As 2011 draws to a close, many in the food industry can look back and say that, in some respects, there has been more than just the state of the economy to cry about.
Frustrated food and drink manufacturers are considering sensory claims in preference to health claims; few of which have been approved by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Water supplier Highland Spring Group is determined to challenge the EU’s recent ruling on health claims for water, despite further clarification from Brussels.
Illegal fishing, which now accounts for 15% of world catches according to EU calculations, distorts the market for fish, and threatens the viability of honest businesses that refuse to deal with criminals, warned politicians.
The British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) has welcomed invitations from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) for the industry to take the lead in devising alternative methods of meat inspection.
Food and agriculture minister Jim Paice has reassured Britain’s pig producers that the government will fight their corner in Europe. He aims to prevent them being disadvantaged by continental competitors who fail to stop using sow stalls when a partial...
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has welcomed comments from the Health Select Committee about the government’s Public Health Responsibility Deal describing the plan as “no silver bullet” to tackle obesity.
Food producers may still be able to make unverified health claims about their products, despite tougher European regulations coming into force early next year.
The government’s plans for a supermarket adjudicator continue to divide industry opinion after the publication on October 15 of its response to a report from the Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Select Committee.
The European Council has kicked into the long grass a number of the more contentious parts of the Food Information Regulation (FIR), which covers the labelling of food and drink, according to a legal expert speaking on the day it was adopted last week.
Any food business that fails to rectify hygiene deficiencies in its operations will, from next April, risk being served with a Remedial Action Notice (RAN), potentially forcing it to stop working until improvements are made.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' (DEFRA's) press release on its Guidance on Date Marks spawned a welter of media stories that confused an already confused picture. But we can blame the press release. It did not clarify...
News that Denmark is to become the first country in the world to introduce a tax on foods with saturated fat, in a bid to foster healthy eating, has sharply divided British opinion.
A new EU directive to be implemented in the UK next year could free up more than an estimated £24bn held in outstanding late invoice payments, according to the Forum of Private Business (FPB)
Fish prices are set to rise in the long-term as imports into Europe will be insufficient to ensure supplies, warned speakers at a conference held earlier this week to debate the future of UK fishing industry and the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).
Food trade bodies have slammed the “muddled” publication of new government guidance on food date labelling, and called for more clarity on date labels.
Britain's abattoirs and primary meat processors will have to provide evidence to support their proposal for an alternative to the Food Standards Agency's (FSA's) meat inspection regime, which aims to substantially reduce costs.
The British Brands Group (BBG) has called on the government to stamp out "parasitic packaging", where unknown products are dressed up to look like popular brands, with a ban on misleading packaging.
After the European Commission (EC) spent three years hammering out its Food Information Regulation (FIR), the final version contains a last-minute ad hoc amendment.
Food manufacturers that change their name must reapply for a new EU food hygiene legislation approval number from the end of next January, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has warned.
Much higher processing costs will result if trawlermen are forced to land what they catch as part of radical reforms to the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), according to the pan-fishing industry body Seafish.
Birds Eye has slammed a "ridiculous" UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruling that two of its frozen foods adverts made forbidden comparative nutrition claims.
Ambitious reforms of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) will not come into force intact, while changes that are made will be difficult to implement, one expert has warned.
The Department of Health (DH) has defended its approach to alcohol, after public health groups alleged that the drinks industry has an undue influence on government policy.
The retail promotional system is flawed, unsustainable and needs a complete overhaul, although manufacturers are divided over the ability of the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP) or the new adjudicator to tackle this.
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and the Food Ethics Council have welcomed a select committee report that endorses government proposals to introduce a Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA).
Bacon producers have warned that a last-minute change to the Food Information Regulation (FIR) could prove expensive for both manufacturers and consumers.
The House of Lords Science and Technology Sub Committee has failed to recognise the benefits of the Public Health Responsibility Deal, claims the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), after the publication today of the committee’s report Behaviour Change.
European food makers are beginning to utilise positive article 13, general function health claim opinions issued by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), precipitating a flood of potentially meaningless claims, according to one industry observer.
Proposals to examine a move to a privatised system of third-party inspection of primary meat premises were rejected by the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA’s) Board early last week.
Trade unions have criticised government efforts to address health and safety (H&S) red tape as a "sham", and say the coalition should focus more resources on evidence-based work via the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
The UK food industry has given the European Parliament's (EP's) final agreement on food labelling a mixed reception, with one consultant reckoning label changes cost £7,000 per product.
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has countered retail claims that a Groceries Codes Adjudicator would add unnecessary cost and bureaucracy to policing the supply chain.
The European Food Safety Authority last week delivered the fifth batch of article 13, general function health claim opinions bringing the total issued to 2723. There are just 35 to go – to be published next month in a final mini-batch that will conclude...
Primary meat processors are increasing pressure on the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to bring about a change to EU law that would allow a more risk-based approach to checking meat plants using private, accredited third-party inspectors.
The future for spirulina – the blue colouring derived from algae that is used in Nestlé's Smarties – remains uncertain as the Food Standards Agency (FSA) reported that it had delayed its investigations into this and a number of other substances used...
Tough new regulations are needed to tackle the promotion of junk food to children by large food firms, according to the author of a prominent new report on responsible standards for food marketing.
Unilever has confirmed that it will not apply for a fortified food registration for its yeast breakfast spread Marmite, but says it would support an application from a local distributor.
A top lawyer has expressed concern that the UK's pending Bribery Act could lead to difficulties for food manufacturers exporting or producing abroad, especially to ‘high risk’ countries.
