Sustainability Update: April 2024
EU: Parliamentary Committee Approves Compromise Agreement on Packaging and Packaging Waste On March 19, 2024, the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment (ENVI) voted to approve the compromise agreement on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. A plenary session of the outgoing Parliament is expected to vote on the proposal in late April. More information […]
European Commission Issues Monitoring Recommendation for Nickel
Member States and food operators are asked to share monitoring data with the EFSA On March 22, 2024, the European Commission published Recommendation (EU) 2024/907 on the monitoring of nickel in food. On the basis of occurrence data collected between 2016 and 2018, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published an updated risk assessment in […]
Codex Committee to Consider Proposed Definition of Ready-to-Eat Peanuts
The definition will inform the establishment of a maximum level for total aflatoxins The Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF) is poised to discuss a proposed definition of ready-to-eat peanuts at its 17th Session (CCCF17), which is being held in Panama City this week. At its last meeting, in April 2023, the CCCF directed an […]
Almond Consumption May Improve Body Composition Indices and Hunger Scores
Eating at least 50 grams of almonds per day was associated with improvements across several indicators In a study published recently in the journal Obesity Reviews, researchers set out to understand the relationship between almond consumption and subjective appetite scores and body composition. The study was a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of 37 randomized controlled […]
Early Introduction of Peanut Associated With Lower Sensitization and Allergy
Younger siblings of peanut consumers fared better when peanut was introduced early In a recent study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, researchers tested the hypothesis that peanut allergy develops as a result of cutaneous exposure in the absence of oral consumption. Evaluation of the younger siblings of participants in the Learning […]
Nut Consumption During Pregnancy Associated With Lower Risk of Peer Problems in 5-Year-Olds
Study confirms relationship between maternal nut intake and childhood behavioral problems A recent study published in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition explored the association between maternal nut intake during pregnancy and the risk of childhood behavioral problems in 5-year-old children in Japan. A total of 1,199 mother-child pairs were included in this prebirth […]
March 2024 News Brief
Secure Your Spot at the Exclusive INC Congress in Vancouver Be a part of the prestigious gathering for the nut and dried fruit sector Gather with 1,300+ esteemed company owners, presidents and CEOs from prominent global corporations from May 8-10 to gain insights, forge connections and conduct business with professionals from 65 countries. Over the […]
New Discovery in Peanut Defense Mechanisms Against Aflatoxins
The findings hold promise for the future development of fully resistant varieties A recent study shed light on the natural resistance exhibited by some peanut varieties to Aspergillus flavus infection and subsequent aflatoxin contamination. Researchers used a metabolomics-based systems biology approach to understand the biochemistry behind increased peanut resistance to Aspergillus infection. The study reports […]
Further Attacks Planned Beyond Red Sea
U.S. Department of Transportation issues maritime advisory for the region The group responsible for attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea in the last three months announced last week that it intended to expand the range of its activity into the Indian Ocean, according to Reuters. The announcement came just a week after the […]
FDA Approves Medication to Help Reduce Allergic Reactions to Peanut and Cashew
Xolair is the first and only FDA-approved medicine to reduce allergic reactions in people with one or more food allergies On February 16, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Xolair (omalizumab) injection for immunoglobulin E–mediated food allergy in certain adults and children 1 year or older for the reduction of allergic reactions —including […]