Three mega food challenges currently sit front and centre stage for all professionals working in the food sector:

– Food Security (supply chain robustness, food affordability)
– Health and Nutrition (obesity, allergens, nutritional density)
– The Environment (sustainability, biodiversity, net zero)

None of these themes act in isolation and it is the combination of each of these that bring the greatest challenges, and which are the focus for the IFST’s highly relevant and practical conference this year.

After two years of conferences online IFST are excited to bring you a live in person event. Educational yet practical in the topics and talks covered, IFST explore the challenges you are facing day-to-day around food safety, food affordability and authenticity, coupled with solutions and ideas showcasing innovative science and technologies from across a variety of disciplines.

Pre-Conference Dinner and Networking Event on 26 April 2023.
Early Bird Rates are valid until 24 February 2023:
Book your place today: click here

BFFF member? – please use the discount code SC23BFFF to get £10 off.

Defra have recently published an independent scientific report on the assessment of unusual crustacean mortality in North East England over 2021- 2022.

An unusually large number of dead or dying crustaceans started to be found along the coast of the north-east of England from early October 2021. This unusual mortality continued through October and November 2021, and continued periodically through 2022.

Crustacean wash-ups were found along at least 70 km of coastline, and dead or dying crustaceans were also reported by fishers over a wide region. Some of these crustaceans displayed a twitching behaviour not normally observed in beach wash-ups, or during fishing activity.

The report summarises the findings made by the Crustacean Mortality Expert Panel (CMEP) who, using all available data, looked at possible causes of the mass crustacean mortality.

Unfortunately, as there were several possible contributory factors, they were unable to identify one clear and convincing cause, but a novel pathogen is considered the most likely.

You can read the report and access the evidence gathered here, as well as a statement from the Environment Secretary here.

As the avian influenza outbreak continues, the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) including mandatory housing measures, remains in force across England.

Several pieces of information have recently been updated:

Information on the latest situation in England has been updated to reflect new cases of the disease across the country, as well as guidance for businesses,

Poultry meat marketing standards have also been updated with information about exporting poultry meat during an outbreak.

Defra previously advised that due to the ongoing situation as of 1st February, eggs originating from free range flocks in Norfolk, Suffolk and parts of Essex needed to be labelled as barn eggs. However, as of 27^th February, this now applies to the rest of England and is in line with Egg Marketing Standards Regulations.

This action marks the end of the 16-week grace period given after the introduction of a regional (12th October 2022) and subsequent national mandatory housing order (7th November 2022).

In recognition of current elevated input costs facing the industry along with the impacts of AI, Defra have said that they will allow the same packaging concessions that were granted last year. This means where other options are not feasible, such as over-stickering or marketing eggs in “barn reared” egg boxes, industry will be allowed the use of direct print to pack or an affixed label on free-range boxes to communicate to consumers that the eggs have come from hens that are now barn reared.

The labelling will remain in place until the housing order is lifted.

You will find more detail here

Freedom of Information (FOI) requests sent to UK councils by betterRetailing.com in October 2022 have revealed that independent retailers have been among the most compliant businesses as regards following Natasha’s Law since it came into effect in October 2021.

The UK wide legislation requires businesses to provide full ingredients lists with clear allergen labelling on all Prepacked for Direct Sale’ Foods i.e. on all food that is prepared, prepacked and offered or sold to consumers on the same premises. It can include food the consumer selects themselves as well as products kept behind a counter or in temporary outlets.

Of the 1,367 businesses found to be selling non-compliant products between October 2021 and October 2022, just 50 (4%) were independent retailers whereas hospitality businesses had the highest number of breaches, with 487 offending businesses classed as restaurants, cafes, and takeaways. 20 supermarkets and one forecourt, food banks, mobile vans, manufacturers, and football clubs were also identified as breaching the legislation.

The data also showed that 18 councils did not hold any information, and 33 councils had no breaches of Natasha’s Law recorded in the period.

You can read the report in full here

A review of worldwide research on infant weaning has concluded that the introduction of certain food allergens before the age of 11 months could decrease the likelihood of developing some food allergies.

The Complementary and Allergenic Food Introduction in Infants: An Umbrella Review looked at studies examining the introduction of complementary or allergenic foods before the age of one, and the long and short-term health outcomes.

The review screened 4015 articles, including 32 systematic reviews. There was moderate evidence that peanut and egg should be introduced from 4 to 11 months to prevent food allergy. Complementary food introduction was not associated with food allergy.

A copy of the review in full, as well as a video abstract, can be obtained here.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a safety alert regarding exposure to Diacetyl vapour.

Diacetyl, also known as 2,3-butanedione, is a naturally occurring organic compound but is also manufactured synthetically. It is often used as a flavouring and is a by-product of coffee roasting, but the HAS warns that even when used at low concentrations within mixtures or flavourings, exposure to its vapour may be above safe workplace exposure limits (WELs) and can lead to severe and irreversible lung disease.

HSE scientific studies have shown that airborne concentrations and the potential for exposures above safe workplace limits is significantly increased if flavour mixtures containing diacetyl, even at low concentrations (below 5%) are heated, added to hot processes or spray dried.

Risk of exposure can occur during:

• opening of diacetyl or flavouring containers

• decanting and weighing

• mixing

• spray drying to produce powdered mixtures

• packaging

• cleaning of vessels or spillages

What you should do:

The HSA recommend that if your processes include the use of diacetyl, food flavourings that contain diacetyl, or are likely to produce diacetyl, then you must carry-out a risk assessment to help you to identify the hazards associated with the potential for exposure, understand who might be harmed and how, evaluate the risks and decide on precautions.

If diacetyl is not mentioned on a safety data sheet for food flavourings (which are likely to contain it) you should contact the supplier to confirm if it is present or not.

If there is a potential for diacetyl exposure use sampling and analysis to verify whether exposure is likely to be above the WEL.

Substitute to a safer alternative product.  Substitutes should not contain compounds similar to diacetyl such as 2,3-pentanedione.

If substitution is not a viable option (for example if diacetyl is a natural by-product), then strict controls must be implemented.

You will find more detail of how to control the risk here