The sugar replacer Isomalt has become the first non-Chinese food to
pass the Novel Food approval process set by the Chinese Ministry of
Health, according to maker Palatinit.
The UK's food and farming minister has revealed how almost £500
million of additional support for sugar reform will be incorporated
within the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) over the next seven years.
The board of the UK's Food Standards Agency yesterday agreed the
draft response to the EC discussion document on vitamin and mineral
levels with only minor changes, paving the way to approval of the
final response by government...
The EC's Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health has
now discussed the possible illegal GM contamination of long grain
rice imports from the US.
Children should be protected from exploitative marketing techniques
used on the Internet, according to a new report from the
International Obesity Task Force.
The FSA is seeking comments on proposed European Commission
regulations that would establish a common authorisation procedure
for food additives, food enzymes and food flavourings.
The FSAI is to implement a ban on the import of certain US long
grain rice products unless certificates declaring them to be free
of unauthorised GM rice accompany them.
The EU has been urged to subsidise patent applications for young
innovative companies in order to ensure that Europe's biotech and
agricultural sectors remain competitive.
The Doha Round of global agriculture negotiations collapsed mainly
because of infighting between large and powerful countries,
corporations and lobbies, said the FAO this week.
Italy's vigorous application of EC food safety regulation 178/02
could be hampered by the country's legislative framework, according
to an Italian lawyer.
New powers that will enable the European Parliament (EP) to block
Commission decisions will have serious implications for the food
industry, warns a USDA study.
The EU food industry has expressed disappointment at the WTO's
failure to achieve any meaningful agreement at the Doha round of
agricultural trade talks.
A Milan banker linked to the collapse of Italian dairy firm
Parmalat has been found dead, after disappearing on his way back
from a meeting of conservative Catholic group Opus Dei.
With Europe-wide health claims regulation moving towards
completion, there is some anxiety within the food industry on how
to best to prepare itself - even though EFSA has not yet published
submissions guidelines or come up with a...
The department of environment, food and rural affairs (Defra) has
released a consultative paper seeking views on coexistence of GM
crops alongside ordinary crops.
Member states now have 18 months to approve erythritol as a food
additive, after the approval process was finalised by the EC
Council of Health Ministers last month.
An online consultation on the revision of novel food regulations,
designed to take into account changes to the status of GM food in
the EU, is nearing completion.
The Codex Alimentarius Commission has set new
internationalstandards on maximum allowed levels of contaminants,
including lead, cadmium,and aflatoxins.
A coalition of UK food, soft drink and advertising industries have
signed and submitted a response to Ofcom's consultation on food
marketing to children.
The globalisation of the food industry is driving the harmonisation
of ingredient regulations, though its still a jungle out there, as
IFT conference delegates learnt last week.
The US is pushing to insert a special clause in trade negotiations
in Geneva this week that would make its use of farm subsidies
immune from prosecution, according to Oxfam.
Danish company, Chr. Hansen has announced that it has won a patent
case to protect its natural LiquidCap colour, a result that
protects not only Chr. Hansen but also the customers, said the
company.
The EU's approach to GM food regulation has little theoretical
basis, and panders to the fears and prejudices of its citizens,
according to a US scientist.
British charity, the National Heart Foundation, has announced it is
withdrawing its action to sue the communications watchdog Ofcom
after the regulator said it would welcome consultation of the
proposals of food advertising to children.
Dairy Crest has criticised Britain's advert watchdog for telling
the company to drop claims that its omega-3 milk could improve
children's ability to learn.
In the US, the role of court action in defining limits not set by
regulators is generating a flood of costly court cases for the food
industry: much unnecessary, and all damaging.
The UK's FSA has expressed 'disappointment' at Ofcom's proposals on
junk food advertising to kids, arguing that they are an
insufficient response to the problem posed to children's health.
Cargill Sweetness Solutions has welcomed the change in EU law
surrounding the sweetener erythritol, saying it will give food and
beverage manufactures across Europe greater flexibility in
developing their products.
The UK advertising regulator Ofcom is under pressure to reconsider
its rejection of a 9pm watershed ban on junk food advertising,
according to a UK newspaper.
Revisions to the EU's food additives and sweeteners legislation
includes stricter requirements on the use of nitrites and nitrates
in meat, and approvals for seven new ingredients.
Proposed changes to the EU's regulation on novel foods would boost
product innovation in the industry, and make cross-border trading
easier, the European Commission says in a consultative document.
Europe's food safety authority has announced the appointment of
almost 200 scientists to its scientific committee and panels, yet
more new appointments at EFSA following the announcement that a new
chief executive, Catherine...
The CIAA has called on the EU to maintain pressure on negotiating
partners in order to ensure a balanced and successful outcome to
the current round of WTO talks.
The threshold for the contamination of organic products with
genetically modified organisms (GMO) was one of the most
controversial issues discussed by EU agriculture ministers this
week.
The UK's Food Standards Agency is seeking views and comments on
proposed amendments to European colour regulations covering Sunset
Yellow FCF (E 110) and Titanium Dioxide (E 171).