Ireland's food safety authority (FSAI) has published an updated
report on the potential for transmission of zoonotic tuberculosis
through the food chain.
The UK food industry has received a gentle reminder of the need to
recycle part of its packaging waste, after a frozen food firm was
slapped with a fine for breaching Producer Responsibility
Regulations.
The common house fly may pose a threat to the safety of poultry
products as they are able to spread salmonella poisoning to healthy
hens, say researchers.
The UK Gangmaster Licensing Authority (GLA) this week alleged that
a gangmaster was exploiting workers he supplied to three UK food
firms - British Bakeries, Thorntons and Florette.
Applied Biosystems is to start supplying its pathogen testing kits
directly to the food processors and testing laboratories, a move
the company says is part of its commitment to ensuring food safety.
BASF has developed a tool for its customers in the food industry
which affords detailed information on the composition of products
and manufacturing methods, including levels of sustainability
achieved in production.
An ultra-rapid multiplex food pathogen test being developed for
meat producers by RnA Assays and UK-based Alaska Food Diagnostics
has been awarded EUREKA status.
UK-based processors are being consulted over plans by the country's
Food Standards Agency for mandatory testing of Chinese rice imports
over fears of contamination from unapproved Genetically Modified
Organisms (GMO).
A bill that would ban the use of food packaging containing
perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA),
is working its way through the California legislature.
The US Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry will be
publishing a study next month that describes a new process to
greatly reduce allergens in eggs.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published an Opinion
on the contribution of different meat categories to cases of
food-borne Salmonella infections in humans.
The FDF's says it believes the current EU regulation with regard to
criteria for ready-to-eat foods able to support the growth of
Listeria Monocytogenes (EC regulation 2073 / 2005,
as amended) is appropriate. However, it needs...
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) yesterday held a meeting
in Brussels with its Stakeholder Consultative Platform to discuss
the Draft Opinion on animal cloning.
A US meatpacker has recalled about 188,000 pounds of ground beef
and other products because of E. coli bacteria concerns; and
higher-than-normal levels of naturally occuring cyanide were found
in a cassava cracker product in Australia.
Significant lessons have been learned from recent food scares like
foot and mouth this year, but more works needs to be done on
communication, says the British Frozen Foods Federation (BFFF).
The latest report from the UK's Pesticide Residues Committee (PRC)
has raised fresh concerns about residues being found in apples sold
at retail, and in fruit supplied to schools under the School Fruit
and Vegetable Scheme.
EU and US positions at a Codex meeting to set international
standards on food safety foreshadow future legislation that would
affect control measures in plants, and the manufacture of powdered
formulae, ready-to-eat foods, and pasteurised...
About six per cent of meat products sold in the UK either did not
contain, or failed to list, the amount on the label, according to a
survey by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
About 2.2 per cent of foods sampled in the EU had levels of
carcenogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) above the legal
limits, with cocoa butter and food supplements topping the list.
The development of a new RFID software system offers the fresh food
industry an unprecedented level of monitoring and traceability, to
ensure safety is retained from the farm to the fork, its
manufacturer claims.
Food safety recommendations made by a panel investigating one of
the largest industry-wide recalls ever made in the UK could lead to
tougher regulatory scrutiny of the way processors manage their
supply chain.
California will become the third US state to ban manufacturers
and others from implanting radio frequency identification
(RFID) tags in their workers, under a bill passed by legislators
last week.
New flexible packaging film allows fresh produce to be sold as
"convenience" food, as it preserves fruit and vegetables for
longer, the manufacturers claim.
New polymers and plastics developed could be used to satisfy
growing demands for extended shelf life and products made from
natural, sustainable sources, US researchers claim.
A new publication, focusing on microbiological analysis, advises
meat and egg processors on how to use the technology to prevent
contamination and food-borne illnesses such as salmonella.
A new monitoring device can monitor the operation of tank cleaning
systems from the outside, potentially saving the cost of having to
make modifications to the equipment.
A new panel-mounted device for cold storage equipment can download
temperatures directly on to a computer, making record keeping
faster and more accurate.
Manufacturers across Europe, Japan and Australia who used a
thickening agent from Unipektin might be on the hook for recalls,
after a Swiss company said the additive contained high levels
of the cancer-causing chemical dioxin.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday released a
report that recommends the agency takes steps to assess the
benefits and risks of nanotechnology.
A UK company has developed a palladium insert, which it claims is a
more efficient method of scavenging oxygen in filled bottles or
packages, helping to extend shelf life.
Swedish company Billerud will next week open a research centre to
develop packaging that can extend the shelf life of fruit and
vegetables during transportation.
A new guidance from the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA)
is designed to help manufacturers cut down on salt in their
products without compromising quality and safety.