Category: Issue 368
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Japan Weighs Voluntary Disclosure of Trans Fat Content
The Japanese Consumer Affairs Agency has reportedly unveiled draft guidelines that would ask food manufacturers to voluntarily disclose the trans fat content of their products. Intending to finalize the guidelines by the end of 2010, the agency has called for labeling that indicates the amount of trans fat per 100 grams or per meal. The…
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Canada Adds BPA to Toxic Chemical List
Environment Canada has published a final order adding bisphenol A (BPA) to Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act 1999 (CEPA 1999), a move that will make it easier for agencies to regulate the substance. “The Government of Canada has a strong record of taking action on Bisphenol A to protect the environment and…
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ASTM Forms Subcommittee to Address Consumer Goods Containing Nanoparticles
ASTM International, formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials, has announced the formation of a subcommittee to develop standards for nanoparticle-enabled consumer products, such as goods that contain nanoscale silver. The new “Subcommittee on Nano-Enabled Consumer Products” (E56.06) will be part of “Committee 56 on Nanotechnology,” established in 2005 to develop standard terms,…
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FOP Nutrition Rating Systems Addressed in New IOM Report
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has released the first phase of its report on front-of-package (FOP) rating systems and symbols for food products and recommends that the nutrients of greatest concern to consumers—calories, saturated fats, trans fat, and sodium—as well as serving size, should be highlighted, with calorie-count and serving-size information displayed prominently. According to…
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Nitrosamines Targeted Under Potential EPA Regulatory Paradigm
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reportedly considering addressing toxins in drinking water by regulating them in groups, rather than continuing to address them contaminant-by-contaminant, and has identified nitrosamines as one of the first groups that could be subject to the new paradigm. Other groups under consideration are pesticides, volatile organic compounds and chlorinated disinfection…
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CDC Announces Grants for Sodium-Reduction Strategies
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently announced five grants geared toward researching, developing and implementing sodium-reduction strategies. Totaling $1.9 million, the grants “will support policy strategies to create healthier food environments and help reduce sodium intake for a three-year funding period,” stated CDC, which identified the grantees as California (working with…
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FDA Calls Fruit Product Misbranded, Ingredients and Missing Calorie Disclaimer at Issue
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning letter to Chiquita Brands International, Inc. indicating that the company is violating the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by misbranding several of its pineapple products. According to FDA, because Pineapple Bites with Coconut® is made with a coconut-flavored spray, the product’s statement of identity…
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Legislation Grapples with Bioengineered Animals
U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) has introduced a bill (H.R. 6325) that would require labeling for food that contains genetically engineered (GE) animal products. The Consumer Right to Know Food Labeling Act of 2010 would amend the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and Meat Inspection Act to compel the disclosure of product ingredients derived from cloned…