Top 10 articles in 2019

Dear readers and friends,

another year passed and I have to thank you everyone for the time spent reading this blog, sharing articles and commenting.

As usual, I recap the most interesting topics of 2019 in the first article of 2020.

1. Glycaemic index labeling and related claims: EU Commission answer to a MEP query about the possibility to do glycaemic index claims on the labels in EU.;
2. Transition period to new Food Labeling Standards for Japan is coming to the end: recap of upcoming Japanese labelling rules changes, by Label Bank (Osaka);
3. EU – Upcoming exemptions for traditional generic descriptors (which could imply an effect on health) from nutrition and health claims Regulation;
4. FDA Announces Public Meeting to Discuss Modernizing Food Standards of Identity: on 27th September 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a public meeting to give interested parties an opportunity to discuss FDA’s effort to modernize food standards of identity and to provide information about changes the FDA could make to existing standards of identity;
5. Choices International Foundation front of pack logo: guest article by Choices International Foundation, about a voluntary front of pack labeling scheme;
6. EU DG Health and Food Safety audit in Sweden – Unexpected flaws in microbial safety of food of non-animal origin: summary of a recent audit of the EU Commission services on the Swedish official control system for food of non animal origin;
7. FDA moving down the road of Dietary Fibers definition: on 27th March the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it intends to propose that “cross-linked phosphorylated RS4” – regardless of source – be added to the definition of dietary fiber. The action was taken in response to a citizen petition from MGP Ingredients Inc;
8. Food Allergy Forum Report and New Food Law Latest Youtube Channel; opening video of the Food Law Latest Youtube Channel, regarding the Food Allergy Forum held in Amsterdam on 1st-3rd April 2019;
9. Japan – Mozzarella di Bufala Campana PDO ‘evocation’ case: in light of the application of the EU-Japan free trade agreement, this Q&A between a MEP and the EU Commission, raise a curious case of evocation of a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin, recognized under Reg. EU 1151/2012);
10. 100″ food news n. 3 – Allergen labeling and trans fats limitations in UE: weekly issue of our 100″ Food News, with Bert Popping from FOCOS – Food Consulting…strategically, covering several topics: RASFF pathogen data analysis (00:21), Belgium introduces Nutri-Score (01:22), New trans fats regulations (01:54), Pret-A-Manger starts allergen labelling (02:27), Further Headlines: new on-site devices for pesticides and pathogen analysis.