Breaking News on Food Processing & Packaging

US meat industry failing on E.coli testing - Senator

21-Oct-2009 - The lack of corporate responsibility shown by the US meat industry in failing to follow its own guidelines over E.coli testing of ground beef has forced Congress to act, according to one senator.

Aflatoxin sorter tool now goes beyond peanuts

20-Oct-2009 - An aflatoxin laser sorter which has been proven in a trial phase over 12 months with a global ready-to-eat snacks company has been modified to allow for the detection of all tree nuts as well as peanuts and is now being rolled out globally, claims Visys.

No concern over fluorinated chemical levels in food - FSA

20-Oct-2009 - There are no human health concerns over current dietary exposure to a range of fluorinated chemicals, such as PFOS and PFOA, the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has said

Baby food recalled on botulism fears

20-Oct-2009 - Plum Organics has recalled a batch of baby food over fears it may be tainted with botulism.

New dairy partnership improves dairy product safety and shelf-life

20-Oct-2009 - Improved safety standards and longer shelf life are claimed to stem from a new marketing collaboration between Danisco and DuPont Qualicon. The venture matches Danisco’s patented protective cultures with DuPont’s Qualicon detection system for the early prediction of shelf life in naturally protected dairy products.

Sen. Gillibrand proposes food safety overhaul

19-Oct-2009 - New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has put forward a proposal for new federal food safety legislation to address ‘gaps’ in the inspection process and concentrate on contamination and disease prevention.

News in brief

Beef tongues recalled on BSE risk

19-Oct-2009 - A US company has recalled around 33,000 pounds of beef tongues that may still contain specified risk material (SRM) that could cause mad cow disease.

Consumers mindful of best before dates

19-Oct-2009 - A high level of concern about best before dates in the latest survey from the Food Standards Agency could indicate that politicians’ talk on food issues influences those that remain top of mind for UK consumers.

Mandatory E.coli tests no magic bullet, says US meat body

16-Oct-2009 - Education not legislation is the answer to tackling thousands of illnesses caused annually by E.coli-tainted beef, said the US meat industry as it resisted plans for mandatory testing for the bug.

New eco-friendly product kills Salmonella, E.coli and, Campylobacter

16-Oct-2009 - A new eco-friendly technique to clean and disinfect food, particularly poultry, and food contact surfaces is effective against Salmonella, E.coli and, Campylobacter and a range other pathogens, according to EAU Technologies.

FDA and USDA should cooperate for import safety: Report

15-Oct-2009 - The federal government needs to take action to close gaps in the US food safety network, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

BPA review waste of money and delaying tactic - Scientists

15-Oct-2009 - The US Government’s review of bisphenol A (BPA) is waste of money and perhaps even a ploy to delay making a decision on the chemical, a group of 33 scientific experts have said.

US meat industry says beef safer than ever

15-Oct-2009 - US companies have made significant progress over the past decade in making meat safer but should not be obliged to publish inspection test results, said the head of a leading trade body this week.

FDA launches a $17.5m boost to food and feed safety

13-Oct-2009 - The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a $17.5m investment in food and feed safety standards encompassing federal, state, and local partners.

News in brief

RSSL offers GM linseed test

13-Oct-2009 - Reading Scientific Services Ltd (RSSL) says it can now offer testing for GM linseed to companies in the UK, following the discovery of an unapproved variety in products in Germany.

Weekly comment

Soda tax: A lot of froth over freedom

12-Oct-2009 - Is taxing soda really an evil plan to curb your individual freedom? Conspiracy theories aside, perhaps it’s simply a sensible scheme to tackle obesity when personal choice has failed.

Scoular goes to China for cheaper, GM-free soy

12-Oct-2009 - Scoular has signed a distribution agreement with a Chinese manufacturer to secure a lower cost, non-GM supply of soy protein isolate for nutritional products and meats.

Poultry safety boosted by new hyperspectral imaging system

12-Oct-2009 - New technology developed by the US Government that automatically scans poultry carcasses for contamination has been successfully tested in a commercial plant.

Germany backs bisphenol A in baby bottles

09-Oct-2009 - Germany’s risk watchdog has become the latest official body to declare that bisphenol A (BPA) is safe for “normal” use in baby bottles and should not be banned.

Heat foreign berries to kill norovirus, urges Finland

09-Oct-2009 - As an outbreak of norovirus in southern Finland has been linked to frozen raspberries from Poland, the Finnish food safety authority, Evira, says raspberries must be heated before use.

News in brief

Meat partnership forged after E. coli testing agreement

08-Oct-2009 - Costco Wholesale Corporation has forged a partnership with food giant Tyson to buy its beef trimmings, after testing to confirm that they are free E. coli infection.

USDA unites with FDA on new food safety rules

07-Oct-2009 - The US Department of Agriculture’s fresh produce chief has joined the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop new food safety rules, the departments announced in a statement on Monday.

New E.coli test gets AOAC-RI validation amid renewed safety warnings

07-Oct-2009 - Idaho Technology’s E.coli O157:H7 test used with the RAPID LT Food Security System (FSS), which delivers results within one hour, has been validated by the independent AOAC Research Institute.

Protect food quality by preventing gas leaks from MAP packages

05-Oct-2009 - Producers and processors who use Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) should guard against packaging leaks to protect food quality and shelf-life and avoid costly returns, warns gas equipment supplier, Witt based in Witten, Germany.