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Biodegradable alternative or a levy - gum makers should chew on that

It’s a sticky issue that just won’t go away. There are sugar-free, tooth whitening and nicotine added versions but none from leading makers, as yet, that are dissolvable in rain.

Why food is a vital issue in the UK general election

Voting is a basic human right. Eating is a basic human need. British voters who eat should mull future meal plans carefully before putting an X in any box on Thursday.

Foods with artificial trans fats should be considered adulterated

There is a pile of evidence linking artificial trans fats with heart disease, so why is it still in our food? It’s time to get real and recognize that artificial trans fat is an adulterant with no place in the global food supply.

Groundhog Day for European health claims?

“Many in industry are pinning their hopes on EFSA showing them the light at the meeting, including the likes of Danone, which withdrew three probiotic immunity/digestive health article 13.5 claims in April, citing clarification it is expecting on Big Monday as the reason.”

Time for Europe to send bisphenol A into the sunset

Bisphenol A (BPA) is living on borrowed time. And not just in the United States but now in Europe too where mounting consumer hostility and scientific concern over its safety have combined to push the chemical towards the point of no return.

Slimmer cans could lead to bigger waistlines

Soft drink makers could end up swallowing a £10m bill for no good reason by embracing the Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommendations for new slim-line 250ml drinks.

Making the food industry fair for SMEs

No race should have rules that favour the strongest competitors. But unless the capabilities and interests of SMEs are taken into consideration before the starting gun is fired for new food regulations, they will struggle to keep up and may have to drop out altogether.

Supply chain transparency only answer to hostile campaigns

Food companies must ensure their supply chains are transparent and socially responsible in order to prevent backlashes from consumer activists and non-governmental groups on Facebook or Twitter, which could have costly brand repercussions.

The HVP recall: Damage control déjà vu

Not again! It emerged last week that Basic Food Flavors, the company behind the ongoing HVP recall, knew its products were tainted with salmonella but carried on shipping them anyway. Déjà vu anyone?

EFSA’s antioxidant rejections could be blessing in disguise

Timber! The latest axe blow from EFSA has fallen, and this time it has taken one of the biggest trees in the nutrition forest: Antioxidants. But let’s not mourn the loss of the tree; let’s look forward to the new opportunities a clear view of the sky can give.

What's the colour of money? Bonuses should be green

Never before has the dangling of golden carrots in the boardroom been so closely scrutinised. DSM and others’ decisions to ensure those carrots have green shoots of sustainability attached to them is a wise and forward thinking move.

Banning energy drinks is a doomed shot in the dark

Energy shot drinks have come under fire from German authorities which are employing an old-school prohibition logic that history has repeatedly dunce-hatted.

Do drink makers have stomach for anti-obesity fight?

Bravo! The beverage industry has responded enthusiastically to Mrs. Obama’s campaign to tackle childhood obesity - but there’d better be more than froth behind that sparkling rhetoric.

US military may enlist Omega-3s to boost performance but why wait?

“An army marches on its stomach.” This advice, from French military adventurer Napoleon, seems to have impressed the US military which is considering fortifying troops’ rations with omega-3 fatty acids. What is it waiting for?

No bitter battle over salt science

Excess salt can cause hypertension, heart disease, death. That’s the scientific consensus behind public health campaigns to reduce consumption of sodium chloride in the diet. But not everyone reads the science as conclusive, and when it comes to minerals that are essential to human life, the voice of caution must not be drowned out.

Cheesed off – jingoism takes the spoils in the Cadbury battle

Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated, quipped Mark Twain. Predictions of the demise of Cadbury following the approval of Kraft’s offer are premature and are flawed by knee-jerk anti-Americanism.

Why Haiti must stay on the CSR agenda

50,000 and counting. We'll probably never know exactly how many perished in the 7.0 earthquake that brought Haiti, quite literally, crashing down last Tuesday, 12th January 2010, just before 5pm. But for those who survived and who make it through the hard days, weeks and months ahead, getting enough to eat will be a long term challenge.

Cold snap could last longer for food sector

“More snow on the way.” So say the weathermen, and Europe is stocking up and hunkering down for a long, cold winter. But while the fluffy flakes will halt, at least come Spring, for the food sector the chill could be felt throughout 2010.

Time to speed sustainable palm oil supply

Global food giants have vowed to source all their palm oil sustainably by 2015 – but consumer pressure could grease the wheels for more rapid change.

Bisphenol A becomes test of leadership for FDA

Each day the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) dithers in delivering its verdict on the safety of bisphenol A (BPA), its authority is diminished and its credibility wanes.

Counting the human cost of recession

Return to profitability. It’s a phrase that businesses have been yearning for, but as more of them are starting to use it, it’s time to ask: At what cost?

Krill conflict could threaten omega-3 potential

The krill category and the science backing it are still emerging, but there are many who believe krill extracts have the potential to 'go big' in the healthy foods arena. Very big.

Food prices face a welcome perfect storm

There’s a perfect storm building for food prices. You don’t have to scan the horizon to see the signs; the clouds are developing all around us - at a faster rate than anyone expected.

Alleviation of hunger should top CSR agenda

Climate change dominates the CSR agenda but new USDA figures on food insecurity are a sharp reminder that alleviating poverty and hunger should always be the top priority.

Life in a European health claims wasteland

Ka-CHING! Hear that? No it’s not the sound of overflowing cash registers as consumers throw endless wads of euros at scientifically-backed, healthy foods in greater numbers than ever before.