Food Safety

Government has ‘no perception’ of E.coli crisis impact

Government has ‘no perception’ of E.coli crisis impact

By Ben Bouckley

The Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) has criticised “UK government plc” for what it describes as a damaging and misleading response to the deadly European E.coli crisis that has left this country's fresh produce industry in turmoil.

Clean up your act

Clean up your act

By Freddie Dawson

As retailers call for more accredited food safety training, how can firms get staff up to speed at minimum cost, asks Freddie Dawson

FSA advises consumers to shun raw beansprouts

FSA advises consumers to shun raw beansprouts

By Lawrence Morley

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is advising consumers not to eat raw sprouted seeds such as beansprouts, alfalfa and fenugreek, after an E.coli outbreak led to the hospitalisation of eight people in Bordeaux, France.

‘Shocking’ salt claims anger sausage makers

‘Shocking’ salt claims anger sausage makers

By Graham Holter

Sausage manufacturers have hit back after a report accused them of producing products with dangerously high salt levels, and say that the results are misleading, while 2012 reduction targets risk going too far.

Worried salad suppliers need E.coli crystal ball

Worried salad suppliers need E.coli crystal ball

By Anne Bruce

UK Salads technical director Mark Lever says that parts of the UK fresh produce sector are still on their knees after the devastating German E.coli outbreak that left 35 people dead.

Heinz is committed to a BPA alternative in can linings, despite insisting that minute levels are safe

EU Bisphenol A ban not based on science, COT

By Ben Bouckley

A scientist who chairs the UK's independent Committee on Toxicity (COT) says the European Commission’s (EC’s) move to ban the import of baby bottles using Bisphenol A (BPA) is not based on scientific evidence, and has rejected calls to ban its use...

Salad sales plummet, producers call for E.coli action

Salad sales plummet, producers call for E.coli action

By Graham Holter

UK salad producers hope the European Commission (EC) will part-fund an awareness campaign to persuade consumers that their products are safe, and expect compensation after revealing that sales here have plummeted up to 60% by value since the E.coli crisis...

EFSA defends aspartame work, denies dossier loss

EFSA defends aspartame work, denies dossier loss

By Ben Bouckley

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has denied a suggestion by two MEPs that it may have lost data relating to a previous safety evaluation of the high intensity sweetener aspartame (E951) and that it failed to examine it properly in the first place.

Food chain vulnerable to malicious activity, expert

Food chain vulnerable to malicious activity, expert

By Ben Bouckley

Despite initiatives such as the Rapid Alert System for Food & Feed (RASFF), the EU food chain is still vulnerable to malicious activity for the sake of profit or terrorist type activity, according to a leading food safety expert.

Stop dithering and identify E.coli source, say fresh produce players

Stop dithering and identify E.coli source, say fresh produce players

By Anne Bruce and Ben Bouckley

As UK sales slide, fresh produce industry players say they are disappointed by the German and EU authorities’ variously indecisive and misleading steps when dealing with the German E.coli outbreak that has seen 16 people die and around 1,614 fall ill.

Heinz fined for finger loss at UK factory

Heinz fined for finger loss at UK factory

By Helen Glaberson

Heinz has been fined £20,000 after a worker lost a finger whilst operating industrial machinery at the company’s UK-based baked bean factory.

Asda settles 'nasty' legal spat with Ajinomoto over sweetener aspartame

Asda settles 'nasty' legal spat with Ajinomoto over sweetener aspartame

By Ben Bouckley

Asda has settled its long-running legal dispute with ingredient supplier Ajinomoto out of court, FoodManufacture.co.uk has learnt, after the latter took legal action against the retailer for describing aspartame as a ‘nasty’ on own-label product packaging.

Cutting the cost of throwaway gloves

Cutting the cost of throwaway gloves

An innovative, low-cost, washable polyester glove liner has been developed, which is set to cut the rising costs of the throwaway cotton glove liners used in food manufacture.

Third-party audits under attack

Third-party audits under attack

By Freddie Dawson

Retailers are using their own checks to supplement third-party hygiene audits, sometimes as a way of exercising power, says Freddie Dawson.

Ireland to expand meat exports but spurns cloning

Ireland to expand meat exports but spurns cloning

By Rick Pendrous

Cloning is unlikely to form part of Ireland's armoury of technological weaponry as the country seeks to expand its meat and livestock exports over the next decade, says Padraig Brennan, a senior analyst for Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board

When does food fear end and common sense begin?

When does food fear end and common sense begin?

By Ben Bouckley

Mooching through Chinatown in London a few weeks ago, I entered a labyrinthine store and picked up a box of what I thought (my Mandarin skills deserting me) were teabags, but turned out to be sachets of freeze-dried cane sugar, glucose and wild hawthorn...

Will the BRC's new Global Standard steal centre stage?

Will the BRC's new Global Standard steal centre stage?

By Ben Bouckley

The BRC claims its new Global Standard for Food Safety will prioritise auditor training and time on the factory floor, but one technical manager has dismissed it as a "complete sideshow", as large food manufacturers struggle with more thorough...

Shouting (food safety issues) from the rooftops is important, but remember that consumers will notice inaccurate or mixed messages

SPECIAL EDITION: RISK COMMUNICATION

How to deal with food safety Doomsday...

By Ben Bouckley

Growing scrutiny of food suppliers means an increasing focus on food safety issues. In this special edition article on risk, we look at how producers can communicate potential risks to consumers while protecting their brand reputation, in the event of...

One of photos taken by Luton Borough Council at Nilojan Foods' site

Putrefying fillings see sandwich firm fined £50,000

By Anne Bruce and Ben Bouckley

Nilojan Food has been fined £55,000 after health inspectors found putrefying fillings at its Luton premises. But the former md has told FoodManufacture.co.uk that he wished the local council had been "a little bit more understanding".

Talking Japanese? Surprisingly few UK sushi constituents come from Japan

Nuclear scare fails to dent UK sushi sales

By Ben Bouckley

Despite Food Standards Agency (FSA) screening of food imports from Japan, UK sushi producers speaking to FoodManufacture.co.uk off the record say there has been no consumer backlash against ‘nuclear' sushi.

FSA plays it safe with updated 2015 strategy

FSA plays it safe with updated 2015 strategy

By Ben Bouckley

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) says its new strategic plan to 2015 reflects recent changes in nutrition responsibilities in the UK, with principal spending areas covering its core remit of effective regulation and food safety.

Former minister worried by GM ingredient revelations

Former minister worried by GM ingredient revelations

By Ben Bouckley

Michael Meacher MP says he worries that not enough research has been done on the long-term effects to human health of eating foods produced from animals fed GM soy, after it emerged that many such branded items may be on UK sale.

Mount Fiji in Japan

EU boosts food import controls after Japanese nuclear disaster

By Rory Harrington

The European Union is to step up controls on food imports from Japan in the wake of the nuclear accident at Fukushima – but stressed there was no evidence that consumers in the region were at risk from radiation-contaminated food.

Responsibility Deal: signatories have pledged to meet the FSA's 2012 salt targets

Salt campaign group welcomes responsibility deal

By Rick Pendrous

Consensus Action on Salt & Health (CASH), a leading UK health group which campaigns for reduced levels of salt in processed foods has welcomed the targets announced in the Public Health Responsibility Deal for food, published by health secretary Andrew...

FSA told salt levels in mature cheddar should rise to curb histamine

FSA told salt levels in mature cheddar should rise to curb histamine

By Ben Bouckley and Graham Holter

Dairy UK has notified the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that the salt content of mature cheddar should be increased, following an incident in which a child suffered an allergic reaction to Co-operative cheddar with high levels of histamine, FoodManufacture.co.uk...

Reformulate, but forget food safety at your peril…

Reformulate, but forget food safety at your peril…

By Ben Bouckley

With food manufacturers busy reformulating or developing products to cut ‘nasties’ such as salt and sugar, Leatherhead Food Research has warned that associated food safety issues should not be an afterthought.

Government boosts DNA testing to fight rising fraud

Government boosts DNA testing to fight rising fraud

By Rod Addy

Increasingly frequent food fraud incidents and urgent demand for allergen and genetically modified ingredient testing have spurred on a government initiative to boost the robustness of DNA sequence testing for food

Join the culture club

Join the culture club

By Rick Pendrous

Complacency about food safety threatens many food companies, with the risk of the next media feeding frenzy just around the corner.

Bakewell Tart and breast milk ice cream anyone?

FSA goes Gaga over breast milk ice cream...

By Ben Bouckley

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is investigating whether a controversial ice cream made with donated breast milk, and sold in a London restaurant, breaches food safety regulations.

Follow us

Featured Jobs

View more

Webinars