A substantial portion of food and drink packaging in current use is based on materials derived from petroleum feedstock, i.e. plastics. These fossil-carbon based materials have been developed to protect the packaged foodstuff from the external environment and so confer many of the necessary barrier properties. These are desirable attributes in the cause of minimizing food waste for economic, societal and environmental benefits. Read more
At the outset of Covid, panic food buying saw our vegetable shelves emptied sending many of us to our local garden centres to buy seed. A combination of ‘Digging for Britain’ and the Good life. The lockdown then closed our garden centres and seed, as with all things, mostly became available to the public via the internet. Overnight, as UK garden centres and supply chains endeavoured to make themselves accessible to their customers online, the UK public awoke to the fact that they could browse and purchase online seed, even plants, from a myriad of alternative suppliers across the world. Read more
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat that is becoming critically important in many aspects of society. AMR is the evolution of microbes to become resistant to the drugs we use to control them – often this refers to bacteria becoming immune to the effects of antibiotics, but it can have a much broader definition (such as fungi becoming resistant to fungicides). Read more
As the UK Government starts to slowly lift lockdown measures, at Fera we understand and recognise the importance of our role in continuing in providing responsive support services to all of our clients and partners, working nationally and internationally. Read more
As consumers, we have the right to know what is in the food we buy and where our food is coming from. Yet today’s food chain is of unprecedented complexity and span, presenting greater risks in relation to safety and authenticity. So clear and correct labelling of food and drink products is vital. Read more
As multiple altruistic businesses sought to assist in the fight against the COVID-19 global pandemic by diverting workforces to produce hand sanitisers concerns have been raised about the effectiveness but more alarmingly the safety of some of these products. Read more
In a bid to mitigate associated health risks and to reduce children’s exposure to harmful contaminants, the European Commission imposed a maximum limit for inorganic arsenic concentrations for manufacturers to comply with.
Following recent testing on multiple rice varieties sold in the UK, researchers have found that half of the rice samples in the study exceeded the maximum arsenic limits for young children. Read more
When consumers are asked about contaminant risks in food, the usual concerns focus on microbes, pesticides or heavy metals such as lead. Plant toxins would probably not feature. After all, plant products are natural, so they must be healthy, right? Read more
In 2019, new regulations relating to endocrine-disrupting chemicals in Europe were introduced; that require plant protection products and biocides to be assessed for endocrine activity. Read more
A Scottish honey is set to take on its global rivals after being revealed as a world-leading superfood in a recent scientific study. The Scottish Bee Company’s heather honey contains up to 10 times more of the essential micronutrient, manganese, compared to 200 of its global rivals. This unique Scottish honey is also amongst the world’s top manganese containing food products.
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