FOOD SAFETY

New hygiene code approved for the egg sector

The Dutch egg sector is set to receive a new Egg Hygiene Code. The code was developed by Anevei and approved by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. It replaces the hygiene code introduced in 2002 by the former Pro..

NVWA updates guide for food safety incident reporting

01 September 2025

The explanation in the guidelines for reporting unsafe food products has been revised and now includes a decision aid. This update is intended to help entrepeneurs better assess when they are required to report a potenti...

Climate change puts pressure on food safety

18 August 2025

Heatwaves, heavy downpours, droughts that drag on longer than farmers can handle. The weather’s becoming more erratic, and it’s leaving its mark on the food chain. Not just out in the fields, but right on your plate. Mou...

Growing number of Salmonella cases in the Netherlands

15 August 2025

What started as a major outbreak in 2023 has now turned into a persistent issue. The number of Salmonella Enteritidis infections in the Netherlands continues to rise—both among people and on laying hen farms. And that’s ...

US aims to define ultra-processed food more clearly

15 August 2025

What exactly qualifies as "ultra-processed food"? In the United States, they’re finally trying to draw a clear line. The Department of Agriculture and the FDA have issued a call to the sector: help shape a clear, uniform...

EU tightens list of plant pests following new research

01 August 2025

A fungus affecting oranges. Insects capable of wiping out entire harvests. And dozens more threats to Europe’s food chain. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently completed a major study on 47 so-called quaran...

PFAS found in fish across the Dutch supply chain

28 July 2025

Salmon from Urk, tuna from Amsterdam, shrimp from Den Bosch. Over the past two years, the NVWA commissioned dozens of fish samples to be analysed for PFAS. The test results have now been made public following a Woo reque...

Ginger imports to face routine sampling from August

28 July 2025

Starting 4 August, fresh ginger imported from non-EU countries will be routinely sampled, whether or not any symptoms are visible. The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has instructed inspection bod...

Lidl takes next step in reducing pesticide use

23 July 2025

Lidl is taking a new approach once again. In a two-year pilot, the supermarket, together with strawberry, potato and apple growers, aims to significantly reduce the use of chemical crop protection agents. Not just by tig...

Ultra-processed foods deeply embedded in our food system

22 July 2025

Walk into any supermarket and you can’t miss them: ultra-processed foods. They keep well, have a pleasant mouthfeel, and have become a standard part of how we produce, sell and consume food. At the same time, there’s gro...

Multi-million investment in Solynta’s disease-resistant potato seed

21 July 2025

Not tubers, but seed. With that shift, Solynta is turning potato cultivation on its head. The Wageningen-based biotech company is receiving €20 million from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to accelerate development of...

New rules and rising risks challenge food safety

11 July 2025

Food safety in the Netherlands? Still solid. But developments are piling up, and the food industry has to stay alert. Regulations are tightening, public concerns are growing, and oversight is under pressure. Reporting...

New lab, new opportunities: NutriControl expands significantly

09 July 2025

They’ve got it: the keys to their brand-new premises on De Amert in Veghel. NutriControl, the go-to lab for food analysis and food safety for over 50 years, is about to take a major step forward. Growth, innovation, mome...

Facts over fiction: new reference guide on E numbers

07 July 2025

Folkert Fennema, owner of Fennema Food Development, has launched Het complete E-nummer handboek – Van E tot Z. The guide brings together current, factual information on E numbers for professionals in the food industry. T...

NVWA intervenes more frequently on food safety

07 July 2025

Food safety remained a top priority for the NVWA in 2024. Over 48% of its capacity was allocated to inspections in this area. The meat sector received the most attention, accounting for more than half of the total oversi...

Stricter NVWA oversight on animal welfare and pesticides

04 July 2025

In 2024, the NVWA had its hands full with animal health and welfare. About 8% of its total capacity went toward animal diseases, and 9% was allocated to welfare. Inspectors carried out 3,755 checks related to animal heal...