Diesel Price Raise Link to 5% Bio-Additive

Last week, fuel and diesel prices on the European stock markets were relatively stable. Fuel prices increased to USD 1,115 (LVL 540) per ton, while diesel dropped to USD 1,050 (LVL 510) per ton, informs LETA.

But fuel stations have started to sell summer diesel, however, its price could grow due to the obligatory 5% bio-additive, which costs 43% more than fossil diesel, the Statoil Latvija spokesman, Kaspars Skrabans, informed the business information portal Nozare.lv.

The bio-additive currently costs slightly more than USD 1,500 (LVL 739).

Fuel and diesel prices are still affected by the political instability in Libya, the positive macroeconomic data in China and the United States as well as Russia's announcement that it could increase the export tax on oil products.

Originally Posted: About Additive

China's Largest Meat Processor Shuanghui Group Apologized Over Additive Scandal

China's largest meat processor Shuanghui Group apologized Wednesday after an illegal additive was allegedly found in meat products in an affiliate of the company.

Jiyuan Shuanghui, China's largest meat processor Shuanghui Group apologized Wednesday after an illegal additive was allegedly found in meat products in Jiyuan Shuanghui, a subsidiary company of Shuanghui Group in Jiyuan, central China's Henan Province. The group ordered Jiyuan Shuanghui to halt operations and sent a deputy general manager to the company to impose corrective measures.

Nineteen pigs in central China's Henan Province have tested positive to having a banned additive in their urine, the city government said Thursday. Out of 689 pigs awaiting slaughter and processing by Jiyuan Shuanghui Food Co., Ltd, 19 tested positive to having Clenbuterol, an illegal additive poisonous to humans, according to a Jiyuan city government statement.

The Ministry of Agriculture sent a team to Henan Province on Tuesday to investigate, and the provincial government ordered 16 pig farms to halt pig and pork sales and sealed feedstuff suspected to contain the additive.

The city government is also investigating more than 1,300 pig farms and 130 feed and vet drug stores, said the statement. No results have been disclosed yet.

Li Changqing, general manager of Xinda Husbandry Company based in Henan, said the case would severely damage the whole industry.

"The Clenbuterol case would definitely affect consumers' confidence in purchasing meat products," Li said. "Corrective measures should be introduced immediately to avoid consequences like those that damaged the dairy industry following the melamine scandal."

In Nanjing City, capital of nearby Jiangsu Province, the local government suspended operations Thursday of Xingwang Slaughter House after pigs believed to be from Henan tested positive to Clenbuterol.

Authorities also tested pigs in 35 other slaughter plants and 38 pig farms in Nanjing but no tests results were positive.

The tests came after media reports alleging that Jiyuan Shuanghui Food Co., Ltd., purchased pig fed containing Clenbuterol.

Clenbuterol is a chemical that can be fed to pigs to prevent them from accumulating fat. It is banned as an additive in pig feed in China because it can end up in the flesh of pigs and is poisonous to humans if ingested.

According to biological experts, humans can suffer from nausea, headaches, limb tremors and even cancer after eating food containing Clenbuterol.

The Clenbuterol pork meat scandal has caused consumers all over China to express concern and disappointment in the processor giant.

"I always bought Shuanghui's ham sausages thinking the brand was the most reliable in China, but now, I don't know which brand I should trust," said a 28-year-old woman in Beijing.

Jiyuan Shuanghui is under Shuanghui Group, China's largest meat processor with total assets of over 10 billion yuan (1.52 billion U.S. dollars). The Henan-based group has factories in 12 provinces throughout China, producing cooked meat products such as sausage, and also has branches in Japan, Singapore, the Philippines and the Republic of Korea, according to its website.

Tags: China, meat additive, Shuanghui Group, additive scandal, food additive, pork meat scandal,Clenbuterol pork

Originally Posted: About Additive

High Blood Pressure due to HFCS, a Commonly-found Food Additive

A University of Colorado study found that even people who eat a healthy, low-sodium diet may be at risk of high blood pressure due to a commonly-found food additive. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is found in almost all processed, prepared, or packaged foods, was shown to increase blood pressure by up to 32%.

According to the study, HFCS causes inflammation in the bloodstream which causes the blood vessel walls to tighten, resulting in blood pressure increases. Even people who ate a healthy diet with periodic ingestion of HFCS experienced the blood pressure increase.

While HFCS can be listed as corn syrup, fructose, high fructose sweetener, natural sweetener, or other type of sweetener on the label of foods, it is still the same health-damaging sweetener. Even foods that claim to be “natural” can include HFCS. Only fresh whole foods or foods that are labeled “100% organic” are devoid of HFCS.

It can be found in almost any foods but is common in most types of soda, and processed foods labeled “low-fat” or “non-fat”. Most food manufacturers add high-fructose corn syrup to add flavor when they make fat-reduced foods and HFCS happens to be extremely cheap.

Some surprising sources of HFCS include:

- Yogurt

- Baby Food

- Granola and Granola Bars

- Cereal (even so-called healthy cereals or cereals intended for children)

- Salad dressing

- Condiments

- Crackers

There’s another problem with HFCS: most corn and corn-derived foods on the market are made with genetically-modified (GM) corn. While there still isn’t much testing on the effects of consuming GM-foods (and certainly no long-term tests), early tests show many negative health consequences.

While high-fructose corn-syrup contains fructose, there’s no reason to be concerned about eating fructose as it is found in fresh fruits. Research shows that consuming fruit does not negatively impact blood pressure, and may even improve it.

Originally Posted: About Additive

How to Eat Healthier? Let's talk about Food Additive too

Guide: Oxidation (b) benzoyl, with an appearance of white or light yellow and shaped in thin cone, as well as tastes slightly bitter just like bitter almond. Oxidation (b) benzoyl is a strong oxidizer, unstable, combustible. Oxidation (b) benzoyl can play the role of bleaching and antiseptic on flour. And at the same time, calcium peroxide (a type of food additive) can also be used as a preservative.




The Ministry of Health is asking public opinion on a proposed ban on two flour whitening agents.

There has been public concern over the safety of the two food additives: benzoyl peroxide and calcium peroxide.

The ministry will seek public input until Dec 30. But an ongoing online poll by sina.com has shown that more than 90 percent of the 31 thousand respondents supported the ban.

Zhu Yi, associate professor at the Nutrition Engineering Institute at China Agricultural University says the two bleaching agents may pose health risks.

"Benzoyl peroxide and calcium peroxide are the main components of the bleaching agents. Benzoyl peroxide can create sodium benzoate during manufacturing process. This is an antiseptic and is confirmed to harmful to the liver. Plus, benzoyl peroxide is a medicine to treat skin disease. According to related laws, medicine is not allowed in food. In this aspect, it's inappropriate to use the additives. The oxidants could also damage flour's nutrients, such as beta-carotene."

Zhu Yi says, in some developed countries, food additives like benzoyl peroxide and calcium peroxide are allowed within limits.

"Benzoyl peroxide is banned in EU countries. But the US haven't put limits on using it. In Canada, there is a limit, about 150 milligram per kilogram. In China, the limit is 60 milligram per kilogram, lower than the standard. However, it's hard to make the dose equally distributed in products especially for some small- and medium-sized flour companies in rural areas. Those companies may easily overuse this additive. So, banning it is a reasonable choice."

Zhu Yi adds if more consumers prefer choosing the foods' original color and flavor, rather than buying something that looks neat and pretty, the food enterprises will have less incentive to use food additives.

Originally Posted: About Additive

EU Expert: Probiotic Yogurt is Not Good for Intestinal Health

Probiotic yoghurt drinks and supplements don’t live up to their promises, according to an EU watchdog. They claim to boost your immune system and help digestion. It concluded there is no scientific proof that products such as Yakult have any health benefits at all.

The watchdog dismissed more than 800 claims regarding the increasingly popular probiotic drinks, yoghurts and whey proteins, vitamins, supplements, ruling that suggestions the products could strengthen the body’s natural defences and reduce gut problems were either too general or could not be proven.

The supposed health benefits of probiotic goods enable manufacturers to sell them at much higher prices than normal yoghurts and milkshakes.

Earlier this year, the Advertising Standards Authority watchdog banned a TV advert for Actimel, manufactured by Danone, which suggested it stopped children falling ill. It ruled that the promotion was ‘misleading’ and its claim that the drink was ‘scientifically proven to help support your kids’ defences’ was not supported.

Danone has subsequently dropped most of its claims that Activia yoghurts and Actimel drinks boost the immune system. But other probiotic firms claim the European watchdog has been unnecessarily rigorous.

Last night, Yakult issued a statement saying the rejected claim was just one aspect of its research. A spokesman added: ‘The claim was supported by well-designed, double-blind, placebo-controlled human studies.‘In response to the EFSA opinion, the company wishes to discuss the evaluation process and this outcome with EFSA.‘With the benefit of further guidance, the company anticipates a positive EFSA opinion in due course.’

Originally Posted: About Additive

EFSA Intend to Re-evaluate the Safety of Canthaxanthin as a Food Additive

According to Flex-news reported that recently, the European Commission announced that the Panel on Food Additives and Nutritional Assessment at the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) should re-valuate the safety of Canthaxanthin (E161g) as a food pigments, and publish the evaluation results on this food additive. In addition, the Commission also requested that the evaluation result should established based on the original assessment result.


It is understood that the United Nations Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) / World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) had already evaluated the safety of Canthaxanthin (E161g) in 1974, 1987 and 1995 respectively, and the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) also had evaluated the safety of Canthaxanthin (E161g) in 1983, 1987 and 1997 respectively, upon the assessment on this food additive by these two committee, the daily intake (ADI) of Canthaxanthin (E161g) has been determined to be 0.03 mg / kg .

Remark:

Canthaxanthin (E161g) is a kind of food pigment as carotenoid, which was mainly composed of β-carotene -4,4 '-dione, and a small amount of other carotenoids. Most of EU authorities has already approved the substance as a food additive, as a food additive used in Saucissede Strasbourg, and the maximum daily intake is 15 mg / kg. Currently, this substance has also been approved as a animal feed additive by the EU.

Originally Posted: About Additive