Category: Food Safety & Regulatory

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Mettler-Toledo debuts entry-level metal detection system to ehance food inspection systems among SMEs

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US –  Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection has launched M30 R-series GC, a new a series of metal detection systems aimed at enhancing food inspection operations of small and medium-size manufacturers and/or co-packers.   The new metal detection systems feature a Sense software-powered digital platform and advanced algorithms which makes it possible to deliver high sensitivity to all metal contaminant types with minimal false rejects.  Dynamic stability control innovations which are incorporated into the system stabilize the core sensor of the metal detector to help protect against environmental noise and vibration interference for increased reliability.   …

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UK competition watchdog puts businesses on notice over greenwashing claims

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UK – Businesses in the UK have until the end of the year to ensure their environmental claims comply with the law, otherwise, they risk being charged, the UK Competition and Markets Authority has revealed.  Environmental claims are claims which suggest that a product, service, process, brand, or business is better for the environment, according to the CMA.     They include claims that suggest or create the impression that a product or a service has a positive or no impact on the environment.  Environmental claims are genuine when they…

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FSSAI introduces new logo for Vegan foods, bolsters food safety efforts with commissioning of 19 mobile food testing vans

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INDIA – The Food Safety and Standards Agency of India has introduced a new logo for Vegan foods to help consumers easily identify and differentiate plant-based foods from non-vegan foods.  According to the Indian food regulator, the new logo was in response to the rising number of people who are switching to the vegan diet for health and environmental reasons.   Just the way the green dot depicts vegetarian food and red indicates non-vegetarian, vegan food will now be designated by the v-shaped green logo shared by FSSAI.   The logo also features a green-colored leaf which…

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India to introduce ‘front of package label’ to help consumers make healthier food choices

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INDIA – The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has announced plans to introduce front-of-package (FoP) labeling on packaged foods to help consumers make healthier food choices.  The move by the Indian food regulator is in response to concern over increasing consumption of junk food leading to obesity in youth and children in India.  According to a recently published study, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in India has increased rapidly in recent decades and is projected to worsen during the forecast period ending 2040.   According to the PLoS study, the prevalence…

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European insect sector bound for exponential growth following EU decision to greenlight use of insect proteins in poultry and pig feed

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EUROPE – The European Union (EU) Commission has adopted the decision to amend the feed ban regulation, allowing the use of processed animal proteins (PAPs) and insects to feed non-ruminant farmed animals such as pigs and poultry.   According to the commission, the decision was based on the scientific opinion by the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA) which showed that certain specific feed ban measures were no longer justified.     The commission’s decisions follow approval from both the European Parliament and Council as well as the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCOPAFF)…

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Former DSM CEO Feike Sijbesma to spearhead private sector collaboration in new role as WFP Champion

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ROME – The World Food Program of the United Nations (WFP) has appointed former Royal DSM CEO, Feike Sijbesma is its first ever Champion.  Sijbesma has had a long and illustrious career which culminated in him heading Dutch multinational nutritional and health company Royal DSM as Chairman and CEO, a position he held for 13 years.  The career business executive transitioned to the role of Honorary Chairman of Royal DSM in early 2020 and also serves as the Special Corona Envoy for The Netherlands.   He sits on a variety of Supervisory Boards, like Royal Philips, Unilever, and the Dutch Central…

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India food regulator FSSAI asks e-commerce companies to end classification of plant-based products as dairy

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INDIA – The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed e-commerce platforms to delist plant-based products as dairy milk products in line with a government regulation that non-milk products cannot be classified and sold as ‘dairy’ products.  “The general standard for milk and milk products under the Food Safety and Standards Regulations clearly lays down guidelines for use of dairy in the nomenclature of products,” FSSAI noted.   “These regulations state that use of any dairy term for a product which is not milk or a composite milk product is prohibited and any such action is in…

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Kenyan slaughter houses on spot for offering low quality pork resulting from poor livestock handling

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KENYA – World Animal Protection, the global advocate of animal rights has raised concerns regarding the handling of pigs from the farm, transportation to slaughter houses which ultimately affect the quality of pork being consumed. The non-profit organization has released a collaborative study undertaken in partnership with International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and University of Nairobi, which collected information on where the pigs were farmed, how they were transported, and gross lesions on the live animals and the carcasses. The findings under the study titled “Animal welfare and food safety…

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Tiger Brands recalls canned products over faulty cans

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SOUTH AFRICA – Tiger Brands, South Africa’s largest food manufacturer, has announced the urgent recall of about 20 million KOO, its rainbow brand, and Hugo’s canned vegetable products manufactured between 1 May 2019 and 5 May 2021 over safety concerns due to potentially defective cans. The company’s Groceries division first discovered the defective products in May 2021, prior to the final labelling of the finished product, linking them to a deficient side seam weld that could cause the cans to leak. They were traced back to three different batches of…

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Ben & Jerry’s Israel boycott row intensifies as Ecuadorian supermarket chain pulls ice creams from shelves

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ECUADOR – Ben & Jerry’s Israel boycott row is getting thicker by the day, threatening the existence of the brand in countries with strong ties with Israel.   In Ecuador for instance, El Rosado Group, which owns one of the largest supermarket chains in the country with more than 180 stores, has taken the decision to withdraw from all its businesses all ice cream manufactured by Unilever.  According to the company, the decision was prompted by Ben & Jerry’s statement that said the company believes it is inconsistent with its values “for Ben…

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