New recommendations designed to strengthen self-regulation in
children's advertising and tackle obesity have been welcomed by
Grocery Manufacturers Association.
The American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) has attacked
California Attorney-General Bill Lockyer's lawsuit against a number
of high-profile food firms as "unfortunate and contrary to the
interest of public health."
The state of California is suing nine top food manufacturers over
their reluctance to issue warnings that some popular snacks could
contain a potential cancer-causing chemical.
Untreated juices are still causing serious outbreaks of foodborne
illness across America, according to the US Food and Drug
Administration, warning consumers to be extra careful.
The FDA's imminent amendment of its color additive regulations to
provide for the safe use of LycoMato tomato lycopene extract is
good news for the company behind the product.
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) has hailed the House of
Representatives' passing of the Central American - Dominican
Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) as victory for US food
makers.
The FDA has urged the soft drink industry to review the ingredient
statements on their soft drink labels following the withdrawal of a
proposed "and/or" ruling on sweeteners.
There are worries that a district court ruling in Maine banning all
synthetic ingredients in products labeled organic could
significantly slow the sector's growth, writes Anthony
Fletcher.
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) has welcomed the
introduction of legislation that would establish a voluntary
country-of-origin labeling (COOL) program in place of a mandated
program.
While some food companies remain petrified that they will not be
ready for new trans fat and food allergen labeling requirements,
others have recognised the January 1 deadline as an opportunity,
writes Anthony Fletcher.
A recent proposal to broaden the definition of Class 1 fluid milk
has divided industry opinion between those who see potential in
improved prices and those who see a loss of consumer trust,
writes Anthony Fletcher.
The WTO's ruling on the illegality of Japan's import barriers on US
apples brings closer the possibility of both internationally
recognised standards and American trade sanctions.
Critics claim that the Connecticut governor's veto of the nutrition
bill will keep the state's school-aged children at increased risk
of tooth decay, obesity, and diabetes, writes Anthony
Fletcher.
The Central America Free Trade Agreement narrowly passed its first
Congressional test yesterday, but only after concessions were made
to the sugar industry writes Anthony Fletcher.
American Farm Bureau Federation president Bob Stallman agues that
the sugar industry is wrong to oppose the ratification of the
Central American Free Trade Agreement, writes Anthony
Fletcher.
Industry groups claim that the benefits NAFTA has brought to the US
food industry shows why Congress must ratify the Central American
Free Trade Agreement, though the vote is likely to be close,
writes Anthony Fletcher.
The Californian food industry is on a collision course with
consumer groups over the proposed introduction of acrylamide
warning labels on food products, writes Anthony Fletcher.
Demands for both the US and Canada to take responsibility for
genetically modified (GM) food contamination and sign up to the
Cartagena Biosafety Protocol are likely to be frustrated, writes
Anthony Fletcher.
Texans could soon be barred from suing food manufacturers for
obesity-related health problems after the state's so-called
cheeseburger bill was approved by the Senate.
Biotechnology expert Dr Tewolde Egziabher explains to Anthony
Fletcher why he thinks Canada was so reluctant to issue him
with a visa to attend the Cartagena biosafety negotiations in
Montreal this week.
The US Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is debating
whether to create a new set of food standards in order to encourage
more nutritious food formulation, writes Anthony Fletcher.
Canada's failure to grant a key biotechnology expert a visa in
order for him to attend this week's Cartagena Biosafety Protocol
meeting has angered activists, writes Anthony Fletcher.
President Bush reiterated the importance of using current WTO talks
to expand foreign food export opportunities during the swearing in
ceremony of US trade representative Robert Portman this week,
writes Anthony Fletcher.
Deep divisions over biotech food ingredients once again evident as
member states fail to approve a gene-altered corn designed by US
biotech giant Monsanto, reports Lindsey Partos.
The Grocery Manufacturers of America (GMA) is urging for the
immediate passage of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free
Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) in order to expand export markets for
the US food industry.
Members of Codex fail to reach a decision on the creation of
labelling guidelines for genetically modified foods as divisions on
biotech foods remain entrenched between the countries.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed to amend the
rules authorizing a health claim on non-cariogenic carbohydrate
sweeteners, to include the non-nutritive sweetener sucralose.
Forcing the traceability card, the European Union has voted to
block imports of certain US grain unless they prove they are free
of the genetically modified maize Bt10,reports Lindsey
Partos.
Democrat Senator Tom Harkin yesterday sent a strong message to the
food industry, saying that it must move swiftly to stop the
advertising aimed at children that was creating a "botched"
generation.
Canada's trans fat task force held its first meeting on Friday to
decide what needs tackling and looked at the risks and benefits of
various alternatives to the much maligned oil.
Following the lawsuit against companies making "low sugar"
breakfast cereals, one lawyer believes those behind the
anti-tobacco lawsuits are now conditioning the public to accept
obesity claims against the food industry...
An American woman has launched a lawsuit aimed at food companies
including Kraft Foods, General Mills and Kellogg alleging that "low
sugar" breakfast cereals are leading the customer astray.
Democrat Tom Harkin, senator for Iowa and health and nutrition
advocate, announced at a press conference earlier this week that he
will propose a bill enabling the FTC to regulate food advertising
to children, Philippa Nuttall reports.
Dr Sin Hang Lee, founder of the green tea TeaForHealth, yesterday
demanded that the FDA introduce a tea flouride safety standard
after recent research suggested that ingesting certain levels of
the chemical could be harmful, writes...
Pressure groups plan to use this year's Food Allergy Awareness Week
to promote the need for clear and effective product labeling to the
food industry as the allergy labeling legislation deadline
approaches, Philippa Nuttall reports.
Four savory enhancers produced by food technologists Senomyx were
awarded FEMA GRAS last week. The flavor enhancers are aimed at
companies wanting to reduce the amount of monosodium glutamate
added to their foods.
US food safety procedures could be improved if the system was
consolidated suggested a report published on Wednesday by the
Government Accountability Office (GAO), but it failed to define
possible cost savings.
When nutritional labeling comes into force in Canada later this
year, manufacturers may also take advantage of the need to change
their labels to stipulate whether their products' ingredients are
genetically engineered.
A landmark settlement on trans fats in the US last week will incite
global food makers, fearful of litigation, to delve further into
new food formulations that use alternative ingredients to eliminate
harmful fatty acids, reports...
As the world dissects George Bush's budget, the FDA yesterday
(Tuesday) announced its monetary proposal for fiscal 2006 with
security at the top of the food agenda.
Pressure on price and market share for Nutrinova, a leading
supplier of non-nutritive sweetener acesulfame-K, is set to rise as
key patent for the sweetener will soon reach its deadline,
reports Lindsey Partos.
The Florida Citrus Commission has approved a proposal to allow
citrus growers to opt out of paying taxes that support its
marketing program, according to the Florida Ledger.
