Regulation & Safety

The FDA says concerns on black licorice overdosing relate to the compound glycyrrhizin. Photo: ©GettyImages/lpm12

FDA issues black licorice ‘overdose’ warning before Halloween

By Douglas Yu

Eating two ounces of black licorice a day for at least two weeks could land a person older than 40 years old in the hospital with an irregular heart rhythm, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned the day before Halloween this year.

Hospitals urged to stop selling confectionery containing more than 250 calories. ©GettyImages/Marbury

NHS England bans ‘super-sized’ chocolate bars

By Oliver Nieburg

England’s National Health Service (NHS England) has set a 250 calorie limit on confectionery sold in hospital canteens, stores, vending machines and its other outlets.

USDA to publish draft of GMO labeling rule this fall

USDA to publish draft of GMO labeling rule this fall

By Elaine Watson

USDA will publish a draft of its proposed federal GMO labeling rule in the fall of this year (which will be subject to public comment) and says it is “working hard to meet the schedule in order to issue a final rule on the law in July 2018.”

Research: Aussie sugar tax 'would not punish the poor’

Research: Aussie sugar tax 'would not punish the poor’

By RJ Whitehead

A major criticism of the public health lobby’s proposed sugar sweetened beverage tax—that it would unfairly punish the poor and disadvantaged—may have been debunked by research from Deakin University’s Global Obesity Centre. 

Chocolate to fall under FSSAI standards from 2018

India

Chocolate to fall under FSSAI standards from 2018

By RJ Whitehead

Chocolate manufacturers will have to fall in line with the constraints of food safety and standards regulations after India’s health ministry placed all types of chocolate under the regulator’s purview.

 Action on Sugar calls to extend UK sugar tax to confectionery ©iStock/karandaev

Chocolate and candy tax proposed in the UK

By Oliver Nieburg

Pressure group Action on Sugar is urging the UK government to expand a sugar tax on soft drinks to chocolate and sweet confectionery – a move seen as “punitive” and "discriminatory” by industry bodies.

iStock

European Parliament votes in favour of strict new palm oil measures

By Louis Gore-Langton

Today the European Parliament voted to implement tough new palm oil resolutions, which if enforced would see its elimination from use in biofuels and enforce stricter regulations on production and certification throughout the continent. 

Parliament failed to reach the required majority, leaving the decision in the hands of the commission  ©iStock

MEPs oppose GM approvals but Commission will have the final say

By Louis Gore-Langton

EU member states yesterday voted against the introduction and renewal of GM grains in Europe but failed to reach a binding majority, leaving the president of the Commission Jean-Claude Juncker to make the final decision.