Interest is growing in the use of antimicrobials as a replacement for standard food preservatives such as sorbate, benzoate and sulphites, but much confusion exists about what is permitted, according to research organisation Campden BRI. (foodmanufacture.co.uk) There have been rapid technological developments with different antimicrobial systems in recent years, covering product washing, incorporation into packaging and food contact surfaces, nanotechnology... read more →
Acute foodborne illnesses cost the United States a staggering $152bn a year, with almost a quarter of this burden attributed to fresh, canned and processed produce, said a report from Produce Safety Project (PSP). (foodnavigator-usa.com) The study, Health-Related Costs from Foodborne Illness in the United States, examined healthcare, workplace and other economic losses in reaching the multi-billion dollar figure. The latest estimate dwarfs a previous widely... read more →
Austrian and German health authorities have revealed that six people died last year after eating listeria contaminated cheese made by Prolactal. (foodanddrinkeurope.com) Four of the deaths occurred in Austria, where the health ministry said this week that its research had narrowed down the source of the cases to Prolactal’s acid curd cheese. German health authorities have also confirmed that two people died after contracting listeriosis from cheese made... read more →
A new country of origin labelling (COOL) code of practice for pork introduced in the UK yesterday will benefit meat processors, producers and consumers, said one industry body. (foodanddrinkeurope.com) The voluntary code aims to give clear information about country of origin on packs of pork, bacon and ham. It was drawn up by the Pig Meat Supply Chain Task Force – a group representing processors, pig producers, retailers and the food service sector. The... read more →
Grimsby’s seafood processing sector has been given a boost, after a consortium of fish merchants were given a £1M grant by The European Fisheries Fund last month. (foodmanufacture.co.uk) The consortium, Grimsby Seafood Village, will use the money to build processing facilities, for which it is waiting to receive planning permission. “We have £1.4M funding in place but the grant was needed to ensure the scheme stacked up,” said Gary Cadey, joint md... read more →
The Real Bread Campaign has announced it will be organising the first ever National Real Bread Maker Week from 1-9 May, to encourage people to re-engage with home baking and to dust off one of the nation’s most neglected kitchen appliances. (bakeryinfo.co.uk) Chris Young, organiser of the campaign, which is backed by the Big Lottery Fund’s Local Food programme, said: “Dusting off and plugging in your bread machine allows you to seize control of your... read more →
The Heinz Global Performance System (HGPS) has now been rolled out to 25 factories around the world in a bid to standardise continuous improvement (CI) activities. (foodmanufacture.co.uk) In recent months, Heinz has broadened its approach to CI in an attempt to move beyond operations to encompass the whole supply chain, said John de Poot, leader, continuous improvement, supply chain Europe. De Poot, who was speaking at a webinar organised by the World Trade... read more →
Welfare standards are on the rise within UK livestock production, according to the RSPCA. The organisation’s Freedom Food scheme has seen a 46% increase in the number of animals produced under its guidelines. (meatinfo.co.uk) It claims a massive 532m farm animals are now covered under the scheme and the upward trend shows no sign of abating, with a further 13,000 animals coming on aboard in the last month alone. The RSPCA claimed the figures show that... read more →
