Breaking News on Food Safety & Quality Control

Weekly comment

Temporary workers and corporate responsibility

As ever more food companies find themselves in the position of having employed migrants who were mistreated by illegal labour providers, it may be time for firms to start taking more responsibility for the temporary workers many of them rely on.

Fruit could be key to natural sports recovery products

Fruit extracts could soon be used to develop novel ingredients for sports recovery products following a first round of positive scientific findings, say researchers in New Zealand.

US regulators to consult public over E. coli concerns

The US department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will next month look into solutions to significantly reduce the presence of E. coli O157:H7 in raw meat stocks following recent scares.

Red wine antioxidant may kill cancer cells

The antioxidant resveratrol, found in grape skins and red wine, can cripple the function of pancreatic cancer cells while sensitising them to chemotherapy, says new research.

Aseptic film improves safety of bag-in-box packaging

Arena Products is responding to the increasing pressures for manufacturers to ensure food safety by adding aseptic-filling capabilities to its Air-Evac Bag-in-Box packaging.

Tiny hairs could explain apple storage issues

Researchers from the UK have identified tiny hairs between the cells in Fuji apples - a trait they believe could have implications for storage of late-harvested fruit.

Choices healthy food symbol set for scientific review

The evaluating criteria for the Choices healthy food symbol are to be reviewed and potentially adjusted, following the establishment of a new international scientific committee.

Fruit and veg linked to kids' school performance, study

Fruit and vegetable consumption and dietary fat intake were found to play an important role in children's academic performance, highlighting yet again the need for balanced diets at an early age.

US processors alerted over fruit scare

US food processors have been warned by the country's food safety body against using cantaloupes shipped from a Honduran grower and packager, over concerns of a potential salmonella risk.

Dual testing no longer needed for US rice

Rice imported from the United States no longer needs to be tested for the presence of GM material both at the point of export and on arrival in the EU, following an amendment to emergency measures following the 2006 contamination incident.

New temperature device launched for cold storage

A new data logging device provides regular updates on the temperature of a cold food product when it is in storage or transit, the manufacturer claims.

Dietary guidelines play role in disease risk reduction

Consumers adhering to healthy diets similar to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) are less likely to suffer from metabolic syndrome, say researchers.

Cargill launches food safety programme with China

US food and agriculture company Cargill is to establish a joint food safety management training programme with China's Quality, Inspection and Quarantine Service (AQSIQ).

Weekly comment

Calm crucial for energy products

Energy drinks are a runaway success but extreme marketing and product formulation has the potential to cast a shadow over the multi-billion dollar global industry.

Applied Biosystems expands food testing presence

Applied Biosystems is to start supplying its pathogen testing kits directly to the food processors and testing laboratories, a move the company says is part of its commitment to ensuring food safety.

Foster's turns back on 'added energy' drinks

Foster's today announced that it will immediately remove added energy and higher alcohol ready to drink (RTD) brands from its portfolio of goods sold in Australia due to concerns about irresponsible drinking.

US seminar to focus on packaging legalities

A one day seminar to be held in Chicago will address legal issues for managers in the food and beverage packaging industry, including food safety, sustainability, food contact material developments and nanotechnology.

FDA report revealed consumers are not behind clones

An internal report by the US FDA suggested that there was little or no support among Americans for food from cloned animals, a protest group has claimed.

Consumption database enables reliable risk assessment

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has launched an online database that pools food consumption levels from member states to allow for more exact exposure assessments.

FSA examines salt reduction in premium bread

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) is currently expanding its research on salt reduction to premium bread products, which may help manufacturers find a replacement solution when the results are published later this year.

Illnesses linked to leafy greens on the rise, study

Outbreaks of foodborne illnesses linked to pathogens on leafy vegetables have increased faster than rates of consumption, indicating that contamination during production and processing is on the up.

BASF initiative helps ensure food safety, measures sustainability

BASF has developed a tool for its customers in the food industry which affords detailed information on the composition of products and manufacturing methods, including levels of sustainability achieved in production.

Soft drink makers press 'natural' innovation claims

Beverage manufacturers will continue to focus on using innovative "natural" ingredients in their products amidst growing concerns over the safety of their current formulations, according to the British Soft Drinks Association (BSDA).

FDA plans wider foreign inspection approach

The US Food and Drug administration (FDA) is seeking permission from the Chinese government to install eight full time FDA officials in the country, as part of plans to improve monitoring of exported food manufacturing across the globe.

Weekly comment

Allergen-free: time for clarity

Claiming 'free from' is not a light statement to make. Lives depend on it. As scientific progress questions the validity of such claims, it is time to establish exact guidelines and communicate these to people for whom ingredients are a matter of life and death.

Processor concern over German biotech ruling

Recent amendments to Germany's biotech laws will allow the country's food processors to make use of a "without biotech" label on their products, despite some concerns that such claims are misleading, says a new report.

BfR helps develop database for improved risk assessment

The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has set up a project to support the development of a European Food Consumption Concise Database, which will draw together data from member states.

Citrus essential oils could be antimicrobials for food

Citrus oils - particularly those already used as flavourings - could be an ideal alternative to chemical-based antimicrobials for food applications, says a new paper.

Eureka status for rapid food pathogen test

An ultra-rapid multiplex food pathogen test being developed for meat producers by RnA Assays and UK-based Alaska Food Diagnostics has been awarded EUREKA status.

Green group calls for halt on nanotechnology

Environmental group Friends of the Earth (FOE) has called for a moratorium on the use of nanotechnology in the food chain, claiming insufficient research has been carried out into its effect on human health and the environment.

Introduction of cloned animals concerns interest groups

The US Center for Food Safety (CFS) has issued a statement supporting legislation being introduced at federal and state level to protect consumers against an unregulated introduction of cloned animals, their off-spring and products into the food chain.

Pectin, whey encapsulate vitamins for beverage

Encapsulating water-soluble ingredients in a whey protein-pectin complex could extend their use in acidic beverages, suggests new research from Canada.

EFSA says GM oilseed rape unlikely to cause harm

EFSA has issued its opinion that Bayer's GM oilseed rape is unlikely to have a detrimental effect on human or animal health or the environment when used for food and feed uses.

Blowtorched sheep safety testing moved forward

The legal fate of an ethnic delicacy known as smokies - sheep meat with the skin blow torched directly onto it - could be decided sooner than anticipated, the UK Food Standards Agency has said.

Weekly comment

Warning signs: reconsidering shock tactics

Here's a possible new marketing angle for food and beverage manufacturers: "Food can kill".

New computer model may improve fruit storage

A computer model has been developed to improve the long-term storage of fleshy fruit under controlled atmospheres, according to a report published by researchers at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium.

CAT scan technology offers dairy development potential

A UK-based imaging specialist is quite literally hoping to get a better look at dairy formulation, by expanding its scanning technology to aid processors working in the industry.

Tetra Pak to expand processor training

Tetra Pak, a global manufacturer of food processing and packaging systems, says it hopes to expand a training scheme designed to educate users of its processing technology to be more efficient.

California bill to curb chemicals in grease-proof packaging

A bill that would ban the use of food packaging containing perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), is working its way through the California legislature.

Polyphenols may be the key to low acrylamide bakery

Manufacturers of bakery products looking to reduce levels of acrylamide can tap into a range of solutions, but polyphenols may be the most promising, suggests a new review.

Swinging voters key to European supplements debate

As the European Union debate over maximum and minimum nutrient levels in supplements and functional foods moves closer to a mooted January 2009 denouement, a key lobbyist says "it is all to play for".

EFSA highlights need for flavour intake data

More accurate intake data is required for a number of flavouring substances, says the European Food Safety Authority, as the standard model for estimating consumption levels was found to be inconsistent with information provided by industry.

Micro-fibres enhance vitamin E delivery: study

The ability of fibres to bind vitamin E and improve delivery of the micronutrient may be increased almost 10-fold by making the fibres 'micro', Taiwanese researchers report.

Live cells adapted for food-pathogen testing

US researchers claim to have developed a time efficient testing technology that can locate food-borne pathogens in thousands of samples at a single time.

Chr Hansen fights fakes with bilberry launch

Chr Hansen has added bilberry to its NutriPhy antioxidant range in a bid to add quality to a market it says is plagued by "bilberry imposters".

Tomato-enriched oil could lead to elaborate functional foods

Extracting antioxidant carotenoids from tomato waste and adding them to edible oils boosts the thermal of stability of olive and sunflower oils, reports a new study.

Weekly comment

The great food price smash-and-grab

While the world's media is bemoaning rising food prices, the French government is sniffing around the food industry for signs of gleeful profiteering. If it is right, the long-term losses of the nouveau cher will be far greater than the handful of centimes gained.