Food safety and labelling

The FSA believes third-party hygiene audits need to be more robust

Food Standards Agency reforms are not a ‘secret mission’

By Rick Pendrous

The Food Standards Agency’s (FSA’s) reforms under its Regulating Our Future (ROF) programme are about making the Agency “fit for purpose” and not a “back door” way of shifting the full cost burden of inspecting food businesses onto the industry while...

Salmonella cases have risen by 3% across the EU since 2014

Salmonella cases across the EU are increasing

By Michelle Perrett

Salmonella cases have increased by 3% across the EU since 2014, according to a new report compiled by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Food and drink manufacturers have the opportunity to measure changes in their products

New Suffolk lab aims to improve shelf-life

By Noli Dinkovski

A new laboratory dedicated to improving the shelf-life of products through the use of natural herb, spice, vegetable and hop ingredients has opened in Mildenhall, Suffolk.

Boparan agrees to fund FSA inspectors at all 2SFG cutting plants

2 Sisters’ Boparan to fund FSA inspections at all cutting plants

By Michelle Perrett

Ranjit Boparan, the boss of 2 Sisters Food Group (2SFG), has agreed to fund Food Standards Agency (FSA) inspectors across all of its plants as well as implement CCTV in all areas and improve staff training to restore confidence in its poultry production....

Portion sizes: ‘A 500g [gluten-free] ready meal could actually have a lot of gluten’

Sainsbury calls for agreed allergen threshold limits

By Rick Pendrous

Sainsbury’s head of analytical testing has called for agreement on threshold limits for the presence of allergens in food and drink to provide reassurance to food manufacturers, retailers and, most importantly, consumers about the risk of allergic reactions.

The contaminated egg scandal is likely to intensify, claims Professor Chris Elliott

Contaminated egg scandal ‘likely to intensify’

By Gwen Ridler

The contaminated egg scandal, which resulted in at least 700,000 eggs tainted with the insecticide fipronil being imported into the UK, is likely to intensify, claims Professor Chris Elliott.

Professor Walker: better industry communication required a collaborative approach

The Big Interview

Food firms need to show honesty: research boss

By Noli Dinkovski

Food manufacturers need to show “transparency, honesty and clarity” if they are to overcome public misconceptions about the food industry, the boss of a leading research organisation has claimed.

The Food Standards Agency needs to build more trust with businesses, says Heather Hancock

FSA aims for ‘right touch’ regulation

By Rick Pendrous

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) needs to develop more trusting relationships with the food businesses it regulates if it is to get them to share more information, its chairman Heather Hancock acknowledged in her Campden BRI lecture last month.

Proos said SAFE could lead development of targeted probiotic biocides

Food Safety Conference

Factory microbiome helps target hygiene

By Rick Pendrous

A new predictive software toolbox, being developed by a research consortium, which aims to help food manufacturers improve factory food safety, was described at Food Manufacture’s 2017 food safety conference last month (June 22).

Griffiths: 'There are dangers in messing with our current [food safety] laws'

Mess with food safety laws at our peril

By Noli Dinkovski

The government risks jeopardising food safety in the UK if it rushes through new legislation in the wake of Brexit, a food law, risk management and compliance specialist has claimed.

Two for truth: ‘Food Evolution’ film director Scott Hamilton Kennedy (right) and producer Trace Sheehan pictured at IFT17 in Las Vegas

IFT17 exclusive

‘Food science’s top challenge: confirmation bias’

By Michael Stones

Food science’s top challenge is combating confirmation bias – people’s preference to accept information that confirms their pre-existing views – warns Oscar-nominated film director Scott Hamilton Kennedy.

Nuts and milk sparked recalls at Asda and Dr Oetker

Food recalls sparked by nuts and milk

By Gwen Ridler

Food manufacturer Dr Oetker and Asda recalled a number of food products last week, after it was discovered they contained undeclared allergens.

LGC Group has acquired the majority share of BRC Global Standards

BRC Global Standards acquired by LGC

By Gwen Ridler

Scientific testing specialist LGC Group has acquired a majority share in food safety and quality standards programme provider BRC Global Standards, for an undisclosed sum.

Dr Roy Betts speaking at the food safety conference

Safety conference

Genomics takes on the food safety assessment mantle

By Rick Pendrous

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is revolutionising the public health detection of pathogens, by rapidly accelerating the speed and precision of locating the sources of food poisoning outbreaks, Dr Roy Betts, head of microbiology at Campden BRI told Food...

UK consumers continue to be misled by some supermarkets and foodservice outlets about the origin of pork products

Consumers often misled by origin of processed meat products

By Rick Pendrous

Consumers in the UK continue to be misled that pork products, such as bacon, sold in some supermarkets and foodservice outlets is of British origin, when in fact it is sourced from countries overseas where animal welfare standards may be lower, the boss...

Label danger: thousands of small food and drink manufacturers could be breaking the law by illegally labelling food

Food fraud fears on nutritional labels

By Rick Pendrous

Thousands of small food and drink manufacturers, including many of the 40,000 artisan producers in the UK supplying directly to consumers, could be breaking the law for illegal nutritional labelling and making illegal claims on their pre-packed products,...

Restricting disinfectant use could jeopardise hygiene in food production

Food safety update: biocides defy clean definition

By Paul Gander

Food industry disinfectants are battling a motley band of pathogens. But how do you maintain food hygiene while minimising biocide residues? Paul Gander asks whether legislation is helping or hindering this process.

The new herbs and spice guide will help fight fraud

Herbs and spices guide to help fight fraud

By Noli Dinkovski

A guide designed to protect manufacturers from buying adulterated or substituted herbs and spices could herald a new era of collaboration between food industry organisations, its authors have claimed.

Third-party hygiene audits are to become more widespread

Risk-based focus for hygiene audits will grow

By Rick Pendrous

Third-party hygiene audits will feature much more prominently under the changes planned for the way food businesses are regulated by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), following a review.

Hay on Wye: high levels of listeria have been found in the unpasteurised goat’s cheese

Listeria and salmonella force product recalls

By Noli Dinkovski

A listeria-infected cheese and coriander potentially infected with salmonella are two of the latest food recalls reported by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Here's your chance to star at the Venice-themed food and drink manufacturing Oscars

FMEAS

Food and drink manufacturing Oscars now open

By Rick Pendrous

The 2016 Food Manufacture Excellence Awards (FMEAs) are now open for entries. So, if your company wants to be recognised for its achievements and join the celebrations at this year's Venice-themed event, you need to enter these prestigious awards.

Crisps to celebrate Leicester's crunch Premier League win

Leicester football win celebrated in crisps and rum

By Gwen Ridler

Snack food manufacturer Walkers has released special edition Salt & Victory crisps to mark Leicester City Football Club’s shock Premier League win, while Morgan Rum is to pay tribute to team captain Wes Morgan.

Campden BRI gets UKAS approval for mycotoxins

Campden BRI gets UKAS approval for mycotoxins

By Rick Pendrous

Campden BRI has received accreditation from the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS) for its ergot mycotoxin testing method. Ergot alkaloids are mycotoxins which mainly affect cereals, such as wheat, rye, barley and oats and can cause problems from long-term...

FDF director general Ian Wright (second left) sits on a fringe event panel

Labour conference: food policy remains unclear

By Alice Foster

Labour needs more time to develop its food policy, while industry should respect the vegan convictions of the new shadow environment secretary, according to the Food and Drink Federation (FDF).

Metal shard fears spark Boots sushi recall

Boots recalls sushi over metal shard fears

By Alice Foster

Boots has been forced to recall sushi that may contain metal shards, shortly after Premier Foods withdrew gravy granule tubs due to fears over similar metal contamination.

Professor Colin Dennis has become the 76th president of the IFT

Colin Dennis appointed IFT president for 2015–16

By Rick Pendrous

Professor Colin Dennis, who is to chair Food Manufacture Group’s food safety conference: Safer food and drink – from the harvest to the home – later this month, yesterday became the 76th president of the US Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).

Maggie noodles received the all-clear from the FSA

Nestlé’s noodles gets UK safety green light

By Michael Stones

Nestlé’s Maggi noodles have received the all-clear from the Food Standards Agency (FSA), after a food safety crisis in India that is expected to cost the food giant millions of pounds.

'Genomics can bring an opportunity to unlock a lot of insights'

Genomics set to change the future of food safety

By Rick Pendrous

Scientific advances in the use of genomics – the study of DNA within organisms and application of DNA sequencing – has been agreed as the top of five strategic priorities for action identified by the committee which advises the Food Standards Agency (FSA)...

Are the campylobacter reduction targets set for chicken correct?

Sainsbury scientist queries campylobacter targets

By Rick Pendrous

The targets set by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) for reducing campylobacter contamination in fresh chicken in order to achieve a 50% reduction in food poisoning from the bacterium have been called into question by a member of the an expert committee...

Peanut allergies: anaphylactic shock can be life-threatening

Self-diagnosed intolerance may harm clinical allergy sufferers

By Rick Pendrous

The explosive growth in people “self-diagnosed” as suffering from food intolerances and those avoiding certain nutrients, such as gluten and dairy, for lifestyle reasons could be harmful, the head of the Anaphylaxis Campaign, which represents those with...

Does ice cream pose a listeria risk to vulnerable people?

Ice cream listeria risk to the ill and elderly

By Rick Pendrous

Fears have been raised about the wider possible contamination of frozen food with the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) in Europe, and the potentially deadly threat this poses to vulnerable individuals, following serious food poisoning outbreaks traced...

Paprika was the most likely source of undeclared almond protein: FSA

Almond Contamination

FSA's unlabelled nut probe focuses on paprika

By Michael Stones

A batch of paprika was the most likely source of undeclared almond protein, which has sparked three allergy alerts, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA).