The US food and advertising industries yesterday announced new
guidelines that would tighten the promotion of junk food to
children, but the move has already been criticized as being
inadequate.
The UK's minister for public health has reaffirmed the government's
"commitment to work in partnership with industry on key areas
such as advertising, labelling and education".
More than one in 20 pesticides sold in the EU could be fake,
potentially endangering food safety and human health, according to
the Society of Chemical Industry.
Integrating social and environmental concerns into business
practices ultimately benefits a firm's bottom line as well as the
environment, according to the CEO of energy bar manufacturer Clif
Bar.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) ruled this month that the
tolerable upper intake level (UL) of iodine in seaweed, set in
2002, is sufficiently recent to be applicable.
The UK food safety watchdog has revised its guidance on dairy
hygiene in an attempt to defuse pending legal action from the EU,
after allegations UK officials failed to protect the public from
contaminated milk.
A study of 19 different commercial enzymes used in the food
industry concludes that there are no concerns regarding food
allergy for these ingredients, states a study from Denmark.
Most Americans use food labels and the government Food Pyramid to
make informed diet choices, with a main priority being to follow a
more nutritious diet, according to a new survey.
A US Department of Agriculture audit of the nation's Child
Nutrition Labeling Program has found that products provided under
the program have not been manufactured, labeled and inspected in
accordance with regulations.
Converting food production to organic may not be as difficult as
some may think, according to a new paper that examines necessary
steps in the conversion process.
US scientists have found a way to prevent the formation of the
naturally occurring cancer-causing compound aflatoxin in nuts such
as almonds, pistachios and walnuts, findings they hope will lead to
the first environmentally friendly...
Coming up with clear definitions for classifying the whole grain
content of foods is a top priority for the AACC International Whole
Grains Task Force, which will soon submit its comments to the USDA
regarding the establishment of...
The UK's Soil Association has slammed the government for its
'complacent' claim that pesticides found in school fruit and
vegetables are 'broadly similar' to those found in supermarkets.
There is a huge gap in the food industry's understanding of how
nutrition information on label actually influences buying behaviour
in the supermarket, according to a EUFIC study.
The trans fats battle is inching its way further into the
foodservice sector, with a new proposal announced this week to
remove almost all of the artery clogging oils from New York City
restaurants.
A meeting between the EC's directorate general for health and
consumer protection and the UK's food safety watchdog was 'positive
and constructive', according to FSA chair Deirdre Hutton.
Most consumers are concerned about the use of carbon monoxide to
meats, according to a new survey, which rekindles an ongoing debate
between industry and consumer groups.
Agro giant Bayer Crop Sciences has petitioned the US Department of
Agriculture to approve a genetically modified rice variety that has
been at the heart of a recent contamination scandal.
Portion sizes have again been linked to rising obesity levels in
the US, with a new study indicating that people may be eating more
because they are unaware of the reference portion sizes encouraged
for a healthy diet.
Consumers are increasingly seeking out private label products that
are unique with improved marketing and packaging, according to a
new report, which claims the US market is ready to see more private
label.
Good manufacturing practices and more rigorous labeling have
contributed to a decline in the accidental exposure to peanut of
children with peanut allergies, but more stringent standards still
need to be enforced, says a Canadian...
Food companies may have more to lose than to gain by placing
freshness dating on their refrigerated products, says a new study,
which reveals that consumer taste perception is influenced by how
fresh they believe a product to be.
Allergy experts in Germany met last week to develop a comprehensive
strategy for combating the condition through spreading information
and conducting further research.
Last week's comment on the food industry's role in the rising
obesity epidemic has generated a flood of responses from readers
agreeing with or disputing our position that the industry deserves
a break. Some of the comments...
The US government has proposed that its Women, Infants and Children
(WIC) nutritional program should be revised for the first time in
over 25 years in order to better reflect the Dietary Guidelines for
Americans.
Different standards and warnings imposed on food in one state but
not in others impede commerce, confuse consumers, and increase the
cost of food without commensurate benefit, according to an
authority on food law.
Part of the reason why the French weigh less than Americans is that
their culture dictates smaller portion sizes as the appropriate
food unit, discouraging them from consuming more, according to a
recent study.
An Ohio-based cereal manufacturer is to face a lawsuit under
California's Proposition 65 because its cereal product contains
acrylamide, even though the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
does not require warning labels on...
The nation's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been accused of
misleading Congress by ignoring the enforcement of key regulatory
provisions intended to provide accurate food labeling.
Senators and prominent industry figures yesterday addressed a
Senate committee on the National Uniformity for Food Act,
expressing both support and contempt for a bill that could
standardize food safety requirements and warning labels...
Fat and calorie content remain at the top of the list when it comes
to checking food labels, according to a recent poll, which reveals
that although most consumers check labels they are still likely to
purchase 'unhealthy'...
A consumer advocacy group has released the names of poultry
processors whose plants failed federal standards for Salmonella,
faulting the industry and regulators for not doing enough to reduce
the foodborne pathogen.
Changes to the labeling requirements of calorie content, trans fats
and portion sizes are among the issues being considered by the US
Food and Drug Administration, according to a recent food labeling
seminar.
Europeans are more optimistic about biotechnology than ever before,
but this acceptance does not extend to their view of genetically
modified foods, according to a new survey.
In the US, the role of court action in defining limits not set by
regulators is generating a flood of costly court cases for the food
industry: much unnecessary, and all damaging.
A lawsuit filed this week against Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) for
its use of undeclared trans fats is a new indication that the issue
is far from forgotten, even though the battle appears to have edged
away from food processors for...
The American Medical Association (AMA) has added its voice to the
clamor against salt, voting this week to urge the government to
revoke the substance's GRAS status.
The Whole Grains Council is to change the design of its
characteristic stamp in a move to avoid potential regulatory
uncertainty surrounding its use of the terms 'excellent' source or
'good' source. The new stamp...
The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS) has
urged Scots to improve food hygiene standards to tackle what it
calls the 'annual food poisoning epidemic'.
A new approach to risk and crisis management for food and drink
companies has been unveiled at the UK's Campden and Chorleywood
Food Research Association (CCFRA).
FoodChain ID has developed a new white paper, “Current Food Supply Chain Threats - Is Your Company's Brand Reputation at Risk?” examining recent regulatory...