Food Industry News

Effective November 25, 2025, Health Canada authorized both synthetic and natural caffeine in hard, soft, and semi-soft candies (Category 6 supplements), capping doses at 56 mg per serving (or 100 mg for “high-caffeine” versions).

Uganda’s Bureau of Standards has unveiled four draft East African food standards covering molasses, rock sugar, caramel, and sugarcane juice, inviting comments until January 17, 2026.

Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration has cut red tape for vitamin and mineral use in foods, issuing a landmark notice on November 17, 2025, that eliminates redundant safety reviews for approved forms.

South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has overhauled its Food Additive Standards, effective immediately as of November 26, 2025, ushering in greater flexibility for manufacturers.

In a draft notice published November 27, 2025, the agency revised limits for two key compounds: 1,3-dichloropropene (raised from 0.05 to 0.06 mg/L) and cartap (lowered from 0.08 to 0.05 mg/L).

In a stark warning to Chinese food exporters, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued multiple automatic detention alerts in early November 2025, targeting firms from Ningxia to Fujian for serious compliance failures.

S. export data and fund short-covering propelled Chicago futures to multi-month highs. March corn soared 2.3% to $4.4775/bushel, fueled by a stunning revelation: 3.4 million metric tons in net sales for the week ending October 16—far exceeding expectation

On November 27, top-grade wheat in Rouen traded at $228/ton, up $2 from the prior week—yet still dwarfed by Argentina’s $206–210/ton offers.

November 28, 2025, lifted by stronger-than-expected Chinese buying rumors and a surging soybean oil market, yet held back by structural headwinds and unconvincing price competitiveness.

Global wheat markets sank deeper into a supply-induced slump during the week ending November 28, 2025, as bumper harvests from Europe to South America flooded export channels and intensified price wars.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has proposed a dramatic increase in the maximum residue level (MRL) for dodine in grapes—from the current 0.01 mg/kg (at the limit of quantification) to a striking 2 mg/kg, for both table and wine grapes.

A draft regulation published November 24, 2025, mandates that non-fermented white milk drinks must label themselves “Not Milk”, while fermented versions must declare “Not Yogurt”—ending years of consumer confusion.

Starting in 2026, 70% of standard formulas (Tier 1) will only require post-market notification, provided they meet Canadian standards and are made in recognized jurisdictions (e.g., EU, U.S.).

The EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed has reported a border rejection involving a food supplement exported from China to Poland.

Zimbabwe’s blueberry industry is preparing for major expansion after securing access to the Chinese market and benefiting from China’s announcement of zero-tariff treatment for all products from fifty-three African partner countries.

Health Canada has released two consultation documents proposing revisions to maximum residue limits for the pesticides pyrethrins and penthiopyrad in several food commodities.

The European Food Safety Authority has issued its opinion on the food enzyme triacylglycerol lipase, which is produced from the pregastric tissues of calves, young goats and lambs.

The European Food Safety Authority’s GMO Panel has published its scientific opinion on oilseed rape LBFLFK, a genetically modified variety engineered to alter its fatty acid profile and provide tolerance to imidazolinone herbicides.

The European Food Safety Authority has released its peer review of the pesticide active substance phenmedipham following the evaluation conducted by Finland and Denmark.

Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture has issued an emergency authorization allowing the use of a twelve-percent sulfoxaflor suspension concentrate in broccoli crops in response to a severe outbreak of the cabbage whitefly.