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FSA publishes research needs
New survey shows US consumers accept GM foods
FSA warns of vitamin and mineral overdoses
Ahold finds $880m hole in US profits
Carlsberg revenue dips 9% on same volumes
New source for biotech news
Proteomics/IBM lands first Japanese site
Research
FSA
publishes research needs
The UK’s Food Standards Agency
has published its new research interests.
The agency is currently looking to
commission research projects in monitoring of radioactivity in the food
chain,
food intolerance, toxicology and
exposure of mixtures of pesticides and similar substances, health effects
of phytoestrogens in the diet, and audit and analysis of health claims of
products in the UK.
It will also hire programme
advisers and co-ordinators to oversee and provide an independent view of
the programme areas.
The FSA is also looking for an
experienced part-time programme adviser and co-ordinator in food
authenticity and labelling. Note: Scientific contractors working
for the FSA will have to sign up to a code of practice designed to make
sure publicly-funded research is of the highest standard.
GM
New
survey shows US consumers accept GM foods
Most Americans support the benefits
of food biotechnology as well as the US Food and Drug Administration’s
(FDA) labelling policy, according to a survey of US consumers commissioned
by the Washington, DC based International Food Information Council (IFIC)
last April, an independent think tank on food and nutrition.
“When given adequate context, US
consumers find biotechnology acceptable and look forward to its
benefits,” according to David Schmidt, senior vice president for food
safety & global relations for IFIC.
IFIC’s latest consumer survey on
food biotechnology, it’s eighth, found that 62% of Americans believe
that biotechnology will benefit them or their families in the next five
years. These benefits include
-
better quality, taste, and
variety of foods (43%)
-
better health and nutrition
(40%)
-
reduced chemical and pesticide
use on plants (19%)
-
reduced cost of food (10%)
-
improved crops and crop yields
(9%).
Nearly 70% said they would probably
buy vegetables and fruit Support “modified through biotechnology to be
protected from insect damage and require fewer pesticide applications.”
More than half said they would buy if they “taste better or fresher.”
Those surveyed said they are happy
with the FDA’s present policy on labelling by a margin of nearly four to
one. This says food must be labelled when biotechnology introduces an
allergen or when it substantially changes the food’s nutritional
content, like vitamins or fat, or its composition.
Full survey results and consumer
information can be found on the IFIC Web
site.
Nutrition
FSA warns of
vitamin and mineral overdoses
 Too much of a good thing is bad
for you. That’s the new view of the British Food Standards Agency now says
some vitamins and minerals may harm consumers if taken in too high a dose.
The advice follows the
publication of the report of the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals (EVM).
This makes recommendations on 31 vitamins and minerals.
The FSA says chromium picolinate may
cancer. Six substances (vitamins C and B6, calcium, iron, beta-carotene,
nicotinic acid, zinc, manganese and phosphorus) may have irreversible effects
if taken in large amounts over long periods of time; and three substances may
have short-term harmful effects, which would disappear if people stopped
taking the supplement.
The FSA is also reviewing advice on
biotin, folic acid, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, vitamin
B12, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, boron, cobalt, copper, iodine,
molybdenum, nickel, selenium, tin, magnesium, potassium, and silicon.
FSA chairman Sir John Krebs said a
balanced diet would provide all their nutritional needs without the need for
supplements.
It wants the supplements industry to
reduce voluntarily the dose and/or provide label warnings for some high dose
food supplements.
But it added young and pregnant women
should eat plenty of folate-rich foods, that women with heavy periods take
extra iron, and that pregnant or breast-feeding women and older people take
more vitamin D, preferably as advised by their doctor.
Finance
Ahold finds
$880m hole in US profits
Profits at US Foodservice, the US
subsidiary of Dutch-based food retailer Ahold, were overstated by $880
million, says PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), which has finished a forensic
audit of the company’s books.
PwC identified total overstatements of
pre-tax earnings between 1 April 1, 2000m when Ahold took over US Foodservice,
to 28 December 28, 2002. Some $110 million relates to fiscal year 2000, $260
million to fiscal year 2001 and $510 million to 2002.
It also identified $90 million in
overstated vendor receivables that will be written off against the opening
balances for US Foodservice, plus another $700 million of write-offs of
accrued vendor receivables, a $210 million increase in deferred contract
revenue liabilities and an $80 million increase in trade payables, plus a $25
million increase in inventory.
That might not be the end of the bad
news, either. Ahold warned it would assess the effect of the write-offs on
goodwill and long term assets. An internal legal investigation continues at US
Foodservice and other Ahold operating companies.
The problems at US Foodservice are
believed to stem from how it accounted for trade promotions. This is the money
suppliers pay the retailer for buying and promoting their products.
Carlsberg
revenue dips 9% on same volumes
Net sales at Danish brewer Carlsberg
slid from DKK7,572m last year to DKK6,855m on total beer volume that was level
with last year but during which the Carlsberg brand grew just over 5%.
Operating profit (EBITA) plunged 96% to DKK18m against DKK440m last year.,
giving the company a loss of DKK112m against a profit of DKK172m last year.
Biotech
New source
for biotech news
The European Commission's DG Research
has launched a new Web site, Biosociety, to promote interaction between
biotech researchers, social scientists, economists and interested ethical
experts. It will also inform European citizens about relevant policies and
ongoing activities in the field, and provide a forum for debate and dialogue.
A forum on the site is currently
debating how can life sciences and biotech can help meet European society's
health, environmental and economic needs. The site also has a searchable
database of experts.
See it for yourself at http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/biosociety/index_en.htm.
Sales
Proteomics/IBM
lands first Japanese site
New drug development company
Iberica-Kurume Translational Research Laboratories has installed the first
ProteomIQ protein-based technology platform sold to Japan. The deal follows a
sale to Charles River Proteomics Services in Worcester, Massachusetts.
ProteomIQ is a comprehensive technology
platform designed to accelerate proteomics research and biological discovery.
It is the fruit of a joint venture between Sydney-based Proteome Systems and
computer company IBM.
Proteome chief executive Dr Keith
Williams said the system will “drive this new initiative of Iberica and
Kurume University in pharmacoproteomics and pharmacokinetics.” |
