RASFF Food Alerts, Week 13

Here is the summary of food alerts issued by Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) last week
On 25/03/2014, botulinum toxin was detected in vegetable soup from Italy. The product was distributed to Italy. RASFF reference No.: 2014.0394.
On 25/03/2014, undeclared sulphite (237 mg/kg...
Read more RASFF Food Alerts, Week 13

Undeclared Sulphur Dioxide in McColgan's Sausage Rolls

IRELAND – Sulphites were not declared on the label of all batches of the McColgan’s Sausage Rolls. This may make them unsafe for consumers who are allergic to or intolerant of sulphur dioxide or sulphites.
The withdrawn products are:
McColgan’s 4 Jumbo Sausage Rolls...
Read more McColgan's Sausage Rolls Withdrawn

Undeclared Sulphur Dioxide in Castle Grove 4 Jumbo Sausage Rolls Sold in Lidl

IRELAND – Sulphites were not declared on the label of all batches of the Lidl Castle Grove 4 Jumbo Sausage Rolls. This may make them unsafe for consumers who are allergic to or intolerant of sulphur dioxide or sulphites. These products were sold in Lidl stores.
The withdrawn product is...
Read more Lidl Castle Grove 4 Jumbo Sausage Rolls Sold Withdrawn

Undeclared Sulphur Dioxide in Dunnes Stores Jumbo and Cocktail Sausage Rolls

IRELAND – Sulphites were not declared on the label of all batches of the Dunnes Stores Jumbo and Cocktail Sausage Rolls. This may make them unsafe for consumers who are allergic to or intolerant of sulphur dioxide or sulphites. These products were sold by Dunnes Stores.
The withdrawn...
Read more Dunnes Stores Jumbo and Cocktail Sausage Rolls Withdrawn

Carrefour Petits Pois et Carottes à l'Etuvée Extra-Fins Recalled

FRANCE – Carrefour is recalling Petits Pois et Carottes à l’Etuvée Extra-Fins (Carrefour Peas and Carrots with Braised Extra Fine). The retailer has not specified a reason for the recall.
The recalled products are:
Peas and Carrots with Braised Extra Fins (Petits Pois Carottes à l...
Read more Carrefour Petits Pois et Carottes à l'Etuvée Extra-Fins Recalled

A more potent greenhouse gas than CO2, methane emissions will leap as Earth warms

While carbon dioxide is typically painted as the bad boy of greenhouse gases, methane is roughly 30 times more potent as a heat-trapping gas. New research in the journal Nature indicates that for each degree that the Earth’s temperature rises, the amount of methane entering the a...
Read more Methane Will Increase Several Times As Earth's Temperature Rises

Kettle Sweet Potato Chips withdrawn

UNITED KINGDOM – Kettle Foods Ltd has withdrawn some packs of its Oven Baked Sweet Potato Chips Sweet Chilli because they contain wheat (gluten). Wheat is labelled in the ingredients list, however the product labelling also states ‘no gluten-containing ingredients’. This makes...
Read more Kettle Foods Withdraws Sweet Potato Chips

What Is a Functional Food?

The U.S. is the largest consumer of functional foods, it was a 44 billion dollar market in 2012 and it’s increasing with at least 60 percent of people consuming functional foods, occasionally. IFT spokesperson Cathy Adams Hutt, PhD, RD CFS explains in the following video what a functional food ...
Read more Understanding A Functional Food

Natural plant compounds may assist chemotherapy

Researchers at Plant & Food Research have identified plant compounds present in carrots and parsley that may one day support more effective delivery of chemotherapy treatments.
Scientists at Plant & Food Research, working together with researchers at The University of Auckland and the...
Read more Carrots May Support More Effective Delivery Of Chemotherapy

Salmonella data now at your fingertips

Forty years of data on a major cause of food poisoning now is available to the public, the food industry, and researchers in a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The data, collected by state and federal health officials, provides a wealth of information on...
Read more Atlas of Salmonella Released By CDC

Georgian chocolate-making rooms open to public after 300 years

The Georgian royal chocolate-making rooms at Hampton Court Palace have been rediscovered and are open to the public for the first time in almost 300 years – and visitors will be able to sample a hot chocolate recipe from centuries past.
The historical hot chocolate on sale draws on the...
Read more Georgian Royal Chocolate-Making Rooms Open To Public

Combating obesity with new Okinawan rice

In recent years, Okinawa has recorded the dubious distinction of having the highest obesity rate in Japan. Preventing obesity-related diseases is an urgent issue.  Professor Hidetoshi Saze of the OIST Plant Epigenetics Unit is leading a new research project to develop a new strain of rice that ...
Read more Okinawan Rice, A New Weapon Against Obesity

Food Science Student Team from Rutgers Wins IFT Student Association Heart-Healthy Product Development Competition

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and CanolaInfo recently announced the winner of the IFT Student Association Heart-Healthy Product Development Competition at the Institute of Food Technologists’ (IFT) Wellness 14 held in Chicago, Ill. The winning student team from the food science p...
Read more Heartmony Wins Heart-Healthy Product Development Competition

Study Finds Secret to Cutting Sugary Drink Use by Teens

A new study shows that teenagers can be persuaded to cut back on sugary soft drinks – especially with a little help from their friends.
A 30-day challenge encouraging teens to reduce sugar-sweetened drink use lowered their overall consumption substantially and increased by two-thirds the p...
Read more What Is A Secret to Cutting Sugary Drink Use by Teens?

New Capsicum Annuum Pepper Contains High Concentrations Of Beneficial Capsinoids

Pesearchers have released a new Capsicum annuum pepper germplasm that contains high concentrations of capsinoids. The release was announced in the January 2014 issue of HortScience by researchers Robert L. Jarret from the USDA/Agricultural Research Service in Griffin, Georgia, in collaboration...
Read more New Capsicum Annuum Pepper Contains High Concentrations Of Beneficial Capsinoids

Phloem production in Huanglongbing-affected citrus trees

Citrus Huanglongbing (citrus greening disease) is highly destructive and fast-spreading, contributing to a reduction in crop yields in Florida and threatening the future of the citrus industry worldwide. Once infected, trees never fully recover and there currently is no cure, although proper...
Read more Researchers Recommend Management Practices To Address Citrus Greening Disease

Beer marinade could reduce levels of potentially harmful substances in grilled meats

Bhe smells of summer — the sweet fragrance of newly opened flowers, the scent of freshly cut grass and the aroma of meats cooking on the backyard grill — will soon be upon us. Now, researchers are reporting that the very same beer that many people enjoy at backyard barbeques could, when used as...
Read more Beer May Reduce The Formation Of Harmful Substances In Barbecued Meats

Cereal flake size influences calorie intake

People eat more breakfast cereal, by weight, when flake size is reduced, according to Penn State researchers, who showed that when flakes are reduced by crushing, people pour a smaller volume of cereal into their bowls, but still take a greater amount by weight and calories.
“People have...
Read more The Smaller Cereal Flakes The More You Eat

Sugary drinks weigh heavily on teenage obesity

New research shows sugary drinks are the worst offenders in the fight against youth obesity and recommends that B.C. schools fully implement healthy eating guidelines to reduce their consumption.
Unlike the U.S., Canada does not have a national breakfast or school lunch program that is...
Read more Sugary Drinks Are The Worst Offenders In The Fight Against Youth Obesity

4 Croque Monsieur Toasté Halal Recalled

FRANCE – Oriental Viandes 4 Croque Monsieur Toasté Halal (Oriental Meat 4 Croque Monsieur Toasted Halal) have been recalled the product conyains celery. The allergen has not been mentioned on the list of ingredients. This makes the product a possible health risk for anyone who is allergic ...
Read more Oriental Viandes 4 Croque Monsieur Toasté Halal Recalled