Category: Issue 474
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Ontario Report Calls for Changes in Food Environment
A panel commissioned by Ontario’s Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has issued a March 2013 report outlining a three-part strategy designed to curb rising childhood obesity rates by supporting families, changing the food environment and creating healthy communities. Titled “No Time to Wait: The Healthy Kids Strategy,” the report specifically recommends, among other things,…
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EFSA Announces Follow-Up Meeting on Aspartame Consultation
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has announced an April 9, 2013, scientific meeting to discuss its draft opinion on the re-evaluation of aspartame (E951). Issued by the agency’s Scientific Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources Added to Food (ANS Panel), the re-evaluation declined to revise the current Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for aspartame…
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EFSA and EMA to Assess Phenylbutazone Health Risk
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) have agreed to conduct a health risk assessment of phenylbutazone after officials reportedly discovered the anti-inflammatory drug “in a small number of horse carcasses intended for the food chain.” According to a March 7, 2013, news release, the European Commission requested the assessment as…
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FDA Reopens Comment Period for BSE-Related Rule
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reopened the comment period for its 2005 interim final rule on the “Use of Materials Derived From Cattle in Human Food and Cosmetics,” which prohibited the use of certain cow components to prevent the potential risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in human food and cosmetics. The interim final…
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FDA Responds to Concerns About Piecemeal Release of Proposed FSMA Rules
According to a news source, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has released for public comment just two of five major proposed rules to implement the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), will allow the public to comment on all of them once they have all been made available. FDA spokesperson Shelly Burgess said, “We…
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FDA Seeks Comments on Pilot Projects to Improve Supply Chain Product Tracing
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released for public comment a report on pilot projects established under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) “with the food industry to explore and evaluate methods for rapid and effective tracking and tracing of foods.” The report includes the recommendations of the Institute of Food Technologies, the agency’s project…
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FDA Rule Targets Substances Approved for Use in Meat and Poultry Production
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a final rule, effective May 6, 2013, that amends federal meat and poultry products inspection regulations to remove sodium benzoate, sodium propionate and benzoic acid from the list of substances prohibited for use in meat or poultry products. According to FSIS, after considering the comments and…
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FDA Issues Draft Guidance on Veterinary Drug Residues in Food
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced the availability of revised draft guidance related to the evaluation and safety of veterinary drug residues in human food. Both sets of guidance are part of the agency’s efforts under the Registration of Veterinary Medicinal Products to harmonize technical requirements for the approval of veterinary medical products…