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TFAH applauds Congress for final passage of FDA Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010

Trust for America's Health applauded Congress today for final passage of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010. Because of the bill, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will have the authority it needs to help prevent foodborne illnesses for the first time ever.

23 Dec 2010

Three-day African food security forum opens in Accra

The 26th Annual Meeting of the Food Crisis Prevention Network, "which serves as the platform for deliberation on food production and food security in Africa," opened on Tuesday in Accra, Ghana, the Ghana News Agency reports. The three-day forum will examine "the agricultural and food situation for the 2010/2011 cropping season and come out with measures on tackling food crises," according to the news service.

16 Dec 2010

Researchers find weak association between parent-child dietary intake

As primary caregivers, parents are often believed to have a strong influence on children's eating behaviors. However, previous findings on parent-child resemblance in dietary intakes are mixed. Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health reviewed and assessed the degree of association and similarity between children's and their parents' dietary intake based on worldwide studies published since 1980. The meta-analysis is featured in the December issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

9 Dec 2010

Africa can produce enough food to feed itself, study says

Africa is capable of producing enough food to feed itself within a single generation, according to "a study released to coincide with a meeting of several African leaders in Tanzania on Thursday, as well as U.N. talks on slowing climate change in Cancun, Mexico," Reuters reports (Doyle, 12/2).

3 Dec 2010

African agriculture fund designates $135M to expand food production

The African Agriculture Fund (AAF) announced Monday that it has designated $135 million for expanded food production, agricultural processing and distribution, especially for small holder farms, PANA/Afrique en ligne reports.

1 Dec 2010

Health ingredients Europe 2010 global event to be held in Spain

Health ingredients Europe 2010, the global event for the nutraceutical, functional health and natural ingredients industry exceeded all expectations. The decision to take the show to Spain brought high rewards, altering the landscape of the show and bringing exhibitors from over 40 countries and registered visitors from over 100 countries.

26 Nov 2010

Supermarket steaks as good as butcher’s: Survey

A study from consumer group Choice has found that beef steaks from Australian supermarkets rate as highly as some expensive butcher cuts. Choice commissioned three butchers with a combined experience of 75 years to test steak from Aldi, Coles and Woolworths against beef from a premium and a budget butcher. They included cuts of rump, sirloin, T-bone, scotch fillets, blade and eye fillet and graded them according to colour, marbling and fat.

22 Nov 2010

Experts call for global agriculture reform to ensure food security as two rice conferences open

Experts attending the International Rice Congress in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Tuesday called for imminent action to change inefficient farming methods and expand the global rice supply in order to prevent rising poverty and hunger, Agence France-Presse reports.

11 Nov 2010

Food security conference in The Hague concludes with suggestions for U.N. climate negotiations to incorporate agriculture

Participants in a five-day food security meeting at The Hague "urged U.N. climate negotiators Friday to consider agriculture when drawing up strategies to fight climate change," the Canadian Press reports.

9 Nov 2010

Study confirms human excrements contribute to water pollution

Every person emits the equivalent of approximately two tonnes of carbon dioxide a year from the time food is produced to when the human body excretes it, representing more than 20% of total yearly emissions. That is what a study by the Universidad de Almer-a says, confirming for the first time that human excrements contribute to water pollution, primarily with nitrogen and phosphorus.

3 Nov 2010

Salty issues for Australian food co’s

At present health authorities are depending on education and a voluntary approach to cut down on dietary salt. From now on they are urging the government to set mandatory salt limits for food. According to a study from the University of Queensland there are more than one ways to tackle the dietary salt problem which is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease in Australia.

2 Nov 2010

Report notes potential for African agriculture, European partnerships

A new report highlights concerns about donors, especially from Europe, following through on funding pledges for the G8's $22 billion global food security fund, Business Daily reports.

28 Oct 2010

World Bank extends food crisis response fund for countries experiencing high food prices

"The World Bank on Monday cited growing instability in food prices" before announcing that it would extends its Global Food Crisis Response Program through June 2011, Deutsche Presse-Agentur/M&C reports (10/18).

22 Oct 2010

Former U.N. Secretary-General, Gates Foundation CEO, Ethiopian official address World Food Prize conference

In a speech at the World Food Prize conference on Thursday, former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan discussed several topics related to food security and said that discrimination against women is limiting agricultural development in Africa, the Des Moines Register reports.

18 Oct 2010

IRIN examines forthcoming U.N. child malnutrition program; IPS reports on FAO Latin American report

IRIN looks at a planned U.N. initiative to combat early childhood malnutrition and the questions surrounding it.

15 Oct 2010

Dr. Nabarro to deliver keynote address at Third McGill Conference on Global Food Security

Dr. David Nabarro, Assistant Secretary-General at the United Nations and co-ordinator of the Secretary-General's High-Level Task Force on the Global Food Security Crisis, will deliver the keynote address at the opening evening of the Third McGill Conference on Global Food Security on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 5 p.m., at Centre Mont-Royal, 2200 Mansfield St. in Montreal.

13 Oct 2010

Asian Development Bank conference addresses water, sanitation concerns

Water shortages that could reduce food production and worsen economic conditions in Asia are worsening, Arjun Thapan, an infrastructure advisor with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), said on Tuesday at the ADB's Water: Crisis and Choices conference in Manila, Philippines, Agence France-Presse reports.

13 Oct 2010

Health warning on iodine levels in food

After a health scare that involved consumption of Bonsoy milk, health experts have warned about iodine levels in food. Nearly twenty five people who developed illnesses because of high iodine levels in the soy milk filed a Supreme Court writ last week, seeking damages from Bonsoy's Australian distributors.

3 Oct 2010

World Bank President calls for new, more open approach to economic development

"World Bank President Robert Zoellick on Wednesday called on economists to rethink the way they look at issues affecting developing nations and said he was overhauling the way his institution approached research," Reuters reports (Wroughton, 9/29).

1 Oct 2010

Food labeling urged to be more stringent

After recent research from campaigning organization Greenpeace found the S-26 Soy brand of infant formula contains GM or genetically modified ingredients that are not disclosed on the product label, two Senators are urging the Federal Government to tighten Australia's food labeling laws.

30 Sep 2010