Archive
International News Services archives articles supplied to clients one year or more after initial publication. These articles are protected by a password and not made available to readers without permission from clients. They are used as a background resource by agency journalists. Upon client requests, International News Services will remove such articles from the archive or not upload them in the first place. They are included to demonstrate the breadth of topics undertaken by the agency and also to help promote clients’ coverage.
CAP REFORM
BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has tabled wide-ranging changes to the EU Common Agricultural Policy, which would effectively end Brussels’ traditional method of subsidising farmers according to production and instead paying them a fixed sum based on farm size. Brussels said the proposed “de-coupling” would raise farm incomes and make European agriculture more competitive.…
CHOCOLATE CASE
BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Court of Justice has ordered Spain and Italy to cease banning the marketing of British, Danish and Irish chocolate containing vegetable fat as ‘chocolate,’ ruling that by insisting they are sold as ‘chocolate substitutes’ the two countries are illegally restricting EU trade.…
PROBIOTIC BACTERIA
BY KEITH NUTHALL
AN EU-funded research project is exploring ways of preserving beneficial probiotic bacteria in foodstuffs during processing and storage. The PROTECH project is focusing on breakfast cereals, yoghurts and muesli bars. *http://www.vtt.fi/virtual/proeuhealth/index.htm…
EP REVIEW CALL
BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE ENVIRONMENT committee of the European Parliament wants a review of the safety levels of food additives used in children’s foods such as confectionery and soft drinks to check whether they are safe for young people. MEPs want the European Commission to act within three years, because additive levels are set for adults.…
LESIEUR/SAIPOL
BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has approved the acquisition of US-controlled edible oil company Lesieur by French-owned Saipol, which sells the same product.…
SALMON PINK
BY KEITH NUTHALL
CONCERNS about potential eyesight problems in consumers have led the European Commission to propose tightening limits on the use of canthaxanthin as a colouring; it is particularly used to add a reddish colour to salmon, egg yolks and poultry.…
FISH MANAGEMENT
BY KEITH NUTHALL
A HEARING of the European Parliament’s fisheries committee on conservation catch restrictions tabled by the European Commission has agreed that fishing businesses should be more involved in framing and managing such measures.…
BANANA FAO
BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE UN Food and Agricultural Organisation has urged banana producers to vary the varieties they produce to defend against disease, notably the Panama Disease, which has been hitting Cavendish bananas, mostly sold in Europe and north America.…
USDA TASK FORCE
BY KEITH NUTHALL
The US Food and Drug Administration is creating a taskforce that will develop scientific guidance for establishing standards for qualified health claims in foods.…
FOOD AND FEED
BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has proposed the introduction of common food and feed health controls for all EU Member States. The regime includes management principles (documented control procedures and internal audits) and stricter rules on the accreditation of laboratories.…