Category: Global
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Japan Lifts Ban on U.S. Wheat Imports
Japan has reportedly announced that it will resume purchasing U.S. white wheat, ending a two-month suspension that was implemented after genetically engineered crops were found on an Oregon farm in April 2013. According to a news source, Japan imports nearly five million tons of wheat per year—60 percent of which comes from the United States—but…
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Codex Adopts New Food Safety and Nutrition Standards
The Codex Alimentarius has announced new food safety and nutrition standards that strive to “protect the health of consumers worldwide.” The regulations include guidance on preventing and reducing ochratoxin A—a reportedly carcinogenic contaminant—in cocoa, avoiding microbiological contamination of berries, preventing hydrocyanic acid in cassava, and when to label food with ”non-addition of sodium salts.” The commission also…
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Brazilian Regulator Fines McDonald’s over Happy Meal® Promotion
The consumer regulatory agency of Sao Paulo, Brazil, has reportedly fined McDonald’s US $1.6 million for allegedly marketing to children. Procon SP has claimed that franchisee Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. violated the state’s consumer code by using children’s characters and toys to promote Happy Meals®. “This is not an isolated case,” a Procon SP lawyer…
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Peru Imposes 10-Year Ban on GMO Foods
Peru has passed a law that prohibits genetically modified organisms (GMOs) from being imported, produced or used anywhere within the country for the next 10 years. The law, which was approved by President Ollanta Humala last year and took effect last week, is aimed at preserving Peru’s agricultural diversity, preventing cross-pollination and supporting local farmers.…
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Mexican Lawmaker Floats Chewing Gum Tax Proposal
A Mexican lawmaker has proposed a 50 percent tax on chewing gum. According to news sources, Institutional Revolutionary Party Deputy Juan Manuel Diez Francos claims such a tax could fund efforts to clean up the gum discarded in various public venues. Mexico is apparently the second largest consumer of gum behind the United States—citizens chew…
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Australian Agency Calls for Nanotubes to Be Classified as Hazardous
Safe Work Australia, a government agency lacking regulatory authority, has recommended that multi-walled and single-walled carbon nanotubes be classified as hazardous unless they can be shown, on a case-by-case basis with toxicological or other data, to merit a different classification. The agency recently released a report titled “Human Health Hazard Assessment and Classification of Carbon…
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Chilean Senator Seeks to Enforce Fast-Food Toy Ban
Chilean Senator Guido Girardi has reportedly filed a formal complaint with the country’s Ministry of Health, alleging that fast-food companies have violated a new ban on using toys and other giveaways to market children’s meals. According to media sources, the complaint claims that several fast-food restaurants have flouted the law, along with other food manufacturers…
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Indian Food Safety Authority to Regulate Energy Drinks
After two years of deliberation, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has reportedly agreed to issue draft regulations that would require energy drink manufacturers to rebrand their products as “caffeinated beverages.” Based on the findings of an expert panel convened to study caffeine and energy drink consumption in India, the draft regulations…