The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has announced a change in guidance on the use of phosphates as food additives. The agency's scientists recommended a group acceptable daily intake of 40 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, or about 2.8 grams for the average 70-kilogram adult. According to the announcement, the existing maximum permitted levels "range from 500 to 20,000 milligrams per kilogram."
Category Archives Legislation, Regulations and Standards
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has finalized guidance on labeling for added sugars in single-ingredient packages of "pure honey, pure maple syrup, and other pure sugars and syrups, which are not required to bear the words 'Includes Xg Added Sugars' but must still include the percent Daily Value (DV) for added sugars on their labels." The agency also indicated its intention "to exercise enforcement discretion with respect to the use of truthful and not misleading statements on single-ingredient packages and/or containers."
The U.K. National Audit Office has released a report that "examines the effectiveness of the current regulatory arrangements to ensure that food is safe to eat and is what it says it is." The report found that spending on maintaining food safety systems in the country has declined, and some local authorities "are failing to meet statutory objectives to conduct interventions." The agency also purportedly found that the "regulatory system lacks the full range of enforcement powers to ensure businesses supply safe food."
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has indicated that it will seek public comment on a proposal that would allow the accreditation of third-party certification bodies "to conduct food safety audits of eligible foreign food facilities, and issue food and facility certifications, pursuant to the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act." The notice responds to a number of comments received following a comment period on the proposed collection of information, including a note that the third-party certification system could help the government "prevent potentially harmful food from reaching U.S. consumers and thereby improve the safety of the U.S. food supply" because current resources are limited.
The Government of Canada has announced that it "is taking additional steps to reduce Canada’s plastic waste, support innovation, and promote the use of affordable and safe alternatives" by banning "harmful single-use plastics as early as 2021 (such as plastic bags, straws, cutlery, plates, and stir sticks)." The announcement indicates that the "measures will be grounded in scientific evidence and will align, where appropriate, with similar actions being taken in the European Union and other countries."
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Health and Human Services have announced meetings to hear public comments on the 2020 dietary guidelines revisions. The 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee will allow three-minute pre-registered comments from the public at its meetings on July 11, 2019, and January 25, 2020, and registration for the July meeting closes at 5:00 p.m. on July 1.
Researchers from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have reportedly disclosed in a presentation that sampling showed high levels of per- and polyfluoroalykyl substances (PFAS) in food, including meat, fish, leafy greens and chocolate cake. The researchers presented the findings at a conference hosted by the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry in Finland. An FDA spokesperson reportedly told the Associated Press that the agency thought the contamination was "not likely to be a human health concern." Studies finding PFAS in drinking water have prompted legislation, including proposed federal legislation, to ban the use of the material in packaging. The Maine legislature has passed a bill that would prohibit the use of PFAS in food packaging sold within the state; if signed by the governor, the law would take effect in January 2022 and would ban PFAS-containing packaging within two years of the state's Department of Environmental Protection determining…
California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has confirmed that coffee will not be required to carry warnings about risks of cancer or reproductive harm mandated by the state's Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act (Prop. 65). In a June 3, 2019, tweet, the agency stated that its "coffee regulation has been approved," finding that the chemicals "created by and inherent in roasting coffee beans or brewing coffee, do not pose a significant cancer risk." The agency indicates that the regulation will take effect October 1, 2019.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent a letter to food and beverage manufacturers recommending that they primarily use "Best If Used By" on their packages to help consumers who may be confused by the use of the phrase "Sell By." The letter explains that the Grocery Manufacturers Association and Food Marketing Institute have recommended that food manufacturers use the distinguishing phrases "Best If Used By"—for foods that may decline in quality after a specific date but remain safe to eat—and "Use By," which should appear on the label of perishable foods that should be discarded after a specific date for safety reasons. "As approximately 80% of the foods in the US are regulated by the FDA, we would like to inform our regulated food industries that FDA strongly supports industry’s voluntary industrywide efforts to use the 'Best if Used By' introductory phrase when choosing to include a…
U.K. Environment Secretary Michael Gove has announced that England will ban plastic straws, drink stirrers and plastic cotton swabs beginning in April 2020. The ban includes an exemption for those who use straws for medical needs, and registered pharmacies will be allowed to administer plastic straws. The announcement also indicates that restaurants and bars "will not be able to display plastic straws or automatically hand them out, but they will be able to provide them on request." "Today's announcement follows the success of the government's world-leading ban on microbeads and 5p charge on single-use plastic bags, which has seen distribution by major supermarkets drop by 86%," the announcement states.
