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.
November 30, 2024 from The Guardian:
"The World Beekeeping Awards will not award a prize for honey next year after warnings of widespread fraud in the global supply chain.
"The decision came as beekeepers and importers face a mounting crisis over the scale of fraud, with warnings that genuine products are bulked out with cheaper sugar syrup. Some common tests to detect fraud can easily be defeated, and beekeepers say there has been a failure by food watchdogs and the industry to combat the fraudsters.
"There was widespread adulteration in cheaper commercial honeys. The fraud can occur at any point of the supply chain, with many importers and retailers unwittingly trading in fake honey.
"An EU investigation published last year found 46% of imported sampled products were suspected to be fraudulent, including all 10 from the UK. Samples used in October by the UK branch of the Honey Authenticity Network for a novel form of DNA testing found that 24 out of 25 jars from big UK retailers were suspicious.
"China is the world’s biggest producer of honey, but experts say it can be fraudulently blended with cheaper sugar syrup. The UK is the world’s biggest importer of Chinese honey, with more than 39,000 tons imported last year."
November 25, 2024 from Times of Israel:
"Imagindairy seeks to partner with food companies for the production of dairy products like cheeses, yogurts, and ice cream made with its animal-free protein
"Israel has granted local foodtech startup Imagindairy Ltd. regulatory clearance to market and sell its animal-free proteins, used in the production of dairy duplicates such as milk, cheese, and yogurts, to consumer
"Imagindairy is the second company after Israel’s Remilk to secure clearance from the Health Ministry that its animal-free whey protein can be safely used in the production of dairy duplicates. The approval clears the path for the sale of dairy products such as cream cheese, ice cream, and yogurt made with Imagindairy’s animal-free whey proteins in collaboration with food manufacturers.
"Earlier this year, Imagindairy obtained regulatory approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market and sell its animal-free whey protein to food manufacturers in the US.
"Founded in 2020 by CEO Eyal Afergan, Dr. Arie Abo and Prof. Tamir Tuller, Imagindairy has developed precision fermentation technology that teaches microorganisms such as yeast or fungi to produce milk proteins that the startup says are identical to those in cow’s milk, with the same taste, texture, functionality and nutritional value, yet free of hormones.
The" startup was planning to launch products in Israel together with the Strauss Group, once it had the necessary regulatory approvals. French dairy giant Danone made a strategic investment in Imagindairy in May last year, which the startup said could pave the way for collaboration on developing animal-free dairy products."
November 25, 2024 from Medpage Today:
"Philadelphia's beverage tax on sugary drinks was not associated with changes in pediatric weight outcomes 2 years after it took effect, researchers found.
"Among 2- to 18-year-olds with BMI measured both before and after the $0.015/oz tax was implemented in 2017 on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and artificially sweetened beverages, standardized body mass index (zBMI) dropped by only a nonsignificant 0.004 (P=0.13) between youth in Philadelphia and those in surrounding counties who served as controls without the tax, reported Emily Gregory, MD, MHS, of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and colleagues.
"Obesity prevalence didn't change either, with an odds ratio of 1.02 (95% CI 0.97-1.08) for BMIs in the 95th percentile or higher with versus without the tax, according to the findings published in JAMA Pediatrics
"Philadelphia's tax led to a 30% increase in price and a 35% decrease in overall sales of sweetened drinks.
"Indeed, four prior studies looking at beverage taxes and weight outcomes found "modest" BMI reductions for youth in Seattle and adolescent girls in Mexico, no BMI changes for youth in Mauritius, and reductions in low birth weight across U.S. cities that adopted beverage taxes.
"Although the weight-related outcomes of the Philadelphia Beverage Tax were "minimal," there were some other benefits -- small reductions in dental cavities and adult weight.
"Limitations included that the research team was not able to match on dietary factors, that data from a single health system may not be broadly representative, that data were observational, and that BMI is not a perfect measure of adiposity."
November 22, 2024 from Food Dive:
"As consumers flock to healthy snacks, few brands have benefited as much from that uptick as Sabra.
"Still, despite its success, the hummus maker has had a rocky past. It struggled a few years ago with salmonella and listeria contamination which led to recalls going back to 2015. In December 2021, the brand received a warning letter from the FDA highlighting several violations at its Virginia plant that makes hummus.
"In September, Strauss reportedly was considering exiting the Sabra venture due to market share loss, declining sales and increased competition. Sabra’s market share is roughly 37% compared to more than 60% at one point.
"Still, with the hummus market expected to surge, PepsiCo has an opportunity to rebuild and further grow the Sabra brand. The North American hummus market was valued at $896 million in 2022 and is projected to reach $1.78 billion by 2030, according to data from Verified Market Research.
"Few food companies have the financial resources and deep understanding of consumers as PepsiCo. By owning Sabra entirely, PepsiCo will have more freedom to innovate and expand the brand."
November 14, 2024 from Israel HaYom:
"ce cream maker Ben & Jerry's filed a lawsuit Wednesday alleging that its parent company Unilever has prevented it from expressing support for Palestinian refugees and threatened to take legal action against board members, according to Reuters.
"The lawsuit marks the latest development in a long-running conflict between the Vermont-based ice cream brand and the consumer goods giant. The tension first became public in 2021 when Ben & Jerry's announced that it would halt sales in the West Bank, citing values-based concerns. That decision prompted some investors to sell their Unilever shares.
"Following that announcement, Ben & Jerry's sued Unilever for transferring its Israeli operations to a local licensee, which allowed continued product distribution. The parties reached a settlement in 2022.
"The new legal filing alleges that Unilever has violated the terms of the confidential 2022 settlement agreement, which required the parent company to 'respect and acknowledge the Ben & Jerry's independent board's primary responsibility over Ben & Jerry's social mission.'
"The ice cream maker claims it attempted to advocate for a ceasefire, support Palestinian refugee passage to Britain, back US college student protests regarding civilian casualties in Gaza, and oppose US military assistance to Israel, but was blocked by its parent company each time.
"Earlier this year, Unilever announced plans to separate its ice cream division, including Ben & Jerry's, by late 2025 as part of a corporate streamlining initiative."
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November 7, 2024 from CPSC in Conjunction with the Government of Canada:
Wolf Dual Fuel ranges with infrared griddles have been recalled because the range can short-circuit if liquids boil over or are spilled and turn on the griddle unexpectedly, posing a burn and fire hazard.
Consumer Contact: Wolf Appliance at 800-200-7820 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, by e-mail at support@wolfappliance.com, or online at www.wolfappliance.com/recall or www.subzero-wolf.com and click on “Important Recall Information” at the bottom of the website for more information.
Description: This recall involves Wolf Dual Fuel ranges with infrared griddles. The range is stainless steel and was sold in models measuring 36 inches, 48 inches and 60 inches wide with an oven door panel in white, black or stainless steel. The serial and model numbers are printed on the rating plate underneath the top of the oven. The recalled ranges have serial numbers from 18517201 to 18868311. Within the serial range, the following model numbers are included in the list here
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled ranges and contact Wolf Appliance to schedule a free repair in their home.
Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received 36 reports of griddles turning on. No injuries have been reported.
Sold At: Home appliance stores nationwide from August 2020 through September 2024 for between $12,500 and $23,000.
October 31, 2024 from Australian Jewish News:
"A flood of protests to Kraft Heinz has led to a reversal of a decision by the trans-Tasman food manufacturing company to restore kashrut supervision at its New Zealand facilities. The pullout last month has affected multiple products available on Australian shelves.
"After The AJN reported last week that Kraft Heinz had withdrawn from kashrut supervision in New Zealand, Kosher Australia general manager Yankel Wajsbort received communication from the company last week that it will re-enter the supervision process.
"Although Wajsbort was notified of the decision to opt back in, he was not given a reason for either the withdrawal or the restoration of supervision.
"He has however been told it was not a decision made by senior management, which has now reversed it. He believes it was made by a downstream manager to cut costs linked to quality assurance measures. He does not believe it was implemented in order to switch to cheaper, non-kosher ingredients.
"However, consumers, who were advised not to purchase products from the Heinz, Golden Circle, Cottee’s and Watties brands after October 11, will need a little more patience before they can tuck into their tomato sauce, canned soups and syrups again.
"Kosher Australia is organising a surveillance audit in New Zealand in three weeks, after which it will take a bit longer for re-certified products to flow back into Australian retail outlets. Wajsbort said the time lag will depend on whether any “substantive changes” had been made to the products. Kosher Australia will announce re-certification when it is made.
"'“The consumers have won,' said Wajsbort, noting that dozens of concerned people had contacted Kraft Heinz’s Australian help-desk hotline, enduring long waits, after which they were not given a reason for the ending of supervision.
"'There was pressure from a number of quarters – both through the help desk and through presentations to senior management,' Wajsbort told The AJN on Monday.
"He said kashrut-observant Jews are 'heavily reliant on their products … and [products] were effectively being denied to that community. It’s not good, considering that the costs [to the company] are negligible, very little work is done by them, it’s mostly done by ourselves.'
October 31, 2024 from CPSC:
Tumblers with a Metal Straw have been recalled because the metal straw inside the tumbler can cut your mouth and/or fingers, posing a laceration hazard.
Consumer Contact: HALO toll-free at 855-425-6266 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday, by email at halo.safety@halo.com, or online at https://halo.com/safety-recall-24oz-mug or http://www.halo.com and click on “Safety Recall” at the bottom of the page for more information.
Description: This recall involves a reusable tumbler with a metal straw. The plastic tumblers come in four styles: “The Mermaid” which is pink/green, “Island Surf” which is blue/yellow, “Sailor Breeze” which is tan/orange, and “The Galaxy” which is blue/pink. The tumblers come with a tan lid. The tumbler comes in 24-ounce size. Wawa is imprinted on the tumblers.
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled metal straw that comes with the tumbler and contact HALO for instructions on how to receive a free replacement silicone straw, after returning the metal straw. If consumers don’t want to keep the tumbler either, they can return it with the metal straw and receive a refund in the form of a $15 gift card. The original tumbler and metal straw must be returned to HALO to receive the refund. Proof of purchase (receipt) is not required to receive a replacement or refund. HALO will provide a pre-paid label for shipping the recalled units. Consumers should not return the recalled units to Wawa stores.
Sold At: Wawa stores in Alabama, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland during the month of August 2024 for about $13.
October 11, 2024 - from Ingredients Network:
"n 4th October 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), the highest court among the Member States, ruled against a French decree that would restrict producers from using meat-like words such as ‘steak’ or ‘sausage’ to describe plant-based products that contain vegetable proteins.
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.
October 11, 2024 from The Hill:
"Today, a federal judge denied a request by UPSIDE Foods for a preliminary injunction to halt the enforcement of Florida’s recently enacted ban on cultivated meat. The ruling means that the ban will remain in place while the lawsuit challenging its legality continues. This decision is not a final outcome on the merits of the case but simply allows the law to stay in effect during the ongoing litigation."
August 13, 2024 from The Hill:
"UPSIDE Foods, a company that produces meat cultivated in the lab, filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday challenging Florida’s new ban on the production, distribution and sale of lab-grown meat.
"The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Northern District of Florida, argues the ban unconstitutionally favors in-state businesses at the expense of out-of-state competitors, since cultivated meat is produced outside of Florida.
"The Institute of Justice (IJ), which is representing UPSIDE Foods, said in a press release that 'the law seeks to protect local meat producers from competition, undermining the principles of a national common market.'
"'If some Floridians don’t like the idea of eating cultivated chicken, there’s a simple solution: Don’t eat it,' IJ senior attorney Paul Sherman said.
"'The government has no right to tell consumers who want to try cultivated meat that they’re not allowed to. This law is not about safety; it’s about stifling innovation and protecting entrenched interests at the expense of consumer choice,' Sherman added.
"Cultivated meat is different from vegan and vegetarian products that try to mimic the taste of meat products using ingredients such as soy, legumes or vegetables.
"UPSIDE says its meat is grown directly from real animal cells in an effort to preserve the nature and authentic taste of original meat products without needing to raise and slaughter animals. UPSIDE is one of only two companies in the U.S. authorized to sell lab-grown meat.
"IJ attorney Suranjan Sen likened the ban on cultivated meats to a hypothetical ban on Florida orange juice in California."
"'A major purpose for enacting the Constitution was to prevent exactly this kind of economic protectionism, ensuring that all Americans can benefit from a free and open national market. Florida cannot ban products that are lawful to sell throughout the rest of the country simply to protect in-state businesses from honest competition.'"
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