The European Food Safety Authority has issued a positive safety opinion on sucrose esters produced by reacting sucrose and vinyl esters of fatty acids, which could open up new possibilities for improving the solubility of flavourings in drinks.
The European Commission’s approval of BASF’s GM Amflora potato for cultivation in the EU could mark the end of European deadlock over genetic modification, and has been celebrated and decried with equal measure by commentators on both sides of the debate.
European food labelling must be honest and informative to consumers while not unfairly penalising suppliers from countries outside the EU, Robert Madelin, director general of the European Commission’s health directorate DG Sanco, has argued.
Rhubarb farmers in the north of England are to celebrating after their rhubarb, grown using a method developed specially for the region’s soil, is granted protected status.
As food and beverage products have taken Guidance Daily Amount (GDA) labelling around Europe, awareness and understanding has been increasing, according to Coca-Cola. But debate over the best format for EU-wide labelling continues.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will host a May summit at its Italian headquarters that will provide a rare opportunity for direct dialogue between stakeholders and the agency’s health claims panel.
A new country of origin labelling (COOL) code of practice for pork introduced in the UK yesterday will benefit meat processors, producers and consumers, said one industry body.
The Romanian food industry association Romalimenta Federation believes the proposed junk food tax will boost the black market and stimulate fiscal fraud, and in the worst case could harm food safety.
The Scottish government is proposing a series of actions to reduce consumption of energy-dense foods as part of a bid to curb obesity in the country, and has not ruled out regulations.
The Romanian initiative to levy a tax on unhealthy food and beverage products has garnered new support in Brussels, with public health activitists and politicians hailing it as a model for other member states.
EU food safety bodies have signed up to a plan to develop common methodologies for collecting food consumption data across the bloc, which will allow for more accurate exposure assessment and could reduce compliance cost for industry.
The re-registration process and expected approval time for food enzymes under new European regulations mean innovations will take longer to reach consumers, says Novozymes’ regulatory expert.
New European Union omega-3 labelling rules will help consumers understand the role the fatty acids can play in the diet and boost product launches, according to the global omega-3 trade group, GOED.
The UK government has confirmed plans to allow product placement in television programmes, but foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS), and alcohol are excluded.
The European Commission has today announced the winner of its contest to design a new logo to appear on all organic food and beverage products in the European Union: a leaf-shaped design from Germany that attracted 63 per cent of the votes.
A platform to oversee competitive relations in the food supply chain should be a priority, says the CIAA, which holds that more work is needed to address issues of competition and commercial practices in the sector.
The Chia Company is bidding to market its chia seed for use in bread in Europe, with a novel foods application under the fast-track substantial equivalence scheme.
The Food Safety Authority Ireland may not publish extensive salt reduction targets for industry, but it has been working hard to encourage companies to cut salt in their products since 2004.
The European Union said measures to step up border controls on a range of imported foods of non-animal origin in a bid to boost food safety came into effect yesterday.
The long lead time before regulatory changes become applicable means the flavour industry is prepared to support customers, says the president of the European Flavour Association (EFFA), though a few details are still being worked out.
As the competition authorities are stepping up scrutiny of the food sector, all companies should ensure they have compliance structures in place and do not view national activities in isolation, say lawyers at CMS Cameron McKenna
More resources and regulatory support are needed to develop fair trade schemes, says a new opinion from the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). Approaches should be harmonised where they agree, and their differences clearly communicated.
General cholesterol reducing health claims can be utilised on all food products including food supplements even if the authorised specific cholesterol percentage reduction cannot.
Progress has been painfully slow in the discussions over the new food information regulation, says food lawyer Owen Warnock of Eversheds, and many of the same big issues are unsolved after two years of debate.
Food processors and manufacturers are among those who should be forced to report tonnages of food waste from their business on an annual basis, a UK parliamentary report has said.
The French government has approved the use of stevia sweetener Reb A in table top sweeteners, and raised the levels at which it can be used in a range of no added sugar food and beverage products.
Saturated fats in the UK diet are making headlines once more, as the FSA launches the second phase of its consumer campaign to cut down and doctors issue stark warning on the effects of bad fats.
A suspected cartel in the flour industry in the Netherlands is the subject of an investigation by the Dutch competition authority (NMa), with the spotlight being placed on the practice of both domestic and foreign players in the sector.
Consumers are confused about what country of origin labelling actually means, finds a new research synthesis that reinforces the case for greater clarity.
The European Food safety Authority (EFSA) rejected a submission from a Dutch plant sterol supplements firm calling for the EU approved, cholesterol-lowering health claim to be expanded to food supplements and other food categories.
Magnolia bark extract could be used in chewing gum and mint confectionery to enhance their breath-freshening action, believes Wrigley, which has filed for novel foods approval in the EU.
The European Food Safety Authority has completed its review of 11 smoke flavourings in use in the EU, finding only two to have large enough safety margins not to give rise to safety concerns.
Plans to introduce a new tax on foods high in salt, sugar, and additives in Romania came as a surprise to the food industry, and the full impact will not be clear until after the details are hammered out over the next 10 days.
The World Health Organization will this month discuss recommendations for governments to protect children from marketing of unhealthy food and beverage products that pay particular attention to international marketing.
Consumer power packs a punch when it comes to making food production more sustainable and healthier, says Defra chief, as the government publishes its priorities for changing the food system by 2030.
The CIAA has signalled its priorities for Spain’s six month presidency of the EU, with competitiveness, food information, novel foods revisions, research and sustainability topping the bill.
More research is needed to assess the environmental impact of Monsanto’s genetically modified MON 810 maize, according to the French government’s advisory council on biotechnology.
Dispatches from the NI Health Claims 2010 conference
Europe's leading trade groups are set for a meeting with the European Commission to discuss their concerns over the health claims assessment, and EFSA's reluctance to engage in dialogue.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reaffirmed the safety of Monsanto's genetically modified (GM) GT73 oilseed rape, stating that it is unlikely to have a detrimental effect on human or animal health or the environment when used for food...
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has delivered a positive scientific opinion on polyglycitol syrup, a common bulk sweetener used in bakery products.
IFPRI's Gerald Nelson explains the importance of leaders reaching a political agreement at the COP-15 climate talks that would channel resources from the developed to the developing world, and protect farmers and the food supply from the effects...
New supply chain regulations designed to beef up the ‘farm to fork’ traceability of cattle, sheep and goats sent to slaughter will come into force in the UK from the beginning of next year.
The timescale for confirming the new EU organic logo will leave companies with a short lead time to use it on new products, but industry will benefit from an 18-month period to phase out labels bearing old logos.
The European Commission has taking votes on the three finalists in its contest to design the new EU organic label, all copyright checked to ensure they do not infringe existing designs.
A possible change in UK law to allow product placements in UK-made TV programmes is causing concern for children’s food campaigners, who fear it will increase kids’ exposure to marketing of unhealthy food and drink products.
