food standards
‘Technology will help correct the imbalance between hunger and obesity’
Professor Tony Hines, head of food security and crisis management at Leatherhead Food Research, on Guy Fawkes, fireworks and feeding the world
FIR consultation launched
Defra is asking UK businesses and consumers for their views on plans for new legislation to improve the information provided to shoppers, allowing them to make informed choices about the food they buy. The updated legislation will implement the European Union food labelling legislation (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011) and will also reflect current industry practice […]
Food chain radioactivity report published
The level of man-made radioactivity to which people in the UK are exposed remained below the EU legal limit during 2011, according to the 10th Radioactivity in Food and the Environment (RIFE) annual report, published this week by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The report combines results from the Agency’s monitoring programme with those of […]
Warning over liquid nitrogen in drinks
Reports that liquid nitrogen may be being used in alcoholic drinks in the UK have prompted the Food Standards Agency to issue a warning about its dangers.
FSA issues warning over Czech bootleg liquor
The Food Standards Agency is advising anyone travelling to, or recently returned from, the Czech Republic to steer clear of locally produced hard spirits. This follows a recent spate of alcohol-related cases of methanol poisoning in the country, including 19 deaths. The poisonings are associated with bootleg spirits that have been tainted with industrial methanol […]
‘Further studies on toxoplasma needed’
A risk profile on toxoplasma in the food chain by the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF) has recommended that further studies are needed to establish the importance of foodborne routes of infection and identify the highest risks. The suggested studies include work to assess the prevalence of toxoplasma in UK livestock […]
Using technology to fight foodborne disease
Advances in molecular biology could revolutionise the way in which foodborne disease outbreaks are investigated, according to the Food Standards Agency, enabling faster and more accurate identification of the organisms responsible. Some of the UK’s top public health officials have hailed DNA sequencing techniques, such as next generation sequencing, as one the most powerful laboratory […]
Fish freezing requirements relaxed
The Food Standards Agency has announced that certain farmed fish destined to be eaten raw in dishes like sushi no longer need to be frozen before use to protect consumers against parasites. Fish parasites are mainly a problem in certain species of wild fish and can cause illness in humans if eaten. All fishery products […]
New FSA chief executive revealed
The new chief executive of the Food Standards Agency has been named as Catherine Brown. Catherine, who is currently the chief executive of the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA), will take up the post in October. She succeeds Tim Smith, who has been chief executive since March 2008. “The Board and I are […]
RSSL to carry out FSA allergen survey
Reading Scientific Services Ltd (RSSL) has been chosen by the Food Standards Agency to carry out a survey of allergen advisory labelling in the UK. The survey aims to provide a better understanding of whether this type of labelling relates to the actual level of allergen present in foods sold on the UK market. It […]
FSA welcomes EFSA poultry inspection opinion
The European Food Safety Authority’s recent scientific opinion on poultry meat inspection, which suggested that traditional inspection may not be enough to fully address the most relevant biological hazards to public health, has been welcomed by the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA). In 2010, the European Commission asked the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to […]
Report reveals increase in number of food ‘incidents’
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) says it saw an increase in the number of food incidents it investigated last year, including reports of contaminated or illegal food entering the food chain, with some potentially harmful to the public. According to the Annual Report of Incidents 2011 published this week, 1,714 food incidents were investigated by […]
FSA launches FoP labelling consultation
The Food Standards Agency in both Northern Ireland and Scotland has launched a consultation on front-of-pack (FoP) nutrition labelling in a bid, it says, to help consumers keep track of what they eat and choose healthier foods. The consultation opens discussions with FSA’s key partners over how it can achieve this through FoP nutrition labelling. […]
EU ban on DSM: ‘Common sense has gone out the window’
A New EU regulation on the labelling of desinewed meat has left the UK with little choice but to comply. However, the move will have a huge impact on both producers and manufacturers, says the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA). The European Commission has asked that a moratorium be put in place on the production […]
Food safety, Ingredients, Packaging, Regulatory, Sustainability