The European Commission has no current plans to further restrict or ban bisphenol A (BPA) in other food contact materials following its decision last week to outlaw use of the chemical in polycarbonate baby bottles. (Foodproductiondaily.com) Brussels confirmed that it did not intend to seek to extend its ban to such materials as the epoxy linings of food and beverage cans as there was presently no scientific evidence to support such a move. The Commission... read more →
Meat processing giant JBS is to roll out around-the-clock video surveillance across its eight US beef plants in a bid to boost food safety, quality and animal handling practices. (Foodproductiondaily.com) The company said the remote video auditing (RVA) technology would be used to improve food safety performance by line workers and to minimise the risk of cross-contamination on the slaughter floor. In recent years, a series of recalls involving meat tainted... read more →
Any move by the European Commission to introduce a temporary ban on the use of cloned animals for food would not be justified on food safety grounds, the UK Government has said. (Foodproductiondaily.com) The UK stance was spelt out in a report due to go before the country’s Food Standards Agency (DSA) tomorrow as it cautioned that all regulation must be “proportionate and enforceable”. Disproportionate Ministers said they did not believe there is... read more →
A US company said it is the first to offer commercial-scale supply of a corn-based chemical that it says has the potential to replace bisphenol A (BPA) in packaging. (Foodproductiondaily.com) Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) said it has added isosorbide to its chemical product line. The firm described the substance as an “industrial ingredient made from corn that is a potential alternative to the petroleum-based chemical Bisphenol A in plastics and other applications” “The... read more →
Premier Foods is in advanced negotiations with two potential buyers over the sale of its meat-free business, but has received bids from a number of parties, including “multinational food groups and private equity firms“. (Foodmanufacturing.co.uk) In a stock exchange announcement issued following press reports that it was in talks with Nestlé about the sale of its meat-free division(Quorn and Cauldron Foods), Premier Foods said: “Discussions... read more →
Small food manufacturers are likely to bear the legal brunt of the UK’s current adverse weather conditions, according to legal firm Eversheds. (Foodmanufacturing.co.uk) Eversheds partner Ruth Connerton told FoodManufacture.co.uk that “you would expect force majeure [‘superior force’] clauses to exist in contracts” between food manufacturers and customers, to protect the former against legal action in the event of extreme weather conditions affecting... read more →
The pay package on offer to staff at Heinz’s Kitt Green factory in Wigan “stands out as one of the best in the food and drink sector, the area and the country”, bosses have insisted as the Unite union prepares to unveil the results of a strike ballot on Monday (December 6). (Foodmanufacturing.co.uk) Corporate affairs boss Nigel Dickie told FoodManufacture.co.uk that stoppages at the plant would “leave many totally baffled” given that Heinz factory... read more →
