U.K. Survey Finds That GM Soy Probably Used To Feed Animals Used In Food Products

A survey of leading grocery brands conducted by U.K. newspaper the Daily Telegraph has found that many imported food products probably contain ingredients produced from animals fed with genetically modified soy. According to the newspaper, the survey asked whether brands could assure consumers that their products contained no ingredients from animals fed with genetically modified soy. Responses indicated that unless the product was guaranteed organic, there was no assurance that GM soy was not used. Britain imports three million tons of soy each year, much of which is GM. Supermarkets and food manufacturers are required to state on the label if a product contains GM ingredients. They are not required, however, to state whether GM products were used early in the food chain.

"Shoppers kept in dark over GM ingredients", Telegraph,UK, March 21, 2011

Caramel Color Additives Are Generally Safe, EFSA Panel Says

A food additives committee of the European Food Safety Authority has issued a scientific opinion stating that caramel colors added to foods in the European Union are neither genotoxic nor carcinogenic, nor is there any evidence they harm human reproduction or the developing child. The Panel on Food Additives, which also looked at the safety of by-products resulting from production of the caramel colors, urged that their levels be kept as low as technologically possible. The Panel set an acceptable daily intake (ADI) for the colors at 300 mg per kg body weight per day, but a more restrictive ADI of 100 mg/kg bw/day for caramel E150c because of “uncertainties related to possible effects on the immune system …”

"Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of caramel colours (E 150 a,b,c,d) as food additives ", Scientific opinion, EFSA, March 08, 2011

Worries Over Food Safety Drive South Koreans To Local, Organic Food Sources

Food safety concerns among South Korean consumers have spurred an upsurge in the membership of the country’s largest food cooperative, Hansalim, which sells mainly organic, locally grown vegetables and other food products. Concerns about food safety reached a critical stage after outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease and avian influenza in 2010 forced the slaughter of millions of livestock. Hansalim’s membership leapt by 20 percent to 250,900 during the year, completely by word of mouth because the cooperative spends no money on advertising. Hansalim operates 110 stores in South Korea, which together posted about $162 million in sales in 2010, a small number compared to leading discount store chains such as E-mart, whose product line is globally sourced.

"S. Korean consumers set sights on local food", YonHap NewsAgency, March 21, 2011

U.K. Survey Sheds Light On Consumer Attitudes Toward Key Food Issues

A survey commissioned by the U.K.’s Food Standards Agency to obtain information on consumer attitudes toward food safety and healthy eating has found that most said they follow recommended safety practices for cleaning, cross-contamination, chilling and cooking of food, although a sizeable minority (41 percent) always wash raw meat and poultry, which is not recommended. The survey also found that many respondents were not sure of the best temperature for food storage and didn’t know how to tell whether food was unsafe to eat. On the topic of healthy eating, the survey found that most rated eating fruit and vegetables as very important, along with eating less salt and fewer foods high in saturated fat.

"Exploring food attitudes and behaviours in the UK: Findings from the Food and You Survey 2010", Food Standards Agency, UK, March 03, 2011