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industry and regulators taking steps to tackle mineral oil risk from packaging
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the paper and packaging industries are taking a hands-on role in exploring ways to curb the presence of mineral oils in the manufacture of their products, said a leading trade body. cepi managing director teresa presas the confederation of european paper industries (cepi) outlined the complex nature of the problem - and what it is doing to address the issue - in the wake of intense media speculation yesterday over the potential health threat from the toxic substance leaching from packaging. traces of mineral oil in food are thought to arise by their migration from the inks present both on the printed surface of the packaging and in recycled fibre, principally newspapers, used in the production of packaging. it emerged that a number of leading breakfast cereal companies, including kellogg and weetabix, are changing their packaging in a bid to limit consumer exposure to the mineral oils. the possible health threat from mineral oils in food packaging surfaced last year after a swiss study by dr koni grob found that almost three quarters of 119 food products from a german supermarket contained mineral oils levels exceeding the eu safe level of 0.6mg/kg by more than 10 times. while long term exposure to mineral oils has been linked to the chronic inflammation of various internal organs and cancer, consumers who eat balanced diets are not believed to be at risk, said grob. the uk food standards agency said yesterday it was “not aware of any firm evidence to suggest that there are food safety risks related to mineral oils in recycled food packaging” and said there was no need for immediate action. industry action cepi managing director teresa presas told foodproductiondaily.com that while there were no toxicological studies yet available paper and packaging players were taking the matter " very seriously”. “industry has been investigating this and we are doing everything we can about the issue,” she said. “eliminating the root cause is the most sustainable option and we have been in dialogue with stakeholders about the phasing out materials containing mineral oils by taking steps such the reformulation of inks” the cepi chief said packaging companies were committed to using mineral-oil free inks and, where possible, using recovered paper types with “minimum mineral oil content”. but presas cautioned that such changes in technology would take time. complex problem part of the difficulty in addressing the issue is that mineral oils enter the food supply via a variety of routes – with the problem not just confined to recycled cardboard . traces of the chemical have also been detected in virgin fibre and even in fresh, unpacked food. “mineral oil migration is complicated as it comes from a number of sources,” said presas. “it comes from the corrugated outer boxes used to transport food, secondary packaging, inks as well as recycled fibre.” one industry insider said that some food companies are unwilling to share the higher cost of mineral-oil free inks with packaging suppliers, which may also be discouraging, take up in some quarters. cepi said it had published voluntary standards for paper-based food contact materials to “minimise any incidents and to take corrective measures as science develops”. regulatory radar the matter is well and truly on europe’s regulatory radar with the uk fsa investigating the extent of the chemical’s presence in packaging. the issue is certain to be discussed at an industry workshop on non-plastic food contact materials host by the european food safety authority (efsa) being held today. the parma-based safety watchdog is due to deliver an opinion on mineral oils later in the year.
Source :foodqualitynews.com
Date :
9
March
2011
Category :
Impression And Package Service
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raw sprouted seeds of the type linked to the outbreaks of e.coli 0104:h4 can now be eaten raw as long as the label indicates they are ‘ready to eat’ or ‘ready to wash’, said the uk food standards agency as it amended its advice to consumers and caterers. the food safety body had issued the warning earlier this month after the european food safety authority (efsa) announced that fenugreek sprouts imported from egypt were the likely source of the deadly e.
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the fresh produce consortium (fpc) has criticised “uk government plc” for what it describes as a damaging and misleading response to the deadly european e.coli crisis that has left this country\'s fresh produce industry in turmoil. fpc ceo nigel jenney told foodmanufacture.co.uk that recent meetings with uk government ministers had also convinced him that, \"they have no perception of the impact of this crisis on the uk fresh produce industry and growers.
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fenugreek sprouts imported from egypt have been singled out as the possible cause of outbreaks of e.coli 104 h4 in germany and france. fenugreek - the missing link in e.coli outbreaks? a joint assessment by the european food safety authority (efsa) and the european centre for disease control (ecdc) declared “that currently fenugreek sprouts are the most likely connection between the french cases and previous outbreak in germany”.
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major food manufacturers are revamping their packaging amid concerns over the long term health hazards posed by mineral oils leaching from recycled cardboard into foods. weetabix, kellogg and jordans have all taken steps to change to packaging that does not contain mineral oils , according a report from the bbc. the confederation of european paper industries (cepi) said steps were already being taken to address the issue and that the industry regarded it seriously.
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the european food safety authority (efsa) has put together a working group to provide the european commission and eu member states with scientific advice on the effects of food additives on behaviour by the end of february. in september 2007, efsa was asked to assess findings of the study conducted by the university of southampton, which suggested a link between mixtures of certain food colours and the preservative sodium benzoate and hyperactivity in children.
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evidence from the uk this week suggests that the cross-border trading of food in the eu still has many kilometres to walk along the path of food safety - and this is before enlargement. the uk food standards agency (fsa) has emphasised guidelines to spanish egg importers and wholesalers following a recent outbreak of salmonella in england and wales that has already claimed the lives of two people this month.
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Coca.Cola
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PEPSI
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Mcdonald
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Nestle
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Mars
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Baskin & Robins
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Nutrika
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Mumika
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Chika
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