INC Participates in UNECE Working Group on Dates
The INC is taking part in a new electronic working group, convened by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), tasked with revising the UNECE Agricultural Quality Standard for Dates. As background, at the June 2025 session of the UNECE Specialized Section on Standardization of Dry and Dried Produce, delegates reviewed a proposal to […]
INC Joins Codex Working Group on Acrylamide
The INC has joined a Codex Alimentarius electronic working group tasked with reviewing the Code of Practice for the Reduction of Acrylamide in Foods. As background, in 2025, the 18th Session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF18) agreed to re-establish the working group to propose revisions to the Code, noting that the […]
INC Participates in Codex Working Group on Ochratoxin A
The INC is taking part in a Codex Alimentarius electronic working group tasked with developing a code of practice aimed at preventing and reducing ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination in dried fruits, specifically raisins, dried apricots, dried figs, dried dates, and prunes. As background, at 18th Session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF18) in […]
Marketing Orders
USA: California Raisin Producers to Vote in Referendum on Proposed Amendments to Marketing Order The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service has issued a proposed rule and referendum order proposing amendments to Marketing Order No. 989, which regulates the handling of raisins produced from grapes grown in California, and providing producers with the […]
Food Safety Update
EU: Food and Feed Safety Simplification Package The European Commission has published the proposals for its omnibus food and feed safety simplification package. The package includes, among others, the following proposed changes: Pesticides: Allows maximum residue levels MRLs that were set based on good agricultural practices in third countries or Codex maximum limits to be […]
Labeling Update
EU: Draft Amendments to Organic Products Regulation The European Commission has published its proposal to amend the EU Regulation on organic production and labeling of organic products. Among other changes, the proposal would: Allow the use of the products and substances available on the market for cleaning and disinfection for use in processing and storage. […]
New US Dietary Guidelines Emphasize Protein Consumption
Photo credit: realfood.gov On January 7, 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture unveiled the latest version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which will apply until 2030. The new guidelines urge people to prioritize protein foods at every meal. Among other sources of protein, the guidelines […]
Almond Supplementation Shown to Improve Cardiovascular Risk Markers in Pregnant Women
According to a recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition, daily almond supplementation, especially at a higher dose, may significantly improve certain cardiovascular risk markers in pregnant women with hypertension and dyslipidemia—conditions associated with increased risk of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. In this 12-week randomized controlled trial, researchers assessed the effects of almond […]
Peanut Allergies Decline After Publication of Early Introduction Guidelines
A recent study published in Pediatrics suggests that rates of peanut allergy in young children in the United States declined significantly following the publication of guidelines encouraging early peanut consumption in infancy. The study set out to examine changes in peanut allergy incidence following the 2015 publication of a consensus statement backed by nearly a […]
Food Safety Update
Codex Alimentarius: Publication of Revised Code of Practice on Aflatoxin Contamination in Peanuts Codex Alimentarius recently published a revised version of the Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Aflatoxin Contamination in Peanuts. As background, a Codex electronic working group concluded in 2024 that the Code, first published in 2004, should be revised […]