A food industry pledge to reduce the saturated fat content in a range of foods is a ‘bit of hype’ and will fail to change diets unless more companies sign up, according to trustee of the National Obesity Forum Tam Fry.
The European group that represents manufacturers of milk products aimed at 1-3 year olds has welcomed last week’s European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) opinion, even though it essentially rejected toddler milks in favour of more regular foodstuffs.
An NGO report alleging widespread conflicts of interests within the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) takes ‘a different approach’ to defining potential conflicts – but is an interesting contribution to the science and society debate, EFSA has said.
The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has invited comments from industry on proposals to overhaul food inspections across Europe, including how they are funded.
The signing of a trade agreement establishing tariff-free European access to the Canadian dairy market has been welcomed by the European Dairy Association but roundly condemned by Canadian dairy stakeholders, who branded the deal “unacceptable” and demanded...
The European Commission’s strategy to reduce regulatory red tape risks reversing important environmental policies, according to a group of leading European NGOs.
The EU recently approved a health claim for fructose – but the EFSA opinion also included a health warning. So could the positive health claim lead to negative health outcomes?
A coroner has written to the UK’s Department of Health warning of the dangers of high-caffeine confectionery after a man accidentally overdosed on caffeinated energy mints.
Olive oil, fish and organic foods are at the highest risk of food fraud in Europe, according to a new draft report from the European Union – but meat is not in the top ten, despite this year’s high-profile horse meat scandal.
The world’s biggest sovereign wealth fund has permanently banned investment in two palm oil companies for alleged unethical practices, after dropping 23 palm oil firms from its portfolio for the same reason in March.
Insects could be used in animal feed to improve the sustainability of meat production – but insects are currently not allowed in feed under EU legislation. An EU-funded project is suggesting that the law needs to change.
British egg suppliers have raised fears that a closer trade agreement with Ukraine – a major egg producing nation – may displace eggs produced in the European Union, which have to adhere to more stringent animal welfare rules.
The UK’s Advertising Standards Agency has ordered Unilever to pull two television commercials for Flora pro-activ that make cholesterol-lowering claims.
New Nordic dietary recommendations focus on whole diet quality, rather than individual nutrients, with some key changes that could make a difference to how foods qualify for healthy choice logos.
The European Commission will review 11 authorised smoke flavouring primary products later this month, taking into consideration the European Food Safety Authority‘s (EFSA) previous safety concerns.
Those who oppose genetically modified (GM) rice enhanced with vitamin A in Africa and Asia are “wicked” and could be responsible for millions of premature deaths, warns environment secretary Owen Paterson.
The European Commission has passed a law meaning generic descriptors for food and beverage products which could be construed as health claims will only be allowed if they have been in use for more than 20 years.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has rejected accusations that it is secretive about the studies it assesses to determine the safety of foods, as claimed by a coalition of NGOs in an open letter.
The European Parliament has vetoed a health claim linking carbohydrate consumption to normal brain function after objections that it could promote sugar consumption.
Very young children and the elderly may be at particular risk from a potentially carcinogenic chemical compound formed in margarines, bread and vegetable oils when heated, according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
By Rick Beckmann, senior foreign legal counsel, and Aldi Rakhmatillah, associate, of Susandarini & Partners, in association with Norton Rose Fulbright Australia
How should Indonesia and, more to the point, the local community, benefit from foreign investment in plantations?
Environment secretary Owen Paterson is taking the fight against fake whisky to Moscow this week in a bid to to protect Scotch whisky from counterfeits.
A sugar tax is the best way to combat excess sugar consumption which doctors agree is partly to blame for growing global obesity and diabetes rates, according to a report from Credit Suisse.
France is looking to create a new law to encourage the increasingly popular participative financing platforms known as crowdfunding, which could cut red tape and make it easier for start-up food and drink company's to find routes to market.
Members of the European Parliament have voted to limit the amount of biofuels that can be derived from food-based crops to 6%, but campaigners say the limit is too high and will lead to more rises in food prices.
French and German palm oil industries and users have joined a handful of other European countries in committing to source all palm oil sustainably with national pledges announced at the European Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) summit in Berlin...
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled that Unilever cannot use one of its Piri Piri Pot Noodle online adverts in its current form and ordered the firm not to use “offensive images” in future.
Swiss agrichemical firm Syngenta has said it will take the European Commission to court over its decision to suspend the use of a pesticide on crops pollinated by bees.
British authorities have called a nationwide alert to warn of the increasing quantity of fake manuka honey finding its way onto the country’s retail shelves.
Free movement of food ingredients in Europe raises food safety challenges for manufacturers – so what is the best way to avoid foodborne illness outbreaks and communicate risk with consumers?
Cholesterol-busting plant sterol and stanol products – worth about €2.5bn globally – will have to carry warning labels in the European Union from next February.
The European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) recent backing of folate’s (vitamin B9) ability to reduce the risk of spinal birth defects is a good thing for infant health and the vitamin industry – but is it actually a prohibited disease claim in disguise?...
The FDA’s decision to give the thumbs up to spirulina as a source of blue color in candy and gum finally gives US firms a natural alternative to artificial FD&C Blue #1 ('brilliant blue') and opens up new opportunities in natural greens,...
Nestlé says it will fight a UK High Court ruling in favor of smaller rival Dualit that one lawyer says is an 'open door' for copycat manufacturers of Nespresso compatible coffee pods.
The adoption of proposed mandatory origin labelling on milk and milk used as an ingredient in dairy products will create unnecessary complications for the dairy industry, the European Dairy Association (EDA) has claimed.
After years in the draft stage, the US Food and Drug Administration has finalized its rule defining the term “gluten free” for voluntary food labeling. The final version contains no surprises, but will bring certainty to a market in which many firms have...
The EU has relaxed food laws that prevented the use of rosemary antioxidants (E392) in lean meat and fish products, after an application by French supplier, Naturex in early 2012.
The UK’s Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) has ruled that Slim Pasta maker NAH Foods Ltd cannot claim that the product contains zero calories – even if the claim is followed by a question mark.
The government is planning a public education campaign to help consumers understand the new hybrid front-of-pack (FoP) nutrition labelling scheme the Department of Health (DH) recently launched to stem rising obesity levels.
The European Commission (EC) has issued a call for tenders for a study on the impact of proposed legislation that would make origin labelling on milk and milk used as an ingredient in dairy products mandatory.
New rules released under the Food Safety Modernization Act will push more responsibility onto food importers and third party inspectors in an effort to prevent food borne illnesses at their source overseas rather than to try to catch them when they land...
The European Union and the United States have agreed to harmonise standards for food safety and nutrition and nanotechnology among the first collaborative research priorities to come out of trade and investment talks.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has relaunched its banned billboard featuring a smoking baby, which compares the health effects of smoking with those of eating meat.
