Law

Here you'll find all my latest published articles and blog posts relating to the Law industry

FDA proposes a new definition of ‘healthy’

Products that exceed limits for sugar, salt, and fat will not be eligible to make a ‘healthy’ claim, under a proposed definition of healthy by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The regulatory agency also has announced plans to launch a front-of-pack label. Under the proposed definition, more foods would be eligible to display the “healthy”’ claim. Therefore, the new rule could see items such as higher-fat fish like salmon, nuts and seeds, certain oils, and water on the list of “health

Tackling the rise of antimicrobial resistance

As the 2030 goal of halving antimicrobial use edges closer and a 2022 regulation is brought in to reduce antibiotic use on farm animals, the food industry is loudening its calls for action amid the increasing resistance to antimicrobials. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) provides scientific support and advice on risks to human and animal health regarding the possible emergence, spread, and transfer of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the food chain and animals. “EFSA acknowledges tha

Infant formula shortage in the US: How to prevent a future crisis

Infant formula shortage in the US: How to prevent a future crisis Following a series of events which led to the US being unable to meet its needs for infant formula, action is needed to prevent future shortages, says the non-profit Center for Science in the Public Interest. “The infant formula shortage in the US is swiftly resolving, thanks to efforts by the federal government and industry to ramp up production and secure imports,” says Sarah Sorscher, deputy director of regulatory affairs, Ce

New EU mineral oil limits an ‘important step for food safety’

New EU mineral oil limits an ‘important step for food safety’ The EU’s decision to restrict aromatic mineral oils (MOAH) in food products has been hailed as an important step in food safety and consumer protection but consumer organisation, Foodwatch, is calling for binding regulation to go one step further. The European Union (EU) has confirmed it will restrict mineral oils in all food products. The decision was made by the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (PAFF Committee)

Automation meets advanced technology to maximise food safety

Food safety testing technologies such as automation and next-generation sequencing methods are instrumental to building industry transparency, consumer confidence and detecting foodborne outbreaks and infectious diseases. There are various prevalent food safety technologies in today’s food safety industry. Scientists, manufacturers, and companies can detect pathogens through screening that uses traditional methods for culturing while various techniques can detect nucleic acids and antibodies.

How massive parallel sequencing amplifies ingredient transparency

Food manufacturers are using massive parallel sequencing techniques to build transparency and trust with consumers by confirming the authenticity of ingredients and the absence of harmful bacteria. Massive parallel sequencing, or next-generation sequencing, is a term that describes techniques that perform parallel sequencing of millions or billions of individual short DNA sequences. “These techniques enable us to identify and further study adulteration of food, food authentication and food pois

The Grain Drain: Ukraine war disrupts US grain and oilseed market

The Grain Drain: Ukraine war disrupts US grain and oilseed market “The war in Ukraine has seemingly changed everything,” says RaboResearch in a report that explores the grain and oilseed outlook in the US over the next ten years and the expected impact on fertilisers, production, exports and pricing. The intelligence arm of Rabobank, RaboResearch, was finalising its grain and oilseed outlook for the US when the war in Ukraine broke out. As a result, as part of its report, the company examined

EU exports evolve in face of burgeoning bioeconomy

Delivering food and drink via a robust supply chain, accessing global trade routes, and investing in research and development (R&D) lead food and drink investment and market evolution in the European Union. The food and drink industry plays a pivotal role in the European market. The European Union (EU) food and drink industry is one of the largest manufacturing sectors in Europe and the largest exporter of food and drink products in the world, with €145 billion in exports, FoodDrinkEurope revea
foodnavigator.com •

Food labelling has a significant impact on consumer decision-making

In September 2022, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), which acts as the Commission’s science and knowledge service, published the results of four scientific studies exploring how food industry players are currently communicating food information to consumers. The results provide guidance on various areas within food information, including front-of-pack nutrition labelling, digital communication and origin labelling. Following the scientific studies, the JRC will use these re

Finding clarity on food expiration dates - Falstaff

“Use by”, “sell by”, “best before”, and “enjoy before” are all terms used to describe food expiration in today’s retail environment. Food preservation is a crucial area of the food industry that ensures food is safe to consume and maintains its quality. Preservation also helps to reduce waste and can impart a new flavour or texture. In the UK, the Food Standards Agency asks businesses to use two terms when referring to food expiration: “use by” and “best before”, Valia Christidou, Lecturer and
ait Systems •

How to Overcome IT Cybersecurity Challenges

How to Overcome IT Cybersecurity Challenges UK businesses, regardless of size and industry, face a shared concern: How to protect the intelligence, infrastructure and information that make them unique and give them their competitive advantage? It is a universal problem. And with cyberhackers devising more sophisticated ways to carry out cyberattacks, UK businesses need to focus on comprehensive and secure IT cybersecurity strategies and roll-outs to protect them from the negative implications
figlobal.com •

EFSA gives high-pressure processing green light for food safety

European Union food safety authority EFSA has given the green light to high-pressure processing (HPP) for foods, saying it poses no more safety concerns than other treatments, but it has made several recommendations for future research to tackle concerns relating to raw milk and some ready-to-eat foods. In releasing its recent scientific opinion, the food agency has established the effective use of HPP in eradicating harmful microorganisms during the food production process. HPP refers to a fo
figlobal.com •

Looking for alternatives to bisphenol A

Following a growing body of research suggesting the chemical’s potential harmful impact, EFSA conducted a re-evaluation of BPA and subsequently published its proposal in 2021 to considerably lower the tolerable daily intake (TDI) of BPA from four to 0.00004 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day. BPA is a chemical used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastic. Subsequently, this type of plastic can be used to produce certain types of food contact materials such as water dispensers or

FDA white paper on asbestos in talc-containing cosmetics

8 Feb 2022 --- In October 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) formed the Interagency Working Group on Asbestos in Consumer Products (IWGACP). The group was established as a result of concerns regarding the presence of asbestos in talc-containing cosmetic products and following several recalls of powder formulation cosmetic products by retailers in the US and globally. These include Health Canada, the Dutch Food Safety Authority and Taiwan’s FDA, who have also detected asbestos in th

FDA releases Health of Women strategic plan

17 Feb 2022 --- As part of the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) ongoing efforts to protect and promote the health of women, the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) is unveiling its Health of Women Program Strategic Plan. Established in 2016, the CDRH Health of Women program was developed to address the importance of sex- and gender-specific issues arising from medical technology design and development, clinical trial design and other medical device-related matters. Since it
The Earth & I •

UN Human Rights Council Declares Right to Healthy Environment

The United Nations Human Rights Council confirms the human right to a healthy environment in a landmark declaration. How did this newly observed right come into recognition? And what does it mean for member states and global citizens? In October 2021, the Human Rights Council (HRC) of the United Nations adopted two resolutions related to human rights and climate change. The first recognizes the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment while the second is a resolution that ad
Accountancy Age •

Audit committees must take climate change "a lot more seriously"

The recognition of climate-related matters among audit committees has not been strong enough despite a spate of recent events highlighting the significance of the issue for organisations, market participants have said. “Boards and audit committees need to start taking the risks associated with climate change a lot more seriously, accelerate their mitigation plans and discuss what action they are taking on a more regular basis,” said Anthony Carey, head of board practice at Mazars. Carey went o

Legislation and innovation shaping sustainability

14 Sep 2021 --- In the battle to reduce the environmental damage of high levels of consumption, there is increased focus on the big differences companies, producers and governments can make. Although individual actions and responsibilities remain important, the focus is less on the individual and more on how entire industries and societies can better manage resources. Detailing the history of the US beauty industry’s environmental progress, a spokesperson for the Personal Care Products Council
beveragedaily.com •

Functional drink manufacturing requires specific considerations

Beverage launches that focus on live cultures such as kombucha and kefir, proteins, caffeine-enriched drinks, cold-brew coffees and brain functioning claims are all popular in 2021, driving consumer interest and update. Today, one of the biggest areas of the functional drinks market capturing the attention of consumers are those that strive to help consumers increase their healthy gut bacteria.“A ​healthy and diverse microbiome in the gut is crucial to being physically and mentally healthy,”​ s
The Lawyer Portal •

What is Employment Law? - How to Become an Employment Lawyer

What is Employment Law? – How to Become an Employment Lawyer Employment law is an area of legal practice that relates to everything that we do in the world of work. It spans a vast array of topics from employees and their rights, an employer’s rights, duties and obligations and much more. The balance between employee and employer in both small family-run companies and multinational corporates is vital. This is the fundamental principle underpinning employment law.
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