Breaking News on Food Safety & Quality Control

Oily fish may boost prostate cancer survival rate: Study

24-Nov-2008 - An increased intake of fish and omega-3-rich seafood may improve prostate cancer survival by 38 per cent, according to a new study.

Austrian ministry links GM corn to infertility

24-Nov-2008 - Consumption of genetically modified corn may lead to infertility, according to a new study commissioned by the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, and carried out by Veterinary University Vienna.

Industry response to gum arabic calorie count decision

21-Nov-2008 - The notification by the FDA that it has no objection to the lowering of the caloric value of gum arabic in the US has met with a mixed response from the food industry over its significance.

News in brief

Fruit-a-day for Euro zone kids

20-Nov-2008 - An agreement has been reached amongst European agriculture ministers to provide free fruit to young school children, at a cost to the EU of €90m.

Global food markets ‘neither secure nor resilient’

19-Nov-2008 - The UK has become increasingly reliant on imported food and its faith in the long-term surety of the global market is misplaced, according to research released by the Soil Association.

Antibiotic resistant E.coli could spread, warns Soil Association

19-Nov-2008 - A newly discovered antibiotic resistant strain of E.coli is at risk of spreading, the Soil Association has warned, as no restrictions have been made on the herd where it was identified.

FSA launches food fraud hotline

17-Nov-2008 - The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has set up a new hotline to allow individuals and businesses to report fraudulent activity in food sales and marketing in a much quicker and easier way than previously.

Studies say BPA exposure may affect fertility

14-Nov-2008 - Bisphenol A (BPA) could prevent successful in vitro fertilization, or the ability of embryos to attach to the uterus, according to presentations at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine's (ASRM) annual meeting.

FDA gears up for food safety rule revision

13-Nov-2008 - The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it will bring current federal food processing safety rules up to date in an effort to provide additional protection against foodborne illness.

Ministers on board with ‘Southampton six’ phase-out

13-Nov-2008 - UK ministers have agreed with a Food Standards Agency proposal on voluntary phasing out of the ‘Southampton six’ food colours by the end of 2009, according the agency’s chief executive.

FDF and DoH step up fight against obesity

12-Nov-2008 - New steps in food’s role in the fight against obesity in the UK are being taken by the DoH and the FDF.

UK salt concern at a five year low, FSA survey

07-Nov-2008 - UK consumers have worried less about salt and additives this year and more about saturated fat in their food, according to the latest barometer of food views conducted by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Probiotic may prevent respiratory illnesses: study

07-Nov-2008 - The bacterial strain Lactobacillus plantarum 299 may protect intubated, critically-ill patients from pneumonia, suggests a small Swedish study.

EUFIC reveals results of European labelling survey

06-Nov-2008 - European consumers are generally aware of nutritional labelling systems and guideline daily amounts (GDA), according to a new survey – but not everyone actually looks for nutritional information on packaging.

EFSA opinion discounts French GM maize fears

06-Nov-2008 - French claims that a genetically modified maize product poses a potential health risk have been disputed by a newly published scientific report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Cocoa flavanols cut blood pressure, says study

05-Nov-2008 - The daily consumption of 17 grams of ACTICOA dark chocolate, containing 500 milligrams (mg) of cocoa flavanols, for two weeks helps to maintain healthy blood pressure, according to new research presented at Health Ingredients Europe (HIE) 2008 Show in Paris.

Hobs may reduce Clostridium perfringens in chickens, claims US study

03-Nov-2008 - Researchers from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in collaboration with a scientist from Farleigh Dickinson University, claim that the hob plant (Humulus lupulus) contains bitters acids which are powerful antimicrobials and can be used to control pathogenic bacteria in the intestines of chickens.

FDA criticised over BPA assessment

03-Nov-2008 - An advisory board to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that the agency ignored evidence that suggested bisphenol A (BPA) in baby bottles and formula cans could be damaging to children.

Bisphenol risks highlighted by FDA subcommittee

30-Oct-2008 - Fresh doubts about the safety of bisphenol A, found in baby bottles and some food packaging, have been raised by the Science Board sub committee of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

UN urges overhaul of China's food safety system

23-Oct-2008 - China must revamp its food safety system so that it is less disjointed and consumer confidence is restored, claims United Nations officials.

News in brief

Chinese dairy company imports $15m of melamine testing tools

22-Oct-2008 - Chinese dairy company Yili said it has spent about $15m (€11.6m) on importing melamine testing equipment from the US and Japan to restore confidence after the melamine scandal, according to the state news agency Xinhua.

Tart cherries can reduce ‘belly fat’: rat study

22-Oct-2008 - Tart cherries, a relatively new entrant to the superfruit category, have been shown to benefit heart health as well as body weight, in a study on obese rats.

Yoghurt can benefit bladder cancer, say researchers

21-Oct-2008 - Two servings of yoghurt per day can reduce the risk of developing bladder cancer by up to 40 per cent, say Swedish scientists.

Maltesers “less than 11 calories” ad misleading, says watchdog

17-Oct-2008 - Raising the benchmark for the confectionery sector regarding nutrition claims, a UK watchdog has concluded a Maltesers advert from confectionery giant Mars misled the public by implying they were a low calorie snack.