Investigators at Food Standards Scotland’s (FSS) new food crime unit say they have information that inferior beef from Eastern Europe, Ireland and England is being imported and repackaged with a premium Scottish label.
FSS intelligence manager Duncan Smith said the probe extended beyond one Scottish meat plant.
Rothamsted Research, a leading agricultural research institution, is attempting to make data from long-term experiments available to all. In partnership with a data consultancy, is it developing a method to make complex results accessible and useable. The institution is a member of the Godan Initiative that aims to make data available to the scientific community.
EFSA has published two guidance documents on novel food and traditional food from third countries to help ensure that these foods are safe before risk managers decide whether they can be marketed in Europe.
EFSA developed the guidance following the adoption of the new European regulation on novel food in November 2015. The regulation, which replaces the previous one from 1997 and comes into effect in January 2018, introduces a centralised assessment and authorisation procedure.
Erucic acid – a naturally occurring contaminant present in vegetable oil – is not a safety concern for most consumers as average exposure is less than half the safe level. But it may be a long-term health risk for children up to 10 years of age who consume high amounts of foods containing this substance. EFSA also found that levels of erucic acid present in animal feed may be a health risk for chickens.
Sterling’s plunge against the euro is wiping out profits from exports to UK
The immediate post-Brexit vote combination of exchange rate volatility and vanishing profit margins is new territory for the Irish agrifood industry. So far, a handful of mushroom farms that exported to the UK have been forced out of business. But more disruption could follow.
15 Early stage researcher PhD positions in the PROTECTion against Endocrine Disruptors; Detection, mixtures, health effects, risk assessment and communication.
PROTECTED is a Marie Sklowdowska-Curie Innovative Training Network (MCSA-ITN) with the primary research aim to create an innovative expertise required to manage the human and environmental impacts of endocrine disruptors (EDs) and their mixtures in the food chain, and environment. In total, 15 Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) will be appointed by the PROTECTED consortium for 36 months each.
MSCA-ITN eligibility criteria
There are strict eligibility requirements for the ESR PhD positions in MSCA-ITN. Please ensure that you qualify before applying, as ineligible candidates cannot be considered.
Benefits
MSCA-ITN offers an attractive salary and working conditions. A unique feature of MSCA-ITN is that during the PhD research, ESR PhD students will be given the opportunity to perform secondments at the facilities of other consortium members. ESR PhD students will benefit from a dedicated training program in the various fields of expertise of the consortium partners.
Salary is complemented with a mobility allowance.
For more information on MSCA-ITN, visit http://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/index_en.htm
For more information on available and links to application sites please click here
Focusing on food allergy and intolerance, the report explains the complex and evolving science behind food allergy and intolerance.
The EU has issued a warning letter to tuna processors, reminding them that the use of nitrite injections to colour products is illegal.
The use of nitrites not only deceives customers regarding the tuna's colour, but also masks the amounts of histamines present in the product, it said. The products look fresh and of high quality, but in reality may contain high amounts of histamines, which can cause strong allergenic reactions.
More than 300 people have fallen ill following a suspected outbreak of norovirus at the Wahaca restaurant chain, Public Health England (PHE) has said.
The Mexican restaurant chain had shut nine branches because of the infection, and four remain closed.
The European commission has proposed closures on commercial fishing for sea bass in the Atlantic and whiting in the waters west of Scotland from next year, in order to prevent a collapse in fish stocks.
The total allowable catch (TAC) for cod in the Celtic Sea will also be cut by 68% under the plan, while sole quotas in the Irish Sea will be trimmed by a hefty 82%
The food and drink industry is being urged to better protect itself from fraud in order to safeguard their businesses and consumers.
The warning comes from the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) on the same day the membership body launches a new report which helps food businesses adopt established counter fraud good practice.
Vietnam’s National Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries Quality Assurance Department (NAFIQAD) has been warned by the European Commission’s (EC’s) Directorate General for Health and Food Safety that excessive heavy metal residues have been detected in tuna imports from that country.
What does the “Atlantic” in “Atlantic salmon” suggest? Consumers might be surprised to learn that almost all wild Atlantic salmon populations have been driven to extinction, meaning almost all salmon from this ocean are farm-raised. In fact, wild Atlantic salmon has become so depleted that it’s nearly impossible for consumers to acquire.
Issues with fish and wine in Italy dominate the first monthly report on food fraud and authenticity by the Joint Research Council (JRC).
The JRC said the monthly round-up was launched to inform stakeholders of potential cases and give them the opportunity to counter the issue.
Two businessmen have pleaded guilty to a charge linking them to the 2013 horsemeat scandal.
Alex Ostler-Beech, 44, of Hull, and Ulrik Nielsen, 57, from Denmark, both admitted conspiracy to defraud related to the sale of beef products mixed with horsemeat at a hearing at Inner London Crown Court yesterday (26 October).
The retail giant has launched the Walmart Food Safety Collaboration Center (WFSCC) with a celebration at the Westin Financial Street hotel in Beijing. The Center brings together food safety experts and stakeholders to promote a collaborative approach to improving food safety in China.
The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute has announced the appointment of Dr Sinclair Mayne as chief executive, with effect from 1 November 2016.
Dr Mayne has been director of AFBI’s Sustainable Agri-Food Sciences Division since February 2013, having previously been departmental scientific adviser with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development from 2009.
The risk profile for Aflatoxin B1 for Austria has been adjusted from risk ‘Medium’ to ‘Low’.
This is the result of the evaluation of the available analysis results of the maize harvest 2015, GMP+ International – in collaboration with other collaborating scheme holders.
The Canadian federal Heath Minister Jane Philpott will announce today her government's plans to limit how unhealthy foods and beverages can be marketed to children.
Another change will eventually see front of package labelling that will highlight if a product is high or low in certain nutrients such as sodium, sugar and saturated fats.
From olive oil that has been cut with cheaper oil to honey infused with banned antibiotics and ground coffee contaminated with corn and sawdust, the food you eat is ripe for fraud.
It's costing consumers $30 billion to $40 billion a year worldwide, according to Michigan State University's Food Fraud Initiative.
