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INC Ordinary General Assembly
Sheraton Convention Center, Santiago de Chile - Chile
· Sunday, May 11th, 2008 at 9:00 am
A G E N D A
- Call to order and acceptance of the agenda by the Chairman
- Report of the Advisory Committee
- Report of the activities of the INC Foundation by the General Secretary
- Financial status report of the INC Foundation by the Treasurer
- Approval of the 2007 audited accounts of the INC Foundation
- Approval of the 2008 Budget of the INC Foundation
- Approval of INC Ambassadors list
- Report of the INC Ambassadors and picture
- Announcement of the 2009 Congress site
- Other Business
VASP Seminar
Chaired by Ms. Julie Adams, Vice Chairman of the INC Scientific and Government Affairs Committee, the seminar will provide an informal opportunity to discuss the current status of the Voluntary Aflatoxin Sampling Plan program for California almonds, with perspectives from both importers and shippers. Prospects for lifting Special Measures and mandatory import surveillance in Europe will be reviewed, and next steps outlined.
The VASP seminar will take place on Friday, 9 May 2008, from 3:30pm to 5:00 pm, at the Sheraton Convention Center.
Dried Fruit Meeting
The INC will provide a meeting platform for the dried fruit industry worldwide to discuss the latest issues on scientific and nutrition subjects. Under the umbrella of the Congress, the INC will host this session for interested dried fruit companies to discuss issues of common interest and opportunities. The meeting will take place on Friday, 9 May 2008, from 4.00pm to 5.30pm at the Convention Center of the Sheraton hotel.
INC Scientific Seminar
The INC Scientific & Government Affairs Committee is planning a Scientific Seminar within the frame of the Congress, that will take place on Saturday, 10 May 2008, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm, at the Sheraton Convention Center. The seminar will address the current issues and challenges facing the nut and dried fruit industry: aflatoxin levels and sampling plan for Almonds, Hazelnuts and Pistachios, the discussion on maximum levels for total aflatoxins in Brazil nuts at the Codex Alimentarius, pesticides and heavy metals, microbiology limits on tree nuts and dried fruits, the RASFF, the VASP Program, EU regulation on health claims and legislation on high risk products of non-animal origin. Mr. Pino Calcagni, Chairman of the INC Scientific and Government Affairs Committee, will present the key outcomes of the Scientific and Government Affairs Committee meeting which will take place on Friday, 9 May 2008, from 9:30am to 3:00pm.
Other meetings:
INC Executive Committee Meeting
The INC Executive Committee meeting will be held in the Sheraton Convention Center, on Thursday, 8 May 2008, from 9:30am to 1:00pm, prior to the Board of Directors meeting. The Executive Committee will review this year’s budget and the Sub-Committees activities: PR, Membership and Ambassadors’ Committee, Editorial and Statistics Committee, Congress Committee and Scientific and Government Affairs Committee. Members will also review the INC web site and Database and different fund requests.
INC Board of Directors Meeting
The INC Board meeting will take place on Thursday, 8 May 2008, from 2:00pm to 5:00pm, at the Sheraton Convention Center. Members of the Board will discuss budgetary and strategic development issues.
INC Ambassadors Meeting
The INC Ambassadors meeting will take place on Sunday, 11 May 2008, from 3:00pm to 5:00 pm, at the Sheraton Convention Center. The Ambassadors report on activities organized in 2007 towards the promotion of nuts and dried fruits. Programs developed in their countries in order to increase awareness and promote consumption. Ambassadors are also welcome to attend the INC General Assembly on Sunday at 9:00am and to make a brief presentation about the nut and dried fruit activities organized in their respective countries.
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New Scientific & Regulatory issues on the INC website
Scientific Studies
• Deshpande RP, Chinnan MS, Phillips RD. Process development of a chocolate-flavored peanut-soy beverage. Intl. J. Food Science & Technology. May 2008. 43(5); 886–894.
•Fung TT, Chiuve SE, McCullough ML, Rexrode KM, Logroscino G, Hu FB. Adherence to a DASH-Style Diet and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke in Women. Arch Intern Med. 2008 Apr 14;168(7):713-20.
Regulations
• Report of the Second Session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods. The Hague, The Netherlands, 31 March - 4 April 2008.
• Commission Regulation (EC) No 353/2008 of 18 April 2008 establishing implementing rules for applications for authorization of health claims as provided for in Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Member States shall apply this regulation from 9 May 2008.
• Annex III: part A, it encloses all draft Temporary MRLs that were thus far not harmonized at EU level. Draft TMRLs in view of the establishment of Annex III part A to Regulation (EC) 296/2005. Updated 21-04-2008.
• Annex III: part B, it encloses all draft Temporary MRLs of active substances harmonized at EU level in and on new commodities. Draft TMRLs in view of the establishment of Annex III part B to Regulation (EC) 296/2005. Updated 21-04-2008.
• Draft Commission Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs.
•Commission Directive 2008/39/EC of 6 March 2008 amending Directive 2002/72/EC relating to plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food.
• Plant Protection - Evaluation & Authorization. Status of active substances under EU review. Updated 14-04-2008.
• Food Hygiene - Guides to Good Practice. Register for National Guides to Good Practice set up by the Commission to make them available to Member States and food business operators. Updated 11-04-2008.
• U.S. FDA Food Labeling Guide.
• Cashews - Part I: AFI Specifications for Cashew Kernels - Text & Appendices, Adopted January 2008.
• Cashews - Part II: AFI Specifications for Cashew Kernels - Charts, Adopted January 2008.
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Regulatory News
Aflatoxin Pre-Export Checks on US peanuts: Documents
US peanuts became the first commodity to receive pre-export testing certification at origin for aflatoxins when Commission Decision 2008/47/EC, approving the Aflatoxin pre-export checks on peanuts and derived products carried out by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), entered into force on 1 December 2007.
The program is now underway and along with the new regulation came new documents which must accompany US peanut consignments arriving in Europe:
In a few months, these documents will also be available in electronic format to be used as part of the new eTDE system.
Update: EU Maximum Levels for Heavy Metals in tree nuts
The Standing Committee on the Food Chain & Animal Health (SCFCAH), Toxicological Safety Section, adopted an amendment to Regulation 1881/2006 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs on 11 April 2008. The amended regulation adds a sentence to Footnote (1) of Regulation 1881/2006 that states “tree nuts are not covered by the maximum levels for fruits”.
Once the amended regulation will enter into force, this statement will eliminate any possible misinterpretation and will ensure that EU maximum levels for heavy metals are not applied to tree nuts, as long as new specific levels for tree nuts are not set. Nevertheless, Member States may still apply national action levels in the framework of official controls and such actions may differ from one Member State to another.
Amended Regulation 1881/2006 is expected to be published by end of June 2008 and it will enter into force 20 days after its publication.
The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) is expected to release in September/October 2008 an updated opinion on the risks of the presence of cadmium in foodstuffs. This report will help the Commission assess if current maximum levels for cadmium should be amended. In addition, the Commission has recently requested EFSA to update its opinion on the risk of the presence of lead in foodstuffs.
FDA's Updated Food Labelling Guide
A new Food Labeling Guide released by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) summarizes required statements that must appear on food labels. It presents information in “question and answer” format and contains general food labeling requirements, food names, net quantity of contents statements, ingredient lists (colors and food allergen labeling), nutrition labeling, nutrient content claims, and health claims.
www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/2lg-toc.html
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RASFF Notifications
EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed
· Weeks 14-17
ALERT NOTIFICATIONS
- Peanut butter from the United Kingdom (1).
- Traces of peanut in biscuits from the Czech Republic (1).
Alert Notifications are released when a food or feed presenting a serious risk is on the market and when immediate action is required.
INFORMATION NOTIFICATIONS
- Almonds from USA (1).
- Dried organic apricots from Turkey (1).
- Ground nutmeg from India (1) and Indonesia (1).
- Peanut butter from Canada (1).
- Peanuts from China (2) and Ghana (1).
- Pistachios from Iran (1).
- Traces of peanut in milk chocolate with almonds from Romania (1).
Information Notifications concern a food or feed for which a risk has been identified, but for which the other member states do not have to take immediate action, because the product has not yet reached their market.
BORDER REJECTIONS
- Almonds from USA (3).
- Brazil nuts from Bolivia (1).
- Dried fig paste from Turkey (1).
- Dried figs from Turkey (1).
- Dried nuts snack from Turkey (1).
- Hazelnuts from Turkey (3).
- Peanuts from Brazil (1), China (19), Egypt (2), Indonesia (3), Israel (1), South Africa (1) and USA (1).
- Pine nuts from Turkey (1).
- Pistachios from Iran (12), Israel (1), Turkey (2) and USA (1).
- Raisins from Iran (1).
- Walnuts from Ukraine (1).
Border Rejections concern food and feed consignments that have been tested and rejected at the external borders of the EU and the European Economic Area when a health risk was found. The notifications are transmitted to all EEA border posts in order to reinforce controls and to ensure that the rejected product does not re-enter the Community through another border post.
EU RAS Notifications for US Almonds 01/01/2007 – 03/31/2008
FRUCOM has recently released a compilation of the RASFF notifications of US almonds from 1st January 2007 to 31st March 2008 due to aflatoxins levels exceeding the EU maximum levels.
Since 16 April 2007 the RASFF provides more detailed information in its weekly publication:
- Levels of contaminants and residues found in food.
- Two new categories:
- Type of control
- Status (combination of two values, “distribution status” and “action (to be) taken”).
Since 1st January 2008 the RASFF has a new notifications’ classification: Alert Notifications, Information Notifications and Border Rejections (previous article).
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Research Briefs
Chocolate-flavored Peanut-Soy Beverage: New Study
Researches from the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of Georgia, USA, have incorporated medium-roasted peanut flour and chocolate flavor to a soy beverage. The study has been published in the International Journal of Food Science and Technology, May issue. Peanut flour and chocolate flavor were incorporated with the aim to improve the flavor and to increase the protein profile. The major steps of the process involved filtration, homogenization and pasteurization.
The DASH diet may reduce coronary heart diseases
According to a new study published in the April 14, 2008, issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, women who follow the diet known as Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH Diet) have shown a lower risk of coronary disease and stroke. Researchers from Boston and the American Cancer Society, USA, analyzed 88.517 women aged 34 to 59 years without a history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes in 1980. Between 1980 and 2004 the women responded on 7 occasions to food frequency questionnaires and the researchers calculated a DASH score based on: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes, low-fat dairy, red and processed meats, sweetened beverages and sodium. Medical information was gathered every two years. After 24 years, 2.129 women had a non-fatal myocardial infarction, 976 died of coronary heart disease (CHD) and 3.105 died of strokes. The results of the study showed that the DASH score was significantly associated with lower risk of stroke and CHD.
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E-mail: inc@nutfruit.org