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Rise and shine: the GM wake-up call

19-Mar-2007 - News that a variety of GM corn produced signs of liver and kidney toxicity in rats should be a wake-up call for better testing and more transparency from biotechs, if GMOs are to be accepted by increasingly sceptical consumers.

GM: A healthy debate

12-Mar-2007 - The development of genetically modified crops to improve human health could be the golden ticket for advocates to persuade the wary public that GM is not a wholly nefarious idea after all. But will a new, healthy spin be enough to counter deep-rooted fears that genetic modification, by its very nature, poses an equal and opposite threat to human health?

No excuses for illegal labour

05-Mar-2007 - There is no legitimate defence as to why some companies continue to use illegal labour. This isn't the vice trade, this is the food industry: no excuses.

Turning advertisers into educators

26-Feb-2007 - Instead of trying to hide confectionery from children by restricting advertising, chocolate-makers should be encouraging them to make the same health-conscious choices as adults when it comes to confectionery they're sure to buy anyway.

Coming clean in crisis management

19-Feb-2007 - In the area of crisis management, companies seem keen to repeat history by making the same mistakes -- over and over again.

Allergens: no room for mistakes

12-Feb-2007 - It would be a mistake for governments and industry to misinterpret the recent progress in food allergen labeling as a final solution: there is much that yet remains to be done, for the well-being of both consumers and manufacturers.

Food versus fuel: is a happy ending possible?

05-Feb-2007 - The era of biofuels is here but this does not necessarily mean unending food price shocks or a critical diversion of agricultural production away from food.

Deja Moo: Are we ready for cloned cattle?

29-Jan-2007 - Here we go again. Yet another technology in its infancy is likely to be introduced into the food supply, while industry remains cautious and consumers divided.

Death to the industry conspiracy theories!

22-Jan-2007 - Here we go again. Industry-sponsored studies into the nutritional benefits of food and drink products are biased. Don't believe anything that has an industry sponsor.

FSA rules ok? The labelling rebellion

08-Jan-2007 - The battle of wills between the UK food watchdog and industry heavyweights over nutrition labelling threatens to destabilise the balance of power between industry and government.

Response and Responsibility

18-Dec-2006 - Bah, Humbug! It has been that kind of year in general for the food industry, and in particular for some major companies.

Trans Fats: A Farewell to Harm

11-Dec-2006 - There's no way but out for heart-damaging trans fatty acids, and procrastinators in the food industry will achieve nothing by delaying reformulation other than lagging behind in the game as the rest of the world waves goodbye.

Taking the junk out of junk food

04-Dec-2006 - The relationship between child and crisp has long been a sacred one but instead of exploiting this dynamic to shovel unhealthy food into young mouths isn't it about time healthier companies exploited it to push junk food without the junk?

Folic acid: Sisters aren't doing it for themselves

28-Nov-2006 - When the idea of fortifying staple foods with vital nutrients is raised, the battlecry goes up from industry groups and advocates of consumer choice: "Why should we bear the costs?" "Educate, and let people make their own decisions". But when evidence for the benefits is overwhelming, neither the state nor the individual can afford to let their interests be shouted down.

Self-entitlement and food: the globally irresponsible spiral

20-Nov-2006 - Until consumers lose the attitude that they deserve and have a right to goods from all over the world, our food systems and the environment are at peril.

Why climate change cannot be ignored

13-Nov-2006 - Ignoring climate change will cost countries billions and lead to food scarcity.

Transparency is the key to the science kingdom

06-Nov-2006 - In the food and nutrition world, science is king. So when journals do not force scientists to fully disclose financial support and potential conflicts of interest, they are not helping anyone.

A fair trade future

30-Oct-2006 - The world needs an independent trade watchdog to properly regulate the international food supply chain if we as a society are to truly create a more sustainable and ethical food market.

China: a victim of trade wars?

02-Oct-2006 - If the Chinese government gives in to mounting international pressure to revalue its currency, it could spell the end of cheap exports, a move that many anticipate would have a knock-on effect on raw materials costs for the food industry. But China may prove to be a less ready victim of western bullying than some expect.

When vegetables become victims

25-Sep-2006 - The demonisation of spinach following last week's E.coli outbreak could give salad-dodgers the excuse they have been looking for to skimp on their recommended five to nine portions of fruit and veg a day. Without communication and a united front from industry, a longer-term public health crisis could be on the cards.

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