News Feed
|
|
 RSS Feed |
|
If you want have last news about
mintel breaks down sweetener use in food and drink
in your rss reader , you can use this link . |
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
fsa to investigate anecdotal aspartame reactions
|
|
|
the uk’s food standards agency (fsa) is seeking individuals who believe they have suffered a reaction to aspartame to take part in a pilot study. aspartame is commonly used in diet and low calorie food products, including soft drinks and chewing gums. it has been permitted for use in europe since the 1980s. although some studies have suggested possible adverse effects, the european food safety authority (efsa) has scrutinised their methodology and findings and has repeatedly reaffirmed its view that aspartame is safe. most recently it said this april, after looking at a study that linked regular intake of the sweetener with increased risk of certain cancers, that it sees no need to alter the acceptable daily intake of 40 mg/kg bw/day. however anecdotal evidence of ill effects, including headaches and upset stomachs, continues to circulate amongst the general public and online. in view of this, the fsa is now planning to conduct tests on some individuals who report symptoms in a pilot study that will be used to inform the design and feasibility of a larger study proposed by efsa. andrew wadge, chief scientist at the fsa, stressed that the agency’s view that aspartame is safe still holds and it is not proposing to test the sweetener’s safety once again. “however we know that some people consider they react badly to consuming this sweetener so we think it is important to increase our knowledge about what is happening.” a spokesperson for the agency gave a comparison with peanuts, saying that some people may have a reaction, but that does not mean peanuts are unsafe for the general population. part of the study may involve trying to establish a mechanism, or seeing whether the effects that the individuals put down to aspartame could, in fact, have other roots. the planned study will involve participants being invited on two occasions to consume a specially developed food product that may or may not contain aspartame, in a clinical setting and under medical supervision. researchers will then record any symptoms and take a blood sample to measure biochemical parameters. industry reaction however major aspartame producer ajinomoto has expressed its surprise that the fsa is initiating this study, given its re-confirmation that it has no concerns about the safety. it said that anecdotal reports linking aspartame to health conditions “include rumours circulated on the internet by scaremongers and conspiracy theorists, mostly from the united states”. the company cited the position of food safety experts in new zealand, who said in august 2007 that “the claims being made – and widely reported in the media – are doing a great public disservice”. however wadge set out the role he sees for anecdotal evidence in science in his blog on the fsa website yesterday: “what role does ‘anecdotal evidence’ play in science? truly anecdotal evidence is not evidence in the scientific sense, it’s observation, it’s often subjective, and the effects seen may be due to a number of factors all varying at the same time. observation can help us towards understanding certain issues, but is a first step towards a testable hypothesis, not an end in itself. “therefore, anecdotal reports do sometimes deserve closer examination, especially when a number of unrelated people are reporting similar things.” individuals wanting to find out more or get involved can email aspartame@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
Source :Food Safety, HACCP, Food Quality, Food Microbiology, Hygiene
Date :
23
June
2009
Category :
Standard Sand Certificates
|
|
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. small and medium enterprises (smes) are the lifeblood of the european food scene. a massive 99.1 per cent of food companies have fewer than 250 employees, according to the confederation of the food and drink industries of the eu’s (ciaa) 2008 figures.
|
|
|
social and health concerns relating to obesity is driving market growth for the global artificial sweetener market. according to a new report. published by global industry analysts, artificial sweeteners: a global strategic business report reveals that a worldwide weight reduction effort is stimulating the $3.5bn global artificial sweeteners market, of which the us and europe currently make up 65 per cent.
|
|
|
consumers should stick to the facts and look beyond the hype in terms of the salt and sugar content of cereals, claims kellogg’s as uk cereal manufacturers are taken to task in a channel 4 programme. researchers for the dispatches television programme, which was broadcast yesterday, said that a tesco jam doughnut contained 8.6g of sugar while 30g of kellogg’s frosties includes 11.
|
|
|
the uk’s food standards agency (fsa) yesterday confirmed the implementation of a protein cap that limits products such as cereals being advertised to children. the nation’s food industry has said it “rejects” the fsa board decision, which it says “raises serious questions about the agency’s commitment to better regulation”. the protein cap is part of the fsa’s nutrient profiling model which differentiates foods on the basis of their nutrient composition to help regulators apply tv advertising controls to improve the balance of foods being advertised to children.
|
|
|
|
Coca.Cola
|
|
PEPSI
|
|
Mcdonald
|
|
Nestle
|
|
Mars
|
|
Baskin & Robins
|
|
Nutrika
|
|
Mumika
|
|
Chika
|
|
some 70.4 million tonnes of 
a 
a 
the use of 
uk 