ASDA finds bute in corned beef

UK retail giant Asda has recalled a range of its ‘smart price’ corned beef after it was found to contain phenylbutazone (or bute).

Fruit safety

NZ ministry investigating chemical residue in kiwifruit

New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries is working with the kiwifruit industry and the supplier of a range of organically-certified citrus-based products following the unexpected discovery of very low residues...

Food colors in India: Researchers call for review

Majority of colored foods in India illegal

Researchers are calling for a review of food colors in India after finding that the majority found in popular products exceed legal limits and almost a fifth of products contain...

Lack of time hinders effective food safety training

Lack of time is the greatest barrier to providing effective food safety training, according to more than seven in 10 food and drink processors globally surveyed by Campden BRI.

NGOs call for third party role in REACH

A group of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have called for third party participation in the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical substances (REACH) process.

Slow response in salmonella outbreak “likely contributor” to illness count, finds report

Authorities must adopt a more robust salmonella surveillance system and a more aggressive response to outbreaks, according to a Pew Charitable Trust Report, in response to a 2011 outbreak from Cargill...

OIG finds gaps in FSIS beef E.coli testing

The Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) need to re-evaluate its E.coli testing relating to the downstream processing of boxed beef products, according to the results of an audit from the...

Special Newsletter: Hygiene, cleaning and sanitation

Management approach crucial to sanitation and cleaning success, says US firm

Plant management must ensure hygiene, cleaning and sanitation is a top priority to minimise the chance of recalls, according to the founder of a US company that provides products and...

BfR has one substance – one assessment view on EDCs

A one substance – one assessment principle around endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) has been muted by Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR).

Survey highlights food safety concerns

Consumers were most uneasy about animal cloning, genetic modification, irradiation, and nanotechnology among the new technologies used by the food industry, according to UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) survey results.

News in brief

EFSA delays BPA opinion

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has delayed the final adoption of its opinion on bisphenol A (BPA) from May until November this year.

News in brief

Five samples disputed in latest horse meat tests

Five samples that tested positive for horse or pig DNA above the Food Standards Agency (FSA)’s threshold have been challenged, according to the latest survey results.

Reports of foodborne illness outbreaks decline by 40%, says CSPI

Foodborne illness outbreaks have decreased by 40% in a decade, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).

Horse meat - The latest developments

Horse meat mislabelled as diced beef sold in UK

Forty kilograms of horse meat labelled as diced beef has been sold in Preston and Liverpool, according to the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Sustainable supply seen as emerging future risk for food companies

Food safety, quality and financial issues are considered the top three risks to business for most food companies, but sustainable supply is emerging as a growing area of concern, according...

Cryptosporidium outbreak that sickened hundreds linked to bagged salads

The UK Health Protection Agency (HPA) said an outbreak of Cryptosporidium that affected around 300 people in England and Scotland in May last year showed "strong evidence" of being linked to...

‘Together the industry can see the whole picture’: DNV expert calls on industry to share supplier info

Better sharing of information between rival food companies could save time and money and improve food safety and quality across the industry, says Stefano Crea, global manager of food and...

News in brief

Symphony tackles threat of antibiotic-resistant bugs

Symphony Environmental Technologies has developed anti-bacterial and anti-fungal formulations which can be put into plastic products during manufacturing, claiming it will help prevent the spread of infection.

Global Food Safety Conference 2013 in Barcelona

Co-ordination is vital in food safety, says CDC expert

Co-ordinating food safety between the different agencies and states is “the big challenge”, according to the chief of outbreak response and prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)....

QK Meats knew last year about horse meat contamination, finds report

QK Meats knew last summer that some products it sourced from Poland contained horse DNA, according to an Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine report.

Contaminated water in pesticides could be source of norovirus entering the supply chain, finds study

Contaminated water used to dilute pesticides could be responsible for viruses entering the fresh food supply chain, claim scientists.

FSA issues calls for poultry, shellfish and E.coli research

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has called for research and tenders for poultry assessment, shellfish and E.coli shedding in the last week.

Meta-study debunks BPA fears

A new meta-study on Bisphenol A (BPA) aims to debunk health fears surrounding the food contact material, claiming risks associated with it are too low to present realistic concerns.

‘Think like a criminal’ to beat food fraud, says Danone expert

The issue of food fraud has traditionally taken a backseat to wider food safety threats – but Europe’s horse meat scandal has underlined the threat it poses to food businesses,...

‘Horsegate’: EU agencies to advise on bute risks

European agencies will report on the risks posed by horse drug phenylbutazone (bute) in the human food chain by April 15.