘Veritaste’, the novel test returns subjective assessments…and the occasional ‘strong opinion’!
The European Food Safety Authority has published its first scientific opinion on an insect-derived food. The conclusion? Mealworms are safe for human consumption.
