The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) faces the challenging
task of completing three major new regulations by the end of 2003
under the new bioterrorism bill signed into law this week, warns
the US food industry.
The European Parliament this week showed strong support for the
first reading of the Commission's proposal for an amendment to the
food labelling Directive (2000/13/EC OJ L 109, 6.5.200 (1)), and
proposed additional amendments...
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi decided on Tuesday to
submit a basic food safety bill in the next fiscal year in a bid to
erase widespread public distrust stemming from the government's
failure to keep mad cow disease...
The long dark winters in Canada have been blamed for a shortage of
vitamin D and consequently a higher risk of diseases such as
osteoporosis or cancer.
A new report issued by the US National Center for Food and
Agricultural Policy (NCFAP) quantifies significant increases in
farm income, food production and reductions in pesticide use that
may resultfrom wider use of agricultural...
The Danish press this week covered a heated debate about a fat
replacer, called Salatrim, from Danish ingredients company Danisco.
The vice president of the group responded to allegations in a press
statement on Tuesday.
A high level of lycopene in the blood serum is linked to a lower
risk of prostate cancer in new research from the US. The findings
are published in a recent edition of the American Journal of
Epidemiology.
Scientists in the US are claiming this week that people will soon
be able to protect themselves from sexually-transmitted diseases by
simply eating bananas.
The Canadian food manufacturing industry has welcomed the
recommendations made in a report from the Standing Committee on
Agriculture and Agri-Food on labelling of genetically modified
(GM)foods.
The fate of a significant part of this year's UK pea harvest hung
in the balance this week after one of the biggest pea processing
factories in Britain closed with the loss of 320 jobs, reports the
Financial Times.
French food giant Danone is believed to be interested in St Ivel,
the yoghurts division of the UK food group Uniq (formerly Unigate),
reports French financial paper Les Echos.
More than 10,000 anti-globalisation activists demonstrated in Rome
at the weekend ahead of the World Food Summit taking place this
week in the Italian capital. The summit, hosted by the UN's Food
and Agriculture Organisation...
Food activists in over 100 cities across the United States
protested this week in front of leading supermarket chains to voice
their concerns about genetically engineered foods.
Food manufacturers caught up in a scandal triggered by Japanese
company Kyowa Perfumery & Chemical Co., were affected by a
complex industry distribution structure and the custom of employing
professional food tasters when developing...
Germany tries to reassure its trading partners of the safety of its
organic foodstuffs amid fears that the European Commission is
planning to ban them because of the nitrofen contamination scare.
Sales of soyfoods in the US grew by 16.8 per cent in 2001 to reach
$3.2 billion, making it one of the fastest-growing categories in
the US food industry, according to a recent study.
The US Federal Trade Commission has found no evidence that
so-called 'malternative' alcoholic beverages are being marketed to
minors, according to an investigation prompted by a complaint from
an advocacy group.
Three Japanese firms have recalled batches of frozen spinach
imported from China after they were found to contain
higher-than-permitted levels of the pesticides fenvalerate and
chlorpyrifos
A wide range of dietary supplements sold in the UK have been
irradiated in breach of food regulations, a Food Standards Agency
survey has found. As a consequence companies with affected products
have been told to remove them from...
A diet consisting of a regular intake of leafy green vegetables,
such as broccoli and cabbage, can dramatically reduce the risk of
colon cancer, suggests a study by researchers at Liverpool
University in the UK.
Italian pasta giant Barilla has said the response to its recent
takeover bid for German baker Kamps had been better than expected
and it would pursue more acquisitions, above all in the United
States, according to a report by Reuters.
The folic acid debate continues with an editorial published in this
week's British Medical Journal damning Europe's failure to
introduce mandatory fortification of flour.
At the inaugural ASDA Awards ceremony for outstanding supplier
performance, the award for the Most Innovative Fresh Packaging was
won by Hoppers Farmhouse Bakery for its ovenable tray, packaging
in-store baked mince pies.
Food manufacturers are failing food hygiene inspections often
because they don't know where to turn for practical solutions,
according to research carried out by UK safety specialist Seton
today.
The ownership of UK food producer RHM, formerly known as Ranks
Hovis McDougall, is once again in question, according to a recent
interview. The company may soon change hands for the third time in
a decade.
Putting the meat scandal behind it, Snow Brand Milk Products has
announced plans to form a joint venture with two co-op groups which
aims to become the Japanese market leader within two to three
years.
Tomatoes have traditionally been seen as one of the best natural
sources of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant which can help fight
cancer and heart disease. But new research shows that watermelon
could in fact be a better source of...
Trade friction between the European Commission and the United
States threatened to worsen yesterday as officials rejected
Washington's demand for an outright end to farm export subsidies
within a strict deadline.
Ready-to-drink alcoholic mixers such as Bacardi Breezer saw the
fastest growth in the global food and drink market last year,
although they are still far behind old faithfuls such as beer when
it comes to overall sales, a new report...
Soft drinks giant PepsiCo is to merge all its North American drinks
operations into one division in a bid to strengthen its position in
its long-running battle with arch rival Coca-Cola.
Almost 70 per cent of American women of childbearing age fail to
take the B vitamin folic acid every day even though many of them
are aware it helps prevent birth defects, according to the latest
survey by the March of Dimes organisation.
Israel has confirmed on Tuesday its first case of mad cow disease,
found in a cow in a kibbutz in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights,
but officials said they were confident no infected meat had reached
the market.
Organic oranges are smaller than their counterparts grown by
traditional methods but that does not stop them from containing
nearly 30 per cent more vitamin C - or from being much more
expensive.
An advisory committee to the European Parliament has ruled that
draft rules on the labelling of genetically modified foods should
be toughened, to the delight of anti-GM campaigners throughout the
Union.
The recall of food products by five Japanese companies reported
yesterday has been extended to another 15 or so firms, making it
likely that the recall will be the biggest in Japan's history.
Calcium has long been known to be essential for improving bone
density, but new research claims that calcium intake can also lead
to a reduction in phosphorous levels, in turn increasing bone loss.
A new case of foot-and-mouth disease has been discovered at a farm
in central South Korea, increasing concerns from Europe and Japan
that football fans there for the World Cup will carry the disease
with them as they move around.
Marlow Foods, the British company which makes the meat substitute
Quorn has been put up for sale by its parent company, the
AstraZeneca pharmaceuticals group.
Poultry meat in Denmark, the Netherlands and Austria is being
tested for traces of a dangerous herbicide which entered the
European food chain via a pesticide store in former East Germany.
A new report from the US-based Nutrition Business Journal
has shown that consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about
improving their health through supplements or food, but at the same
time most have only a rudimentary knowledge...
Sargento, the US-based cheese producer, has managed to achieve
double digit sales growth thanks in part to its prize winning
packaging concept.. The company's director of new products, Brad
Rostowfske, discusses the story behind...
The European market for diet foods is likely to grow steadily over
the next few years as the population continues to grow heavier and
more out of shape, according to a new report from market analysts
Datamonitor.
Danish vegetable oils and fats specialist Aarhus Olie has launched
a new investor relations (IR) website which is designed to help
keep its shareholders up-to-date with developments at the company.