In the US, the Food and Drug Administration is hoping to implement rules that will make food processors exporting food to the US more accountable for food safety and will establish standards for third-party audits of foreign food producers. These proposals will strengthen the FDA’s ability to monitor those facilities and respond if there are unsafe practices. Public comment is welcomed. [ + ]

Last week, www.foodprocessing.com.au published ‘GM pig study is hogwash, FSANZ says’. Three readers took umbrage with the news items and wrote to me to explain what they felt was wrong. Following are their letters. [ + ]

An aseptic fruit processing plant in California that produces sliced strawberries in syrup used HRS Process Technology’s heat exchanger and pump solutions to guarantee zero damage to the particulate while maintaining product integrity and shape. [ + ]

Already implicated in liver damage and cancers, it now seems that chronic aflatoxin exposure may be contributing to worsening the AIDS epidemic. [ + ]

The Goulburn Valley (GV) Food Co-operative has used local workers and local produce to manufacture their first 5000 ‘meal for four under $10’ pasta and sauce meals. [ + ]

Recent studies have found that combining some foods like tomatoes and broccoli, heating some foods to a certain temperature (or not heating others), and/or cooking them in olive oil, may enhance their antiangiogenesis abilities. These findings could impact food design, preparation and ultimately public health. [ + ]

A probiotic strain of E. coli which is used to treat irritable bowel syndrome can soothe gut bacterial infections caused by Salmonella, paving the way for potential relief from foodborne illnesses that affect millions of people annually. [ + ]

History is littered with incidents of catastrophic dust explosions. It is possible, however, to minimise the risk by identifying and mitigating contributing factors. [ + ]

Fatty acids derived from fatty fish and fish-oil supplements, usually lauded as ‘cardio cure-alls’, have been found to increase the risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer. [ + ]

Vegetable growers are calling for John Brent to step down as AUSVEG chairman after he was accused of insolvent trading. Bunny Bite Foods’ administrator told creditors they may be able to make a claim against Brent for insolvent trading. [ + ]

A video describing how a food scientist developed a soy product that provides a high-protein, cholesterol-free and gluten-free vegetarian alternative that looks, feels and tastes like chicken is the latest addition to the IFT’s video series that shows what it’s like to be a food scientist. [ + ]

The United Farmer and Industry cane sugar mill in Thailand is one of the latest mills to use GWE Anaerobic technology. The plant has a capacity of 3500 cubic metres a day of wastewater, containing 22,750 kg per day COD of natural origin that can be broken down into biogas by anaerobic bacteria. [ + ]

The 446 billion PET containers used worldwide for beverage packaging in 2011 is expected to grow to 1.3 trillion by 2015. That’s a lot of bottles that have to be dealt with in the waste and recycling streams. [ + ]

BASF’s compostable plastic ecovio has found its first production application in a system solution for coffee packaging. BASF has collaborated with the Swiss Coffee Company to develop a coffee capsule with aroma-tight outer packaging. [ + ]

You are what you eat - and so are your offspring. And in the title bout featuring protein versus sugar, protein is the winner. [ + ]