Proposals to examine a move to a privatised system of third-party inspection of primary meat premises were rejected by the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA’s) Board early last week.
Trade unions have criticised government efforts to address health and safety (H&S) red tape as a "sham", and say the coalition should focus more resources on evidence-based work via the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
The UK food industry has given the European Parliament's (EP's) final agreement on food labelling a mixed reception, with one consultant reckoning label changes cost £7,000 per product.
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has countered retail claims that a Groceries Codes Adjudicator would add unnecessary cost and bureaucracy to policing the supply chain.
The European Food Safety Authority last week delivered the fifth batch of article 13, general function health claim opinions bringing the total issued to 2723. There are just 35 to go – to be published next month in a final mini-batch that will conclude...
Primary meat processors are increasing pressure on the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to bring about a change to EU law that would allow a more risk-based approach to checking meat plants using private, accredited third-party inspectors.
The future for spirulina – the blue colouring derived from algae that is used in Nestlé's Smarties – remains uncertain as the Food Standards Agency (FSA) reported that it had delayed its investigations into this and a number of other substances used...
Tough new regulations are needed to tackle the promotion of junk food to children by large food firms, according to the author of a prominent new report on responsible standards for food marketing.
Unilever has confirmed that it will not apply for a fortified food registration for its yeast breakfast spread Marmite, but says it would support an application from a local distributor.
A top lawyer has expressed concern that the UK's pending Bribery Act could lead to difficulties for food manufacturers exporting or producing abroad, especially to ‘high risk’ countries.
Marmite, recently withdrawn from the Danish market after it became apparent the fortified, yeast breakfast spread did not possess a fortified food authorisation under the Scandinavian country’s strict laws, could be back on-market in three months, Danish...
A food law expert says he is surprised by a new compromise on the EU Food Information Regulation that removes the need for food firms to provide front-of-pack nutrient data, but warns that enhanced Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) could still raise...
The Danish government has clarified that Marmite is not in fact banned, but merely in need of a marketing authorisation as per European Union health claim rules.
Nutrition is being politicised, with food authorities bowing to pressure from minority interests and lobbyists in areas such as salt reduction at significant risk to consumer health, according to one expert.
The Food Standards Agency’s (FSA’s) Board today responded to meat industry lobbying by agreeing to recommend that ministers adopt a “tapered” approach to the introduction of meat inspection charges.
BIS today published a draft bill to aimed at “giving teeth” to the groceries supply code that protects suppliers against excessive risks or unexpected costs in dealings with retailers, but the BRC has hit out at what it says is "ill judged"...
The Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) says that a prominent DEFRA task force appointed to cut red tape for farmers and food processors has ignored oppressive regulations facing its sector.
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) says news that the Groceries Code Adjudicator may not start work until mid-2013 will harm innovation in the sector amongst small and medium-sized companies and reduce consumer choice.
Corporate nutritionist Kate Cook has attacked the government’s Responsibility Deal for a “one-dimensional approach” to calorie labelling on food that risks damaging sales of foods such as salmon and endangering public health.
Increasing division over food labelling proposals has reignited fears that the entire process of updating the EU Food Information Regulation (FIR) could collapse, wasting years of work and substantial investment by industry.
New legislation coming into force next year, which requires companies to automatically enrol employees in pension schemes, could prove unfairly burdensome on small food companies that have a high staff turnover, pension experts have warned.
Does the Responsibility Deal match the challenges ahead? Strong and enduring partnerships, including enhanced engagement of smaller businesses, will be key to maintained momentum with salt and trans fat reduction.
New Zealand’s wine producers are planning to scale back production over the next eight years to 2019 in an attempt to reduce annual surpluses and restore the premium they have traditionally enjoyed over other countries’ wines.
Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) discussions exposed ignorance among Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) about the food manufacturing and supply chain, said Nick Stuart, Biscuit, Cake, Chocolate and Confectionery (BCCC) sector group chairman.
Country of origin labelling may harm small businesses, and is likely to prove the trickiest point in trilogues over food information, says rapporteur MEP Renate Sommer after today’s ENVI vote. She suspects some member states’ votes may have been influenced...
One expert has branded the proposed new EU food information legislation “crazy” ahead of a second vote on the issue by Parliament's Environment, Health and Food Safety Committee (ENVI) tomorrow.
Concern is rising about the ability of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to carry out its statutory enforcement responsibilities as its budgets come under severe financial pressure.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has rejected numerous consumer complaints about a television advert for free-range eggs, which involved chickens running around fields to the theme music from film Chariots of Fire.
Research and development (R&D) champion Unilever has voiced deep disappointment and frustration over the collapse of talks reviewing the 1997 EU Novel Foods Regulation, claiming it will hamper food and drink manufacturers' innovation plans.
The Association of Labour Providers (ALP), which represents agencies providing labour in the UK, is urging food companies using agency workers to partner agencies in preparation for the Agency Worker Regulations (ALR).
All is not well down on the novel foods farm. If food innovation in Europe is to thrive anew, MEPs and the Council need to get past the recriminations over the failed talks and remove the troublesome question of cloned foods from the negotiating table.
With the ‘responsibility deal’ on salt reduction in food supported by major retailers and manufacturers, others should be asked to sign up to responsibility deals of a different kind.
The collapse of talks on the novel foods amendment will have a detrimental effect on innovation and competitiveness in Europe, says the CIAA and an economist, while Commissioner Dalli is still figuring out what to do next.
Last ditch efforts to salvage the novel foods regulation were derailed yesterday after the European Parliament and Council failed to reach agreement over the issue of cloned animals – with each side blaming the other for the impasse.
Cumberland sausage producers believe there may be an opportunity to get better prices now that the European Union (EU) has given official recognition to their products.
A producer of honey with added bee venom has described the Food Standards Agency (FSA’s) rejection of UK - and by extension EU - licensing for his product under the novel foods regulation as “hard to rationalise”.
The recent European Commission (EC) ruling that Cornish pasties must be produced in Cornwall is an insult to quality pasties, according to some artisan companies.
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has driven a Cornish drinks producer to lower the alcoholic strength of its ‘nettle beer’ and stung it with a stiff duty bill, after it decided that the drink should be classified as a wine.
Cornish pasty producers have welcomed an European Commission (EC) decision to award protected status to products made in the region according to a uniform traditional recipe.
Industry concerns are growing about a possible amendment to the EU Food Information Regulation (FIR) that will require all foods frozen, then defrosted before sale, to be labelled ‘defrosted’.
The European Food Safety Authority’s health claims panel will complete its exhaustive article 13.1 generic health claims task by publishing three batches this year, with the first due at the beginning of April.
The media described the recent incident concerning dioxin in pork and egg products from animals fed with dioxin-contaminated feed as ‘a scandal’. But this is compounded by the needless and wasteful slaughter of expensively reared animals and the destruction...
The European Commission is still unable to say when the controversial nutrient profiling model in the EU health claims Regulation will be finalised, two years after food manufacturers were told it would be published.
