Tag: additive
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CALPIRG Campaigns Against Subsidizing Sweeteners
The California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG) has released a September 21, 2011, report claiming that federal agricultural subsidies are largely allocated to commodity crops such as soybeans and corn instead of fresh produce. Titled “Apples to Twinkies: Comparing Federal Subsidies of Fresh Produce and Junk Food,” the report alleges that, of the $260 billion…
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Putative Class Alleges Kashi “Natural” Products Have Mostly Unnatural Ingredients
A Texas resident has filed a putative class action against the Kashi Co. and its parent, the Kellogg Co., in a California federal court, alleging that the company falsely labels and markets its products as “all natural” when they actually contain processed and synthetic ingredients, some of which are not generally recognized as safe by…
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China Cracks Down on Food Producers in Major Food Safety Campaign
According to a news source, Chinese officials have arrested about 2,000 people and shut down almost 5,000 food production facilities since April 2011, in an effort to stop the industry’s use of illegal food additives. The initiative apparently followed scandals involving pork so full of bacteria that it allegedly glowed in the dark and milk…
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Codex Alimentarius Commission Approves GM Food Labeling Guidance
According to news sources, the Codex Alimentarius Commission concluded its meeting in Geneva by reaching an agreement on labeling foods that contain genetically modified (GM) ingredients. While the guidance is not mandatory, it would allow countries to label GM foods without risking a legal challenge before the World Trade Organization. National laws based on Codex…
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CEO Reports Conflicts of Interest Among EFSA Food Additive Experts
The Corporate European Observatory (CEO) has published a report accusing European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) food additive experts of concealing conflicts of interest and industry ties. CEO claims that 11 out of 20 experts on EFSA’s Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources in Food (ANS) “have a conflict of interest, as defined by the…
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Officials Question Safety of Melatonin-Laced Baked Goods
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) has asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) “to clarify its authority to regulate foods that contain additives, such as baked goods that contain high doses of melatonin,” after media reports drew attention to so-called “relaxation brownies” touted for allegedly alleviating stress and easing sleep deprivation. In a May 18,…
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CSPI Launches “Chemical Cuisine” Mobile App Database
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has launched a mobile application of its “Chemical Cuisine” glossary of food additives to bring safety ratings directly to consumers’ smart phones. The CSPI app provides a list of safe additives and flags those “that everybody should avoid, as well as a number of additives most…
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FDA to Allow Use of Hydrogen Peroxide in Modified Whey
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a final rule that amends its food additive regulations to allow hydrogen peroxide to be used as an “antimicrobial agent in the manufacture of modified whey by ultrafiltration methods.” Effective March 2, 2011, the rule responds to a petition filed by Fonterra (USA) Inc. requesting the change…