FDA plan to relax labeling for irradiated foods draws ire
The Food and Drug Administration has proposed easing labeling requirements for irradiated foods, allowing some zapped products to be exempt from disclosure and others to use the term "pasteurized." The controversial plan—part of an effort to alleviate consumer fears about the use of radiation in reducing foodborne hazards—is one of several labeling changes pending before either the FDA or the U.S. Department of Agriculture that involve information on how food is processed, where it comes from and what it contains.
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Robots will do milking in hi-tech farming
It may sound udderly ridiculous, but Ashburton feed company, Winslow Ltd., will next year be the first to run four milking robots in New Zealand. The machines were introduced 15 years ago. Now, 4,000 robots milk on dairy farms across Europe, the U.S., Canada, Japan and Russia. Technology has advanced so the robots are able to milk larger herds, typical in New Zealand. Cows are lured to the machines by feed or water. They walk to the automated machines and are milked by the machine's arms as sensors detect the teats. Winslow Ltd. general manager Craig Carr said a research herd of 360 cows would be milked by the robots, and he looked forward to trial results.
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Consumers making healthy fat distinction
Consumers are starting to recognize that some fats can actually be good for them, stimulating growth in the market for polyunsaturated fatty acids like omega-3 and CLA, says Leatherhead Food International. The U.K.-based consultancy says that, in addition to omega-3 and CLA, essential oils and phytosterols are also turning up in key food and drink sectors. There have been considerable efforts to educate consumers about the dangers of consuming saturated and hydrogenated fats, and the industry has responded by reformulating a raft of products with less of the kinds of fats that can influence heart and other health aspects.
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