FOOD SAFETY

Stricter hygiene measures due to African swine fever

African swine fever (ASF) continues to spread in Germany, prompting Dutch authorities to demand stricter hygiene measures. Both wild boars and domestic pigs in the German states of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate have bee..

The role of TNO and UMC in the new allergen policy

07 February 2024

On January 1, 2024, the Netherlands transitioned to a new allergen policy, with established exposure standards and stricter regulations for warning labels on food packaging. This policy, based on recommendations from the...

Measuring Water Activity: Key points and pitfalls

05 February 2024

Water activity (aw) is a crucial parameter in determining the food safety and quality of a product. However, it is crucial to note that achieving accurate and reliable measurements is essential! In this article, we shed ...

NVWA: Entrepreneurs Fail to Provide Allergen Information

02 February 2024

Entrepreneurs lag behind in providing allergen information in food, warns the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). In 2023, the NVWA checked 6,548 companies to see if they complied with the legal rule...

FAVV Analyses on PFAS in 2023: Reassuring Results

31 January 2024

The Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FAVV) analyzed 370 samples of various food items for PFAS in 2023. Only 4 samples were found to be non-compliant with the harmonized European standards that came into ...

New Rules for Genetically Modified Plants

30 January 2024

In an effort to enhance the sustainability and resilience of the food system, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have taken a stance on the Commission's proposal regarding New Genomic Techniques (NGT). The Committ...

First KitKat with fully traceable cocoa

29 January 2024

Nestlé, a global leader in the food and beverage industry, has recently launched the first KitKat made with cocoa sourced from the Nestlé Income Accelerator program. This initiative, introduced in January 2022, focuses o...

New Drug Law Also Bans Sweetener Aspartame

29 January 2024

Recent research reveals that the proposed law to prohibit designer drugs unintentionally affects everyday and harmless substances. Interestingly, the popular sweetener aspartame tops the list of banned substances, alongs...

NVWA Simplifies Reporting Guide for Unsafe Food Products

19 January 2024

The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has recently streamlined the reporting guide for unsafe food products, aiming to assist entrepreneurs in determining the right time to report to the NVWA. Th...

The dangers of inorganic arsenic in food

19 January 2024

Consumer exposure to inorganic arsenic in food has sparked significant health concerns, as emphasized by the latest risk assessment from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). This reaffirms EFSA's 2009 findings, und...

New Dutch Allergen Policy

27 December 2023

As of January 1, 2024, a new Dutch allergen policy, established by the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport (VWS), will come into effect. This policy, slated to be enforceable by January 1, 2026 at the latest, is the o...

Mandatory Inspection for High-Risk Product Imports

27 December 2023

In compliance with the Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848, Skal Biocontrol is obligated to conduct laboratory examinations for organic products or products in transition upon import, exhibiting an elevated risk of non-comp...

Nepluvi Chairman Wants Global Avian Influenza Vaccine

19 December 2023

The global poultry industry is facing challenges due to ongoing outbreaks of avian influenza, prompting Gert-Jan Oplaat, Chairman of Nepluvi, to emphasize the need for a globally accepted avian influenza vaccine. Oplaat ...

Biofilms in the food industry: the role of key bacteria

13 December 2023

Biofilms, resilient slime layers on stainless steel surfaces, pose a persistent challenge in the food industry. A recent study, funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship, sheds new light on the intricate interactio...

Vergeer and adapa develop innovative cheese packaging

12 December 2023

Vergeer, a leading Dutch cheese supplier, and adapa, a specialized packaging company, join forces to create an innovative cheese packaging that not only catches the eye on the refrigerated shelf but also meets strict req...

Methylcellulose: Misleading or indispensable?

08 December 2023

In an era where food consciousness takes center stage, consumers aspire to embrace edibles adorned with a 'clean label': the fewer E-numbers or loaded ingredients adorning their food packages, the better. Yet, even in th...