Breaking News on Food Processing & Packaging

WTO to investigate EU ban on US poultry

20-Nov-2009 - The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is to investigate the European Union’s decade-long ban on poultry from the United States that is treated with chlorides during processing.

US food safety bill enters final lap

19-Nov-2009 - A US Senate committee unanimously approved the food safety bill yesterday in a move that will send the landmark legislation to the full floor for a final vote.

Scientist defends study linking phthalates to feminising boys

19-Nov-2009 - The leading scientist of research that suggests boys exposed to phthalates during pregnancy have more feminine play habits has defended the report after a chemical industry body disputed its reliability.

News in brief

India to establish food standards authority

19-Nov-2009 - The Indian Government has confirmed it has no plans to replace its existing foods safety law but is going to set up a new body to scrutinise food standards.

Bill to ban bisphenol A introduced in US

18-Nov-2009 - New legislation that would impose a nationwide ban on bisphenol A (BPA) in all food packaging products used by children has been proposed by US Senator Charles Schumer.

US dairy industry plea to boost raw milk regulation

18-Nov-2009 - Raw milk products pose a “significant food safety hazard” and facilities that make them should be covered by the new food safety bill, said the two largest US dairy trade bodies.

Exposure to nano titanium dioxide could up cancer risk, says study

18-Nov-2009 - There may be a potential risk of cancer and genetic disorders for individuals working with high concentrations of titanium dioxide nanoparticles, according to US scientists.

Bisphenol A link to male sexual dysfunction challenged

17-Nov-2009 - A new study linking high-level workplace exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) to male sexual dysfunction has limited relevance to consumers, said the American Chemistry Council (ACC).

No health threat from radiation in UK food chain

17-Nov-2009 - The amount of radiation absorbed by the UK population through the food chain remains low and poses no health concerns, said the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

News in brief

Indiana dry milk processor gets grade A certification

16-Nov-2009 - PacMoore, an Indiana-based manufacturer of dry milk products, has received grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) certification.

FDA postpones raw oyster ban

16-Nov-2009 - The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has back-tracked on its plans to ban the sale of raw oysters from the Gulf of Mexico during warm months amid mounting industry and political pressure.

Risk of infant, foetal mortality from Listeria higher than believed

16-Nov-2009 - Listeria monocytogenes could present a high risk to unborn babies and infants at significantly lower levels than previously believed, new research has suggested.

Male impotence risk from bisphenol A exposure - Study

13-Nov-2009 - High-level exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) in the workplace could increase the risk of male sexual dysfunction, including erectile and ejaculation problems, new research has said.

Silver-coated poultry crates help cut bacteria contamination

13-Nov-2009 - Crates coated with a new silver antimicrobial protection system can help reduce the risk of cross-contamination of Campylobacter among poultry during transportation, said manufacturers BioCote Ltd.

Improved monitoring of two zoonotic diseases, EFSA

12-Nov-2009 - Two new reports aimed at harmonising the scrutiny and reporting of a pair of bacteria responsible for zoonotic diseases have been published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Study reconfirms bisphenol A safety, says industry

12-Nov-2009 - Trade bodies on both sides of the Atlantic have welcomed a recent study sponsored by a US Government agency that bisphenol A (BPA) has no adverse effect on the reproductive function or behaviour of rats.

Maple Leaf dismisses hygiene breaches at Listeria plant

10-Nov-2009 - The discovery of mould, meat debris and slime in the Maple Leaf plant at the centre of the 2008 Listeria outbreak just weeks after it re-opened did not pose food safety concerns, the company said.

News in brief

Eagle granted SQF accreditation

09-Nov-2009 - Eagle Food Registrations has added SQF (Safe Quality Food) accreditation to the portfolio of food safety certification it is able to offer.

‘Unauthorised' drinks to be reformulated on health fears

09-Nov-2009 - The range of “unauthorised” Chaotic Beverages pulled from Canadian shelves recently on health fears will be reformulated to meet the country’s ingredient regulations, said importers of the product.

News in brief

Australia warns of tomatoes and hepatitis A link

09-Nov-2009 - Health authorities in Victoria, Australia have renewed their advice warning against eating uncooked semi-dried tomatoes following 23 new reported cases of hepatitis A.

Food processor cited after worker killed in ice machine

09-Nov-2009 - US fish processing company Northern Wind Inc has been cited for flouting nearly two dozen safety regulations after one of its workers was killed in an ice machine at its Massachusetts plant.

Canada tightens front-of-pack nutrition labeling rules

06-Nov-2009 - Canada is updating its front-of-pack nutrition labeling scheme, disqualifying whole food categories, changing the rules for fiber, salt and fat, and introducing criteria for trans fat and sugar.

Danisco says UHT fouling fixed with new enzyme

06-Nov-2009 - A new ingredient has been developed to resolve UHT milk processing fouling naturally and thereby lead to increased production capacity for processors, claims the manufacturer.

FDA calls meeting to improve food traceability systems

06-Nov-2009 - Federal agencies in the United States need to increase the speed and accuracy of traceability systems to combat outbreaks of food-borne illnesses, said the FDA as it called a public meeting on the matter.