Breaking News on Food Safety & Quality Control

EU moves to restrict Ukrainian sunflower oil imports

27-May-2008 - The European Commission has set tough import standards for Ukrainian sunflower oil following the recent discovery that some products were contaminated.

Sodium benzoate removed from Diet Coke

27-May-2008 - Coca-Cola is phasing out the use of the controversial additive sodium benzoate in Diet Coke on the back of consumer demand for more natural products.

Weekly comment

The GSK weight loss wake-up call

26-May-2008 - GlaxoSmithKline's petition to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban dietary supplements from making weight loss claims, has opened a cupboard and only the deluded would deny the presence of one or two skeletons rattling around in there.

Too little salt may pose CVD risk, suggests study

22-May-2008 - Low sodium levels may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, say researchers in an observational study, contradicting recent evidence from intervention trials indicating the dangers of too much salt.

Researchers to identify obesity botanical extracts

22-May-2008 - Two research groups have joined forces to identify natural compounds that could hold potential in the prevention of metabolic disease and obesity.

Grape fibre beats other fibres for heart benefits: study

19-May-2008 - Antioxidant-rich fibres from red grape may reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease more than other fibre sources, suggests new research from Spain.

FDA throws Lifeway lifeline after line closures

19-May-2008 - Lifeway Foods, a major processor of cream cheese and seafood products, has been ordered by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to close down two of it production lines over alleged hygiene and labelling concerns.

Expert calls for crackdown on EU bootleg booze

15-May-2008 - While China continues to pose a significant copyright threat to Europe's spirit makers, the industry must also address the problem on its own doorstep, according to the director general of the European Spirits organization (CEPS).

Lignans' prostate cancer protection gets study boost

13-May-2008 - The lignan metabolite enterolactone may prevent the spread of prostate cancer by acting at the genetic level, suggests new research that deepens our understanding of the topic.

Weekly comment

Innovation: the fast before the feast

12-May-2008 - Last week's Vitafoods trade show highlighted a drop in ingredient innovation with many companies placing the blame at the door of Europe's evolving health claims legislation.

Irish foods low in trans fats, high in saturated: survey

09-May-2008 - The results of a survey by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) on the fat content and fatty acid composition of pre-packaged food products reveal that generally, levels of trans-fatty acids in the surveyed products are low.

Major HFCS users unlikely to ditch it for sugar, expert

07-May-2008 - Some food and beverage manufacturers may switch from high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) to sugar as a result of high corn prices, but this is only likely to be the case for relatively small scale users, according to a consultant.

Packaging chemicals found in breast milk, says study

06-May-2008 - Chemicals found in food packaging and other products appear to be transferred by nursing mothers to their babies via breast milk, researchers have found.

Weekly comment

Adjusting to Mars' centre stage ambitions

05-May-2008 - While in the Hollywood stratosphere, it seems that you are not anyone these days unless you're a duo, in the glamorous world of food manufacture, the team-up route to success may not be quite as simple.

Peanut allergy gone within five years?

05-May-2008 - Genetically modified plants or immunotherapy may eliminate allergies to peanut within five years, suggests a prominent scientist from Duke University.

EFSA to review BPA advice on the back of US, Canadian concerns

02-May-2008 - EFSA has undertaken to review its previous advice on safe levels of bisphenol A (BPA) in food packaging and provide updates on its deliberations, following new assessments from Canada and the US.

Trans-fats harm mechanism proposed

30-Apr-2008 - Trans fatty acids (TFA), an enfant terrible of the food industry, may promote cardiovascular disease by triggering inflammatory processes in the cells lining blood vessels, American scientists report.

Weekly comment

No quick fix to the food price crisis

28-Apr-2008 - The food crisis is neither new nor sudden. The several underlying causes have been independently, steadily gathering speed and have collided in a perfect storm not seen for generations. It is going to take a coordinated, long-term effort to untangle them.

FDF encourages best practice for greener supply chain

28-Apr-2008 - A one day conference organised by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and the London Technology Network (LTN) was held last week to encourage food and drinks companies to share their knowledge and experience on making the industry greener.

UK industry following quality standard guidelines, FSA

24-Apr-2008 - British food companies are by and large playing by the rules when it comes to providing information to consumers about the quality of the food they are eating.

Swiss food retailers demand information on nanotech

23-Apr-2008 - Switzerland's leading food retailers have introduced a new code of conduct that will oblige their food and packaging suppliers to provide detailed information about nanotechnology products.

Drink makers behind in natural colours search

22-Apr-2008 - Soft drink makers and confectioners remain someway behind rival industries in finding natural additives for their product formulations, a leading global ingredient supplier has said.

Weekly Comment

The dangers of selective science

21-Apr-2008 - Antioxidants are back under the microscope for all the wrong reasons. But the use of meta-analyses to pool data is controversial, and scientists need to keep perspective before publishing conclusions.

Southampton study causing supplements rethink

16-Apr-2008 - Food supplements manufacturers may have to reformulate thousands of products aimed at both children and adults if calls for bans on the use of certain artificial colours become reality.