European Food Safety Authority

A trolley full of ultra-processed food. © GettyImages/JackF

Ultra-processed food may be linked to cancer: BMJ study

By Niamh Michail

There may be a causal link between eating highly processed food and cancer risk, and four reasons why this could be, according to the authors of a 105,000-strong French study published in the British Medical Journal.

Italian consumer watchdog is warning parents not to give children products that contain palm oil due to carcinogenic contaminants. © iStock.com

Don't give children palm oil, says Italian consumer group

By Niamh Michail

After finding that 12 kids' food products from Nestlé, Barilla, Ferrero and Danone contain high levels of carcinogen 3-MCPD, Italian consumer group Altroconsumo is calling on parents to stop giving products that contain palm oil to children.

Sucralow? EC calls on EFSA to re-assess sucralose after a scientific paper found a link between the sweetener & cancer. © iStock

EFSA to assess sucralose following cancer concerns

By Niamh Michail

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will conduct a scientific evaluation of sucralose following the publication of a study which found a link between the sweetener and cancer.

Strategic shift: 'There was really no reason to talk to the consumer any more because we were not allowed to talk to the consumer any more.'

NutraInterview: Dominique Speleers, Beneo executive board member

Beneo: EFSA forced us to change our strategy

By Shane STARLING

Dominique Speleers is a long-time Beneo man who has seen a lot in his 15 years with the European ingredients giant from back when it was Belgian inulin and chicory player Beneo-Orafti and now as a board member of the more European, more international,...

Image: Istock

EFSA backs safety of new stevia form

By Will Chu

Rebaudioside M is safe and can be added to the list of EU-approved steviol glycosides (E960), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has concluded. The agency said this was the case provided 95% of its components were converted to steviol.

ECJ case is 'a critically needed' check on government actors and measures, says food lawyer

EFSA loses right to keep experts secret

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has lost its right to keep the names of contributing expert commentators a secret – a European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling that could be applied retrospectively.

Flavanol health claims are dangerous ground at the moment, says new Scottish confectioner, IQ Chocolate, which is preparing its own EFSA health claim

IQ Chocolate preps sports performance cocoa health claim

By Annie-Rose Harrison-Dunn

Scottish chocolate start-up, IQ Chocolate, has high hopes for its “raw” dark chocolate bars within the high quality, functional foods sector and is currently in the initial stages of preparing a dossier for a health claim. 

Symposium outlines methods of best practice for designing clinical trials

Clinical trial tips to win an EFSA health claim

By Oliver Nieburg

Atlantia Food Contract Research Organisation has identified methods of best practices to help food and supplements makers conduct human intervention studies that will help them win a European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) health claim.

Most consumers don't know what EFSA is, experts find

Most consumers don't know what EFSA is, experts find

By Nathan Gray

Almost no German consumers know about the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), or understand the role it has in the approval of health claims for functional food products, according to experts.

64.8%.of sweet and savory foods in India adulterated by exceeding acceptable limits or using non-permitted colors.

Food colors in India: Researchers call for review

Majority of colored foods in India illegal

By Oliver Nieburg

Researchers are calling for a review of food colors in India after finding that the majority found in popular products exceed legal limits and almost a fifth of products contain illegal colors.

Healthy chocolate and the future for commodities

Sweet Outlook 2013: Part Two

Healthy chocolate and the future for commodities

By Oliver Nieburg

Chocolate will gain more traction as a health food in the coming year as cocoa grinds shift to Asia and the sugar deregulation debate rages on. ConfectioneryNews.com’s 2013 predictions part two.

Advent calendar chocolates safe, says BDSI

Advent calendar chocolates safe, says BDSI

By Oliver Nieburg

The German Confectionery Association (BDSI) has said that chocolates in advent calendars pose no health risk after a consumer group linked products to ‘cancerous’ mineral oils.

Health claim wins drive oral health NPD

Special edition: Oral health

Health claim wins drive oral health NPD

By Shane Starling

Functional gum is the obvious stand-out when it comes to nutrition-focused oral health solutions. Some of these products may be aimed at other health conditions like satiety, but the majority focus on battling dental diseases like periodontitis, caries...

EFSA boosts Toothfriendly developing world dental campaign

EFSA boosts Toothfriendly developing world dental campaign

By Shane Starling

The 20-year-old non-profit group, Toothfriendly, says its efforts to promote dental health have been boosted by recent European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) positive opinions – including non-European, developing world nations.

EFSA defends aspartame work, denies dossier loss

EFSA defends aspartame work, denies dossier loss

By Ben Bouckley

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has denied a suggestion by two MEPs that it may have lost data relating to a previous safety evaluation of the high intensity sweetener aspartame (E951) and that it failed to examine it properly in the first place.

Clement-Jones: Value for money

Peer probes FSA aspartame study as costs double

By Elaine Watson

Liberal Democrat peer Lord Clement-Jones has called on the Department of Health to explain how spending £322,000 of taxpayers' money on a study addressing consumer concerns over aspartame represents value for money at a time when budgets are so stretched.