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CONSULTATION ON POULTRYMEAT MARKETING REGULATIONS (PMMR) ENFORCEMENT APPROACH

Defra is looking to make changes to legislation to update the approach to the enforcement of Poultrymeat Marketing Regulations (PMMR) in cutting plants and slaughterhouses food business operators (FBOs).

The purpose of this consultation is to seek the views of industry on our proposed amendments to EC543 and Poultrymeat (England) regulations 2011.

It is Defra’s priority to ensure we have a comprehensive understanding of industry’s views of these proposals.

They are looking to ensure that marketing standards are being upheld throughout the supply chain without causing any unnecessary burden to businesses.

The consultation closes 11:45pm on 9th August 2021

For more information, or to respond to the consultation, click here.

FSAI ADVISES ON WITHDRAWAL OF SOME FOOD CONTAINING LOCUST BEAN GUM (E410) DUE TO ETHYLENE OXIDE CONTAMINATION

Following the identification of ethylene oxide contamination of the additive locust bean gum (E410) in some food products in Europe, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), in line with other EU Member States is undertaking a precautionary withdrawal of implicated food products.

Locust bean gum is a vegetable gum extracted from the seeds of the Carob tree. It is approved for use as a food additive in the EU where it is used mainly as a thickening agent or stabiliser. It is approved for use in a range of foods including ice-cream, breakfast cereals, meat products, confectionery, follow on formulae, fine bakery wares, fermented milk products and cheese.

The consumption of foods containing ethylene oxide does not pose an acute risk to health, but there is an increased health risk if foods contaminated with ethylene oxide are consumed over a long period of time. Therefore, exposure to ethylene oxide needs to be minimised and contaminated product must be removed from the market.

The FSAI is working with the EU Commission and its Member States in relation to this issue. Similar withdrawals are being carried out across Europe where contaminated product has been identified. The FSAI is also working with its official agencies in relation to the identification of the contaminated additive (E410) that may have been supplied to businesses or food manufacturers in Ireland.

The FSAI will provide updates as and when available, it will also list affected food products as identified on its website.

For more information, please see our Q&A and the website of the European Commission.

FSA PUBLISH NEW RESOURCES TO SUPPORT FOOD BUSINESSES PREPARING FOR UPCOMING CHANGES TO PPDS ALLERGEN LABELLING

On 1 October 2021, a new law on allergen labelling for pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) foods, also known as ‘Natasha’s Law’ will come into force. This means that any food business selling PPDS foods will have to include full ingredients on the product label with allergenic ingredients emphasised within that list.

To help support food businesses, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has launched a PPDS Hub featuring useful information including new labelling guidance for PPDS foods and guides that will be helpful to specific sectors including bakery, butchers, fast food and takeaways, mobile sellers, restaurants, cafes and pubs, and schools. The guides each give practical information on PPDS and how these changes could impact a food business.

The FSA will also be hosting a webinar for food businesses on 4 August at 2pm. The webinar will feature a range of speakers who can discuss these changes and answer your questions. It is open to businesses across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Company Fined after Fatal Incident Involving Forklift Truck

A company in Blackburn has been fined after an employee was fatally injured when the forklift truck he was driving struck an overhead steel beam.

Preston Magistrates’ Court heard that on 14 June 2019, the employee was operating a forklift truck to move pallets at the company premises in Blackburn, when the mast of the forklift truck hit a low overhead structural beam, which caused the truck to overturn. The employee was trapped underneath the roll cage and received fatal crush injuries.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the traffic routes on site required forklift trucks to travel under a number of overhead structural beams which only had a small clearance gap between the mast of the trucks at their lowest setting and the beams. There were no hazard markings to highlight these overhead obstructions.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. They were fined £53,360 and ordered to pay costs of £7,880.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Anthony Banks said: “The company’s system of work was not safe. With the forklift trucks operating within such tight margins, the company simply relied on the assumption it’s employees would always remember to lower the forks to their lowest position whilst travelling underneath the overhead beams.

“The company not only failed to physically mark the overhead beams in a conspicuous way to provide the forklift truck operators with a prominent warning of the limited headroom, but the company also failed to undertake a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the traffic routes. When this was done after the incident, the revised traffic routes avoided the low overhead beams altogether.”

HSE – 19th July 2021

FURTHER CONSULTATION ON THE PLASTIC TAX

We have been advised that HMRC is seeking further consultation on the Plastic Tax that is due to come into effect in April 2022.

The Federation is working with other trade bodies from the packaging industry to respond to the consultation.

On initial reading of the document, it would appear that HMRC will not allow any wastage at point of re-pack to be off set. This will put UK manufactured product at a disadvantage to imported finished products.

We will seek further guidance from our other trade bodies in how we can lobby Government to rectify this imbalance.

TURNERS (SOHAM) LTD MAKES SWITCH TO TK ADVANCER SYSTEMS FROM MFS FOR 2021 TRAILER FLEET REQUIREMENT

Over 70 new G&A trailers with TK Advancer systems are to be introduced.

The estimated significant fuel savings from running its latest refrigerated trailers with new Thermo King Advancer systems has led to Turners (Soham) Ltd placing orders for 71 new single compartment reefer trailers fitted with Advancer A400 systems, all of which are being supplied, installed and maintained by Thermo King’s long standing UK dealer, Marshall Fleet Solutions.

Initially, 31 Gray & Adams single compartment trailers with TK Advancer units are joining the Turners (Soham) fleet over a progressive 10 week cycle during the summer period, with a further 40 similar specification G&A trailers going into service with Turners from October onwards.

Announcing details of this major investment in the Turners (Soham) refrigerated trailer fleet, Group Fleet Engineer Tim King said, “The increase in fuel price as a result of the rebate on red diesel being withdrawn will have a major impact on our overall fleet running costs.  However, we believe that the introduction of new modern trailers into our fleet, all of which will benefit from Advancer’s proven fuel saving performance, will continue our push to operate the most economic temperature-controlled trailer fleet as possible.”

All 71 of the new G&A trailers with Advancers are expected to operate in the Turners (Soham) fleet for at least 10 years, mainly working from the company’s Newmarket and Spalding facilities.

“We are a long-term major fleet user of Thermo King refrigeration systems in conjunction with Marshall Fleet Solutions, with whom we have a really close working relationship. As soon as Advancer was launched, MFS worked hard to ensure that we could introduce this innovative trailer fridge system into our fleet as soon as it was available,” commented Tim King.

As part of the relationship with Turners (Soham), Marshall Fleet Solutions also runs a dedicated service and maintenance facility at the Turners site in Newmarket, handling the large number of Thermo King refrigeration systems in their fleet.

Tim King continues, “Such is the synergy between the companies that this close relationship allows us to achieve far greater efficiencies and productivity with regards to our temperature-controlled trailer fleet. With the inbuilt telematics in the new Advancers, MFS and ourselves will be able to monitor closely the up-to-date fuel usage to identify the progress that we are making with regards to generating even greater fuel savings within the fleet.”

Established over 80 years ago, Turners (Soham) Ltd has grown to be one of the largest and most successful privately owned transport companies in the United Kingdom, operating in excess of 1850 vehicles from 32 sites and employing over 3400 people. Currently, Turners (Soham) Ltd operates approx. 700 refrigerated trailers, with over 500 of the trailers being based on Thermo King refrigeration systems.

“With the rebate on red diesel being withdrawn, and by switching to the new sustainable Advancer units, Turners will automatically benefit from their refrigeration systems using fuel in a much more efficient way, burning less of it, which in turn has a positive impact on greenhouse gas emissions from their latest transport refrigeration units. By adopting this new technology with its fuel saving advantages, Turners will not only improve the efficiency of its fleet but also benefit from increased residual values of their trailers, with better advanced temperature management and inbuilt connectivity,” said Mark Howell, Managing Director, Marshall Fleet Solutions.

Further information about the full range of Thermo King Advancer transport refrigeration systems from Marshall Fleet Solutions can be viewed on the MFS website at www.marshallfleetsolutions.co.uk

Member Benefits

Exclusive Partnership deals on key products and services:

  • BFFF energy deals and rates
  • Vypr member deals and introduction
  • Defib Plus deals
  • Company Shop – membership
  • Mentor – MHE training health check

Exclusive access to networking opportunities and events:

  • Meet the Buyer events (retail & foodservice)
  • Annual Business Conference with networking dinner
  • Specialist H&S and Technical Conferences
  • Special interest groups (packaging, frozen food temperatures)
  • Annual Lunch
  • Awards Night
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