Labeling Update: April 2024
WHO-FAO: Report on Meeting to Determine Food Allergen Labeling Exemptions The Ad hoc Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)/World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Consultation on Risk Assessment of Food Allergens has published part four of its Risk Assessment of Food Allergens report, which addresses the question of whether certain foods and ingredients […]
Food Safety Update: April 2024
Codex Alimentarius: Comments on Pesticide MRLs Requested On March 24, 2024, the Codex Alimentarius Commission published a circular letter requesting comments on recommendations for maximum residue levels (MRLs) arising from the Meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) held in 2023. After evaluating 35 pesticides for toxicity, residues or both, the Meeting […]
Latest Trade News and Agreements: April 2024
EU: Commission Proposes Increased Tariffs on Russian and Belarusian Peanuts On March 22, 2024, the European Commission published a proposal that would increase the tariffs on imports into the EU of cereals, oilseeds and derived products —including groundnuts— from Russia and Belarus. Under the proposal, tariff rates on shelled and in-shell peanuts from Russia and […]
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 […]
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 […]
Food Safety Update: March 2024
FAO: Updated General Standard for Food Additives Database is Now Online In February, Codex Alimentarius unveiled an updated version of its online General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) database. With this update, the searchable database now reflects the 2023 revision of the GSFA, which sets forth the conditions under which permitted food additives may be […]