safety
Neogen expands seafood safety test range
Neogen Europe says it has added to its range of tests for the seafood industry with the introduction of a rapid test to detect the okadaic acid group of toxins – which can occur naturally in shellfish but have been shown to cause diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) in humans. Neogen’s new Reveal for DSP is […]
EFSA publishes EColi report
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) this week published its report into the possible source of the recent EColi O104 outbreaks in Germany and France. It concludes that a batch of fenugreek seeds, originally supplied from a company in Egypt to a German company, is the most likely link between the two outbreaks. However, evidence […]
Campden BRI says confusion over risk assessment threatens food safety
As the range and prevalence of hazards in the food chain continues to grow and food manufacturers increasingly look to global markets to source raw materials, Campden BRI is warning that confusion over risk assessment procedures could potentially compromise food safety. “To date there has been no single point of reference for food manufacturers seeking […]
Chilled foods: a helping hand with shelf life evaluation
With the total UK chilled food sector worth over £8.7 billion (€10bn) and growing, it’s more important than ever that manufacturers accurately determine shelf life to both guarantee food safety and minimise waste. Setting shelf-life limits can be a complex process and getting it wrong can have very serious public health, economic and legal consequences. […]
RSSL reveals casein test breakthrough
RSSL has revealed that it has now validated a new test kit to detect the milk protein casein in highly processed foods. This is hugely significant since many of the test kits on the market can’t detect highly processed proteins, yet these proteins can still remain allergenic for susceptible individuals, says the analysis and testing […]
Chia seed: views sought
The Chia Company, based in Australia, has applied to the Food Standards Agency for approval to market chia seed in baked goods, breakfast cereals, and fruit, nut and seed mixes. The company currently has authorisation, under the novel food regulations, to market chia seed in bread products at a maximum level of 5%. Chia (also […]
EFSA restructure underway
EFSA has begun rolling out its reorganisation programme in a bid, it says, to ‘make best use of resources to reflect an ever increasing workload, strengthen efficiency and provide a higher quality service to its clients’. The re-structuring will take place gradually throughout 2011 and will be completed by early 2012. EFSA says the move […]
Spotlight on food labelling plans
Food labels should include mandatory nutritional information, including on artificial trans fats and the country of provenance, Environment Committee MEPs said this week. The committee amended draft EU legislation to ensure that labels are ‘legible, do not mislead, and provide the information that consumers need to make choices’. The draft legislation, voted at the second […]
Food safety, Ingredients, Packaging, Regulatory, Sustainability
EFSA updates food irradiation advice
EFSA’s scientific experts have this week updated advice on the safety of irradiation of food – a process which can be used to destroy bacteria that cause food poisoning. Having looked at the efficacy and microbiological safety of the process, and possible risks arising from the formation of several chemical substances as a result of […]
Fish and shellfish safety research plan
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Scotland is commissioning five pieces of research that it says will help gather evidence to improve the hygiene standards of fish and shellfish consumed in Scotland. The areas of research are to include a review of the processes in place throughout the processing chain that are designed to control […]
EFSA revises guidance on caramel colours
The European Food Safety Authority’s scientific Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food has assessed the safety of a group of caramel colours authorised for use in food in the EU, and revised the previously established Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI). The Panel also looked at the safety of some by-products resulting from […]
Nutrition for Life funding up for grabs
The Technology Strategy Board, together with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Medical Research Council (MRC) has announced a planned investment of up to £6.25 million (€7.24m) to stimulate innovation in the food and drink sector. The investment is intended to encourage the […]
New look for RSSL
Reading Scientific Services Ltd (RSSL) has unveiled the results of a rebranding exercise – complete with new logo – designed to unify the company’s services. “For many of our clients, RSSL is the technical and scientific hub for everything they do,” says general manager Tracey Gale. “They know they can trust RSSL for help and […]
Coca-Cola Hellenic in fleet awards hat-trick
Coca-Cola Hellenic is celebrating after scooping the International Fleet Safety of the Year award – as well as being placed second and third in two other categories. The company, which operates its fleet of over 20,000 vehicles across 28 countries, received the accolade at the Fleet Europe Awards 2010, which took place at the end […]