New international standards for GM labels could be on the way as a
meeting of the United Nations' Codex Alimentarius committee on food
labelling kicks off in Malaysia this week.
Europe's food watchdog concludes soft drink makers should propose
limits for heavy metals and aromatic hydrocarbons used as carrier
solvents for flavouring preparations in soft drinks.
UK's food watchdog issues new warning after illegal colour in food
chain, chemically similar to Sudan 1, detected in Mexican food kits
supplied by General Mills.
EFSA scientific experts tackle the presence of harmful foodborne
bacteria Clostridium perfringens and C. botulinum,
compiling an opinion on the risk these spore-forming bacteria pose.
Environment Committee at Europe's Parliament votes to delete
controversial article four on nutrient profiles and redraft article
11, in proposed rules for nutrition and health claims.
Seeking to clear up confusion over approved GM ingredients, the
European Commission has published a list of the 26 biotech products
cleared for use across the EU 25 member nations.
Forcing the traceability card, the European Union has voted to
block imports of certain US grain unless they prove they are free
of the genetically modified maize Bt10,reports Lindsey
Partos.
Vulnerabilities in the international food chain are evident as an
unapproved genetically modified corn leaks into feed, flour and
oils; but Europe's food safety agency says this week the illegal
Bt10 corn is unlikely to pose...
Trans fat concerns hit Australia with consumer groups calling for
trans fat to be highlighted on food labels after more than a third
of 50 food products tested had levels 'well above what is
considered safe by many experts',...
Investigating the risk of food poisoning to the consumer by the
prevalent bacteria Bacillus cereus, European scientific
experts find the majority of reported outbreaks were linked to the
consumption of heat treated foods, with cooked...
The EU's food-linked risk alert system has been bombarded in one
week by the detection of potentially carcinogenic aflatoxins in
nearly 40 food products on sale in the European market, including
the Czech Republic, reports Lindsey...
Costs will rise for food makers using spice and oil users as
officials in Brussels vote to extend test controls for the illegal
red dye sudan 1, writes Lindsey Partos.
Scientific experts at the European Commission will vote this
morning on emergency measures to ensure that tumeric and palm oil
are checked at European entry ports to verify they are clear of
sudan 1, the illegal carcinogenic dye,...
Global labelling rules for genetically modified food ingredients as
well as trans fatty acid labels are on the agenda at an upcoming
Codex meeting in Malaysia.
Paving the way for new allergen labelling rules obligatory later
this year, Brussels has published a list of non-allergenic
derivatives of allergenic food ingredients for which there are
labelling exceptions, writes Lindsey Partos.
The food code in Australia is under review as food maker Unilever
Australia calls for approval of an ice structuring protein (ISP)
used to make ice cream and edible ices.
GM ingredients are here to stay as Brussels confirms 'full
confidence' in the regulatory framework that controls the entry of
biotech foodstuffs into the European food chain, reports Lindsey
Partos.
The role of GMO food ingredients in European society hits the round
table as the Commission discusses the way forward at a meeting
today in Brussels, reports Lindsey Partos.
Asian food safety authorities concerned by the massive sudan 1
recall in the UK are taking a closer look at their own food chains,
launching new investigations to detect the presence of this illegal
red food dye.
Despite the shadow of an impending sale, German hydrocolloid
supplier Degussa is moving up a gear in the burgeoning Chinese
market, opening a new production unit to ramp up supplies to the
area, writes Lindsey Partos.
With food safety a major priority in Europe, some third countries
are concerned that issues like organic, dioxin and GM foods could
become barriers to trade, according to CORDIS.
The massive sudan 1 food product recall in the UK demonstrates that
the food industry has traceability mechanisms in place, but
suggestions that the large majority of industry professionals are
unaware of new EU food safety rules...
EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel has dealt a blow
to sugar reform lobbyists across Europe and developing countries by
voicing her opposition to special arrangements for different states
when proposals are adopted later...
EU environment experts opt to delay a vote on the entry of a GM
sweetcorn into the European food chain, revealing ongoing divisions
between member states over biotech food ingredients,writes
Lindsey Partos.
The UK food watchdog has extended the already massive recall of
food products contaminated by the harmful, and illegal, red food
dye sudan 1: but the tailing off of figures suggests the recall may
have reached its peak, reports Lindsey...
In the wake of the sudan 1 crisis that led to nearly 600 food
product recalls in the UK in recent weeks, Brussels gives a helping
hand to the food industry, publishing a guidance document to assist
all players in the food chain to...
Producers of 28 different foodstuffs will be required by the
Chinese government to apply for production licences as part of the
Beijing government's ongoing measures to improve food quality and
safety, writes Chris Jones.
Current divisions in Europe over biotech food ingredients
strengthened last week after the Union's food watchdog paves the
way for the cultivation of a GM maize after the first ever risk
assessment for the cultivation of a GM...
Vulnerabilities in the food chain through globalisation evident as
the sudan 1 food recall, that has racked the UK food industry in
recent weeks, spread to China with reports that international food
maker Heinz has called back chilli...
Europe's food watchdog continues to trawl through its risk
assessment of 1000 flavouring substances, with 38 substances out of
51 requiring more data to complete the safety evaluation.
Lessons will have to be drawn. So concludes an emergency meeting of
scientists in Brussels last week to assess the fall out after the
arrival of the illegal food colour sudan 1 in over 450 processed
food brands on the UK market, reports...
Opportunities continue to open up for trans fat alternatives as
Israel communicates plans to become the world's third country to
impose labelling rules on artery-clogging trans fats.
Brussels called an emergency meeting of scientific experts
yesterday as the paper trail on the illegal red chemical dye sudan
1 extends to member states; and the recall of food products in the
UK tops 450.
The UK food maker that last week triggered the country's largest
product recall to date identifies two further foods contaminated
with the carcinogenic red food dye sudan 1, reports Lindsey
Partos.
One single ingredient continues to create havoc in the UK's food
market as the country's food safety agency this week extends the
recall roll call for food products potentially contaminated by the
harmful red colour sudan...
Underlying the destructive power of foodborne disease against the
backdrop of the increasingly complex food industry, the head of a
food safety centre warns the rise in demand for food carries an
"invisible price tag".
Food makers are advised to analyse any stocks of chilli and curry
powder, bought in before the EU imposed the ban on sudan red food
colour, to minimise the risk of expensive recalls and harm to brand
reputation, writes Lindsey Partos.
Non-nutritive sweetener neotame is on the agenda in Europe as
scientific experts meet today in Brussels to discuss the food
additive up to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar.
Pressure on food makers to more frequently track ingredients for
contaminants intensifies as the UK's food watchdog on Friday pulls
over 350 food products from the shelves after detecting the illegal
ingredient, the red food...
A Russian dairy company has created a new ice cream brand called
UFO whose extra-terrestrial name reflects its 'unearthly' ability
to avoid melting. But this is just one of a raft of innovative
products launched recently...
The Florida Consumer Action Network (FCAN) on Wednesday added its
voice to the chorus calling for the FTC to examine the McNeil
Nutritionals led advertising campaign for the artificial sweetener
Splenda, writes Philippa Nuttall.
A legal action brought by a northern English cheese producer
against the European Commission over the right to use the label
feta on its products has finally reached the European Court of
Justice - the UK, however, has declined to...
Against the backdrop of tighter traceability rules the UK's food
watchdog will focus on the relationship between food ingredients
and the final food label, at an upcoming seminar between
stakeholders next month.
GM food ingredients under attack, again, this week as environmental
group accuses Brussels of 'exposing EU states' to risk from
genetically modified corn.