Food regulators around the world have found no major health risks associated with the use of Bisphenol A (BPA) in food packaging and closures, the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) said yesterday.Responding to new research on BPA levels in foods and baby products by consumer group Choice, AFGC highlighted that the world’s leading food authorities, including Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ), maintain that levels of exposure to BPA are safe and don’t pose a significant... Read more »
An approach by the SA Health Department to ban high fat, sugar or salt (HFSS) foods from department events and meetings is a heavy-handed and naive solution to the nation’s complex obesity problem, the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) said last week. Criticised by the AMA SA as “ridiculous” and a “nanny state” approach, the move involves banning pies, pasties, sausages and soft drinks to ensure SA Health offices send a clear message about the responsible consumption... Read more »
The Age Harvest Picnic at Werribee Park is a day of delectable Victorian food and wine, cooking demonstrations from Australia’s best chefs, rocking live entertainment, and frivolity with family and friends, held from 9am to 5pm on Sunday 28 November.Bring those empty picnic baskets and get ready to stock up for Christmas as there will be plenty of fresh, amazing produce on display with more than 100 food and wine producers from Victoria taking part in the picnic, which is one of the longest... Read more »
While a cup of tea and a biscuit has long been favoured by Aussies, most don’t realize they have been conditioned into buying the same types of biscuits for decades, according to Victorian biscuit manufacturer Unibic.Michael Quinn, Managing Director of Unibic says, “The biscuit industry is notoriously lazy, not only in Australia but around the world. Huge trademarks rest on their laurels and dominate the market for decades with a single iconic brand, never bothering to invest in innovation... Read more »
Laboratory tests by CHOICE of a range of popular canned foods including a number of baby food products has revealed concerning levels of the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA). Bisphenol A has been used for many years to make polycarbonate plastic and is found in epoxy resins which are used to line cans to prevent corrosion. CHOICE tested 38 samples of canned foods commonly found on Australian supermarket shelves and found 29 contained BPA at levels some experts believe could be harmful. The findings add... Read more »
Young people are being encouraged to ‘open their minds’ to a career in agriculture, with the launch of a new information brochure by WA Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman at the Dowerin Field Days.Mr Redman said the ‘Open your mind: careers in agriculture’ origami-style brochure sought to inspire upper school students to consider the vast range of career opportunities in agriculture. “There are so many different, dynamic careers young people can pursue in agriculture,”... Read more »
Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman said the State’s grain growers would reap the benefits of a new partnership between Western Australian-based cereal breeding company InterGrain Pty Ltd and global bioscience technology company Monsanto Co. Mr Redman said the international breeding collaboration announced today was exciting news for the State’s wheat growers as they grappled with a difficult dry season. “Monsanto’s minority shareholding in InterGrain will enable access... Read more »
Top chefs and industry insiders will reveal the secrets of three-hat restaurants at Australia’s pre-eminent food industry event, Restaurant*, on 25-26 October 2010 at Sydney’s Royal Hall of Industries. Now in its fourth year, Restaurant* 2010 champions increased professionalism amongst the top restaurants in the country. “Restaurant* firmly focuses on the country’s top restaurants, fine dining and premier food experiences. This year’s event will see hatted chefs from... Read more »
Consumer group CHOICE has described Coles’ decision not to publish its in-store prices online as a major disappointment and has called on the supermarket chain to reconsider. Coles’ announcement means Australian shoppers will not be able to use the internet to compare the cost of shopping at the nation’s two major supermarkets, as is possible for airfares, “We at least expected Coles might try to put some of its prices online as ALDI does and Woolworths has started doing,”... Read more »
‘Additive-Free’ has, misleadingly, become synonymous with ‘healthy’, thanks to the clever marketing people who work in the food industry. To combat this there is going to be a three-part documentary on ‘E numbers’ on BBC Two (UK) not, it seems, as another attempt to demonise the colours and preservatives used in some foods, but to dispel some of the myths surrounding additives. The term ‘E number’ is simply a reference given to food additives that have been approved... Read more »