Our contents this week:
- Retail, Food & Hospitality updates
- EU Updates
- EU Regulations
- Developments to watch
- For your information
Retail, Food & Hospitality updates
UK AI Cyber security code and implementation guide published: Following consultation the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has published a detailed code of practice on AI Cyber security together with an implementation guide. The code is described as being ‘voluntary’ but intended to form the basis for international standard negotiations. Call for evidence >Publication >
Government respond to House of Lords report ‘Recipe for health: a plan to fix our broken food system: The House of Lords, Food, Diet and Obesity select committee published a detailed report and set of recommendations on 24th October 2024. The Department for Health and Social Care has published the Government response. Food campaign group Sustain has made the observation that answers are couched in terms of food strategy and health mission rather than specific measurable follow up actions. The Scottish Government has just published a survey looking at the diet of 2000 children concluding that younger children consume too much sugar and salt and that for adolescents 20% of their diet was made up of discretionary foods high in fat, sugar and salt.Publication > Sustain >News >
Home Office explain future age verification process for online sale of knives: The Home Office has set out that a two-stage age verification process will be introduced to the Crime and Policing Bill requiring age verification at point of sale and on delivery and also that deliveries must be to the person who placed the order.View >
Gambling Commission consult on streamlining and tightening technical standards on gaming machines: The consultation focuses on the gaming machine technical standards and the related testing strategy and includes proposals to: introduce five new standards, a licence condition and a social responsibility code provision designed to support and empower consumers to use gaming machines safely at every stage of the customer journey. Proposals include time and monetary limit setting functionality and information provision such as safer gambling messaging and the display of net position and session time, amend three existing standards (having considered industry proposals to improve customer enjoyment and gameplay), consolidate 12 existing gaming machine technical standards into a single standard, and update the gaming machine technical standards and the related testing strategy to remove obsolete material. Responses are required by 20th May. View >
EU updates
EU Commission publish ‘Competitiveness compass’: The Competitiveness Compass sets out the course the Commission will follow in the next five years to boost the EU economy. The plan has three pillars AI, decarbonisation and reducing excessive dependencies and security. Horizontal enablers include a focus on simplification and lowering barriers in the single market. Press release > Report > BEUC >
EFSA Publish research, advice and app on management of the microbiological risk of process water used for fruit, veg and herbs: This is a very extensive piece of groundbreaking work applying a scientific approach to the management of risk in use of water for food processing. EFSA followed the concept of “fit-for-purpose water”, developed by the FAO and the WHO. This approach calls for different aspects to be considered when deciding on the best water management plan, such as the assessment of the water source and potential hazards related to it, disinfection options, and the end use of the food product (for example if eaten raw). The recommendations are presented in three scientific opinions – one on fresh-whole fruit, vegetables and herbs, another on fresh-cut products, and the third on frozen products. EFSA also developed WaterManage4You, a free online tool that will help predict the transfer and accumulation of bacteria in process water in industrial scenarios. News > Report >Report >Report >Report >
Minutes of working group on cosmetics safety published: View >
EU Regulations:
- novel foods: glucosyl hesperidin > Lemna minor and Lemna gibba plants >
- feed additives: Enterococcus lactis > Levilactobacillus brevis > L-isoleucine > L-threonine >Limosilactobacillus fermentum >microcrystalline cellulose, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose >muramidase >omicha and ginseng tinctures > Pediococcus pentosaceus >Saccharomyces cerevisiae > 6-phytase >
- Plant protection products: acetamiprid >Lupinus albus >mepiquat chloride >zoxamide >
- Authorising flavouring: (E)-3-Benzo [1,3]dioxol-5-y-N,N-diphenyl-2-propenamide >
- Delisting flavouring: 4-methyl-2-phenylpent-2-enal >
European Food safety Authority opinions:
- On novel foods:phytosterols/phytostanols >
- Food enzymes: a-amylase >triacylglycerol lipase >
- Food additives:butane (E943a), Isobutane (E943b) and propane (E944) >
- On bromide in food and feed: View >
- Flavourings: group 418 >
Developments to watch
DEFRA: Publish update on ongoing Avian flu Outbreak. View >
Advertising Standards Authority: Publish advice note on advertising of age restricted goods and services. View >
Payment Systems Regulator: Managing Director David Geale delivers detailed speech on policy. View >
Office for Product safety and standards: Publish report setting out actions with regard to the safety of ‘e’ bike batteries.View >
Department for Business and Trade: Publish a list of UK Trade envoys and the markets they are to support.View >
For your information
Non-food product safety alerts: Office for Product Safety and Standards >EU Safety Gate >US Consumer Product safety Commission >
Portman Group: Announce appointment of Nick Baird as Chair. View >
Food Standards Authority Ireland: Announce appointment of Greg Dempsey as Chief Executive. View >
