Marketing Orders: April 2024
USA: Pecan Research and Promotion Program Continuance Referendum The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that it will conduct a referendum from May 10 to June 10, 2024, for eligible producers and importers of pecans to decide whether to continue their research and promotion program. Current producers that domestically produced 50,000 pounds of in-shell […]
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 […]
Development and characterization of gelatin-based biodegradable films incorporated with pistachio shell hemicellulose
This study aimed to incorporate pistachio shell hemicellulose into a film of gelatin and glycerol for the production of biodegradable films. The gelatin and glycerol are chosen because of their functional properties, which make it extensively used in food industry. The film composition was defined after a statistical optimization by central composite face-centered design and […]
Formulation of a probiotic product using Almond gum
Background: The application of probiotics in food has expanded significantly, yet its viability remains a challenge. In response to this issue, this study explores a unique approach. Almond gum, a natural extract from Prunus dulcis, is utilized as the primary carrier matrix for a novel probiotic product featuring Saccharomyces boulardii, a probiotic yeast. Methods: This […]
Macadamia oil-based oleogels as cocoa butter alternatives: Physical properties, oxidative stability, lipolysis, and application
In this study, macadamia oil-based oleogels were prepared using monoglyceride stearate (MG) as a gelator with a low critical gelation concentration (3.0 wt%). The physical properties of the oleogels were evaluated by polarized light microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, texture and rheological analysis. And the lipid digestion and oxidative stability […]