The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has announced a delay in delivering its verdict on bisphenol A (BPA) because it needs more time to review the vast body of research on the chemical.
Leading industry bodies from the paper and board sectors have published voluntary guidelines for their members to help ensure compliance with general EU legislation on food contact materials.
The sense of optimism is palpable at this year's IFFA show as the meat world gathers in Frankfurt, Germany, following one of the toughest economic periods in living memory.
A newly developed high performance film for fresh meat packaging combines easy opening with maximum protection, said manufacturers Sudpack Verpackungen.
US scientists have developed a new simple diagnostic instrument that speedily detects minute traces of chemical compounds that indicate poultry spoilage, leaving the product undamaged.
Amcor Flexibles’ development of a bisphenol A-free lacquer system for its Alufix peel-off end membranes has been driven by client and consumer concern over the chemical.
Tannic acid treated ground beef stored under high oxygen modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) could maintain colour stability as well as inhibit lipid oxidation and microbial growth during refrigerated storage for up to 15 days, claims new research.
The Danish Plastics Federation (DPF) has voiced its opposition to its Government’s temporary ban on bisphenol A (BPA) in food contact materials for young children and urged Ministers to abide by EFSA’s forthcoming decision on the chemical.
An international group of eminent scientist has today called for the banning of bisphenol A (BPA) in food and packaging for children on precautionary grounds.
A combined chitosan and thyme treatment with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) can extend the shelf-life of ready-to-cook poultry products, according to new research.
The use of a new biocide in food contact materials has been given the go-ahead by the European safety watchdog after authorities in Germany called for an evaluation of the chemical.
The adoption of more modified atmosphere and leak-proof packaging by retailers, as well lobbying for the use of antimicrobial washes could help cut campylobacter in UK chicken, an international summit concluded.
Food and packaging industry players should be cautious in their use of nanomaterials given the uncertainty over any long-term health risks they could present, France’s food safety watchdog has said.
An international summit on bisphenol A (BPA) hosted by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) last week yielded “very useful” scientific discussion, said the head of the body’s food contact panel.
Neogen has reported a 38 per cent year-on-year jump in Q3 2010 net income to almost US$4m on the back of booming sales of its food safety kits as it continues to buck the recessionary trend.
Denmark has introduced a temporary ban on bisphenol A (BPA) in all food contact materials for young children amid fears the chemical could inhibit brain development.
A plastics industry trade group has expressed deep concern after the French Senate called for the suspension of the commercial use of bisphenol A (BPA) in polycarbonate baby bottles.
The chemical triclosan has been formally withdrawn from a European list for use as a food contact material but plastic containing the substance can be marketed until late 2011, said Brussels.
Gamma ray irradiation is more effective than the electron beam version in the reduction of bacterial populations in ground beef and has no adverse effect on quality and sensory characteristics such as colour, chewiness, and taste, according to Korean...
Campylobacter respond to the stressful environments by rapidly forming a slimy microfilm that sheds cells into the foods, scientists have observed, a finding that could help develop new antimicrobial approaches.
The European paper industry said it is examining the significance of safety concerns raised by German regulators over the migration of mineral oils from recycled paper and cardboard packaging into food.
Irish food safety officials have urged retailers to source poultry in leak-proof packaging after Campylobacter was discovered on the external surface of around one in seven packs.
The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) in Germany has suggested switching back to virgin cardboard as a way reducing food contamination risks linked to mineral oil.
Around 80 per cent of chicken carcasses on the European Union market are contaminated with Campylobacter, according to a region-wide baseline survey by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
A new touch screen control panel (HMI) ensures easy and hygienic operation of multihead weighers for the handling of wet food products including fresh, frozen and prepared meat products as well as ready meals, claims Bilwinco.
Researchers in the United States have developed a chemical derived from sugar with the potential to replace bisphenol A (BPA) in a number of products, including the lining of food cans.
New guidance for cold store operators on working at height will improve safety and prevent companies falling foul of the law, said the industry bodies and regulators behind the project.
Leading industry bodies have endorsed a proposal by European safety chiefs to evaluate the safety of non-plastic food contact materials such as inks, coatings and adhesives.
A revolutionary microwave sterilisation processing technique that dramatically extends food shelf life while preserving its nutrients, taste and texture has been approved by US regulators.
A European plastics industry body has welcomed new research which found no evidence that bisphenol A (BPA) damages the nervous system of female rats and their offspring.
Kellogg said it has fully addressed all the “significant deviations” from food production good practice at its Listeria-hit waffle plant, as catalogued by US safety regulators in a letter published Tuesday.
A new international standard on radio frequency (RF) tags has been issued to improve the tracking and traceability of products in the global supply chain.
A European plastics industry body has hailed a decision by the French Food Safety Agency (AFSSA) to use scientific rather than political considerations to guide its ongoing evaluation of bisphenol A (BPA).
The French Food Safety Agency’s (AFSSA) opinion on bisphenol A is confused and it has been sidetracked by conflicting results from animal studies, said a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
A breakthrough in the manipulation of liquid crystals could result in food packaging that extends product shelf-life, according to new research from the United States.
The fresh meat aisle might seem a prime target for innovation in sustainable packaging. But cost issues, along with differing interpretations of ‘sustainability’, are hindering the process, reports sister title Food Manufacture.
French food safety authorities have questioned the validity of studies linking bisphenol A (BPA) to human health problems but said the research does flag up “warning signs” that warrant extra analysis.
The Consumers Union (CU) has urged the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to set performance standards for leafy greens after its latest survey revealed some packaged salads contained high levels of bacteria.
The UK Food Standards Agency has urged supermarkets to overhaul their poultry purchasing policies in a bid to combat the problem of campylobacter throughout the supply chain.
Campylobacteriosis and Salmonella remained the most common zoonotic diseases in humans in the European Union during 2008 - but incidences of both have fallen, said the region’s food safety watchdog.
The US chemical industry said it needs more information on a call by the FDA for plastic manufacturers to submit products containing bisphenol A (BPA) to a different regulatory system.
EFSA has asked for feedback on its revised guidelines for the submitting of dossiers on substances to be used in tackling microbial contamination on the surfaces of meat.
The French Food Safety Agency (AFSSA) said it now has all the tools in place for detecting regulated lipophilic toxins in shellfish using a chemical test instead of the unreliable mouse bioassay.
Elanco has announced plans to launch a food safety division focused on the meat and poultry sectors in response to heightened concerns over foodborne pathogens.
