Metro, the German retail group, is one of the main supporters of
new retail developments in Europe, but it appears that its
enthusiasm for the advantages that technology can bring is not
shared by all of its customers.
Industry group Scottish Quality Salmon has slammed research
recently published in Science magazine. The body claims that
the article on fish farming is misleading, and says that steps to
minimise PCB and dioxin levels in fish farming...
Approximately one-third of global meat exports, or 6 million metric
tonnes, are presently being affected by animal disease outbreaks,
the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said today. With the
value of global meat and live...
Exporters of genetically modified (GM) food suffered a setback this
week when an international conference on biotech safety agreed to
impose stricter labelling requirements on such products. The US,
which is the largest exporter of...
Leaked minutes from the UK government show that it is planning to
enforce different levels of GM contamination for different organic
food if GM crops are grown commercially in the UK, says UK organic
body, the Soil Association.
A screening method to identify a series of banned food dyes has
been developed in the UK. The move comes in response to the
European Commission's attempts to prevent the importation of
products containing four chemicals known...
Meeting calls to cut the salt content manufacturers in the UK have
committed to a programme that will aim to reduce salt in processed
foods such as soups, pizzas and ready meals, according to the food
industry body, the Food and Drink...
The UK food industry has promised to continue reducing levels of
salt in manufactured food products. In a joint report from
manufacturers, farmers and the hospitality sector, salt in sliced
bread is to be further reduced and targeted...
Canada is set to publish its first voluntary standards for
labelling food free of genetically modified ingredients. But a
number of food processors say that the rules are so badly flawed
that they will be of no use to the majority...
A new guide from UK-based research group CCFRA has been published
that will help chilled food manufacturers and retailers determine
the shelf-life of their products. The guide aims to improve both
the safety and quality of chilled...
Despite the recent EU ruling against its GM Maize crops, Monsanto
has said that it is expecting the continued development of its
seeds and traits business will drive its mid-term growth.
Croatia is about to get its own food agency, which will work
alongside the EFSA to bring the former Yugoslavian state in line
with EU food safety regulations ahead of its likely application to
join the Union.
Trolley Scan has developed and put into production what it claims
is the most sensitive passive single chip UHF radio frequency
identification (RFID) system ever developed. The system allows
manufacturers to read the credit card sized...
The National Food Processors Association (NFPA) in the US has urged
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to provide a greater degree
of flexibility in making qualified health claims or dietary
guidance statements on food labels.
End-of-line equipment specialist Wrapid Packaging Systems is
launching the Compacta Trend, an updated budget automatic packaging
machine that the company claims offers substantial cost savings
over traditional chamber and semi-automatic...
Technology group 3M has combined its packaging expertise with
Microsoft products to develop and deliver what it believes is the
first available integrated packaging management solution. The
Integrated Packaging Tool from 3M is designed...
US poultry exports to European Union countries were banned for one
month yesterday because of concerns over the emergence of bird
influenza in Texas. The ban, which covers all bird and egg imports
from the country, was enacted after...
Israeli firm Advanced Vision Technology (AVT) has introduced a
number of innovative features for its PrintVision range of
inspection solutions. The firm believes that this will further
consolidate its position as a leader in quality...
If one day in the near future Europe does decide to clear the way
for the planting of GM crops in the soil of the EU25, there is one
point on which the Commission and national governments must be in
full possession of the facts,...
The European Commission obtained official observer status within
the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) this week at the
first-ever global conference on animal welfare. The event brought
together the 166 member countries of...
A new study from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) suggests
that genetically engineered DNA is contaminating traditional seeds
of three major crops in North America. The organisation warns that
if left unchecked, seed contamination...
Scientists in the US have for the first time identified a fresh
product as the source of an outbreak of human Yersinia
pseudotuberculosis infections, a recent medical report says.
Experts in Asia are predicting that the bird flu outbreak is
threatening to evolve into a situation similar to that of the
recent SARS outbreak, as the disease appears to show no signs of
abating. Meanwhile in Europe strict measures...
As processors in Poland and other accession countries race to
comply with EU food safety regulations, the EU Commission has said
that it will be prepared to further extend deadlines in an attempt
to help companies bring facilities...
Scientists in Japan believe they have developed a means of
controlling viruses in farmed fish and shellfish - a problem that
has continued to plague the sector and which often leads to a heavy
reliance on preventative drugs.
Oxoid, one of the leading manufacturers of culture media
anddiagnostic products for the food and drink industry, will be
acquired by Fisher Scientific International.
Muscle fatigue is one of the most common symptoms for food
processing machinery operators. Rubber matting has been one
solution but with that comes bacteria problems. A US company
believes it has the solution.
A report into the benefits of assurance for the UK meat and
livestock sector suggests that there is a need to increase the
momentum of assurance as a means of protection.
The challenge of preventing the harmful impact from UV light should
not be ignored by makers of beverages and food products packaged in
PET according to research studies by the Belgium-based Milliken
& Company.
The UK government has been forced to postpone plans to give the
green light for a GM crop after the devolved assembly of Wales and
the Scottish Parliament refused to cooperate. The Welsh executive
is vociferous in its support of organic...
David Byrne, the European Commissioner for health and consumer
protection, has outlined the measures that have been taken to
protect Europe's poultry industry. Speaking at the European
Parliament yesterday, he claimed that safeguards...
Lawmakers in the US have proposed a mandatory livestock
identification system to combat outbreaks of food borne disease
such as mad cow or foot and mouth disease. The system would work by
keeping track of herd movements and being...
Beneficial knock-on effects of the Avian Influenza and BSE crises
could soon be felt within Denmark's pork industry, according to
some industry experts. Denmark's Bacon and Meat Council believes
that after months of historically...
The newly-established European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is not
about to 'abandon Brussels,' according to executive director
Geoffrey Podger, and transparency and independence will be the
defining characteristics of the...
The world's largest online database of information on how
pathogenic bacteria respond to different environmental conditions
in food has been established by scientists with the USDA's Agricultural Research
Service and the...
It is a sign of the times that a new Radio Frequency Identification
pavilion, or RFID pavilion, will feature at this year's Pack Expo
event in Chicago. This reflects the growing awareness, both within
the food industry and within...
Five new Coliform applications for MicroFoss have been approved by
the Association of Analytical Communities (AOAC) International
Research Institute. The applications are for coliform in chocolate,
liquid egg, whole chicken, ground...
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has expressed
disappointment that three closure orders have already been served
by environmental health officers (EHOs) due to breaches of food
safety legislation this year. "Three...
A targeted vaccination campaign for poultry at risk of being
infected by the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus may be
required in heavily affected countries to control the further
spread of the epidemic, according to global...
European Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin has announced a €43
million investment plan designed to improve the efficiency of the
food supply chain. Speaking at Wageningen University in the
Netherlands, he said that the purpose...
The possible cultivation of GM crops within the European Union
suffered a setback this week after the Belgian government decided
to reject an application to grow GM oilseed rape. Officials said
that the decision was based on the belief...
The European Union confirmed yesterday a six-month ban on Thai
poultry imports because of the bird flu outbreak rampaging across
Asia. Fresh and frozen Thai poultry products will remain barred
from the economic bloc until 15 August...
Legislation requiring food manufacturers to keep detailed records
of the supply chain is coming into force in the US next month. Next
year, it is the turn of the EU. We ask one supply chain management
company why traceability has...
The European Commission held an orientation debate on GM crops
yesterday, hours after proposing to authorise a GM sweet corn BT11
for food use. From the Commission's point of view, a comprehensive
EU regulatory framework on GMOs...
With BSE rocking the North American beef industry and Avian 'flu
devastating East Asia's poultry industry at the moment,
traceability has become a buzzword in food production. No surprise,
then, that Canadian food processor...
Following the Avian 'flu crisis in Asia, a major UK food retailer
is already promising its customers that all its chicken products
can be fully traced. Are European consumers getting jittery about
chicken, and what effect could...
Over production, European enlargement, and emerging competitive
markets are three key issues facing the European tomato processing
industry today. But the development of new food additives from the
skin and seeds of the tomato could...
Consumer indifference - not to say hostility - towards
genetically-modified products in the UK means that British
supermarkets are likely to stay firmly GM-free in 2004, according
to an annual survey of retailers carried out by www.gmfoodnews.com.
Wal-Mart's announcement that it requires its top 100 suppliers to
place radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on all cases and
pallet loads by January 2005 has effectively secured the future of
this technology in the US....
New aqueous ozone technology, designed to make food safer by
eliminating Listeria, has been accepted by the US Department
of Agriculture's food safety inspection service (FSIS).
Manufacturer BOC claims that the anti-microbial...
