THIS SECTION IS FOR NEWS AND INTERESTING STORIES RELATED TO FOOD, NUTRITION AND FOOD PROCESSING. THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY RELATED TO KOSHER BUT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO THE KOSHER CONSUMER, MANUFACTURER OR MASHGIACH.
February 27, 2024 - from France 24:
"The French government issued a decree Tuesday banning the term 'steak' on the label of vegetarian products, saying it was reserved for meat alone.
"Other terms that can no longer be used for meat-free products include "escalope", "ham", "filet" and "prime rib", according to the decree.
"The ruling is a response to a long-standing complaint by the meat industry that terms like "vegetarian ham" or "vegan sausage" were confusing for consumers.
"It is based on a 2020 law whose application was temporarily suspended by the State Council in June 2022 after a complaint from Proteines France, a consortium of French companies selling plant-based food.
"According to the revised decree published Tuesday, some products containing a small amount of plant-based content can continue to use meaty names, such as merguez sausage, bacon or cordon bleu.
"Producers elsewhere in the European Union can continue to sell vegetarian food with meat names in France.
"Individuals breaking the labelling law can be fined up to 1,500 euros ($1,630), rising to 7,500 euros for companies.
"But producers have one year to sell their existing stock before any penalties are applied, the decree said."
June 30, 2022 - from The Beet:
"Just weeks after France banned the use of the word 'meat' on vegan food products, the country's higher court overturned the decision after pressure from plant-based companies and consumers who fought the new labeling law
"The French court determined that the ban failed to give plant-based companies appropriate time to comply with the new restrictions. Several plant-based organizations lobbied against the decision including ProVeg International and Proteines France – a consortium of businesses aiming to enhance France’s plant-based industry.
"This ruling is an interim order, meaning that it is unclear how the courts and governments will adapt or disband the labeling restrictions. PrvoVeg international welcomed the suspension, revealing that the court expressed “serious doubts” about the ban’s legal standing."
June 30, 2022 - from Reuters:
"France will ban from October the use of meat names like 'steak' and 'sausage' on plant-based protein food, according to a decree published on Thursday, in a bid to avoid confusion over the trendy meat alternatives.
France is the first country in the European Union to impose such a restriction. In 2020, EU lawmakers rejected a similar proposal, backed by farmers.
"The market for plant-based meat-like food has surged, attracting major investment from global agrifood groups hoping to capitalise on a trend towards healthy eating, including less red meat.
"The regulation only applies to products made in France, and the country’s largest farm lobby FNSEA said it did not go far enough as it left the door open to imports.
"French meat industry association Interbev welcomed the implementation of the law initially adopted in 2020, just after the end of the pandemic lockdown.
"Terms like 'milk', 'butter' and 'cheese' are already banned at the European level on products that are not of animal origin.
"The word “burger” used by many brands including U.S. firms Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods and Restaurant Brands International Inc’s Burger King to attract consumers, would still be allowed as it does not specifically refer to meat, an Interbev spokesperson said.
March 2, 2024 from the Jerusalem Post:
"Two soldiers have been sentenced to 20 days in military prison after being caught warming up hot dogs in a military kitchen on Shabbat, according to a KAN11 report on Friday.
"The pair were caught by a third soldier who entered the kitchen and saw them committing the act.
"They were summoned to trial, where they initially denied the charges but later confessed and were sentenced to at least 20 days in prison.
"The IDF spokesperson stated in response, 'The soldiers were tried for disciplinary action by the deputy commander of the unit in light of the violation of the given instructions for operating the kitchen on Shabbat and the fact that they gave a false report to their commanders when they were questioned on the matter.'"
"'Their actions damaged the kosher food of all the soldiers of the unit. The incident is contrary to the values of the IDF and what is expected of those who serve in it.'"
January 31, 2024 from the The Shelby Report:
"A company that produces flour made from crickets has become the first in Italy to be given the green light to sell food made from insects for human consumption, defying Italian food purists and even a government attempt to curb its use.
"Since 2020, millions of crickets have been raised at the company’s plant in Montecassiano, a town in the central Marche region, where they are heat-treated before being frozen and ground into powder.
"Until now, the company has been permitted to sell the flour only for use in pet food.
"The EU approved the sale of insects – namely crickets, locusts and darkling beetle larvae – for human consumption in early 2023, sparking a flurry of proposed regulations from the Italian government, including one aimed at ensuring insects are kept away from traditional dishes such as pasta and pizza.
"However, by the time the regulations became official at the end of last year, the government had relented, instead imposing strict labelling rules, such as clearly stating the product’s origin and the requirement to use Acheta domesticus, the Latin for house cricket, on packets so as to make it a little less startling to the consumer.
"Nutrinsect’s cricket flour will be distributed to food supply companies and those across the catering chain. The flour can also be bought online for €6 a packet."
February 28, 2024 from the The Shelby Report:
"The National Grocers Association (NGA), alongside independent grocers across the U.S., sent a letter Feb. 20 to Congress opposing recent efforts within the FY2024 House Agriculture Appropriations bill to restrict SNAP purchases.
"The bill includes two provisions that would undermine SNAP:
"Nearly 2,500 NGA members from across the country, located in every single Congressional district, signed the letter that was sent to Congress on Feb. 20."
February 28, 2024 from the FDA:
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is announcing that grease-proofing materials containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are no longer being sold for use in food packaging in the U.S. This means the major source of dietary exposure to PFAS from food packaging like fast-food wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, take-out paperboard containers and pet food bags is being eliminated.
PFAS are a diverse group of thousands of chemicals that resist grease, oil, water and heat. The FDA has authorized certain PFAS for limited use in cookware, food packaging and food processing equipment. Exposure to some types of PFAS have been linked to serious health effects. The FDA helps to safeguard the food supply by evaluating the use of chemicals as food ingredients and substances that come into contact with food, such as through food packaging, storage or other handling to ensure these uses are safe.
Today’s announcement marks the fulfillment of a voluntary commitment by manufacturers to not sell food contact substances containing certain PFAS intended for use as grease-proofing agents in the U.S. This FDA-led effort represents a positive step forward as we continue to reevaluate chemicals authorized for use with, and in, food. It underscores an important milestone in the protection of U.S. consumers from potentially harmful food-contact chemicals.
February 29, 2024 from the CPSC :
Heritage Store Hydrogen Peroxide Mouthwash has been recalled because the recalled mouthwash contains ethanol in a concentration which must be in child-resistant packaging, as required by the Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA). The packaging of the products is not child-resistant, posing a risk of poisoning if the contents are swallowed by young children.
Consumer Contact: Nutraceutical at 800-227-6063 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. MT Monday through Friday, email at info@nutracorp.com, or online at https://heritagestore.com/pages/recall, www.betterbeing.com/recall or www.Nutraceutical.com and click on "Product Recall” at the bottom right of the page for more information.
Description: This recall involves Heritage Store Hydrogen Peroxide Mouthwash in Wintermint and Eucalyptus Mint flavors. The bottles are a dark opaque brown with a white lid. The pink and white label on the front of the bottles displays the Heritage Store logo, product name and flavor. All lots are included in the recall.
Remedy: Consumers should immediately store the recalled mouthwash in a safe location out of reach and sight of children, and contact Nutraceutical Corporation for a full refund or free replacement product, including shipping, depending on availability. Consumers will be asked to dispose of the product. Nutraceutical is contacting all known purchasers directly.
Sold At: Whole Foods, Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, Mom’s Organic Market, New Season’s Market and Mother’s Market & Kitchen, and other stores nationwide and online at Amazon, iHerb, HeritageStore.com and other websites from October 2010 through December 2023 for about $10.50.
February 29, 2024 from the CPSC :
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers to immediately stop using Topfun Folding 2-Step Stools because they can collapse or tip over during use, posing fall and injury hazards to consumers.
The seller, FuTai Household Supplies, of China, has not responded to CPSC’s request for a recall. Consumers who purchased the product will receive this notice directly.
There have been 39 reports that the step stools collapsed, tipped over or became unstable during use, including 13 reports of injuries including a concussion, fractures, and soft tissue injuries.
The step stools are made of black or white plastic and measure about 17 inches tall, 15-1/2 inches wide, and 13 inches deep. The first step is about 8 inches high, and the top step is about 17 inches high. The step stools were sold exclusively on Amazon.com from November 2021 through July 2023 for between $24 and $62. CPSC urges consumers to stop using the step stools immediately and dispose of them.
February 22, 2024 from the CPSC in conjunction with Government of Canada:
MSR camping cooking pots have been recalled because the pot handle can detach or become loose, posing burn and scald risks to consumers from hot food and liquids spilling from the product.
Consumer Contact: Cascade Designs Inc. at 800-531-9531 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or online at https://www.msrgear.com/pot-recall.html or https://www.msrgear.com and then click on the “Recall Header” at the top of the page.
Description: This recall involves select Cascade Designs camping cooking pots. The anodized aluminum pots are various 1- to 2-liter pots sold individually and as a part of stove systems and kits. The recalled models include Reactor, Trail Lite and PocketRocket Stove Kits. MSR is written on the side of the pots.
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled camping cooking pot, and contact Cascade Designs for instructions on submitting a photo of the product to receive a free replacement pot handle/lifter. The replacement pot handle/lifter does not require tools to install.
Incidents/Injuries: The company has received 22 reports of the pot handle either detaching or becoming loose, including two reports of burn injuries.
February 20, 2024 from the OU:
"During the recent AKO (Association of Kashrus Organizations) Executive Summit in Israel, one of the community panel discussions, which included our Kashrus Administrator, Rabbi Sholem Fishbane, was about the differences between American kashrus and Israeli kashrus. We invite you to watch or listen at https://torahanytime.com/lectures/281604."
fyi: The video is 1 hr, 48 min.
February 14, 2024 from the OU:
The OU certified a specialty run of baked items at Sterling Foods LLC, a local company that specializes in military contracts and MRE’s (meals ready to eat). This OU Kosher facility produced specific items for the IDF in partnership with the Chief Rabbinate of the IDF. The baked goods would need to meet the stringent kashrus level of the IDF, with all items pareve, pas Yisroel and yoshon.
"To date, close to two million kosher-certified items have been shipped and air lifted to the front lines of Israel’s war. These items include energy bars, shortbread cookies, split bread, cinnamon buns, tortillas, bagels and others coming down the pike."
| The information posted is from secondary sources. We cannot take responsibility for the accuracy of the information. |
| Comments to webmaster@kashrut.com
© Copyright 2024 Scharf Associates |
|
|||||||||||