VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese consumers are now saying ‘no’ to imported food and returning to home-grown products as they fear the quality of foreign goods.
Petty merchants at markets in HCM City all say that the number of buyers of imported pork, beef and chicken has been decreasing. A chicken seller at Tan Dinh Market in HCM City said that previously she could sell 15-20 kilogrammes of imported chicken wings and legs per day, but now she sells 5-7 kilogrammes only.
 
Imports unsalable
 
Vu Thi Hien, the owner of a fresh food shop …

Australia’s largest organic body – the Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA) – has rejected claims by Britain’s Food Standard Agency (FSA) that organic produce has no health or nutritional benefit over conventionally produced food.
Shane Heaton, nutritionist spokesperson and researcher for the BFA, said that, despite the review finding that organic produce contains only slightly higher nutrient levels, the wider health and environmental benefits of organic over non-organic production are in no way ‘insignificant’.
“Proof of the nutritional benefits is there, which adds to the raft of other benefits of organic food …

When reading nutrition labels on packages, it becomes apparent food chemicals are added to flavor, color and preserve the foods we consume.

Since the purchase of organic foods have increased, it’s apparent quality food is important to Americans.

Which food coloring, food flavor, food chemical or food additive is safe and which food additive to avoid? Use the food additive checklist for easy shopping.

St. Louis, July 30, 2009 — Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a substance in the liver that helps process fat and glucose. That substance is a component of the common food additive lecithin, and researchers speculate it may one day be possible to use lecithin products to control blood lipids and reduce risk for diabetes, hypertension or cardiovascular disease using treatments delivered in food rather than medication.
“Currently, doctors use drugs called fibrates to treat problems with cholesterol and triglycerides,” says the study’s co-first …

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is calling on food additive manufacturers and enforcement authorities to comment on an EU directive laying down new purity criteria.
The consultation is being launched to discuss the implementation into English law of directive 2009/10/EC, which contains specific purity criteria on food additives other than colours and sweeteners.
Financial impact
The FSA said it does not expect that any of the amendments to carry financial implications for the food companies but is seeking industry feedback to confirm this. The deadline for responses is 15 October 2009.
The amendment to …