Sustainability Update: March 2024
Australia: Revised Dietary Guidelines to Incorporate Sustainability The Dietary Guidelines Expert Committee of Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has identified sustainable diets —accessible, affordable and equitable with low environmental impacts— as a high priority for inclusion in the next edition of the country’s official dietary guidelines, slated for publication in 2026. More […]
February 2024 News Brief
INC Members, Register Now for Exclusive INC Congress Join us and be part of the flagship event for the nut and dried fruit sector From May 8-10, Vancouver will host over 1,300 company owners, presidents and CEOs from renowned global companies. This flagship event in the industry provides a unique space for participants to learn, […]
Meta-Analysis Estimates Prevalence of Tree Nut Allergy in Europe
The study looked at 32 studies over a 22-year period In a new study published in the journal Allergy, researchers conducted a systematic review of studies on the prevalence of food allergy and food sensitization in Europe, in which they summarized the prevalence of tree nut allergy/sensitization to individual tree nuts. The researchers searched for […]
Eating Cashews and Brazil Nuts May Boost Pathways Linked to Body Fat Reduction
Consumption of the nuts may also be linked to the augmentation of beneficial bacteria In a recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition, researchers evaluated the effect of consuming cashews and Brazil nuts on potentially beneficial bacteria and pathways associated with body fat reduction. A total of 40 overweight or obese women were enrolled […]
Prune Consumption May Help Preserve Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women
Eating prunes every day may help women mitigate bone loss in older age A newly published study in Osteoporosis International set out to assess the effect of regular prune consumption on volumetric bone mineral density, bone geometry and estimated bone strength. The study formed part of The Prune Study, a large, single-center, parallel-arm, 12-month randomized […]
Marketing Orders: February 2024
USA: Assessment Rate Decreased for California Walnuts A rule issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) implements a recommendation from the California Walnut Board to decrease the assessment rate for California walnuts handled under Marketing Order No. 984. This rule decreases the assessment rate for California walnuts handled under the Order from US$0.0125 per […]
Food Safety Update: February 2024
EU: Restrictions on Use of Flavoring Substances Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/238, published in the Official Journal of the European Union on January 16, 2024, introduces restrictions on the use of certain flavoring substances. Substance Food category Maximum level 2-Phenylcrotonaldehyde Processed fruits and vegetables 0.05 mg/kg 5-Methyl-2-phenylhex-2-enal Processed fruits and vegetables 1.10 mg/kg 4-Methyl-2-phenylpent-2-enal Processed fruits […]
Latest Trade News and Agreements: February 2024
EU: Increased Controls on Certain Organic Products The European Commission, together with the Group of Experts on Organic Production, has assessed the information in the Organic Farming Information System (OFIS) and concluded that increased control and reporting measures are necessary for certain imported products. The additional control measures will be applied to the following organic […]
Sustainability Update: February 2024
Cambodia-Africa: Cashew Nuts Association of Cambodia (CAC) Signs MoU with African Cashew Alliance (ACA) On February 3, 2024, the Cashew Nuts Association of Cambodia (CAC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the African Cashew Alliance (ACA), as reported by the Phnom Penh Post. The objective of the MoU is to promote cooperation between the […]
10-Year Analysis of RASFF Notifications for Mycotoxins in Nuts
Notifications have been trending downward in recent years In a study published in Food Research International, researchers analyzed notifications from the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) on nuts and nut products contaminated with mycotoxins over a 10-year period. Mycotoxins —secondary metabolites of various fungi— are observed in a broad range of […]