Tag: EU
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EFSA Seeks Data on Food Additives
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has issued a call for data from member states and other stakeholders on a third batch of food additives, including tertiary-butyl hydroquinone, agar, carrageenan, and xanthan gum, used in food and beverages. The action follows Commission Regulation No. 257/2010 of the European Parliament and the Council on Food Additives,…
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EFSA Requests Brominated Flame Retardant Monitoring
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has asked member states “to monitor the presence of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in food over the next two years.” In light of six scientific opinions published by the Scientific Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain between September 2010 and September 2012, EFSA has requested additional information on…
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European Parliament Rejects Nano Labeling Regulations
The European Parliament has reportedly rejected draft rules mandating the labeling of engineered nanomaterials used in food. According to a March 13, 2014, press release, MEPs voted to scrap the proposed measure over concerns that the European Commission’s definition of nanomaterial “would exempt nano-sized food additives already on the market.” In particular, MEPs noted that…
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Bipartisan Coalition Contests EU Restrictions on Dairy Product Names
U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) have written a March 11, 2014, letter to the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), urging the agencies to reject the European Union’s (EU’s) request that product names such as feta, parmesan and muenster be reserved as “geographical indicators.” As part of…
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WHO/EU Warns That Overweight Children Becoming a “New Norm”
The World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Europe (WHO/EU) reportedly warned attendees of a February 25-26, 2014, health conference held by the European Commission and the Greek Presidency of the Council of the European Union that “being overweight is so common that it risks becoming a new norm.” According to a February 25, 2014, press…
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Ad Watchdog Upholds Complaint Against Naked Juice Antioxidant Claims
The U.K. Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld a complaint alleging that PepsiCo International Ltd. t/a Naked Juice made antioxidant health claims on its website that were unauthorized by the EU Register of Nutrition and Health Claims for Foods (the EU Register). According to ASA, Naked Juice argued that health claim guidance issued by the…
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EC Proposes New Directives to Ban Cloning of Farm Animals
The European Commission (EC) recently proposed two draft directives that would prohibit the cloning of farm animals in the European Union (EU) as well as the importation of cloned animals. Designed to address animal welfare concerns and provide “legal certainty in this field,” the first directive would temporarily ban cloning techniques and the sale of…
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EC Issues Report on Meat Ingredient Origin Labeling
The European Commission (EC) has published a report titled “Origin labelling for meat used as an ingredient: consumers’ attitude, feasibility of possible scenarios and impacts” that provides an overview of the potential consequences of mandatory origin labeling of meat used as an ingredient in food. Based on an independent study completed in July 2013, the…