Traffic and traffic lights drive debate in Egyptian capital

I was lucky enough to have the chance to visit Cairo recently, after having been invited to speak at a conference on oils and fats.

I think I can safely say it is the noisiest place I have ever been to, largely due to a blend of calls to prayer from the numerous mosques and the constant blasting of car horns. Speaking of the traffic, I have discovered a cure for pre-presentation nerves - take a drive in Cairo and you will be so relieved to survive that giving a presentation to more than 100 Middle Eastern businessmen is no sweat!

At the conference, there was a strong focus on trans fats and a great interest in global labelling and compositional restrictions.

It was interesting that many of the processors I spoke to believed the controls in Europe were far stricter than they were - but they were confusing statute with customer requirements.

Delivering oils with a desirable profile was accepted as key to business development, but the reality of being able to make products acceptable to the export market was a tangible concern.

The conference was also my first real exposure to worries about the impact on the food industry of competition for resources needed for biofuels, and its associated cost implications.

I think the most surprising thing for me was a fascination with the guideline daily amounts versus traffic lights signposting debate among other delegates (none of whom were UK-based).

It appears that what many perceive as a very British issue may be nothing of the kind.

The only thing everybody agreed about was that while neither side would emerge as a 'victor' the issue was likely to drive development of front-of-pack messages at a European Commission level.

Watch this space ...

Kath Veal is business manager, Regulatory and Technical Consultancy Services at Leatherhead Food International​