Breaking News on Food Safety & Quality Control

Quaker pioneers new snack process to cut time, costs and waste.

US cereal and snack maker the Quaker Oats company has developed a new way of processing granola and snack-food products which cuts time, wastage and costs.

Ozone nano-bubbles harnessed to sterilise water

A new steriliser uses ozone nano-bubbles to produce a water mixture that can be used for food processing.

Nano scale coating process developed for baking sector

A US company claims to have developed a way to apply micro- and nano scale coating processes directly onto food products and their packaging materials.

FSA aims to cut mycotoxins from cereal ingredients

Codes of practice to help UK farmers reduce the levels of mycotoxins in cereals could improve the safety of the ingredient supply chain.

Heater offers extreme processing control

A redesigned heat transfer fluid system offers improved energy efficiency while providing accurate temperature control at up to 316C (600F), its manufacturer claims.

Detection system pinpoints packaging leaks

A new detection system pinpoints individual leaks in packaging, which reduces recalls by raising the alarm before unsealed products leave the production line.

More food contact materials assessed

Two more additives for plastic packaging for use in direct contact with food have been assessed by the European food safety authority.

New Chr Hansen meat lab tests flavors on site

European ingredients firm Chr Hansen has launched a new meat lab in the US, designed to allow for the on-site trials of flavors and seasonings in packaged meat goods.

Non-GMO method for removing allergens from seafood?

A simple heat and irradiation treatment may reduce the levels of an allergenic protein in prawns that may make the seafood accessible to seafood allergy sufferers, Chinese researchers report.

Judicial Review favours FSA in GM contamination case

A High Court judge has ruled that the UK's Food Standard Agency (FSA) did not act unlawfully in its failure to act over illegal GM rice that entered the UK food chain late last year.

Wine waste could boost shelf life of fish

Antioxidant and fibre-rich waste from wine making could offer a cheap and healthy alternative to synthetic antioxidants to prolong the shelf life of fish meat, suggests a study from Spain.

Monsanto shares soybean technology to boost yields

Leading US biotechnology firm Monsanto has announced that it will provide free access to some of its soybean breeding technology, a move it expects will help identify pest resistant soybeans and increase yields.

Kiremko and Tna link up processing and packaging lines

Kiremko and Tna have teamed up in a bid to provide complete processing and packaging lines for the potato snack food sector.

Dust filter system clears the air

A modular filtration system designed for purifying air ensures dust levels in food production plants are far below the most stringent hygiene standards, its manufacturer claims.

Water temperature controller withstands washdowns

A new portable water temperature control system is constructed from stainless steel so as to withstand harsh washdowns in food plants, its manufacturer claims.

Adept calls its Quatro robot 'world's fastest'

Adept Technology said yesterday it has shipped the first of what it is calling the world's fastest light payload packaging and handling robot targeted at the food industry.

New inspection system to launch in April

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) today said it will launch a new risk-based inspection system in April, initially targeting meat processing plants at 30 locations across the country.

Temperature controls upgraded for washdowns

A new controller added to Mokon's range of temperature systems and chillers is designed to withstand the harsh washdowns used in food plants, its manufacturer claims.

UK food product recalls fall by 7 per cent

Product recalls in the UK food sector fell by seven per cent last year, according to a report by law firm Reynolds Porter Chamberlain.

Monitor protects plants round-the-clock

An automatic monitor and alarm system alerts plant managers to breaches in food safety round-the-clock, ensuring they remain aware of emerging production problems -- even if they are off site.

Octanoic acid passes taste, appearence test

Using octanoic acid treatments on ready-to-eat meat and poultry products is an effective means of killing pathogens such as Listeria without much effect on taste, according to a new study.

Regulator releases poultry held over bird flu scare

Bernard Matthews, which is at the centre of a storm over an outbreak of avian influenza at its turkey production site in the UK, has been given the go ahead to release a batch of poultry products held over the possibility they contained meat from Hungarian birds.

Debate centres on revision of UK meat inspection system

Further proposals on revising the UK's meat inspection system will be debated tomorrow at a meeting of the Food Standards Agency's (FSA) board of directors.

Tetra Pak convenience package claims prolonged shelf life

A new convenience aseptic package for ice-lollies and juice drinks can hold different volumes without the need for machine changeovers.

Solubilised proteins may offer phosphate-free meats

Using solubilised proteins to replace phosphate to enhance the colour and texture of meat during storage may offer an alternative to phosphates, says new research.

Cadbury faces prosecution over salmonella, newspaper reports

UK-based Cadbury Schweppes is set to be prosecuted under environmental health laws after the company allegedly released chocolate for sale that was contaminated with salmonella, according to the Guardian newspaper.

Ozone may cut wine allergies

Using Ozone to preserve grapes could replace the need for allergy-causing sulphites, possibly leading to healthier and less allergenic wine, scientists have found.

Weekly Comment

Allergens: no margin for error

It would be a mistake for governments and industry to misinterpret the recent progress in food allergen labelling as a final solution: there is much that remains to be done, for the well-being of both consumers and manufacturers.

UK publishes first good hygiene guide

The UK has published its first industry good hygiene practice guide, part of a series intended to help manufacturers comply with new EU-wide regulations on food safety.

Tests detect Alicylobacilli and its off flavours

Three ready-to-use tests provide beverage makers with a means of detecting Alicyclobacilli, blamed for contamination of drinks and for producing off flavours.

EU food regulators meet to discuss common projects, fees

Representatives of regulators in the EU's 27 members begin a two-day meeting today to discuss common proposed projects on food safety issues, data collection, folic acid supplementation, and fees for mandatory risk assessments.

Sweden culls poultry due to Salmonella infection

Sweden's claim to have poultry stocks with the lowest Salmonella infection rates in the EU hascome under severe attack after 100,000 birds had to be culled this week after an outbreak of thedisease.

Bericap introduces tamper-evident closure for vinegar

Packaging supplier Bericap has adapted its tamper-evident neck closure for the vinegar market.

Copper alloys surfaces touted as pathogen killers

Three types of alloy surfaces containing at least 90 per cent copper completely eliminate E. coli O157:H7, according to an ongoing UK study of the pathogen-killing properties of the metal.

Quality key to future EU food profitability

Quality will be key to a strong European food sector, agriculture commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel told a Brussels conference on food quality certification yesterday.

Six countries ban UK poultry exports

With six countries placing import bans on UK poultry due to the outbreak of avian influenza, one of the country's largest processors is fighting a rearguard action to retain its markets.

Study highlights milk BSE risk

Fears that cows with BSE could pass on the disease to humans via proteins in their milk has gained more credence from a new study, which has encouraged stricter analysis of dairy products.

Avian influenza hits UK domestic flock

Poultry processors across Europe are bracing themselves for another downturn in consumption after the discovery of the deadly form of bird flu in a domestic flock of turkeys in the UK.

Enzymes improve quality of French fries, says study

Using pectolytic and hemicellulytic enzymes to change the microstructure of potato cells in French fries improves the quality of the finished product, suggests research from Novozymes.

Weekly Comment

Food versus fuel: is a happy ending possible?

The era of biofuels is here but this does not necessarily mean unending food price shocks or a critical diversion of agricultural production away from food.

X-ray detects hidden chicken bones

A new x-ray and colour vision hybrid system, allows faster poultry processing, by detecting embedded bones and defects missed during the deboning of chicken carcasses, its manufacturer claims.

Oleic-acid-rich sunflowers give trans-fat alternative - study

Oil from genetically modified sunflowers has increased stability against oxidation, giving them a longer shelf life, as well as having an improved health profile, suggests new research.

EU to drop dairy hygiene case against UK

The European Commission is expected to drop a court case against the UK over dairy hygiene practices, following an inspection of the country's industry, this publication understands.

Pectin gels offer low-fat mayo possibilities

Pectin gels improved the caloric profile of mayonnaise without changing the texture, says research that may offer interesting possibilities for mayonnaise formulators.